Chapter 80

（Thank you all for your support, I appreciate it greatly.）

The mountain wind roared, the sea of clouds surged, and the light and shadows were disordered.

Chen Zong drew his sword, the sword's light flared up, spreading in all directions. When the light faded, the sword was already back in its sheath, as if it had never been drawn.

The mountain wall, like tofu, now bore a new sword mark, sharp at both ends.

"With the same energy consumption, the power of the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword has increased by at least ten percent," Chen Zong said happily.

The Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword was undoubtedly the strongest sword technique he had mastered. It was a killing move, but he had previously been unable to find a way to improve it. Now, with some understanding, he had integrated the essence of the Light Splitting Sword Technique, increasing its power by ten percent.

Ten percent might not sound like much, but the actual effect was very noticeable.

In a martial artist's battle, a slight difference could determine life or death.

He drew his sword, the sword's light was bright, like starlight shining, as if a solitary star had appeared and descended into the world. When it dissipated, another new sword hole, three inches deep, appeared on the mountain wall.

The mountain wall, having endured the wind and rain for years, was quite hard. To pierce it three inches with one strike was astonishing.

"You are a disciple of the Sword Radiance Hall of the Seven Radiance Martial Academy?" Suddenly, a gentle voice came, and Chen Zong turned back alertly. He didn't know when, but a person was standing a dozen meters behind him, looking to be in his thirties or forties, with an ordinary appearance, but his eyes were unforgettable.

Bright like a sword drawn from its sheath, deep like the vast ocean.

He wore a white robe, elegant and refined, with a long sword at his waist, which seemed to be a decoration, like the ancient scholars who liked to wear precious swords.

But if anyone really thought so, they wouldn't know how they would die.

Chen Zong keenly noticed that when the strong mountain wind blew, the person's hair and the corners of his clothes did not move at all, as if they were frozen. The person was clearly standing there, yet gave him a feeling of being illusory, like the clouds in the sky, unpredictable and ever-changing.

Highly alert, Chen Zong's eyes were sharp, staring at the other person.

He might not be a match, but he wouldn't sit and wait to die.

"What is your name?" The middle-aged man spoke again, his gentle voice seemed to have a soothing effect, without any malice, gradually easing Chen Zong's tension.

"Chen Zong." Chen Zong's voice was solemn.

"Your sword technique is good." The middle-aged man seemed not to notice the vigilance and caution in Chen Zong's eyes, and smiled faintly. After speaking, his figure disappeared, as if he had never appeared.

"How strange..." Chen Zong couldn't help but shake his head, full of confusion, feeling a sense of unreality, yet he could confirm that someone had indeed appeared before him and spoken to him.

"Training Essence Realm?"

"Probably not."

"Could it be True Martial Realm..." Thinking of this, Chen Zong couldn't help but draw a cold breath.

Having received the inheritance of the Dragon Subduing True Man, he knew the existence of the True Martial Realm, but this was the first time he had seen a living True Martial Realm expert. Shaking his head, the True Martial Realm was still too far away.

...

"Two Essence Blood Fruits refined, cultivation reached the peak of the Blood Qi Realm's sixth layer, the power of the Heavenly Light and Cloud Shadow Sword increased by ten percent, the first level of the Lone Star Sword Technique reached the minor accomplishment stage, overall strength has improved somewhat."

Carrying the scorpion tails and the iron scales, fangs, and claws of the Bloodthirsty Ironscale Beast, Chen Zong rapidly descended the mountain.

After several days on the mountain, tomorrow would be his turn to enter the Boiling Blood Pool, and he could use the power of the Boiling Blood Pool to break through to the Blood Qi Realm's seventh layer.

When he stepped into the Sword Radiance Hall, it was already late.

"... There's a ... True Martial ..."

"... Also ... practicing sword ..."

"... ... martial arts lecture ..."

People walked by in the distance, their conversation intermittent, and a few words fell into Chen Zong's ears, making him thoughtful.

He rushed to the Hundred Affairs Pavilion, handed over ten scorpion tails and one Essence Blood Fruit, and received a voucher. Then he sold six scorpion tails, some herbs, and the materials of the Bloodthirsty Ironscale Beast.

The Hundred Affairs Pavilion handled various tasks, not just missions, but also the purchase of herbs and beast materials. In the end, Chen Zong received over ten thousand white jade coins, most of which came from the materials of the Bloodthirsty Ironscale Beast. If the iron scales were not so obviously damaged, their value would have been even higher.

Thus, the punishment from White Jade Mountain was completed, and the rest was no longer his concern. He bought a jar of ten pounds of strong liquor and returned to his courtyard, sealed the Essence Blood Core inside, and stored it, waiting for forty-nine days to open and drink it.

Leaving the courtyard, he headed to the dining hall.

"Isn't that Chen Zong?"

"He actually returned alive."

"Probably came back in a hurry."

All the disciples of the Sword Radiance Hall knew that Chen Zong had been punished by White Jade Mountain, tasked with obtaining ten scorpion tails and one Essence Blood Fruit. Seeing Chen Zong disappear and then reappear, unharmed, they speculated endlessly.

Ignoring them, after having dinner, Chen Zong went to the ninth courtyard to find Chen Chuyun, but Chen Chuyun was not there.

Courtyard number eighty-eight.

After a brief rest, Chen Zong practiced his sword.

...

"Actually completed the punishment task." White Jade Mountain received the news and was very surprised, his eyes narrowing, a glint of sharpness flashing. Thinking of how Chen Zong's sword technique had reached the level of four changes in one strike, and had mastered the Lone Star Sword Technique to the entry level in just ten days, he felt an indescribable jealousy.

He didn't know that Chen Zong's sword technique had actually reached the level of five changes in one strike, and the Lone Star Sword Technique had reached the minor accomplishment stage. Otherwise, he might have directly drawn his sword and killed his way to courtyard number eighty-eight.

"Brother, Bai Zhongping hasn't returned." When Bai Yulou came, he said directly, leaving White Jade Mountain confused. After learning the details, White Jade Mountain said firmly, "Chen Zong does have some strength, but he can't be a match for Zhongping."

One was at the Blood Qi Realm's sixth layer, the other at the eighth layer, with the seventh layer in between, the gap was very obvious. No matter how skilled Chen Zong's sword technique was, he couldn't bridge such a gap.

"I think so too, but I have a bit of an uneasy feeling," Bai Yulou said, shaking his head. "Maybe Bai Zhongping didn't find Chen Zong."

After practicing, he rested and regained his strength.

When the sky brightened, Chen Zong sheathed his sword and left the courtyard, first going to the dining hall for breakfast, then quickly heading to the Eight Directions Martial Ground.

The Eight Directions Martial Ground had eight paths, seven of which led to the seven halls, and the eighth to the Boiling Blood Pool mechanism building and other places.

The Boiling Blood Pool opened once a day, from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, a total of twelve hours, allowing twelve people to train.

Those who couldn't enter at the right time naturally wouldn't come to waste their time.

Fortunately, the Seven Radiance Martial Academy had a rule that no one could challenge the person entering the Boiling Blood Pool the day before, otherwise, there would be many people preparing to challenge and take their place.

Following the winding gravel path, after about ten minutes of brisk walking, Chen Zong saw a sign pointing left, with "Boiling Blood Pool" written on it. The path ahead pointed to the Seven Radiance Hall, which only opened for major events, and the right path led to the mechanism building.

"I heard there are iron and bronze figures inside the mechanism building, I wonder what they look like?" Chen Zong was curious, but the mechanism building only opened occasionally, and he couldn't enter before it opened.

After a few more minutes of walking, Chen Zong saw a huge stone house, grayish-green, round, with a top like an inverted bowl.

The twelve people had all arrived at the Boiling Blood Pool, some knew each other and chatted, while others were strangers and ignored each other.

"Do you know why the Boiling Blood Pool only opens for twelve hours a day?" A Blood Qi Realm eighth-layer disciple from the Martial Radiance Hall seemed to be showing off, saying to two Blood Qi Realm seventh-layer disciples beside him.

"Please enlighten us, Senior Brother?" The two were very respectful.

"When the Boiling Blood Pool opens, it continuously emits pure blood qi. We enter to absorb the pure blood qi for cultivation. The twelve hours it is closed are for producing the pure blood qi." The Blood Qi Realm eighth-layer disciple nodded, quite pleased with himself.

"Then, Senior Brother, how does the Boiling Blood Pool produce the pure blood qi?" One of the two couldn't help but ask, his face full of curiosity.

Chen Zong was also very curious, as the Boiling Blood Pool seemed quite mysterious.

"Knowing that entering the Boiling Blood Pool for cultivation is beneficial is enough. Why ask so many questions?" The Blood Qi Realm eighth-layer disciple's expression stiffened, and he scolded a bit angrily, as he didn't know how the Boiling Blood Pool produced the pure blood qi.

After being scolded, no one asked any more questions, and they fell silent, waiting for the time to arrive.

At 8:00 AM, the stone room's door opened on time, and the twelve people entered one after another.

"Hand over your ranking plaques." A steward in a brown short robe at the entrance of the door said roughly.

The twelve people each took out their ranking plaques and handed them over.

"Remember, once inside, don't run around. Each person chooses a cultivation room, no noise, no disturbance, no conflict. Violators will be directly disqualified and not allowed to enter the Boiling Blood Pool for a year." The steward's voice was rough and harsh, with a bad temper, but no one paid attention to him.

Entering the stone room, Chen Zong could see in the center a transparent crystal enclosure, inside which was a pool of blood-red water about five meters in diameter, thick and boiling like lava, with blood-colored bubbles bursting and red mist spreading in all directions.

Surrounding the blood pool were twelve small cultivation rooms. Each person chose one and entered, sitting cross-legged on a mat woven from silver-threaded grass.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Zong could smell a faintly fishy odor entering his nostrils, and his blood qi seemed to be called forth, stirring.

Bubbles! Bubbles!

The sound of blood bubbles was continuous, as if with a unique rhythm.

His whole body felt warm, as if soaking in a hot spring, very comfortable, making him want to lie down and have a good sleep.

"I really don't know how this pure blood qi is produced. It can't just appear out of nowhere," Chen Zong muttered to himself. "I've heard that the Boiling Blood Pool has existed for hundreds of years. Even if it can produce itself, it would still consume resources. It's been so many years, and it's still here, truly amazing."

Then he shook his head.

"I'm here to cultivate, not to investigate the secrets of the Boiling Blood Pool."

Saying this, he cleared his mind of all distractions, focused on himself, and began to practice the True Sword Heaven-Defying Technique.

The third level of the True Sword Heaven-Defying Technique not only increased the power of the sword and sword technique by twenty percent but also had a thirty-five percent increase in cultivation and recovery speed, which was quite astonishing. Immediately, a large amount of pure blood qi spread toward Chen Zong.

Compared to Chen Zong, the other eleven people were not inferior, but the cultivation techniques they practiced were at most upper-grade human level, and none had reached the fourth level, which was far from the third level of the True Sword Heaven-Defying Technique.