Chapter 86: Turning the World Upside Down
A surge of coolness swept over him, and Qin Yi felt his entire head enveloped in a comfortable sensation. It was a strange and wonderful feeling. This time, he could clearly sense a new thread of 'energy' within his body, lingering in his dantian and coexisting peacefully with the other two strands.
The first thing Qin Yi noticed was that his mind was more vigorous than before, as though he could go three days and nights without sleep.
"At last, I've mastered another literary technique. That means I can elevate my martial arts once more." Qin Yi felt reassured.
He glanced at the multitude of energy points within the system. The Mighty Elephant Force had already reached the entry stage back when he was in Jiangning County.
"Upgrade Mighty Elephant Force to perfection!"
A torrent of explosive heat surged through his body, flowing into every limb and bone.
Crackling sounds echoed.
His entire body seemed to be undergoing relentless forging. Muscles, fascia, bones, organs—every part was tempered.
In his mind, a phantom figure was tirelessly practicing the Mighty Elephant Force, as if never weary.
Ten years of bitter cultivation.
Twenty years of bitter cultivation.
Thirty years of bitter cultivation.
...
When the figure finally perfected the Mighty Elephant Force, breaking through an invisible shackle, he suddenly comprehended a secret technique.
He unleashed a strike.
Boom!
The scene shattered.
Qin Yi opened his eyes and looked down at his sweat-soaked body, feeling somewhat helpless. Yet he noticed his muscles had become fuller and tougher than before.
Now, his physique could easily rival that of a bodybuilding champion! His body was the epitome of strength and beauty.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, he left the Spring True Dao Temple.
He walked into a wooded area.
There, Qin Yi began to practice Mighty Elephant Force: shoulder ramming, elbow strikes, uppercuts, grappling, pushing, holding, lifting throws...
After a round of practice, many trees around him had suffered.
"Heaven-shaking!" Qin Yi drew a deep breath, channeling all his strength into his palm.
He struck with his palm!
A tree as thick as a thigh was snapped in half by Qin Yi’s single blow!
Such strength was truly overwhelming!
He paused, a hint of joy on his face. "Without even using secret techniques, my strength has increased by thirty percent. Now, I possess the power of a ninth rank, and even among ninth ranks, I am not weak!"
"If I were to meet that Red Sect ninth-rank master again, my speed already surpasses his, and now my strength matches his as well. I should be able to defeat him!" Qin Yi secretly judged.
Perhaps, with the secret technique, his strength could even surpass that opponent.
Still, only a real fight would reveal the truth.
He then began to frequently use various secret techniques, performing more than a dozen different ones before feeling reassured.
"No stabbing pain—looks like my body’s hidden dangers are temporarily at bay."
"I must accelerate my martial training!"
Once he mastered Golden Swallow Technique, he would return to Xiangzhou City and learn the martial arts from the six or seven schools there that possessed sixth-rank techniques, and then seek out new literary skills as soon as possible.
Now, with the Xiangzhou rebels growing ever more fierce, it was not a place to linger!
...
The next day.
In a courtyard, Qin Yi was practicing Golden Swallow Technique, while Ma Zhiyang sat leisurely sipping tea nearby.
After another round of practice, Qin Yi stopped and walked over to drink some tea.
"Uncle Ma, is ninth rank the pinnacle for martial artists?" Qin Yi asked.
He was asking because he now possessed ninth-rank strength. If he learned more literary skills and martial arts, wouldn’t he surpass ninth rank?
So he was curious and asked!
"Ninth rank?"
"For most martial artists, ninth rank is certainly their peak," Ma Zhiyang replied, sipping his tea slowly.
"So there are martial artists stronger than ninth rank?" Qin Yi's eyes lit up.
"There are. When I was young and wandering outside the sect, I once saw a great master easily kill five or six ninth-rank experts! Later I heard that such individuals are called 'Innate' masters," Ma Zhiyang recalled, full of longing.
"Innate?" Qin Yi murmured.
"Yes, above ninth rank is Innate. It’s just that in Deyong, we don’t have a classification for Innate martial arts," Ma Zhiyang explained.
"You must know, most martial artists spend their lives perfecting one or two techniques. Even those with great talent can only refine three or four styles. Without first-rate martial arts, seventh rank is their lifelong limit. Only a rare few prodigies can master four or five, or even more second-rate martial styles, and achieve ninth-rank strength."
"So, for most people, they don’t even know about Innate masters—it's too difficult to encounter them."
Qin Yi nodded thoughtfully at Ma Zhiyang’s words.
Especially since first-rate martial arts are only held by a handful of sects, and ninth-rank first-rate techniques are monopolized by the imperial court and the Glazed Sect.
If Innate masters are most numerous, it would surely be in the imperial court and the Glazed Sect.
"The imperial court has almost monopolized all first-rate martial arts!" Qin Yi mused.
Considering the secrets he’d heard from a fellow at the Qingwei Dao Palace, it was said that five hundred years ago, the Red Sect was purged by Deyong, perhaps because Deyong had once swept the martial world?
"Uncle Ma, what’s the difference between Innate and ninth rank?" Qin Yi asked curiously.
"How would I know? They’re just stronger than ninth rank. Beyond that, I really have no idea," Ma Zhiyang sighed.
Qin Yi knew he wasn’t lying—there was no need to.
"Innate..." Qin Yi’s thoughts stirred.
Though he didn’t know how strong Innate masters were, if he learned ten or eight new techniques, could he contend with them?
Another two days passed.
Qin Yi opened his system panel again, pleasantly surprised to find that he had finally mastered Golden Swallow Technique!
Golden Swallow Technique: Entry+
"Upgrade to perfection!" Qin Yi immediately chose to perfect it.
Boom!
A wild surge of energy exploded in his legs, slowly spreading upward through his body.
His legs felt as though they were being reforged, aching and tingling.
In his mind, the phantom figure once more appeared, endlessly practicing Golden Swallow Technique.
Ten years of bitter cultivation.
Twenty years of bitter cultivation.
Thirty years of bitter cultivation...
One day, the shackles broke, and the secret technique—Soaring—was comprehended!
The improvement ended.
Qin Yi found that the bones and muscles in his legs had been further strengthened. Only stronger bones and muscles could support greater exertion and enhance his speed!
And also enable use of secret techniques!
He found a place to test it again.
After a round of trials, Qin Yi discovered his speed had increased by another twenty percent!