Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Chapter 109 Breaking the Sea

Ye Ci then remembered that Ling Cang had pointed to the study before leaving, but he hadn't realized what was in the study at the time.

Of course, he rarely went into his study.

He felt that Ling Cang was inconsiderate in his actions, and wondered what would happen if he didn't go into the study for a long time.

Or, what if someone else sees this picture?

Ye Ci gazed intently at the painting of the vast ocean before him. The waves crashed against the shore, and the crests of the waves swirled with tiny specks of ink, as if they were about to break free of the paper and crash into his eyes.

The ink, in varying shades, seemed to emanate a chilling glint.

The distant mountains, sharp as knives, stand majestically, echoing the sound of the waves.

At that moment, Ye Ci vaguely heard a ringing sound deep in his mind.

The next second, a figure rushed into my mind.

A dazzling blade of light suddenly appeared, transforming into a hundred-foot-long blade in mid-air. A middle-aged figure swung the blade, crashing it into a massive wave.

The waves surged and roared as if they were alive.

The middle-aged man stood tall, his long sword flashing forward.

When the blade collided with the giant wave, that unparalleled power transformed into a terrifying force that forcefully severed the wave.

The sword's momentum remained undiminished, advancing relentlessly.

The vast ocean waves split in two!

Like the separation of heaven and earth.

Ye Ci stared intently at the scene, his mind seemingly being guided, feeling the aura of the person wielding the knife, his heart surging with emotion.

The waves recede.

The sound shook the heavens.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Ci suddenly woke up.

【Special Technique: Sea-Severing Style (1/10)】

In the next instant, countless insights about the "Broken Sea" flooded into his mind.

When something completely new appeared on the panel, Ye Ci was utterly astonished.

He didn't have time to think it through.

He merely grasped the essence of it, his face showing no ecstatic joy at acquiring a unique skill, but rather a solemn expression.

He looked at the tiny characters written in small characters next to the painting.

This is the beginning of my improved version of the technique. Whether you can grasp even a fraction of its essence depends entirely on fate, as fortune and misfortune are intertwined. I will repeatedly remind you not to take it lightly.

This technique is exceptionally powerful and should not be practiced by those without exceptional physical constitution and pure blood and qi. Physical constitution is the foundation of cultivation, like the beams and pillars of a house; if the beams and pillars are not strong, the house will surely collapse. Blood and qi are the guide to supernatural powers, like the flowing water for a boat; if the flowing water is not clean, the boat will surely run aground.

In fact, even without Ling Cang's reminder, Ye Ci had already grasped the significance of the situation.

For him to use "Sea Severing" is equivalent to sacrificing his lifespan with a single strike.

Outside the window, the bamboo shadows remain, and a gentle breeze rustles through the leaves.

Suddenly, Ye Ci smiled.

All martial arts techniques are killing methods. Comprehending Ling Cang's sword strike, even at the beginner level, gives one a completely new understanding of swordsmanship.

"Then is my Six Harmony Knife still the Six Harmony Knife?"

He actually smiled this time.

I was trained in military fighting techniques, and one principle was ingrained in my bones: all kinds of moves and skills are for killing.

Ling Cang's ruthlessness lies not in the exquisiteness of his moves, but in the fact that it strips away all redundancy and goes straight to the essence of martial arts. It is an unadorned, unstoppable killing intent that quietly overlaps with his instincts when he was fighting bloody battles in the army.

He walked out of the study.

He drew his knife.

Looking back, on that cold night outside the military tent, he swung his sword to cut through the frozen reeds, each strike carrying immense weight.

But after comprehending Ling Cang's sword strike, when he swung the Six Harmonies Sword again, he felt that something had changed.

The rules that were once deliberately followed now seem to have become a constraint. The once-ordered moves now possess a sharper and more decisive quality, and a less rigid adherence to the rules.

The wind swept through the yard, swirling up the fallen leaves on the ground.

Ye Ci slowly drew his sword, and with a casual slash, the blade sliced ​​through the air with a sharp, piercing sound, without the slightest hesitation.

The path of martial arts is a circle; mastering a move ultimately requires understanding how to integrate various techniques.

All techniques ultimately converge into one's own essence.

Ye Ci suddenly felt relieved, and the smile on his lips deepened. He felt that all the techniques were based on his mind, and his killing intent became even purer.

According to Ling Cang's estimation, Ye Ci would only grasp one or two aspects, which would greatly benefit his swordsmanship.

Indeed, Ye Ci understood.

At the same time, Ling Cang did not expect that he had actually found the "Sea-Breaking Style" in the Canghai Map.

With this strike, Ye Ci felt even more confident.

As for the cost—

After a while.

He sealed the envelope that Shen Yixi had left behind and burned Ling Cang's painting.

He then left the study with a normal expression.

In the afternoon, after finishing his meal, Ye Ci first handed the letter directly to Shen Wanzhou, and then took the note for Teacher Yang and went out into the street.

First, we went to the familiar Ping An Escort Agency. The high walls and blue bricks, the once bustling streets and alleys, were now deserted.

He planned to take a look.

Take a look at the place where that beast killed people.

Suddenly, the sound of a carriage came from the side. A carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the door, and then a middle-aged figure stepped out of the carriage.

He lifted the curtain, reached into the carriage, and said in a calm tone, "Come out and come with me to the mansion."

The woman inside the car lowered her head slightly, her fingertips clenching the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with resistance. She spoke softly, "Father, I don't want to go. Didn't you plan to marry me off to Xiao Hua?"

The middle-aged man frowned slightly, his expression darkening: "Didn't you think Xiao Hua was too arrogant back then?"

"Now that things have come to this, I have informed the general, so you have no choice but to act recklessly. Xiao Hua is now under the general's command, and he would not dare to act rashly."

The woman looked up, her eyes filled with a hint of stubbornness: "My third uncle's daughter has been in the mansion for many days, and there has been no news of her. I feel that this place is somewhat dangerous."

"This is an opportunity."

The middle-aged man said, "The third son's daughter is not favored, but you are proficient in all the arts, such as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and have won the general's favor. Your father can now establish his own household. We would never encounter someone with the background of the general in Songjiang County in several lifetimes."

Ye Ci's gaze swept across the scene like a hawk's; he didn't want to look anymore.

So they went around to the back gate of Ping An Escort Agency, where there was a narrow alley leading to the side gate of the mansion. There was a guard leaning against the wall at the side gate, pretending to be asleep.

"The general is resting in the afternoon; please do not disturb him."

The man was someone he had seen at the banquet before. He was of lower rank than Duan Wu, but he also thought that Ye Ci had come to pledge allegiance to the general.

Seeing that he had been misunderstood, Ye Ci didn't say anything more, cupped his hands in greeting, and withdrew.

After walking a few steps, I suddenly heard the side door open and someone carrying a stretcher out.

A pale white cloth covered the person's body completely, revealing a slender figure, clearly a woman.

His limbs hung stiffly at his sides, covered in bloodstains.

Ye Ci sighed and turned to leave.

When he arrived at the Rock Martial Arts School, there were only a few people in the front yard.

"Senior Brother Ye."

One of the disciples called out softly.

Ye Ci nodded slightly, greeted him, and continued towards the inner courtyard.

Upon entering the inner courtyard, it was surprisingly quiet and deserted.

"Senior Brother Ye."

It was Li Fan who cupped his hands in greeting to Ye Ci. Previously, this man had often worked part-time as a clerk in the county government to register households.

After Zhang Guan entered the city, he resigned and stopped working.

"Senior Brother Xiao has announced his withdrawal from the Rock Martial Arts School, Senior Brother Jiang has disappeared, and the school is almost deserted. Only a few of us Ming Jin are left to manage the courtyard. Recently, no new disciples have come to practice martial arts."

He left the martial arts school?

Ye Ci said nothing more and went into his master's quiet room alone, leaving the letter on the desk.

I believe he will see it when he returns.

When he stepped out of the quiet room, he saw Li Fan waiting outside the door.

"Senior brother, you shouldn't participate in the county's martial arts competition."

"How so?"

"Shyar asked me to tell you this."

"he?"

"He said he listened to his master and didn't want to fight with you, a fellow disciple."

Ye Ci nodded slightly, without saying anything more.

"Xiao Hua said he would kill Duan Wu in front of all the martial arts masters in the county. But that would definitely offend Zhang Guan, so it's better for him to offend Zhang Guan alone and leave the Panshi Martial Arts School without implicating anyone else."

Ye Ci's pupils contracted sharply, showing a hint of surprise.

Looking at Li Fan's embarrassed expression, it suddenly occurred to him that perhaps outsiders thought he was Zhang Guan's person.

Why would he oppose the general?

Li Fan muttered under his breath, "His mother hanged herself."

She said that everyone in the city could see who Zhang Guan was, yet her own son knelt before him. Her mother also said that she gave him life hoping he would amount to something, not for admitting defeat and kneeling.