Exchanging Nine Yin for Six Meridians, to exchange or not?

Song Qingshu used the rebound force of his palm strike to shift several feet to the side in mid-air, dodging the sword energy from the five monks below. He seized the opportunity while they were recovering their breath to unleash the 'Soaring Dragon in the Sky' from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, striking down from above. The monks hastily met his palm strike, and upon contact, suffered no minor internal injuries.

Song Qingshu exclaimed his good fortune, lucky that these individuals had insufficient internal energy. After each sword strike, they needed several seconds to recover their breath. Although they could use their sword formation to cover each other, he was attacking from above, making his palm strike more than twice as powerful. Thus, underestimating him, they were caught off guard and five of them were severely injured. However, his own blood and qi were also surging, so he quickly circulated his qi and regulated his breath in secret.

"Stop!" Zen Master Kurong finally turned around. His face, just as described in the books, was half as smooth as an infant's and half withered. "A fine Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. Are you Northern Qiao Feng?"

"I have long admired the demeanor of King Xiao of the Southern Courtyard. How could my meager skills compare to his?" Song Qingshu spoke the truth. If Xiao Feng had used the same Dragon Ascending to Heaven just now, with his self-created Dragon Tide Wave, its speed would have been so fast that Kurong would have been unable to dodge and could only have met it head-on. In that golden opportunity just now, with a single strike of Soaring Dragon in the Sky, the five monks' hand bones would likely have shattered, rather than merely suffering not-so-minor internal injuries as they did now.

"Indeed. Your sudden leap several feet into the air just now should be the Wudang's ultimate skill, Cloud Ascending Steps. And the way you moved and spun on the ground seems to be the 'Serpentine Foxing Technique' from the legendary Nine Yin Manual," Kurong's expression turned solemn. He clasped his palms together. "You are young, yet possess so many ultimate skills. Truly rare."

"Master's insight is indeed vast," Song Qingshu said admiringly. "I have no ill intentions on this trip. I merely wish to witness the Dali's Six Meridian Divine Sword." In his heart, he sneered. If they hadn't seen his martial arts prowess, he would have been captured and humiliated by now. This world, no matter how beautifully it's described, is ultimately ruled by strength.

"Since you have obtained what you wished for, please feel free to do as you please." Zen Master Kurong's expression was impassive, adopting a posture of seeing off a guest.

"Master already knows I possess the Nine Yin Manual. I assume you have all heard the legends of the Nine Yin Manual. To put it offensively, the Nine Yin Manual's status in the Martial Arts World is likely even higher than your sect's Six Meridian Divine Sword. If you masters are willing, I am willing to exchange the Nine Yin Manual for a glimpse of the Six Meridian Divine Sword manual. Rest assured, I will not take it away, I only wish to see it once to fulfill my heart's desire." Song Qingshu's voice was full of temptation. If there was anything different about him compared to the martial artists of today, it was that he wouldn't be shortsighted and hoard his treasures. Besides, the Nine Yin Manual wasn't his anyway, so he felt no heartache in trading it.

The monks exchanged glances, seeing the desire in each other's eyes. The Nine Yin Manual, along with Shaolin's Muscle Tendon Change, the Nine Yang Divine Skill, and Blackwood Cliff's Sunflower Manual, were known as the four great divine skills of the current Martial Arts World. Back then, the Five Greats of the Central Plains fought over the Nine Yin Manual, disregarding their status, even going to Mount Hua Sword Competition and battling for three days and three nights...

While the monks had been quite tempted when Jiumozhi offered the Flower Plucking Finger, Doluoye Finger, and Formless Tribulation Finger in exchange, Song Qingshu's proposal now caused even Zen Master Kurong's heart to ripple.

"Young master, you may not know, but some time ago, the Great Wheel Ming King Jiumozhi of Tubo harbored ill intentions. In order to prevent the Duan family's unique skills from falling into the hands of villains, I already burned the sword manual. You will likely be disappointed, young master." Zen Master Kurong's decades of Zen cultivation were not in vain; he quickly calmed his state of mind and refused with many words.

"I know that too," Song Qingshu said, not surprised, and smiled. "But haven't you divine monks each learned one sword technique? I assume you can also rewrite the sword manual from memory..."

Seeing the monks still hesitating, Song Qingshu decided to add fuel to the fire and asked, "Masters, how do you think your internal energy compares to mine?"

Abbot Benyin hesitated for a moment, then spoke the truth. "Your internal energy is much higher than ours. Compared to Uncle-Master, it's probably not much less."

Kurong shook his head. "Benyin, there's no need to hide it for me. This young master's internal energy surpasses mine slightly."

"Aren't you masters curious?" Song Qingshu smiled. "I am young, and I must have cultivated internal energy for less time than all of you here. How is it that my internal energy now surpasses yours?"

"Could it be the effect of the Nine Yin Manual?" The monks' expressions stirred, and they couldn't help but ask.

"Precisely. The Nine Yin Manual contains a chapter on Muscle Tendon Change and Bone Forging, which allows those who learn it to cultivate internal energy much faster than ordinary people. That's why my internal energy appears passable now," Song Qingshu paused deliberately, observing the expressions of those present, and continued. "I saw you masters each practicing a sword technique just now. I dare to speculate that it's due to insufficient internal energy, not enough to cultivate all six meridians simultaneously. I wonder if I am correct?"

"That's right. The internal energy required to unleash the Six Meridian Divine Sword is beyond human capability, which is why we decided to each cultivate one lineage," Kurong said expressionlessly.

"The profoundness of the Six Meridian Divine Sword is clearly only fully realized when all six meridians are used together. Although your sword formations are exquisite, when rotating, they are inevitably obscure and create gaps, allowing me to take advantage... If you masters were to obtain the Nine Yin Manual, I believe you would soon cultivate supreme internal energy, and then unleashing the Six Meridian Divine Sword would be masterful... I only ask for a glimpse of the manual. Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, it will be returned." Song Qingshu's words were sincere, and to the monks, it indeed sounded like a good proposal.

"Uncle-Master, since this young master is so sincere, why not let him see it for the duration of an incense stick?" Abbot Benyin turned to Zen Master Kurong for permission. The other four monks in the field felt the same way. Although there were many people in the world with photographic memories, remembering the obscure and difficult Six Meridian Divine Sword within the short time of an incense stick was likely beyond human capability.

Kurong remained silent for a long time, finally looking up at Song Qingshu and asking, "You possess several ultimate skills now, young master. Your martial arts are so high that few of your peers can match you. Why do you still need the Six Meridian Divine Sword of the Dali Duan Style?" Although he also didn't believe Song Qingshu could memorize the Six Meridian Divine Sword in such a short time, he knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. The other party had offered a divine skill like the Nine Yin Manual; it was impossible that he only wanted to take a look. He surely had a way to learn the Six Meridian Divine Sword by stealth.

Song Qingshu gave a wry smile and sighed deeply. "Let alone the martial arts seniors, even among my peers, Master, how do you think my martial arts compare to King Xiao of the Southern Courtyard from Khitan?"

Zen Master Kurong hesitated for a moment and shook his head slightly. "King Xiao once swept through the Central Plains Martial Arts World, stirring up bloody storms in the jianghu. His Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms were unrivaled. Your martial arts are indeed good, but compared to Xiao Feng, who has almost returned to simplicity, you are likely still inferior."

"Then how about compared to Zhang Wuji of the Ming Cult?" Song Qingshu said the name, and couldn't help but think of Zhou Zhiruo and him being lovey-dovey, feeling disgusted.