The Monster is Coming

Chapter 459 I Spent 250
Upon learning that the old man's strength had actually reached the Divine Realm, Tu Hu's heart began to pound uncontrollably.

He realized that he had stumbled upon an incredible opportunity that could change his gaming career.

The images of two veteran players immediately came to mind.

Forum members call him: Painful Brothers.

The Stars Arena tournament just ended recently, and the Divine Hall guild won the championship without any suspense.

In a popular forum discussion thread, a player mentioned whether individual competitive events would be held in the future.

The post contains many players analyzing who would win if an individual competitive tournament were held in the future.

It's safe to say that the God King, who is number one in team battles, wouldn't even rank in the top 10,000 in solo competitions.

However, it is widely believed that the "Pain Brothers" are among the favorites to win the championship.

After all, the title of "Civil War God" is no joke.

The old man, much like the "ascetic" teacher of the Pain Brothers, has clearly forged his own unique path of rules.

Its potential is limitless.

He was also certain that what Elder Cangxuan had comprehended was the "Power of Intimidation," a system widely considered the most useless in the player faction.

However, the two are fundamentally different.

Players need to consume "sacrificial power" as a trigger to painstakingly pry open the door to the pressure system.

As for Elder Cangxuan, he refined and sublimated his emotions purely through his own thoughts and will, ultimately giving birth to his own unique sword aura.

This means that each of Grandpa Cangxuan's seemingly simple sword moves contains terrifying power at the rule level.

The horizontal sword parry is not about relying on the blade to collide with the incoming force, but rather about establishing an absolute rule within the sword's range at the instant the parry is completed: "This attack must be blocked."

No matter how earth-shattering the opponent's attack is, or how violent and surging the energy is, as long as the strength cannot overwhelm the strength of Grandpa Cangxuan's sword aura from the level of rules, it will be blocked like waves crashing against rocks.

And a calm sword strike is not about using the blade to touch the object you want to pierce.

Where the sword points, the rules are rewritten.

The domain proclaimed: This sword will surely strike; whoever is struck will die.

Unless the target's defense is also a creation of rules of the same level, or far stronger than the opponent's, it can be immune to the pressure at the level of rules.

Otherwise, even the strongest armor and the most resilient body would crumble like thin ice under the sun.

Every move and every technique is a way of rewriting the world with the rules.

These two sword techniques are both offensive and defensive; one is invincible in defense, and the other is invincible in attack.

If he could learn these two moves, he would probably be able to easily dominate the Ancient God Arena, become the new champion fighter, and fleece the Ancient Gods.

But Tu Hu quickly calmed down and thought of a problem.

How can one truly comprehend the essence of swordplay?

If you simply follow Elder Cangxuan's instructions when wielding the sword, you won't be able to grasp its essence at all.

It was all a complete waste of time.

As the old man said: "To understand is to be enlightened in an instant; to not understand is to be enlightened for a lifetime."

He looked down at the greatsword he held, a legacy of protection, and tried to imitate the old man's posture and state of mind, swinging the sword again and again.

Parry, then draw your sword.

Parry, then draw your sword.

But even if the actions can be imitated perfectly and the will to protect is sincere enough, it is nothing more than a mere shell.

His sword was still just ordinary iron.

It relies on the support of muscle strength, and at most it can only deliver a slash that carries with it the energy of blood and qi.

There is an insurmountable chasm between them and the realm of "My heart is the law of heaven, my sword is the rule" that Grandpa Cangxuan possessed.

“Emotions…rules…” Tu Hu muttered to himself, his brows furrowed.

He recalled the teachings of the instructors of the Liver Emperor Group and the analysis of the research experts on the forum.

The core of the pressure system lies in finding and releasing an extremely pure "emotional potential" to form a domain.

This is also the path that Elder Cangxuan took, using his own "sword aura" honed to the extreme to directly define the laws of the surroundings.

The question is, how exactly should one cultivate this sword technique?

Simply swinging the sword day after day, feeling the proficiency of the sword techniques improve, is utterly insufficient to reach the threshold of the rules.

It's like constantly practicing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, but hoping that one day you'll suddenly grasp the true essence of calculus.

He knew that the key was "immersing himself in emotion," as the old man had taught him, but how exactly did he do it?

Is it to infuse the sword with emotions like anger, protection, and destruction, like fuel?

He had gained some insights from the training these past few days. He tried swinging his sword with emotion, but apart from the power of the sword moves changing due to the excitement of the emotion, there was no qualitative change.

Is it necessary to have some kind of unforgettable experience as a trigger?
Just like the old man Cangxuan, it was only after experiencing the defense of Wucheng, the collapse of civilization, and two hundred years of lonely killing that he finally gave birth to his astonishing sword aura.

But he was just a player. Although his life was also filled with battles, it was far from the kind of epic, life-and-death struggle that transcends civilizations.

This lineage seems impossible to fully grasp.

"What's missing?"

Tu Hu stopped swinging his sword and looked at the peaceful illusion before him, feeling bewildered and at a loss as to how to seize this incredible opportunity.

The finish line was clearly visible, but he couldn't find the steps leading to it.

When in doubt, one should seek guidance; Tu Hu decisively spoke again:
"Brother Guidance, I need your help. If I just swing my sword like this, how long will it take me to comprehend the essence of swordsmanship?"

Upon hearing this, the guiding water sphere hovering beside him said indifferently:

[Not much, only 102 years and 3 months. Increasing the intensity of the sword swings can speed it up further.]

"Pfft, how could I have lived that long..." Just as he was about to retort, Tu Hu suddenly paused, realizing another layer of meaning in the guide's words:
"Brother Guidance, why is what you said different from what Elder Cangxuan said? How can you have a specific timeframe for comprehension?"

[It seems you're not stupid. What you need to understand is that the protective sword the shadow bestowed upon you is the crystallization of the Azure Profound Sword Force. He was an unparalleled swordsman, but not a qualified teacher. He didn't know how to impart knowledge step by step. The only thing he could do was to strip away all his understanding of the sword force from himself, forge it, and ultimately transform it into the sword in your hand.]

You can understand it this way: the guardian sword in your hand is one-third of the complete rules of swordsmanship. Every time you swing your sword, attempting to block or strike, your mind, your will, and even the physical strength you expend resonate with these rules. And with each resonance, an extremely tiny fragment of the rules merges into your will.

Therefore, every sword strike you make here with such care is not a simple repetition, but an inheritance. The more times you swing your sword, the more focused your mind becomes, the stronger the resonance with the guardian sword, and the faster the inheritance speed... You don't really believe that the pale golden sword light that appears when you swing your sword is a result of your deepened understanding, do you?

Tu Hu was completely stunned.

He subconsciously looked down at the warm, pale golden light emanating from the greatsword.

Only then did he realize that the old man's request for him to repeat the sword swings was itself a process of passing on the tradition.

He didn't need to start from scratch to comprehend any rules out of thin air. All he had to do was absorb and integrate the rules of the Guardian Sword that already existed in the sword, just like an inheritor digesting a legacy.

But he still had unanswered questions, so he continued to press for answers:

"Brother Guidance, then why did Grandpa Cangxuan say that he didn't know how long it would take me to comprehend it? It could be a moment, or it could be a lifetime?"

He genuinely didn't know the exact time, and given his abilities, he was simply incapable of quantifying the process.

As for the "moment" he mentioned, it refers to a sudden enlightenment during the process of methodical sword practice, where you gain your own understanding of sword intent or a new understanding of Cangxuan's guardian sword. This enlightenment is enough to allow you to transcend years, or even decades, of arduous training.

If one can achieve enlightenment several times, one will naturally be able to fully comprehend and completely master this protective sword.

Therefore, he's right, there is indeed a momentary leap... As for his statement that he might never be able to do it in his lifetime, this involves unforeseen factors, such as your lifespan, your impatience leading you to leave, or a sudden crisis destroying the illusion. These are all external interferences that prevent you from grasping the true meaning in your lifetime.

After hearing the explanation of the instructions, Tu Hu nodded in understanding:

"So, as long as I keep swinging my sword, I will definitely be able to comprehend the sword's power... But the problem is that 103 years is too long. Even if I increase the intensity of my sword swings and triple the amount every day, it will still take 31 years."

After speaking, Tu Hu looked eagerly at the guide:

"Brother Guidance, I know you must have a way."

Yes, there are two methods that can accelerate the comprehension process; one requires sacrificial energy, and the other does not.

"I prefer a method that conserves sacrificial energy. Tell me about it." Tu Hu, who had been somewhat dejected, suddenly perked up.

[The Extreme Speed ​​Soul in the Soul Treasury can accelerate this process. Releasing Extreme Speed ​​will increase the efficiency of your sword strikes by the same factor as the rules. If you combine Qi Consumption with Extreme Speed ​​to maintain a stable 3x speed, you can complete the comprehension in just 31 years… If you increase the levels of Qi Consumption and Extreme Speed, the multiplier will naturally increase as well.]

Tu Hu's expression immediately fell.

Even with 10x faster battery life, it would still take 10 years to fully comprehend the Guardian Sword Technique.

There are also two brand-new sword techniques: the Sword of Slaughter and the Sword of Destruction.

For a player, this shortcut was still too long for him.

"Guide, tell me about the plan for the Flower Festival Power."

[Spending sacrificial power essentially leverages the player system to accelerate your fusion with the sword's aura. Here are two options for spending sacrificial power.] [Option 1: Complete Reconstruction.]

[For a fee of 3438 million sacrificial power, I can help you thoroughly analyze the Guardian Sword, dismantle its rules and structure, and create a special sword aura soul. You can change its name, but you only have one chance to do so... You can embed it into the Star Vein Slot, and it will instantly inherit Cangxuan's Guardian Sword aura.]

Upon hearing this astronomical figure, Tu Hu's eyes twitched; even if he were sold, he couldn't raise such a huge sum.

As an ordinary player, he has never spent a single penny playing Monster World.

Even the latest gaming pods were obtained by selling sacrificial power.

Even if he had that much sacrificial power, he would have spent it long ago. How could he possibly have tens of millions of sacrificial power on him?

Option Two: Gradual Reopening.

[For a payment of 250 million sacrificial power, I will purify and seal the Guardian Sword Aura, transforming it into a sealed Sword Aura Soul, which will be embedded in your Star Vein Slot. Afterwards, each time you unleash a sword strike, or actively pay additional sacrificial power, you can gradually unseal this seal and draw upon its power… Although it takes time, the cost is reduced, and you can gradually adapt to the Sword Aura during the unsealing process, which will help you advance further on your Cangxuan level in the future.]

Tu Hu's eyes lit up instantly.

Although the first option is better, my wallet won't allow it.

It may seem like there are options, but it's actually a single-choice question.

While 250 million sacrificial power is a huge sum, it is not out of reach.

More importantly, this path combines rapid advancement with a smooth growth process, perfectly matching his needs.

"That's it, Brother Guide, help me get the second plan sorted out!" Tu Hu made the decision without hesitation, his eyes burning with renewed fervor.

[Where is the sacrificial power?]

“I’ll start raising funds right now.”

Tu Hu immediately opened the team chat channel, organized his thoughts, and took a deep breath:

"Brothers and sisters, there is an emergency! We have encountered an incredible opportunity and need financial support."

"To make a long story short, I've encountered a hidden NPC, as you all know. Now I know he was once a god-level expert, and I can learn rule-level skills from him... The tuition fee is 250 million sacrificial power. How much can I raise right now? Consider it a loan, and I'll repay it by working like a slave in the future."

After the message was sent, there was a few seconds of silence in the channel.

Immediately, his teammates erupted like a volcano.

"Following the Wind (Assassin): How much? 250 million? Hard Bro, were you tricked into this entertainment venue by Ah Le? Even if you sold me, you might not be able to raise that much sacrificial money!"

Little Milk Bottle (Support): Really? Is this the crafting cost for special souls like the Darkin Legion or the Touch of Pain? Why is your price so high? Is this a more complete set of rules?

The noble mage: Holy crap, a rule-level skill? Hard Bro, you're really something else! This luck is just too incredible, but 250 million is a bit difficult... I'll dismantle the rune staff later, it should return about 7 sacrificial power... I'm so reluctant to part with it, my heart is bleeding.

Rock (Warrior): Bang bang, if it's confirmed to be a special soul, it's definitely worth taking a gamble. I still have some materials from the last dungeon that I didn't process. Among them, the dungeon coins can be listed on the auction house. If I process them all, I can probably get around 15. I was originally thinking of saving them up to open the Star Vein Slot.

Seeing that his teammates, despite their constant complaints, had begun to seriously calculate their resources, Tu Hu felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He then said:
"Brothers, the situation is absolutely true. It's certified by Brother Guidance. As long as I obtain this rule that integrates offense and defense, I'll be done for. From now on, I'll lead you all to sweep through the Ancient God Arena and conquer the next Star Peak."

Drifting with the Wind (Assassin): You're already boasting before you've even accumulated enough sacrificial power. Fine, I'll try to gather it for you. Ask me, I think I have about 40 sacrificial power here. I'll have to count it carefully.

Little Milk Bottle (Support): I'll go back to the village later and dismantle the rune weapon. It will return 95% of the sacrificial power, which should be around 18. Adding the empty elemental stones I stockpiled recently, I should have at least 50.

The noble mage: "Wow, my tough guy, if you don't break through to the sky after you finish learning, you'll have to switch to the Beastmaster build and become our team's mount."

Despite their complaints, the team members acted faster than ever.

Each person's personal belongings were quickly inventoried, and their treasured equipment and materials were listed on the exchange in bulk.

During this time, some teammates contacted the Gold Coin Merchant Guild's employees and sold the items produced in the dungeon to the guild at a fixed price.

Tu Hu clenched his fist as he watched the constantly refreshing messages in the channel.

My teammates are all tough on the outside but soft on the inside; they're going to give me their full support.

They were even preparing to dismantle the rune weapons.

He absolutely cannot let this investment down!
Soon, notifications of teammates transferring money rang in Tu Hu's ears one after another.

He wasn't idle either; he started sorting out his personal belongings.

He listed many materials that he had prepared to hoard in anticipation of price increases, including enhancement potions that he didn't need for the time being, on the trading house at prices slightly below market value, just to quickly turn them into cash.

[Challenger's Note: The item Dragon Blood Ore Ingot has been sold. Gained 4500 Sacrificial Power.]

[Challenger's Note: The item Blue Lantern Silver Coin x12 has been sold, earning 6000 Sacrifice Points.]

[Challenger's Note: Teammate "Following the Wind" gifted you 85354 points of Sacrifice Power via in-game mail (with a note: Hard Bro, here comes another one. I've given you all my dowry for my wife. You're doing great!)]

The amount of sacrificial power fluctuated rapidly.

80... 150 million... 200 million... Tu Hu's heart pounded wildly along with these numbers.

at last
When the mage finally managed to gather the last 3 sacrificial power, along with the sacrificial power he obtained from clearing out the last batch of miscellaneous items, it arrived in his account.

The balance in the inventory interface has reached 250 million.

"That's enough! Brother Guidance, the sacrificial power is enough!" Tu Hu almost shouted, his excitement overflowing.

【receive. 】

The guiding voice remained flat.

The water sphere floating to the side shone brightly, and a scarlet beam containing supreme power enveloped the guardian heavy sword in Tu Hu's hand, as well as Tu Hu himself.

Tu Hu felt the heavy sword in his hand begin to tremble slightly. The vast, ocean-like protective sword aura within the sword seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand, transforming into a stream of light composed of countless pale golden runes. Finally, under his tense gaze, it slowly compressed and reshaped.

The process was faster than expected.

Before long, the guardian sword condensed into a golden bead radiating a warm aura, with a simple sword-shaped symbol floating inside.

The next second, the challenger's prompt sounded in his mind:
[Challenger's Hint: The Guardian Sword Aura (Sealed Soul, Unnamed, Incomplete) has been purified and generated. Embed it in the Star Pulse Slot?]

"Yes, embed it immediately!" Tu Hu replied without hesitation.

Instantly, the golden bead with the sword-shaped symbol transformed into a stream of light, passing through his body and appearing on the star vein groove of his spine.

However, the inlay was not completed; instead, it floated above the Milky Way.

Tu Hu was taken aback, but then he understood the problem.

Without hesitation, he summoned the Star Pulse Interface, his gaze sweeping over the seven embedded Soul Souls, locking onto the seventh "Torn" Soul Soul.

This spirit accompanied him for a long time.

As a front-line tank, this is one of the few ways he can deal sustained damage.

"Sorry, old friend."

On a whim, he chose to decompose.

[Challenger's Hint: The Soul "Torn Apart" has been disintegrated...]

Instantly, the suspended guardian sword aura precisely embedded itself into the seventh star vein slot.

Om-!
An indescribable feeling surged into Tu Hu's mind like a warm tide, and he could feel that he had established an extremely close connection with the sword's life essence.

It was as if he had opened a door to a new world, and his understanding of swordsmanship improved rapidly in the process.

After a long while, Tu Hu opened his eyes and subconsciously raised his hand.

With a slight thought, a giant sword composed of condensed pale golden light instantly formed in his hand amidst a buzzing sound.

Look down.

The sword's body shimmered with light, exuding a profound meaning. Although it was far from being as solid and vast as Cangxuan's, it was already beginning to take shape.

"Hahaha... Hahaha, I did it!"

Tu Hu couldn't help but burst into laughter.

It took him a while to calm down.

Looking at the brand-new pale gold life soul in the star vein slot, he stroked his chin and pondered:

"We need to give you a name. 'Guardian Sword Stance' is too straightforward, not imposing enough, and doesn't reflect how hard-won you are."

At this moment, he thought of the names his predecessors had given to special souls.

The names of the Darkin Legion, the Source of Sin, the Touch of Pain, the All-Encompassing... these names of the spirits are worth borrowing, but they seem a bit too common.

He recalled the “heroic” moment when his teammates painfully dismantled weapons and emptied the warehouse while they were raising money, as well as the 250 million sacrificial power that evaporated instantly.

Tu Hu's lips twitched, and he suddenly had an idea:

“It’s decided. From now on, your name will be: Hua 250 million.”

The next second, the challenger's notification echoed throughout the player camp.

[Challenger's Note (All Channels): Congratulations to player "Hardcore" for successfully generating a special Soul: It cost me 250 million.]

(PS: I saw a reader asking why the Dreamweaver Clan's opponent is the Eclipse Clan, and not the Mirror Clan, who let A-Le inherit the Mirroring Rules... Here's a summary of the plot. It was actually mentioned in the earlier part of the story. Below are some screenshots from Chapter 309.)
(End of this chapter)