Sevenfold

Chapter 40: Sevenfold

The Sword Washing Art and the Meridian Washing Art were very similar—both used a special mental cultivation path to alter the True Qi of the Greater Violet Sun Technique, adding unique properties.

Then, by drawing upon the Void Power and merging the two, the True Qi underwent a qualitative transformation.

At this point, the True Qi was completely different from that of the Greater Violet Sun Technique. It could either expand and strengthen the meridians or concentrate the sharpness of Sword Light or Blade Light.

The complexity of the mental cultivation paths for the Sword Washing Art and the Meridian Washing Art was roughly the same. Their commonality lay in the need for that thread of Void Power to turn stone into gold.

On a bed in the rear courtyard of the side residence beside the Earthly Soil Hall, Chu Zhiyuan sat with his eyes closed, circulating the Sword Washing Art.

A quarter-hour later, he slowly opened his eyes and raised his right palm before him. In the center of his palm, a blurry halo of light shimmered like the moon reflected in water.

He leaped out through the window and landed beside the stone table in the center of the courtyard. His right palm pressed lightly against the stone table. Under Zou Fang's stunned gaze, a palm print appeared on the stone table—an inch-deep palm print.

Zou Fang's gaze sharpened.

"Zou Fang, you give it a try."

"Yes, sir."

Zou Fang drifted to the stone table. His pale palm pressed down, leaving a palm print with smooth, clear edges, also an inch deep.

"You weren't going all out," Chu Zhiyuan said, smiling at him.

"This servant's palm force is yin and soft, best suited for this."

Chu Zhiyuan pondered. "It seems my palm force can only crush those in the Innate Realm. Against a Grandmaster, I have no chance of victory."

Zou Fang thought for a moment. "If the young master uses his sword, he might not be without a chance against a Grandmaster."

He had witnessed firsthand how the Great Avalanche Sword Art grew stronger and faster. By now, it had already reached twice its original speed.

Clearly, it wasn't just speed that had improved, but power as well.

With the two combined, the might had increased by four or five times at the very least.

It was the difference between clouds and mud—a complete transformation.

At the Grandmaster Realm, True Qi transformed into Gang Qi, its power naturally crushing True Qi.

Internal Energy was like mist, True Qi like water, Gang Qi like ice, and the Spiritual Qi of a Grandmaster was like blades and swords.

Grandmasters were stronger and faster, but Chu Zhiyuan's speed far surpassed that of Innate Realm experts and might not fall far behind a Grandmaster.

If he could drive the Great Avalanche Sword Art with palm force as pure and close to Gang Qi as this, he might just break through a Grandmaster's protective Gang Qi.

Of course, to truly engage in a prolonged fight with a Grandmaster, he would still fall a bit short—especially against high-realm Grandmasters.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded. "I still need to keep raising my realm."

As his realm rose, his True Qi would grow deeper and purer, and the Sword Washing Art's power would become even stronger.

He also had nine Marrow Cleansing Pills left. Perhaps he could push even further.

With that thought, his fighting spirit surged once more. He drew his sword from its sheath, and in an instant, the courtyard was filled with flickering sword shadows and darting figures.

It was as if a dozen people were moving and swinging their swords within the courtyard, a clear, icy radiance of sword light flooding the entire space.

When his meridians began to ache faintly, he switched to circulating the Meridian Washing Art. Milky-white True Qi flowed through his meridians, rapidly strengthening and toughening them.

But after reaching a certain point, the rate of strengthening slowed. No matter how much he trained, it had no further effect.

This was the limit.

It was like pouring water onto dry land—once it reached a certain saturation, no more could soak in.

Or like stretching rubber to its breaking point, unable to stretch any further.

He thought for a moment, then switched to the Dragon Transformation Technique.

As his cultivation of the Dragon Transformation Technique deepened, its True Qi had turned golden. Compared to the milky-white True Qi, it was much gentler, and his meridians began to absorb it.

Adding one Marrow Cleansing Pill doubled the effect of the Dragon Transformation Technique.

But after training for a while, the first layer of the Dragon Transformation Technique was nearly complete and could no longer strengthen his meridians.

So he stopped.

At this point, it was time to practice the Jade Lock Golden Pass Technique. First, he used the Sword Washing Art, then the Dragon Binding Rope.

After six strands of the Dragon Binding Rope, he sensed his limit. Adding more would risk his life.

Yet he added one more.

With the Imperial Heaven Earthly Soil Scripture backing him, he grew bolder.

The moment the seventh strand of the Dragon Binding Rope took shape, a warning sign kept ringing in his heart. Every hair on his body stood on end, as if he were standing next to a barrel of gunpowder.

He gritted his teeth, ignored the warnings from his Super Sensation, and focused solely on pushing forward.

The seven strands of the Dragon Binding Rope were released simultaneously. Seven streams of supremely pure True Qi poured into his Ren and Du Meridians at once, like great rivers converging, rolling down with a crash and slamming straight into the sixth layer of the Jade Tower.

A thunderous roar echoed in his ears, like a clap of thunder.

At the same time, a tearing, searing pain ripped through his meridians.

The Ren and Du Meridians were already thicker than the other meridians, yet even they could not withstand the impact of the seven Dragon Binding Ropes.

Meridians appeared formless but were in fact tangible; under Super Sensation, cracks split open in the transparent channels, the fissures multiplying as the seven Dragon Binding Ropes drove deeper.

He paid it no heed, only burying his head and urging the seven Dragon Binding Ropes to assault the remaining seven jade towers.

Rumble...

The thunderclaps grew louder.

Boom...

In the distant impact, the sixth jade tower blazed with dazzling light, instantly spreading through his entire body. Within that radiance, a formless power merged into the seven Dragon Binding Ropes.

The seven Dragon Binding Ropes plunged straight down, converging into his Dantian.

His Dantian ached as if about to split, stretched a fraction larger.

The power of the seven Dragon Binding Ropes fused with the True Qi within his Dantian, becoming one, while the True Qi itself had already transformed.

Purer. More abundant.

He had stepped into the Seventh Floor Realm!

Grinning through the pain, he endured the fierce agony as he formed seals and began cultivating the Imperial Heaven Earthly Soil Scripture.

The Earth Venerable Statue swiftly shot forth four clusters of Golden Light, which he drove with the first-layer technique of the Dragon Transformation Technique, rapidly healing the injuries to his meridians.

He had been studying and judging whether the Imperial Heaven Earthly Soil Scripture was an Incense Fire Method, but still had no conclusion—after all, he had never truly witnessed an Incense Fire Method.

The next day, after roll call, he sat behind his desk and flipped through case files, planning to skim through them quickly and then head to Tongtian Pavilion to thoroughly investigate the Incense Fire Method.

Gao Lingfeng arrived in a hurry, clasped his fists in salute, then remained silent, not disturbing him as he read the files.

Chu Zhiyuan set down the file and glanced at him. "Lord Gao has been waiting for me, I take it? Is there something?"

"Sir," Gao Lingfeng said with an apologetic clasp of his fists, then turned solemn. "Elder Lu of the Flying Flower Sword Sect requests an audience."

"Where is she?"

"She is waiting in the office."

"Invite her in."

"Yes."

A moment later, Lu Wan entered, clad in a loose blue robe that concealed her graceful, lithe figure, a long sword at her slender waist. She walked in quietly, her charming face set in a stern expression.

Chu Zhiyuan rose from behind his desk and clasped his fists. "Elder Lu, forgive me for not coming to greet you."

Lu Wan forced a faint smile and returned the gesture. "Greetings, Assistant Director."

Chu Zhiyuan extended a hand.

A minor official quietly brought over a chair.

Lu Wan clasped her fists in thanks, then sat down and said calmly, "Sir, I have something to discuss."

"Is it about the incident two nights ago? Is the severely injured disciple of your sect out of danger?" Chu Zhiyuan sat back down, looking at her gravely.

"His arm has been reattached; he'll be fine." Lu Wan's face darkened as she spoke slowly. "Sir, do you know the cause of this matter?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "Not entirely."

If there were no deeper circumstances, the outcome would be simple: regardless of who was right or wrong, a fight that led to severe injury meant both sides would be equally blamed.

If it had happened elsewhere, under different circumstances, it wouldn't have been handled so bluntly.

But this was a quarrel over jealousy, and it took place in a library.

"This matter began with a disciple of the Thick Earth Sect provoking first. Our sect's disciple, unwilling to suffer the humiliation, had no choice but to fight back, and in the end, they crippled him... This was a scheme—a premeditated plot by the Thick Earth Sect!"

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow, fixing his gaze on her enchanting eyes.

Lu Wan shook her head. "I originally thought it was a simple case of jealousy, and I was furious. But after questioning him carefully, I learned it was a conspiracy—a calculated move by the Thick Earth Sect against our Flying Flower Sword Sect!"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Why would the Thick Earth Sect target your Flying Flower Sword Sect?"

Lu Wan hesitated.

Chu Zhiyuan continued, "The Thick Earth Sect has a fairly good reputation. Their followers are known for enduring humiliation and bearing burdens, and the sect's disciples generally keep to themselves."

Of course, that was the overall character. But people differed—there were always good and bad. The Thick Earth Sect couldn't be entirely composed of honest folk.

Lu Wan's curved brows furrowed slightly.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Elder Lu, would you like to speak privately?"

He could tell that Lu Wan was not being entirely forthright; there must be hidden circumstances.

Lu Wan hesitated.

"Lord Gao." Chu Zhiyuan glanced at Gao Lingfeng and gave him a meaningful look.

Gao Lingfeng nodded, then led the two minor attendants waiting nearby out of the room.

Only Zou Fang remained in the room, standing in the shadows.

"For what reason?" Chu Zhiyuan said. "If Elder Lu doesn't wish to speak, all I can do is give both sides a fair thrashing."

Matters of petty jealousy had always been handled this way. With precedent to follow, there was no need to break the pattern unless special circumstances demanded it—no need to stand out.

The most important thing in officialdom was to blend in with the dust and drift with the current. Sticking out one's neck and making a show of being different only invited traps and stumbling blocks from every direction.

Even the Prince's Heir Apparent couldn't act willfully. When men of the court schemed against others, most of the time they did it invisibly—the victim never even knew they'd been targeted.

"The Thick Earth Sect claims that our sect once stole a treasure from them."

"What treasure?"

"...The Earth Dragon Pearl." Lu Wan bit her red lips and finally forced out those three words.