Skyward Illusion Sword

Liu Wei patrolled outside the Young Master's Residence all night, feeling the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy shift around him. His initial shock gradually gave way to numbness, then to surging excitement.

He did not know what had happened to Qin Hao, but that single night had completely changed his view of him.

"Uncle Liu, this... I can't accept it!" Qin Hao stared at him. "You worked hard to save these hundred thousand taels. How could I take them?"

Liu Wei suppressed his excitement. "Qin Hao, don't refuse! This is a small token from your Uncle Liu. If you place in the top three at the Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournament, that will be the greatest reward you could give me!"

"And there's more. I once obtained a Sword Art called the Firmament Phantom Sword! It was originally a High Yellow-Tier Martial Skill, but because its third form is incomplete, it's classified as Middle Yellow Tier. The manual says that if the third form is mastered, it can even give rise to Sword Force! My comprehension isn't good enough. After years of training, I've only mastered the first two forms and barely grasped the third!"

Liu Wei's eyes gleamed. "But you're different. In just half a month, you mastered the Sword-Drawing Art and the Seven-Star Step! Qin Hao, you're the most gifted genius I've ever seen!"

"A High Yellow-Tier Sword Art, the Firmament Phantom Sword?"

Qin Hao's eyes flashed.

Ever since mastering the Sword-Drawing Art, he had felt that his Martial Skills were too limited. Besides, the Sword-Drawing Art was only a Middle Yellow-Tier Martial Skill. Every time he used it, he felt his strength falter afterward.

Qin Hao had considered learning another Sword Art from the Library Pavilion, but none of its Martial Skills had satisfied him.

Liu Wei's Firmament Phantom Sword was exactly what Qin Hao needed.

Qin Hao stopped refusing and said solemnly, "Thank you, Uncle Liu! I'll definitely place in the top three at the Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournament!"

"You brat, no need to be so polite with me! Come on, let's go practice swordsmanship!" Liu Wei laughed heartily.

"Okay." A smile appeared on Qin Hao's face.

"Watch closely, Qin Hao. The Firmament Phantom Sword has three forms. This is the first!"

"Shadowless!"

In the courtyard, Liu Wei held a Dark Iron Sword. As his words fell, he suddenly stepped forward. His entire bearing became that of a sharp sword, charging ahead without hesitation!

Swish, swish, swish!

Liu Wei had clearly swung his sword only once, yet in the next instant, dozens of sword shadows appeared before him.

They struck out together, like countless sharp swords.

Bang, bang, bang!

The countless swords struck a large tree at once. With a crack, the tree was severed through the middle, and even its stump shattered into countless splinters!

"That's the power of the Firmament Phantom Sword's first form?"

Qin Hao watched without blinking, his eyes narrowing sharply at the sight.

He could also fell a tree with one strike, but he could not reduce its stump to countless splinters.

And this was only the first form of the Firmament Phantom Sword.

After his shock faded, Qin Hao began to ponder.

Speed! Speed is the essence of this strike!

It was fast enough to unleash dozens of strikes in a single breath, each one carrying tremendous power.

With that in mind, Qin Hao could not help imitating Liu Wei's strike. He began to swing his sword.

Swish!

Qin Hao struck.

"Not enough. Still not enough! Faster!"

Qin Hao shook his head.

Swish, swish, swish...

He swung again and again.

Before he could complete even three strikes, Qin Hao frowned. His breathing had quickened, and his strength was faltering.

It was somewhat like the Sword-Drawing Art, whose core also lay in speed. But Shadowless, the first form of the Firmament Phantom Sword, demanded power as well as speed.

Qin Hao tried adjusting his breathing.

Half an hour later, Qin Hao could unleash six strikes!

The same problem returned: his strength faltered, and his breathing quickened.

"When Uncle Liu demonstrated it, he took a step forward. There seemed to be something profound about that step..."

Qin Hao closed his eyes and recalled every movement Liu Wei had made, every breath he had taken.

A moment later, Qin Hao's eyes snapped open, and he stepped forward!

Hum! Qin Hao's entire bearing turned razor-sharp!

Swish, swish, swish!

He swung once, yet several sword shadows appeared!

Beside him, Liu Wei stared, dumbfounded.

He watched Qin Hao practice in disbelief. He had demonstrated the form only once, and Qin Hao could already perform it himself!

It was still a little rough, but given enough time, Qin Hao would have no trouble mastering the first form!

"What monstrous comprehension..."

Liu Wei murmured to himself.

He had traveled far and wide and seen his share of geniuses, but never one with comprehension as monstrous as Qin Hao's.

Only after two full hours did Qin Hao stop, still wanting more. "Uncle Liu, does this count as mastering the first form?"

The corner of Liu Wei's mouth twitched. "It... it counts! But for Shadowless, twenty sword shadows mark minor mastery, and sixty mark full mastery. You're still a long way from that."

Qin Hao nodded and sighed. "As expected of a High Yellow-Tier Martial Skill. Even the first form is this difficult. But Uncle Liu, I'll practice hard."

Liu Wei's mouth twitched again. When he had first practiced Shadowless, it had taken him half a month to barely produce three sword shadows. Qin Hao had taken only half an hour.

All at once, Liu Wei lost interest. He gave a low snort, pulled out a book, and tossed it to Qin Hao. "This is the original manual for the Firmament Phantom Sword. Take it and practice on your own."

"If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me!"

With that, Liu Wei turned and left without giving Qin Hao a chance to reply.

"Uh... Uncle Liu?" Qin Hao was baffled. Why did Liu Wei seem a little angry?

But as Qin Hao looked at the manual in his hands, his eyes gradually lit up.

The Firmament Phantom Sword had three forms.

The first form: Shadowless.

The second form: Phantom Sword.

The third form: Firmament!

If all three forms were mastered, there was even a chance of forming Sword Force!

What was Sword Force?

A sword moved with nimble grace, struck from an unexpected angle, and drifted beyond prediction!

An attack imbued with Sword Force was at least fifty percent more powerful!

But Sword Force was extremely difficult to form. Those who could wield it were geniuses among geniuses!

"Unfortunately, part of the third form, Firmament, is missing. No wonder Uncle Liu said it could only be classified as Middle Yellow Tier."

That made forming Sword Force even harder.

Qin Hao did not continue practicing. He tucked the manual close to his body and headed out. He planned to buy Body Tempering Pills at the Treasure Pavilion and continue his push toward a Tier 3 Martial Soul!

The Treasure Pavilion was Tianshui City's largest trading house! It sold not only pills, but weapons and even High-Rank Martial Skills.

The expert overseeing the Treasure Pavilion in Tianshui City had reached Meridian Opening Ninth Layer Peak. No matter how earth-shaking an event occurred in the city, it would be hard to shake the Treasure Pavilion in the slightest.

The Treasure Pavilion stood six floors tall, with all kinds of pills sold on the First Floor. Qin Hao had just entered the hall when two voices rang out in surprise.

"Qin Hao, what's a piece of trash like you doing at the Treasure Pavilion?"

"Hahaha! Don't tell me you're buying pills to force your cultivation higher. With your First-Grade Martial Soul, no amount of pills will help!"

Qin Hao looked up. The speakers were Chen Jiang and Chen Shanlin of the Chen Lineage.

Tianshui City had three great lineages: the Qin, Liu, and Chen.

The Qin and Chen Lineages had never gotten along.

Being hailed as Tianshui City's foremost genius had made Qin Hao unpopular with many Chen disciples. Chen Jiang and Chen Shanlin had been at the forefront, clashing with him many times before.

Qin Hao ignored them and said to the young, beautiful clerk, "Sorry for the trouble. Please get me fifty Body Tempering Pills."

Whoosh!

At those words, many people in the hall turned to look in astonishment.

Fifty Body Tempering Pills were not something an ordinary person could afford!