Mastery of Power

Profound Heaven Sect, Mission Hall.

After Chen Dazheng finished registering the information, he left with a delighted expression, carrying the treasure tool Lin Xuan had repaired.

Repairing the Human-Grade Treasure Tool had been an order from an elder. Three months had passed without anyone managing to fix it, but now Lin Xuan had done it. Chen Dazheng could share in the credit, too.

Chen Dazheng hummed a little tune as he hurried toward the rear mountain. Half an hour later, he arrived at a quiet little courtyard and cupped his hands toward the two disciples guarding the entrance.

"Senior Brothers, I'm Chen Dazheng from the Mission Hall. I've come to see Elder Fang. Could you please inform him?"

The guard replied, "Elder Fang is in seclusion. If you have business, you can leave it with us instead."

"This is Elder Fang's Human-Grade Treasure Tool. It's been repaired. Could you please take it for him?" Chen Dazheng was a little disappointed that he hadn't been able to see Elder Fang.

"Don't worry. Just leave it to me," the guard said. "Wait a moment. There's another weapon here. Take it back and post the task again."

"There's another one?" Chen Dazheng's eyes lit up, and excitement stirred in his heart. If both of Elder Fang's treasure tools were repaired, he would surely win the elder's favor. Lin Xuan had been the one to repair them, but Chen Dazheng had played a major part, too.

"Of course. Don't worry, Senior Brother. I'll head back and post the task right away." Chen Dazheng took the broad saber and left happily.

After a long journey, Lin Xuan finally returned to the Profound Heaven Sect.

There was still no word from Wine Lord, so he went to take a look around the Mission Hall.

"Junior Brother Lin, over here!"

As soon as Lin Xuan entered the Mission Hall, he heard someone call his name. He looked over and saw that it was Chen Dazheng.

"Senior Brother Chen, is there another new task?" Lin Xuan asked eagerly.

"Heh heh, Junior Brother Lin, this is a broad saber. It's another task from an elder, and the reward is the same as last time. What do you say—will you take it?"

Lin Xuan wasn't short on Spirit Stones, but he was sorely lacking Contribution Points. Of course he'd take the task as soon as he heard about it.

"I'll take it. Thanks, Senior Brother Chen." Lin Xuan accepted the task and gave Chen Dazheng thirty Spirit Stones.

"You're always so generous, Junior Brother!" Chen Dazheng grinned from ear to ear. He quickly pocketed the Spirit Stones and said with a beaming smile, "Just focus on repairing it. I'll save all the weapon-repair tasks for you."

Lin Xuan smiled, said goodbye to Chen Dazheng, and headed to his little hut with the long saber in hand.

After spending an hour repairing the saber, Lin Xuan formed a hand seal and entered a state of cultivation.

With the Eternal Life Art in motion, the spiritual power in his body quickly circulated along a specific route. A green glow surrounded him from head to toe, making him look like a ball of flame.

After a night of meditation, Lin Xuan didn't feel tired at all. On the contrary, he felt refreshed, his body brimming with strength.

Outside the window, the sun had just risen, glowing red.

Wine Lord had finished brewing the Spirit Wine, and his body was temporarily out of danger. He burst into laughter. "Xiao Xuanzi, you did well this time. I won't have to worry about running out of wine for the next few months."

"Next, I'll teach you Thunder Movement Swordsmanship. Get your things together. We're setting out!"

"Where to?" Lin Xuan asked, his face alight with excitement.

"The Taihang Mountains. How long this round of training takes depends on your comprehension," Wine Lord said.

"Let's go!" Lin Xuan grabbed the repaired saber, stopped by the Mission Hall to turn in the task, then headed for the mountain gate.

Lin Xuan kept weaving through the forest until he found a fairly clean cave to use as a temporary shelter. Then he began to train.

Thunder Movement Swordsmanship was not only fast but also explosive. Lin Xuan had little trouble with speed; what he needed most was control over his strength.

Strength was one of a martial artist's pursuits. For a martial artist in the Meridian Condensation Realm, strength came from two sources: the muscles of the body itself, and the power produced by spiritual energy within the body.

Most martial artists were lucky to bring even half the power in their bodies to bear. Their strength was used very inefficiently. Better practitioners could unleash seven-tenths of it.

Once a martial artist mastered precise control over the power within his body and unleashed it at full force, his strength could rise by a whole level.

What Lin Xuan needed to do now was precisely control the strength in every part of his body.

"Xiao Xuanzi, I'm going to give you the first exercise," Wine Lord said. "Find a mountain and practice carving words into it."

"Carving words? Didn't I come here to train? What's the point of carving words?" Lin Xuan asked, confused.

"Your control over spiritual power is terrible right now. You can't make effective use of the spiritual power in your body at all. This first exercise will help you gain basic control over it," Wine Lord said. "Spread your ten fingers and carve a column of words with each one, all at the same time. Every character must be the same depth. If even one is off, you start over."

"For today, carve twenty characters. You don't get to sleep until you meet my standards." Wine Lord's face was stern.

"Don't worry!" Lin Xuan found a smooth rock face and circulated the spiritual power in his body. Green light enveloped all ten fingers. He calmed his mind, and his fingers began to dance. Wherever his spiritual power touched the rock, it left a groove.

Lin Xuan had thought it would be easy, but he was wrong. The first time his ten fingers touched the rock, the grooves were all different depths.

The grooves from his right hand, which he used more often, were clearly deeper than those from his left. Even the individual fingers differed from one another. Only then did Lin Xuan realize this was no easy task. He had to channel an equal amount of spiritual power into each finger and apply his strength evenly.

And so Lin Xuan carved again and again...

Profound Heaven Sect, rear mountain.

In a quiet little courtyard, an old man with flowing white hair pushed open the door and walked out.

"Elder Fang, this is your Human-Grade Treasure Tool. It's been repaired." A disciple in a green robe handed him a long wooden case.

"Hm? It's been repaired?" Elder Fang was rather surprised. He hadn't expected much when he'd left it at the Mission Hall; he'd just tossed it in there on a whim.

He opened the case, drew out the longsword, and swung it twice through the air. A streak of sword light shot skyward, cleaving through the air.

"Mm, it seems even more powerful than before." Elder Fang held the longsword and examined it closely.

"This..." Elder Fang's hand suddenly trembled. "This is Sword Pool Prefecture's technique!"

"Who brought it in?" Elder Fang asked.

"Chen Dazheng from the Mission Hall," the green-robed disciple replied respectfully.

Whoosh!

Elder Fang turned into a streak of light and vanished from the courtyard.

Mission Hall, registration desk.

Chen Dazheng was checking the task information when a sudden gust swept in and blew the books off his desk.

He cursed under his breath and looked up, reaching to hold down the papers so they wouldn't blow away. But what he saw made him jump; his heart nearly leaped out of his chest.

A figure stood silently in front of him, like a ghost.

"E-Elder Fang!" Chen Dazheng cried excitedly when he recognized the man.

"Tell me, who repaired that Human-Grade Treasure Tool?" Elder Fang asked.

"An outer sect disciple named Lin Xuan," Chen Dazheng answered quickly.

"Lin..." Elder Fang murmured.

"Bring him to see me."

"Yes!" Chen Dazheng replied respectfully.