Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 436 - Sword Demon Huang Qing, "Strength of A Country"

"Interspatial Beast King Medallion" was a spatial item created on "Jade Crystal Beast Bones" by Beast Tamers and was similar to the interspatial silk sachet.

Qing Shui had heard about these things from YiYiye Jiange. Westeria Continent's Yiye Clan was not only one of the true Beast Tamer Clans, it was also a clan which could create such "Interspatial Beast King Medallions". It was a pity Yiye Jiange had not learnt it, or rather, had not even learn how to become a true Beast Tamer when the Lion King's Ridge had wiped out the clan.

Snow falls on Westeria Continent all year round and there are many demonic beast. Most Beast Tamer Clans are from Westeria Continent, and while Yiye Clan was a true Beast Tamer Clan, they were already in decline then.

Yiye Jiange's beauty accelerated the diminish of Yiye Clan, and according to her, many Beast Tamer Clans in Westeria Continent had been taken in by Lion King's Ridge.

She had forgotten many things, but Yiye Jiange seemed to be able to tell that Lion King's Ridge was likely to be the largest Beast Tamer Clan in Westeria Continent and had wanted to unite all of the Beast Tamers in Westeria Continent. With that, they would be able to pit against some of the Demon Refiners in Eastern Victory Divine Continent!

...

And now, Qing Shui could summon two demonic beasts now. One of them was obviously a Martial King level demonic beast while the golden-colored wild board was able to slaughter close to a hundred elementary Xiantian cultivators and even the blades of an elementary Xiantian cultivator was not able to hurt it in the very least.

To be able to summon two demonic beast did not mean that he was a Beast Tamer. If one's level of cultivation was high enough, it was perfectly normal to have two demonic beast rides, just like commoners' horses.

The prerequisite was that the owner's level of cultivation must be higher than that of his ride. That was why a Beast Tamer's criterion was to be able to tame many demonic beasts which were very much stronger than himself.

It just like how Luanluan was a true Beast Tamer. Having a Seven Apertures Mystical Heart, even if she did not learn anything, she would also be a Beast Tamer and would be able to get many demonic beasts to do her bidding. It was just that if her cultivation level was too low, demonic beasts which are too powerful would not be willing to listen to her bidding.

After the two ladies heard what Qing Shui said, they hesitated a bit before heading up the fire bird with Huoyun Liu-Li. Qing Shui was more assured about the fire bird. After all, its cultivation level was much stronger than Canghai Mingyue's Golden Winged Thunder Condor.

Looking at the people at Immortal Sword Sect's wide entrance. They were all Immortal Sword Sect's doyens, the people who made the decisions in Immortal Sword Sect. Qing Shui looked towards that majestic stone carved door, especially at the words "Immortal Sword Sect" at the top which had vigorous and forceful strokes.

Qing Shui gradually accelerated the circulation of his Ancient Strengthening Technique!

Nature Energy!

Frenzied Bull's Strength! The Golden-Ringed Battle Armor was combined with his Frenzied Bull's Strength!

Diamond Qi!

...

Mighty Elephant Stomp! The Mighty Elephant Stomp at the large success stage!

Qing Shui's earlier technique was not able to increase the powers of the Mighty Elephant Stomp, but it could increase its aura. While it was limited, it was better than having nothing at all.

Boom!

Qing Shui's body had a tremendous strength of 4 million jin, and the Mighty Elephant Stomp could allow him to perform five times this strength.

An immense strength of 20 million jin!

A gulf appeared from Qing Shui's foot all the way to the entrance of the Immortal Sword Sect!

Boom!

Boom!

Immortal Sword Sect's entrance fell!

Those group of Immortal Sword Sect's doyens quickly escaped. Those who were not able to flee in time were torn apart by that gulf. In that instance, one-third of the people had died under Qing Shui's stomp.

Smoke and dust filled up the air!

In that instance, the whole place was in ruins and a bloodied fog was spreading out!

Just then, Qing Shui who had circulated his powers to the extreme took action. He seemed like a bolt of thunder, moving across the distance of tens of meters away.

"Ahhh!"

A terrified cry rang out. It meant that Qing Shui's massacre had started.

Qing Shui's main target was that Elder Xiong. Qing Shui did not know he was Elder Xiong but knew that he was one of the four who stood behind the Grnad elder previously. Now that 3 of them had died, this person can't be spared either.

Just as Qing Shui dashed out and about to kill that elder, he suddenly felt up to a hundred streams of Qi of Xiantian was slashing towards him.

"Seven Star Armored Vest!"

Suddenly, his defences had increased by onefold.

Cloudmist Steps!

Combined together with his Ghostly Steps, Free Spirit Steps, "Core Qi Method", and Soaring Crane Steps, the Cloudmist Steps was extremely strong. It's speed was amazingly fast but yet crafty. It could even one's speed to a terrifying height for a short distance.

Very quickly, Qing Shui, who had disappeared from everyone's sight, once again appeared next to Elder Xiong. Without holding back, his Big Dipper Sword which gathered the powers of the stars, was waved out, as if a huge water curtain amidst the milky way!

Sword slash!

But at that moment, Qing Shui felt a danger!

This was a danger that came from his front. Amidst this place which was filled with smoke, Qing Shui's Spiritual Sense could only feel that there was someone behind the person he was trying to kill.

But he was left with no other way out. Qing Shui clenched his teeth, but at the same time, took out ten silver needles with his other hand!

Boom!

Ding ding!

Qing Shui only felt that his sword had met a swirling force and was reflected off!

However, since Qing Shui wanted to kill that Elder Xiong, there was no way that he would let him escape. He pierced the silver needles he had prepared earlier on that Elder's 曲池 and eyes!

And Qing Shui's sword which was reflected away slashed across Elder Xiong's throat before he could even let out a cry...

That was also when Qing Shui saw the person who had managed to reflected that attacked he had made with his full force. But when he saw the person, he fell into a daze.

"She is Protector Huang Qing!"

"She is Sword Demon Huang Qing!"

"She is Sword Tower's Sword Demon Huang Qing!"

...

At the moment, a bunch of discussion rang out from the remaining members of the Immortal Sword Sect.

"Sword Tower's Sword Demon Huang Qing?" Qing Shui frowned. The reason he did so was because they really did brought out an important character. But it was too bad that the old guy did not manage to survive.

Qing Shui casted a glance towards Elder Xiong who did not die in peace before he then looked towards the lady. She was very young, and the reason Qing Shui was shock was because she was the lady who had appeared on the 2nd Portrait of Beauty he had gotten.

Like on the Portraits of Beauty, her beautiful brows were black, her bright black eyes exuding a charming flow. her figure was tall and slender, with soft lines but yet the curves in the right places. Even though she was wearing plain clothes, she appeared to be extremely elegant. She was not a cool beauty, but had an aura which was in between that of strength and coolness. She beauty was like that of an illusion, very ethereal! But one would be akin to being possessed after one look of that intoxicating beautiful eyes. It felt that she was a woman who was extremely hard to control or dominate.

The only thing was that she was now holding a silvery-white three feet Greenedge Sword. She did not seem very astonished as she looked at Qing Shui, and her intoxicating eyes had a hint of smile in them.

She was called Sword Demon Huang Qing? He had once met her in the "sea of flowers dreams" in the Southern City Furniture Store. However, Qing Shui was astonished that she was from Sword Tower, and was a powerful martial arts cultivator.

"Hello, we meet again."

The lady looked at Qing Shui and said calmly. Her voice was so ethereal that it was hard to fathom, but it was as if there were some magical attraction. Qing Shui even had the urge to listen to more of her talking, anything. It was an indescribable feeling, it was very soothing, an enjoyment...

The lady's words were not contradicting. It was because she had already seen Qing Shui in Southern City Furniture Store back then. Moreover, that "spiritual exchange" was also considered their first time to get to know each other.

"You are from Sword Tower?" Qing Shui frowned, asking.

"Yes!"

"Must you take part in this?"

"Yes!"

"Then it seems like we'll need to battle it out." Qing Shui did not know what this feeling was. It was because Qing Shui felt that since he had gotten the Portraits of Beauty, there should not be a situation where they would need to fight.

Even if it was the Misty Hall's Palace Mistress, Qing Shui was also not able to believe that eventually, she had saved him twice when he was in his most dangerous situations.

"Seems like there's nothing more to say. We better get this over with. I still have things to settle." Saying this Qing Shui lifted up his Big Dipper Sword.

"Don't be in such a hurry to fight. It's not like we have that great a vengeance between us!" The lady obviously did not have the intention to fight.

"What's more to talk about?" Qing Shui frowned.

"I want to know why we had met under that situation." The lady frowned and looked at Qing Shui. She might be wanting to see if she could read anything from Qing Shui's expression.

"I wanted to ask you that too. I have no idea either." Qing Shui gaze did not stop on that lady, nor did he looked towards her face and some of her sensitive body parts.

"You've already killed all the important people in Immortal Sword Sect. Do you really have to be so ruthless and kill everyone? Can you just listen to me and stop here? I'll disband the Immortal Sword Sect. What do you think?" The lady looked at Qing Shui, her gaze making making one felt as if she were unfathomable.

Qing Shui had not thought of killing everyone in Immortal Sword Sect right from the start. Now that the Elder Xiong was killed, he had already planned on stopping, or just killing a few more at most.

"I can promise you. But today, you'll need to have a fight with me." Qing Shui raised up his Big Dipper Sword and said.

"You'll rise up to a very high height in the future, but now, you're not my match. Your current strength is only at the "level of a country". Do you really want to compete?" The lady seemed to be very curious about Qing Shui, her intoxicating eyes not leaving him. Even Qing Shui who felt that he was quite thick-skinned could not really take it.

"My strength is roughly equivalent to the level of a "country"?" Qing Shui asked, astonished. He knew that the full display of his strength was slightly above 10 million jin. Could it be that the strength of a "country" was at 10 million jin? Qing Shui thought of an idiom from his previous life, a thousand jun hanging by a single thread [1]. One of that 'jun' was 30 jin, but now this 'country' was 10 million jin...

"That's right. I sensed your display of strength earlier. The strength of a country is 10 million jin. Am I right?"

Qing Shui looked at this lady who was wearing plain clothes but yet had had indescribable poise and dignity to her. It also felt as if everything was within her grasp!

So at this level, strength were measured in terms of "country". Now, his level was only slightly above that of "one country". Most importantly, Qing Shui felt that only by attaining this "one country" worth of strength would he then barely be considered to have attained the pinnacle of Martial King level!

[1] The idiom has a meaning of being in grave danger, for an extremely heavy weight to be hanging on a single thread. The 'jun' or '钧' in the idiom has the same pronounciation as '郡' which we translated as 'country.'