Killing Blade Technique Breaks Through Again, Killing Instinct

The three-story pavilion behind the Quartermaster Office mainly served the soldiers in the camp. After all, they went out every day to carry out missions, risking life and limb to kill Ferocious Beasts. They could not be expected to risk their lives for nothing.

Killing Ferocious Beasts earned contribution points, which could be exchanged for medicinal pills to increase one's strength. With breakthroughs in cultivation came promotions in rank. This was a rule unique to the military camp, upheld without fail for countless years.

Only thus could the great military camps stationed along the Alien Race frontlines continue operating normally, without soldiers mutinying or rebelling.

As Gu Yang entered the pavilion, he saw rows upon rows of medicinal pills arranged on shelves.

Compared to the Martial Academy's little Pharmacy, there were more types of pills here and greater quantities, but the prices were also higher.

Without the Martial Academy's subsidies for disciples, Qi and Blood Powder now cost six points per packet, while Military Rations Pills had risen to ten points each. The prices of the other medicines had also increased by twenty to thirty percent.

Though expensive, Gu Yang still bought a packet of Qi and Blood Powder.

Points were meant to be used to improve one's strength. As long as he was strong enough, whether points or silver, both would come rolling in like an endless stream. He understood that much.

Holding the Qi and Blood Powder, Gu Yang hurried back to the barracks and immediately began taking medicine while practicing Stance Training.

Over the past seven days, he had lacked points to exchange for medicinal pills and could only slowly grind away with time. The improvement speed of his Blood Nourishing Stance Art had long since left him dissatisfied.

Now that he had medicine, naturally he would not waste a single moment.

"Exhale..."

"Inhale..."

On the open ground before the barracks, Gu Yang practiced the movements of his Stance Training, move by move.

A squad of soldiers passed by nearby. Seeing how focused he was, they immediately lowered their voices.

As the moon climbed above the treetops, the Military Rations Pill within Gu Yang's body dissolved, turning into a warm current that flowed into every corner of his body.

After completing one round of Stance Training, Gu Yang swallowed another Military Rations Pill and threw himself back into cultivation.

One repetition after another, one insight after another, one tiny improvement after another.

"Exhale..."

It was not until the hour of the ox that Gu Yang finally opened his eyes and let out a long breath. He stopped his Stance Training, went to fetch a bucket of mountain spring water nearby, wiped down his body, and prepared to sleep.

At that moment, the door of a barracks some distance away opened, and a drunken Martial Academy disciple staggered out.

Gu Yang lowered his gaze without meeting the man's eyes. He quickly finished wiping himself down and went inside.

Drinking was forbidden in the military. This disciple must have brought alcohol in from outside, and drinking at night was likely his way of relieving the stress from constantly hunting Ferocious Beasts during the day.

Gu Yang could understand it, but he could not agree with it, much less join in.

As the moon set and the sun rose, accompanied by the rising and falling roars of beasts, the night swiftly passed.

In the morning, when the sky had just begun to pale, Gu Yang was already up and dressed, practicing his Stance Training once more.

Though he had slept only two or three hours that night, his spirits were exceptionally high.

He practiced for another two hours, only setting out from the military camp after more than half of the Qi and Blood Powder's medicinal effect had been consumed.

Over one night and one morning, his Blood Nourishing Stance Art proficiency had risen by another seven points. Gu Yang was very satisfied.

Though he was cultivating outside the city, the pace of his improvement had not slowed by much.

In fact, with enough Ferocious Beasts here to earn points from and exchange for medicinal pills, his Stance Training would improve even faster than it had at the Martial Academy.

"Rustle, rustle~"

After wading through a patch of dead grass, Gu Yang climbed to the top of a peak and looked down over the land below.

The dim yellow sunset shone over the earth, draping the entire mountain range in a layer of golden red.

This was already his eighth day at the military camp and his seventh day hunting outside.

Other than the first day, he had spent every morning these past days cultivating until halfway through the hour of the snake before leaving the camp. Before the hour of the dog each evening, he would return carrying the corpse of a Ferocious Beast on his back. Apart from sleeping at night, he devoted all remaining time to cultivating the Blood Nourishing Stance Art.

Bitter cultivation was bound to bring rewards. When he first entered the mountains, his Stance Training proficiency had only been 106 points. After these days of cultivation, it had now risen to 158, an increase of a full 52 points.

Yet though his Stance Training had improved greatly, it was nothing compared to the progress of his other two skills.

In seven days, Azure Dragon Dance proficiency had increased by more than 150 points, while the Killing Blade Technique, which had improved the most, had surged by over 200 points, ushering in another breakthrough.

Skill: Blood Nourishing Stance Accomplishment (159/400); Azure Dragon Dance Accomplishment (368/1000), Killing Blade Technique Accomplishment (27/400)

Talent: Vitality Surge, Power Surge, Mighty Ox Strength, Killing Intent Perception, Killing Instinct.

Gu Yang gently closed his eyes, and two lines of text appeared.

With a thought from Gu Yang, a piece of information surfaced in his mind.

Killing Instinct: You are a born killer. When facing an enemy, you can instinctively discover the opponent's weaknesses and openings, then launch an attack.

This was the talent manifested after the Killing Blade Technique's breakthrough, a powerful combat talent.

With this talent, slaughtering Ferocious Beasts had become as easy for him as eating and drinking.

If he encountered that Black-Striped Leopard now, Gu Yang was confident he could kill it in three strikes.

That Black-Striped Leopard had already been the top predator in these mountains.

At the very least, during these days of hunting, Gu Yang had not encountered an opponent stronger than that Black-Striped Leopard.

Moreover, after this period of unceasing slaughter, the special nature of the Killing Blade Technique had gradually revealed itself: the Killing Intent Condensation Hong Tao had spoken of.

As he continued taking lives, the killing aura in his eyes continued to accumulate.

There was no secret technique, no need for visualization or cryptic incantations. Simply through killing, he could store killing aura within his body.

This reminded Gu Yang of what Hong Tao had said when he first taught him this blade technique: "The origins of this cultivation method are anything but ordinary."

At first, he had merely assumed this blade technique had been created by some great figure on Canglong Island whose Martial Path had reached the heavens.

Learning this blade technique would then mean he might have a chance to form a connection with that great figure in the future.

But he had not expected the true peculiarity of this blade technique to be the mystical traits it displayed after cultivation.

His eyes flew open, and killing intent erupted.

In an instant, the temperature across the entire hill plummeted.

Every corner within five chi was shrouded in killing intent. The tiny insects crawling slowly across the ground instantly stiffened, their minds and spirits extinguished!

"Whoosh, whoosh~"

The killing aura appeared swiftly and vanished just as swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, the icy killing intent around Gu Yang had disappeared without a trace.

Killing intent condensed, erupted, then withdrew.

After these days of constant experimentation, he had already mastered it skillfully.

Walking slowly down the hill, Gu Yang planned to hunt one more Ferocious Beast before returning to cultivate his Stance Training.

Just then, anxious cries for help suddenly rang out from a dense forest to the northwest.

"Help! Is anyone around? Come help me..."

Hearing the voice, Gu Yang immediately stopped and turned to look over.

The sound was obscured by the dense forest. Even standing at such a height, he could not see what was happening inside.

"No Signal Arrow was fired into the sky. It probably isn't a Martial Academy disciple trapped in danger."

Before entering the mountains, every Martial Academy disciple carried an exquisite Hand Crossbow. The Hand Crossbow was not meant for killing enemies, however, but held a Signal Arrow within it.

If they encountered danger they could not resist, they could fire the Signal Arrow from the crossbow into the sky. Master Liao would then hear the arrow's whistle and rush over at once.

"But not necessarily."

Sometimes, even with every possible preparation made, danger would still come when it was meant to.

Those preparations merely reduced the chances of Trial Disciples being injured or killed.

"I'll go take a look."

Whether it was a Martial Academy disciple in danger or some other situation, Gu Yang was unafraid.

Compared to whatever danger he might encounter, what he craved more at this moment was a powerful opponent!