Chapter 28: Sword Intent
After a day and a night, Li Qian did not travel with the other Inner Sect Disciples and returned to Divine Sword Sect alone.
After all, returning a day early meant he could ring the bell for another day and refine the Time Bell once more.
When submitting the mission, Li Qian discovered that the mission contribution points were not three hundred, but five hundred.
The additional two hundred points were compensation because the risk of this e*cort mission had increased.
Then he went to the wooden hut in the valley.
He told Master Zhou Buping about the situation he encountered during the mission.
Zhou Buping only said one sentence: “As a martial artist, you will encounter more and more of these things in the future.”
After returning to the bell tower, it was still Shen time, and he could ring the bell once more.
“It’s still better on the mountain.”
Li Qian sat on the Time Bell Platform, looking at the green mountains and clear waters in the distance, his heart suddenly becoming very peaceful.
Because he had been away from Divine Sword Sect for eight days, all the hourglasses had been emptied.
He had no way to accurately judge the time.
Fortunately, it was a sunny day today, so he could observe the sun to determine the approximate time.
Next, he determined the approximate time based on the sun observation timekeeping method taught by Old Song, combined with his previous life’s knowledge of astronomy and geography, and rearranged the hourglasses.
Of course, this time was definitely not accurate.
He still had to adjust it based on the time the Gong and Drum Room struck the gong.
In this way, before You time, Li Qian finally completed all the preparations.
D*ng d*ng d*ng d*ng
The clear bell rang seven times, spreading throughout the sky above Divine Sword Sect, lingering for a long time.
Li Qian felt the activity of the Qi and blood and Internal Qi in his body, immediately took a stance, and began to practice the Heartless Sword Manual.
Suddenly, an invisible aura spread out, and countless tiny sword Qi quickly condensed around Li Qian, making it seem as if his entire body had transformed into a sea of sword Qi.
At this moment, Li Qian’s mental consciousness fell into a strange state.
As if he had forgotten everything.
Forgotten the sword technique.
Forgotten the sword in his hand.
His mind fell into a state of emptiness.
There was a sword in his hand, a sword in his body, but there was no sword in his heart.
When a set of sword techniques was finished, the sword Qi around him also dissipated, as if it had never existed.
Li Qian suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes clear.
“What is this”
He carefully savored that indescribable and wonderful realm.
Suddenly, his heart moved, and he hurriedly summoned the system interface.
Host: Li Qian.
Cultivation Level: Postnatal （Eighth Level 57/100）.
Sacrificial Instrument: Time Bell （Law 182/10000）.
Martial Arts: Sword-Piercing Fist （Perfection）, Heartless Sword Manual （Perfection）.
Martial Intent: Heartless Sword Intent （Illusory Image 1/100）
Secret Technique: Myriad Transforming Sword Qi.
“The Heartless Sword Manual has actually reached Perfection, and I’ve comprehended the Heartless Sword Intent? Even the Secret Technique of the Heartless Sword Manual has been comprehended.”
Li Qian muttered to himself.
This Secret Technique was extremely powerful, a true trump card, a hidden ace.
Moreover, this Secret Technique had to be used in conjunction with Sword Intent, using one’s own Internal Qi as a guide to trigger Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi, transforming it into countless sword Qi to deliver a fatal b*ow to the enemy.
“Triggering Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi, isn’t that something only Innate martial artists can do?”
Li Qian was shocked.
This Secret Technique, Myriad Transforming Sword Qi, was too powerful.
It was equivalent to allowing him, at the Postnatal Eighth Level, to trigger Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi and unleash an Innate strike.
Of course, it was only one strike.
But this kind of attack power was definitely a dimensionality reduction attack for Postnatal martial artists who were not Innate.
“If I had comprehended Sword Intent and the Secret Technique during the previous mission, I could have easily dealt with that mere Postnatal Ninth Level attacker.”
Li Qian suddenly understood a little why Elder Qingshan of Jade Screen Peak had unleashed a large amount of sword Qi with a single wave that day.
That was definitely the result of triggering Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi.
He suddenly understood a little why Divine Sword Sect stipulated that Inner Sect Disciples had to participate in various missions every year. It was probably also to train the Inner Sect Disciples.
He had only gone out on a mission, experienced a battle, returned to cultivate once, and immediately achieved a breakthrough in the Heartless Sword Manual.
◈◈◈
This definitely had a direct relationship with him going out on missions.
For the next few days, he didn’t go anywhere and stayed in the bell tower to consolidate his realm.
After the Heartless Sword Manual reached Perfection, his cultivation progress returned to one point per day.
However, the improvement of Heartless Sword Intent was very difficult.
It only increased by one point in seven days.
In other words, it would take at least seven hundred days, or almost two years, for Heartless Sword Intent to advance from the Illusory Image level.
But Li Qian could still accept this.
After a few more days, in the evening, Li Qian arrived at the wooden hut in the valley and met Master Zhou Buping.
“You’ve comprehended Sword Intent?”
The moment Zhou Buping saw Li Qian, he abruptly straightened up from his rocking chair.
There was shock in his tone.
“Yes, Master, I just comprehended Heartless Sword Intent. And the Secret Technique, Myriad Transforming Sword Qi.”
Li Qian did not hide it.
“What’s your current cultivation level?”
Zhou Buping asked.
Although he could sense the trace of formless Sword Intent contained within Li Qian, he couldn’t sense his cultivation level.
“Postnatal Eighth Level.”
Li Qian answered honestly.
“Good, good, good, Postnatal Eighth Level, and you’ve already comprehended Sword Intent”
Zhou Buping was very happy.
This disciple’s comprehension was even higher than he had imagined.
Even his cultivation level had reached the Postnatal Eighth Level, which showed that his Root B*ne aptitude was not bad either.
He didn’t know what had happened during the entrance assessment, but this disciple had been delayed for more than two years.
If he had entered the Inner Sect more than two years earlier. He would probably be able to strive for the Innate Realm now.
Being able to strive for the Innate Realm in just over three years was very rare in the history of Divine Sword Sect.
“Disciple, remember what your master said, if your cultivation level reaches Postnatal Perfection, do not choose to directly break through to the Innate Realm.”
Zhou Buping said in a deep voice.
“Master, why is that?”
Li Qian asked curiously.
“Nine is the peak of the Postnatal Realm, but between the Postnatal and Innate Realms, there is another realm called the Flawless Realm. This realm mainly focuses on body refinement. With Internal Qi reaching Perfection, comprehending Martial Intent, and achieving a Flawless Physical Body, the three treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit can reach Perfection, and one can achieve the Perfect Innate Realm. This kind of Innate will surely become a Martial Saint in the future.”
Zhou Buping said.
“Flawless Realm? Master, there must be limitations to cultivating this realm, right?”
Li Qian asked.
“To achieve the Innate Realm, as long as Internal Qi reaches Perfection, one can do it by taking an Innate Pill. However, to cultivate a Flawless Physical Body, in addition to comprehending Martial Intent, one cannot be in the Innate Realm. Otherwise, the physical body will be constantly affected by Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi and will never be able to reach the Flawless Realm.”
Zhou Buping said.
“Master, is an Innate Pill necessary to achieve the Innate Realm?”
Li Qian asked another question.
“At the Postnatal level, if one hasn’t comprehended Martial Intent, then an Innate Pill is necessary. Moreover, there is a certain chance of failure, which is related to the cultivation method one practices. The more advanced the cultivation method, the higher the success rate. If one has comprehended Martial Intent, then one can automatically transform into the Innate Realm through cultivation without the need for an Innate Pill. Therefore, after your Internal Qi reaches Perfection, you must stop cultivating and instead practice a special body refining Diamond Skill.”
Zhou Buping answered.
“Master, can’t I practice the body refining Diamond Skill now?”
Li Qian asked.
“No, practicing the body refining Diamond Skill before Internal Qi reaches Perfection will lead to impure Essence and Qi, which will affect the final Flawless Physical Body.”
Zhou Buping shook his head.
Li Qian immediately understood.
From now on, his goal was to achieve Perfect Innate.
Only in this way could he step onto a higher realm of martial arts in the future.
