Chapter 55

(Weakly shouting —— seeking support)

"Floating light of the sky... waves of cloud shadows..."

"Light and shadow intertwine... alternating... vanishing..."

The clouds surged, and sunlight shone from the sky, piercing through the gaps between the clouds, like divine light from beyond, eternal and unextinguished.

The cloud sea was like the fog in Chen Zong's heart and mind, and the heavenly light was like a sharp sword that shattered the fog, bringing countless insights to the surface.

"Light... shadow... they coexist..."

"Heavenly light... cloud shadows..."

Each training session, each life-and-death battle, each accumulation, ultimately led to a breakthrough, breaking the final shackles.

A blazing sun leaped out from the sea of dark clouds, its light shining everywhere.

Blessing filled his heart, and Chen Zong swung his sword, a casual thrust and slash, so effortless, with the strength of his body and blood surging and exploding, all poured into that one sword.

Pouring out all the brilliance of his life.

The precious iron sword emitted an incredibly strong light, like a blazing sun tearing through the clouds, so dazzling it could not be looked at directly, flashing for an instant, then turning into the deepest shadow, as if disappearing into the air, its path hard to discern, and then, as if the floating light of the sky and the waves of cloud shadows alternated and vanished.

When the heavenly light and cloud shadows had all dissipated, a straight sword mark appeared on the mountain wall, over three meters long and two fingers deep.

"Such incredible power..." Chen Zong stared at the three-meter-long sword mark, drawing a sharp breath: "The power of this sword surpasses the Small Success level of the Light and Shadow Separation technique by far. Perhaps even the Great Success level of the Light and Shadow Separation technique cannot compare to it."

A voice in his heart seemed to affirm with certainty that if he further perfected this sword, its power would be comparable to the ultimate level of the Light and Shadow Separation technique.

"Is this... what is known as the True Secret Realm?"

Chen Zong could find no other explanation, as he was very clear that the sword he had just swung was derived from the Residual Image Sword Technique.

When the Microcosmic Realm reached its peak, and the insights and accumulations from each training session became profound, and when he coincidentally saw the floating light of the sky and the waves of cloud shadows, all the accumulations burst forth in an instant, like a divine sword slicing through the sky and shattering the gloom, becoming clear... enlightenment!

Only then did he finally understand the words Li Zhen Shi had said about the True Secret Realm.

"The True Secret Realm can indeed be considered a realm above the Microcosmic Realm, but it can also not be. If the Residual Image Sword Technique is compared to a sword, from the beginner to the Great Success level, it is about trying to touch that sword. The Perfect level is temporarily borrowing the sword from someone else, while the Microcosmic Realm is making the sword one's own."

Chen Zong's thoughts were clear.

"Then, the True Secret Realm is about refining that sword, adding other precious materials, and recasting it, so that it fundamentally and truly belongs to oneself..."

"No, this is not a complete explanation."

"Besides, the True Secret Realm is not only a representation of a high realm but also a new technique, a secret skill..."

"This sword... is derived from the Residual Image Sword Technique..."

"This sword... is enlightened by the floating light of the sky and the waves of cloud shadows..."

"This sword... is the interplay of light and shadow..."

"Thus, this sword... shall be called the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword..."

"True Secret? Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword!" Chen Zong smiled sincerely, feeling a deep, indescribable sense of fulfillment.

Tiger Power Fist, Residual Image Sword Technique, Willow Touching Sword Technique, Eagle Strike Sword Technique, Flash Lightning Sword Technique, True Sword Eight Forms, Small Dragon Subduing Hand, Light and Shadow Separation Technique...

"The number of martial arts I have practiced should far exceed that of my peers."

"But... only the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword is truly mine, my own martial art... my sword technique..."

A strong sense of achievement filled his heart, and Chen Zong took a deep breath, unable to resist a loud laugh.

He was just a boy not yet seventeen, no need to pretend to be mature or act grown-up.

"The power of a Foundation Establishment martial art reaching the True Secret Realm is enough to rival the ultimate level of a low-grade Human Rank martial art, indeed very powerful, but the energy consumption is too great."

That one sword had directly consumed 70% of Chen Zong's physical and blood energy, making it impossible to perform a second sword.

The powerful effect came with a huge energy cost, which was not unacceptable, but this True Secret Sword could not be used as a regular combat technique, only as the strongest killing move.

"The execution of a Foundation Establishment martial art consumes physical strength, the execution of a grade martial art consumes blood energy, and the execution of a True Secret Realm martial art consumes both physical and blood energy, indeed unique."

Running the True Sword Heaven's Ultimate Technique to restore his blood energy, and waiting for his physical strength to recover, Chen Zong gripped the sword hilt with his right hand, the long sword held horizontally in front of him, his eyes fixed on the mountain wall, focusing his mind, clearing all distractions, his eyes becoming incredibly sharp.

His breathing became deep, then almost imperceptible.

The mountain wind howled, but when it reached Chen Zong, it seemed to be influenced by some mysterious aura, becoming gentle, lightly brushing against his body, stirring his hair.

"Chih!"

A low shout, as if coming from a distant sky, his right arm trembled, the long sword transformed into an incomparably intense light, instantly swung, the light vanished, turning into shadow, then into the interplay of light and shadow, covering a few meters in front, impossible to look at directly.

The light and shadow vanished, the long sword returned to its sheath, as if it had never been drawn, but a straight sword mark appeared on the mountain wall.

Over three meters long, two fingers deep, his physical and blood energy were again consumed by 80%, requiring another recovery.

After recovery, Chen Zong performed the technique a third time, then recovered again, and performed it again, repeatedly, for an entire morning, he swung his sword over ten times, leaving over ten straight sword marks over three meters long and two fingers deep on the mountain wall, crisscrossing.

Unconsciously, his understanding of the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword deepened, and it became more refined.

On the twenty-first day in the stone room, there were fewer and fewer books left to read, and Chen Zong would spend part of each day specifically practicing the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword. The more he practiced, the deeper his understanding, gradually grasping the control of power.

Swinging the sword, the interplay of light and shadow left a straight three-meter-long sword mark, one and a half fingers deep.

"This sword, its power is still above the Small Success level of the Light and Shadow Separation technique, but I don't know if it can match the Great Success level of the Light and Shadow Separation technique. The physical and blood energy are consumed by about 40%."

Chen Zong did not know if there were high and low grades or strong and weak realms in True Secret Realm martial arts, but he could determine that their power was composed of two aspects.

One is the essence of the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword, the understanding of light and shadow, and the further refinement of the sword technique.

The other is the amount of energy consumed, the more energy consumed, the stronger the power of the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword, and vice versa.

Understanding this, the True Secret Realm martial arts have no upper limit, theoretically, they can be infinitely improved, while Foundation Establishment and grade martial arts have their limits, and once the limit is reached, even if the cultivation is stronger, it will be constrained.

Realizing this, Chen Zong paid even more attention to the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword and tried to understand other sword techniques to see if they could transcend like the Residual Image Sword Technique and reach the True Secret Realm, but unfortunately, he had no clue.

Enlightenment is closely related to daily accumulation and sudden opportunities, all of which are indispensable, so Chen Zong did not force it.

Focusing his mind, gathering his strength, and then exploding, Chen Zong swung his sword at the mountain wall.

This sword is the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword.

This sword is infused with 100% of his physical and blood energy.

This sword is Chen Zong's attempt to see the full extent of his strongest attack.

The interplay of light and shadow covered five meters in front, and after it dissipated, Chen Zong's face was pale, and he was panting, standing with difficulty as if he had overexerted himself, but his eyes shone with unhidden surprise.

On the mountain wall in front of him, a straight sword mark over four meters long and two and a half fingers deep cut through, shocking to see.

"Such power, I wonder if it can injure a second-grade low-level beast?" Chen Zong thought.

An ordinary second-grade low-level beast is stronger than an ordinary seventh-layer Blood Qi Realm martial artist, and the gap between the seventh layer and the sixth layer of the Blood Qi Realm is greater than the gap between the sixth layer and the fifth layer.

Beasts have strong physical strength, better defense, and more vigorous life force, making them harder to kill.

Without trying, Chen Zong could not judge. If he succeeded, he would be exhausted, and if he encountered other beasts, he would be dead. If he failed, he would also be dead. He was not so foolish as to seek death.

After his physical and blood energy recovered, he practiced other sword techniques.

The twenty-second day!

The twenty-third day!

The twenty-fourth day!

Time passed, and the books left to read were few.

On the twenty-sixth day, only two books were left, and Chen Zong did not plan to break his schedule, deciding to read them the next day.

In front of the cliff, Chen Zong practiced his sword.

Light and Shadow Separation!

Eight sword lights merged into four, then two, and finally one, extremely intense, directly cutting into the mountain wall, leaving a straight three-meter-long, one and a half fingers deep sword mark, consuming 60% of his blood energy.

This sword, at the Great Success level of the Light and Shadow Separation technique, its power was comparable to the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword executed with 40% of physical and blood energy.

Sheathing the sword, he practiced the Small Dragon Subduing Hand.

Palm after palm struck out, each one fierce and brutal, smashing into the mountain wall, breaking the moss, leaving shallow palm prints.

Again and again, and finally, the last palm struck out, his back like a dragon shaking, the power exploded and transmitted, smashing into the mountain wall with a bang, the palm print becoming more indented.

The Small Dragon Subduing Hand at the Great Success level!

The twenty-seventh day!

Chen Zong finished reading the last two books, gently placing them back in their original positions, standing in front of the bookshelf, his gaze slowly sweeping over, the content of 132 books all deeply etched in his mind.

"It's time to leave." He said to himself, walking to the stone table, looking at the five scrolls of animal skin, initially deciding to take them when he left, but now changed his mind, leaving them here was safer, after all, he was still just a small Blood Qi Realm martial artist, he picked up his bag and walked out of the stone room.

Outside the stone room, Chen Zong removed the black iron plate, looking at the seamless mountain wall, his gaze filled with reluctance.

The longer he stayed, the more he did not want to leave. This place was very good.

Reading books, practicing swords, and enjoying the scenery every day, life was very pleasant and carefree, his mind pure.

"But... I still have many things to do, to be spirited and ambitious, to wield a sword in the world... Senior Descending Dragon, I will fulfill your entrustment, farewell."

(End of the page)