Dragon Abyss Sword Technique

As Shen Tianchen's fingertips traced the final dragon-scale pattern on the Dragon Abyss Sword's guard, the morning mist of Sunset Forest was creeping past the seventh ancient tree marked with a sign.

"It's time to go. We can talk about anything else on the way," Qianjun Douluo's voice came from overhead, aged yet ringing like metal and stone.

Shen Tianchen looked up and saw the Sixth Elder standing suspended atop a Coiled Dragon Staff over ten feet long. Soul Power flowed through the staff, shaking the morning dew into tiny specks of light.

The phantom of the Coiled Dragon Staff slowly revolved behind him. When the dragon head lowered, even the air swept by the staff's tip rippled. Shen Tianchen hurriedly followed.

As fierce winds howled around them, Shen Tianchen suddenly asked, "Teacher, why do you always say that sword cultivators must first learn to hide their edge?"

Qianjun Douluo controlled the Coiled Dragon Staff to avoid a raincloud. The dragon patterns on its surface suddenly spun in reverse, deflecting the oncoming gale to either side. "Look at this Coiled Dragon Staff."

He raised a hand and let Shen Tianchen touch its surface. "It looks plain and unadorned, but every pattern is a seal. When I slew the Ice Prison Dragon in the Far North, its dragon soul nearly burst these twin staffs apart."

He suddenly turned his wrist, and the Coiled Dragon Staff spun a smooth arc in his palm. "Hardness cannot last, and softness cannot hold. Though I am not a sword cultivator, I understand that the way of the sword lies in knowing when to restrain and when to release." Shen Tianchen nodded, half understanding.

Three days later, by the time Spirit City's outline appeared on the horizon, dusk had already soaked the sky. The angel statue atop the Worship Hall bathed in the final rays of the sunset.

Late at night, the Eastern District manor.

Starlight scattered across the heavens like silver sand.

Shen Tianchen sat cross-legged in the courtyard. He had been sitting there ever since returning from Sunset Forest.

The Dragon Abyss Sword lay before him, its azure blade reflecting the stars filling the sky as though it were immersed in a river of stars.

"Phew..."

Several hours later, Shen Tianchen emerged from meditation. "Copying martial arts from other novels really isn't practical. This world can hardly meet the cultivation requirements for those top-tier Cultivation Methods, while the inferior ones don't interest me. Sigh, this is difficult..."

Shen Tianchen shifted and adjusted his position, leaning his back against the stone bench beside the stone table. Feeling the breeze around him, he looked up at the sky and stared at the countless stars, lucid at times and entranced at others.

"In my current state, I probably won't come up with any good ideas. Forget it, I'll deal with it tomorrow."

Having made up his mind, Shen Tianchen headed toward his bed without looking back.

Early the next morning, before dawn.

Shen Tianchen was dragged out of his dreams by the violent banging of the window lattice.

He shot upright, and half the felt blanket slipped off the bed. The slanting morning light that had streamed in was churned into chaotic gray-white, and even the beams of light on the bluestone floor shattered into swaying patches.

"Damn! Why did the wind suddenly get this strong? This cursed weather changes faster than some people's expressions."

As Shen Tianchen complained, something suddenly occurred to him. "Wind... right! I can try absorbing wind-element energy to cultivate. It would be even better if I managed to form a wind-element pearl. It could make up for my lack of speed. I heard there are few people on the back mountain of Spirit City, and wind passes through there every day. Let's do it."

Once he made up his mind, Shen Tianchen immediately began packing his belongings, along with roughly three months' worth of food. He had already decided that he would not return until he completed this task.

After packing, Shen Tianchen headed toward the Worship Hall. This journey might take a long time, so he needed to inform his nominal teacher and the Elders, lest they be unable to find him if something happened.

Elsewhere, in the Worship Hall.

After hearing Qianjun Douluo's report, Qian Daoliu and the other Elders were utterly astonished.

"A six-year-old four-ring Soul Ancestor? And every one of his spirit rings was absorbed beyond his level, with the fourth even being a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring? How is that possible? The Young Master is already twelve, yet his Soul Power Level is only around fifty-five. Qian Jun, you cannot be making this up."

The hot-tempered Fourth Elder, Mighty Lion Douluo, was the first to break the silence. The other Elders also found it unbelievable.

"Listen to yourself, Fourth Brother. Why would I lie to you? Fine, I'll go bring Xiao Chen here and let him explain it to you in person."

Just as Qianjun Douluo prepared to find Shen Tianchen, Qian Daoliu stopped him. "Qian Jun, there's no need. Xiao Chen is already here."

The others had sensed Shen Tianchen's Soul Power fluctuations as well, and every one of them was curious.

Before long, the guards at the entrance came to report his arrival. Since they had received Qian Daoliu's instructions beforehand, they did not question Shen Tianchen further and directly allowed him inside.

Returning here once more, Shen Tianchen no longer felt the nervousness he had experienced on his first visit. By the time he reached the center of the great hall, the Elders had already been waiting for quite some time.

The moment the Elders saw Shen Tianchen, they could not help showing surprise.

Only a month ago, Shen Tianchen had just awakened his martial soul. At that time, his face had still clearly carried the innocence and immaturity of a child.

Yet after such a short time, Shen Tianchen, standing before them now, seemed to have weathered countless hardships. His face bore a resilience and composure utterly mismatched with his age.

Shen Tianchen slowly walked up to the Elders. His steps were steady, each one seeming carefully considered.

When he finally stopped before them, he gave a slight bow and said in a respectful yet resolute tone, "Tianchen greets all of you, Grandfathers."

Qian Daoliu smiled and nodded. "Xiao Chen, you have changed greatly in this past month. Qian Jun said you are now a four-ring Soul Ancestor, and that you absorbed your spirit rings beyond your level. Is that true?"

Shen Tianchen straightened and replied seriously, "Yes, First Grandfather. It is true."

With a thought, the Dragon Abyss Sword appeared in Shen Tianchen's hand. Three purple and one black spirit rings rose beneath his feet. The Elders were initially startled, then nodded with gratified expressions.

Shen Tianchen continued, "I came today to inform you all that I intend to go to the back mountain of Spirit City to temper my Soul Power and explore a Self-Created Soul Skill while I'm there. It may take some time, so I hope you will be aware."

Qian Daoliu said approvingly, "That is a fine idea. The back mountain is safe, so go without worry. If you need anything, you may send word at any time." The other Elders also encouraged him.

Shen Tianchen bowed again. "Thank you, Grandfathers. Tianchen will not disappoint your expectations."

With that, he turned and left the Worship Hall, striding quickly toward the back mountain, his heart full of anticipation for the new Cultivation Method.

About two hours later, Shen Tianchen arrived at the back mountain. After looking around, he found a secluded place to settle down. He planted the Dragon Abyss Sword before him and began sensing the wind around him.

At first, the wind merely brushed lightly past him. But as his focus deepened, the power contained within it gradually became clearer. He tried to grasp the wind's path and merge his Soul Power with it.

However, it was no easy task. Every attempt ended with his Soul Power and the wind's force repelling each other. "Cultivation really isn't easy."

After sighing midway through, Shen Tianchen did not lose heart and adjusted his method again and again. He had already decided that he would not leave until the Cultivation Method was complete. Time quietly slipped away under such circumstances.

No one knew how long passed. When a fierce gust suddenly whistled through, he miraculously merged a strand of Soul Power into the wind. The wind wrapped around that Soul Power, forming a faint vortex. Shen Tianchen was overjoyed and continued his research.

As the days passed, he kept refining it, and the rudiments of a wind-element Cultivation Method gradually took shape.

But just when he believed his work was complete, a sudden storm swept over the back mountain. Its powerful winds battered his Soul Power, nearly destroying it.

Shen Tianchen gritted his teeth and fought with all his strength. Within that storm, his understanding of wind rose to another level.

The storm raged, making Shen Tianchen's clothes snap violently. His Soul Power swayed on the verge of collapse within the gale.

Yet the obsession in his heart kept him from giving up. He closed his eyes and immersed all his thoughts in the world of wind. Just as his Soul Power was about to disperse, he suddenly understood wind's true essence—freedom and agility. He no longer forced his Soul Power to merge with the wind, but instead allowed it to flow along the wind's path.

As his cultivation deepened, Shen Tianchen's understanding of the wind element grew ever more thorough.

Today, as always, Shen Tianchen came to his cultivation site. While absorbing the wind elements between heaven and earth, he was considering what to do next when he suddenly felt as though something had appeared within his body. He hurriedly closed his eyes and examined himself carefully.

At his dantian, a translucent pearl formed from wind elements had taken shape. It was roughly palm-sized, and wind-element energy continuously overflowed from it, filling his meridians.

Shen Tianchen was overjoyed at the sight. "A pearl formed from wind-element energy... I'll call it the Wind God Pearl. With it, it's like I have a portable cultivation ground. And under its influence, I can draw upon the wind-element energy between heaven and earth. My speed has improved greatly."

Thus, after more than two months, his Wind God Pearl plan was finally complete. Moreover, affected by the wind-element energy over this period, his Soul Power had officially reached level forty-five.

"I've been out long enough. It's time to return." With a thought, Shen Tianchen shot rapidly toward Spirit City.

Elsewhere, inside Spirit Hall, Qianjun Douluo wore a worried expression as he paced back and forth from time to time.

"It's been two months already. I wonder how Xiao Chen is doing. Nothing could have happened to him, right?"

The Fourth Elder, Mighty Lion Douluo, comforted him. "You fellow, if others don't know Xiao Chen's capabilities, do you not know them? He'll be fine."

Though he said that, everyone still could not help worrying.

Suddenly, the sound of wind came from outside the hall, and a figure flashed inside. It was Shen Tianchen. His aura was steady, and a faint rhythm of wind seemed to surround him.

Everyone froze for a moment before breaking into delighted expressions. Qian Daoliu smiled. "Xiao Chen, you're finally back. Judging by your appearance, you must have gained quite a lot on this trip."

Shen Tianchen said excitedly, "Grandfathers, I succeeded! I condensed the Wind God Pearl and raised my Soul Power to level forty-five."

As he spoke, he circulated his Soul Power. The Wind God Pearl at his dantian flickered with light, and a gentle breeze immediately stirred within the hall.

Qianjun Douluo looked at him with satisfaction. "Good boy. You truly did not disappoint us. You're far stronger than your teacher was at your age. Still, don't become complacent because of this."

Shen Tianchen nodded firmly. "I'll continue working hard." After chatting with the Grandfathers a little longer, Shen Tianchen left the Worship Hall.

By the time he returned to the manor, the sun was about to set. Only a few rays of evening glow remained, reflecting off the water of the courtyard pond. The rippling light looked like countless twinkling stars.

Night fell.

Moonlight shone upon the courtyard as though draping it in a silver cloak, making it seem even more mysterious.

Shen Tianchen still sat cross-legged in the courtyard, sometimes closing his eyes in thought and sometimes looking up at the sky.

"What is a sword...?"

"A sword is a weapon. In the hands of its wielder, life and death are decided in a single thought."

Shen Tianchen's closed eyes suddenly opened.

At that moment, the Dragon Abyss Sword beside him suddenly trembled slightly, as though it had sensed something.

Then, as if driven by an invisible force, it automatically slashed forward, sending out a dazzling streak of sword light!

The sword light was as swift as lightning. In an instant, it tore through the air and shot straight ahead.

At the very moment the sword light flew out, a fly that had been dancing through the air happened to cross its path. The fly did not sense the approaching danger at all. It continued buzzing along leisurely.

But the instant the sword light met the fly, everything changed. Before it could even let out a cry, the fly was instantly swallowed by the sword light.

Its body was torn into countless tiny fragments in the blink of an eye, the entire process as fast as lightning. And so, without feeling a trace of pain, the fly departed for paradise.

"The sword is me, and I am the sword. Where the sword points is where my heart goes."

"I remember a sword cultivator once saying that the most important thing for one who cultivates the sword is their sword heart. At that stage, a sword cultivator is no longer limited by the sword in their hand. In other words, by then, grass, wood, bamboo, and stone can all become swords."

Shen Tianchen placed the Dragon Abyss Sword before him once more, then closed his eyes and began contemplating what he had just realized. As his thoughts stirred, the patterns on the Dragon Abyss Sword's surface began to flicker, as though responding to him.

At that moment, he and the Dragon Abyss Sword had finally reached a connection of hearts and minds. The sword had become his backbone.

"Master swordsmen of profound swordsmanship are often not bound by form. With the sword in hand, one sword can collapse the galaxy, One Sword Rules Mercy, and One Sword Buries Despair."

Shen Tianchen slowly rose while gripping the Dragon Abyss Sword. "Then what should I call this move?"

"Ah, I've got it. It will be the first form of the Dragon Abyss Sword Technique—Starlight. Borrow the power of the stars filling the sky and turn it into Sword Qi, cutting down every enemy before me."

Having named the technique, Shen Tianchen grew even more excited. He circulated his Soul Power, and the Dragon Abyss Sword hummed. The power of the surrounding stars was slowly drawn toward it.

He shouted and swung his sword. A brilliant stream of Sword Qi, dazzling like a galaxy, slashed toward a huge rock in the courtyard. The air it passed through became turbulent, releasing a sharp howl. The boulder was instantly cleaved in two, sending shattered stones flying.

After seeing the power of his Starlight Sword, Shen Tianchen nodded in satisfaction. "After all that time, I finally figured something out. When I have the chance, I need to practice in a mimicry cultivation ground."

"I can't keep wrecking the courtyard. If my nominal teacher sees it, I'll be in for a good beating." Shen Tianchen then returned to rest.