As he finally achieved the basic sword intent, he felt a surge of energy coursing through him. With a flick of his wrist, he ignited the paper held firmly in his right hand, the flames dancing to life with his fire affinity. He watched, entranced, as the vibrant fire consumed the paper, turning it to ash in a matter of moments. A faint smile crept across his lips as he whispered softly to himself, "It took me a whole month to develop my own sword intent."
---Basic Sword Intent: Marks the foundational level where cultivators learn to imbue their sword strikes with intent, enhancing their precision, speed, and power. At this stage, their strikes become more accurate, consistently hitting vital points and minimizing wasted effort in combat. The increased speed of their sword strikes enables quicker responses and more efficient attacks, making it harder for opponents to defend. Additionally, the strikes carry more force, increasing their lethality and the potential to break through defenses. Overall, basic techniques have become more refined and effective, making even simple moves significantly more deadly.---
"Prior to that, I had perfected most of my techniques, particularly my basic sword skills and sword footwork. The only thing left for me to consider was achieving the mid-stage of Qi Condensation."
...
Basic Sword Skills/Techniques >> Perfection Stage
Basic Sword Footworks/Movements >> Perfection Stage
Wood Clone Technique >> Advanced Stage
Fireball Technique >> Perfection Stage
Lightning Release: Shockwave >> Perfection Stage
Body Flicker Technique >> Perfection Stage
Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique >> Perfection Stage
Mystical Palm Technique >> Advanced Stage
...
---Perfection Stage: This is the pinnacle of mastery, where the practitioner has completely mastered the technique. They can unleash their full potential without any flaws or weaknesses. At this stage, the practitioner's technique might even transcend the ordinary, displaying characteristics that are unique to them.---
...
From where he stood, he settled into a cross-legged position and began his deep meditation. Two weeks later...
...
Inside the wooden house, as he meditated, an aura began to emanate from his body. After a few minutes, a shimmering silver aura enveloped him. Eventually, it faded quickly, and he opened his eyes, breaking from his meditation.
As he broke through to the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, a rush of elation surged through him. He murmured to himself, "My senses have sharpened, and the world feels vibrant and alive. I can taste the qi in the air, and a tingling energy flows through my body, expanding my internal channels."
He suddenly glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall of his house, where it displayed (1-5-9-8) 1598 Days. "I still have two weeks to reach Taiyuan City, but the problem is, I don’t know where it is. I guess I’ll have to go to Jin Yang Town to ask for directions and also buy a sword and some clothes I'll need." With that, he quickly stood up to prepare for his departure. After retrieving and placing the calendar into his storage ring, he stepped outside to dismantle the house he had built near the lake.
Afterward, he returned to the cave, having forgotten to take down the house he had build nearby. Once he had removed the structure, he sensed a life force slowly fading away, so he decided to follow it. After several minutes of searching, he found himself at the cave where he had trained for approximately two years and seven months. Upon entering the cave, which had once been the lair of the Bloodfang Bat, he found it completely empty. The marks left on every corner and section of the cave were reminders of his training. As he stepped inside, he instinctively used the Body Flicker Technique, drawn by the qi he sensed within.
In just a moment, he spotted the source of the fading life force—it was coming from a red crystal embedded in the chest of a human skeleton. He was about to leave when the old man spoke, slowly sensing his own departure from the world. "I never expected you would visit me, boy, hahaha. Well, I think this will be our last meeting. I’ve known for a long time that you don’t truly belong in this world, am I right?"
Madara turned to look at the old man when he heard the question. He didn’t respond; instead, his gaze shifted to the deteriorating red crystal. In an instant, he vanished from his position like a smoke. The old man chuckled at the boy's swift movement, and once he could no longer feel Madara’s presence, he spoke softly, 'I’ll take that as a yes. It’s a pity I won’t see how you dominate the entire immortal plane." As he finished speaking, his skeletal body and the red crystal in his chest turned to ash.
---Immortal Plane: Is a higher level of existence compared to the mortal plane.---
As he emerged from the cave, he saw a large beast standing before him. The wild boar stood six feet tall and had a cultivation level at the early stage of Qi Condensation. It was waiting for him, and Madara noticed a scar on its left ear. When he saw this, a slight smile crept across his lips as he swiftly made his way from the cave, heading toward his old village, knowing that it was the right direction to Jin Yang Town.
As he walked, he felt the wild boar following him. Madara stopped and asked, "Why are you following me?" The wild boar did not respond, and he remembered that it couldn't speak like a human. So he tried to guess the reason by asking, "Do you need my help?" The wild boar remained silent.
"Do you want to accompany me?" The wild boar nodded. Realizing this, Madara explained why it couldn't come with him, but then thought of a possible reason for its actions. "Is it because I protected you before?" The wild boar nodded again. Seeing this made Madara smile. "Alright, just make sure to follow my instructions, okay?" The wild boar nodded three times. With that, Madara climbed onto the wild boar's back.
After several hours, Madara reached the river where he had first regained consciousness, so they followed its flow. After a few more hours, in the distance, Madara saw the place where he had fallen. When he looked up, he realized how high the drop had been. "Do you know another way to get up there?" he asked the wild boar, pointing towards the top. The wild boar nodded, so they took the path it led them on. Following the shortcut, they soon reached the top of the cliff and continued their journey.
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After a while, he signaled the wild boar to stop and dismounted because he noticed a familiar tree. He walked over to it, gathering some flowers along the way. When he reached the tree, he dug a small hole at its base. He then took out the remaining piece of his pendant from his storage ring and placed it in the hole. After covering it with soil, he placed the flowers on top and stood up, whispering a heartfelt prayer. When he finished, he got back on the wild boar and took one last look at the tree where his mother had placed him.
After a few more hours, they emerged from the dense forest. When Madara saw a familiar area, he took a deep breath and continued forward. Soon, he signaled the wild boar to stop because he saw, in the distance, the village where he had come from. He closed his eyes and whispered a solemn prayer, then signaled the wild boar to head towards the ruined and abandoned village.
At the signal, the wild boar dashed forward swiftly. As Madara approached his former village, memories flooded back of their peaceful life, which had been taken away in an instant. After wandering through the dilapidated houses and realizing there was nothing left of value, he decided to leave for Jin Yang Town.
...
Two days later...
That morning, not far from the town, a scruffy 15-year-old boy appeared, clad in animal skin clothing that gave him a rugged, cave-dweller appearance as he rode on the back of a wild boar. He dismounted and said to the creature, "Alright, this is where we part ways." At his words, the wild boar nodded and quickly dashed off into the nearby forest. Watching it disappear, he continued on his journey. Soon, he could see the sign above the entrance: "Jin Yang Town."
Upon reaching the gate, he was stopped by two guards standing watch, their spears held firmly in hand. One of the guards asked, "Kid, why are you dressed like that?" Madara replied, "I’ve been training in the forest for about five years." The guard nodded in understanding. The other guard then opened his palm and stated, "It’ll cost you 6 copper coins to enter." He frowned at this; he distinctly remembered that last time he visited, the entrance fee was only 2 copper coins. To avoid any dispute, he retrieved 6 copper coins from his storage ring, handed them over, and was granted entry.
As he entered Jin Yang Town, Madara noticed that everyone he passed—young and old—was staring at him. Despite this, he paid them no mind; his priority was to sell the bloodfang bats he had killed. After searching, he finally found a shop that sold beast meat and entered. Inside, he sold all the bloodfang bats he had hunted, totaling 300, but he could only sell 280 here. The other 20 had been consumed during his training because the first taste of roasted bloodfang bat meat had reminded him of grilled chicken, even without any seasonings.
Next, he headed to a medicinal/herbal shop, where he did the same, selling all the herbs stored in his ring.
Upon exiting the herbal shop, he made his way to the forge shop. Inside the forge shop, the air was thick with the scent of burning coal and molten metal. A massive forge blazed at the center, where a muscular blacksmith hammered away, sparks flying like stars. Shelves lined the walls, filled with tools, each telling its own story, while display cases showcased exquisite weapons that radiated unique auras. In one corner, an altar to the forge gods held offerings, underscoring the reverence for the craft.
When the blacksmith sensed someone had entered his shop, he paused his work. "Kid, are you looking to buy?" he asked. Upon hearing this, Madara responded, "Yes," as his eyes roamed over the displayed weapons and armor. His gaze eventually stopped at the swords, which included a great sword, longsword, saber, broad sword, and more. When he spotted a familiar sword, he murmured softly, "Katana?"
However, he didn’t choose it; instead, he chose a sword similar to his wooden one. He had never been a fan of katanas, even when he was still on Earth. 'Sir, how much for this sword?' Madara asked, pointing. "Ah, the jian sword? It's just one silver coin,” the blacksmith replied. He was taken aback by the price; the total he had accumulated from selling the beast's meat and herbs, along with the coins in his storage ring, amounted to just under 4 silver coins and 80 copper coins.
Because of that, he asked the blacksmith, "Sir, may I ask how you determine the prices of the items you sell?" Upon hearing this, the blacksmith explained his pricing method. After a few minutes of questions and answers, he inquired again about the price: "Sir, if I base it on my affinities with the jian sword I intend to use for compatibility, how much would that be?" The blacksmith replied, "It would be about 2 silver coins for an uncommon-grade jian sword." Hearing this, he pulled out 2 silver coins to pay for him. Before the blacksmith could begin his work, he asked again, "Sir, do you know where I can have some clothes made? I can’t seem to find any shops for that."
"Ah, yes! Lian Hua, you have a customer," he called out to his daughter. Shortly after, a 14-year-old girl emerged, with long, flowing black hair and deep amber eyes. Her fair skin and delicate features exuded elegance, while her slender, toned build reflected her work in her father's forge. She wore flowing robes in white and pale blue adorned with floral patterns, along with a lotus-shaped pendant given to her by her father. Her hands bore faint calluses, hinting at her resilience and dedication. She embodied a blend of strength and grace, representing her unique background.
Lian Hua's expression shifted from curiosity to mild surprise as she noticed the scruffy boy. Nonetheless, she replied, "Follow me; I'll take your body measurements." Madara followed her into a room filled with sewing equipment and materials for making clothes. After taking his measurements, Lian Hua began sorting through the fabrics hanging around. "What color do you prefer, and what style of clothing are you looking for?" she asked.
"I'd like an ordinary black, please, and the style should be a hanfu without any designs." Once she had chosen the black fabric, Madara asked, "Miss, is there a grade for clothing as well?"
Lian Hua turned to him upon hearing the question. "Something like that. To be honest, what you're asking for is just common grade."
"What are the perks if I choose the uncommon grade?" Lian Hua responded, "Well, it offers slight resistance to hot and cold weather."
"And how much would that be?" Madara asked.
"It's only 50 copper coins for a complete set of clothing."
"Okay, I’ll take four sets," Madara said as he pulled out two silver coins from his storage ring. Once she received the payment, he spoke again, "Can I make a request?" Upon hearing this, she replied, "Of course! What is it?" he took the paper and brush from the desk, and after finishing, he handed it to her. "Please place this on the back of each garment." Lian Hua responded as she prepared the materials for making the clothes, "Okay, just leave it here on the desk."
After Madara left to check on the progress of the sword he had bought, Lian Hua glanced at the paper he had given her. "A fan?"
When he returned to the forge shop, he witnessed the blacksmith crafting the jian sword. The blacksmith tirelessly hammered the glowing Jian sword, each strike resonating with unwavering dedication. Sparks flew like fireflies as he skillfully shaped the blade, infusing it with his spirit and expertise. The air thickened with the scent of molten metal, while intricate runes glowed faintly along its spine, hinting at the swords latent power.
As he watched, he lost track of time, and it was already approaching evening when the blacksmith finished crafting the sword. He handed him the newly made Jian sword. Upon holding his first sword, Madara felt a sense of joy, even though it appeared ordinary to the eyes of others. With a simple thrust, he realized how compatible and smooth it felt in his hands. After that, he asked the blacksmith, "Sir, what is the weight of this sword?"
"It's about 50 kg," he nodded as he examined the sword he was holding. When the blacksmith saw this, he spoke up, "Kid, aren’t you going to give it a name?" Madara’s attention shifted upon hearing this. "Is that necessary?"
The blacksmith responded, "Not really, but some people like to name their weapons."
Because of this, Madara thought for a moment while looking at his first sword, and then he quietly said, "In that case, I’ll call you Madara Sword."