Blade and Blade Draw Technique

"Latent Dragon Ranking? Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother!"

Fourth Senior Disciple Brother Liu Zhe's eyes lit up as he stared at the booklet. He immediately took it with both hands, thanked him with a joyous expression, and quickly began to flip through it.

The Latent Dragon Ranking was compiled by the most mysterious force on the Heavenly Saint Continent, the Heavenly Machine Pavilion. It recorded the top one hundred young male prodigies under the age of thirty from the entire continent.

Correspondingly, there was also a Hatching Phoenix Ranking, which recorded the top one hundred young female prodigies under the age of thirty from the entire continent.

In this world, once a martial artist's cultivation broke through to the Innate Realm, their lifespan could be extended to 150 years. Grandmasters could live to 180 years, and Great Grandmasters could live to 200 years.

Those stronger than Great Grandmasters would undoubtedly live even longer.

Therefore, the age limit of 30 years was set for the Latent Dragon and Hatching Phoenix Rankings.

Of course, that was for the overall Latent Dragon Ranking and Hatching Phoenix Ranking.

What Senior Disciple Brother Ji Xiangming brought back was merely a sub-ranking established by the Heavenly Machine Pavilion specifically for the Profound Water Dynasty, which only recorded the top one hundred young prodigies of the Profound Water Dynasty.

There were many such sub-rankings, with basically every dynasty having one. They were merely for entertainment.

Just like the Profound Water Latent Dragon sub-ranking in Liu Zhe's hands, no one outside the Profound Water Dynasty's territory would recognize it.

Of course, it still held considerable prestige within the Profound Water Dynasty.

"Kang'an, this is for you. A fan painted by Master Jinshui, a calligraphy and painting master from Nanling City!"

Ji Xiangming took out another exquisite folding fan. When opened, it revealed a magnificent landscape painting, with several large characters written on it: Autumn Outing to Yue Mountain Painting!

"Master Jinshui? Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother!"

Second Senior Disciple Brother Cui Kang'an happily took the folding fan, examining the painting on the fan surface with great absorption.

This was his greatest hobby besides practicing martial arts, but unfortunately, his talent was truly mediocre.

"Ping'an! Look what I brought for you. A long saber produced by the Xu Family Forging Hall, made from Hundred-Forged Fine Iron!"

Finally, Ji Xiangming drew out a sheathed long saber and handed it to Zhao Ping'an.

The saber blade was about a meter long, with the hilt being about thirty centimeters. The scabbard and hilt were entirely Pitch Black, carved with intricate anti-slip patterns.

"Clang!"

The saber blade was drawn, and a cold glint flashed past. A long saber mark instantly appeared on the stone stool beneath their feet, which then slowly split into two halves.

Zhao Ping'an stared intently at the long saber, which bore a striking resemblance to the Ming Dynasty Xiu Chun Dao from television, his eyes unblinking, almost drooling.

"Clang!"

The long saber was sheathed, and the cold glint retracted!

"Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother!"

Zhao Ping'an accepted it with a look of joy.

This was a long saber he had casually mentioned wanting when Ji Xiangming asked what gift he wanted after he started practicing martial arts last time. He hadn't expected him to actually bring it back.

The gifts for the others were the same.

The package also contained many special snacks from South Ridge City, all prepared for them.

"Senior Disciple Brother, what was that move you just used? It looked really powerful. Can you teach it to me?"

Zhao Ping'an, holding the saber, swung it a couple of times in its sheath, feeling a bit awkward. He remembered Ji Xiangming's previous saber strike and immediately looked at him with hopeful anticipation.

"You want to learn! Of course, you can. That was just a third-rate saber technique, and it only has one move, called Blade Draw Technique! I bought it from a street vendor and learned it because I found it somewhat interesting. Wait a moment, let me find it..."

Ji Xiangming immediately opened another package, rummaged through it, and took out a somewhat tattered secret manual, handing it to Zhao Ping'an.

"Here, take this manual and look at it first. If you don't understand anything, you can always come ask me. I'll be staying for about three days."

"Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother!"

Zhao Ping'an took the manual with a look of delight and thanked him.

"What's there to be polite about? It's not a valuable item."

Ji Xiangming immediately looked displeased.

"Heh heh... I was just a bit embarrassed."

Zhao Ping'an scratched his head and gave a silly laugh.

"What's there to be embarrassed about? If you're embarrassed, you can pay me back when you grow up..."

Ji Xiangming said jokingly.

"I will!"

"Hahahaha, you guys look, Ping'an actually took it seriously!"

Seeing Zhao Ping'an's serious expression, Ji Xiangming burst into laughter.

But he didn't know how much benefit his casual joke would bring him in the future, something he couldn't even imagine now.

Afterward, the junior disciples sat in the courtyard, chatting and recounting their experiences on the mountain, while listening to their Senior Disciple Brother tell amusing stories from the outside world.

Time flew by in their idle chatter.

Late at night, Zhao Ping'an sat alone at a table in his room, with an oil lamp on the table casting a faint glow.

In his hand, he held a tattered secret manual, flipping through it.

Because Senior Disciple Brother Ji Xiangming had returned, Master and Mistress had made an exception to allow the disciples to drink during dinner.

Even Mistress Zhao Xiuyun and Third Senior Sister Mu Yunmeng had drunk quite a bit.

Only Zhao Ping'an was not allowed to drink. The reason was simple: he was too young, only fourteen years old.

After eating his fill, he returned first, bored.

Blade Draw Technique!

It emphasized a single, fatal blow, followed by an immediate escape!

The thin manual only contained one move: draw, slash, sheath!

As a purely offensive technique, it differed from cultivation methods like his current practice, Turtle Shell Art, which directly improved the user. It was not divided into nine levels.

Instead, it was divided into six stages: Entry, Proficient, Mastered, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, and Perfection. With each advancement, not only would the attack angle become more precise, but speed and power would also increase.

If he had to be precise, Zhao Ping'an felt they could be divided into cultivation methods and martial arts. The former directly improved cultivation, while the latter was the application of cultivation.

The thin booklet was quickly finished.

Zhao Ping'an immediately opened his panel:

[Name: Zhao Ping'an]

[Realm: Warrior First Level]

Cultivation Method:

[Turtle Shell Art (Third-rate Cultivation Method): 42/200 (Entry Not Yet Achieved, Simplified) Hitting a wooden stake 100 times consecutively with the body increases cultivation progress by 1 point.]

Martial Art:

[Blade Draw Technique (Third-rate Martial Art): 0/200 (Entry Not Yet Achieved, Simplified) Drawing a wooden sword weighing over 1 kilogram 100 times consecutively increases cultivation progress by 1 point.]

[Deduction Points: 18%]

(Method of obtaining Deduction Points: Eating, absorbing external energy, etc., can all grant Deduction Points!

The higher the cultivation, the greater the total amount of Deduction Points!

After reaching Perfection in a cultivation method or martial art, Deduction Points can be consumed to deduce and advance cultivation methods!)

"This game panel is quite user-friendly. It can refine myself according to my thoughts. Not bad..."

Looking at the slightly changed game panel, Zhao Ping'an said in surprise.

He had not coined the term "Martial Art."

"A wooden sword weighing one kilogram? Looks like I'll have to wait until tomorrow!"

Looking at the Blade Draw Technique that had been recorded on the panel, along with its simplified cultivation method, Zhao Ping'an murmured.

Where would he find a suitable wooden sword in the middle of the night?