abnabooks Chapter 41 Ascetic Training
Chapter 41 Ascetic Training
According to the rules of Liangzhou Martial Arts Hall, inner disciples must pass the Tower of Ascension test and the Secret Realm Trial.
The former tests external martial arts skills, while the latter tests actual combat ability.
Regardless of who you choose as your teacher, you must go through these two hurdles.
But it's clear that Liu Qing is not a teacher you should take as your teacher.
They also demanded that the Azure Flame Bird be killed.
In reality, this Azure Flame Bird is only a first-tier demon beast, but because it contains the bloodline of the divine beast Fire Phoenix, it cannot be counted as an ordinary first-tier demon beast.
Legend has it that the mythical beast Fire Phoenix dwells on the immortal volcano in the south, its body burning with immortal flames year after year. As long as the flames are extinguished, it is immortal. No matter how much damage is inflicted, or even if it is killed directly, it can be reborn from the ashes, which is truly extraordinary.
Although the Azure Flame Bird does not possess the abilities of the Undying Fire Phoenix, it has inherited a trace of the Fire Phoenix's bloodline, allowing it to heal its injuries quickly. It can also spew out azure flames, which are incredibly hot. Even martial artists at the Stone Skin level cannot withstand the damage from these azure flames.
It's likely that only martial artists at the Bronze Skin level could easily deal with this kind of monster and ignore its blue flames.
Mo Zheng is not a copper-skin martial artist. Not only him, but probably none of those participating in the inner disciple assessment this time are.
To cultivate to the Copper Skin Realm, one must achieve a level of mastery and integration of external martial arts.
The difficulty of this is self-evident.
Whether he was deliberately making things difficult or intentionally testing us, we cannot say for sure.
However, after researching the information about the Azure Flame Bird, he became even more certain of his idea.
We must find a way to kill the Azure Flame Bird and become Liu Qing's disciple.
What enemies, what factions, what assassinations—none of that matters to him right now. What he needs to do is improve his strength.
The story of the Twelve Swords of Wind alone demonstrates the importance of an excellent teacher in martial arts training.
Without that letter, he would never have known that this basic sword technique was so perfectly suited to the Wind Shadow Sword Technique.
Liu Qing was undoubtedly an excellent teacher, and he had been kind enough to guide me.
If you don't know how to choose, just look at the choice of Zhou Xian, this true disciple. He chose Liu Qing as his teacher, so what do you have to worry about?
If you are strong enough, like Lan Jun, or even like Cao Longgang, who is number one on the True Inheritance Stele, what is there to fear about assassination or retaliation?
In martial arts, strength comes first!
But how exactly do we deal with this Azure Flame Bird?
Mo Zheng was having a headache. He wanted to kill him, but his strength was simply insufficient!
Forget it, let's go back first and find out later.
Mo Zheng was at a loss for a moment and decided to put it aside for the time being. There must be a way, otherwise Liu Qing would not have given him such a test.
Moreover, those who participated in the inner disciple assessment were all disciples who had just passed the first level of the Tower of Ascension, and their strengths were almost equal.
He put down the documents and walked towards the outer room of the library.
"Junior Brother Mo, have you finished reading?"
The disciple in charge, Xiao Nan, greeted Mo Zheng warmly as he walked out.
He had witnessed Mo Zheng's duel against You Chendong firsthand, and thus knew the potential of the young man before him; he definitely had a chance to become a true disciple.
Such geniuses can only be befriended when one is weak, and even a small friendship can change one's destiny in the future.
"I've finished reading it, thank you for your help, senior brother," Mo Zheng said.
The Sutra Repository not only contains martial arts manuals, but also numerous casual conversations and miscellaneous notes. Some were written by disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, others by their teachers, and still others were books compiled from other authors. With a thousand years of accumulation, it has everything one could need and can be called a great treasure trove.
"You look so worried, could it be that you haven't found what you're looking for?" Xiao Nan asked curiously.
Don't fight today because you were injured while trying to climb the Tower of Heaven.
So when he arrived earlier and saw that the man looked unwell, Xiao Nan didn't think much of it and assumed it was due to his injuries. But now it seems that his furrowed brows are probably due to some unresolved issues.
There's nothing wrong with talking about the Azure Flame Bird. Mo Zheng had originally planned to slowly inquire about it from others, so when Xiao Nan asked, he smiled wryly and said:
"As my senior brother noticed, I will be entering the secret realm in a month for the inner disciple assessment. I've heard that there's a demonic beast called the Azure Flame Bird inside, which is quite beneficial for martial arts cultivation. It's just a pity that the azure flames on its body are extremely difficult to deal with. I was originally looking for a way to..."
"Blue Flame Bird, so that's what it was about."
Xiao Nan laughed and said, "Then you don't need to worry, junior brother. Don't forget that I, your senior brother, have also passed the inner disciple assessment, so I naturally know a thing or two about the Azure Flame Bird."
"Oh?"
Mo Zheng's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood. He couldn't help but curse himself for being stupid.
Yes, since the inner disciples have to go through that secret realm for the assessment, most of the inner disciples probably already know about the Azure Flame Bird, so what is there to worry about?
"I humbly request your guidance, Senior Brother Xiao," Mo Zheng said, bowing.
"Junior brother, there's no need to be so polite. This method is very simple, and most of us basically know it. As the saying goes, all things in the universe are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining. In that secret realm, there are not only Azure Flame Birds, but also a first-tier demonic beast called the Twin-Winged Frost Cicada. Its demon core can greatly weaken the power of the Azure Flame Birds. However, you should take a few more, just in case. But..."
After explaining the solution, Xiao Nan changed the subject, saying, "The difficulty in killing the Azure Flame Bird and obtaining its heart blood lies not in the Azure Flame Bird itself, but in the other disciples being assessed."
"The secret realm opens only once every six months, and each assessment involves anywhere from eight or nine disciples to more than ten, while there is only one Azure Flame Bird. Everyone wants to obtain such a treasure that can aid in martial arts cultivation..."
"So, besides strength, you also need a bit of luck. Junior Brother Mo, you'd better be mentally prepared."
Upon hearing this, Mo Zheng couldn't help but smile bitterly.
The Twin-Winged Frost Cicada's demon core can suppress the Azure Flame Bird's flames. In this way, the Azure Flame Bird loses its greatest advantage and becomes vulnerable to being killed.
However, once one problem was solved, another one arose.
people.
The other disciples taking the exam will probably all know this news. However, since they have all passed the first level of the Tower of Ascension and have similar external martial arts skills, it will not be easy for them to compete for the Azure Flame Bird.
So, does Liu Qing mean that the most outstanding person is not worthy of being his disciple?
Mo Zheng gained a new understanding of this assessment.
Let's give it a try. There's still a month left.
Whether it's a monster or a human, as long as you're strong enough, nothing is a problem.
Thinking of this, Mo Zheng thanked Xiao Nan and walked towards his courtyard.
……
On a cold night, the cold moon hangs high.
Mo Zheng lay in bed, pondering everything that had happened that day.
Given Ying Youchen's lucky victory, it's easy to imagine that this guy will definitely not give up the idea of causing trouble for him during the secret realm assessment.
But will he still be his rival a month from now?
Mo Zheng was very confident that with the speed at which he cultivated the Twelve Swords of Wind, he would not be as strained as he was today when dealing with You Chendong. In fact, he might not even need to use both swords.
The key is Liu Qing's test.
The transition from outer disciple to inner disciple is not difficult; one only needs to pass the first level of the Tower of Ascension, which no one in the history of the Martial Arts Hall has failed to do.
However, without a good teacher to guide you from the inner disciples to the true lineage, it is too difficult.
This includes the Wind Chasing Twelve Swords that Mo Zheng practiced.
He's mastering this basic sword technique very quickly now because the Gale Sword suits him perfectly. But what about the other eleven sword techniques?
If you have a good kendo teacher to guide you, you can save a lot of effort.
"After the Secret Realm assessment, it will be the New Year. When I get back, I must help Xiao Nian awaken his bloodline."
Mo Zheng thought to himself, "After the New Year, Mo Xiaotian will be eleven years old. He can start practicing martial arts at twelve. We can't delay any longer."
However, this might mean he wouldn't have enough money on hand.
He won the duel and received 10,000 taels of silver. You Chendong also received 10,000 taels. Adding the 4,000 taels he earned from hunting monsters a few days ago, the total came to less than 25,000 taels of silver. However, he spent 10,000 taels just to enter the Tower of Ascension. After deducting the 10,000 taels he planned to take home, he only had a little over 4,000 taels of silver left. He also spent a lot on his own cultivation. Each Qi Gathering Pill cost 600 taels, and he could digest the medicinal power of one pill every three days.
I don't have enough money...
Cultivate yourself, and make money!
These are the two most pressing issues.
"Two days to practice swordsmanship, one day to hunt monsters, balancing practical combat with rigorous training."
Mo Zheng decided on the schedule for his cultivation in the blink of an eye.
Cultivation now is different from when we were in Shangyin County. At the basic level, swordsmanship was all about practice and understanding. But now, while practice is important, understanding is also important, and we must also consider practical application. Otherwise, what we understand is very likely to be wrong.
On the contrary, internal energy and mental power are both cultivated step by step. They can be increased by taking pills, meditating, and spending a fixed amount of time each day. They are relatively easy and simple.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Mo Zheng, whose injuries had almost healed, put on his armor, took his weapon, and entered the Daliang Mountains.
Compared to his previous hunts, his strength has increased far, far this time.
shhhhh!
Two flashes of sword light appeared, and a lone black porcupine had its head chopped off, collapsing helplessly to the ground.
"I can hunt ordinary first-tier demonic beasts without much difficulty now, and even small groups of demonic beasts are no match for me."
Mo Zheng collected the porcupine's tail and demon core, secretly making plans in his mind.
They killed them too easily.
Compared to his strength of only 1,000 jin in the Tower of Ascension, he now possesses 3,500 jin, almost comparable to a Stone Skin Warrior.
His swordsmanship has also improved significantly. With two swords in hand, he is even more powerful than two perfectly coordinated martial artists, and he can kill ordinary first-tier demonic beasts without any pressure.
Therefore, Mo Zheng thrived in the outer Daliang Mountains. As long as he avoided the large number of gregarious demonic beasts, he killed six demonic beasts in just one day and exchanged them for more than nine thousand taels of silver at the Treasure Shop.
……
"The gap between the Subtlety Realm and the Unity Realm is even greater than the gap between an ordinary person and a Subtlety Realm martial artist. Don't think that just because you've all entered the Martial Arts Hall and achieved Subtlety in External Kung Fu, you're anything special. All of you, calm down and start cultivating with the mindset of a beginner!"
"No matter what weapon you practice with, remember this: don't just practice blindly. Put your heart into every move. Only by putting your heart into it can you continuously improve!"
"Furthermore, you need to consider the connection between moves, the timing of your attacks, how to make your moves more powerful, and how to make your opponent unable to catch them. Don't just focus on the Unity Realm. Even if you master it, it's useless if you can't hit anyone!" A middle-aged female teacher in the Hall of Hearing the Dao reprimanded her with a cold expression.
"Yes, teacher!"
The disciples, including Mo Zheng, who were listening to the lecture below, all responded with shame.
The first four levels of the Tower of Ascension correspond to the realm of subtlety, and the difficulty increases in a curved manner.
The difference in strength between a disciple who can pass through three levels of the Tower of Ascension and one who can pass through one level is so great that the difference is so great that the disciple can be instantly killed.
Not to mention the realms of unity and subtlety.
They're not on the same level, so there's no way to compare them.
If you attack at the same time, you might lose your life before you even find your opponent.
This teacher was instructing his disciples, including Mo Zheng, to be humble.
Mo Zheng had attended a few of her classes, and she always emphasized this concept: a martial artist, no matter how strong, must be humble during training.
In her words, even a martial saint is not the end for a martial artist.
"Today I will still teach you the basics of swordsmanship. Don't look down on the basics. No matter how profound the mysteries of swordsmanship are, they are all composed of these basics. Don't think that just because you all have excellent control over your strength, you have a good foundation in swordsmanship. The basics need to be practiced, and you need to practice them diligently. If you don't practice for a day, you will regress."
"Come up here and test your sword with me!"
The female teacher pointed casually, but accidentally pointed at Mo Li.
"Me?"
Mo Zheng stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, "Teacher."
"If you swing your sword at me with the force of a thousand pounds, I will attack you with the force of a thousand pounds!" the female teacher said.
"yes!"
Mo Zheng responded, drew his longsword, and thrust it out with an ordinary, unremarkable strike—not a sword technique, just a simple stab.
A soft clang of a sword was heard, and the female teacher also thrust her sword forward.
when!
The two swords clashed, and Mo Zheng's sword slipped from his hand uncontrollably. He looked at his opponent in surprise.
"Your hand wasn't steady enough. The moment the two swords clashed, you didn't react in time to deflect the force. That shows your fundamentals aren't solid!"
The female teacher reprimanded Mo Zheng, then sheathed her sword and addressed all the disciples: "Slashing, thrusting, and parrying—you must practice until you can unleash your full physical power. Everyone's physical condition is different every day, so you must practice every day until it becomes second nature. Only then will the combined power of your moves be maximized!"
"Don't think that being a little short is nothing; being a little short can make a big difference! You must master the basic moves!"
……
Inside the training ground, a group of disciples were practicing.
"Hurry, hurry, you two, make your moves even faster."
Under the immense pressure of the Yuanling Pearl, Mo Zheng fought against two opponents, dealing with the attacks of Wang Yuan and Zhao Tong. He used only one sword and only defended without attacking, yet he still felt that their moves were too slow, and the pressure they brought him was getting less and less.
"You've improved too fast, you need to train with the inner disciples."
"Exactly, the gap between us is too big, practicing with you is too grueling."
Wang Yuan and Zhao Tong verbally admitted defeat, but their hands didn't stop. They unleashed increasingly fierce attacks with their long sticks and broadswords, sparring with Mo Zheng, which also helped them improve.
……
Small courtyards, scripture pavilions, the Daliang Mountains, and other places.
Mo Zheng spent every day in arduous training. He relied on his mental power to observe the shortcomings of each move and then continuously improved and enhanced it.
"This little guy is improving so fast."
Zhou Xian, who was ordered to observe Mo Zheng, noticed that Mo Zheng's performance on the image stone of hunting monsters was much better than his skill in passing the first level of the Tower of Ascension, and he was secretly surprised.
Although disciples who enter the Martial Arts Hall will experience a period of rapid improvement in strength at the beginning, Mo Zheng's improvement was far too fast.
Both his internal energy and swordsmanship were improving rapidly, as if there were no bottlenecks.
Amidst this rigorous training, time flew by, and the day for the Secret Realm Assessment arrived.
……