Chapter 6: Three Martial Arts Techniques

Thud!

The headless Taoist in blue robes collapsed onto the shattered stones, blood spilling in all directions. The Soul-Burning Banner that had hovered above him fell to the ground as well, its ghostly aura dissipating.

Staring at the corpse, Zhou Xue trembled from head to toe. She turned to Fang Wang, whose sword still floated before him, and couldn't help but ask, "You… just now, was that…?"

Fang Wang supported her with his left hand, his right still poised in the sword-controlling stance. His expression was calm as he replied, "As you saw, it was precisely the Sword Control Technique you taught me."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the people of the Fang residence erupted in wild cheers.

"The demon Taoist is dead!"

"What was that just now? The sword was flying!"

"Even the greatest swordsmen of the martial world couldn't perform such swordplay!"

"Young Master Fang Wang is incredible!"

Excitement swept through the household. The blue-robed Taoist had been terrifyingly powerful—now that he was slain, the other assassins no longer seemed so fearsome.

Yet some still worried the Taoist might rise again. After all, he was a heretic, and such people defied common logic.

Zhou Xue's face changed drastically at Fang Wang's words. Agitated, she began to cough, spattering blood on the ground. Alarmed, Fang Wang broke his stance and quickly supported her.

Clang!

The sword dropped to the ground, its blade still stained with the Taoist's fresh blood, exuding a chilling menace.

"I'm fine… I won’t die… I merely used a secret art to grant this body temporary strength. Though I’m badly hurt, I’ll recover within a month…"

She raised her eyes, her face deathly pale but her gaze bright and intense, as if she meant to devour Fang Wang whole.

He shrank back from her look—after all, she claimed to have been a demonic cultivator in her past life…

"Fang Wang, have you truly never practiced the path of immortality before?" Zhou Xue fixed him with a deep breath and a grave expression.

Fang Wang hesitated, but finally chose to trust her. "Truly, I haven’t. But when you described the Sword Control Technique, I could tell it wasn’t mere fantasy—it was feasible. So I practiced for seven days, then used it in battle. I used true qi; you must have sensed it."

He still hoped to rely on Zhou Xue to embark on the immortal path. There was no need to hide his talent—it was best to show his worth.

"It's impossible to wield the Sword Control Technique with mere true qi! And your sword isn’t even a magic weapon, yet you controlled it from afar…"

"I don’t know how, but it simply worked," Fang Wang replied, secretly pleased with himself.

Calling this the Sword Control Technique?

This was the perfected Sword Control Technique!

Even high-level cultivators might not spend time mastering this art.

Zhou Xue grew even more agitated, her chest heaving painfully. She fought through the pain and said in a low voice, "Fang Wang, you’re a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. Your natal treasure must be an Earth-Grade Spirit! Once I recover, follow me and pursue the immortal path!"

With the Taoist slain, the calamity threatening the Fang family was over. Zhou Xue spoke directly of the future.

Here it was!

Fang Wang had been waiting for this moment. He nodded. "Very well. Wait here while I finish off the remaining assassins. Afterwards, tell me about Earth-Grade Spirits."

Zhou Xue agreed.

Fang Wang beckoned his clansmen to care for Zhou Xue, then strode off sword in hand.

Fang Zhe arrived with other family members and retainers. He assigned two women to attend Zhou Xue, then cautiously approached the Taoist’s corpse.

"Don’t get too close—there are evil spirits about him. Let Fang Wang and me handle this!"

Zhou Xue called out to Fang Zhe, who hesitated but, recalling the terror of the Soul-Burning Banner, shuddered and ordered everyone else to keep their distance.

The Sword Control Technique had exhausted seventy percent of Fang Wang’s true qi, but the remaining assassins could be dispatched without it.

An hour later.

Peace returned to the Fang residence, though a heavy gloom remained—the death toll that night had exceeded a thousand.

In the main hall of the family patriarch’s courtyard, Fang Wang stood beside his father, Fang Yin, surrounded by the entire clan. Each face was grave, every eye fixed on Fang Meng.

Fang Meng leaned on his cane, took a deep breath, and said, "What happened tonight cannot be hidden. We must make it known. Tomorrow we hold a grand funeral—the more commotion the better. The world must hear of the Fang family’s tragedy, so no one dares attack us further."

Fang Wang’s third uncle, Fang Jin, couldn’t help but protest, "Father, to command so many experts, the palace must be involved. We are a duke’s household! Even after surrendering our military power, we’ve ended up like this…"

"Enough!" Fang Meng’s roar silenced him, though his face remained twisted with hatred and frustration.

It wasn’t just retainers who had died that night—two of Fang Wang’s cousins had perished as well.

Fang Meng said gravely, "Remember, we live under the Great Qi. We cannot recklessly challenge Heaven."

Most in the hall shared Fang Jin’s feelings. If not for Fang Wang, the Fang family would have been exterminated that night. The thought made them shudder.

"Everyone, disperse. Wang’er, you stay," Fang Meng continued.

All eyes turned to Fang Wang, shining with gratitude, admiration, and disbelief.

That night, Fang Wang had slain sixty-three assassins—including the demon Taoist. His feats had already spread throughout the household, but in their grief, none dared ask how he’d become so formidable.

The others saluted and withdrew, uncles pausing to pat Fang Wang’s shoulder and praise him with their eyes.

When only Fang Meng and the old matriarch remained, Fang Wang stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Where did you learn immortal arts?" Fang Meng asked, a kindly smile on his face.

"Grandfather, Zhou Xue taught me. She’s guided by immortal elders. When she told me the Fang family faced disaster, I sought her out. She taught me the Sword Control Technique, and I believed her."

He’d established his genius—best to solidify it, to make future explanations easier.

Fang Meng paused, gripping his cane tightly. Struggling to contain his excitement, he asked, "She warned of disaster, and you had only seven days? Did you know in advance, or did you only practice for seven days?"

Fang Wang feigned hesitation. "Just seven days."

"Good! Good! Excellent!"

Fang Meng was overcome with joy, trembling all over, nearly rising to embrace Fang Wang, who quickly moved to hold his hand.

"Our family has a successor! We can break the cycle of doom!"

Tears of joy streamed down Fang Meng’s face. Fang Wang was stunned—he’d never seen his grandfather cry before.

Fang Meng then reminisced about the past.

As a founding hero of the Great Qi, Fang Meng knew more than most about the world, including the existence of immortals. Still, to him, such cultivators were elusive, and his knowledge was limited.

He instructed Fang Wang to pursue the immortal path diligently.

He even considered betrothing Zhou Xue to Fang Wang to secure his future, but Fang Wang politely refused.

What a joke—Zhou Xue was a reincarnator and a demonic cultivator. Such a woman would never put love above all else; if she pursued immortality and severed emotional ties, wouldn’t that be troublesome?

Moreover, having lived again, Fang Wang had no intention of tying himself to anyone. He sought only freedom and carefree wandering.

Even before he’d met a real immortal, he’d longed to roam the world.

Now, with the immortal path before him, his resolve was stronger than ever. This life, he would travel all lands, witness the world’s wonders, and seek the secret to immortality, never stopping for anyone.

That night, grandfather and grandson spoke for a long time.

…

By noon the next day, grief still hung over the Fang residence, while the city of Nanqiu was in turmoil. News of the Fang family’s attack and massive casualties spread fear among those under its protection, and drew much gossip.

Fang Wang rose early to visit Zhou Xue.

The two maids at her door greeted him with bows. One said, "Young Master, Miss instructed us that if you came, you may go in directly."

The story of Fang Wang and Zhou Xue fighting the demon Taoist and saving the household was already known throughout the residence. In the eyes of the servants, their relationship had changed; the maids had even overheard the fourth young master suggesting a marriage match the night before.

Fang Wang nodded and entered, closing the door behind him and sitting by Zhou Xue’s bedside.

Zhou Xue lay swathed in bandages, her face pale, her injuries severe. Hearing his footsteps, she opened her eyes to look at him.

Fang Wang did not offer pleasantries—after all, she was a reincarnator, not truly a sixteen-year-old girl.

"Is it possible to bring some of the Fang family’s heirs onto the immortal path? Our enemy is the imperial power—even if we make a great noise, we’ll eventually be forgotten, and the danger will return," Fang Wang asked. This was also Fang Meng's hope.

Zhou Xue closed her eyes and replied softly, "The threshold for immortality is high—not everyone can cultivate, but I do have such intentions. This month, I’ll select disciples with potential to join us on the immortal path."

Fang Wang asked curiously, "Where will we go? Tell me about the immortal path—last night you mentioned Earth-Grade Spirits."

"In the Great Qi, there are nine great immortal sects, hidden deep within mountains and strange realms. We will go to the Taiyuan Sect, ranked among the top five, with deep foundations. I have a way to get you all admitted."

She described Taiyuan Sect, sparking Fang Wang’s anticipation.

Entering Taiyuan, he would seek the highest cultivation methods and spells, relying on the Heavenly Palace in his mind—he was sure he’d outpace his peers.

As for Zhou Xue, the reincarnator, he would strive to keep up with her growth, or even surpass her if possible!

"As for Earth-Grade Spirits, first you must understand the stages of cultivation. Beyond Qi Nurturing is the Spirit Shaping Realm—only by forging a natal treasure can one enter this realm. The treasure is hidden within the body, and its grade determines a cultivator’s potential. The grades, from lowest to highest, are Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven. Each grade has further divisions, which I’ll explain later."

Zhou Xue finished and looked at Fang Wang, her eyes full of expectation.

A natal treasure…

Fang Wang began to imagine what grade his own would be.

After a while, he raised his request. "By the way, could you teach me a cultivation method? While you recover for a month, I’d like to cultivate spiritual power so I won’t embarrass you when we join Taiyuan Sect."

With the perfected Sword Control Technique, he’d easily slain the Taoist—how much more powerful would he become using spiritual power?

Zhou Xue considered. "Alright, let me test your aptitude. I’ll teach you the basic Qi-Gathering technique."

"Wait, could you teach me a more advanced immortal art?" Fang Wang asked cautiously.

The basic Qi-Gathering technique? Too ordinary!

Zhou Xue frowned, intending to lecture him, but remembering the Sword Control Technique he’d displayed, she reconsidered.

Fang Wang’s aptitude was beyond doubt—he deserved special attention.

"Very well. Since you saved me, I’ll teach you a true cultivation method. I have many, but you may choose only one of three. First, the Spring and Autumn Art, a legendary method created by the greatest immortal of Great Qi a thousand years ago. It extends the lifespan, pursues immortality, and, when mastered, allows one to live three millennia without difficulty. Second, the Heaven-Devouring Demon Art, which I found in an ancient secret realm. It absorbs others’ spiritual power, but practicing it shortens your life and makes you prone to inner demons—a perilous path, but with my guidance you’ll progress quickly. Third, the Profound Yang Divine Scripture, the most profound art I obtained in the mortal world. Even before I ascended, I had not mastered it. I don’t know its true power, but for its sake, I nearly perished, despite having reached the Grand Completion stage."

She finished, watching Fang Wang with a smile, curious what he would choose.