Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 533 - Qing Shui’s ascension, Heavenly Palace’s youngest Patriarch

In the face of absolute power, everything would be futile. The overbearing strike from the hammer had come face-to-face with the tall fierce man, who became frightened and pale. All of a sudden, he lifted up his giant blue ax with a negative mentality; not willing to lose to a young man!

Kaboom!

The blue giant ax was easily crushed by the strike. As for the elderly man, he had followed the footsteps of the late Feng Congyun; he had been pounded into lumps of rotten meat.

The Supreme Elders below the hall were thoroughly shaken by the deaths of three people. What was this strength of his? His methods were relentless and savage. Almost all of his attacks had happened in mere seconds.

Some of these Supreme Elders had never known respect from many people because of their shamelessness. However in just a few seconds, three of them had been slaughtered like a dog, but in a clean-cut way. Moreover, Qing Shui did not hesitate when he killed them, which was evidently shown when he slaughtered them without batting an eyelid.

“Anyone else who feels unsatisfied and wish to challenge Qing Shui?” Old Ancestor was still sitting at the top area with an indifference look on his face. He didn’t even look at the audiences below him as he said those words.

He was, after all, the Old Ancestor of Heavenly Palace. In actuality, no one should be allowed to voice their objection on his decisions. However, it was not unusual for this kind of situation to arise whenever there were disagreements among the committee members. Moreover, it was also a great opportunity for Qing Shui to demonstrate his renewed strength by killing off some of the opposition members.

This method may be vulgar, but it was undeniably effective. There were initially some people who badly wanted to cause trouble, but they changed their minds very quickly as soon as they saw how deadly it was to challenge Qing Shui.

The audiences became remarkably silent by the words uttered by the Old Ancestor!

Some were content while others were not!

The old man from Jin Clan was extremely anguished. He felt immensely regretful at that time he gave the cold shoulder to Qing Shui when he’d asked to be an acquaintance with the Jin Clan. Everyone knew about it, but Jin Clan was arrogant because of their high status. Now, he had already lost a great opportunity to associate his clan with Qing Shui due to his shortsightedness. Furthermore, Jin Guyao was the true trigger to the conflict between Jin Clan and Qing Shui.

No one was happier than Cang Wuya, You An, and the others when they witnessed Qing Shui’s victory against the three men who had opposed to his ascension. Even those who were unrelated to him wanted to be associated with Qing Shui when they saw his strength. They would have done so if not for the Old Ancestor sitting above the podium.

“I will give you the time of one stick of incense to think about it. If no one wishes to challenge Qing Shui, then do as I say. Otherwise, forever hold your silence and live with that decision.” There was a domineering force in his tone that inhibited the others from retaliating.

The incense was flaking away ever so slowly. The Old Ancestor may have almost reached the end of his life, but his strength would not fade away as long as he was still breathing. Hence, there was no chance for the others to bully the Old Ancestor even when he was nearing his end.

Di Chen, Cang Wuya, You An, and the others stood in an area directly behind Qing Shui. This gesture meant that the Misty Hall Palace Priestess and the Starmoon Palace were in complete support of Qing Shui. The remaining Feng Clan had been left shattered in their agony; Jin Clan was of no further use for Qing Shui; and most importantly, Qing Shui would certainly inherit strong powers from the Old Ancestor once he became the Patriarch.

A lot of people were unsatisfied, but they couldn’t do anything about it. Some of them had average powers that could not match to the Old Ancestor’s, but their influence in the Heavenly Palace was undeniable. All of them were much older and possibly more experienced than Qing Shui was.

Then there was Qing Shui, a young man at that!

But in truth, Song Yuanhang was more suitable to be the next Patriarch. He acknowledged that he was the best in every aspect other than the Old Ancestor himself. Moreover, he was also viewed highly by the Old Ancestor.

“Old Ancestor, I, Yuanhang have something to say!”

Qing Shui looked at an old man walking out from the group of elders. He was thin and tall, and his body seemed flexible when he moved to the center with ease. The old man also emitted a fierce exploding aura from his body.

“Speak!”

“Heavenly Palace is a sect consisting of millions of years of legacy. The position of the Patriarch can only be assumed by someone of high prestige with remarkable powers like you. I feel that Qing Shui is still too young to assume this position for now.”

Song Yuanhang’s words resounded with perfect logic and senses. The audiences from below looked up with excitement once again. All of them were anticipating the answer Old Ancestor would give to Yuanhang.

“Oh, then how about you, rather than Qing Shui for this position?” Old Ancestor chuckled, but one would be able to tell that the laughter did not reach his eyes.

“I am already more than 300 years old. I acknowledge that I have had my hardships, and I have more experience than he does. But in terms of cultivation, it is still too early to say,” Song Yuanhang said in a sonorous voice while he kept his head low.

“Acknowledge? Haha, you said it yourself that you are already more than 300 years old. You said you have endured more hardships than him, and more experienced than him. But I can tell you this: In these 10 to 20 years, Qing Shui had experienced numerous more life and death situations than you. I will not speak of the frustrations he went through to get here today. So in essence, he has endured more hardships than you. Also, when you stood out to tell me all this, it means that you have become unworthy of calling yourself a martial warrior. You don’t even have the guts to challenge Qing Shui. If you don’t wish to die, step down. Otherwise, pick up your weapon and fight.”

Old Ancestor was calm when he said those words. Song Yuanhang, however, became paler as he listened on.

Because of the Old Ancestor’s last sentence, he had no choice but to battle against Qing Shui. He knew he couldn’t stand against Qing Shui as his opponent, but he must take the challenge so that Song Clan would not be ridiculed as a clan of cowards.

“I will fight!”

The corner of Qing Shui’s mouth crooked upwards slightly, revealing a sly smile. He had been itching to crush the Song Clan for a very long time. Now that the Old Ancestor had given him the chance to do it, Song Yuanhang would finally meet his doom. His ignorance would also be the cause of his fall.

The hatred between Qing Shui and Song Clan would finally be over. The battlefield was an excuse to go on a murder spree against the others. Even until now, no one had seen the real power of Qing Shui’s strength.

One move!

Song Yuanhang was crushed to death in one move. His death may have saved the Song Clan from being labeled as a clan of cowards, but he had also brought down the status of Song Clan by a notch.

The capability of these old men should not be easily underestimated. One man had had the ability to support half of the family pillar on his shoulders, and sometimes more than half of it!

The death of Song Yuanhang had not caught anyone by surprise. It seemed like a normal thing to die by Qing Shui’s hands once he had been challenged to a duel. Humans were simple creatures; the more they have seen it, the more they would get used to it.

Time passed by slowly. The incense that was lit by the Old Ancestor had almost burnt down to the end of the stick. At this time, the bloody corpses in the field were beginning to fill the air with a faint scent of blood.

The elderly men looked at Qing Shui with an appalled expression. They had finally acknowledged his superiority after witnessing the result of his massacre, the brutality of his methods, the calmness he’d asserted during the battle, and the swiftness of his attacks. They also felt that they would never be able to achieve what Qing Shui had done today.

The last bit of the stick had turned to ash. The incense had finally burnt off!

“Qing Shui, step forth!”

“Yes!”

“Old Ancestor!”

Qing Shui bowed before Old Ancestor as he addressed him!

“From now on, Qing Shui will replace me as the Patriarch of the Heavenly Palace. He will be in charge of everything regarding the matters of Heavenly Palace. Qing Shui will also be the head of the Elder Association. If anyone dares to disobey the Patriarch, they will be dealt with appropriately.”

The Old Ancestor’s voice wasn’t very loud, but it was clear. He took out a palm-like token that emitted a sense of strong spiritual power, which surprised Qing Shui for a moment. He could feel an intimidating and suppressing force emanated from the token.

Qing Shui bowed as he stepped forward to receive the token. He took a glance at the token and saw an image of a beast showing its claws and teeth. It had three eyes on its head, which resembled a Fire Lion. The only thing that was frightening was the third eye in the forehead, it was barely opened, almost as if it was squinting its third eye.

“In the path of cultivation, the first one to reach the top will be able to claim everything. If you want to bully him because of his age, then I can tell you this: The end result will be an ugly one. Don’t be the person who only realizes what he should do when he has been covered in wounds and bruises. The new Patriarch is far stronger than I am. Under his reign, he will lead you to glory and victory.” When the Old Ancestor finished his speech, he took out a plain garment, a sword, and a key and presented them to Qing Shui.

The garment and sword were two things that represented his status as a Patriarch of the Heavenly Palace. The garment was made from the “Lunar Silk”, but he was unsure about the origin of the sword. However, he could feel a strong murderous aura emanating from the sword. The aura was of justice, not of dishonesty and oppression.

Qing Shui took over all of these from the Old Ancestor!

The Patriarch of the Heavenly Palace then faced the audiences and said calmly: “Salute!”

“Your Excellency the Patriarch of Heavenly Palace!”

Everyone bowed at Qing Shui as they addressed him in this manner.

Qing Shui was uncomfortable, but it was part of the rules of the Heavenly Palace. All appointed Patriarchs had gone through the same ritual as well.

…….

Everyone had left eventually, leaving Qing Shui and the Old Ancestor in the big hall.

“Let’s go back to the private room!”

Qing Shui nodded and followed the Old Ancestor back to the private room!

“I am happy. Haha, today is a good day.” Heavenly Palace’s Old Ancestor laughed amusingly as he gaped at the clear and boundless sky.

Qing Shui gave a wry smile without saying anything. He had no feelings whatsoever regarding the position of the Heavenly Palace Patriarch. Although it was an admirable position to be in, and he would be a legend for being the youngest Patriarch in the history, the responsibilities he needed to handle would only become bigger.

“Young people nowadays need to be vigorous and dynamic. This position will only bring you more benefits and no disadvantages. You don’t have to be so unwilling to accept this position.” Old Ancestor laughed when he saw the bitter expression on Qing Shui’s face.

“Sigh, I still can’t see the benefits yet. But I can see the problems piling up.”

“This garment and longsword are the symbols that represent your current status. That aside, the longsword can be passed down to the next Patriarch. This key is my part of my collection, and I will give it to you. Also, that token gives you the power to summon Bai Gui and the others to do your bidding. You are free to take whatever is in the Heavenly Palace Treasury.” Old Ancestor chuckled.

“Hmm?”

Qing Shui had forgotten about the Heavenly Palace Treasury. That place contained all the good items, which could only be taken by the those with the rank of Elders, Supreme Elders, and higher. However, there was also one rule to abide by - the collection could be done only once per six months. Moreover, one would be able to save up the number of times used for collection purposes to access the ‘deeper’ levels of the treasury. The last level was reserved for the Heavenly Palace Old Ancestor only. The only thing that could unlock this level would be the key that Qing Shui was holding. The things left on this level were the personal treasures belonging to the previous Patriarchs of the Heavenly Palace.

Qing Shui felt extremely happy as he stared at the key in his hands. Good things would only come to those who deserved it…

…….

The news about Qing Shui’s ascension to the position of Patriarch spread very fast. Not only did the Whole Heavenly Palace know about his ascension, the other sects from around the world also knew about it.

At the arena of the Cotton Hall!

“Do you think he has really recovered? Even so, he is still unworthy to become a Patriarch!” A young man with straight slanting eyebrows said.

“Jin Shisan, how do you know he’s unworthy?” A cool looking slender man asked calmly.

“Leng Qi, look at his age!”

“Age? That’s just a number that represents how much rice he had eaten.”

Jin Shisan: “...”

“I just don’t know what to say. Is he a genius or a devil? You can’t even describe him as ‘genius’ anymore. I hope he can handle the hardship heading toward Heavenly Palace!”

…...

“Little sister, you are correct again. I really want to see what kind of spark you two will bring when Qing Shui meets you.”

In the living room at the Hai Residence, a middle-aged man looked at Hai Dongqing and laughed.

“Brother, what are you talking about? He’s too young!” Hai Dongqing chortled.

“Aunt, didn’t you say that age is just a representation of the years one can live?”

“That’s right, aunt. You can still get to know Qing Shui more if you like. If there are sparks flying between you two, that might be a sign of a good marriage.” Hai Long snickered.

“You brat. You are being rebellious right now. Are you itching for me to hit you?” Hai Dongqing smirked as she retorted.

“As your nephew, I am thinking about your old life. You are outstanding, exceedingly beautiful, and the most unparalleled elegant woman in the world. It is so hard to find someone suitable for you. I think Qing Shui might possibly be the one for you. What do you say?” Hai Long quickly explained.

“You brat. Enough with your flattery. Come practice some basic fist techniques with me later!”

“Oh, okay!” Hai Long forced a smile at his aunt.

Hai Shiya giggled happily when she saw the bitter look on Hai Long’s face!

When the middle-aged man saw her laughing, he turned to Dongqing and smiled: “Dongqing, they are not wrong. If you have the chance to meet him one day, why don’t you try and become friends with Qing Shui?”

“Forget it. We are leaving soon anyway. The less trouble the better!” Hai Dongqing wrinkled her forehead as she put a closure to the topic.

…….

“Is Heavenly Palace devoid of talented people? How did they let a worthless trash take over Heavenly Palace?” Elder Tan asked the Old Ancestor from Sword Tower with a puzzled look.

“My guess is that he had recovered to his strong self. Could it be that guy’s trick all along?” The sickly thin Old Ancestor from Sword Tower also frowned.

“I don’t think the wounds he had suffered would heal that easily. There’s something odd about this. You don’t think that the Heavenly Palace is using him as an appeal to the public?” Elder Tan said in a serious tone.

“It’s been so many years, and I know Heavenly Palace very well. That old guy will die very soon, and soon enough, I will be the one to take over Heavenly Palace. It doesn’t matter whether that kid has recovered or not.”

…...

When Qing Shui came out of the private room, it was already afternoon. Old Ancestor had told Qing Shui he would not be able to live past this month, and today was already the 15th day of the month. He only had at most half a month left to live.

On his way back, the people he met gave him weird looks; some looked up to him, and some had an envious look on their faces…

“I think I am considered as successful to be able to achieve this during my age!” Qing Shui laughed as he praised himself.

Anyone who had seen Qing Shui would think that he has had a good life. But in actuality, he was still struggling to live a better life on his own. There were still many things he couldn’t understand, and he had just started to write a new chapter after he had been renewed from his crippled life.

When he got back to Cang Wuya’s place, Canghai Mingyue and Huoyun Liu-Li greeted him with a playful smile.

“Your Excellency!” Huoyun Liu-Li giggled as she bowed at Qing Shui.

Slap!

“Stupid Qing Shui, smelly Qing Shui….”

Qing Shui chuckled. He felt wonderful when she addressed him in honorifics. He didn’t mind being hit softly by her either.

After dinner, everyone gathered together and had tea while having a casual conversation. Their topics mostly revolved around Qing Shui. Everyone was undeniably happy for him.

“Martial uncle Fei! Old Ancestor said he would be able to last until the end of the month…’

Fei Wuji’s heart sank when he heard those words!

“Martial uncle Fei, please be with him for the remaining time. In the end, he still couldn’t forget about you.” Qing Shui was able to tell that Fei Wuji had already forgiven Old Ancestor a long time ago.

After all, Old Ancestor didn’t mean to kill his own son, who was also Fei Wuji’s father. It was his father’s fault, to begin with. His father was incredibly strong at the time as well.

“Okay!” Fei Wuji let out a deep sigh.