Chapter 11 - Advanced Stage of Saber Art
“I….I…..I …” Fang Xue felt as though her throat was being clutched, she was unable to let out a single word. The blood in front of her eyes gave birth to an incessant fear, causing her heart to collapse and left behind only her survival instinct.
“Please don’t kill me. I promise I won’t do this again in the future, please....!”
Qin Nan was indifferent, not a slightest trace of emotion could be seen on his face.
Fear gradually grew in Fang Xue’s heart as she hastily pleaded, “Qin Nan, I am the young lady of Fang Clan. You shouldn’t kill me! If you were to kill me...I….My father will definitely find you and cause trouble for you...and...and also my brother…. My brother has awakened a sixth-grade Huang ranked Martial Spirit. If you were to kill me..he...he will definitely avenge me…”
Qin Nan furrowed his eyebrows. He naturally knew of Fang Xue’s older brother. He was the Young Lord of the Fang Clan and was named Fang Rulong. In the past, Qin Nan had encountered him several times and had even held a conversation with him, it was just their relationship wasn’t deep at all. However, Qin Nan didn’t expect that Fang Rulong would awaken a sixth-grade Huang ranked Martial Spirit.
This caused Qin Nan to suspect that something wasn’t right. Normally speaking, if Fang Clan were to awaken a sixth-grade Huang ranked Martial Spirit, they would immediately spread this information throughout the city and hold a banquet to celebrate. After all, a sixth-grade Huang ranked Martial Spirit was something one would rarely come across in ten years worth of time in Linshui City.
Although Qin Nan did have suspicions, he didn’t ponder on this any longer. He sneered at Fang Xue and said, “Fang Xue, ah Fang Xue. You really are interesting. Even at this moment, you’re still threatening me. This is Longhu Mountain Range, and even if I were to kill you now, who would know?”
Fang Xue’s complexion changed in a blink of an eye, her small mouth was gaping. However, she was unable to let a single word out.
At this moment, sword aura flickered and Fang Xue’s life was immediately severed. Her eyes were wide open with a hint of disbelief even at death’s door.
Qin Nan gazed at her corpse and said indifferently, “I forgot to tell you that I’m not afraid of your father because my father is also the Patriarch of the Qin Clan. Moreover, I’m definitely not afraid of your brother because he doesn’t even hold a place in my eyes.”
After he had finished speaking, Qin Nan turned around and walked away. However, before taking even a single step, he immediately turned around and looted over twenty Body Tempering Pills from Fang Xue’s corpse as well as an archaic map.
“This girl is indeed very wealthy,” Qin Nan thought to himself as he put away the Body Tempering Pills. He then shifted his gaze to the archaic map.
Qin Nan’s current vision was naturally able to see the age of this archaic map; it was indeed very old.
“According to the conversation between Fang Xue and her guards, they had discovered a cavern based on the map. However, this cavern was too run down and there were no treasures within it whatsoever. Presently, I don’t have anything to do. I might as well go take a look at this cavern and see if I can find anything…” decided Qin Nan.
Either way, there was one day remaining before he had to return to the Qin Clan, thus he still had plenty of time. He was only going to take a look, it wouldn’t waste much time. Perhaps he could even find something.
Qin Nan followed the map slowly and walked towards the location on the map. Soon enough, a cavern appeared before him.
This cavern was encompassed by a dense pile of trees with the height of the entrance being roughly two people tall. Overgrown weeds surrounded the cavern and the place seemed ordinary.
Qin Nan proceeded to enter the cavern. However, as he entered, his face revealed a trace of disappointment.
The interior of the cavern was approximately ten Chi deep; one could see the end of the cavern with just the naked eye. Other than the heap of overgrown weed, hollow marks could also be seen on the walls. There was simply nothing special about this place at all.
“It seems like this archaic map is indeed just a scam.” Qin Nan lightly shook his head as he prepared to leave.
Suddenly, Qin Nan noticed a palm imprint on the cavern wall, this imprint was deeply indented into the cavern wall. The details of the imprint were extremely distinct and was emanating a strand of a chilling intent.
“Huh?” Qin Nan turned suspicious. His instinct told him that this palm imprint was different.
Qin Nan promptly walked towards it, carefully inspecting the palm imprint. He had even retrieved the Black Iron Saber from his waist and probed the imprint using it. However, Qin Nan shook his head when he realized that there was no mechanism behind the palm imprint. Perhaps it was something left behind from someone else’s training.
However, at this moment, Qin Nan’s entire body suddenly shivered.
“How did the Divine Battle Spirit appear on its own?...”
Qin Nan felt a great shock, he didn’t even have the time to ponder over this before a ferocious and tyrannical force erupted from the ordinary-looking palm imprint on the cavern wall. It was as if heaven-defying pressure violently gushed out.
“This is….” Qin Nan was completely stunned. If the Divine Battle Spirit hadn’t envelop himself in its aura, then Qin Nan wouldn’t have been able to withstand the aura with just his cultivation; he would’ve been ripped into pieces by it.
At this moment, Qin Nan gathered his thoughts once again. The palm imprint in front of him is definitely not a common imprint, but it was something an expert had left behind. This caused the palm imprint to contain an imposing power that lingered in this area.
“It seems like the treasure described in the archaic map is actually this palm imprint. Fang Xue’s cultivation was too low, that’s why she was unable to sense the Will within the palm imprint. If it wasn’t for the Divine Battle Spirit, then I wouldn’t have noticed it either!”
Qin Nan took a deep breath and gazed at this dreadful palm imprint, his face couldn’t help but to show a hint of excitement.
Now that he had the Divine Battle Spirit protecting his body, he was no longer afraid of the palm imprint wounding him. Instead, he decided to observe and ponder upon this palm imprint in order to further strengthen himself.
There were many different kinds of Martial Skills within the Martial World, cultivation was dependant on one’s Will. The stronger the Will, the more formidable one strength will be.
It would be of great use if one were to comprehend the Will embedded in the palm imprint.
Qin Nan didn’t waste any time as his figure immediately sat cross-legged in front of this cavern wall. His gaze was fixated on the palm imprint; his mind was currently as in a state of deep focus.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In an instant, a series of explosions occurred within Qin Nan’s brain.
A frightening and powerful palm descended out of the blue, it felt as though it was crushing Qin Nan and blasting him in pieces. At this moment, the Divine Battle Spirit’s human avatar slightly raised its head, causing this intense and frightening palm to come to a stop and float within Qin Nan’s mind.
Qin Nan submerged himself within his mind and wholeheartedly tried to sense the portion of Will.
“This palm contains a Will that is indeed heaven-defying. When the palm descended, it felt as though there was nothing it could not destroy and nothing it could not extinguish,” Qin Nan came to an understanding and unconsciously, his heart began to refine itself.
This process was a type of Will Tempering.
Time slowly passed by, Qin Nan had been sitting in front of the palm imprint for an entire day.
At this moment, Qin Nan was sitting upright in front of the cavern wall. His body did not emit the slightest bit of aura, even his breathing had stopped. It was as though he had become a statue.
Following this, Qin Nan’s eyes abruptly opened. It was as though a chill and fierceful substance jet out from his eyes and entered the cavern wall.
At this moment, the incorporeal aura emanated by Qin Nan emitted heaven-defying pressure, it far exceeded the pressure of a fifth-layer Body Tempering Realm expert.
“The harvest of a whole day’s comprehension is indeed great! Unfortunately my cultivation level is too low, I could only scratch the surface of this great palm imprint.
Qin Nan shook his head. He was now able to confirm that this palm imprint was definitely left behind by a Martial King expert.
Naturally, the Will of a Martial King was not something Qin Nan was capable of comprehending, he was only able to scratch the very tip of the iceberg. Additionally, if Qin Nan hadn't possessed the Divine Battle Spirit, then it would be possible that he would’ve already been wounded by the Will of the Martial King.
“Now…. let’s test my Thundercrash Saber Art!”
Qin Nan’s expression was tranquil as he pulled out the Black Iron Saber from his waist and slowly closed his eyes. After an incense worth of time passed by, Qin Nan’s eyes snapped open. The Black Iron Saber in his hand instantly struck out.
Rumble!
A thunderous explosion immediately erupted.
A icy saber ray struck forth containing a heaven-defying aura. It was as if Qin Nan’s body had fused together with the saber and sliced towards the cavern wall. In an instant, a deep saber slash immediately appeared on the wall.
“This strike contains my intent. I’m afraid that the current me has already taken a step into the realm of One with the Saber! Additionally, I reckon the average fifth-layer Body Tempering Realm expert would not be able to obstruct this strike!
Qin Nan was delighted.
The harvest from visiting this cavern had been immense; if Qin Nan hadn't had the support of this palm imprint, then he wouldn’t have been able to step into the realm of One with the Saber.
“Alright. It has already been five days since I entered Longhu Mountain Range. By now, father should have prepared everything. Hence, it’s time to head back to the Qin Clan….” Qin Nan’s eyes flashed and immediately exited the cavern and descended the mountain.
At this time, in Linshu City, the Qin Clan had begun the monthly Clan Meeting.