Dragon Steed Sword Qi

"Junior Sister Jin'er might not come here again."

Zhong Yue's soul bathed in lightning, playing with the Sword Token. He felt the vast sword intent within it and thought of the cheerful, sunny girl with a hint of loss. He mused, "I don't even know where she lives, so I have no way to find her. I can only wait until I become a Qi Refiner in the future and enter the Inner Court of the Sword Gate to return this Sword Token to her."

The Sword Gate had extremely high requirements for Inner Court disciples; they needed to comprehend Spirit and become Qi Refiners. Although the Upper Court had many disciples, only a handful could enter the Inner Court each year.

This was a massive hurdle, separating mortals from Qi Refiners. Outside the gate were mortals, and inside were powerful Qi Refiners.

"The sword intent in this Sword Token isn't bad. It must be a very profound technique from the Sword Gate."

The Kindling Child awoke. A small flame leaped out from the Dragon Scale Sword, about the same size as Zhong Yue, who stood on the Dragon Scale Sword bathing in lightning – both were inch-tall figures.

The two little figures sat together. The Kindling Child looked at the large Sword Token before him, sensing the sword intent, and praised, "The sword intent in the Sword Token is very profound. The sword patterns contain an abstruse cultivation technique that you likely cannot fully comprehend at your current level."

Zhong Yue's soul transformed into Suihuang's dragon-headed, human-bodied, dragon-tailed form. He coiled up, bathing in lightning to temper his soul, and nodded. "I've also sensed the cultivation technique hidden within these sword patterns. However, it's a technique only Qi Refiners can cultivate, and I truly can't figure it out."

"Can the Qi Refiners of the Sword Gate fully comprehend the sword patterns?"

The Kindling Child was surprised. "Comprehending the cultivation technique hidden within the sword patterns requires immense wisdom. Even those with innate Spiritual Bodies can only comprehend four or five tenths at most. It seems the Sword Gate does indeed have many exceptionally intelligent Qi Refiners!"

Zhong Yue was somewhat bewildered and muttered, "Didn't Junior Sister Jin'er say that most Qi Refiners know this Geng Jin Sword Qi? Why does the Kindling Child describe it as so difficult to comprehend?"

He couldn't figure it out, unaware that what Qiu Jin'er referred to as Geng Jin Sword Qi were merely the thirty-six totem patterns within the Sword Token, not the single sword pattern itself.

"This sword technique is called Geng Jin Sword Qi? Why give it such an unfitting name?"

The Kindling Child was puzzled. He studied the cultivation technique hidden within the sword patterns and instructed Zhong Yue, "A cultivation technique, a 'gongfa,' has two parts: 'gong' and 'fa.' 'Gong' is the internal aspect, the method of cultivation, while 'fa' is the external aspect, the divine abilities, the transformation of cultivation into power. That's why it's called a 'method' ('famen')! What is a 'famen'? Why does it have the word 'gate' in it?"

Zhong Yue's heart stirred upon hearing this. "A gate is a portal! The cultivation within a person's body needs a portal to be released as divine abilities and power, hence 'famen'!"

The Kindling Child nodded approvingly. "Indeed. The name of your Sword Gate contains profound mysteries, yet few Qi Refiners in the Sword Gate can comprehend this. They blindly learn swordsmanship without understanding the principles. This sword pattern is a cultivation technique. 'Gong' requires Spirit to cultivate, while 'fa' is simpler. The sword pattern can be combined with other totem patterns to form various techniques, making it infinitely adaptable and allowing one to display it without revealing its true nature. Strange, is this truly a technique that every Qi Refiner in the Sword Gate possesses?"

Even with his vast knowledge, having lived since the Fire Epoch and the era of Suihuang, he couldn't help but feel bewildered.

Zhong Yue was somewhat disappointed. "If I don't cultivate Spirit, I can't practice it?"

"Only by cultivating Spirit can one refine the essence of this sword technique, drawing energy from all things in heaven and earth to forge Sword Qi. However, this is the path for ordinary Qi Refiners to cultivate this sword technique!"

The Kindling Child sat on the sword's edge, swinging his legs back and forth. He said proudly, "But a Kindling inheritor doesn't have so many restrictions. Although you aren't a proper Kindling inheritor, I still rely on you to find pure-blooded Fuxi Divine Clan members. If your abilities are weak, won't it reflect poorly on me? I will show you the mysteries of this sword pattern, letting you understand its marvels first."

The large-headed, small-flame creature's eyes shot out a beam of light, like a screen slowly unfurling, revealing every detail of the Sword Token's sword pattern.

In the center of Zhong Yue's soul's forehead, his Divine Eye opened, and he looked at the sword pattern. This Divine Eye could only manifest when his soul transformed into the Suihuang state. Zhong Yue found that when he looked at things with this eye, they appeared clearer, as if he could pierce through falsehood and see the truth.

It was with his soul's third Divine Eye that he perceived the sole sword pattern totem on the Sword Token.

The texture of the sword pattern became increasingly clear. From a distance, it resembled a Sword Gate, a sword-shaped portal, and within the portal was Sword Qi.

This portal grew larger and taller, becoming increasingly majestic.

Suddenly, various dragon-like and snake-like patterns appeared above the portal. These were the totem patterns contained within the sword pattern!

The sword pattern itself was a totem pattern. No one expected this totem pattern to be so complex, actually composed of countless other totem patterns!

Zhong Yue looked closely and saw many totem patterns coiled around the gateposts like great dragons and pythons, rugged and twisting, appearing ancient, grand, and awe-inspiring!

Gradually, the Sword Gate before him reached a height of a hundred zhang. Zhong Yue, in his firefly form, was only an inch tall. The hundred-zhang-high portal appeared ten thousand zhang tall in his eyes. Yet, even at ten thousand zhang, the totem patterns on the portal still seemed incredibly complex!

The actual construction of this totem pattern was astonishingly complex!

"Even with such a complex totem pattern, it's still much simpler than visualizing Suihuang."

Zhong Yue examined the Sword Gate, feeling no inclination to retreat. He had already witnessed unimaginably complex cultivation techniques, such as the Fire Epoch Palace Suihuang Visualization that the Kindling Child had taught him!

The Fire Epoch Palace Suihuang Visualization was truly complex, truly vast, truly unimaginable!

Although he could roughly visualize the Fire Epoch Palace Suihuang Visualization, he still couldn't visualize the more intricate totem patterns that made up the Fire Epoch Palace, Suihuang, and the Fire Tree.

Completely visualizing Suihuang of the Fire Epoch Palace was an immensely vast undertaking, far surpassing this Sword Gate. It required incredibly powerful Spiritual Power.

Zhong Yue's current Spiritual Power had transformed into a Sea of Consciousness spanning three thousand mu. Even if he unleashed all his Spiritual Power, he could probably only visualize a single finger of Suihuang in his complete form!

"Actually, the core of this... well, this Geng Jin Sword Qi, is also visualization."

The Kindling Child harbored considerable resentment towards the name "Geng Jin Sword Qi," believing it was a waste of such a cultivation technique. He reluctantly said, "It involves nurturing a Sword Gate in the Sea of Consciousness to temper Sword Qi. However, it doesn't solely rely on Spiritual Power to nurture the Sword Qi, but rather on the energy of all things in heaven and earth. If you possess Spirit, you can refine Metal Qi from metal and minerals, Wood Qi from forests, Water Qi from rivers and lakes, and Fire Qi from volcanoes and the sun, transforming it into your own Sword Qi. It's not as simple as just Geng Jin Sword Qi. But you haven't cultivated Spirit yet, so you can't refine Sword Qi from all things in heaven and earth."

"Extracting Sword Qi from all things in heaven and earth?"

Zhong Yue couldn't help but yearn for it, admiring the Qi Refiners of the Sword Gate. "Even their commonly practiced techniques are so wondrous and unfathomable. The Sword Gate's inheritance is truly powerful. Kindling Child, is it truly impossible to cultivate without achieving Spirit?"

The Kindling Child said proudly, "You can't refine Sword Qi from all things in heaven and earth right now, but you still have Beast God Essence. The Beast God Essence has already been refined by the Beast God. You only need to control the Beast God Essence to refine Beast Sword Qi."

"Beast Sword Qi? What a strange name?"

"It's actually Sword Qi in the Dragon Steed form."

The Kindling Child thought for a moment. "Beast Sword Qi really doesn't sound good. Let's call it Dragon Steed Sword Qi. You can use the essence within the Beast God's Inner Core to refine Dragon Steed Sword Qi. Now, carefully observe this Sword Gate, perfect it, and then draw the Beast God Essence from the Beast God's Inner Core to fill the Sword Gate."

Zhong Yue blinked. "Kindling Child, are there any precautions?"

"No, cultivate with confidence and boldness. I guarantee you won't be in any danger..."

After a moment, Zhong Yue's soul was assaulted by fierce Beast God Essence, transforming into a Dragon Steed standing in the lightning. He was struck black by the lightning and glared resentfully at the little flame on the sword.

"Well, it seems there's a tiny bit of danger."

The Kindling Child looked somewhat guilty. "But it's not that dangerous. Just be careful."

Zhong Yue spent half a day refining the excess Beast God Essence. His soul returned to the Suihuang state, and he used his Spiritual Power to construct the Sword Gate, cautiously drawing the Beast God Essence into it.

It took him over ten more days to finally refine the Dragon Steed Sword Qi. This Dragon Steed Sword Qi was five feet long, shaped like a Dragon Steed in mid-flight, but it was extremely sharp and filled with a bestial killing intent, like a vast ocean of blood!

As soon as the Dragon Steed Sword Qi emerged, the air seemed to ignite, turning crimson like fire!

With a slight thought, Zhong Yue summoned his Dragon Scale Sword and clashed with the Dragon Steed Sword Qi. With a swish, the Dragon Steed Sword Qi was severed by the Dragon Scale Sword. He couldn't help but frown.

"Do you think it's that easy to surpass a Soul Weapon after only ten-odd days?"

Zhong Yue's mind stirred, and the Dragon Steed Sword Qi, broken into two pieces, healed itself. He thought, The Dragon Scale Sword is, after all, refined from Mysterious Iron and Mysterious Gold. Among the Soul Weapons of Upper Court disciples, it's considered top-grade. If the Dragon Steed Sword Qi could sever the Dragon Scale Sword after only ten days of cultivation, that would be too exaggerated. However, the advantage of the Dragon Steed Sword Qi over a Soul Weapon is that it doesn't require a Soul Sacrifice. Even if the sword qi is destroyed, it won't cause me much damage or loss.

He pointed a finger, and the Dragon Steed Sword Qi entered the sword box. With a slight flick of his finger, the Dragon Steed Sword Qi flew out again and landed between his eyebrows, continuing to absorb Beast God Essence, making the sword qi stronger and more stable.

This sword qi was improving day and night. The totem patterns that formed the Sword Gate were also becoming clearer and tougher. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the Dragon Steed Sword Qi surpassed the Dragon Scale Sword.

"The year-end Unrestricted Duel is approaching. I wonder how much my Dragon Steed Sword Qi can improve before then?" Zhong Yue mused.

Suddenly, the Kindling Child jumped up, clapping its hands and saying, "I've got a great name! From now on, no need to call it Geng Jin Sword Qi. This technique's sword qi can transform in myriad ways, refining the Spirit of all things in heaven and earth into sword qi. Let's call it Great Freedom Sword Qi!"

"Great Freedom Sword Qi?"

Zhong Yue was stunned for a moment and suggested, "Wouldn't 'Great Freedom Sword Qi' sound better?"

"Let's call it Great Freedom Sword Qi, it has more spirit! Waving your hand unleashes sword qi the size of mountains, isn't that impressive?"

----Happy May Day! While others are on holiday, Zhai Zhu is still working hard to write. Tears are streaming down my face. Brothers, don't just play or read novels; remember to cast your recommendation votes!!