Chapter 38

It's truly a raging fire!

Although he had never practiced this sword technique, Shen Muyang immediately recognized the sword technique demonstrated by the masked person in front of him as Raging Fire.

The endless flames, ignited in a single point, spreading over a thousand miles with the momentum of a beacon fire—what else could it be if not Raging Fire?

Shen Muyang leaned against the stone wall, standing there, his lips moving slightly as he muttered to himself.

"Didn't you see clearly?" Han Muye shook his head, and the long sword in his hand gently extended again.

The moment he grasped the hilt, he had already seen the memories contained within the sword.

Shen Muyang had once met the old ancestor Taoran.

Back then, the old ancestor Taoran's fire-vein sword technique was pure and his strength even surpassed the other three old ancestors.

Sometimes, the old ancestor Taoran would give some guidance to the younger disciples.

He enlightened them in the Three Profound Sword Techniques, Cloud and Mist.

He enlightened them in the Two Profound Sword Techniques, Ice and Flame.

With the long sword in hand, Han Muye looked at Shen Muyang in front of him.

Shen Muyang's cultivation was not yet sufficient to comprehend Raging Fire.

However, he could remember it and then go back and tell his master, Su Yuan.

Han Muye's sword moved slowly.

"Raging Fire is a Five Profound Sword Technique, involving a thread of sword momentum."

"Momentum is condensed from sword intent; when the sword is drawn, the sky tilts and cannot be resisted."

Shen Muyang widened his eyes, perked up his ears, and dared not miss a single moment or a single word.

Han Muye's sword first gently extended, then mixed with the intent of wind and thunder.

"Wind aids the fire; without wind, Raging Fire cannot spread a thousand miles in a single breath."

After the wind and thunder, a scorching heat surged, and a fiery red glow appeared in the sword light.

Han Muye's low voice came: "What does Raging Fire burn?"

"Go back and tell your master: red flames connect the sky, all grass and trees wither, a single sword travels a thousand miles, and the beacon fire rages across the land."

"Boom—"

Shen Muyang's eyes were once again filled with flames, and he had to raise his arm to block the intense heat.

"A thousand merit points, noted down."

When the flames dissipated and the room cleared, Han Muye was already gone, leaving only a long sword on the stone platform.

Reaching out to retrieve the sword, Shen Muyang gave a bitter smile.

He couldn't come up with a thousand merit points.

Even his master probably didn't have a thousand merit points now.

The fire-vein was very difficult.

Taking a deep breath, a look of surprise flashed across his face, and he walked out of the room with the sword in hand.

He had to tell his master what he had just seen and heard.

Perhaps this could help his master advance further!

——————

Leaving the Demonstration Hall, Han Muye felt a sense of lightness all over his body.

By passing on the Raging Fire sword technique to someone of the fire-vein, the sword intent he had obtained from the Purple Flame Sword seemed to become even more solidified.

If the sword intent had thoughts, it would probably also hope that the Raging Fire sword technique would not be lost in the fire-vein, right?

But who knew what the old ancestor Taoran was thinking when he betrayed the sect back then?

Thinking too much about these distant matters was useless, so Han Muye focused his mind on the cultivation techniques for the body.

He was going to find the inner gate elite disciple, Zhao Pu.

The inner gate, Three Stone Hall.

The owner of the Three Stone Hall was named Tuoba Cheng, a top expert of the earth-vein in the Nine Profound Sword Sect and a powerful elder in charge of the sect's affairs.

Zhao Pu was cultivating under Tuoba Cheng.

Holding the token given to him by Zhao Pu, Han Muye was allowed in after the gate disciples checked it.

"Why would this person come to our Three Stone Hall?" Han Muye walked into the courtyard, and a young man in a white robe frowned and muttered.

"Hmph, it must be that Lin Shen, who won't give up. I didn't take this person as a disciple, so he's looking for other senior brothers."

The young man's face showed a hint of a cold smile as he watched Han Muye enter the pavilion: "Impure character, and he thinks he's worthy to be a disciple of our Three Stone Hall?"

"I'll make you leave in disgrace soon."

…

The inner gate was indeed different from the outer gate.

In the Three Stone Hall, every person in a white robe had an extraordinary demeanor.

The Three Stone Hall cultivated the earth-vein, and most of its disciples were robust in build.

Most of them were practicing sword techniques, fully focused and without distraction.

The sword techniques were broad and powerful.

In the courtyard of blue stone, several people in white robes were practicing sword techniques and boxing.

"Han Muye!" One of them exclaimed with joy upon seeing Han Muye.

Han Muye smiled and bowed: "Greetings, Senior Brother Zhao Pu."

This bald, tall young man was the elite disciple of the earth-vein, Zhao Pu.

The people around Zhao Pu looked at Han Muye curiously.

"Keep practicing, I'll take him to see Master," Zhao Pu laughed and led Han Muye into the pavilion.

"Master said that if you came, you should go see him directly."

Zhao Pu was very friendly, completely different from his cold demeanor in the Demonstration Hall. He reached out to pat Han Muye's shoulder but, lifting his hand, felt his strength was too great and put it down.

The two climbed the stairs to the pavilion, which was simply decorated with a touch of ancient simplicity.

"Master, Han Muye is here." Zhao Pu's voice was loud.

The old man with white hair, sitting at a long table and holding a brush, paused, the brush touching the paper.

The old man sighed, put away the paper and brush, and then looked up.

His body was as sturdy as a bear, and although he suppressed his appearance, a fierce aura was still visible.

This must be the owner of the Three Stone Hall, Elder Tuoba Cheng of the sword sect.

Han Muye stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Han Muye greets Elder Tuoba."

Tuoba Cheng looked him over, nodded, and said: "I have a good relationship with your Sword Pavilion's Elder Gao. You can call me Uncle Master."

Elder Gao?

Only now did Han Muye realize that the elder of the Sword Pavilion was surnamed Gao.

"Uncle Master, greetings." He complied readily.

The difference between Uncle Master and Elder was significant.

Hearing him call, Tuoba Cheng smiled and said: "Zhao Pu says you're a cultivation genius, and you discovered the secret of the Iron Ox Technique."

Han Muye hurriedly bowed: "I wouldn't dare to call myself a genius, it was just a stroke of luck."

Hearing his words, Tuoba Cheng glared: "Your Sword Pavilion likes to play it safe. Discovering a secret is a skill of yours."

Alright, you're the boss, you decide.

Han Muye lowered his head and said nothing.

"I've studied the Iron Ox Technique, and it's indeed not simple," Tuoba Cheng said, understanding Han Muye's purpose for coming.

The Iron Ox Technique, worth eighty spirit stones, could make an elder say it was not simple, so it seemed he had found a treasure.

"Zhao Pu, demonstrate the subsequent cultivation techniques of the Iron Ox Technique that we have derived in the Three Stone Hall to this young man."

Tuoba Cheng turned to look at Zhao Pu.

Zhao Pu nodded, said nothing more, and immediately spread his feet, a faint green ox shadow condensing behind him.

He bent his waist and punched, each move steady and powerful.

The power flowed, and a second green ox shadow appeared.

Then came the third, fourth, fifth…

By the time the eighth green ox shadow appeared, Zhao Pu's face was serious.

Even Tuoba Cheng sat up straighter.

Han Muye's eyes shone brightly, staring intently at Zhao Pu.

Images flowed through his mind, repeating over and over.

"Boom—"

A loud sound, and the ninth green ox shadow appeared behind Zhao Pu. With the nine shadows out, they swayed and then slowly dissipated.

Both Zhao Pu and Tuoba Cheng's faces showed a hint of regret.

Zhao Pu said softly: "The nine oxen forming is the final form of the Iron Ox Technique, but I always feel something is missing."

Something missing?

Images flowed through Han Muye's mind, a vast aura rising.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at Tuoba Cheng: "Uncle Master, when the nine oxen merge and reverse into the body, how should it be done?"

"Bang—"

Tuoba Cheng shattered the long table with a palm, stood up, and laughed: "First gather the form, then condense the blood, return to the ancient vastness, this is the true essence of body cultivation techniques!"

"Kid, how about coming under my tutelage?"