Chapter Seven: Advancement in Swordsmanship and Sword Mastery
After the third consecutive strike, there needed to be a slight pause before switching moves; the sequence couldn’t flow seamlessly. None of the moves could connect flawlessly to the next.
After slaying over a dozen monsters in succession and regaining his mana, Su Yu began reviewing the recent battle. It had to be said, actual combat truly accelerated experience accumulation and quickly exposed one’s weaknesses.
In just a short while, Su Yu identified the lingering issues within the sword techniques inscribed on the Shadowstone. To be precise, the Shadowstone did mention this problem, but before practical application, he hadn’t fully grasped its significance. Now, the flaw was glaringly obvious.
The Shadowstone offered no direct solution, only alternatives. One was to conjure a second flying sword, manipulating both simultaneously to mask the recovery lag after each strike by multitasking. Alternatively, lightning-based artifacts or spells could be employed; when the sword techniques were exhausted, summoning a thunderbolt would also cover the downtime.
The former was beyond Su Yu’s current capability, as he only had one flying sword slot. Though equipment existed to expand these slots, such items cost tens of gold taels—far beyond his means. The latter method could work but left Su Yu unsatisfied. This approach was only effective against lesser monsters; higher-level beasts and bosses had strong resistance to lightning, rendering such tactics ineffective.
“There must be a solution,” he thought firmly. “I refuse to believe that the top sword masters are this limited.”
“Perhaps the Shadowstone I purchased is of insufficient quality; maybe higher-grade Shadowstones exist. I’ll inquire when I return.”
But Su Yu didn’t rush back immediately. That could wait. He resolved to perfect this technique first. After a brief rest, he resumed his training.
About three hundred meters away from the shore, Qiao Bin had been watching Su Yu intently for nearly five minutes. Just as his companion herded another batch of monsters over, one of them slapped Qiao Bin on the shoulder and asked, “What are you staring at, zoning out for so long?”
Snapping back to reality, he pointed with his chin toward Su Yu and said, “That kid’s something else.”
His companion glanced over, puzzled. “What’s so special about him?”
Qiao Bin pursed his lips. “I watched him for five minutes straight—he skillfully dispatched one monster after another with his sword techniques.”
“That’s nothing unusual.”
“But in just those brief five minutes, he went from handling a single monster to confidently battling two fish demons simultaneously.”
“Really? Did he just learn that on the spot?”
“Yeah, I saw it with my own eyes—his skill went from clumsy to proficient right before me.”
“Also, I recall he hadn’t even started learning swordsmanship a week ago. It’s only been one week, and now not only can he wield the sword adeptly, but he grows stronger rapidly in battle.”
He looked at his companion and asked, “Do you remember how long it took you to learn sword techniques? And how well did you turn out?”
“I trained for six months, but I was never quick with switching moves. Eventually, I gave up.”
“Whoa!”
“This kid’s talent must be extraordinary.”
“Absolutely.”
“Isn’t he a future top master in the making?”
“Captain, we should add him as a friend before he makes a name for himself.”
“Too obvious now; wait a bit.”
Meanwhile, Su Yu remained unaware of their astonishment, focusing single-mindedly on refining his swordsmanship.
His flying sword skimmed the dark green backs of the fish demons, piercing the water. After exhausting one move, he didn’t switch techniques but instead followed the riverbed, gliding past another fish demon’s belly. From the third carp demon’s abdomen, a spray of blood burst forth as the sword sliced through, looping into the air before swiftly binding the three fish demons together.
As his sword techniques grew more adept, Su Yu began attempting to handle more monsters simultaneously to improve efficiency.
He had seen in one Shadowstone demonstration a sword master effortlessly circling a dozen monsters with a flying sword, trapping them in a confined space like cattle or sheep, making slaughter effortless—a sight he longed to emulate.
Starting from managing two monsters at once, he now tried handling three, planning to increase the number gradually as his skill improved.
With his strength steadily rising, Su Yu was confident he would one day reach that level.
---
“The flying sword’s grade is still lacking—its speed is too slow to trap so many monsters within range.”
“To meet the Shadowstone’s standards, I need a much higher basic sword technique level and a better flying sword.”
“But high-level sword techniques and flying swords are expensive!”
“I have to find a way to earn money.”
Although he still had five taels of gold in hand, it was far from sufficient.
“A few days remain before the guild event. I’ll focus on that first, then start earning.”
“Before then, I can at least raise my basic sword technique level to get by.”
“Thanks to the cheat boost, ten layers of basic sword technique are equivalent to twenty layers, or comparable to ten layers of refined sword technique.”
That evening, Su Yu decisively used the remaining two first-grade cultivation manuals.
The base effect increased the level of Beginner Qi Refining or Basic Sword Technique by five layers, doubled by the cheat code to ten layers. Two manuals perfectly raised the Qing Shan Sword Manual’s level cap to thirty layers.
He then spent three taels of gold to purchase thirty first-grade Dao Heart Pills.
Each pill added three Dao points, doubled to six by the cheat, totaling 180 Dao points. Adding the existing thirteen gave him 193 Dao points.
He spent 3.97 million cultivation points and 50 Dao points to raise the Qing Shan Sword Technique straight to thirty layers.
Flying sword damage increased by 900, attack speed by 600, and sword control speed by 600 kilometers per hour.
His thirty layers equated to another’s sixty layers.
Furthermore, when the Qing Shan Sword Technique reached twenty layers, it finally evolved into Sword Control Technique.
Sword Control Technique: Manipulate the flying sword, entering and exiting the azure void.
Attributes: Sword control speed equals flying sword speed plus basic sword technique bonus; each layer adds 40 meters of altitude; mana consumption is 10 points per second—these are post-bonus stats.
Note: The sword control speed bonus is based on the flying sword’s bonus. His second-tier Bluefish Sword’s bonus was 15%, so 15% of 600 km/h sword control speed adds 120 km/h.
Though this speed seemed modest—not yet as fast as Qi flight—remember he was training with the weakest basic sword technique and only a second-tier flying sword, both at the bottom tier, so speed improvements were limited.
Once his basic sword technique reached sixty or seventy layers and he upgraded to a sixth or seventh-tier flying sword, his speed would instantly soar into the thousands of kilometers per hour.
Additionally, upon evolving into Sword Control Technique, the attribute panel unlocked Sword Control Technique levels: Enter and Exit the Azure Void and Thousand-Mile Sword Control.
Enter and Exit the Azure Void: While controlling the sword, a layer of sword aura forms around the body, protecting the sword’s flight from harsh winds. Currently at level one, maximum altitude is 1,000 meters.
Thousand-Mile Sword Control: Increases flying sword attack range. Currently level one, maximum control range is one kilometer.
In simple terms, the higher the Sword Control Technique level, the greater the flight altitude and attack range during combat.
If Thousand-Mile Sword Control reached a high enough level, it would be as in wuxia novels—slicing enemies’ heads off from a thousand miles away.
These two skills required patient, gradual training—not high talent—improving as the basic sword technique level rose and sword control proficiency deepened.
A fine horse needs a fine saddle. After upgrading the basic sword technique, Su Yu went that same night to the guild’s official marketplace, intent on acquiring a... fourth-tier flying sword.
However, when he saw the prices listed, he couldn’t help but gasp.
The cheapest fourth-tier flying swords cost at least 100 silver taels—equivalent to one gold tael. Slightly better ones demanded 150 to 200 silver taels, and custom-made masterpieces started at 300 silver taels.
“So expensive!”
Fifth-tier flying swords began at 10 gold taels.
They were scarce too—Qianyu Pavilion only held about thirty, and their attributes were mediocre.
The best blades were usually kept for personal use, and any with exceptional attributes had long been sold off. To get a masterpiece, one had to pay a hefty price—custom orders starting at 30 gold taels.
Sixth-tier flying swords were even rarer at the guild’s marketplace, with only a handful available, starting at 100 gold taels.
After some hesitation, Su Yu spent two gold taels and 50 guild contribution points to custom order a fourth-tier flying sword.
Fortunately, guild members enjoyed a 10% discount; otherwise, he wouldn’t have had enough funds.
The next morning, he received a message from the Qianyu Pavilion manager: the sword was ready.
He hurried to the marketplace and picked up his order.
Ice Soul (Fourth-Tier Flying Sword): A masterpiece forged from a blend of Northern Abyss Ice Soul and Heavenly Star Divine Sand.
Attributes: Attack power 120–150, attack speed 110–130, sword control speed 110–120, attack bonus 30%. Special trait: Ice Soul.
Ice Soul: Attacks inflict 120 points of freezing damage, slowing targets’ movement and reaction speed by 20% for 1–5 seconds.
Equipment requirement: Basic Sword Technique level 25.
Eagerly equipping the flying sword, Su Yu went to the banks of the Silting River, found a group of grass carp demons swimming about, pointed his finger, and a flash of white light shot beneath the water.
The blade traced along the dorsal fin of a grass carp demon, and immediately a string of damage numbers appeared:
-360
-366
-369
At the same time, layers of frost crystallized, coating the attacked grass carp demons with a pale blue hue, their speed visibly slowed.
Su Yu stretched out his hand, grasping at the air as a white sword light surged skyward. With a move called Dragon City Flying General, he slashed downward, followed by the Azure Waves Ten Thousand Miles technique.
A flurry of damage numbers popped up, bisecting a nearly three-meter-long carp demon with a massive gash, flipping it belly-up.
Level 20 monsters had about 600 health points—no match for such fierce bursts.
It was worth noting that monsters had levels, but players did not. Instead, the level of their basic Qi Refining cultivation corresponded to monster levels.
Su Yu’s current Purple Origin Qi Refining level was twenty, matching level 20 monsters.
When Qi Refining reached level 100, it equated to level 100 monsters. At that point, further progress required surviving the first major heavenly tribulation, establishing a Dao foundation, and ascending to a scattered immortal before cultivating higher.
Thus, the rank of Qi Refining directly determined mana strength and power ceiling.
Without hesitation, Ice Soul circled Su Yu once more, then plunged back into the water. As he manipulated the flying sword, he swiftly encircled the remaining seven fish demons.
Sword aura shimmered like a rainbow; sword moves flowed like a dragon, slicing and gutting relentlessly.
Flying sword speeds several times faster than before completely masked the flaws in his sword techniques, allowing him to intercept and kill monsters before they could attack his person.
As long as the attack was strong and speed sufficient, flaws ceased to be flaws.
This near-instant slaughter was exhilarating; best of all, mana consumption was low. Two moves could kill, at most three moves to finish a small group, costing only twenty to thirty mana points total—far better endurance than before.
Overall efficiency had increased by at least 50% compared to earlier.
Previously, he could accumulate about 500,000 battle experience points daily; now it was around 750,000.
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“Su Yu, gather at the South Gate tomorrow morning at 7 o’clock. Find me there.”
The message came from the guild’s personnel officer, Fu Ping. Immersed in leveling and sword training, Su Yu suddenly recalled the guild event he had signed up for and promptly replied:
“I will arrive on time.”
“Good. I’m sending you the event details. Take a look.”
“Thank you, officer.”
Fu Ping sent an attachment, and Su Yu browsed it with mild surprise.
The document stated that this guild event was jointly hosted by the first and third elite teams of the guild. The guild had accepted a mission from the Water God of Yuan River—to eliminate a rebellious monster stronghold located 6,600 kilometers east of Qianyu City in the Toxic Mist Swamp.
The Toxic Mist Swamp lay within the Taihu Mountain Range, covering over 100,000 square kilometers. The terrain was complex and perpetually shrouded in poisonous fog.
A small river connected the swamp to the Yuan River—a tributary—but it was not under the jurisdiction of the Yuan River Water God. Instead, the swamp was ruled by a monster faction known as the Poison Dragon Stronghold.
According to the data, the stronghold housed a level 172 poisonous flood dragon with a terrifying template, as well as three other high-level monsters above level 150—each a formidable beast: a black dragon eel, a poisonous clam, and a black water venomous python.
In addition, there were more than a dozen monster generals above level 100, numerous mid-level commanders over 100, and over a hundred thousand level 40 monster troops.
As the lord of the stronghold, the leader could summon all monsters within the Toxic Mist Swamp to aid in battle during critical moments.
In reality, this force was no match for the Water God of Yuan River, a mythical-level super boss at level 300, commanding many generals above level 200. Any one of these could lead a million-strong water army to annihilate the Black Dragon Stronghold.
The reason no action had been taken was because the Toxic Mist Swamp was nestled within the Taihu Mountain Range, home to a mountain god.
Crucially, the Taihu Mountain God and the Yuan River Water God were at odds. Without the Taihu Mountain God’s permission, the Yuan River Water God’s forces and water army could not enter.
Hence the guild task: to eliminate the poisonous flood dragon entrenched in the Toxic Mist Swamp on behalf of the Water God.
The guild also gained reputation with both the Taihu Mountain God and the Yuan River Water God. Their intervention would not be blocked, though it would cost significant reputation with the Taihu Mountain God.
But that was not a major problem; they could regain lost reputation later.
“This looks like it’s going to be a major battle.”
Attacking a monster stronghold was no small feat.
Su Yu shook his head, deciding to be cautious during the guild event—not to show off and risk drawing the boss’s attention.
The night passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, he saw the residential area brightly lit, with many guild members already up and gathering at the South City Gate.
About ten minutes later, Su Yu arrived at the south of the city. Looking up at the rooftops, sky, and walls crowded with people, he sent a message to Fu Ping:
“Officer Fu, I’ve arrived at the south gate.”
“Come directly to Qianyu No. 304 Giant Wooden Divine Vessel for assembly.”
“On my way.”
The ship was easy to spot—a colossal vessel over a thousand meters long, its hull marked with enormous numbers visible from afar.
Number 304—the '3' indicated the third elite team, and '04' was the sequence number.
Su Yu rode his paper crane flying mount toward the giant wooden divine vessel. Pausing outside the hull, Fu Ping flew over and beckoned him inside, guiding him through the ship’s protective barrier.