Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 404 - The Threat of The Sword Tower’s Powerful Figure, The Domineering Misty Hall’s Palace Mistress of Absolute Beauty

“I’m staking everything on this!” Qing Shui shot out the stone he clutched within his palm. Like a meteor catching up with the moon, it sparked brilliantly yet brought the scent of doom.

Pu!

Young Master Xiao’s head exploded!

The people around them were drenched in his blood and his scattered brain splattered on them. None of them seemed to notice it, however, because they realised how close they were to death at that moment.

Most people in the Xiao Clan could be considered a cultivator, but only very few made it into the Xiantian realm. Young Master Xiao was just a good-for-nothing young man from a wealthy clan. He had only reached the pinnacle of Houtian through consuming medicine pills.

Qing Shui’s armor had raised his strength by a lot. If he was fighting with a cultivator of the same grade or someone who didn’t know Divinity Protection or State of the 7 Stars Armour, they would have been dead or heavily injured by now…...

Second Master Xiao was intimidated earlier on because he was afraid that Qing Shui would catch him off guard with his Divinity Protection technique. However, he no longer had nothing to be afraid of. Although he had a lot of expectation towards the archers at first, the result was still within his expectation in the end. After all, Qing Shui was someone who had single handedly slayed the Yan Clan’s Martial King Grade 7 cultivator.

On top of the Constellation Steel Armor that he currently had on himself, he should be able to finish this young man off without a problem using his current strength. The Second Master Xiao was staring pointedly at Qing Shui.

Roar!

A heaven shaking tiger roar rang out, shaking the pavilion buildings nearby and causing the accumulated snow to slide off from the roofs. The dancing snowflakes made a beautiful scene.

Immovable Mountains!

Nature Energy!

Frenzied Bull’s Strength!

……...

Qing Shui gradually activated all the strength enhancing skills and tightly gripped onto the Big Dipper Sword in his hands!

“Prepare to die!”

The Second Master Xiao yelled and suddenly dashed towards Qing Shui with a gigantic sword in his hands. The gigantic sword hacked towards Qing Shui with the suppressive force of a mountain.

A series of explosive noises was heard over the air, and the pavilion buildings nearby even started shaking. Some of the glazed roof tiles couldn’t withstand the tremors and ended up falling along with the snow that had been piled up on them.

They shattered on the ground with crisp noises that could be heard over a very long distance.

Qing Shui knew that he shouldn’t move backwards. If he didn’t stop his opponent now, then his opponent would gain the upperhand. Qing Shui was neither weak in offensive power nor techniques, but he lacked in experience and applying his techniques in real combats.

Clang!

Qing Shui’s Big Dipper Sword clashed against his opponent’s heavy sword. The wave of powerful force permeated their surroundings.

A rumbling noise was heard!

The nearest pavilion building immediately collapsed to the ground, and some people from the Xiao Clan nearby were killed on the spot from the shockwave. The piled up snow and limestone powder were flying everywhere.

It was only now that Qing Shui witnessed the prowess of Second Master Xiao. No wonder why this old geezer was so arrogant. His strength was actually at the peak of Martial King Grade 9.

Although Qing Shui was cultivating the Ancient Strengthening Technique and didn’t follow the standards of grading used in the World of Nine Continents, his sensitivity towards his opponent’s strength was exceptionally sharp. He could usually be able to sense cultivators that were stronger than him.

Clang clang clang…...

The Second Master Xiao was unleashing a torrent of sword techniques like a violent storm. One slash followed after another. Qing Shui was most surprised about the power in his opponent’s sword, which was gradually increasing.

“Perpetual Sword Technique?”

Qing Shui was aware that there was a type of Perpetual Sword Technique in the World of the Nine Continents, allowing Sword Techniques to be increasingly powerful after each chain of uses. For every sword attack, a trace of power will be stored and carried forward to the next attack, progressively building up the power of techniques.

If conditions allowed, the power on his sword would be increased continuously. Even if it was only a small amount of power, it would be terrifying once accumulated. Such is the might of the Perpetual Sword Technique.

However, the extent of this Perpetual Sword Technique power varied depending on the user’s stamina, attainments, and situation, as well as his opponent’s level of cultivation.

Soon enough, Qing Shui could feel the power on Second Master Xiao’s sword rising sharply. From this, he knew that his Perpetual Sword Technique must have been cultivated to a considerably high level.

Heavenly Thunder Slash!

Frenzied Bull’s Strength!

………...

Sword of Fourth Wave!

Qing Shui exerted every ounce of his strength into this attack. On top of that, this was done just as Second Master Xiao was unleashing his own full powered attack, as Qing Shui knew this was his chance.

This was the only way he could completely put his Sword of Fourth Wave to good use.

He wasn’t afraid to meet force with force. He was more worried that his opponent would discover that he had been concealing his true strength. If that happened, it would be difficult for him to use brute force. This was because all of his formidable techniques required some time to unleash. Vigilant opponents would definitely have more than enough time to evade his attacks.

Second Master Xiao raised his eyebrows at the sudden eruption of Qi stance. A look of shock flashed across his face but was soon replaced by a more ferocious look. Qing Shui could see his opponent clenching his teeth.

Clang clang clang clang!

Second Master Xiao’s pupil constricted at every contact. He had no choice but to clash his gigantic sword against his opponent’s sword with his full strength!

Kacha!

Cling-clang!

The heavy sword fell onto the ground! Second Master Xiao’s face was drained of colours. His palms were ripped and his arms were broken, unable to move!

Qing Shui’s arms—which attained Great Perfection Stage from Divine Arm Clearing Technique—were way stronger than those of Second Master Xiao. When the two enormous forces crashed with each other, the force that was inflicted on Qing Shui’s arms was greater than his opponent.

This was the most basic benefit of the Divine Arm Clearing Technique.

“He actually concealed his true strength…..” Second Master Xiao was thunderstruck by this revelation. He knew that he was going to die.

Qing Shui paused for short while before throwing himself at Second Master Xiao. He felt a jolt of numbing pain in both of his arms just now, but he knew that Second Master Xiao’s arms were already broken, in addition to sustaining internal injuries. Killing him right now would be as easy as turning one’s hand.

“STOP!”

Right at that moment, a dignified voice yelled out.

After hearing that yell, Qing Shui sped up even more. This man needed to be killed. He must not spare this Second Master Xiao. This man must be eliminated!

“Do you wish to cause a war between the Heavenly Palace and Sword Tower? Do you want them to commence the war right now or let the Sword Tower murder your entire clan?” The dignified and threatening voice rang out once again.

Qing Shui pressed a sword to Second Master Xiao’s throat, sinking its blade a little into the skin!

Blood slowly spilled out. The face of Second Master Xiao was already ashened, like that of a corpse.

Qing Shui was an Elder of the Heavenly Palace and this Second Master Xiao was an Elder of the Sword Tower. Why didn’t anyone from the Heavenly Palace do the same for him when he was stuck in a situation like just now? No one had yelled and questioned the opponents if they wish to provoke hostility between the Sword Tower and the Heavenly Palace. Why could Tan Yang, who took Mingyue Gelou away, use the same strategy too? The main reason was because he had a few cultivators with him at that time whom he could not compete with.

Qing Shui’s eyes turned bloodshot in fury. He wished so badly to plunge his sword into his throat!

20 years of grudge. This was the most important moment…...

Yet he wasn’t allowed to, just like how Old Man Cang couldn’t save him back then. He still had a family so he must take the long view.

“Master…..”

Second Master Xiao shouted in delight!

Qing Shui turned around and looked at the skies. There was a gigantic silver coloured tiger in the air that was about 15 meters long. His immediately eyes lit up the moment he saw those pair of massive wings.

Heaven Soaring Silver Tiger!

It was one of the mutated beasts which was also considered to be a much powerful mythical beast.

A middle aged man who appeared to be about 40 years old stood on top of the Heaven Soaring Silver Tiger. He was a dashing man who had graying hair and a stern looking face.

He was the Master of Second Master Xiao? That would make his position equivalent to a Supreme Elder in Heavenly Palace. Qing Shui remembered about Cang Wuya and the bunch of old monsters. This man who stood before him didn’t seem to be old and clumsy. In fact, he looked even younger than Second Master Xiao.

“Release him and I will spare your lives. We will act like today’s incident never happened.” The man looked downwards from a high level at Qing Shui. His superiority made Qing Shui felt extremely irritated.

“What if I don’t release him?” Qing Shui stared back at the man on the back of the Heaven Soaring Silver Tiger. Right at that instant, he could feel the helplessness in his heart.

He who had a good tree behind his back would have a good shade. No matter how strong Qing Shui was, he was still alone without someone behind him. They could think up of many possible methods to make him submit to them.

“Then, even if I don’t do anything, the Heavenly Palace will take care of you. For now, the Heavenly Palace and Sword Tower will not start a war over you alone, so they will definitely choose to sacrifice you.” The voice of the man was full of confidence.

Qing Shui felt like his heart was bleeding right now. He had a feeling that if he finished this Second Master Xiao here today, he and his family would die in this person’s hands even if they tried to escape.

This was a gap. There was still a distance in between Qing Shui’s current strength and this bunch of old fellows. Although it wasn’t huge, the difficulty was like a wide trench. Crossing it would not be a matter of only one or half days.

Is today going to be like this all over again? Qing Shui’s hands were trembling. He was suppressing himself with all the power within him to not plunge this sword into Second Master Xiao’s throat.

Second Master Xiao had been delighted at the appearance of that man earlier. But his face paled once again in terror when he saw Qing Shui’s hands shaking. Even both of his legs were trembling too.

This was a matter of life and death, especially when he could be dead at any moment now. To exhibit these kind of behavior was very normal. Anyone can say that they are not afraid of death, but when their life was being threatened, anyone would be afraid of dying. Such was human instinct.

“Why? Do you really insist on having me to forcefully make you release him?” The man said impatiently. That imposing aura of his was really overwhelming.

“Fine, nevermind!” Qing Shui’s heart felt like it had sunk to the bottom of the valley right at that instant. At the same time, it held resentment and a very, very deep grudge…..

However, a bird’s cry clearly rang out right at that moment!

Screech!

“Qing Shui, you are not alone! Kill him and see what he can do about it!”

When Qing Shui heard the bird’s cry, he had the sudden impulse to tear up. That was the cry of Blue Luan, the mount that they Misty Hall’s Palace Mistress rode. Qing Shui had no idea when had this sound become so familiar to him.

He felt like the blood in his entire body was lit up in flames when he heard that domineering sacred melodious voice.

Pu!

His long sword directly pierced through Second Master Xiao. He then slid into the crowd of the bunch of good-for-nothings from Xiao Clan, lifted the sword in his hands and killed them all. He had already witnessed the ugly sides of these people in Yan City last time.

Qing Shui had said it before, anyone who had bullied Qing Qing needed to die. Even if not within 10 years, then 20 years would do…...

The violet power in Qing Shui transformed into a bloodthirsty demon. By the time he had unleashed all of the suppressed emotion within him, and almost every single one of those good-for-nothing people had been massacred.

Qing Shui raised his head and looked at the Blue Luan in the air. The Misty Hall’s Palace Mistress was fully dressed in a snow white garment. Her hair done in a high bun fastened by a white phoenix hairpin, appearing untainted by even a speck of dust.

Her face was still concealed by a snow white veil as usual. The uncovered pair of dark and deep eyes of hers had an ethereal glow, even exuding a slight aura of magnificence.

She carried a similar aura and allure that Canghai Mingyue had, along with Yiye Jiange’s extraordinary grace!

She was also the most powerful figure on the Greencloud Continent. Her strength had already reached its peak when there was no Martial Saint grade cultivator on the Greencloud Continent.

This was the second time she came in time of danger. Qing Shui gazed upon this unattainable woman, sighing sorrowfully in his heart. He didn’t understand why she had help him.

Right now, she was someone like Yiye Jiange to Qing Shui, someone whom he owed favors to. And he would never be able to repay everything to them in his whole life.