Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber Reaches Minor Mastery

Feng Chen swept his gaze over the template, and a smile appeared on his face.

The Giant Strength Art had finally reached Perfection, and his realm had also advanced to the Body Tempering Second Layer.

As for the description after his realm—not being the weakest among those at the Body Tempering Second Layer—he was not surprised.

Through his cultivation these past days, he had come to understand that although some Martial Artists were in the same realm, the martial techniques they cultivated were of higher grade, so the strength they could unleash was naturally a cut above.

Most of his own martial techniques had barely been practiced. Baji Fist, Meteor Step, and Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber all bore a zero for not yet entered. Receiving the evaluation of not being the weakest was already a decent affirmation.

The other skills had not changed much. Basic Archery, Basic Fist Technique, Low-Level Hunting Skill, Basic Blade Technique, and Basic Movement Technique were all at Perfection, lined up neatly on the template.

These past days, he had focused on cultivating the Giant Strength Art to break through his realm, leaving him no time to practice the newly bought martial techniques.

Feng Chen withdrew his thoughts, walked out of the house, and looked around the courtyard.

The courtyard was empty. Only the old water vat squatted quietly in the corner by the wall, its surface reflecting the blue sky overhead and a few slowly drifting white clouds.

The spot beneath the wall where the basket usually rested was empty. The bamboo basket was gone.

Lin Qing'er had not returned yet.

Originally, Feng Chen had told Lin Qing'er to stay home and practice Tiger Fist this afternoon.

Of the ten portions of high-grade Blood-Qi Medicinal Herbs he had bought these past days, aside from the greater part that he had used himself, he had also given a small portion to Lin Qing'er to drink. A small bowl each time, allowing her to replenish her body and aid her cultivation as well.

After several days, Lin Qing'er's fist stance had become much more proper than before. Though Tiger Fist had not officially entered the gate yet, she had made a fairly good start.

However, Lin Qing'er had told him yesterday that she had arranged with Aunt Li to gather wild vegetables at a place in the mountains this afternoon.

She said the wild vegetables by that mountain stream grew especially well—tender and dense, with fresh shoots that had just emerged after the rain. They were at their freshest now, so they had to go.

Seeing her eyes shine as she went on and on about how good the wild vegetables were, Feng Chen did not stop her.

Let Lin Qing'er do whatever she wanted. She was not someone who could sit idle; keeping her cooped up at home would only make her uncomfortable.

He raised his head and checked the sun's position.

The blazing white sunlight of noon had turned into a soft, warm yellow, and the tree shadows in the courtyard stretched long.

It was probably a little after three in the afternoon. There was still some time, so he might as well practice his martial techniques.

Feng Chen ran through the three martial techniques he had not yet entered in his mind and decided to cultivate Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber first.

Baji Fist was close-range short striking, Meteor Step was a movement technique, while Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber was an art of slaughter. Its twelve saber moves were each ruthless, targeting vital points, and it could most immediately improve his actual combat ability.

He already had two blade techniques at Perfection: Basic Blade Technique and the woodcutting saber methods he had honed through previous life-and-death battles.

But those were, after all, basic goods. Against a Martial Artist who had truly trained in saber martial techniques, they still were not enough to look at.

He drew out the short saber, held it in his hand, and weighed it.

The blade reflected the sunlight streaming in from the window, flashing with a snowy, chilling gleam.

He stood in the room, assumed the opening stance of Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber, and swung out the first move, Tiger Bursts from the Forest.

The blade slashed diagonally down from the upper right, drawing a fierce arc through the air. The sound of it cutting the wind was several degrees sharper than when he used Basic Blade Technique.

Ding dong, Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber proficiency increased by one.

Ding dong, Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber has entered the gate. Please check, Host.

Accompanied by the Destiny Talent's notification, the first wave of insights into Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber surged through his mind.

The opening stances and basic blade paths of the twelve saber moves were clearly imprinted in his consciousness. The key points of exertion and changes in angle for every move were as though someone had traced them through his mind with a vermilion brush.

He did not stop and continued swinging his saber.

After Tiger Bursts from the Forest came Tiger Crouches on the Mountain Ridge, followed by Tiger Tail Sweeps the Leaves and Hungry Tiger Pounces on Prey. He practiced them one move after another.

Blade light flickered in the dim yellow sunlight, while the trajectories carved by his arm grew increasingly fierce and decisive.

An hour passed, and he had already performed all twelve moves in full several times.

Ding dong, detected that the Host is earnestly cultivating Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber. Destiny Talent trait A Thousand Miles a Day activated.

His cultivation speed suddenly soared.

His understanding of the saber technique no longer seeped in bit by bit, but poured in with a roaring rush, as if a breach had been opened.

Deep within his consciousness, the twelve moves of Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber were repeatedly dismantled, tempered, and reassembled!

The angle of Tiger Bursts from the Forest was three degrees too low. The saber withdrawal in Tiger Crouches on the Mountain Ridge was half a beat too slow. When using Tiger Tail Sweeps the Leaves, the rotation of his waist and hips could be a fraction faster!

Every detail was continuously corrected.

Another hour passed.

Ding dong, Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber has reached the Minor Mastery Realm. Please check, Host.

An even more substantial wave of Minor Mastery insights surged through his mind.

After digesting them, Feng Chen gripped the short saber tightly once more and performed Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber again.

This time, his saber technique was far stronger than before. The twelve moves connected as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water. Before one slash had fully spent its force,

the next slash was already sweeping forth, without the slightest stiff pause in between. The sound of the blade slicing through the air changed from its previous sharp whistle into a deeper, muffled whoosh,

a sound that could only be produced when both saber speed and force had reached a new level.

Sure enough, a higher-grade saber technique truly was far more formidable than Basic Blade Technique.

After Basic Blade Technique reached Perfection, his blade was steady and accurate enough, but its changes of move and aura of slaughter were far inferior to Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber.

At the same realm and with the same arm strength, a slash with Basic Blade Technique and a slash with Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber had lethality on completely different levels.

A smile blossomed across Feng Chen's face. His strength now had increased considerably compared to just after breaking through to the Body Tempering Second Layer.

He sank his mind into his Sea of Consciousness and looked at the attribute template.

There, the description in parentheses after Body Tempering Second Layer had silently changed!

It had changed from not being the weakest to: you can also be considered an expert among those at the Body Tempering Second Layer.

The boost in combat power brought by Five Tigers Gate-Breaking Saber reaching Minor Mastery had caused his Destiny Talent to reassess his overall strength.

The progress from one afternoon was no small matter.

Feng Chen sheathed his saber, moved his aching wrist, and raised his head to look at the sky.

The sun had already sunk behind the western mountains. Only the final streak of dark-red afterglow on the horizon remained, gilding the forested mountains in layers of deep and shallow silhouettes.

Looking out through the window, the outlines of distant mountains blurred in the twilight. Several birds returning to the woods swept over the roof, leaving behind a few scattered chirps.

He did not plan to keep practicing. He was hungry too.

Then it was time to make dinner.

Feng Chen turned and went to the kitchen, took down a large chunk of pork from the beam, and cut it into thick slices on the chopping board.

He had bought this meat in town last time, a full two hundred jin, taking down a piece each day to stew.

But Feng Chen discovered that after breaking through to the Body Tempering Second Layer, his appetite had grown far greater than before.

The two or three hundred jin of meat that had once seemed like a lot had been eaten away over these days. The stock hanging from the beam was nearly gone, with only a few sparse pieces remaining—not enough to last many more days.

Tomorrow, I'll go to town and buy more, Feng Chen calculated inwardly.

There were still plenty of silver notes left from Liu Dagang. It was enough for him to spend freely for quite some time.

Money would not breed on its own just by being kept. There was no need to treat himself harshly.

Besides, if he did not eat his fill, his cultivation would also be hindered.