Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 438 Huoyun Liu-Li, Success of the Divine Shield Talisman, Doubt!

She had given in to this guy time and time again, but it seemed as if he had been giving her the cold shoulder all this time.

She was a prideful person and had every right to be so. To top it up, she was even a lady with unrivalled beauty. To think that such a person giving in to someone for the first time was returned with only a cold attitude.

The arrogance in her caused her to let out an irresistible aura!

Qing Shui felt that she was now almost exactly the same as the lady on the Portrait of Beauty, just that she had an additional three-feet Greenedge Sword in her hand.

Qing Shui gradually turned around, no longer looking towards Qing Hanye. He did not want to look at that beautiful pair of eyes that were slightly red.

"Qing Shui!"

Although Qing Shui was already taking his first step away, he stopped.

"Have a safe trip!" Qing Hanye curbed the pain in her heart as she smiled, looking at Qing Shui's back.

"Thank you!"

Summoning the Fire Bird, he retrieved the Diamond Demonic Boar and went up the fire bird! Very quickly, they became increasingly smaller.

Huang Qing's gaze, which was fixed on Qing Shui's departing silhouette, seemed to be very complicated!

...

"Mingyue, uncle's and aunt's graves have been shifted. I know where they are now, so let's go pay our respects!" Before he left, Qing Shui had went back to ask Qing Hanye's grandfather.

The three of them came to Southern City's Half-moon Slope and looked towards those evergreen trees. There were not many graves around here since not everyone could be buried here.

They quickly found the Canghai couple's tomb. Qing Shui brought out some wine from the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal, making Canghai Mingyue feel grateful to him once again. After all, neither she nor Liu-Li had prepared these items.

In the world of the nine continents, the most important item when worshipping the deceased was wine. Thank goodness Qing Shui had no lack of that!

"Father, mother, Yue`er is here to see you..."

Canghai Mingyue spoke softly as a lot as tears trickled down from her eyes. Qing Shui and Huoyun Liu-Li comforted her for a long time. The pain of being separated by life and death was the most painful. That painful feeling of loss was not something everyone could experience for themselves. Her being alone without any kin caused Qing Shui to have much pity on her. To the extent that it was as if he had treated her like his wife, one whom had risen in importance equal to his own blood kin.

...

Qing Shui and the two ladies once again made their way to the Heavenly Palace. Meanwhile, the images of Huang Qing and Qing Hanye kept appearing in their minds as they wondered if they would eventually join the Sword Tower.

It seemed as though Huang Qing and Qing Hanye were on relatively good relationship, and Qing Hanye was also a person with relatively good aptitude with her Nine Yin Body. Therefore, the chances of them entering Sword Tower was high.

Qing Shui did not wish for them to become his "obstacles" for him to head for the Sword Tower when the time comes. If they really had to fight each other, would he be able to really do so...

The two ladies with Qing Shui were extremely bright. While they did not know the exact situation, they could tell that Qing Shui was very troubled.

"Do you have any worries? It'll feel better if you talk it out." Huoyun Liu-Li said softly while the Demonic Stonegold Rabbit King lied down on the back of the Fire Bird, not moving.

"It's nothing. I'm just feeling a bit tired." Qing Shui smiled and said.

"Then you should lie down and have some rest! Lie on my legs. I'll massage your head for you." Huoyun Liu-Li said softly.

Qing Shui knew that whenever Huoyun Liu-Li had such an expression, what she said was serious. If she had on an expression that was forthright and charming, most of the time, she would just be teasing him.

The three of them were seated on the back of the Firebird to begin with, so Qing Shui managed to rest on Huoyun Liu-Li's legs, or rather, thighs, by just moving a little to the side.

Qing Shui could smell a faint smell of violets while his neck could feel the softness and the spring of her thighs.

A pair of hands landed on Qing Shui's head. They were either slightly cold to the touch or slightly warm, which made him feel at ease. They made his heart beat a little faster as a faint warmth filled up his heart.

Enjoying the slender fingers massaging his head, Qing Shui fell asleep unconsciously. He even tilted his face and leaned his face against Huoyun Liu-Li's stomach.

But while Qing Shui had fallen asleep, the heat from his breath quickly made Huoyun Liu-Li blush!

After sleeping for about 15 minutes, Qing Shui woke up!

After waking up, he realized that his face was pressing against Huoyun Liu-Li's stomach. That soft feeling made Qing Shui decide to rub his face against her stomach...

"Ahhhh, you rascal..."

Huoyun Liu-Li let out a cry as she twisted Qing Shui's ears, pulling him away from her. Her beautiful face was covered in a layer of blush, and she stared at Qing Shui in annoyance.

"Cough cough, I'm sorry. I'd fallen asleep. It's really such a sin!" Qing Shui grinned.

"Bad Qing Shui, you're really bad!"

Qing Shui chuckled as he sat up, sneaking a tap on Huoyun Liu-Li's nose which was beautiful as white jade.

"Qing Shui!"

Huoyun Liu-Li called out to Qing Shui in a soft voice.

"Mmmm, what's the matter?" Qing Shui looked at Huoyun Liu-Li, puzzled by her wary expression.

"I want to ask something, but you must promise not to get angry. Or maybe I shouldn't talk about it..." Although Huoyun Liu-Li said that she would not be bringing it up, her expression was telling Qing Shui that she wanted to say it, and he was not allowed to get angry.

"Go ahead. I won't get angry no matter what you say." Qing Shui rubbed his nose. He knew what she was going to ask even by using his toes to think.

"Qing Shui's the best! Haha. Erm, do you really plan to leave it and... not talk to... that little beauty?" Huoyun Liu-Li uttered this very slowly. She had been watching Qing Shui's expression all this while. If she saw that anything was amiss, she would immediately shut up.

"Are you so willing to let her be by my side? What happens if she comes and snatches away my love for you?" Qing Shui had a his smile on his face as he looked at Huoyun Liu-Li.

"Tsk, dream on. We had never said that we'll be marrying you." Huoyun Liu-Li snapped, but her charming eyes were still looking softly at Qing Shui.

"This demoness, giving me this again..."

"We? Who are 'we'?" Qing Shui grinned at Huoyun Liu-Li, who on the contrary wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. Wearing a suit of purple-colored clothes, she appeared to be very poised and feminine, and even Canghai Mingyue was appearing to be a bit unnatural.

A clumsy denial resulting in self-exposure!

Qing Shui was overjoyed and knew the ladies' intent. Although this result was not unexpected, it still made him overjoyed.

""Qing Shui, you haven't replied to me yet." Huoyun Liu-Li grabbed onto one of Qing Shui's arms, speaking out in a coquettish tone as she narrowed her sexy long eyes.

"I don't have time to talk about love and relationships now. My head is already very big now. Moreover, it might not be a blissful thing to be with me. Without me, hasn't she been living just as well?" Qing Shui said, a bit forcefully.

Huoyun Liu-Li did not continue. She felt that she was very happy to be sharing Qing Shui with her elder sister, but despite so, she knew that it was all her wishful thinking. After all, Qing Shui still had his fiancée back in Hundred Miles City. But it was good that Qing Shui had spent the most time with her and her sister. Moreover, even her life was saved by him.

Huoyun Liu-Li thought about the things that had happened between herself and Qing Shui, uncontrollably breaking out into a smile! She cast away those troubling thoughts, telling herself that it was useless to be thinking so much.

"Qing Shui, that lady is really beautiful, on par with the Palace Mistress." Huoyun Liu-Li said a bit mischievously.

"Don't always laud other's beauty, Liu-Li, Mingyue and yourself do not lose out to any other women. Don't look down on yourself. Our Liu-Li does not lose out to anyone else. If anyone dares to say that our Liu-Li is not as pretty as some other people, I'll bash them up to let them know who's the most beautiful. " Qing Shui smiled and said happily. He knew that Liu-Li was referring to Sword Demon Huang Qing.

"You're a scoundrel, a gangster, a badass!"

...

Travelling could be very boring, but it was fortunate that Qing Shui had beauties to accompany him. Moreover, he could enjoy the sceneries on the way or read some martial arts manuals. The Fire Bird flapped its wings quickly and glided across the skies. It was truly enjoyable.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had already passed!

Qing Shui had never neglected his training at night. After spending the day chatting with Huoyun Liu-Li and Canghai Mingyue, Qing Shui would spend the rest of his time reading <>.

Now, Qing Shui had already started to attempt to make Divine Shield Talismans. After the battle in Southern City, Qing Shui had understood how powerful Heavenly Talismans were. Qing Shui had initially wanted to learn "Binding Talisman" first, but eventually decided to go through them one by one. It was because he kept having the feeling that these Heavenly Talismans were likely to be progressive in nature.

After about half a month, Qing Shui finally succeeded in drawing the Divine Shield Talisman the day before being expelled. It was a pity that he was not able to test it out in time before he got kicked out of the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal.

Qing Shui felt that this Divine Shield Talisman was a tad more difficult than the Godly Force Talisman. The time he had spent in the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal so far was about one year in the real world.

He only managed to draw the "Divine Shield Talisman" after a year, but the Heavenly Talisman was only considered to be slightly above average!

The late afternoon sun was not as piercing as the one at noon. Now that spring had just arrived, all the living things were coming back to life, filling the world with the smell of vitality. Back in Southern City, Qing Shui had actually wanted to visit someone.

Hu You!

That person who looked very much like his elder brother from his previous life; the person he had imparted his Ancient Art of Forging to. Qing Shui wondered if he had been doing well. He should not have much of a problem to become a wealthy man.

At night, after entering the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal, Qing Shui decided to forgo everything else and directly went to test out the effect of the Divine Shield Talisman.

Qing Shui directly slapped the Divine Shield Talisman onto himself!

And then, Qing Shui broke out into a smile!

Defense increased by 20%!

Qing Shui did not understand this situation. Was it a grade 2 Heavenly Talisman despite having just been completed? Or was it because his grade 1 Heavenly Talisman had the effect of a grade 2 Heavenly Talisman?

Once he was completely exhausted after multiple attempts at drawing talismans, he cultivated a complete cycle of the Ancient Strengthening Technique. Two days ago, the Ancient Strengthening Technique suddenly broke through to the 142th cycle, as breaking through these two cycles was relatively easier. Qing Shui knew of this situation since the increase to each additional cycle was very slow prior to the 140th cycle. It would also be relatively hard to progress up through the cycles after the 180th cycle.

But the 141th to the 179th cycles would be relatively easier to achieve. In the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal, it would take about one and a half years to break through to another cycle. This would be equivalent to slightly more than half a month in the real world.

Therefore, after breaking through to the 140th cycle, Qing Shui was overjoyed for quite a while. It was because from there, even if it was tough, he would be able to hit the 180th cycle within 3 years.