Chapter 75: Chapter 63: Blade Nurturing Art!
Accumulating Blade Qi!_l
Glancing at the corpses strewn across the ground, Su Changkong was somewhat speechless; he had just been passing by when both parties dragged him into the fray, leaving everyone dead and gone!
“I am still not strong enough… Facing Cao Hong alone, it took three chops to slay him. If most people here were of Cao Hong’s caliber, I would indeed be in danger!”
With his fists clenched, Su Changkong still felt the insufficiency of his strength. “Clean up the corpses, then leave quickly.”
Taking a deep breath, Su Changkong did not delay and began to search the bodies.
First were the members of the Black Cavalry Gang, including Cao Hong. Su Changkong searched them one by one, but the spoils were insignificant—a little over a hundred taels of silver combined.
After all, they had come out to hunt down Yu Jiao and couldn’t possibly bring a fortune with them.
But on Yu Jiao’s body, Su Changkong found an unexpected treasure!
“Two thousand taels in silver notes!”
Su Changkong’s eyes lit up; he found a full two thousand taels in silver notes on Yu Jiao—a no doubt significant sum!
Not only that, but he also found a book wrapped in a cloth bag. Su Changkong took it out and saw three words on the worn cover—Blade Nurturing Art.
“Blade Nurturing Art? The Blade Nurturing Art previously mentioned by Cao Hong and Yu Jiao!”
Memories of the recent conversation between Yu Jiao and Cao Hong echoed in Su Changkong’s mind.
Yu Jiao wanted to trade the Blade Nurturing Art manuscript for her life, but Cao Hong refused. Moreover, from Cao Hong’s words, it seemed that the Blade Nurturing Art was the unique unparalleled technique of the Broken Blade Guest, a figure of great renown in Clearwater City’s Martial World.
For this Blade Nurturing Art, Yu Jiao murdered the entire family of Broken Blade Guest.
Originally, Yu Jiao went to visit Broken Blade Guest with two thousand taels of silver, hoping to purchase the art. However, how could Broken Blade Guest sell his unique unparalleled technique? He refused without the slightest hesitation.
On the surface, Yu Jiao appeared to regretfully give up, but she then went to extremes, kidnapping the wife and child of Broken Blade Guest and forcing him to hand over the Blade Nurturing Art manuscript. Afterwards, she killed Broken Blade Guest along with his wife and child.
Now that Yu Jiao was dead, the money she carried as well as the Blade Nurturing Art fell into Su Changkong’s hands!
“I’ll study it when I have the chance,” Su Changkong thought, quite curious about this so-called Blade Nurturing Art, but this was not the place to study it. He tucked the silver notes and the manuscript into his bosom and speedily left the area.
Leaving behind a ground full of corpses, one could imagine that the deaths of Cao Hong and Yu Jiao would surely shake both the Black Cavalry Gang and the White Jade Gang, but this was now irrelevant to Su Changkong.
First, Su Changkong made a trip to Clearwater City and stayed for one night. The next morning, as soon as the Magistrate Office opened, Su Changkong went to meet with Wang Yun. He handed over the Identity Token of Brother Gongsun and received a reward of two thousand taels of silver, leaving him quite content.
After that, Su Changkong hurried back to Black Iron Manor before roll call, and everything proceeded as usual.
No one could have guessed that on yesterday’s rest day, Su Changkong had made a trip to Maple Leaf Town, killed two disciples of the Black Lotus Sect, and on his way back, he even conveniently killed Yu Jiao, Cao Hong, and others! After a busy day had ended, Su Changkong practiced the Five Animal Frolics. As the light dimmed, his room was lit by a candle. Sitting beside the candle, Su Changkong was flipping through a book by the light of the flame—naturally, it was the Blade Nurturing Art manuscript he had found on Yu Jiao’s body.
“This Blade Nurturing Art…is extraordinary!”
The more he read, the more amazed Su Changkong became at the profound mystery of the Blade Nurturing Art—it exceeded his expectations!
“The Blade Nurturing Art, during ordinary days, one uses their Essence Qi Spirit to nurture their blade, allowing it to accumulate an impregnable Blade Qi during the process! When one strikes and draws the blade, it releases all at once, causing terrifying damage, impregnable!”
Reading the introduction to the Blade Nurturing Art, a sparkle flashed in Su Changkong’s eyes.
This Blade Nurturing Art was indeed profound! Sheathed, the art was unassuming, but once drawn, the blade could sweep through formidable foes in a shocking slash!
Examining the art more closely, Su Changkong realized while the Blade Nurturing Art was powerful, it had its limits.
Firstly, it required daily nurturing of the blade. Moreover, in action, the first blow was mighty, the second weaker, and by the third, the power was exhausted—just a few strikes at most!
Additionally, not everyone could cultivate the Blade Nurturing Art. One must possess a will stronger than the average person and have some expertise in Blade Technique to practice it.
The Blade Nurturing Art belonged to Broken Blade Guest, who had stumbled upon it by chance.
Before obtaining the Blade Nurturing Art, Broken Blade Guest had been just an ordinary martial artist. However, with this art, he became astonishingly successful. Without action, he remained quiet, but when he struck, it was to cut down a powerful foe, rarely needing a second chop!
The fundamental reason, of course, was that Broken Blade Guest only had the strength for a single blow and couldn’t afford to strike again.
“This Blade Nurturing Art is perfect for me! If I master it, I will possess a potent ace up my sleeve!”
Su Changkong’s eyes shone. The Blade Nurturing Art was a perfect fit for him.
His Iron-Cutting Blade Technique was straightforward, and if he couldn’t slay his opponent after several hits, then his actions would become predictable, and his enemies could exploit this.
But this Blade Nurturing Art involved nurturing Blade Qi daily and releasing it all in one go. The second attempt was weaker, and by the third, one’s power would be depleted, which matched well with his Blade Technique!
If he still couldn’t kill his opponent with this art, then the gap between them was too vast to overcome, and it would be best to simply await death!
“Good, let’s try to cultivate this Blade Nurturing Art!”
Calming his mind, Su Changkong memorized the key points of the Blade Nurturing Art. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he held the sword on his knees, concentrated his mind, and attempted to unify Essence Qi and Spirit.
Entering this meditative state was difficult, but Su Changkong, who had been practicing the Turtle Breath Technique for years, found entering meditation not so challenging.