What Choice? I Want Them All!

Zhang Su suddenly smiled. What choice was there to make?

It was not as if he lacked Contribution Points.

Since both techniques had Compatibility Rates above 90%, he wanted them both!

If both sword techniques could be perfected, they would grant him two Compatibility Points.

These were techniques that could increase Compatibility Points.

What were two techniques?

The more, the better!

Still, a person's energy was limited.

He would first choose these two sword techniques, then select other martial skills as appropriate in the future.

Zhang Su immediately went to find the elder of the Scripture Pavilion to exchange for the two sword techniques.

"Hmm?"

"Exchanging for two sword techniques at once?"

"Yes. I hope Elder will grant my request."

The elder frowned. "The Nine Shadows Sword Technique and Triple Wave may not be considered peak sword techniques, but they are still first-rate techniques. The Nine Shadows Sword Technique focuses primarily on speed and is renowned for its swiftness. Triple Wave, on the other hand, prioritizes strength. Each wave is stronger than the last, crushing opponents with sheer force."

"These two sword techniques are as unrelated as a horse and a cow. Are you certain you wish to exchange for both?"

Naturally, the elder possessed extraordinary knowledge.

He also knew the characteristics of these two sword techniques. They were completely different styles.

Disciples who exchanged for two sword techniques of different styles at once were quite rare.

"Yes, this disciple is certain."

Zhang Su bowed to the elder.

"Very well. Six hundred Contribution Points in total."

The elder said nothing further. He had already given the necessary warning.

After exchanging for the two sword techniques, Zhang Su immediately entered a Cultivation Room and opened the manuals.

After carefully examining their contents, Zhang Su knew the elder's warning had been correct.

They truly were two sword techniques of entirely different styles.

However, the Nine Shadows Sword Technique had a Compatibility Rate of 93%, while Triple Wave had one of 91%. Both met Zhang Su's requirements.

"Then I'll give them a try."

Zhang Su had never practiced swordsmanship before, so he naturally did not carry a sword.

However, the Cultivation Rooms in the Scripture Pavilion contained all kinds of weapons.

He drew a standard-issue longsword of the Guiyuan Sect.

The Nine Shadows Sword Technique immediately surfaced in Zhang Su's mind.

The next moment, as if driven by instinct, Zhang Su began practicing the Nine Shadows Sword Technique.

At first, his movements were rather conventional.

But as time passed, his sword strikes grew faster and faster.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Su thrust out his sword, and three sword shadows actually appeared.

Moreover, each of the three sword shadows was almost exactly identical.

This was no illusion technique.

Those three sword shadows were all real.

When speed reached a certain level, sword shadows would appear.

"One sword, three shadows. The Nine Shadows Sword Technique has reached Lesser Mastery..."

Zhang Su was stunned.

It had reached Lesser Mastery already?

He remembered clearly that he had practiced the Spirit Snake Fist for an entire year.

And its Compatibility Rate had not been low either, reaching 81%.

What had been the result?

After a whole year, the Spirit Snake Fist had only reached Lesser Mastery.

Yet he had only just begun the Nine Shadows Sword Technique, for no more than half an hour.

And the Nine Shadows Sword Technique had already reached Lesser Mastery.

It was simply inconceivable.

Perhaps this was the true value of a 93% Compatibility Rate!

At this speed, it probably would not take long for the Nine Shadows Sword Technique to reach Greater Mastery.

There was even a strong possibility that the sword technique could be perfected.

Zhang Su then tried practicing Triple Wave.

Its Compatibility Rate was also 91%.

Triple Wave and the Nine Shadows Sword Technique were completely different in style.

Yet the moment Zhang Su began practicing it, he immediately felt incomparably at ease.

There was not the slightest sense of difficulty.

Instead, every successive sword strike felt more natural than the last.

He did not know how long he had practiced.

Boom.

Zhang Su thrust out his sword.

This strike produced a violent sound in the air.

It was like the roar of crashing waves.

Zhang Su knew that this was the First Wave.

And as long as one could unleash the First Wave, it meant the Triple Wave Sword Technique had reached Lesser Mastery.

Zhang Su immediately checked the System Panel.

Host: Zhang Su

Cultivation: Blood Qi Realm First Layer

Taotie Blood Nourishing Technique: Compatibility Rate 91% (Beginner)

Nine Shadows Sword Technique: Compatibility Rate 93% (Lesser Mastery)

Triple Wave: Compatibility Rate 91% (Lesser Mastery)

Compatibility Points: 0

Sure enough, the System Panel showed that both the Nine Shadows Sword Technique and the Triple Wave Sword Technique had reached Lesser Mastery.

"When the Compatibility Rate reaches above 90%, practicing martial arts becomes simple..."

Zhang Su murmured softly.

And this was only at a 90% Compatibility Rate.

If it reached 100%, his martial arts training would be even faster and more efficient.

Moreover, even with a Compatibility Rate above 90%, a martial art was not guaranteed to reach perfection.

That also depended on the difficulty of the martial art.

Many martial arts, even with a Compatibility Rate of 90%, might reach perfection—or might forever remain a thread short, unable to attain it.

But if the Compatibility Rate reached 100%, the martial art would definitely be perfected!

"Compatibility Points are still quite important. With Compatibility Points, I can directly raise martial arts with Compatibility Rates above 90% to 100%. Then I won't have to worry about being unable to perfect them..."

Zhang Su had personally experienced the importance of "Compatibility Rate."

So what if he was older and his bones had already set?

So what if his talent for martial arts was lacking?

As long as his Compatibility Rate was high enough, there would be no obstacle on his martial path!

Zhang Su continued practicing in the Cultivation Room for another two or three hours.

Only when the sky began to darken did he leave the Cultivation Room.

Zhang Su also checked the Contribution Points on his Identity Token.

Exchanging for the Taotie Blood Nourishing Technique, the Nine Shadows Sword Technique, and Triple Wave had cost a total of nine hundred Contribution Points.

He had previously possessed six thousand Contribution Points on his Identity Token.

Now, he still had five thousand one hundred Contribution Points left.

He could not spend them all!

There was simply no way to spend them all!

At this moment, the benefits of having money became apparent.

When Zhang Su returned to the Outer Sect lodging area, he vaguely heard bursts of noise coming from his room.

He opened the door and found that it was his three roommates: Du Tian, Zhao Feng, and Chu Dachuan.

These three companions had entered the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect in the same batch as Zhang Su.

However, unlike Zhang Su, they were different.

They were geniuses selected by the Guiyuan Sect from various regions.

They were all only around twelve years old and possessed decent talent.

Though they had entered the Guiyuan Sect only a year ago,

they had already cultivated Blood Qi early on.

The strongest among them, Chu Dachuan, had even reached the Blood Qi Realm Third Layer.

The remaining two, Du Tian and Zhao Feng, were also at the Blood Qi Realm Second Layer.

Compared to Zhang Su, who had failed to cultivate Blood Qi even after a year, there was simply no comparison.

"Zhang Su, you're back so late. Where did you go?" Du Tian asked.

"I went to the Scripture Pavilion."

Zhang Su replied.

"Hmm? Did you go change your cultivation technique?"

"Yes."

All three raised their heads, somewhat surprised.

They all knew that Zhang Su had practiced the Great River Divine Art for the past year without the slightest result.

Under such circumstances, he should have changed cultivation techniques long ago.

Yet Zhang Su had stubbornly dragged it out for an entire year.

However, the three clearly did not care whether Zhang Su had changed cultivation techniques.

In their eyes, Zhang Su was already sixteen and had not even cultivated Blood Qi. His bones had long since set, and he possessed no special innate physique.

It would be difficult for him to achieve anything significant in the future.

The reason the three remained "close" to Zhang Su was because they had their eyes on the good things he possessed.

More precisely, they wanted the nourishing items Uncle Guan brought Zhang Su every month.

"Zhang Su, I saw a wooden box on your bed. Judging by the time, your family servant should have delivered things to you today, right? What good stuff did he bring this time?"

All three stared at the wooden box on Zhang Su's bed.

Zhang Su frowned. "Nothing much. Just some Blood Replenishing Pills."

"What? Blood Replenishing Pills? Those are good things! To Blood Qi Realm martial artists, Blood Replenishing Pills are even better than medicinal meals."

"Zhang Su, take out the Blood Replenishing Pills and let us test their effects."

"Yeah. You haven't even cultivated Blood Qi, so you have no use for Blood Replenishing Pills. Give them to us, and we can help you test their effects."

The three of them had anticipation written all over their faces.

"Give them to you? Help me test their effects?"

Zhang Su frowned.

Did these three take him for a fool?

However, their words caused some memories to flash through Zhang Su's mind.

Over the past year, Uncle Guan had brought him things every month.

Some were precious supplements.

Some were expensive medicinal meals.

There had also been medicinal baths.

But the original owner had been stubborn and unwilling to use anything from his elder brother.

Thus, he had basically given all these precious items brought by Uncle Guan to these three companions.

The fact that these three had reached the Blood Qi Realm Second Layer and even Third Layer within a year owed much to the things Zhang Su had given them!

"I really was a fool..."

Zhang Su shook his head.

No wonder these three were asking for the Blood Replenishing Pills.

Given the original owner's actions over the past year, he truly had been a fool.

"I need these Blood Replenishing Pills!"

After saying that, Zhang Su ignored the three men's astonished expressions and immediately took a Blood Replenishing Pill from the wooden box.

He opened his mouth and swallowed it at once.

He had taken a Blood Replenishing Pill.

Boom.

Zhang Su felt a wave of scorching heat erupt within his body.

He immediately circulated the Taotie Blood Nourishing Technique, swiftly refining the medicinal power of the Blood Replenishing Pill.

Previously, although Zhang Su had cultivated Blood Qi,

it had only been a single wisp.

But now, after taking the Blood Replenishing Pill, he refined another wisp of Blood Qi.

The second wisp, the third, the fourth, the fifth...

Zhang Su's Blood Qi power was rapidly increasing at a terrifying rate.

Seeing this, Du Tian, Zhao Feng, and Chu Dachuan were all greatly shocked.

"This is... Blood Qi power! Zhang Su has cultivated Blood Qi?"

The three of them could not have sensed it wrong.

This was indeed Blood Qi power.

The three exchanged glances, but none of them felt happy for Zhang Su.

Instead, their expressions darkened.

Zhang Su had cultivated Blood Qi, and he had even swallowed a Blood Replenishing Pill.

Would they still be able to "shear the sheep" from Zhang Su in the future?

That would probably be difficult.

Without the great supplements Zhang Su "supplied" every month, their cultivation speed would certainly slow down from now on.

That made them feel utterly miserable.

The three exchanged glances and tacitly walked outside.

"What do we do? Zhang Su doesn't seem quite so stupid anymore..."

"Zhang Su is just trash. He only got in through the help of his elder brother-in-law. Otherwise, how could an overage piece of trash enter the Guiyuan Sect and become an Outer Sect disciple?"

"He used to be stupid. Instead of using the things his elder brother-in-law gave him, he handed all the good stuff to us. But now, it looks like he probably won't give us those good things anymore."

"So what if he has cultivated Blood Qi? At most, he's only at the Blood Qi Realm First Layer. Wang Hai had always been causing him trouble, and it was only because we stepped in that Wang Hai stopped pestering him. Since he won't give us good things anymore, why should we keep protecting him?"

"Exactly. Let Wang Hai teach him a brutal lesson. Then he'll probably understand our value. When that time comes, he'll still have to give us the good stuff..."

Good things ought to be used by true geniuses like them.

If Zhang Su used them, wouldn't that be a monstrous waste of heaven's gifts?

The three exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.