A Sword, Forty-Five Shadows

[Zhaoxi Value+1]

As the sun vanished below the horizon, a text prompt flashed before Chen Xuan's eyes. The translucent panel emitted a faint glow in the twilight, visible only to him.

Host: Chen Xuan

Fate: Zhaoxi Bizheng

Root Bone: Average

Realm: Zhuqi Realm First Layer (Pimai Initial Stage)

Martial Arts: Giant Whale Body Refining Technique/Ninth Layer, Mountain Crushing Fist/Great Success, Vajra Technique/Fifth Layer (Qi Meridians Opened: 36/72), Nine Shadow Killing Sword/First Layer Great Success

Zhaoxi Value: 1

Chen Xuan, who had been on his way, stopped and looked at the panel, falling into deep thought.

The Zhuqi Realm is also divided into nine layers.

However, it is not as detailed as the Body Tempering realm. Each layer is a minor stage, and the Zhuqi Realm is divided into three-layer intervals: Pimai, Tongqiao, and Tuotai.

The first three layers constitute the Pimai realm, the core of which is opening and clearing the human body's qi meridians.

There are three hundred and sixty qi meridians in the human body, like a network of rivers crisscrossing and spreading throughout the entire body.

These meridians are naturally blocked and must be cleared by a martial artist using true qi, much like dredging a clogged riverbed. For every one cleared, the circulation of true qi becomes that much smoother.

The more meridians opened, the smoother the circulation of true qi, and the higher the quantity and quality of that true qi.

However, the number of meridians that can be opened differs vastly depending on the cultivation technique, which is where the gap in technique grades lies.

For ordinary techniques, the first layer opens twelve meridians, the second layer twenty-four, and the third layer thirty-six.

This is the limit of ordinary techniques; even if a martial artist cultivates an ordinary technique to the third layer of the Zhuqi Realm, they only have thirty-six meridians.

Such martial artists have thin true qi and sluggish circulation; even after breaking through to the Zhuqi Realm, they remain the weakest of their kind.

Some geniuses in the Body Tempering realm who have cultivated top-tier techniques or even supreme arts can fight across realms, and it is precisely these ordinary Zhuqi Realm practitioners they slay.

Superior techniques are slightly better: the first layer opens twenty-four meridians, the second thirty-six, and the third forty-eight.

This is the limit of superior techniques, and those who break through to the Zhuqi Realm using them are already considered the elite among their peers.

The Vajra Technique belongs to the top-tier techniques; the first layer opens thirty-six meridians, the second requires opening up to seventy-two, and to reach the third layer, one must open one hundred and eight.

One hundred and eight meridians is the limit of top-tier techniques. Martial artists who can reach this level are considered geniuses even among hegemon-level factions.

Above that, there are supreme arts and divine arts.

The limit of a supreme art is opening one hundred and eighty meridians, while the limit of a divine art is opening all three hundred and sixty. Once all three hundred and sixty meridians are opened, all meridians are connected, allowing true qi to circulate without obstruction. The practitioner's true qi becomes like an ocean, and every strike carries the force of a collapsing mountain or an overturning sea.

Those with all meridians connected are invincible within the Zhuqi Realm.

It is rumored that those super geniuses possessing a "Spirit Body" are born with all meridians connected. For ordinary people, peerless divine arts are incredibly difficult to cultivate, but for them, it is as simple as breathing.

This is the gap in innate talent.

All roads lead to Rome, but some are born in Rome, and super geniuses with a Spirit Body are born with the aura of invincibility.

Chen Xuan withdrew his thoughts, his gaze falling on the Zhaoxi Value.

One point of Zhaoxi Value could only open four meridians for the Vajra Technique.

He was currently at the first layer of the Zhuqi Realm with thirty-six meridians, still thirty-six short of the seventy-two required for the second layer. Even if he opened four meridians, it wouldn't significantly increase his strength, so it would be better to upgrade the Nine Shadow Killing Sword.

The Nine Shadow Killing Sword consists of two layers.

The first layer is a Body Tempering realm martial skill; reaching perfection allows one to produce nine sword shadows with a single strike. The second layer is a Zhuqi Realm martial skill that requires true qi to activate, and its power is incomparable to the first layer.

"Consume Zhaoxi Value to upgrade the Nine Shadow Killing Sword."

Chen Xuan focused his intent.

Hum—

Fragments of Chen Xuan practicing the Nine Shadow Killing Sword flashed rapidly through his mind, as clear and real as a revolving lantern.

In the vision, he practiced for a year, but in the outside world, it was only an instant.

With his Zhuqi Realm cultivation and physical constitution, it took him only half a month to reach the perfection of the first layer of the Nine Shadow Killing Sword.

His sword techniques were refined, his strikes were as fast as lightning, and nine sword shadows appeared almost simultaneously, making him impossible to defend against.

Next, he began the cultivation of the second layer of the Nine Shadow Killing Sword, which was no longer about tedious sword drills, but the fusion of true qi circulation and sword technique.

In the fragments of his vision, Chen Xuan held his longsword, guiding true qi from his dantian over and over again, following specific meridian paths to infuse it into the sword body.

The flow rate, direction, and output volume of the true qi—every detail required precise control, like dancing on a tightrope, leaving no room for error.

If there was too much true qi, the sword body would fail to withstand it and shatter into fragments; if the amount was too little, the power would be insufficient, leaving only the form without the substance.

He failed many times, breaking over a hundred swords, but he did not give up, adjusting and trying again and again.

Finally, in a certain moment, he found that perfect balance point.

The true qi, like silk threads, was evenly distributed across the sword body. The blade vibrated slightly, emitting a crisp sword hum, as if it had come to life.

Nine Shadow Killing Sword / Second Level (Proficient)

After a year of arduous cultivation.

Chen Xuan had advanced the Nine Shadow Killing Sword from the first level (Great Success) to the second level (Proficient).

At the second level of the Nine Shadow Killing Sword, the sword technique is driven by True Qi, making the speed of the strike several times faster than the first level. It is not merely the speed of the arm, but the True Qi propelling the blade, arriving in an instant like an arrow released from a bowstring.

Once the sword is drawn, layers of sword shadows emerge.

The "nine shadows" in the Nine Shadow Killing Sword refer to nine shadows per strike during the Body Tempering realm, but upon reaching the Zhuqi Realm, when driven by True Qi, it becomes a multiple of nine. When cultivated to perfection, a single thrust can produce eighty-one sword shadows.

At the second level of proficiency, one can achieve forty-five sword shadows in a single strike.

More importantly, the sword shadows of the second level are different from those of the first.

The first level only appeared to be nine shadows due to the speed of the thrust; in reality, it was nine consecutive strikes aimed at different spots, with a sequence of timing. If an opponent reacted quickly enough, they could parry them one by one.

However, the sword shadows of the Zhuqi Realm are solid sword qi condensed with True Qi. Each sword shadow is like a real sword, possessing tangible lethality.

With a single thrust, all sword shadows appear simultaneously, striking different vital points such as the throat, eyes, chest, groin, dantian, back of the heart, temples, wrists, and knees, with no sequence of timing.

This is the true terror of the Nine Shadow Killing Sword: impossible to defend against, impossible to evade.

"Let's give it a try."

Chen Xuan pulled back his thoughts, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

His right hand rested on the hilt as he slowly drew the Hanfeng Sword. This was the high-grade sharp weapon he had obtained; its blade was slender, gleaming with a biting cold light, capable of slicing through iron as if it were mud.

Pale golden Vajra True Qi surged from his dantian, flowing along specific meridian paths and pouring into the blade. The Hanfeng Sword vibrated slightly, and a layer of pale golden light emerged upon its surface.

Chen Xuan flicked his wrist and thrust the sword forward.

Sshhh—

The sound of air being torn apart rang out as forty-five sword shadows appeared simultaneously, blooming in the night like a blossoming golden lotus.

Each sword shadow was as solid as reality, radiating a biting killing intent that enveloped the area several zhang in front of him.

Wherever the sword shadows passed, fallen leaves on the ground were shredded to pieces, swirling dust was sliced into fine particles, and even the air seemed to be cleaved, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

Chen Xuan stood with his sword sheathed, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

This strike was enough to instantly kill any martial artist of the same rank. Even an expert at the third level of the Zhuqi Realm would inevitably be thrown into chaos when faced with these forty-five sudden sword shadows; a moment of carelessness would result in death.

"Time to head back."

Chen Xuan sheathed his sword, his figure flashed, and he continued on his way.