Chapter 63

"Weapons are dead, but people are alive. You must be adept at utilizing the characteristics of a weapon. Take a sword, for example: it is double-edged and light, so you should use more thrusting and flicking, avoiding the enemy while seeking their flaws..."

"In ancient times, there was a Sword Saint who created the Nine Swords, breaking all weapons under heaven and rarely knowing defeat in his life. That is what you call a realm, something that makes one's heart yearn."

Li Rui said a lot.

"Breaking swords, breaking spears, breaking sabers, breaking arrows... all weapons can be broken. The weapon I hold is the king of all weapons."

The more Han Qin listened, the brighter his eyes became.

"It is truly right to listen to the words of the elderly!"

He had gained a great deal this time; the knots he hadn't been able to untie before were now all suddenly clear.

Li Rui's theory on weaponry was not an empty castle in the air; it was extremely focused on actual combat, with every move and style born for battle.

These principles could not be learned from the Huaqing Sect's library.

It was simply too much to his taste.

This trip was truly not in vain!

Han Qin stood up and bowed to Li Rui.

"Senior."

In learning, there is no order of age; those who have attained the way are teachers.

Li Rui was already older than him, but his understanding of weaponry far surpassed his own. Even though his cultivation realm was higher, calling him "Senior" was appropriate.

"By the way, Senior, why have I never heard of a Sword Saint in Yunzhou who created the world-shaking Nine Swords? Does that senior still have a legacy?"

Li Rui coughed lightly: "That was a thousand years ago; the legacy should have been broken."

He couldn't very well say that the senior surnamed Dugu didn't exist, nor was there any possibility of falling off a cliff and meeting a divine eagle.

Han Qin couldn't help but feel it was a pity.

Otherwise, he would have liked to experience the Sword Saint's legacy; he would surely have gained a great deal.

"Life's disappointments are eight or nine out of ten."

He looked up again.

Unknowingly, the night had grown deep.

Han Qin was in a trance; he hadn't expected to stay at the Li residence for so long, and he stood up with some guilt: "Senior, I have disturbed you today."

He had heard that elderly people have regular sleep schedules and often go to bed early; once disrupted, they could fall seriously ill.

Li Rui waved his hand: "It is of no consequence."

This Huaqing Sect disciple had brought him the method to consume Spirit Soil, and he had imparted his insights on weaponry; it was merely an exchange.

After Han Qin took his leave, he went straight out of Hun Tian Yi Hall.

The next morning.

Li Rui went to the black market as usual, copied the note from yesterday, and handed it to Liang He.

"Keep an eye out for these materials for me. Just buy them directly and put the cost on my tab."

He had given all his money to Wu Tu to buy Spirit Soil, and now he only had a few copper coins on him.

For a dignified deacon to run a tab in the market he managed was nothing excessive; compared to the previous ones, he was already being very restrained.

"Yes, Hall Master."

Liang He nodded.

Ever since Sun Ming died, Liang He had become a small commander in the black market.

Why a small commander?

Naturally, because Liang He's seniority and strength were insufficient.

Even with Li Rui backing him, it was hard to convince the masses.

Thus, another disciple with considerable prestige in the black market was promoted by Li Rui to be a commander, replacing Sun Ming's position.

Liang He had gone back and pondered for a long time, realizing there was much he needed to learn from the Hall Master.

He worked even harder.

Before the time to leave work at the Shen hour, Liang He had already purchased everything needed.

The efficiency was high enough to surprise even Li Rui.

"Well done."

He took the items needed for consuming the Spirit Soil from Liang He and praised him.

Having such a dedicated subordinate could save a lot of trouble.

Returning to Hun Tian Yi Hall.

Li Rui set about "eating dirt."

"Muscovite, cinnabar, actinolite, yang-restoring grass, earthworm flower..."

Han Qin's recipe, besides various strange stones, also included some spirit herbs.

"Crush into powder and mix with Spirit Soil, then consume."

He finished the preparations according to the recipe.

It was already midnight.

In case a thief really snuck into his home to steal, or Han Qin harbored evil intentions and came knocking at night.

To prevent long delays leading to trouble, Li Rui first grabbed a pinch of the soil and stuffed it into a small mouse's mouth. After an hour, confirming the mouse was still jumping around, he grabbed a handful of the black stuff and stuffed it into his own mouth.

"Terrible taste."

At first, it was a thick, earthy smell that couldn't be dissolved, followed by the bitterness of the medicine and the gritty texture of the various stone powders.

Conclusion: Spirit Soil does not taste good.

However, Li Rui had spent several years in the Zhu family stables in his early years eating dry beans meant for horses, which had made his throat ache.

His tolerance for food had long reached a new height.

A quarter of an hour later.

The entire box of medicine, stones, and Spirit Soil had been swallowed into his belly.

"What a hearty meal of dirt."

Li Rui wiped the corners of his mouth, which were stained with dirt.

He licked the back of his hand.

This was a treasure made of a thousand taels of silver plus a hundred taels of medicinal herbs; not a single drop could be wasted.

After eating.

He closed his eyes and felt the changes in his body.

Soon, a look of pleasant surprise appeared.

"It works!"

A warm current surged from his dantian, rushing straight to the top of his head, and then he felt a dry heat throughout his body, making him want to strip off his clothes.

In a while, his clothes were soaked with sweat.

"Refreshing!"

Li Rui's eyes flashed.

The effect of the Spirit Soil was truly tyrannical.

Compared to the previous Bone-Nurturing Pill, the effect was several times better, comparable to a Seventh-Rank spirit pill!

His martial bones continued to exert force, absorbing all the spiritual energy of the Spirit Soil.

"Done!"

Li Rui let out a soft whistle.

After consuming the Spirit Soil, he had actually broken through the bottleneck in one go; his bronze bones had turned to iron, and his strength had greatly increased.

For others, going from bronze bones to iron bones takes at least several years, but he had completed it in less than two months.

This progress was frighteningly fast.

"Is this the feeling of late-blooming success?"

Late at night.

The streets were pitch black, with only the occasional restaurant still lit; the shop assistants were listlessly waving their rags, preparing to close up.

Jiang Yan walked down the street, holding a long sword.

The timid, drunken vagrants didn't dare approach when they saw the sword in her hand, and the bolder ones were deterred by her sharp gaze.

Finally, a group of wealthy young masters in fine clothes ignored Jiang Yan's warning gaze and walked up.

"Little lady, that sword is quite fierce. Why don't you play with me, young master?"

"To be noticed by Young Master Liu is your good fortune."

A frail man with a green pendant hanging from his waist was surrounded as he walked up.

But just as the long sword in Jiang Yan's hand left its scabbard by an inch—

A wine gourd fell from the sky and smashed onto the head of one of the youths.

"Who is it?!"

The youth clutched the back of his head, turned his head, and cursed viciously.

Before the words had even faded.

A middle-aged man in gray robes, with bleary, drunken eyes, walked over, swaying.

"Get lost."

The words were light, but for some reason, those few youths felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar and couldn't move at all.

The next instant.

The cold, suffocating feeling receded like the tide.

"You..."

The group of youths looked at the middle-aged man in terror, not even daring to utter a harsh word before scurrying away.

The middle-aged man walked up to Jiang Yan:

"You've grown up again; you look more and more like your mother."

Jiang Yan looked silently at the middle-aged man before her, and after a long time, she spoke:

"Father."

(End of chapter)