Body Refining Ninth Level, Wind Breaking Saber Mastery

After choosing his martial art, Lin Changkong sat down on the spot and began reading.

He was in no hurry. He carefully studied every move, every stance, and every variation, committing them all to memory.

Half a day passed silently like this. He had already memorized the entire Wind Breaking Saber manual.

[Martial Arts: Eight Extremes Collapse Fist (First-tier, Transcendent); Wind Breaking Saber (Second-tier, Not Initiated)]

Looking at the martial arts section on the panel, Lin Changkong rose to his feet in satisfaction.

As soon as he went downstairs, he saw Zhang Shanhe still on the first floor. Zhang Shanhe saw him as well and asked with a smile, "What martial art did you choose?"

Lin Changkong said, "Wind Breaking Saber."

"Wind Breaking Saber? That's a Peak Second-tier martial art. Your ambitions are quite high, but the Wind Breaking Saber is not so easy to master. It's absolutely not something that can bear fruit overnight.

"If you chose it to prepare for tomorrow's advancement tournament, I'm afraid the Wind Breaking Saber isn't quite suitable for you."

Zhang Shanhe's assessment was very fair.

Lin Changkong said, "The Wind Breaking Saber is indeed somewhat difficult, but I still want to give it a try. It's not merely for tomorrow's competition, either. Once I master it, there will be plenty of chances to use it in the future."

Zhang Shanhe nodded. "Mm, if that's what you want, then do as you please."

Lin Changkong bid Zhang Shanhe farewell and turned to leave. Watching his retreating back, Zhang Shanhe pondered for a moment before faintly shaking his head.

"To endure in silence for so long, his temperament is certainly excellent. But the Wind Breaking Saber is a Peak Second-tier martial art—how could it be so easily mastered?

"There isn't even a full day left before tomorrow's advancement tournament. In the end, he's still too impatient. What a pity."

At the same time, in a room somewhere within the Servant Courtyard, Zhang Qingyun sat against the wall. His entire face was wrapped up like a rice dumpling, and the two eyes left exposed shot out furious light.

Beside him stood a tall, brawny figure with an indifferent expression and an unmistakably haughty look in his eyes.

"Boss Mo, Lin Changkong has gone too far in bullying me. If he isn't taught a lesson, I simply can't swallow this anger.

"As long as you help me deal with him, I can give you all the pills I've accumulated over two months."

Boss Mo, whose real name was Mo Yunfei, was currently the highest-ranked disciple in the entire Servant Courtyard. He was at the Body Refining Ninth Level, the only one in the Servant Courtyard at that level, and was hailed as the number one person in the Servant Courtyard.

Zhang Qingyun's family was fairly well-off, so he had usually maintained a good relationship with Mo Yunfei.

After losing to Lin Changkong, he immediately sought out Mo Yunfei, hoping to take revenge.

A trace of disdain flashed across Mo Yunfei's face. "Even if Lin Changkong concealed his strength, his realm shouldn't be higher than yours. You were defeated in a single move. Aside from him hiding his strength, it was also because you were too careless.

"Losing to someone like that is rather embarrassing for you."

"Still, since you're willing to pay the price, I'll handle this matter for you. But I am, after all, the number one person in the Servant Courtyard. If I personally make a move, people may think I'm bullying him too much.

"Tomorrow, before the Outer Sect advancement tournament begins, I'll have Li Yishan teach him a lesson. By then, he won't even have the chance to step onto the arena."

Only after receiving Mo Yunfei's promise did Zhang Qingyun's expression improve somewhat.

"Good. Then many thanks, Boss Mo. Rest assured, Boss Mo—help me this once, and after you enter the Inner Sect, I'll definitely pass a message to my cousin and have him look after you properly."

Mo Yunfei gave a grunt, then turned and left.

Given his status, he generally disdained helping others with such matters. The reason he agreed to Zhang Qingyun's request was because of the cousin Zhang Qingyun had just mentioned.

Although Zhang Qingyun himself was inferior to Mo Yunfei, he had a cousin who had entered the Outer Sect last year and was now an expert in the Qi Gathering Realm.

Competition became even fiercer after entering the Outer Sect. Having an older disciple to provide protection would naturally save one a great deal of trouble.

Moreover, Outer Sect Disciples devoted themselves diligently to cultivation and had many sect missions to complete, so they had very little free time.

Furthermore, the Heavenly Fire Sect had clear rules forbidding the Outer Sect from interfering in matters between Servant Courtyard disciples. That was why Zhang Qingyun could not ask his cousin to directly deal with Lin Changkong.

All in all, dealing with a Lin Changkong whom he believed to be at the Body Refining Seventh Level, or at most the Body Refining Eighth Level, in exchange for the future protection of an Outer Sect Senior Brother was absolutely worthwhile.

"Li Yishan."

After leaving, Mo Yunfei found Li Yishan.

Li Yishan was his lackey, and also one of the few Body Refining Eighth Level disciples in the Servant Courtyard. Barring any surprises, he was basically certain to enter the Outer Sect this time, just like Mo Yunfei.

"Go do something for me. Before tomorrow's Outer Sect advancement tournament begins, find Lin Changkong. I don't need to spell out what you should do, do I?"

Li Yishan nodded and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Boss Mo. How could I not understand something this simple? Rest assured, I'll make sure Lin Changkong won't even get the chance to crawl onto the arena.

"Come to think of it, it's rather interesting. A well-known piece of trash suddenly defeated Zhang Qingyun, a Body Refining Seventh Level cultivator, in one move. That really is surprising.

"But perfect. I like crushing people like this. He thinks that enduring in silence for so long means he can soar into the sky in a single leap. In reality, before a true genius, he's still nothing but trash. Tomorrow, I'll make him understand that clearly."

Mo Yunfei said, "Teach him an appropriate lesson. Breaking one of his legs, for example, will do. Don't cause any deaths. That's all."

Mo Yunfei spoke as lightly as though discussing the weather. Clearly, he fully believed Li Yishan had the ability to easily break one of Lin Changkong's legs.

Of course, he had every reason to be confident.

Li Yishan had already reached the Body Refining Eighth Level half a year ago. Although Lin Changkong had defeated Zhang Qingyun in one move, he had always believed that Zhang Qingyun's carelessness had played a major role.

Therefore, Lin Changkong was most likely still at the Body Refining Seventh Level. Even if he had barely reached the Body Refining Eighth Level, he could not possibly be a match for someone like Li Yishan, who had been at the Body Refining Eighth Level for half a year.

The foundation accumulated over those six months alone was enough to make Lin Changkong shrink back at the sight of it.

Naturally, Lin Changkong knew nothing of their plot. After leaving the Martial Arts Hall, he went to the Weapon Pavilion and selected a suitable saber.

He chose a saber with a relatively narrow blade, shaped similarly to a Tang-style horizontal saber. This kind of saber was the most suitable for practicing the Wind Breaking Saber.

The next morning, Lin Changkong woke early.

"Extract cultivation."

[Ten years of cultivation are being distributed. Distribution complete.]

[First year: You diligently refined your body and began practicing the Wind Breaking Saber Technique. Since you had never practiced saber techniques before and your aptitude was poor, your progress was slow. You barely brought the Wind Breaking Saber to the entry level.]

[Second year: You practiced the saber technique even more frantically and gradually developed some understanding of it...]

[Third year: You discovered that your understanding of the saber technique had been completely fucking wrong...]

[Fourth year: You summarized your experience. The Wind Breaking Saber Technique reached minor mastery. Through day after day of saber practice, your physique improved, reaching the peak of the Body Refining Eighth Level.]

[...]

[Ninth year: You finally broke through the limit and reached the Body Refining Ninth Level.]

[Tenth year: You suddenly attained enlightenment regarding the saber technique. The Wind Breaking Saber Technique reached major mastery, and you reached the peak of the Body Refining Ninth Level.]

[Name: Lin Changkong]

[Realm: Body Refining Ninth Level]

[Cultivation Technique: Vajra Body Refining Technique (Second-tier, Transcendent)]

[Martial Arts: Eight Extremes Collapse Fist (First-tier, Transcendent); Wind Breaking Saber (Second-tier, Major Mastery)]

Lin Changkong clenched his fist, feeling the power within his body surge more than twice as fiercely as before.

If he faced Zhang Qingyun now, a single finger would be enough to poke him to death.

He gripped the horizontal saber resting across his knees, and a familiar sensation welled up in his heart. It was a feeling born only from having tempered a saber technique a thousand times over.

The next moment, he stepped into the courtyard and swung his horizontal saber. Instantly, saber light filled the air, dense and impenetrable.

The Wind Breaking Saber leaned heavily toward extremes. Nearly all its moves were offense without defense; once unleashed, it was like a mad dog.

That was precisely why Lin Changkong had chosen the Wind Breaking Saber Technique.

He liked attacks that charged forward without hesitation.

A cheater should be this simple, this direct, this plain and unadorned.

"Pfft—"

Lin Changkong slashed his saber against the black rock in the courtyard used for training. The thousand-jin black rock was immediately cleaved in two.

This kind of black rock was extraordinarily hard. Even ordinary Body Refining Ninth Level disciples, saber in hand, found it difficult to split open.

Mo Yunfei, hailed as the number one person in the Heavenly Fire Sect's Servant Courtyard, had risen to fame in one stroke after cleaving more than half of such a black rock apart.

And at that time, Mo Yunfei had already been at the Body Refining Ninth Level.

"Body Refining Ninth Level, combined with the Peak Second-tier Wind Breaking Saber Technique at major mastery—today, I'll sweep everything before me!"

After washing up briefly, Lin Changkong carried his saber toward the arena.

The moment he stepped outside, a figure blocked his path.

"Lin Changkong, stop right there."