Xiyi Swordplay, Great Sound is Silent

If food and Great Medicine were insufficient,

then he could only refine his own essence and blood into qi. Over time, his qi and blood would be depleted, and he could very well die suddenly.

At this thought, Ji Shu could not help but shudder.

Previously, because he did not understand much about martial arts, he had dared to practice swordplay and boxing without restraint.

But as he voraciously absorbed the foundational knowledge of martial arts from Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou,

he gained a deeper understanding of martial arts.

He learned that the ultimate result of martial arts was Refining Essence into Qi!

And if one wanted to gain more qi,

besides needing sufficient nutrition, one also needed a certain degree of martial talent. The greater the talent, the faster and smoother the process of Refining Essence into Qi.

Ji Shu, for instance, possessed Peak Inner Strength Talent.

His speed of Refining Essence into Qi was so fast that his qi and blood could be depleted in a mere moment! His talent was simply too heaven-defying; ordinary people could never be like this!

"Looks like I'll have to take it easy from now on."

Standing beneath the Old Sophora Tree, Ji Shu thought,

"The Qi Mechanism beneath this Old Sophora Tree is no weaker than Great Medicine. If I spend more time beneath it in the future, I probably won't suffer from depleted qi and blood!"

"I just wonder whether there are places besides this Old Sophora Tree with such a Qi Mechanism."

Ji Shu planned to take a look around the other parts of Mount Hua once he had learned enough.

As he was thinking,

crisp footsteps sounded, tap-tap-tap.

Ji Shu looked toward the sound and saw Yue Lingshan. He took the initiative to greet her, "Master Yue."

Yue Lingshan smiled, her eyes crinkling.

"Mm. Ji Shu. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Before Ji Shu could reply, Yue Lingshan said excitedly, "I brought you another Secret Manual."

She glanced around, turned to close the door, then pulled a secret volume from her robe and handed it to Ji Shu.

"It's Xiyi Swordplay! It's also one of the peerless sword arts of our Mount Hua Sect, a closely guarded secret that is not passed on to outsiders."

Ji Shu accepted it.

"Master Yue, won't Martial Mother and the others make things difficult for you if you give me this secret volume?"

"If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, who would know?"

Yue Lingshan felt a little guilty, but she still straightened her back and put on a magnanimous air.

"You're an unparalleled genius. You'll master this swordplay very quickly. Once you have, I'll return it, and no one will be any the wiser. Who could possibly know?"

Ji Shu nodded. He did not stand on ceremony and immediately began flipping through the Xiyi Swordplay.

He truly needed to become stronger, so he would not be overly polite with Yue Lingshan. Once he had achieved something in the future, if Yue Lingshan ever faced trouble, he would certainly help her in return for her kindness.

"Master Yue, what does this mean?"

When it came to matters of common knowledge,

there were still things Ji Shu did not understand, so he inevitably asked a question or two.

But compared to yesterday, Ji Shu asked far fewer questions today.

He only asked for the time it took to burn a quarter of an incense stick.

Then he comprehended this swordplay on his own.

From beginning to end, Yue Lingshan showed no intention of demonstrating Xiyi Swordplay. Clearly, she did not know it! Even if she did, she surely only understood it superficially and was too embarrassed to show off before Ji Shu.

Naturally, Ji Shu would not make things difficult for her by asking her to demonstrate it.

With the boost of his Supreme Comprehension, he thoroughly grasped Xiyi Swordplay, then drew his sword and began to practice.

The first time, he was somewhat unfamiliar with it.

The second time, sword shadows swayed like a forest.

The third time, the ring of his sword rose, vast and lingering—Great Sound is Silent!

The fourth time, a stream of sword qi rose up. Wherever it passed, the air gave off a sizzling sound.

With every practice run,

a wisp of sword qi was produced.

He circulated it nine times in succession, producing nine wisps of sword qi.

On the tenth time, he could no longer produce any sword qi.

The moment these sword qi were born, they were swallowed whole by the Righteous Sword Qi!

However, the Xiyi Sword Qi was also extremely powerful, and the Righteous Sword Qi had some difficulty devouring it. But the Righteous Sword Qi had previously devoured the Mount Hua Sword Qi, and the Mount Hua Sword Qi had in turn devoured the fist qi of Baji Quan.

This gave the Righteous Sword Qi a greater volume. It was difficult at first, but after crushing the Xiyi Sword Qi, it still devoured it steadily and completely!

After consuming the Xiyi Sword Qi, the Righteous Sword Qi became even stronger!

Not only did it grow purer, it also gained the vast qualities of the Xiyi Sword Qi!

This sword qi formed into a ball of qi and condensed at one side of his Dantian, clearly distinct from the upright inner qi of the Huashan Heart Method.

There was no conflict between them.

Perhaps this was the special trait of Peak Inner Strength Talent?

Ji Shu fell into thought.

But Yue Lingshan watched from the side with joy written all over her face.

"You really mastered it! Without needing me to demonstrate it, you produced sword qi just by reading the Secret Manual! Ji Shu, you're incredible! You're absolutely the greatest genius since the founding of our Mount Hua Sect! Not even the founding patriarch could compare to you!"

Ji Shu smiled. "I still have to thank Master Yue for bringing me the Secret Manual."

Ji Shu returned the Secret Manual to her.

"Master Yue, are there any other ultimate arts? You might as well teach them all to me at once."

"You have a point."

Yue Lingshan waved the Secret Manual in her hand. "But I need to return this Secret Manual first. When I come back later, I'll teach you Chong Ling Swordplay."

"Alright."

Yue Lingshan left.

Ji Shu moved over a reclining chair and lay beneath the Old Sophora Tree, closing his eyes slightly as he pretended to nap.

He felt the Qi Mechanism continuously draw into his Dantian, strengthening his inner qi.

"Practicing Xiyi Swordplay just now depleted quite a bit of my qi and blood again."

Ji Shu said,

"But with this Qi Mechanism drawing in, it can also replenish my depleted qi and blood. Could this qi really be the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth?"

The idea of Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth

was something Ji Shu had come to understand from reading novels on Earth.

What was it called in this world?

He did not know. He decided to ask Yue Lingshan later.

Yue Lingshan did not arrive.

Instead, Ning Zhongze came.

She had brought a blue robe, a hairpin, and other accessories.

When she saw Ji Shu napping in the chair, she felt somewhat disappointed. Why was this newly initiated Inner Sect disciple so unenthusiastic about practicing martial arts?

She called out to Ji Shu.

Ji Shu opened his eyes and looked toward the sound. Seeing that it was Ning Zhongze, he hurriedly rose and bowed.

Ning Zhongze handed over the accessories she carried and said,

"I told you to come find me yesterday, but you never came. I had no choice but to bring them to you myself."

Ji Shu felt embarrassed.

"I've troubled Martial Mother. I forgot for a moment."

He had not forgotten. He simply did not want to face Yue Buqun for the time being, so he had not gone.

But he had not expected Ning Zhongze to personally deliver them!

This Martial Mother was even gentler and more generous than he had imagined.

"It's fine."

Ning Zhongze smiled.

"These are small matters."

She paused, then asked tactfully,

"Ji Shu, what did you come to Mount Hua for?"

"To learn martial arts and protect myself."

"Then do you know that you are already past the age when your bones and muscles can be molded?

"If you do not practice diligently now, then even after twenty or thirty years, you will only be a nobody. How will you speak of protecting yourself then? Once you enter the martial world, you will surely be in grave danger. Since you are now an Inner Sect disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, your status differs from that of the Outer Sect, and you will inevitably be targeted by those with ill intentions. If you do not work hard at your training, I fear for your future."

"Martial Mother, I'll definitely work hard!"

Ji Shu said solemnly.

"Mm."

Ning Zhongze nodded.

"Is there anything about Mount Hua Swordplay that you do not understand?"

"...No."

Although Ji Shu wanted to be modest, it would be too easy to expose himself. Better to tell the truth.

But his words left Ning Zhongze utterly stunned.