Chapter 78

Chapter 79: Xu Yan Breaks Through, Meng Chong Enters the Martial Path

Li Xuan stood up, his expression solemn, and said, "Disciple, a clear sword heart is merely the foundation of the sword path. You still have a long way to go. The sword path is endless, so do not be arrogant or impatient!"

Xu Yan's expression turned serious. He took a deep breath and respectfully said, "Yes, Master. I will calm my mind and proceed steadily, firmly advancing on the sword path!"

"Good!"

Li Xuan nodded, his face filled with satisfaction. "Since you have achieved a clear sword heart and entered the sword path, I will guide you in the direction of the sword path today."

Xu Yan listened attentively, his heart surging with excitement.

"After achieving a clear sword heart, the second realm of the sword path is the Heart-Sword Realm.

"My heart has a sword, and all things in heaven and earth can be my sword.

"Encountering a mountain, the mountain is my sword; encountering rivers and lakes, they are all my swords... every blade of grass and every tree is my sword.

"Mountains have the momentum of a sword, water has the momentum of a sword... all things in heaven and earth are the swords of my heart..."

The second realm of the sword path is the Heart-Sword Realm!

Xu Yan's heart raced. All things in heaven and earth can be a sword?

Encountering a mountain, the mountain can be my sword.

Rivers can be my sword!

It is truly profound. At this moment, he felt his own insignificance.

The Heart-Sword Realm!

It is so far from me.

What kind of sword path realm is it?

In his mind, he involuntarily imagined raising his hand, turning a mountain into a sword, and striking down enemies with a powerful blow.

"Disciple, to break through to the Heart-Sword Realm, you first need to comprehend the sword intent."

Li Xuan looked at Xu Yan, whose face was flushed with excitement, his eyes burning with passion and longing, and smiled gently.

Doesn't it sound profound?

Indeed, the more profound it sounds, the more motivated Xu Yan becomes. He never doubts whether such profound things are fake or whether they can be achieved.

He only charges forward with renewed vigor toward this goal.

What a good disciple!

Li Xuan sighed. Taking Xu Yan as a disciple was the most correct decision he made in his two lifetimes.

"Yes, Master!"

Xu Yan nodded respectfully.

Sword intent!

Comprehend the sword intent!

"All things in heaven and earth can be used to comprehend the sword intent. However, you must remember that the most taboo in comprehending the realm is obsession. If you are too obsessed, you will be trapped and unable to grasp the true essence.

"Do not blindly try to comprehend the sword intent and neglect your own cultivation.

"Since you have a clear sword heart, comprehending the sword intent is just a matter of time. Perhaps one day while cultivating the Dragon Subduing Palm, you will suddenly comprehend it.

"Sword intent is not something you can only comprehend while cultivating the sword path."

Li Xuan instructed earnestly.

I must not let my disciple neglect the cultivation of the Dragon Subduing Palm for the sake of the sword path.

Palm and sword, both unparalleled, is the right path for Xu Yan.

"If you comprehend the intent of the Dragon Subduing Palm, you can also understand the sword intent by analogy. Conversely, if you comprehend the sword intent, you can also understand the intent of the Dragon Subduing Palm.

"How much you can comprehend depends on you."

Li Xuan pondered that it was time for Xu Yan to try to comprehend the palm intent of the Dragon Subduing Palm.

If he really comprehends it, his strength will surely soar.

"Master, I understand!"

Xu Yan said respectfully.

"Good, cultivate well."

Li Xuan sat down again.

The realm of the sword path after the Heart-Sword Realm can be taught to Xu Yan after he comprehends the Heart-Sword Realm.

Otherwise, teaching too much at once might affect his comprehension, which would be a poor strategy.

We must proceed step by step, firmly and steadily.

"Yes, Master!"

Xu Yan nodded.

Li Xuan glanced at Meng Chong and said, "Your junior brother has encountered a bottleneck. Spar with him to stimulate his blood and qi, helping him break through the bottleneck!"

Xu Yan was taken aback, turned to look at Meng Chong, and instantly understood.

When he broke through the Golden Bone bottleneck and successfully refined Jade Bone, it was thanks to the Fire Mane Wolf.

His junior brother cultivates the physical martial path and is stuck at the Golden Bone stage, unable to further refine the Vajra Crystal Bone.

He needs external force to temper his body, stimulate his blood and qi, and break through the bottleneck.

"Yes, Master!"

Xu Yan nodded.

Meng Chong cultivates the physical martial path. The best way to break through the bottleneck is through external force, which not only pressures him but also stimulates his potential, breaking the bottleneck.

The method is actually quite simple.

Of course, it also depends on his aptitude. If his aptitude is not good, no matter how much he is tempered or pressured, he will only harm himself and not break the bottleneck.

Meng Chong's physical aptitude is clearly high, so he will not harm himself.

Instead, he will stimulate his potential through tempering and pressure, breaking the bottleneck and refining the Vajra Crystal Bone.

When Meng Chong broke through the Bronze Bone bottleneck, it was because he was stimulated by the cold internal qi of Bloodless Heart, which ignited his potential, making his blood boil and breaking the bottleneck.

"Junior brother, come, let's spar."

Xu Yan waved to Meng Chong.

"Good!"

Meng Chong nodded.

The two left Yunshan County and went outside the city to spar.

In name, it was a sparring session, but in reality, it was to temper Meng Chong's body and stimulate his potential, helping him break through the bottleneck.

Outside Yunshan County, in the mountains and forests.

A loud boom echoed.

Xu Yan's blood and qi surged, and he struck one palm after another, the scorching blood and qi continuously hitting Meng Chong.

Meng Chong activated the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield, his body like a golden bell, humming under the impact of blood and qi, with his muscles trembling.

"Not enough, make it stronger."

Meng Chong said, his muscles bulging.

"Good!"

Xu Yan raised an eyebrow. His junior brother's body is truly formidable, worthy of the physical martial path.

Boom!

The blood and qi intensified, enveloping Meng Chong.

After half an hour, Meng Chong could no longer hold on, panting heavily, his skin red, muscles trembling, and bones making faint sounds.

Tempering the body, stimulating potential, and breaking the bottleneck cannot be achieved in one or two sessions.

"Junior brother, that's enough for today. We'll continue tomorrow!"

Xu Yan stopped.

"Good, thank you, senior brother!"

The two returned to the courtyard, and Li Xuan nodded silently.

Although Meng Chong had not yet broken through the bottleneck and entered the stage of refining the Vajra Crystal Bone, he had improved, and the bottleneck had loosened slightly.

Over the next few days, Meng Chong continued to temper his body under the impact of Xu Yan's blood and qi, but he was always just a little short of breaking the bottleneck.

Li Xuan thought for a moment. If this method continued, he could break through the bottleneck, but it would take a longer time.

So, when Meng Chong returned from tempering his body, the bottleneck had loosened, but he was still a little short of breaking through, needing a little stimulation.

Li Xuan took out a spirit crystal, recalling the method of absorbing essence and blood from the Blood Devil Scripture, and made slight adjustments, using true qi to absorb the spiritual energy from the spirit crystal.

This was not difficult for Li Xuan at his current level.

His strength was there.

A thread of spiritual energy was extracted from the spirit crystal. Li Xuan raised his hand, and the spiritual energy instantly entered Meng Chong's body.

Sizzle!

At that moment, Meng Chong's blood and qi boiled, as if stimulated and replenished, a loud boom resounded within his body.

Meng Chong was overjoyed.

He hurriedly circulated his blood and qi, beginning to cultivate the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield.

Puff!

A muffled sound echoed within his body, the bottleneck broke, and his blood and qi were refined into his bones.

At this moment, a faint crystal light appeared on the Golden Bones.

"Thank you, Master!"

Meng Chong bowed gratefully.

"Cultivate well and enter the martial path soon."

Li Xuan nodded.

He put away the spirit crystal, which was a precious item for him now.

If Xu Yan broke through to the innate realm and encountered some bottlenecks, he might need to absorb the spiritual energy from the spirit crystal to help him break through faster.

The faster his disciples improve, the faster he can improve.

"Yes, Master!"

Meng Chong nodded excitedly.

"Junior brother, once you enter the martial path, we'll spar again."

Xu Yan said expectantly.

"Good!"

Meng Chong nodded.

"Master, I want to go home for a while."

Xu Yan thought for a moment. He should strive to break through to the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection in the next few days.

He should also go home to guide his family's cultivation.

"Go ahead!"

Li Xuan nodded.

Xu Yan was not far from the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection.

It would happen in the next few days.

However, breaking through to the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection does not mean he can immediately break through to the innate realm.

He needs to settle for a while before starting to break through.

Breaking through also takes time.

Meng Chong was refining the Vajra Crystal Bone and getting stronger every day. He would likely complete the refinement of the Vajra Crystal Bone within a month.

Shi Er watched enviously.

He had also started to refine his bones. Only after personally refining his bones did he realize how difficult it was.

The initial pain of being bitten by countless ants was unbearable, and those with weaker willpower would scream in agony.

Once they screamed, their blood and qi would be interrupted, and the bone refinement would stop.

This made it extremely difficult to complete the bone refinement.

Shi Er, with his strong willpower, had almost given up several times.

But he ultimately endured the most difficult stage.

Now, he felt the changes brought by bone refinement, and his strength had greatly improved.

"I don't expect to reach the Golden Bone stage, so I'll aim for the Bronze Bone stage!"

Shi Er set a goal for himself.

He knew his limits. The Golden Bone stage was too ambitious, and he lacked the aptitude.

The Bronze Bone stage was still achievable.

...

"Your disciple Xu Yan has reached the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection, and your true qi has improved."

Xu Yan broke through to the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection, and the golden finger's feedback arrived.

"One realm short, the feedback is a bit less, but my true qi has improved by about twice."

Li Xuan sighed.

Although his true qi improved by about twice, he was still at the initial stage of the innate realm, but his strength had further increased.

"Now that my sword heart is clear and my sword path foundation is complete, should I try to comprehend the sword intent?"

Li Xuan pondered.

After a long while, he had no clue about comprehending the sword intent and could only put it aside.

"Forget it, such a difficult task is better left to my disciple."

Xu Yan had reached the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection, and the innate realm was not far. Li Xuan looked forward to Meng Chong entering the martial path, hoping he could break through the Blood and Qi Realm before Xu Yan broke through to the innate realm.

What kind of feedback would he get from his second disciple cultivating the newly compiled technique?

More importantly, with the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield, his defense would be enhanced.

Standing still, even a master from the Inner Domain would not be able to break through his defense?

After Xu Yan broke through to the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection, he returned to the small courtyard, settling his realm and preparing to break through to the innate realm.

He often went outside Yunshan County, sitting on the mountain, trying to comprehend the sword intent, and cultivating the Dragon Subduing Palm, trying to comprehend the intent of the Dragon Subduing Palm.

However, there was no significant progress yet.

Ten days after Xu Yan broke through to the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection, Meng Chong, who was cultivating, was enveloped in a faint crystal golden light.

His aura was transforming.

Li Xuan watched silently, his second disciple was about to enter the martial path.

Shi Er watched from a distance, full of envy. Meng Chong was about to enter the martial path, while he was still far from it.

"No wonder the master took him as a disciple; his talent is truly outstanding. I am also fortunate to be able to touch the martial path, cultivate the martial path, and serve the master."

Shi Er sighed.

At this moment, Meng Chong was enveloped in crystal golden light, which gradually formed a golden bell around him.

As time passed, Meng Chong seemed to turn into a golden person, exuding a formidable aura.

Li Xuan nodded, "My second disciple has the appearance of a Vajra Arhat. Teaching him the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield is truly fitting."

Crack!

Suddenly, a sound of tendons and bones echoed.

The crystal golden light around Meng Chong became even stronger, his muscles trembling, and thunderous sounds began to resonate within his body.

His blood and qi turned into crystal golden light, condensing into a golden bell, merging with his body.

A fierce aura, like a storm, was emanating from Meng Chong.

Boom!

Thunder rumbled, and a golden bell appeared.

Dong!

As the golden bell appeared, a bell sound also echoed.

The golden bell, crystal golden light, and blood and qi enveloped Meng Chong, and the thunderous sounds grew louder.

Neighbors poked their heads out, puzzled, wondering why there was thunder on a clear day.

Was it because the county magistrate was immoral?

Or was there a great injustice in Yunshan County?

Li Xuan frowned, flipped his palm, and true qi surged, covering the courtyard, shielding the momentum of Meng Chong's breakthrough.

Roar!

Meng Chong roared, his tendons and bones crackled, his blood and qi condensed into a golden bell, his body covered in crystal golden light, and his muscles became more robust. As his blood and qi circulated, he grew taller.

His already muscular and robust body became even more robust, almost tearing his leather pants.

"I have entered the martial path, and the Great Sun Golden Bell Shield has entered the martial path!"

Meng Chong was overjoyed.

At this moment, he felt his own strength.

Even steel could not match the toughness of his body.

With a thought, the golden bell enveloped him, and any attack could be ignored.

His body had no weaknesses, and the only way to harm him was through brute force.

He felt invincible and could sweep everything away.

Shi Er was stunned by Meng Chong's formidable aura. This was just entering the martial path, and it was already so terrifying?

He felt that even if he reached the Blood and Qi Realm's perfection, he would still be far from the newly initiated Meng Chong.

The gap was too great.

"Come, use the treasure sword to strike me!"

Meng Chong excitedly waved to Shi Er, using the treasure sword given by Xu Yan.

"Good!"

Shi Er did not hesitate this time