Ten Sword Technique

"There was nothing impossible about it. When he had first made the Rankings Board, would you have believed he could surpass you?" Huang Tianyu shook his head. "Don't overthink it. Take me, for instance—I was suppressed by Zhang Zhixian and Gu You from beginning to end. I wouldn't have believed it before either, but the facts are right before our eyes."

"We have no conflict with him. Even if we cannot befriend him, we absolutely cannot become enemies. Once the next batch of disciples arrives and the new disciples' Rankings Board closes, both you and I may enjoy greater resource allocations because of him."

Wei Xiao gave a bitter smile, still somewhat unconvinced. "I understand. It's just that this kid seems to be interested in Qingqing..."

Xu Qingqing, who was standing nearby, froze for a moment, then snapped irritably, "Wei Xiao, what nonsense are you talking about!"

"How is that nonsense?" Wei Xiao said angrily. "Don't be fooled by how indifferent he acts. People like him are the most calculating. We grew up together—how could I watch you get taken advantage of by that kid!"

"You're still spouting nonsense!"

Xu Qingqing looked at Huang Tianyu. He smiled faintly. "As long as Qingqing likes him and the two are in love, what is wrong with that? Why are you worrying about it?"

"It's not like I don't have feelings for Qingqing too!"

Wei Xiao said with a helpless expression.

The other two seemed accustomed to this. Huang Tianyu laughed and scolded, "The three of us grew up together. Aren't you embarrassed? Does Qingqing look like she is interested in you?"

"Take my advice. Stop being so full of yourself. We know each other too well—how can you even bring yourself to pine after Qingqing?"

Wei Xiao curled his lips, feeling both helpless and exhausted.

"Let's go. Steward Lin will be here soon."

Huang Tianyu called out and headed toward the supplies distribution area.

Beneath the Cultivation Ranking, Zhu Xi had also arrived. After testing his Punching Force, the names on the Rankings Board remained utterly still. He was not surprised by the result, because he had already used up all the spirit crystals his clan had sent him.

It should not have run out so quickly, but now there was an extra mouth to feed. The spirit crystals were pouring away like water.

He swept his gaze over the Rankings Board. When he saw Yang Chen's rank, a complicated look flashed through his eyes.

Since the last incident, a rift had formed between Yang Chen and him.

He wanted to mend their relationship, but he did not have the nerve to do so, because nearly all of Yang Chen's misfortunes could be said to have come from being dragged down by him.

For instance, Zhou Tao had targeted Yang Chen in the beginning only because he had a grudge against Zhu Xi. If Yang Chen had not remained calm in the face of danger and handled the matter properly, he might have already been expelled from the sect.

Then there was the matter with Ji Ran. Over this period, Zhu Xi had secretly gathered quite a bit of information. Ji Ran had most likely been arranged by Zhou Han.

This had something to do with him as well. It could even be said that he had brought it about with his own hands. If he had not been overcome by lust and left the two of them behind, how could such a thing have happened?

This incident had caused Yang Chen's resources for an entire year to vanish into thin air. If it had been him, he would certainly have been furious as well.

In short, he no longer knew how to face Yang Chen.

It would have been fine if Yang Chen had been ordinary, but the light around him was only growing brighter...

"Another sword technique!"

Yang Chen collected the rewards for disciples on the Cultivation Ranking. Another Low-grade Sword Technique appeared in his hands, and his eyes burned with excitement. He wished he could return immediately and study it.

He would not normally have been this anxious, but a few days ago, he had accidentally learned of a prerequisite for advancing to the Inner Sect—Sword Intent at completion.

This was one of the three major requirements for advancing to the Inner Sect. To fulfill it, one had to comprehend Sword Intent. Sword Intent was mysterious and profound, yet it truly existed. To comprehend it more smoothly, one could not do without studying more sword techniques.

He had always been determined to obtain an Inner Sect identity. Thus, after learning of Sword Intent, he would rather sleep less each day than fail to carve out time to practice sword techniques.

As the month-end assessment came to an end amid agony, Yang Chen quickly returned to his residence, took out his newly acquired sword technique, and carefully read through it.

"This sword technique is formidable!"

After reading the introduction on the title page, Yang Chen's eyes lit up.

This sword technique was called the Ten Sword Technique. Like the Gale Sword Technique, it was a Low-grade Sword Technique. In terms of power, the latter was superior, but in terms of rarity, the Ten Sword Technique was clearly far more valuable.

That was because it was part of a peerless sword technique called the Myriad Sword Technique. It possessed the terrifying power of turning one sword into ten thousand. The title page stated that if one could cultivate the Myriad Sword Technique to great mastery, there was an excellent chance of comprehending Sword Intent.

Early the next morning, Yang Chen rushed to the spirit fields. He had even more to do each day now. He could not neglect his cultivation, and he also had to set aside time to study two sword techniques.

To free up more time for studying sword techniques, he directly sacrificed the sleep he usually took after cultivation.

This would undoubtedly leave him more exhausted, but he did not think it mattered. As long as he could grow stronger more quickly, a little hardship was nothing.

Besides that, he also had to supervise the disciples of the Hemp-Clad Society as they siphoned spiritual energy. This matter was even more important than cultivation.

Several days flashed by, and Yang Chen finally let out a breath of relief. The Hemp-Clad Society disciples had been fairly obedient, and no accidents had occurred.

When the fourth day arrived, senior sisters from the Outer Sect came down to oversee the Spirit Rice harvest. Thanks to Yang Chen's tireless efforts, the entire harvest took only two days. The disciples who had come to help looked at him with faint resentment in their eyes.

Yang Chen chose to ignore it all. He had no interest in sacrificing his own benefits to win others over; that would be putting the cart before the horse.

After the Spirit Rice had been harvested, Spirit Planter Guardian Qiu Jiuming displayed his great might once more. Even though Yang Chen had seen it once before, he was still deeply shaken.

In his view, true inheritance Martial Uncles were beings on an entirely different level of life from Labor Disciples like them. Their every method inspired trembling from the depths of one's heart, and perhaps that was only the tip of the iceberg.

"Strive!"

Yang Chen was filled with fighting spirit. Like he had been injected with chicken blood, he returned to the residential area and shut out all matters beyond his ears, burying himself in cultivation and the study of sword techniques.

Half a month passed in a blink. Yang Chen finally gained a preliminary grasp of the Ten Sword Technique. Its power was slightly weaker, but it was stranger and more cunning. When he swung his sword, several afterimages vaguely appeared, making it wonderfully effective for confusing enemies.

Seedlings were planted in the spirit fields once more, and Yang Chen returned to the wooden hut beside them. By then, he had been in the Sun Moon Sword Sect for nearly nine months. He had grown taller again. Perhaps because he ate spiritual rice, people in this world were generally quite tall. As for him, he was now nearly two meters tall.

Yet this was not even the most remarkable height. Of all the people he had seen, Lin Chuan stood even taller, at least two meters and forty centimeters. Paired with his handsome, dashing appearance, calling him walking hormones would not be an exaggeration.

A day later, Yang Chen spent his seventeenth birthday alone. On that same day, the temperature suddenly plummeted, giving people the feeling that heavy snow was about to fall.

However, as a martial artist, he was unaffected by such slight cold. Yang Chen still wore thin clothes and washed himself with cold water.

Four more days passed. After three consecutive days of dreary rain, snowflakes began to fall. In a single night, heaven and earth became a vast expanse of white.