Chapter 1: The Mysterious Decayed Sword

The heartbeat has reached an extreme low, yet with each beat, it is immensely powerful. It infuses vitality into every branch and every tiny vein.

Zhuang Wudao's innate talent for cultivation is not particularly strong, yet it is not weak either. However, it took him a full seven years to reach the Bone Refinement stage. Only after stepping past this threshold can one generate inner essence and become a true cultivator

Zhuang Wudao gazed silently at the scene before him, his expression slightly dazed

No matter how one looks at it, it is merely a useless, decayed sword

As the martial arts technique gradually unfolded, Zhuang Wudao could feel the Nourishing Marrow Pill slowly dissolving in his stomach, and then it began to seep into his body bit by bit

After finishing the last move of Zhuang Wudao, he was drenched in sweat, yet felt an indescribable sense of refreshment throughout his entire body

The entire body is itching, and there is a burning sensation throughout. The blood surges within the body like lead and mercury.

However, before reaching the Qi Refinement stage, there are still six minor realms. The entry into internal energy is known as the Six Stages of Harmonization. The gathering of spiritual power is referred to as the Six Stages of Spiritual Nurturing

Each month, one can receive ten Bone-Refining Pills, three Qi-Nourishing Pills, and a full hundred taels of silver at the academy. If one can reach the sixth level before the age of thirty, they may be accepted as an inner disciple of the Li Chen Sect, attaining a position of prominence

Blood is produced from the marrow, and Zhuang Wudao has already surpassed the stage of blood refinement. However, the strengthening of the bone marrow will undoubtedly enhance his vitality throughout his body, allowing it to be further augmented. This enhancement will ultimately extend to his tendons, bones, and skin membranes, resulting in a fundamental transformation of his entire physique, culminating in the generation of true essence

Immortal King? Is it truly possible that "immortals" exist in this world

What Zhuang Wudao practiced was one of the disciplines known as "Subduing the Dragon and Overcoming the Tiger." It consists of two sets of boxing techniques: Subduing the Tiger for body refinement and Subduing the Dragon for combat. When practiced to perfection, the two sets of techniques can merge into one. At that time, the roar of the dragon and the roar of the tiger resonate, possessing the strength to withstand formidable opponents.

What is that so-called "Peerless Immortal King"? What is it?

The greatest pity is that this Dragon Subduing Fist technique has only seven forms of the Dragon's Roar. If all twelve forms could possess the sound of the Dragon's Roar, one could attempt to merge the two sets of fist techniques, Dragon Subduing and Tiger Subduing, into one, entering the first layer of heaven

It can assist others in blood transfusion and marrow nourishment, precisely the sacred product among external alchemical medicines at this stage

If after the research there is still no understanding, then please have the craftsmen in the city take action and completely melt this sword

It is said that if one can complete this before reaching the Qi Refinement stage, there will be immense benefits in the future, possibly leading to the attainment of something called "Mysterious Arts and Divine Powers." It remains uncertain whether he can accomplish this within the three months.

Beneath him was a clear stream that reached his waist, yet Zhuang Wudao did not rush to bathe; instead, he executed another set of martial arts moves.

However, starting with external skills, although one may later possess a formidable physical body, the initial entry is exceedingly difficult

It is precisely the "Dragon Subduing Strike" from the technique of subduing dragons and tigers, with only twelve stances coming and going. At this moment, Zhuang Wudao's hands seemed to tightly grasp a continuously writhing and struggling giant snake, exerting all his effort to suppress it. Each swing of his fists was as if burdened by a heavy mountain, carrying immense weight. Zhuang Wudao's own muscles, bones, and blood energy also appeared to resemble the form of a dragon. His fists resembled the dragon's head; with each punch thrown, it triggered a continuous sound of energy explosions within a radius of ten feet. Each swing of his fists was as if burdened by a heavy mountain, carrying immense weight. Zhuang Wudao's own muscles, bones, and blood energy also appeared to resemble the form of a dragon. His fists resembled the dragon's head; with each punch thrown, it triggered a continuous sound of energy explosions within a radius of ten feet.

After taking a refreshing bath, Zhuang Wudao changed into a set of clean clothes

This sword is truly too sinister, and the woman in his dreams is becoming increasingly significant to him. Perhaps this decayed sword conceals some monumental secret

Dan is the Nourishing Marrow Pill. Seven days ago, while clearing out the discarded weapons in the academy, I earned some extra money. Zhuang www.hetushucomcom exchanged a total of twenty Nourishing Marrow Pills.

Why is it this dream again? It seems never-ending

It is also by relying on this set of martial arts that he was able to secure the position of chief disciple at the Yuecheng Licheng Academy.

At the moment of departure, he hesitated slightly but still took the decayed sword in his hand

The progress today is quite good; in no more than three to five months, he will be able to enter the Qi Refinement stage and become a true cultivator

As they approached three miles from Yuecheng, Zhuang Wudao suddenly withdrew his energy and began to proceed with caution

Unfortunately, there are only twenty of these Nourishing Marrow Pills. If there were ten more, would there be any need for three months?

With his thoughts subdued, Zhuang Wudao began to ponder again whether he should have someone completely smelt this decayed sword in a furnace. However, if the final result were to be no different from the previous days, what should he do then

It is said that in the Golden Elixir realm, one can fly through the air. However, cultivators below the Golden Elixir level must engage in combat on the ground. Furthermore, if one's foundation is solid, it will be quite beneficial for flying in the future.

Then strange events began to unfold one after another. Whenever he fell asleep, he would dream of the girl whose face he could not clearly see. And each time he awoke from the dream, he would find himself gazing at this decayed sword

In the realm of Tianyi, all nations hold martial arts and immortal techniques in high esteem, and there are countless cultivators in the world. Although the methods of cultivation vary, the realms are generally similar. There are four realms: Qi Training, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul, with each realm comprising twelve levels.

In the colorful, misty haze, a shadowy young girl is gazing down from a high vantage point. Her features are indistinct, but the tone of her voice is remarkably earnest.

However, most practitioners in the world are like this. The methods of harmonizing energy and nurturing the spirit are almost entirely controlled by those prominent families and sects, kept secret and undisclosed. Practitioners without a foundation in the common folk can only start from external skills.

Among the three hundred disciples of the academy, there are not a few who are close to the Qi Refining Realm. Yet, there is not a single one who can contend with him, Zhuang Wudao

The soil in this streambed is slippery, yet he not only stands firm but is also able to practice his punches in the waist-deep current without a single misstep. His solid stance clearly indicates that he has reached a certain level of proficiency

At this moment, he knelt down in a cross-legged position, with his five hearts directed towards the heavens. And indeed, resting perfectly on his knees was a sword.

Zhuang Wudao's circumstances are relatively favorable. Although he is an orphan, the academy he belongs to is the Yuecheng Academy, which is affiliated with the Lichen Sect. Within the Martial Classics Building, there are hundreds of complete external martial arts techniques. While there are no truly exceptional skills, the techniques are all quite respectable, and there are more than forty first-rate introductory techniques. Once mastered, they promise a bright future.

Zhuang Wudao has exhausted all means in recent days but still cannot escape. He suspects that this sword is somehow related to the girl from his dreams. On the fourth day, he threw the sword into the river; on the fifth day, he buried the sword three zhang deep in the ground and placed a three-thousand-jin boulder on top of it. On the sixth day, he smashed the sword into pieces with a hammer and threw the fragments into an unfathomable abyss

In seven years, he has perfected this set of twelve Dragon Strikes to the utmost. The form and essence are both present, accompanied by the sound of a dragon's roar, which signifies the mark of having just entered the path.

After executing three consecutive sets of the Tiger Fist, the sky was already filled with countless stars. At this moment, Zhuang Wudao was drenched in sweat, yet he felt no trace of fatigue. On the contrary, he was full of vigor, his face brimming with excitement.

Even if one cannot join a sect, become a resident martial arts master of an academy, or become an outer disciple of the Dusty Sect, it would still be enough to evoke great envy.

In the fifteen years since he has had memory, he has never encountered such a perplexing and difficult matter.

Yuecheng is just forty li away, and Zhuang Wudao is sprinting through the dense forest, moving swiftly like a rabbit and a hawk. In just a moment, he covers ten li.

The words spoken by the young girl have left a deep impression on Zhuang Wudao; coming and going, it was just that one sentence from earlier.

A talent for swordsmanship that is one in ten thousand? This seems rather exaggerated. When I first began my martial arts training, several instructors in the dojo advised me that I was clumsy with my hands and that it would be best to abandon the sword and focus solely on mastering the fist techniques.

Zhuang Wudao's lips also curled into a faint smile. Among the Twelve Styles of the Dragon Subduing Strike, seven styles have already been able to emit the roar of a dragon

However, every time the next day arrives, whether he is in meditation or asleep, he invariably enters the same dream. Upon waking, the sword remains intact and returns to his side.

However, Zhuang Wudao only felt a chill throughout his body, as a wave of cold air surged into his heart

The Dragon Subduing Strike is powerful and unmatched, and Zhuang Wudao is exerting all his strength in its execution. In just half an hour, after performing a set of boxing techniques ten times in succession, Zhuang Wudao is already panting heavily, unable to continue.

Zhuang Wudao, however, had no mind to appreciate this beautiful scenery and instead focused his gaze ahead of him

The origin of this sword is quite mysterious. About seven days ago, he was on duty as the chief disciple, responsible for organizing the armory of the academy. It was during this time that this decayed sword was found among the items.

You are a rare talent in swordsmanship! If you practice swordsmanship with me, after at most ten thousand years, you could become an unparalleled immortal king

Could it be that I have truly encountered something sinister

After taking the Yang Sui Dan, Zhuang Wudao adopted the stance of the Tiger Subduing Fist and began to strike with powerful punches

This is a riverside by a waterfall, where the evening sun casts its glow, turning the clear stream into a shade of crimson.

The sword is one finger wide, four feet and three inches long, with a narrow and elongated blade, covered in mysterious ancient patterns, yet marred by rust. On the edge of the blade, there are more than ten nicks.

Without hesitation, Zhuang Wudao reached out and pinched his own skin, and indeed felt no pain at all

This is also the sum of the tasks he set for himself. While running at high speed, he must constantly avoid trees, practicing the art of land sprinting and evasive maneuvers.

However, there are nearly one hundred educational institutions in Yuecheng Middle School. Li Chen Academy is merely one of the lowest-ranking institutions, and this achievement is not worth boasting about

At that time, it was of no concern, as the sword was severely damaged. He treated it along with a large batch of discarded swords and weapons as scrap metal and sold it in bulk to several blacksmiths in the eastern part of the city

Three paths, though ultimately leading to the same destination, are marked by the generation of true essence as one steps into the first level of Qi Refinement. However, the first two paths are significantly more convenient for cultivation, allowing for a time savings of up to fifty percent. Even with poor aptitude, completion can be achieved in four to five years

From the outside to the inside, when the practice of marrow refinement reaches great accomplishment, the source of energy will naturally arise within the body

With another violent shake of his head, this colorful world suddenly shattered into fragments. Zhuang Wudao also awakened from his slumber and opened his eyes

The sound of the fist wind surged, faintly, one could distinctly hear the roar of a dragon. Meanwhile, within a radius of one hundred feet, all snakes, insects, mosquitoes, and ants were utterly silent.

However, individuals like Zhuang Wudao, who cultivate external skills to strengthen their physical bodies, practice six minor realms of external skills: refining the skin, training the bones, exercising the tendons, conditioning the membranes, cultivating the blood, and honing the marrow

The Fuhu Quan consists of seventy-two forms. Among the first twenty-four forms, every four forms correspond to one of the minor realms in the cultivation of skin, bones, tendons, membranes, blood, and marrow, with particularly remarkable effects.

Naturally, this is hearsay on his part; whether it is true or not remains unknown

With a sigh, Zhuang Wudao casually inserted the decayed sword at his side and then stepped into the water. First, he took a greenish-blue pill from his bosom and swallowed it, then stood firmly on his feet.

After all, after a good sleep, this sword will return to my side. It would be better to take it back and study it thoroughly.

Then, standing quietly in the water, I focused on my breathing and cultivated my energy. After a moment, the surging vitality finally settled down.