Chapter 42: Once Dreamed of Wielding a Sword to Wander the World

Don't look at the Chat Group now as if it's always providing top-tier cultivation methods, or as if one can become an Immortal or Buddha at the drop of a hat.

But for Zhang Xuan right now, those most supreme cultivation methods are actually not as useful as the Universe Shift.

His cultivation time is too short, and he cannot master the power within his body; whether it is the Dao Scripture or the Eight/Nine Mysterious Technique, to Zhang Xuan, neither compares to the Universe Shift.

The Universe Shift belongs to a cultivation method from a low-martial world; it has few special effects, possessing only one: it allows for one hundred percent mastery of the power within one's body, making one's lifelong strength as easy to wield as one's own arm.

For many people, it is a method of little value, but for figures like Zhang Wuji and Zhang Xuan, this is a supreme treasure manual.

Zhang Wuji previously cultivated the Nine Yang Divine Art for many years in that cave in Kunlun; the Nine Yang Divine Art was nearing completion, and his Internal Energy was such that he could basically find no opponents in the martial arts world.

But in terms of his overall strength, it was actually quite pathetic; he was beaten black and blue by someone like Miejue, a first-class figure in the martial arts world, and it would not have been difficult for other first-class figures to toy with Zhang Wuji.

The bottom line is that he possessed powerful strength but could not unleash it, yet after Zhang Wuji obtained the Universe Shift in the secret tunnel beneath Bright Peak, it was suddenly as if he had turned on a cheat code.

He was completely on par when facing the experts of the Six Great Sects alone on Bright Peak; after perfectly mastering his own power, his insight and strength developed rapidly, and he could learn any martial art in the world after seeing it once.

Relying on his profound and unparalleled Internal Energy, and relying on his precise control over his own power, he easily defeated all the top experts of the Six Great Sects, leaping to become the most supreme expert under heaven.

Even though Zhang Wuji had not had much experience in combat before this, being able to perfectly control his own power and having strength so profound it was invincible meant that even his basic attacks were peerless.

Compared to everything else, it is actually the Universe Shift that helps Zhang Xuan the most.

After mastering the Universe Shift, Zhang Xuan felt the massive, unimaginably vast Internal Energy that had originally been circulating within his body at all times being reined in and controlled bit by bit.

If he told it to go east, it would absolutely not go west; if he told it to chase a dog, it would absolutely not chase a chicken.

At this moment, a great joy arose in Zhang Xuan's heart.

Perhaps compared to top-tier figures, his improvement does not count for much.

"But I am far more formidable than I was yesterday; this feeling of bit-by-bit progress is truly wonderful to the extreme."

All the power within his body is under control, the speed of thought in his mind seems to have accelerated, his energy is extremely abundant, and he even possesses the ability to never forget what he has seen.

With a mere thought, upon reflection, the many novels he read in his previous life all surfaced in his mind.

Many past experiences and memories he had originally forgotten surfaced once again from the corners of his mind.

And as for the Wudang Cloud-Ladder Step, True Martial Seven-Intercept Sword Formation, Taiji Fist, and Taiji Sword Art uploaded by Zhang Sanfeng that he had seen through the Chat Group and previously could not quite understand, now looking at them again, he could think through the difficult points with a little contemplation.

This feeling is incomparably refreshing.

It is as if a layer of mist in his entire mind and spirit has been lifted; his whole person feels incomparably relaxed and refreshed.

Zhang Xuan has the urge to look up and let out a long roar, wishing he could immediately practice various techniques at home and display everything he has learned in his life.

Fortunately, he still has some reason left, knowing that his home is too small to practice martial arts.

But the impulse in his heart still cannot be suppressed; Zhang Xuan thought about it, and having cultivated for many days in a row, he indeed has an urge to go out.

After a simple wash and changing into clean, neat clothes, Zhang Xuan went straight to a park not far from his house.

It was a workday when he went out, so there were not many people in the park; he found an open bamboo grove, broke off a short bamboo branch to use as a sword, and practiced the Taiji Sword Art in the bamboo grove.

The first time was a bit rusty, the second time was quite rusty, but the points of disharmony had been thought through, and the overall movements looked smooth and swift.

By the third time, after Zhang Xuan finished, he silently recalled it in place and felt that he had already mastered the Taiji Sword Art.

"This feeling..."

Closing his eyes to savor it carefully, Zhang Xuan could not help but hang a smile on the corner of his mouth.

This feeling is truly too comfortable and free; in an instant, he seems to have become a top-tier prodigy.

He has a bit of an understanding of how Zhang Wuji felt in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber; all the martial arts in the world can be picked up at will, easy and simple.

The whole world seems to have brightened up.

Putting the bamboo branch aside, Zhang Xuan practiced the Taiji Fist once more, which was much the same as before.

The first time, he still had to think about the moves and the key points of exerting force in his mind; the second time, the whole thing was already quite smooth; by the third time, the entire fist technique and the key points of force exertion were basically clear in his heart.

"It truly is one of the most top-tier internal cultivation mental techniques among the Jin-style methods."

Zhang Xuan could not help but exclaim in admiration.

"Hey, young man, you're practicing Taiji Fist, right? How come I haven't seen this way of practicing before?"

"Are you learning Chen-Style Taiji or Zhang-Style Taiji?"

Zhang Xuan finished his practice and savored it carefully.

Reaching his ears were several aged voices; they were a few old men in the park who were also wearing practice clothes.

Zhang Xuan had noticed them before, but he did not pay them any mind.

Since there was no Internal Energy attached to his fist and foot techniques, to others, they looked like ordinary fist and foot techniques.

There is nothing shameful about Taiji Fist and Taiji Sword; they are now spread throughout all of China.

At most, the movements and postures Zhang Xuan displayed were quite fluent and elegant.

The old men doing morning exercises in the park were mostly just making small talk and asking questions; in fact, they were not that curious themselves.

"I suppose it's Zhang-Style Taiji!"

Facing the few old men around him, the youngest of whom was over sixty, Zhang Xuan's attitude was quite good.

With the Nine Yang Divine Art nearing completion and the Universe Shift successfully cultivated, he was already quite happy in his heart, so he did not mind chatting with these old men.

He had carefully observed these people before; they were all ordinary people and not practitioners, so he was not worried about being seen as special.

He did not need to worry much anyway; the county town he was in was not a big city, and there were no famous mountains or great peaks nearby, so the Heaven and Earth Essence was not very dense; a practitioner would have to be crazy to run here.

"Young man, where did you learn this? Can you teach me? I feel like you practice it more fluently than I do!"

This was the more tactful one.

There was another more direct one who looked at Zhang Xuan's appearance, then looked at Zhang Xuan's attire, and said with a smile: "How old are you, young man? What kind of work do you usually do? Where are you from? Are you married?"

Zhang Xuan could not quite handle this; these retired old men and women usually had nothing to do and basically just exercised in the park.

When they saw a young man or woman and felt their status and conditions were good, they would start introducing them to potential partners.

Zhang Xuan did not have this intention for the time being, and it was not easy to argue directly with this group of old men and women, so he could only run away from there in a flustered state.

"Parks are truly terrifying; this group of old men and women is too enthusiastic."

The old men and women in the park were all agile, far more nimble than young people, and each one was enthusiastic with a face full of smiles.

Zhang Xuan could not bring himself to put on a cold face and could only dodge away in a flustered manner.

After experiencing such a small interlude, Zhang Xuan no longer had the heart to continue practicing martial arts, yet as he walked along the road, he inexplicably felt like something was missing.

Very soon, Zhang Xuan realized what he felt was missing; he felt that a long sword was missing from his waist.

Having just learned the Taiji Sword Art, he wanted to take any suitable long wooden stick he saw and brandish it for a while.

Unfortunately, in modern society, proper long swords are controlled items, so Zhang Xuan could only think about it and had no way to actually obtain one.

Walking along, Zhang Xuan did not leave the park immediately; instead, he followed the park stairs and attempted to practice the Wudang Cloud-Stepping Leap, crossing several steps with a light tap of his feet, his whole person appearing effortless, natural, and quite ethereal in temperament.

Combined with his temperament and appearance, which had become increasingly refined due to his practice of internal martial arts, he was quite attractive.

Otherwise, he would not have just practiced a few sets of Taiji Fist earlier and already drawn a group of old men and women wanting to introduce him to potential partners.

Normally, one would have to go through a process, first getting familiar, asking clearly about one's job, and checking one's educational background before starting to introduce partners.

Because he looked good, he skipped several steps; one can only say that being good-looking is popular everywhere.

After practicing the many martial arts uploaded by Zhang Sanfeng in the park, Zhang Xuan still felt unsatisfied.

He kept wanting to try leaping in the mountains and forests, and kept wanting to take a long sword and practice in an open space in the mountains and forests.

It can only be said that having just learned martial arts is like holding a hammer in one's hand; everything looks like a nail, and one wants to give it a knock.

But thinking that this Shi Jie is full of hidden talents and has many cameras and surveillance satellites, Zhang Xuan suppressed the thoughts in his heart.

If he were to expose corresponding special martial arts while lacking strong self-preservation power, it would be very troublesome to attract the attention of the relevant government.

With regret in his heart, Zhang Xuan's thoughts could not help but turn.

"In this Shi Jie, there are too many strong people, and there are too many restrictions and concerns, so I cannot act as I please, but going to other worlds would not have so many concerns..."

Other people do not have the ability and permission to travel between worlds, but Zhang Xuan does.

Previously, Zhang Xuan felt his self-preservation power was insufficient, as he only had the Nine Yang Divine Art and was not necessarily at the peak of the martial world, so he did not dare to venture into the martial world.

Now, the Nine Yang Divine Art is perfected, and he also has the Universe Shift, Taiji Sword Art, and Taiji Fist.

The thoughts he had originally set aside suddenly became active again.

"Should I go to another world to roam the martial world for a while?"

Traveling the world alone with a sword, acting with chivalry and righteousness, and settling grudges with satisfaction—that is a romance carved into the Bone.

At the thought of this, Zhang Xuan felt a bit excited and could hardly contain himself.

He wanted to go and roam the martial world immediately.

"I must calculate more; I cannot try it recklessly."

With the idea in his heart, Zhang Xuan had always been steady and felt he could not act on impulse immediately; he still needed to make more preparations.

(End of this chapter)