Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 384 The Art of Sword Control
"who is it?"

Huangfu Yi looked up at the empty void. The eerie female voice in his ears seemed to recede like the tide, but the feeling of being watched by someone lingered.

However, his divine sense search yielded no results, and he couldn't see anything strange in the surroundings. Huangfu Yi could only look down at the sword sheath in his hand, completely bewildered.
"Non-object? Key to the door? What's it for?"

"What else could a key be? It's for opening doors, of course."

"Open a door? You can use a flying sword to open a door? How do you do that?"

"Splitting it open. This flying sword was originally meant for opening doors. But right now, the door isn't the point, nor is the key. The point is when the door was opened, and who came in..."

After a long silence, the system finally spoke in a somewhat dejected tone.
"Enough. You don't need to think about the distant future. Saying too much now will only disturb your Dao heart. Take care of the present first."

Since this sword is here waiting for you, it is your destiny to become an immortal. The basic sword control technique I am about to teach you is not yet ready to be revealed. It does not exist in the world, so you must never pass it on to anyone else.

Alas, your current cultivation level is far too low. You can't even unleash a fraction of the sword's power, and who knows if that will be a blessing or a curse. This sword also carries many karmic consequences; save it for a trump card. Only use it recklessly when your life is in danger.

Even if you don't use it normally, you still need to build a solid foundation in Qi cultivation. The skill of sword control requires diligent practice to master. If you start with a sword that's too sharp, you might end up going astray..."

"Okay, okay, that'll save you the trouble."

Although I don't know why the system is suddenly being so long-winded, as long as I get the sword control technique, that's enough.

Since he was not in a position of authority and therefore not involved in political affairs, and could not possibly communicate the battle plan to the entire army, Huangfu Yi suppressed his curiosity about the key to the door and decided that he only needed to focus on mastering his swordsmanship.

Pushing open the door to enter the house of this wealthy family to look for banknotes, the main hall was a mess. Leftover bones were piled on the table, limbs and severed arms were scattered on the floor, and large stains of dirt and blood remained on the bed.

Huangfu Yi examined the shape and condition of the skeleton, and then checked the traces left by the perpetrator. He had a rough idea of ​​what was going on in his mind.

The dead were most likely bound and humiliated by the mutinous soldiers, who played with them while dismembering them, and then ate them up afterward.

What? Why not a demon? Well, which demon prepares bowls, plates, and chopsticks before eating people? They even stew the human organs in a clay pot and rinse them with a plate, treating them like lamb to be cooked...

In short, judging from the remaining flesh, the body was relatively fresh, probably only brought here within the last week or two. It seems there was a military camp of rebels not far from this manor, but it's unknown where the people who ate it came from.

Moreover, judging from the marks inside and outside the house, and around the windows and beds, not counting the one they ate, there were at least seven or eight people who came, along with a dozen or so horses, seemingly a scouting squad. It's just unclear what madness had possessed these soldiers and bandits, insisting on coming to this ghostly graveyard for a picnic and party…

Regardless, Huangfu Yi first tore off some bed sheets and curtains, wrapped the corpse in them, and buried it in a pit in the backyard. Seeing that there was no paper, ink, brush, or inkstone around, he used the bones he picked up from the ground, soaked them in blood and broth, tore off a bed sheet, and listened to the system relay the sword control technique to copy it down and then memorize it.

Although his natural talent and aptitude weren't particularly outstanding, Huangfu Yi had his strengths, namely his innate ability to concentrate fully and single-mindedly during cultivation. Once he began cultivating, he was completely undisturbed by the miscellaneous side quests involving his family, the key to the door, and the dragon, tiger, and crane.

In short, the so-called sword control technique actually refers to a supreme Qi cultivation method in the Xuanmen (Taoist school).

During cultivation, one first refines and condenses a mouthful of innate true qi from the dantian and qi sea, repeatedly refining and condensing it until it becomes as fine as a thread and as sharp as a needle. Then one can aim at the target and send it out, directly penetrating the opponent's qi aperture and fatal point, thus taking a person's life invisibly.

However, once a single breath of Qi is refined to its full potential, it can be released and withdrawn at will, can be made large or small, can be made invisible or visible, and can then be used as a Qi sword. Furthermore, if one obtains a natal treasure and a superior flying sword, and attaches the sword Qi to the flying sword, refining them into one, then the power will more than double when the sword and Qi are completely integrated.

At that time, not to mention the distance of a few dozen steps or tens of feet between upstairs and downstairs, inside and outside the house, even a distance of ten or a hundred miles, divine sense can lock and transmit the message. This is the kind of miraculous skill that people call a celestial being descending from the heavens, taking a person's head from a thousand miles away with a single sword strike.

Such a divine skill naturally requires the practitioner to cultivate its application to the point where it originates from the heart, is contained within the body, and can be used at will, reaching the pinnacle before it can be practiced. Otherwise, if the Qi sword is unleashed erratically, there is a risk of true Qi reversal, power leakage, broken meridians, and even demonic possession. Therefore, the secret manual is never passed on to outsiders. According to the rules of the Xuanmen (Taoist sect), only those who have reached the True Person realm within the inner sect can practice it.

However, the nine major sects have now reached the pinnacle of their understanding of Qi cultivation and the deduction of the circulation of Qi through the meridians, achieving a level of consummate skill. In addition, the people of Tiger Temple cultivate the innate flawless golden elixir and are already proficient in the way of Qi cultivation, making them far more powerful than those impatient cultivators.

Although this technique is of little use in terms of longevity or eternal youth, it is advantageous in the world of martial arts, where fighting and killing are commonplace. While someone's fist can only strike your chest when it's right in front of you, you can take someone's head with a single sword strike from a hundred miles away. The advantages of this technique are self-evident.

Therefore, disciples of prestigious sects, as long as they have a solid foundation, profound skill, and are approved by their masters to form their Golden Core, can usually be taught the sect's direct lineage sword-controlling techniques. Some sects, however, with even more outrageous practices and increasingly bizarre rules, have even begun teaching their young disciples sword-controlling combat from the Qi Refining stage onwards…

Huangfu Yi also understood that he had only recently attained enlightenment and had only begun practicing Xuanmen Qi Gong after returning to the Central Plains. His aptitude was not that of a top-tier genius, and his power was basically due to a cheat code.

However, in any case, the trials and tribulations he overcame along the way were not something that ordinary people could accomplish.

Huangfu Yi's ability to get to where he is today is indeed a testament to his exceptional talent. Although the system always calls him a fool and trash, it also acknowledges his strengths, especially his ability to cultivate with unparalleled focus and concentration, which is a rarity in the world.

The fear of others going astray in their cultivation had no effect on him whatsoever. In addition, he had laid a solid foundation in his childhood, so his Qi cultivation was extremely efficient. Although he had accumulated a lot of power through various adventures over the years, his Qi cultivation remained extremely pure.

Therefore, although Huangfu Yi's comprehension was average, requiring the system to explain the basic sword control technique (which didn't even have a name) three times before he could understand it, and his cultivation level hadn't yet reached the Core Formation stage, once he learned it once and circulated his Qi for a week, he could memorize it perfectly. Furthermore, he could cultivate day and night thereafter, circulating his Qi throughout his body with such composure and precision that he could achieve perfect inner strength cultivation. He was practically a born master of internal energy cultivation.

Moreover, the previous "Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden's Three Revolutions and Nine Transformations Refining Form Chapter" was extremely difficult, yet he still managed to refine it. Naturally, the sword control technique was no problem for him either. He easily condensed a wisp of sword energy, like a thin, invisible spider silk, which probed into the sword pouch and connected with the key flying sword. They were able to sense each other and summon it to assist him.

Moreover, it's not just about using it like a puppet or a string puppet. Huangfuyi felt he could go even deeper, exploring the deeper parts of the flying sword and observing and sensing its previous memories.

In that instant, a large number of fragments of divine consciousness and dense information data were directly bombarded into Huangfu Yi's brow, pouring into his divine court.

This knowledge and information was neither light nor shadow, but like dew and lightning. Upon closer inspection, it seemed familiar yet incomprehensible. To the brain, it was utterly incomprehensible nonsense and meaningless scribbles. A moment's thought not only failed to comprehend it but also caused a splitting headache, forcing Huangfu Yi to quickly disconnect the sword energy.

Well, just as the system said, thankfully this flying sword was only a piece of trash, so he could barely control it, but that was already Huangfu Yi's limit. If he were any stronger, he probably would have been turned into a mentally retarded idiot after that one test...

But regardless, Huangfuyi can now control his flying sword.

"disease!"

With a thought, he made a hand seal and pointed his finger. A flash of silver light appeared, and Huangfu Yi's vision could only vaguely catch a glimpse of a white ribbon. Then, the ropes on the withered branches in front of the courtyard were cut one by one, and the skeletons fell to the ground with a clatter.

Wow, that's fast...

Suddenly sensing the dissatisfaction of the flying sword, Huangfu Yi quickly cut open his palm and fed the flying sword in his pouch with his blood essence. He let the sword absorb the blood for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before he calmed down the killing intent in the sword.

Well, this sword is indeed powerful, but it's too strong and difficult to wield. It's truly ferocious and ruthless, and every time it's drawn, blood is drawn. If it doesn't kill several people each time it's drawn to satisfy its hunger, even though Huangfu Yi is strong, healthy, and full of energy, he can't withstand such torment.

Fortunately, its previous owner knew the power of the divine weapon and specially made this sword sheath to preserve it. Therefore, although it had been hidden in the well for many years, it still retained its sharpness, so there was no need to specially store it in the Nine Heavens Sword Pavilion for maintenance. After finishing his work here, he looked up and saw that the sky was getting darker and the moonlight was getting brighter.

Huangfu Yi also took the piece of Ziyang Locking Dragon Marrow from his back, untied the cloak bundle, and laid out the large, thick, black mushroom meat under the moonlight.

As instructed by the system, as long as this treasure is not taken away within seven days, one can examine the Moon with this Nascent Soul Treasure and exchange it for money.

Well, Huangfu Yi didn't really understand either. How could shining the moon earn money? But he figured that divine methods were mysterious and unpredictable, so he would just have to follow the system's orders.

So Huangfu Yi sat down under the moonlight, using the yang energy emitted by Da Bao to continue cultivating various secret qi techniques, focusing on refining and digesting the true qi in his body, and continuing to hone the Xuan Nu Refining Form and basic sword control techniques.

He sat there until midnight when suddenly a crackling sound came from the darkness, startling Huangfu Yi from his meditation.

It wasn't an illusion, it wasn't the sound of wind, and it wasn't a dream! There really was a sound coming from the well behind us!
A clanging, a clattering sound, grew louder and closer, as if something was trying to break through the pile of bones and corpses blocking the well's opening...

Looking at the sword sheath in his hand, Huangfu Yi suddenly realized why this seemingly useless sword sheath was hanging at the well's mouth, yet no one came to retrieve it, and why those rogue soldiers and scouts would occasionally come to eat human flesh and cook hot pot.

There's a monster in the well.

"Quack...quack..."

The sound suddenly amplified, clearly indicating that the thing had climbed out of the well. Huangfu Yi abruptly turned his head and met the gaze of the head that had emerged from the well.

Yes, it's an beginning.

The head was disheveled, with black hair covering the face, obscuring the eyebrows and features. It was impossible to tell whether it was male or female, or what kind of ghost it was.

Huangfu Yi glanced at the head, then at the blazing Yang Qi of Da Bao beside him. He guessed that the evil creature had been drawn out by the strong scent of the Ziyang Locking Dragon Marrow after the sword pouch at the wellhead was taken.

But it doesn't matter. There have been plenty of monsters robbing treasures along the way, and he'll have killed them all. And since he's the one who took the sword sheath and released this demon, he should naturally bear the consequences of slaying it.

Without saying a word, Huangfu Yi stood up, swung his fist the size of a sandbag, picked up his steel rod, and strode toward the monster.

The monster shuddered and shrank halfway down the well, as if trying to escape.

Huangfu Yi was taken aback for a moment, then realized that it was the sword pouch hanging at his waist that had frightened it. So he took off the pouch, casually tossed it next to the Ziyang Lock Dragon Marrow, and took a few steps forward to avoid scaring it away and making it troublesome to chase after it.

This caught the monster off guard. It probably had never seen a man who would try to charge at it with just a stick...

But Huangfu Yi didn't care about any of that! He flicked his iron rod and thrust it straight at Huangfu Yi's head!

"Yao Guang!"

With a "whoosh!" the staff swept out! The tip of the staff slashed out a pair of sword shadows, which were about to slice off the demon's head!
"Hoohoo!"

The sword flashed, and then a black shadow flashed, and the monster in the well pounced out of the well!

In that instant, the enormous figure was revealed in full under the bright moonlight! It truly was a grotesque monster!

Its upper body resembles a human, its lower body a lizard, and its shape is like a snake. It is grayish-black all over, with a flat head, long neck, fine scales, four legs, and a fleshy tail that is more than five or six feet long.

It looks like a gecko...

But this size is clearly not that of an ordinary gecko. It has probably eaten too much human flesh in the well and has become a demon, almost human.

Especially look at its upper body, with layers upon layers of sebum embedded in it. At first glance, you might think it's shedding its skin, but if you chase after it and get closer, you'll see that each layer is clearly human skin, stacked on top of each other. It must have burrowed into the body and emptied the person out, and then worn on its head like a hood.

It probably wants to transform into a human.

"Evil heretic! Die!"

Upon seeing what it was, Huangfu Yi's killing intent surged, and he chased after it with a sword!

However, the palace-guarding monster was not to be underestimated! Its movements were as fast as lightning! It actually dodged the sword light one after another! The Flaming Wind Blazing Fire Sword combo couldn't even hurt it! Instead, the monster darted around in the sword wind, finding an opening to strike with its tail!
With a "smack!", the sword struck Huangfuyi's arm! The blow sent blood scattering everywhere, tearing most of the clothes apart!

However, it doesn't hurt or itch at all! The Mystic Maiden's Body Refinement! It's just too... wait, why does it feel a little itchy?
Huangfu Yi's heart skipped a beat. He twirled his sword several times, creating a large expanse of red lotuses, and took the opportunity to retreat and withdraw his sword, glancing at his hand.

Hey! It's poisonous again!
A clear, visible whip mark was visible on his right arm, as if it were covered in fly ash. He tried to wipe it off, but couldn't. It felt fuzzy to the touch, and was actually covered in dense, fine scales! Although these scales couldn't penetrate his skin, they clung to his body, emitting a powdery, downy aura that seeped into his skin through his energy channels, using demonic power to interfere with and erode his true energy…

"Swish!" "Snap!"

With another loud crash, the palace-guarding demon arrived in a flash and unleashed another lash of its whip! It tore Huangfu Yi's trouser leg, leaving a deep gash on his thigh!
This monster is quite powerful. Not only are all its attacks poisonous, but its speed, strength, and agility far surpass those of ordinary monsters. It is probably a powerful monster at the Transformation level! Moreover, once it starts running, its skin flakes and scales scatter all over the ground like snowflakes. If you are not careful, you will be poisoned if you get them on you.

Such a bizarre and poisonous creature would likely cause heavy casualties even if a massive army were to attack.

But it didn't work on Huangfu Yi!

"Ah!"

"boom!"

Huangfu Yi roared! His meridians opened simultaneously! His entire body exploded with Qi! Especially from his dantian, two streams of poisonous Qi, one crimson and one purple, like monstrous, veined serpents, erupted, directly covering his body surface! They circulated through his acupoints! Using Qi to counteract Qi! Using poison to fight poison! Instantly burning away the poisonous demonic Qi that had afflicted his body!

With a horizontal stroke of the iron rod and a burst of sword energy, a single sword strike leaped forth in four colors! Under the moonlight, two bright blades, one radiant and the other shimmering, appeared! Two poisonous lights, one crimson and the other purple, shone brightly! They intertwined, their light and energy blazing, their blades clashing!
The Five Immortal Swords! They're really powerful too!
"Slay the demon!"

(End of this chapter)