Da Xuan Martial Saint

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"It's finally come to this after nine months."

Chen Mu slowly exhaled.

He summoned the system interface again, but noticed the system panel had changed.

[Martial Skill: Raging Wind Blade Technique (Perfection)]

[Experience Points: 0]

The Raging Wind Blade Technique had indeed reached the realm of Perfection, and the experience points were reset to zero.

"I wonder if there is a realm beyond Perfection."

An idea suddenly flashed through Chen Mu's mind, and he tentatively tried to add more points to the already perfected Raging Wind Blade Technique, but this time there was no response, as if dropping a stone into the sea.

Even if there weren't enough experience points before, the system would still prompt how many experience points were needed for the next upgrade, but this time there wasn't even a prompt, as if the realm of Perfection was indeed the peak of the Raging Wind Blade Technique.

"Blade Technique perfected, forming Blade Momentum, is that the pinnacle?"

Chen Mu furrowed his brows slightly.

Although he wasn't sure whether there was a higher realm beyond Blade Momentum, he knew that there were existences stronger than those who had formed Blade Momentum; it seemed, however, that he could no longer forcibly enhance the technique through additional upgrades of the Raging Wind Blade Technique.

Perhaps the Raging Wind Blade Technique was not profound enough, and its level was limited to this. If he wanted to reach higher levels, he would need to seek more advanced Blade Technique skills to cultivate.

"If that's the case..."

Chen Mu fell into deep thought.

Perhaps it was time he paid the Pawnshop a visit to inquire whether there was a higher-level Sword Manual of Blade Technique skills available.

He also wanted to ask about 'Internal Cultivation Methods,' because in addition to external skills like Blade Techniques, there were also Internal Training methods in this world.

If refining the skill to form Blade Momentum was the peak, then to become stronger, he needed to find a true Internal Cultivation Method to practice—like the Prefecture Chief of the City Defense Division, who was most likely an individual practicing Internal Training.

Having made up his mind, Chen Mu put away the system panel.

After breakfast.

Chen Mu went to 'Ji Family Pawnshop,' the largest Pawnshop in the street market.

To his knowledge, the Ji Family was one of the great families of the Inner City, and they held considerable power. This branch of the Ji Family Pawnshop was just an extension of the one in the Inner City, and even as a branch, it was still the largest Pawnshop in the Ninth District.

"Hey, Officer, are you here to pawn, or to conduct business?"

As soon as he entered the Pawnshop, a clerk seated behind the counter stood up and greeted Chen Mu with a cupped hand smile.

Chen Mu walked in, approached the counter, first took out the Raging Wind Blade Technique manual from his bosom, placed it on the table, and said, "If I were to pawn this permanently, how much Silver would it fetch?"

The clerk picked up the Sword Manual, flipped through a page, then let out a 'hmm' and said, "It's a Blade Technique. Hmm, among all Martial Arts manuals, Blade Techniques are the most common and circulated. Officer, please wait a moment... Xiao Sun, pour the Officer some tea!"

"Right away!"

A voice came from the back room, and after that, a boy hurried out to serve Chen Mu tea.

The clerk then lifted the deep blue curtain and went into the back room.

Given that it was the Ji Family Pawnshop, a substantial establishment, Chen Mu accordingly sat down calmly by the side, not in a rush.

After a short wait.

The clerk returned with the Raging Wind Blade Technique manual, placed it back on the table, and said with a smile, "The expert inside said there's no problem with the Blade Technique. It belongs to one of the eight branches of Qian Heaven Kun Earth, Xun Wind lineage. If the Officer wants to pawn it permanently, it can be exchanged for about five Silver pieces."

Five Silver pieces.

That was a bit more than Chen Mu had expected.

Hearing the clerk's statement, Chen Mu, curiously asked, "Qian Heaven Kun Earth's eight branches?"

The clerk smiled and did not inquire about the source of the Raging Wind Blade Technique, instead explaining, "All of today's mainstream Martial Arts originate from the eight branches of Qian Heaven Kun Earth, originally the official standards of the Imperial Court, but they have now spread to the common people."

"It is said that these eight branches were conceived by ancient Martial Arts Grandmasters inspired by the forces of nature: wind, thunder, mountains, swamps, water, and fire. Many people have since extended various different changes based on that, and this Raging Wind Blade Technique is affiliated with the Xun Wind lineage."

Chen Mu, with a thoughtful expression, asked, "Does that mean there are higher levels of the Xun Wind Blade above this Blade Technique?"

The clerk laughed and said, "The Officer might not understand. The Qian Heaven Kun Earth's eight main branches spread into various skills and techniques. The overarching tenets are not limited to any one weapon, such as swords or staves. What has been passed down is 'Artistic Conception,' but if you, Officer, are asking what Artistic Conception is, I'm afraid I don't understand it either."

Artistic Conception?

Chen Mu had an insight.

Perhaps beyond Blade Momentum lies the so-called Artistic Conception, but the level of the Raging Wind Blade Technique was not sufficient to touch upon that layer.

Since he had already started inquiring, Chen Mu didn't mind asking more, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he further inquired, "Then, do you have the Cultivation Methods corresponding to the main branches of the eight branches?"

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Before he had finished speaking, the accountant said helplessly, "Prefecture Chief, you jest. Such an item, where could a small shop like ours possibly have it? Perhaps the main store in the Inner City might have some news of it, but even if it indeed exists, it cannot be compared with the Blade Technique; its value is not something mere hundreds or thousands could measure."

After listening,

Chen Mu shook his head slightly.

Techniques like the Raging Wind Blade Technique, being relatively widespread manuals, are not very highly valued. But if one were to consider what the accountant mentioned, the Qian Heaven Kun Earth Eight Methods, which were once the orthodox martial arts origins of the Imperial Court, then that's a different story. Their value is immeasurable, and the gap is simply too vast.

At the very least, he currently lacked the ability to access them.

"Then, how about the Internal Cultivation Method?"

Chen Mu continued to inquire.

At this point, he didn't care about being seen by the accountant as a complete novice; since he had already asked some questions that could be considered foolish common knowledge, he didn't mind asking a few more.

Upon hearing this, the accountant smiled and replied, "Internal Cultivation Method... Well, you might not know much, Prefecture Chief, but actually, the so-called 'Internal Cultivation Method' is a generic term. When it comes to specifics, it is divided into the Body Tempering Method and the Inner Breathing Method."

"Let's not even talk about the Inner Breathing Method for now. You can't get it in a small shop like ours, let alone in the Inner City."

Chen Mu listened thoughtfully but did not speak, simply waiting for the accountant to continue.

The accountant didn't mind elaborating further and continued, "As for the Body Tempering Method, it starts with Skin Toughening, followed by Body Refinement, Sinew Refinement, step by step. This is commonly referred to as 'first skin, second flesh, third sinew, fourth bone'."

"Each step has its corresponding Tempering Method, so whether it's the Skin Toughening Method or the Body Refinement Method... they are all called Internal Cultivation Methods, and naturally, their prices vary accordingly."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu felt a surge of contemplation.

He had originally thought that the Internal Cultivation Method was a fixed Cultivation Technique, but it seems that wasn't the case. There was a specific method for Skin Toughening, and a different one for Body Refinement; they were simply collectively referred to as the Internal Cultivation Method.

This was actually better.

Because if he wanted to purchase just the most basic Skin Toughening Method, it was likely not to be too expensive.

While Chen Mu was pondering this,

the accountant smiled faintly and said, "What you seem to be asking about is the most fundamental Skin Toughening Method, right? We have three Practice Methods here. The cheapest one, 'Iron Sand Skin Toughening Method,' is only one hundred and fifty Silver."

Cough.

A twitch involuntarily grasped the corner of Chen Mu's mouth; it turns out he previously thought he was a 'wealthy man' with a strong back.

A technique like the Skin Toughening Method, clearly being something that could be copied over and over again, dared to be sold for one hundred fifty Silver—truly an outrageous price. He had already spent quite a bit of the Silver he had obtained before and could only afford a fraction of it now.

Luckily, compared to Inner Breathing Method, one hundred fifty Silver was still a reasonable amount. Now that his Blade Technique had reached Perfection and he had mastered the Raging Wind Blade Momentum, there were many ways to make money, and earning enough for a Skin Toughening Method wouldn't be difficult.

...

After leaving Ji Family's Pawnshop,

Chen Mu touched the 'Gale Blade Technique' manual in his pocket, feeling a twinge of pain in his heart.

He couldn't afford the Internal Cultivation Method for the time being, and having already cultivated his Raging Wind Blade Technique to Perfection, he couldn't just sit idle. So, he ended up buying another sword manual within the same lineage as the Raging Wind Blade Technique but a different kind, the 'Gale Blade Technique.'

Fortunately, his intention had been to sell the Raging Wind Blade Technique, so this sale and purchase were akin to a trade, with only an extra five Silver expended.

According to the accountant from the pawnshop, the fundamental methods of the Qian Heaven Kun Earth lineage, apart from the Imperial Court, were not circulated anywhere else, nor did any forces dare to circulate them. However, derivative techniques such as the Raging Wind Blade and the Gale Blade were widely disseminated.

Rumors held that one in ten thousand rare geniuses could deduce the foundational method from the derivative ones.

Although whether such rumors were true remained unknown, they gave Chen Mu a direction. His Raging Wind Blade Technique had reached Perfection, and the system was unable to improve it any further, but he could practice other branches of the same type.

Mastering two blade techniques and cultivating two different Blade Momentums would certainly be stronger than mastering just one.

And perhaps,

Chen Mu had a feeling that it wasn't that the system couldn't further elevate his skills but that the conditions were not sufficient.

If he could cultivate all the branching techniques of the Xun Wind lineage to Perfection and master their Blade Momentums, perhaps he could use the system to integrate them and thereby deduce a higher-level foundational method, stepping into a higher realm.

Of course, physical cultivation was also significant. Currently, figuring out how to acquire a Skin Toughening Method was also key.

"The Inner Breathing Method is not something commoners can access, maybe not even the Prefecture Chiefs, but as for the Body Refining... I wonder which step that Prefecture Chief Min has reached, whether it's Skin Toughening or Body Refinement."

Chen Mu murmured to himself.

Without a doubt,

the Prefecture Chief of the City Defense Division must know the Body Tempering Method, otherwise relying solely on a Perfection-level technique's Blade Momentum, he couldn't possibly secure his position as Prefecture Chief. It was just unclear to what extent he had practiced the Body Tempering Method.

From the partial information Chen Mu gleaned through indirect queries with the accountant, the Body Tempering Method was also quite difficult. It could literally be described as tempering the body with 'gold and silver.' Any Prescription for any of the Body Refining Methods devoured massive amounts of money. To maximize progress, one would need to spend several hundred Silver in a year.

Without a vast amount of gold and silver to back it up, the first step, Skin Toughening, would be ample for a lifetime's worth of practice.

Chen Mu guessed that Prefecture Chief Min, who administered the Ninth District City Defense Division, had possibly only attained the Body Refinement Realm. If it were any higher, he likely wouldn't just be an Outer City Prefecture Chief but would have already been promoted.