Sword Asks the World

[Dugu Nine Swords differs from other martial arts in that it doesn't have fixed moves. Instead, it needs to constantly absorb the essence of other people's moves to improve.]

[However, the Mount Hua Sect has mostly swordplay techniques. Other types of martial arts are scarce, making them a drop in the bucket for improving Dugu Nine Swords.]

[The fact that you've achieved minor success in the Sword Breaking Stance and beginner level in the Saber Breaking Stance, Spear Breaking Stance, Whip Breaking Stance, Chain Breaking Stance, and Palm Breaking Stance is already due to your high talent.]

[Three days later, with your Dugu Nine Swords hitting a bottleneck, you decide to challenge the world with your sword, using other people's martial arts to help you cultivate.

When you ask your master Yue Buqun for permission to travel, he doesn't stop you, only telling you to be careful before letting you go down the mountain.]

[After descending the mountain, you return home and leave most of your silver taels to your parents. Then, you officially embark on the path of challenging others.

However, challenges inevitably lead to death and injury, which will bring countless troubles to you, the Mount Hua Sect, and your parents.

You've prepared for this by disguising yourself and changing your name, doing this under a false identity.]

[In the fifth month of the twenty-second year, you darken your skin, stick on a beard, cover your face with a mask, and go by the name Zhang Wei. You travel far to Kunlun Mountain in the Western Regions, starting your challenges from the Kunlun Sect.

In the world of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, the Kunlun Sect is a renowned orthodox sect on par with the Qingcheng, Kongtong, Emei, and Diancang sects, second only to Shaolin and Wudang, and roughly equal to any of the Five Great Sword Sects.

Of course, the strength gap between the Five Great Sword Sects is also significant. The Songshan Sect alone is worth more than the other four major sword sects combined.

As for the unparalleled Sun Moon Holy Cult, it's naturally not included.]

[The current leader of the Kunlun Sect is named Zhen Shanzi. His cultivation is similar to that of Yu Canghai, whom you killed, both being at the peak of the Houtian Realm.

His famous technique is called Universe Sword, which is an explosive swordplay similar to the Mount Hua Sect's Great Yue Three Pure Winds.

In addition, the Kunlun Sect also has many Houtian-level martial arts such as Righteous Two Principles Swordplay, Light Splitting Swordplay, and Falling Goose Palm.

After seeing them all, your Dugu Nine Swords, which had been stuck in a bottleneck, slowly begins to improve.]

[In the ninth month of the twenty-second year, for several months, you travel thousands of miles from west to east and then from north to south, experiencing the techniques and martial arts of countless sects.

The Diancang Sect's Flowing Cloud Swordplay, Diancang Jade Sleeve Skill, Azure Sky Single Finger...

The Qingcheng Sect's Pine Wind Swordplay, Crane Cry Nine Heavens Divine Skill, Heart Breaking Palm, Shadowless Illusion Leg...

The Emei Sect's Golden Summit Divine Sword, Emei Dagger, Cloud Piercing Palm...

The Eight Trigrams Sect's Eight Trigrams Roaming Palm...

The Long River Gang's Great River Mad Blade...]

[These techniques and martial arts are all-encompassing, including blades, spears, swords, halberds, fists, palms, fingers, legs, hidden weapons, traps, internal and external skills, and esoteric formations... almost everything.

After experiencing so many techniques and martial arts, the power of your Dugu Nine Swords improves rapidly.

Although the Sword Breaking Stance is still at the minor success level, its power has increased by at least onefold.

The Saber Breaking Stance, Spear Breaking Stance, and Palm Breaking Stance, which were previously only at the beginner level, have also reached the minor success level one after another.

The Whip Breaking Stance and Chain Breaking Stance have also improved significantly and are not far from minor success.

In addition, you've also successfully entered the beginner level of the Arrow Breaking Stance.

It's just a pity that even though you've specifically searched for and studied many Internal Force cultivation methods, your Qi Breaking Stance has not been able to reach the entry level.

As for the Overall Formula, you've naturally successfully entered the beginner level, but because it lacks the most important Qi Breaking Stance, your Overall Formula can only break martial arts moves and has no way to deal with other people's Internal Force True Qi.

However, you are already a powerhouse at the late peak of the Innate Realm, and every move you make contains powerful True Qi.

Therefore, even if you can only break martial arts moves, it's enough to make you invincible among those in the Innate Realm.]

[During your challenges, you also discover the nemesis of Dugu Nine Swords, which is body refinement techniques.

The highest realm of martial arts is using no moves to defeat moves!

Body refinement martial artists rely on their impenetrable defense and terrifying brute force, with basically no refined moves.

This makes them as smelly and hard as a rock in a latrine, leaving you with no moves to break, and your Dugu Nine Swords naturally becomes useless.

However, body refinement techniques are much harder to practice than Internal Force.

So far, you've only seen a few body refinement martial artists in total. The most powerful one is only at the late stage of the Houtian Realm, and he's already over fifty years old. His Qi and blood have begun to decline, and he has no chance of reaching the Innate Realm in this lifetime, let alone the peak of the Houtian Realm.

Moreover, the physical body of a Houtian Realm body refinement martial artist cannot withstand the attack of Innate True Qi.

Therefore, you've only found a possible nemesis of Dugu Nine Swords, and whether it truly is remains to be seen.]

[After challenging so many sects for several months, your reputation has naturally spread throughout the martial world, and you've even been dubbed the Mysterious Sky Swordsman by busybodies.

It means that your swordsmanship is mysterious and unparalleled, as if it were passed down from the Ninth Heaven.]

[The martial world has always been full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. In those deep mountains, old forests, and wealthy families, there are countless hidden experts.

Most of these people are no longer interested in fame and fortune. All they have is a thirst for knowledge of techniques and martial arts.

If you were to look for them yourself, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack, or like a tiger trying to eat the sky, with no way to start.

As the saying goes, a tall tree attracts the wind. Now, as your reputation soars, these people will come out on their own to see your swordsmanship.

And this is exactly what you want, greatly accelerating your progress in cultivating Dugu Nine Swords.]

[Of course, everything has its good and bad sides. Although these people help you speed up the cultivation of Dugu Nine Swords, these challengers, with their thousand faces, also bring you countless troubles.

Some are so ashamed and angry that they resort to sneak attacks after being defeated. Some offer high prices to buy your Dugu Nine Swords. Some want to recruit you to work for them, and some even want to hire you to kill people...

Naturally, you won't agree to any of these unreasonable requests.]