Back Mountain

Ever since he had comprehended the first three forms of the Azure Mountain Sword Art that day, Chen Fan could be considered to have entered the doorway of swordsmanship. Over the next dozen days, he practiced without pause and became quite proficient at linking the forms together. Thus, while the iron was hot, he took out the sword technique manual the sect had issued when he had first entered and studied it as well. This technique was called the Clear Wind Art. The sword formulas recorded within could likewise be cultivated to the third level of power, but they were nowhere near as easy to learn as the Azure Mountain Sword Art Fairy Ye had taught him. This sword art contained a full twenty-four forms, all with extremely similar attacking motions. Yet the Clear Wind Art emphasized the changes in technique after a move was made, as well as the speed of one's strikes. If one could thoroughly master all twenty-four forms, one's sword strikes would be like a gentle breeze brushing across the face, yet they concealed murderous intent. Though the power of each move was inferior to that of the Azure Mountain Sword Art, its strength lay in the speed and angles of its sword strikes, making it impossible to guard against.

After Chen Fan comprehended the first eight forms of the Clear Wind Art, he gained a certain understanding of its patterns. This technique placed greater emphasis on controlling the strength in one's fingers and wrists. It also required deeper inner qi to drive it, concentrating power at a single point before erupting, then releasing the vital energy from point to surface to unleash its might. At that thought, he suddenly had the urge to fuse the two sword arts. Fairy Ye had once mentioned that for external techniques of the same type, such as sword arts, one could cultivate several techniques at once. Those with high aptitude and comprehension could fuse the characteristics of different sword arts, drawing on their strengths to make up for their weaknesses and display greater power. However, those with dull talent would be better off not attempting it, lest their cultivation fall into disorder. It was better to specialize in only one or two techniques.

If he could fuse these two sword arts, he could reduce the difficulty of using the Clear Wind Art while making up for the Azure Mountain Sword Art's limited forms. Even without an exceptionally fast sword speed, he could balance strength and technique. He acted as soon as the thought arose. Without hesitation, Chen Fan began trying to fuse the two sword arts.

Several more days passed, and the fused sword art finally bore results. When Chen Fan unleashed the sword moves he had comprehended and fused, he clearly felt that both their speed and power had increased substantially. Combined with his peak second-level Internal Qi, he was no longer a complete weakling who possessed only internal cultivation. Looks like my aptitude for External Force isn't that bad after all, Chen Fan thought to himself.

In truth, as the saying went, the great dao had ten thousand paths, yet they would eventually converge. External Force techniques could all be understood by analogy. He had practiced the Golden Wheel Staff Technique before, after all. Though he had never specifically tested his realm, he should at least have reached the first or second level. Now that he had switched to swordsmanship, physical strength, agility, explosive power, and the speed at which he circulated Origin Qi all had much in common. Only the forms and movement techniques differed greatly.

With that, Chen Fan was no longer starting from absolute zero. Coupled with his diligence and hard work, he had achieved considerable results during this period. He could not help gaining a few more degrees of confidence in the inner court selection.

On the other hand, Chen Fan had not relaxed his study of the Poisoncraft Manual while practicing swordsmanship. At present, he had committed to memory the identification, uses, and methods of application for several hundred plants recorded within it. Of course, this was merely the tip of the iceberg compared to the Treasure Record's full contents.

His cultivation of the Golden Wheel Scripture had completely reached a bottleneck. Still unwilling to give up, Chen Fan took out the Qi Condensation Art and tried cultivating it, hoping to find some way to fuse the two techniques and break through the bottleneck. Yet reality proved that he had been too naive. No matter how he drew qi into his body, the Origin Qi in his dantian was already completely saturated. In other words, the amount of qi it could contain had reached its limit. If that limit could not be raised, then the amount of Origin Qi he could release would not increase, and his Internal Qi realm could not advance.

At most, the two techniques differed in their methods and effects of circulating through the heavenly cycle, as well as the parts of the meridians into which they infused Origin Qi. No matter how he tried to combine and accommodate them, those were the only differences. They were utterly useless for breaking through the bottleneck. Not to mention that after fusing the Qi Condensation Art, the speed of his Origin Qi circulation had instead slowed somewhat. This only showed that he was suited to cultivating the Golden Wheel Scripture alone.

Recently, Chen Fan had considered that if he could reach the fourth level or above, there might be an alternative. He could cultivate an intermediate-grade technique to raise his qi capacity, then use the circulation method of the Golden Wheel Scripture when moving the Origin Qi within his body. However, whether the Golden Wheel Scripture would still possess such miraculous effects at that point was impossible to say.

It was time to head out for a walk. Chen Fan thought of taking a stroll through the back mountain first. That place had fewer areas carved out by human hands, so perhaps he could find some wild plants to verify the contents of the Poisoncraft Manual. It was the only practical method he could think of.

He had previously sought out Murong Zhu to ask about it. Given that man's habit of prying into everything whenever he had nothing to do, he should know some relevant information. Chen Fan learned that if one wished to gather plants and flowers, the most complete place was the Hundred Herbs Garden of Swordcry Mountain. It was a medicinal garden opened up by human hands, where all the sect's spirit flowers, exotic fruits, and medicinal herbs over a hundred years old were cultivated. However, it was a sect forbidden ground. No one below the inner court could enter, and even inner court disciples could not enter without an elder's permission. Furthermore, several experts at the fifth or even sixth level guarded the Hundred Herbs Garden in shifts. Ordinary people could not sneak inside.

Helplessly, Chen Fan could only settle for the next best thing. In any case, he did not need especially precious herbs. Perhaps he would find something by wandering around the back mountain. Thus, he changed into light clothes. He had specially modified this outfit, concealing the dagger and Venomheart Darts within his sleeves. The three God-Sealing Needles were kept in a specially made small leather pouch attached to his belt, cleverly designed for convenient access to the silver needles. Once he finished preparing, he picked up his small battered sword, brought some personal belongings, and left.

Though he was fully armed and had some ability to protect himself, the back mountain was said to be far less safe than the front mountain where the sect's main grounds were located. While outsiders normally could not reach this place, fierce beasts and predatory birds still lived there. Quite a few low-level disciples had been unfortunate enough to suffer injuries and hardship in the back mountain, and a very small number had even died. A cautious sailor could sail a ship for ten thousand years. He had better leave early and return early.

Humming a little tune and singing as he walked along the mountain path, Chen Fan had not relaxed like this in a long time. Taking in the scenery of nature, easing his nerves, and releasing pressure were greatly beneficial to cultivation as well. The back mountain truly had a charm all its own. The air was fresh, the scenery beautiful, the mountain paths winding and twisting, and the vegetation lush.

Chen Fan moved through patches of forest, closely observing the various plants, flowers, and grasses growing around him. Before long, he truly found several plants mentioned in the Poisoncraft Manual. These plants were all quite common and generally grew in dense forests and mountain wildernesses. They contained no toxicity themselves, but according to the manual, after a series of processes such as crushing, soaking, and boiling them into pulp, then mixing them in certain proportions, they could be made into poisonous liquids or poison pills.

After a round of harvesting and digging, Chen Fan had gathered many materials for making poisons and medicine, reaping a rich harvest. Although they were only the lowest-grade materials recorded in the Treasure Record, he could finally perform some practical operations. For some reason, the thought that he could do such "evil" things made him rather excited.

However, he was clearly not satisfied yet. He continued deeper into the back mountain, leaving no corner unchecked and investigating one place after another. Yet he found nothing else afterward. He had basically already stripped this area of every plant variety that existed there.

By then, the sky was gradually darkening. It was time to return. Chen Fan decided that while these plants had just been picked and their medicinal properties were at their best, he would show off his skills tonight. Thus, he hurried back. Yet moments later, he was stunned. Once again, he was lost!

Chen Fan looked around in every direction, unsure which way to go. The sky was already very dark, and he could not distinguish his bearings. He was utterly speechless. Was he born with no sense of direction? Every time he entered the mountains, he got lost. Thinking of how his master had never allowed him to leave the temple gates for fifteen years, could it be because the old monk knew he would get lost? Could that old monk have gotten lost while traveling himself and thus never returned? If so, was this an inherited talent? Could he really be the old monk's illegitimate son? Chen Fan secretly admired this chain of thought, then shook his head with a bitter smile.

With no other choice, Chen Fan could only slow down and wander aimlessly, hoping that luck might lead him back. Yet reality was cruel. Not only did he fail to find the correct path, he seemed to have gone farther and farther away, arriving at what looked like another mountain peak. The wind here had clearly become sharper and fiercer. Perhaps because night had deepened, he seemed to hear the low growls of wild beasts again, making his spine turn cold.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from a dense forest ahead, especially chilling. Chen Fan immediately felt a sense of danger. This should have been the first time in his life that he truly sensed mortal peril. Back at the temple, he had directly fallen unconscious, so he had never experienced it. What was in there? Chen Fan stopped where he was, not daring to move forward. Yet if he did not figure it out, he did not dare move carelessly either. It would be bad if he turned around and something ambushed him from behind.

Chen Fan's body tensed. A faint layer of Origin Qi wrapped around him as the Golden Wheel Scripture began circulating on its own within his body, allowing him to enter combat at any moment. He crept toward the dense forest ahead on tiptoe, deliberately directing the Origin Qi within his body beneath the soles of his feet. At once, a layer of Origin Qi seemed to ripple beneath his feet, making his steps light and nearly soundless.

Could this be the so-called lightness skill? Chen Fan was greatly astonished. Though he had yet to formally comprehend the Soaring Art, in this moment of battle he had somehow touched upon a trace of its outer layer. It seemed his talent was not so terrible after all.

However, this was not the time to think about such things. When he pushed aside a cluster of shrubs and saw the scene before him, his hair stood on end. A giant snake dozens of feet wide was coiled before a cave entrance. The entrance was not large, but it should be just wide enough for the giant snake's body to pass through. Under the moonlight, Chen Fan gradually saw the snake's full appearance. From head to tail, its body was covered in countless patterns. Its two eyes shone like lanterns in the pitch-black night, except their light was green. Chen Fan could not help drawing in a cold breath. This was clearly a highly venomous snake. Though he could not identify its species, according to the Poisoncraft Manual, the more patterns a venomous snake had, the stronger its poison would be. Judging by its size, it had likely lived for more than fifty years. If the snake had discovered him earlier and bitten him, he would surely have died.

In this vast world, all things coexisted. If birds and beasts lived for long periods in places rich with the vital energy of heaven and earth, they would naturally absorb some of it, much like humans cultivated internal arts. Animals also possessed special spaces within their bodies to store the vital energy of heaven and earth. Over time, this could increase their lifespans, while some would even become extraordinarily powerful in battle. When fighting enemies, they could use the vital energy in their bodies to enhance their strength or possess certain powerful abilities. Take this giant snake, for example. According to the Poisoncraft Manual, venomous snakes that had undergone the transformations of heaven and earth might be able to spray venom as an attack.

At that thought, Chen Fan lay prone in the grass, not daring to move at all. He planned to wait quietly until the giant snake left before retreating. Before long, the giant snake slithered into the cave. Only then did Chen Fan clearly see that its entire body was dozens of zhang long. Even the ground trembled faintly as it crawled. It was truly terrifying. Chen Fan could not help feeling some regret. He should have left marks along the way when he entered the mountain today. If he was fortunate enough to escape danger this time, he would definitely learn his lesson next time.

A while later, the giant snake suddenly emerged from the cave again and sped off into the distance. What was going on? It had left? Chen Fan's heart eased, but he did not immediately stand. He silently watched his surroundings, and only after confirming that the giant snake had gone far away did he slowly rise. Having escaped disaster, his mind began to stir. The giant snake seemed to care greatly about this cave. Could there be some heavenly treasure inside? That was indeed quite possible. Creatures that had undergone some mutation were called demon beasts. Such demon beasts could sense the Origin Qi of heaven and earth more keenly than humans, so they often found hidden heavenly treasures. If they discovered a treasure but could not consume it all at once, they would bring it back to their nests.

Chen Fan hesitated briefly. Wealth and honor were sought amid danger. Besides, he now knew what he was facing, and it was not as though he lacked the strength to fight. After all, a demon beast's intelligence could not compare to that of a human. Having made up his mind, he quickly walked to the cave entrance and crawled inside.

The passage within this small cave was somewhat narrow, but Chen Fan could pass through without trouble if he bent over. However, the space was filled with waves of fishy stench that made him want to vomit. This was undoubtedly the giant snake's nest. Chen Fan endured the nausea and continued forward. Fortunately, the cave was not large, and he soon reached the deepest part of the nest. There were no heavenly treasures here at all. Aside from some rotting flesh, bloody water, and bloodstains, the cave contained nothing.