The sky was dim, the sun obscured by vast swathes of dark clouds. A restless wind swept through the air, carrying a palpable sense of oppression.
Chen Zong stood like a willow by the water's edge, swaying gracefully with the breeze. The blade of his sword moved like a willow branch, embodying both gentle fluidity and unyielding strength—a unique and captivating beauty.
He repeatedly executed the six forms of the Willow Sweep Sword Technique.
Days earlier, Chen Zong's mastery of the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique had reached the Subtlety Realm, granting him a more direct understanding of this once-mysterious domain. Because he often practiced the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique alongside the Willow Sweep Sword Technique, he had discovered subtle connections between them. Leveraging these common threads, he deepened his cultivation and comprehension of the Subtlety Realm.
With each repetition, Chen Zong's grasp of the Willow Sweep Sword Technique deepened, gradually giving rise to something uniquely his own.
He recalled the willow trees he had once observed by the water, immersing himself in the feeling of their sway. Through countless repetitions, this essence began to merge with his very being.
He struck!
The refined iron sword whipped through the air like a willow branch, yet it defied any defined form. Swaying naturally with the wind, it guided Chen Zong's body through fluid motions, as if he himself had truly become a willow by the water's edge, radiating its distinctive vitality.
A light tremor ran through his body, his limbs tingling as his Blood Qi surged through him, self-tempering.
Moments later, his Blood Qi settled. Chen Zong sensed a significant improvement in the progress of his seventh Blood Qi Tempering cycle, roughly equivalent to seven or eight days of arduous practice.
With a flick of his wrist, Chen Zong's refined iron sword, normally rigid and unyielding, seemed to become as supple as a willow branch, swaying and swishing through the air. He flawlessly executed all six stances of the Willow Sweep Sword Technique, imbuing each movement with lifelike grace and vitality.
Willow Sweep Sword Technique: Subtlety Realm!
July 30th, 395 of the True Martial Era.
The setting sun painted the western sky with crimson streaks, its final rays draping the Chen Clan Hall in a warm, golden glow. On the Martial Training Ground, most apprentices had already departed, leaving only Chen Zong to continue his sword practice.
Accompanying the glint of his blade was a series of sharp, piercing cries, though not particularly loud.
Eagle Strike Sword Technique!
With both the Phantom Shadow Sword Technique and the Willow Sweep Sword Technique having reached the Subtlety Realm, Chen Zong's understanding of this level deepened further. As he practiced the Eagle Strike Sword Technique, his comprehension accelerated.
Repetition after repetition, with each movement drawing him deeper into the technique, Chen Zong felt himself transforming into a soaring eagle, spreading its wings across the sky.
Suddenly leaping into the air, his sword flashed forward in a lethal arc. A high-pitched, resonant cry echoed across the training ground, as if descending from the heavens themselves.
Landing lightly and sheathing his sword with the grace of an eagle folding its wings, a natural smile bloomed on Chen Zong's face.
Eagle Strike Sword Technique: Subtlety Realm!
The successive attainment of the Subtlety Realm in three sword techniques had a remarkable effect on Chen Zong's Blood Qi tempering, equivalent to over twenty days of arduous training. He could sense that the seventh cycle of Blood Qi Tempering was nearing completion.
"I'll definitely finish it within half a month," Chen Zong muttered to himself, deliberately allowing for a generous margin of time.
August 10th, 395 of the True Martial Era.
Unsurprisingly, Chen Zong once again claimed the title of King of the Chiefs, earning his rewards.
This marked his eleventh time securing the title, a feat rarely witnessed in the history of the Chen Clan Hall.
Chen Zong drained an entire jar of Tiger Yang Bone-Strengthening Wine. As he cultivated the Tiger's Roar Manual, his Blood Qi surged and vibrated violently, emitting roars akin to those of a Ferocious Tiger. His skin flushed crimson, and his body temperature skyrocketed.
The Blood Qi raged like an untamed beast. Chen Zong maintained his focus, allowing the torrent to wash over him, letting its chaotic energy temper itself.
Suddenly, his entire body convulsed as a terrifying roar seemed to erupt from within, transforming into a sonic boom that shook the air around him. White paper scattered from the table like leaves in a gale.
Gradually, the crimson flush faded from his skin, restoring its original hue, and his breathing settled into a steady rhythm.
"Excellent! My Blood Qi has finally completed its seventh tempering cycle!" Chen Zong declared, his eyes gleaming with extraordinary brilliance.
"Still, the seventh tempering is my limit," Chen Zong muttered, his tone a complex blend of disappointment and relief.
Disappointment stemmed from the knowledge that others might have achieved an eighth tempering, igniting higher aspirations within him. Relief came from the sheer difficulty of the seventh tempering; attempting an eighth would exponentially increase the challenge, with no telling how long it might take to reach.
"Looking back, I suppose I was being a bit greedy," Chen Zong chuckled, shaking his head. "Back then, I only hoped to cultivate normally and become an ordinary martial artist. But ever since obtaining that mysterious sword tip, everything changed. My future gradually surpassed my expectations, unknowingly fostering these lofty ambitions—perhaps a bit too much."
"Still, seven temperings of Blood Qi is the Chen Clan's highest record. Even across Wind Martial City, it's considered a top-tier achievement. For me, that's enough. After all, my true strength lies in my Martial Arts."
"Now that my Blood Qi has been tempered to its limit, I'll consolidate my foundation. Within days, I can break through to the fourth layer of the Qi Blood Realm and officially become a martial artist!" Chen Zong's eyes blazed with fervor, his voice trembling with excitement.
To become a martial artist!
This had been Chen Zong's lifelong goal, and now it was within reach. How could he contain his excitement?
"With my foundation of seven cycles of Blood Qi Tempering, reaching the fourth layer of the Qi Blood Realm should be easy," he thought.
Normally, a Martial Apprentice could only temper their Blood Qi three times at most. The success rate for breaking through to the fourth layer of the Qi Blood Realm was about 70%, with a 30% chance of failure. Failure would damage their Blood Qi, requiring time to recover and preventing an immediate second attempt. However, those who weathered the setback often succeeded on their next try.
Tempering Blood Qi four times raised the first-time success rate to 90%. In most cases, unless one's luck was truly abysmal, they could break through in a single attempt.
Five temperings guaranteed a 100% success rate on the first try.
Six temperings made it effortless.
As for seven temperings, it naturally surpassed the sixth.
August 13th, 395th year of the True Martial Era.
This would be a day worth remembering.
After more than two days of consolidation, Chen Zong's Blood Qi had fully stabilized. It was time for his breakthrough.
"The greatest difference between a martial artist and a Martial Apprentice lies in their Qi Blood and Blood Qi," he mused.
"For a Martial Apprentice, blood precedes qi. Blood is the foundation, with qi as a supplement, focusing on tempering the body and enhancing physical strength."
"For a martial artist, qi precedes blood. Qi drives blood, comprehensively enhancing the physique, unlocking latent potential, and allowing for independent manipulation of qi and blood to execute Ranked Martial Arts far beyond the capabilities of mere Blood Qi."
The difference between Blood Qi and Qi Blood lies solely in the order of their components, yet it marks a profound transformation.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Zong purged all distractions and focused intently on sensing the Blood Qi coursing through his body.
After seven cycles of tempering, his Blood Qi glowed a pure crimson, seemingly devoid of impurities. Like a mighty river flowing ceaselessly through his veins, it surged relentlessly, delivering waves of potent energy to his physique.
"To break through and transform Blood Qi into Qi Blood, I must first ignite my entire reserve of Blood Qi, purifying it into qi. Then, I'll nourish the blood with this qi, allowing them to merge and form true Qi Blood."
Chen Zong had mentally rehearsed each step countless times.
His body trembled violently as his heart pounded like a war drum, its powerful rhythm resonating through his chest. Wave after wave of Blood Qi surged forth, accelerating beyond its natural limits. The temperature soared rapidly, until the qi began to hiss and seethe as if aflame, boiling with primal energy.
Chen Zong's skin was frighteningly flushed, radiating an astonishing heat that would have long since driven an ordinary person delirious, then unconscious, their blood completely dried up.
As his superheated blood burned away, its volume steadily dwindled. Simultaneously, Chen Zong could "see" within his veins faint red strands of energy coalescing, as delicate and resilient as silk threads.
The diminishing blood and the increasing energy formed a self-sustaining cycle.
When these strands completely filled his veins, they merged into a cohesive mass, their color gradually deepening.
As the last drop of blood was consumed, the pale red energy transformed into a vibrant crimson, as vivid as fresh blood. Like squeezing a saturated sponge, droplets of scarlet blood began seeping out, flowing anew within his veins.
With the renewed blood flow, Chen Zong could sense profound changes coursing through his body. He hastily grabbed ten Vitality Pills he had prepared, popped them into his mouth, and rapidly chewed and swallowed them.
Fueled by the Vitality Pills, the rate at which energy transformed into blood accelerated severalfold. The flow intensified, converging into a steady stream. His heart pounded with renewed vigor, his bones seemed to harden, his tendons grew more resilient, and his muscles tightened into denser bundles.
An hour later, the transformation finally ceased. Bright crimson blood flowed smoothly through Chen Zong's veins, wisps of red energy swirling around it like mist, synchronized with its rhythm.
A far greater power now surged within him.
"Is this the strength of a fourth-layer Qi Blood Realm martial artist?" Chen Zong clenched his fists, feeling as if he could crush steel with his bare hands. Excitement surged through him.
Normally, breaking through from the peak of the third layer to the fourth layer of the Qi Blood Realm took several days. The body required ample nutrients to replenish the energy consumed during the advancement.
But Chen Zong had bypassed this process. He had devoured fifty Vitality Pills, forcibly boosting his physique with the concentrated nutrients and energy contained within them, completing his transformation from Martial Apprentice to martial artist.
A fourth-layer Qi Blood Realm martial artist possessed a standard single-arm strength of one thousand jin—double that of a third-layer practitioner.
By channeling Qi Blood energy, this strength could be amplified even further, reaching astonishing levels of ferocity.
"I wonder what the Blood Qi of those who have tempered it three or four times looks like after their breakthrough," Chen Zong mused to himself. He could internally observe his own Qi Blood—pure, brilliant crimson, glowing with vibrant intensity.
Having tempered his Blood Qi seven times, he speculated that it might be fundamentally different from that of ordinary martial artists.
Within his dwelling, Chen Zong practiced the Tiger Force Fist Technique. His movements generated gusts of wind that whistled through the air with awe-inspiring power, several times stronger than before. The exhilarating force coursing through him left him feeling thoroughly satisfied.
"Now that I've broken through and stabilized my cultivation, it's time to formally enter the Clan Hall."
Sword in hand, Chen Zong strode out of his dwelling with dignified bearing. His back was as straight as a blade, his steps light yet firm and resolute. He planned to visit the Hall Elder in the main hall of the Clan Hall to verify his cultivation base and officially join the institution, thereby gaining access to superior cultivation resources and Ranked Martial Arts beyond the Foundation Establishment level—all things that would make him even stronger.
Everything he had strived for was now within reach.