Zheng Fuyu Sword Technique

Under the dim yellow glow of an oil lamp,

Qian San sat cross-legged on the wooden bed, holding his breath as he stared intently at the dark-blue Blue Silver Spider in his palm.

As a former outer disciple of the Tang Sect, he had spent his life obsessed with hidden weapons and poisons. At this moment, he was trying to use the inner force of the Mysterious Heaven Skill to locate the venom sac within this mutated spider, and he had already devised dozens of methods in his mind for tempering hidden weapons with spider venom.

"Don't waste your effort." Qian Xunji entered carrying a bowl of freshly brewed calming soup. Seeing his son looking as though he faced a formidable enemy, he could not help but chuckle.

"Even if you stare a flower into it, it still won't spit out a single drop of venom."

Qian San froze, then looked up in confusion. "Dad, you mean... my martial soul isn't poisonous?"

"It's more than merely nonpoisonous. It's practically the model student of the soul beast world." Qian Xunji set the bowl on the table, pulled over a chair, and sat down.

"This Blue Silver Spider is a soul beast that is very friendly toward humans and mild-tempered. Its greatest hobby is spinning webs in the woods to catch and eat mosquitoes. It's one of the most common beneficial insects on this continent. Other than having vitality as tenacious as weeds, it has no offensive power whatsoever."

Qian San felt his mind buzz, as though something had shattered. The heart of a Tang Sect disciple, so full of yearning for peerless poisons, instantly turned ice-cold.

"No wonder..." Qian San gave a bitter smile as he recalled the awakening ceremony from earlier that day.

"No wonder that steward named Hun Haitao looked so disgusted and said this was a useless martial soul. A mosquito-catching spider that doesn't even have venom really is..."

"Bullshit!" Qian Xunji cut him off irritably and flicked his son's forehead.

"They're blind, unable to recognize the real deal! There are no useless martial souls in this world, only useless fools who don't take their martial souls seriously. This spider's potential will make those blind idiots cry someday. Enough, drink your soup and sleep. Once you've rested, I'll teach you some real self-defense skills tomorrow, so you won't be bullied when you report to Nuoding Academy."

The next morning, in the forest behind the mountain.

Qian Xunji stood with his hands behind his back. The faint light of dawn filtered through the gaps between the leaves and fell across his golden hair, lending him an added air of sacred, inviolable majesty.

"Xiao San, the combat technique I'm going to teach you is called the Zheng Fuyu Sword Technique."

Qian Xunji's voice was low and solemn as it echoed through the woods.

"This sword technique is completely different from those martial skills of the world that pursue slaughter and savagery. It emphasizes unity between man and heaven, and a sword strike without regret. Its core mental method is to maintain absolute calm in battle: the longer you fight, the calmer you become, with a heart as clear as ice."

Qian Xunji extended his right hand and clenched it in the air. In an instant, the light elements in the surroundings seemed to answer some supreme summons, surging madly into his palm before condensing into a brilliant longsword made entirely of light.

With every sword stroke, a Light Sword formed from light elements could be summoned from thin air to obey his command.

The first stroke summoned one Light Sword; the second summoned two; the third summoned three... and so on.

Qian San calculated rapidly in his mind. According to the mathematical knowledge of the Tang Sect from his previous life, if it continued all the way to the eighty-first stroke at its limit,

that would be a total of 3,321 Light Swords!

"No matter how many Light Swords you summon, you can ultimately fuse them into one, turning them into a holy sword of limitless power."

Seeing the shock in his son's eyes, Qian Xunji's lips curled slightly. "Watch closely!"

Before his words had faded, Qian Xunji moved. The Light Sword in his hand swung out repeatedly, and the woods were instantly shrouded in dazzling golden radiance. A soft hum filled the air, like divine punishment descending.

Qian San watched, utterly entranced. He was already skilled with Tang Sect hidden weapons, and this kind of combat technique that tested fine control and spiritual power suited him naturally.

Time flowed on, and three months passed in the blink of an eye.

Over those three months, Qian San devoted nearly every moment apart from eating and sleeping to this sword technique. With the Mysterious Heaven Skill as his foundation and the powerful spiritual strength gained from two lifetimes, by the day before leaving for Nuoding Academy, he could barely perform the seventeenth stroke.

That night, Qian Xunji packed his son's simple luggage.

"Xiao San, once you reach Nuoding Academy, teachers will surely be willing to guide you with your talent." Qian Xunji stuffed several changes of clothes into the bundle. His tone sounded casual, yet carried an unquestionable seriousness.

Qian San nodded obediently. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll respect my teachers and study hard."

"Studying is fine, and taking a master is fine." Qian Xunji abruptly stopped what he was doing, turned around, and fixed Qian San with his deep eyes.

"But crush those rotten notions in your head about how a teacher for one day is a father for life!"

Qian San's entire body jolted, and a cold sweat instantly broke out across his back.

Just then, the Tang Sect's teachings on apprenticing himself had indeed crossed his mind. If he encountered a benefactor who taught him genuine skills, he ought to serve that person as he would an adoptive father. He had never expected his father to see through such a private thought at a glance.

"Your father isn't dead yet, and I don't need anyone else helping me raise my son." Qian Xunji stepped forward and heavily pressed his broad palm onto Qian San's shoulder.

"Remember this: on this continent, you have only one father, and that's me. If anyone dares take advantage of you by making you call him godfather, I'll break his legs. Understand?"

A powerful wave of guilt rose within Qian San. He lowered his head, his nose stinging. As an orphan in his previous life, he had never experienced the feeling of being claimed by family with such domineering certainty. Yet this unreasonable possessiveness gave him an unprecedented sense of security.

"I understand, Dad." Qian San raised his head, his eyes bright and resolute.

Qian Xunji patted his shoulder in satisfaction, his tone easing slightly. "Also, Nuoding Academy is too small. The pond is shallow, but there are plenty of turtles. After you get there, no matter whom you take as your master, do not listen to any of his advice about your first Spirit Ring."

"My first Spirit Ring..." Qian San was somewhat stunned.

"Your martial souls are the Blue Silver Spider and the Six-Winged Angel. Slapping on some random ten-year Solitary Bamboo Spirit Ring would be a terrible waste." Qian Xunji sneered, a flicker of pride passing through his eyes.

"Go to school and learn your basic theory properly. As for Spirit Rings... I have my own arrangements. My son, Qian Xunji's son, even if his martial soul is the most ordinary spider, must start with the finest possible setup on this continent!"

Listening to those words, Qian San clenched his fists tightly. The familial affection he had lacked since childhood and had never received in the Tang Sect now wrapped around him like warm winter sunlight.

He nodded heavily, warmth surging through his heart. Having a father like this was truly wonderful.