"My master has practiced this Wind-Breaking Blade Technique for over a decade, yet has only reached great mastery. He still hasn't attained perfection!"
Hong Lei shook his head slightly, then continued, "According to my master, if you can perfect the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique, you might even touch upon the state where man and blade become one. Not only would it make the blade faster, it would also unleash something utterly inconceivable!"
"Touch upon the state where man and blade become one, and unleash something utterly inconceivable?"
Hong Lei's words seemed to venture beyond the limits of everyone's understanding. They couldn't imagine what sort of inconceivable thing he meant.
"That inconceivable thing is blade aura!"
Hong Lei pondered for a moment, then continued, "My master said that once you can unleash blade aura, your technique can erupt with unimaginable destructive power. You can easily cut through three layers of armor, and even truly wound a ranked martial artist!"
At those words, everyone froze, their faces filled with shock.
An ordinary blade could barely pierce even one layer of armor.
Even with a so-called treasured blade, you could probably pierce only one or two layers at most.
But if you could unleash this blade aura, you could easily cut through three layers of armor!
Even more unbelievable to everyone was that blade aura could truly wound a ranked martial artist.
During their earlier conversation, they had heard Hong Lei mention that above the Transformation Realm were ranked martial artists.
In other words, whether they practiced Bright Energy, Hidden Energy, or even Transformation Realm, they were all unranked martial artists.
As for how powerful ranked martial artists were, Hong Lei had said only one sentence at the time, yet it had left everyone utterly stunned.
"Skin like iron, sinews and bones like bronze, impervious to blades and swords!"
Just twelve characters, yet every one of them made the terror of ranked martial artists plain!
And yet, if someone perfected this Wind-Breaking Blade Technique, they could unleash blade aura capable of wounding a ranked martial artist.
At that moment, almost everyone yearned to perfect the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique and dared to hope they could do it.
They even forgot how tired they were and resumed practicing with renewed effort.
"Perfecting the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique is easier said than done!"
Seeing this, Hong Lei smiled and shook his head.
Even his master, who had diligently practiced the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique for over a decade, had only reached great mastery.
Even with his exceptional natural constitution, Hong Lei would still find it difficult to perfect the technique without sufficient comprehension and talent.
"Neither my master nor you, Hong Lei, knows that I, Fang Chang, have not only an exceptional natural constitution but also far greater talent with the blade than either of you. I can reach minor mastery of the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique in two months, great mastery in a year at most, and even perfection within three years!"
A trace of pride flashed through Fang Chang's eyes.
He was confident that in three years, he would not only perfect the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique but also break through beyond the Transformation Realm and become a true ranked martial artist. By then, no one would be able to stand in his way.
"Perhaps other people would need to spend a great deal of time and effort to perfect the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique. Without enough talent, they might not manage it even in a lifetime. But for me, all I need to do is keep grinding for proficiency!"
Lu Yuan didn't waste time either. He continued practicing the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique alongside everyone else.
[Wind-Breaking Blade Technique: Beginner (3/200)]
Sure enough, after completing just one practice session, Lu Yuan had successfully reached beginner level in the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique.
Reaching beginner level in a single day was astonishing progress.
And it wasn't just the change in proficiency on the Ancient Scroll. His mind had also filled with insights and understanding related to the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique, as if he truly had practiced it hundreds or even thousands of times. Every move and form had been carved deep into his memory.
From here, he only needed to keep practicing to gain more and more proficiency. If nothing unexpected happened, he should be able to reach perfection in ten days to half a month at most.
"Ah Yuan, if there's anything you don't understand, you can come ask me anytime!"
Seeing Lu Yuan standing still after completing one practice session, Fang Chang came over with a smile.
"Sure!"
Lu Yuan smiled and nodded.
Across all of Song Academy, apart from Master Song, probably no one understood the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique better than Fang Chang.
Lu Yuan hadn't continued practicing the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique not only because he had spent a lot of blood qi, but also because he planned to spend the rest of his time and energy practicing the Five Animals Fist, hoping to perfect it before he returned.
[Five Animals Fist: Great Mastery (3762/10000)]
After a little over half an hour, Lu Yuan had completed a full practice of the Five Animals Fist, and his proficiency had increased by nearly six hundred.
At that rate of progress, even practicing it just once a day, ten days would be enough to reach perfection.
Feeling rather exhausted, he leaned against the cargo and rested.
"After practicing the Five Animals Fist this time, I replenished the blood qi I spent on the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique, but didn't gain any extra. It seems that once I've practiced a technique, nourishing my blood qi becomes much slower."
As he chewed on a meat bun from his bundle, Lu Yuan pondered to himself.
The more he practiced the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique, the more blood qi he would naturally expend. Although practicing the Five Animals Fist could replenish it, the back-and-forth would greatly affect his progress in nourishing his blood qi and preparing for his second Blood Qi Tempering.
Even so, he would keep practicing the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique.
He could nourish his blood qi properly once he had perfected the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique.
Unfortunately, he was still too poor. Otherwise, with medicinal broth that could quickly restore blood qi—or even better, Blood-Qi Pills—he wouldn't have any problem.
The next day, the caravan continued onward just as the horizon began to pale.
After a night's rest and two meals of meat, Lu Yuan had mostly recovered.
Seated in the wagon and leaning against the cargo, he gazed into the distance.
It hadn't snowed in recent days, yet the sky remained gray and overcast, as if it might press down on them at any moment.
A cold wind blew from the north. It seemed to conceal countless tiny steel needles, pricking through their clothes and into their very bones.
As the caravan pressed onward, heaps and clusters of moving refugees appeared along the roadside.
They could barely even be called human anymore. Every one of them was skin and bones, their eyes empty as they shuffled slowly across the wilderness like walking corpses.
When they saw the caravan, it was as if they came back to life. They charged toward it like mad.
But after only a few steps, many of them collapsed to the ground.
"Faster... Hurry up and get through!"
Seeing this, the porters didn't dare hesitate for a moment. They whipped their horses hard.
The caravan accelerated to its limit and soon left the refugees far behind.
"What a world..."
Someone couldn't help letting out a sigh, filled with sorrow and helplessness.
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