Third Level of the Acquired Realm, Traceless Blade Technique

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, it was midnight again.

Zhou Qing gained another point of Dao Source and used it to improve the Spring Return Technique.

After a year of bitter cultivation, your Spring Return Technique broke through from the eighth level to the ninth, advancing you to the Third Level of the Acquired Realm.

Name: Zhou Qing

Realm: Third Level of the Acquired Realm (Peak Third-Rate Martial Artist)

Martial Arts Mastered: Spring Return Technique / Level 9 (Traits: Enhances internal energy healing, prolongs life, increases poison resistance by 200%)

Talent: Nine Breaths Assimilation (So long as you breathe and circulate your breath for nine breaths, an inexplicable divine power blesses you, automatically refining the power of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth into Dao Source. You automatically gain 1 point of Dao Source each day. Each point of Dao Source is equivalent to a year of bitter cultivation.)

Dao Source: 0

"Third Level of the Acquired Realm!"

Zhou Qing opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through them.

Within his dantian, a third cloud formed from mist-like internal energy had appeared.

The Acquired Realm was divided into nine levels.

The first through third levels were known as Third-rate Martial Artists, the fourth through sixth as Second-rate Martial Artists, and the seventh through ninth as First-rate Martial Artists.

With the Spring Return Technique at the ninth level, Zhou Qing had reached the third level of the Acquired Realm. He was now a Peak Third-Rate Martial Artist.

He felt power surging through his entire body.

With a thought, the internal energy in his dantian gathered in his palm. He lightly pressed it against the wall behind him, and with a crack, fractures appeared across the wall.

"Not bad!"

Zhou Qing nodded in satisfaction.

Although the Spring Return Technique was a health-preserving art, once cultivated to the perfected ninth level and brought to the Third Level of the Acquired Realm, the power it unleashed with internal energy behind it reached a thousand jin.

Among all Acquired Realm martial artists, those who cultivated health-preserving arts were the weakest. They were often slain by martial artists of lower realms, but against prison guards who had not cultivated internal energy and knew only crude fist-and-foot techniques, he could handle them with ease—one man could fight dozens.

Most of the county jail's guards were unranked martial artists.

But that was still not enough to break out of prison.

Ordinary guards were unranked martial artists, but each day, a jail chief took turns guarding the dungeon. That was a genuine Third-rate Martial Artist.

Above the jail chief was the judicial clerk.

Under normal circumstances, however, the clerks did not remain stationed in the dungeon.

The Spring Return Technique has already reached perfection. If I want to keep improving my strength, I can only cultivate other martial arts.

Zhou Qing thought to himself.

But now that he was imprisoned, the only way for him to acquire new martial arts was through someone else.

"Uncle Liu, could you do me a small favor?"

When Liu Shan, the prison guard, arrived at the cell carrying a large bucket to deliver food, Zhou Qing immediately moved closer and spoke in a low voice.

"Tell me, Little Zhou. So long as it's something your uncle can do, I won't refuse."

Liu Shan said solemnly.

"I want to practice martial arts. Help me buy a few martial arts manuals."

Zhou Qing did not beat around the bush and stated it directly.

"Buy martial arts manuals?" Liu Shan froze for a moment, then said, "Little Zhou, it's already too late for you to start practicing martial arts. Besides, martial arts manuals are far too precious. Even if I could buy them, they would only be third-rate manuals."

"Uncle Liu, I know martial arts manuals are precious. I wouldn't ask you to spend money for nothing." Zhou Qing lowered his voice. "I hid some silver beneath the osmanthus tree in my family's backyard. My father left it for me to marry a wife, but looking at things now, I have no hope of marrying one. It should be enough to buy martial arts manuals."

"Little Zhou, with that silver, it would be better to have your uncle buy you more good food. Enjoy yourself while you still have time. Martial arts require years upon years of cultivation before you can achieve anything." Liu Shan tried to persuade him. "Or rather, even after years of cultivation, you might not achieve anything. That depends on one's talent and comprehension. In just one month, it's impossible to make anything of yourself. Not even the demonic arts forbidden by the imperial court can work that fast."

"Uncle Liu, my mind is made up. Please help me with this."

Zhou Qing's tone was resolute.

"Fine!" Seeing the determination in Zhou Qing's eyes, Liu Shan could not help but feel moved. He sighed and said, "Little Zhou, I'll give it a try, but I can't guarantee that I'll be able to buy any."

"Thank you, Uncle Liu! Thank you, Uncle Liu!"

Joy immediately appeared on Zhou Qing's face.

"Don't get your hopes up too high. I'll do my best."

With that, Liu Shan carried the large bucket away from the cell.

Zhou Qing returned to sit by the wall.

He knew this was his only hope of obtaining martial arts.

There were still twenty-seven days until his execution.

If he could not obtain any other martial arts, then he could only spend all his Dao Source on improving the Spring Return Technique. Even if it had already reached perfection, after twenty-seven years of tireless cultivation without sleep or rest, he should be able to break through the limit and enter a new realm.

Of course, that was the last resort.

In any case, Zhou Qing would never simply sit around and wait for death.

Time passed.

In the blink of an eye, another three days went by.

"Little Zhou, here!"

Liu Shan came to deliver food and secretly stuffed two manuals into Zhou Qing's hands.

"Thank you, Uncle Liu!"

Zhou Qing's heart stirred, and he swiftly tucked the manuals into his clothes.

After waiting three days, he had nearly given up.

He had not expected Liu Shan to truly buy manuals for him.

He said nothing more. As a prisoner, any words he said now would be empty promises. But so long as he could survive this crisis, he would surely repay Liu Shan's kindness.

After Liu Shan left, Zhou Qing impatiently opened one of the manuals.

The third level of the dungeon never saw sunlight all year round. Only dim oil lamps swayed, casting faint light, but Zhou Qing had reached the Third Level of the Acquired Realm. By circulating internal energy into his eyes, he could see in the darkness.

On the cover were four large words: "Traceless Blade Technique."

Zhou Qing was overjoyed and quickly began flipping through it.

Traceless Blade Technique / Not Initiated

After quickly reading through the manual once, Zhou Qing opened his data panel for a look. The Traceless Blade Technique had appeared on it.

The Traceless Blade Technique was a martial skill.

Martial arts were divided into cultivation arts and martial skills.

The primary purpose of cultivation arts was to raise one's cultivation realm.

For example, the Spring Return Technique was cultivated through meditation, accumulating internal energy. Even though it included some fist techniques, their primary purpose was to loosen the muscles and bones.

Martial skills, on the other hand, were arts of slaughter. They used special techniques to perfectly bring out the power one possessed. Some powerful martial skills could even unleash several times one's own strength.

Of course, some martial arts included both cultivation arts and martial skills.

They could improve one's Internal Art cultivation while also providing arts of slaughter.

Consume one point of Dao Source to improve the Traceless Blade Technique!

Zhou Qing silently recited in his heart.

Hummm—

In an instant, Zhou Qing's mind trembled as he entered a profound and mysterious space, cultivating the Traceless Blade Technique day and night without rest.

Countless insights continuously emerged.

One Dao Source Point represented a year of cultivating the Traceless Blade Technique day and night without pausing for even a moment, practicing the blade several thousand times each day.

One blade trajectory after another continuously emerged in his mind.

His strikes became increasingly silent and soundless, without ripple or wave.

The blade had no form; where the blade passed, no trace remained.

The paths of his strikes also became increasingly difficult to predict. No longer confined to the fixed moves and forms in the manual, they were like an antelope hanging its horns—without a trace to be found.

Initiation, minor accomplishment, proficiency, major accomplishment, perfection.

After a year of bitter cultivation, your Traceless Blade Technique reached perfection.