"In ten days, Zuo Qianhu will return. Our Suppression Bureau will be making a major move. Su Changqing, Ye Tian, both of you must be here then," Jin Yichuan said.
Su Changqing nodded slightly, took the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, and walked out of the main hall. He gazed at the azure sky and took a deep breath.
He had finally gained a firm foothold in the Suppression Bureau and secured the post of Deputy Thousand Household.
If Jin Yichuan had not intervened, Ye Tian would have been cut down in the main hall today, with no chance of survival.
Su Changqing never held back when he acted.
If you held back, the slightest difference could lead to a vast error.
One strike from another person could split your head apart!
"By rights, I can still choose two techniques now. One will definitely be the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill. As for the other..."
Su Changqing strode forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he pondered inwardly.
For offense, he had the Tyrant Saber. At close range, he had the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art.
Even if he could not fully unleash it before everyone's eyes and transform into a golden man, once he cultivated the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill—
Not only could he greatly strengthen his Profound Heaven True Qi again, but he could also conceal the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art.
"Though the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill is a Heavenly Gang Realm technique, if it is truly cultivated to the Thirteenth Turn, it may well rival the True Inheritance Grade."
The power of thirteen true dragons and thirteen giant elephants—how terrifying would that be? It would likely be enough to shatter mountains, sever rivers, move mountains, and fill seas!
But that was only theoretical. Even its creator had likely never cultivated it to the peak.
A lifespan was limited. It could not be done.
Even a Martial Saint lived only a little over two hundred years. No matter how powerful you were in life, how many people you killed, or how vast your vitality and blood were—
You would still become old and decrepit at death, your hair and temples turning white.
Ever since Su Changqing had absorbed Great Emperor Zhenwu's Secret Treasure and the Profound Heaven True Water, refining the Profound Heaven True Qi—
He had vaguely sensed that his lifespan had increased.
By no less than sixty years.
Great Emperor Zhenwu had been able to ascend in feathered transformation. Even his secret treasure was already so extraordinary; one could see how terrifying he had been.
"I cultivate the Profound Heaven True Qi and the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art. My body is powerful enough to seize blades with bare hands. Even Ye Tian's Seven Orifices Exquisite Body cannot contend with me."
Su Changqing narrowed his eyes and quickly made his decision.
He would learn another hand technique.
The Eagle Claw Technique was sinister and tricky in Iron Claw Flying Eagle's hands, but in Su Changqing's hands, it became broad and forceful, its claw strikes fierce and domineering.
Afterward, Su Changqing arrived at the Great Shang Dynasty Armory and first cupped his hands slightly toward Qinglong, who guarded the armory.
"Suppression Bureau Deputy Thousand Household Su Changqing has broken through to the first level of the Xiantian Realm and has come to select two secret manuals."
Qinglong lay in a grandmaster's chair, with the clanging Dual Blades, Embroidered Spring and Winter Thunder, at his waist.
He had been reading a book. He glanced at Su Changqing, then suddenly rose to his feet, his expression changing.
A fierce gust rushed toward Su Changqing's face, stirring his hair. Only then did he realize how tall Qinglong truly was.
When Qinglong stood, he was nearly two meters tall, powerfully built and imposing, with sword-like brows and sharp tiger eyes as he studied Su Changqing carefully.
"Remarkable! You reached the Xiantian Realm in barely half a month. Even your innate constitution has undergone a startling change, and baleful aura has entered your body. It seems you encountered a great opportunity." Qinglong smiled.
"Have you successfully cultivated the Tyrant Saber?"
"I have just mastered the first strike." Su Changqing cupped his hands.
Qinglong was a Heavenly Gang Realm expert, not a god. He could not see what Su Changqing had cultivated. He only knew that this young man had surely encountered an opportunity.
Anyone who broke through to the Xiantian Realm either inherited a predecessor's technique or obtained something left behind by one. Who among them had not encountered an opportunity? It was merely a matter of whether it was great or small.
"Once the Tyrant Saber is cultivated successfully, its baleful aura will enter the body. You should choose a Buddhist technique and cultivate it in alternation with the saber." Qinglong pondered for a moment before speaking.
"The Tyrant Saber contains demonic nature. Even its first strike possesses supreme might. Back then, that friend of mine... sigh." Qinglong sighed and said no more.
"Hurry and choose a Buddhist martial art. Every time you master another strike, you must choose another one. Remember this. Otherwise, once the demonic nature enters your body, you will disown even your closest kin." Qinglong warned.
Hearing this, Su Changqing's heart stirred as he recalled something.
It seemed that when he had first learned the Tyrant Saber, there truly had been an uncontrollable killing intent deep within his heart.
But ever since he cultivated the Black Tortoise Phenomenon and the Profound Heaven True Qi, that killing intent had never appeared again.
This showed that the Tyrant Saber was still far inferior to Great Emperor Zhenwu.
The Profound Heaven True Qi had greatly strengthened Su Changqing's body, allowing him to take blades from opponents of the same realm head-on.
It could also suppress the Tyrant Saber's demonic nature.
"Qinglong's friend... Guihai Yidao's father?"
Su Changqing did not ask further. He cupped his hands, turned, and headed straight into the armory.
He had originally planned to choose the Lotus Finger Technique among the Shaolin Seventy-two Absolute Skills.
It could attack when advancing and defend when retreating, making it suitable to pair with the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art.
This was a Shaolin Temple ultimate art, yet it was also recorded in the Great Shang Dynasty Armory. That showed just how powerful Great Shang was.
Su Changqing first found the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill on the first floor, which he had already seen before.
This technique was a thick book of nearly thirty pages. It was covered in dust, having gone unchosen for many years.
"The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill also seems to be a Buddhist technique, the supreme guardian divine art of Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism. It is a Heavenly Gang Realm technique."
Su Changqing opened the first page and immediately widened his eyes.
"To cultivate the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, one must possess exceptional martial talent. Do not waste your time..."
"The First Turn takes one month, the Second Turn one year, the Third Turn three years, the Fourth Turn ten years, the Fifth Turn thirty years..."
"The Sixth Turn takes more than fifty years."
"The Seventh Turn takes a hundred years..."
Good grief, no wonder no one touched it. How many years could a person live in one lifetime?
Even a first-rate martial arts manual like the Lotus Finger Technique could enter the second floor of the armory.
Yet this dignified Heavenly Grade technique was only on the first floor.
Su Changqing even felt like throwing it down and turning around to leave.
"I have the Profound Heaven True Qi. Perhaps I can quickly get started with this technique. Besides, only this technique can conceal the fluctuations of my Indestructible Vajra Divine Art."
"Others will only think my Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill is progressing rapidly. Who would imagine that I cultivate a True Inheritance Grade technique..."
Su Changqing fell silent for a moment before finally putting it away and heading straight for the second floor of the armory.
Beyond the second floor, there was not a single third-rate secret manual. Every one of them was at least second-rate.
"Eighteen Falls Upon Touching, Great Strength Vajra Finger, Three Saints Saber Art..."
There were far fewer secret manuals here, with only a few bookshelves. Su Changqing quickly found Shaolin Temple's Lotus Finger Technique.
"There are still three floors above. I wonder what lies on the third floor and at the top of the tower..."
Even Thousand Households could select secret manuals only from the second floor at most. Only by rendering great merit could they gain a chance to enter the third floor.
"I probably won't need to accumulate merit."
Su Changqing still had a powerful patron, a hidden dragon lurking in the depths.
In three months, he would become the Empress's foremost supporting character. By then, he would surely be able to visit the top of the tower.
"I still need to become stronger myself. Ji Xingyue's favorability toward me is extremely high. Her maternal uncle is probably no simple figure. The fact that he could subject Chen Mo to Five Horses Splitting the Body shows how ruthless he is."
Just as Su Changqing was about to turn and leave, he suddenly saw three figures coming up to the second floor. The leader wore a Flying Fish Robe and had a hooked nose. It was Chen Mo.
Chen Mo had been chatting and laughing with the two Hundred Households beside him, but when he saw Su Changqing, he froze on the spot.
His eyes trembled, and he nearly suffocated in an instant.
"Greetings, Commander Su..." Chen Mo took a deep breath and cupped his hands.
Only then did the two men beside him notice Su Changqing. Their expressions changed in shock, and they hurriedly bowed as well.
Su Changqing said nothing. Clad in black like ink, he resembled a god of slaughter as he passed between the path the three had made for him, his gaze calm and indifferent as he slowly descended the stairs.
His footsteps were steady. The sound of them against the wooden floor was not loud, yet it struck the hearts of the three men like massive hammers.
"Chen Mo, do not have any dealings with the two of us ever again!"
One of the Imperial Guard Hundred Households stood frozen in place. Only then did he realize that cold sweat had poured from him, soaking his entire body. He took a deep breath and spoke.
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