Chapter 51

(Sorry, this chapter is a bit late, the child has a slight fever)

In the midst of the dark and gloomy Dragon Ridge, lightning snakes darted through the air, and a torrential rain fell, as if trying to submerge the entire mountain.

At the Chen family mine, the camp was in ruins, with water pooling in the numerous pits and holes.

A group of people, dressed in straw raincoats and wearing bamboo hats, approached quickly.

At a glance, apart from the water and the dilapidated houses, the ground was littered with the bodies of both beasts and humans.

"Check if there are any survivors," a deep voice said, tinged with sorrow.

The group quickly sprang into action, but they found no survivors.

This group was from the Chen family. If Chen Zong were present, he would recognize that the leaders were Elders Chen Liwei and Chen Xing, with the others being the Chen family's Iron Guards.

It was unclear what had caused the beast horde to attack the camp, resulting in heavy casualties. Steward Chen Shaojie lost an arm, and with the protection of the elders and the Iron Guards, he managed to escape with six clan members. The elders were killed by the heavily armored oxen, and all thirty of the Chen family's Iron Guards were also sacrificed.

For the Chen family, such a loss had not been seen in decades, causing them great pain and sorrow.

"There are still four clan members who haven't returned. Elder Xing, you take a team, and I'll take another. We'll search in different directions," Elder Chen Liwei said.

Among the four, two were from the Heavenly Courtyard and two from the Earthly Courtyard, including Chen Zong.

"Alright," Elder Xing replied, his heart heavy.

Each clan member was a future strength of the Chen family, especially Chen Zong, one of the Four Young Heroes of Fengwu, with extraordinary talent. His future achievements might even surpass those of the elders. If he were to die, it would be a significant loss for the Chen family.

Moreover, Elder Xing had watched Chen Zong grow stronger step by step and had a high regard for him.

...

Chen Zong examined the six porcelain bottles one by one.

Inside the oil paper was twenty Energy Pills. Chen Zong took one to replenish his strength and ease his hunger.

Three of the porcelain bottles contained Beast Blood Pills, totaling thirty. One bottle contained Red Blood Pills, totaling five. The last bottle contained a fragrant, slightly bitter powder, which was a wound-healing powder suitable for sprinkling on wounds to disinfect, stop bleeding, and accelerate healing.

The three booklets were three foundational martial arts techniques.

*Snake Shadow Hand*!

*Wind Splitting Palm Technique*!

*Lightning Flash Sword Technique*!

As for the fist-sized black iron plate, it was very heavy, several times heavier than an equally sized piece of heavy iron. Chen Zong didn't know what it was, but since the snake person had kept it, it must have some use. Chen Zong also stored it away.

There were over a dozen herbs, the lowest being second-grade herbs and the highest being fifth-grade herbs.

Holding the three booklets, Chen Zong moved to the cave entrance to read them in the dim light. After flipping through *Snake Shadow Hand*, he confirmed that it was the foundational martial art the snake person had practiced.

As for *Wind Splitting Palm Technique* and *Lightning Flash Sword Technique* and the other items, they might have been obtained by the snake person after killing other martial artists. Now, they all belonged to Chen Zong.

Of the three foundational martial arts, Chen Zong was only interested in *Lightning Flash Sword Technique* and read it several times.

This was a sword technique that could rival the Li family's prestigious *Clear Wind Sword Technique*, but it still fell short of the *True Sword Eight Forms*.

"Should I practice it?" Chen Zong muttered to himself.

"Then let's practice it," he decided without much hesitation.

Compared to his peers, Chen Zong had practiced a significantly greater number of martial arts.

Under normal circumstances, most martial artists rarely practice new foundational martial arts due to lack of time. However, Chen Zong believed that practicing more foundational sword techniques might be beneficial.

From *Residual Image Willow Strike*, *Eagle Strike*, *True Sword Eight Forms*, and the *Basic Eighteen Forms*, Chen Zong had already felt significant benefits. His control over the sword was stronger, and his sword techniques were more flexible, adaptable to both hardness and softness, strength and weakness.

Different sword techniques have different ways of exerting force. While there might be many commonalities, each technique has its unique aspects. Chen Zong had a vague understanding of this, but it wasn't clear enough.

*Lightning Flash Sword Technique* has seven forms, a technique that uses unique force application to vibrate the sword, producing flashes of light and thunderous sounds, emphasizing the interplay of light and sound.

It starts with the *Hidden Thunder Form* and ends with the *Thunderclap Form*.

Outside, the heavy rain continued, showing no signs of weakening. Chen Zong read through *Lightning Flash Sword Technique* several times, pondered it, and then entered the cave, drew his sword, and assumed the *Hidden Thunder Form*.

His right hand was injured, so he practiced with his left hand.

He exerted force with his palm, causing the sword to vibrate, producing a faint sound, like lightning hidden in the clouds, gathering strength.

For any foundational martial art, the starting form is crucial, affecting the execution of subsequent moves.

He continuously adjusted himself, increasing the frequency of his palm's vibrations, making the sword vibrate faster and the muffled sounds more pronounced.

He thrust the sword forward!

*Heavy Thunder Form*!

The muffled sound intensified, and with the second thrust, it became extremely loud, like rolling thunder.

*Resounding Thunder Form*!

One thrust after another, the sound grew louder, and then light began to shine, becoming incredibly intense.

The final thrust, *Thunderclap Form*.

The sound and light merged, forming a blinding flash.

After three repetitions, Chen Zong had mastered the basics of *Lightning Flash Sword Technique*.

This practice speed was much faster than before.

This was due to Chen Zong's four foundational sword techniques reaching the *Subtle* realm, the first level of *True Sword Heaven Supreme Technique*, and his deeper understanding and control of sword techniques.

After thirty repetitions, *Lightning Flash Sword Technique* reached the *Minor Mastery* realm.

After a hundred repetitions, it reached the *Major Mastery* realm.

Reaching the *Perfection* realm, which is beyond *Major Mastery*, cannot be achieved through mere hard work.

However, the *Major Mastery* realm of a foundational sword technique offered little benefit, and reaching the *Perfection* realm only provided minor improvements. Only reaching the *Subtle* realm would have a significant effect.

During a break, Chen Zong walked to the cave entrance to look outside.

The heavy rain continued, as if the world were about to be submerged. Fortunately, the cave entrance was high, or the water would have flooded in, causing trouble.

The sky was dark and low, with countless clouds gathering, as if the sky were about to collapse.

Flashes of light flickered in the cloud layers, like lightning snakes darting about, producing deep and violent sounds that echoed in his ears.

As he watched, Chen Zong suddenly had an epiphany.

In a moment, he drew his sword and continued practicing *Lightning Flash Sword Technique*. With each thrust, the image of the lightning snakes and the intense sounds he had seen flashed through his mind, and his sword technique gradually improved.

After an unknown number of repetitions, Chen Zong suddenly felt a significant change in the sword technique he was performing, a sense of harmony and completeness.

*Lightning Flash Sword Technique* had reached the *Perfection* realm!

"Amazingly fast!" Chen Zong was amazed.

His stronger foundation and the suitable environment had enabled him to achieve the *Perfection* realm of *Lightning Flash Sword Technique* in less than half a day, a miraculous feat.

This kind of miracle was almost impossible to replicate.

Reaching the *Perfection* realm and advancing to the *Subtle* realm was the real challenge.

Chen Zong understood this and did not force it, instead practicing *Light Splitting Sword Technique*.

From his battle with the snake person, he had gained some insights into *Light Splitting Sword Technique*. Now, he aimed to deepen those insights.

At the *Major Mastery* realm, *Light Splitting Sword Technique* produced eight sword lights, but they did not appear simultaneously. Under Chen Zong's control, they appeared one by one, in no particular order.

Then, the eight sword lights attacked individually, not in a straight line, but in a chaotic manner, appearing more random.

As he practiced, Chen Zong suddenly paused, as if turned to stone. All his insights into *Light Splitting Sword Technique* flooded his mind, as if breaking through some barrier.

Chen Zong knew he had fully grasped the essence of *Light Splitting Sword Technique* and had reached the *Perfection* realm.

In the *Perfection* realm, *Light Splitting Sword Technique* still produced eight sword lights, but they could be controlled more freely, increasing their power.

Upon reaching the *Perfection* realm of *Light Splitting Sword Technique*, Chen Zong naturally gained a deeper understanding of *Lightless Sword Technique*.

"Ah, so that's how it is..." He felt a sudden clarity.

Chen Zong smoothly performed the nine guiding movements of *Lightless Sword Technique*, completing the eighth one, which he had previously struggled with.

Without any hesitation, he smoothly completed the ninth movement.

His understanding became even clearer.

After several repetitions, Chen Zong performed the nine movements and thrust his sword, producing eight sword lights. Four of them instantly disappeared, becoming illusions that merged into the other four, making them even more brilliant and powerful.

*Lightless Sword Technique*—*Basic* realm!

In terms of attack power, the *Basic* realm of *Lightless Sword Technique* was stronger than the *Major Mastery* realm of *Light Splitting Sword Technique*, but it also consumed twice the vital energy.

"The *Basic* realm of *Lightless Sword Technique* is slightly more powerful than the *Explosive Sword Form*," Chen Zong concluded after comparing them.

He consolidated his skills, and when his vital energy was depleted, he used *True Sword Heaven Supreme Technique* to recover.

*True Sword Heaven Supreme Technique* had already reached the first level, and he could now begin practicing the second level.

The second level's circulation path was based on the first level but had subtle changes. These changes immediately increased the speed of practicing and recovering vital energy.

Thirty times!

The vital energy was sharp and astonishing. As it circulated in his body, Chen Zong felt a slight stinging, as if being lightly scratched by a sword tip.

"Hmm... *True Sword Heaven Supreme Technique* is superior to the highest-grade human-level techniques, emphasizing vital energy like a sword. The higher the level of practice, the sharper the vital energy, and the greater the sword's power," Chen Zong thought, finding the reason.

"My physical strength has not yet reached its limit, but it can still be enhanced to withstand the higher levels of *True Sword Heaven Supreme Technique*."

Chen Zong estimated that with his current muscle and bone strength, he could only handle up to the third level of *True Sword Heaven Supreme Technique*, not the fourth.

"The Chen family's *Tiger Sun Bone Strengthening Ointment* can strengthen bones, but how can I better enhance my tendons and muscles?"

For a moment, Chen Zong couldn't think of a solution and put it aside. After his vital energy recovered, he began practicing *Wind Stepping Technique*.

Through repeated life-and-death battles, he had used *Wind Stepping Technique* multiple times, which had saved his life in critical moments, deepening his understanding.

He practiced repeatedly, recovering his vital energy when it was depleted.

One step, two steps...

Three steps!

*Wind Stepping Technique* finally reached the *Major Mastery* realm.