Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 470 - Preparation Before the Battle, Troubles Lay Ahead

The potency of the Godly Force Talisman could be raised to 30%!

The Golden Calligraphy Brush could raise Heavenly Talisman one grade up! What’s more, Qing Shui felt that the brush could also raise the success rate of the process when he was using it to draw his talisman.

The ability to raise a single grade was perversely useful. At higher grades, there was a huge gap in effectiveness between each of the grades. The difference was so great, it could affect the outcome of a battle!

It wasn’t even far-fetched to call the Golden Calligraphy Brush a god-level tool for Talisman Drawing. In the past, Qing Shui had wondered what its purpose was. Although he had suspected that it could improve the Art of Talisman Drawing, it hadn’t been proven until now.

Qing Shui then drew a Divine Shield Talisman!

Its effectiveness was also 30%!

Binding Talisman!

It was naturally also at 30%!

After Qing Shui tested all the talismans, he continued creating talisman until he had a stockpile of talisman. Only then did he feel a little more grounded.

Recently, Qing Shui increased the intensity of his Thousand Buddha Palm Imprint practice as his previous two breakthroughs had been linked to it. He could already sense the changes in his Nine Waves Great Golden Buddha Palm, but he still needed some time before reaching the next breakthrough.

However, it was exceedingly difficult for him to reach the next breakthrough despite his confidence in making progress on the Basic Sword Techniques.

Qing Shui walked to the rack where his Golden-Ringed Battle Armor was hung. He felt a connection to it, perhaps because the armor had been stained by so much of his blood. It gave off the same type of feeling as the weapons he often used.

Qing Shui decided to use his current skills in his Art of Forging to temper with the armor. Repairing that armor, which added 30% to his strength, would boost his confidence in going to the Feng Clan.

Primordial flames!

He dismantled the armor parts one by one. Using Qi of the Ancient Strengthening Technique coupled with his other Qi, he started hammering with his Heaven Shaking Hammer under the Primordial flames. The hammer hummed with a low deep vibration.

A whole day had already passed when Qing Shui was finished tempering the entire armor, helmet and boots included. Despite that, Qing Shui was glad that he finished his preparation.

His Golden-Ringed Battle Armor now looked completely new. Qing Shui couldn’t help but wonder if its attributes had changed.

Bracelet: Damage +30%, Attack +10,000jin, Defence +10,000jin, Speed +1%. Effect only limited to one pax.

Armor (Top): Defence +30% (only on protected area), Attack +10,000jin, Defence +10,000jin, Speed+1%! Frenzied Bull's Strength +30% (With the combination of 3 or more armor piece from the same set)

Armor(Bottom): Defence +30% (only on protected area), Attack +10,000jin, Defence +10,000jin, Speed+1%! Frenzied Bull's Strength +30% (With the combination of 3 or more armor piece from the same set)

Helmet: Defence +30% (only on protected area), Attack +10,000jin, Defence +10,000jin, Speed+1%, Stamina +1%! Frenzied Bull's Strength +30% (With the combination of 3 or more armor piece from the same set)

Armored Boots: Speed +31%, Attack +10,000jin, Defence +10,000jin! Frenzied Bull's Strength +30% (With the combination of 3 or more armor piece from the same set)

Qing Shui discovered that the additional attributes had increased significantly. Previously, he had not been able to improve his armor or weapons up to the level of +10,000jin attack and 10,000jin defence attributes.

Qing Shui spent the rest of his time cultivating; time sped by when he was doing so.

He left the Realm of Violet Jade Immortal and slept in his bed.

Qing Shui woke up early in the morning. He often woke up at this time to cultivate, other than that one time when he decided to stay in bed. It had already become a habit for him, or rather, a mission.

The weather was getting warmer and the dawn arrived earlier. Qing Shui felt a soothing, gentle breeze as he walked towards the public square. The birds were chirping beautifully and the trees were covered with tiny little flowers.

He met some people on his way, some of which were also going for their morning practice. There were even couples. Qing Shui could not understand why those couples were out so early. If they had slept together the night before, they could have completed their exercise directly in their room.

……

When Qing Shui reached the square, the atmosphere did not seem right. The square was not crowded at all. It was too large and most people were cultivating, standing far apart to avoid interfering each other. Even with over a hundred people in the square, they were sparsely scattered.

Despite that, everyone seemed to be looking at one spot. That was the spot that Qing Shui usually practice at!

Qing Shui understood immediately when he looked over.

A dazzling lady was standing there. Her face was covered by a scarf which revealed only her mesmerising eyes. The gentleness in her perfect figure exhibited her incomparably graceful charm.

It was the Misty Hall Palace Mistress!

Qing Shui noticed that everyone was silently admiring her from afar. There were barely even any conversations!

This was the power of beauty!

A beauty that denied others, a beauty that make others feel inferior.

It was no different from the power that came with strength.

Qing Shui touched his nose and walked towards her.

Many people knew the Misty Hall Palace Mistress but they had never seen her hidden face. However, as she was just like the rumors, they had no doubts. A lady with a white satin, a scarf that covered her face, a disposition like that of an immortal who had cast aside all worldly care.

“Why are you here?” Qing Shui asked. He had not seen her since that time in his room. It had already been a year.

“I want my earrings. Just as mentioned before.”

Her voice was like the singing of a Bodhisattva. Though he was familiar with the voice, he still enjoyed it. Maybe, it was because he had not heard her for such a long time.

Qing Shui “retrieved” a pair of earrings from his chest. He had created it half a year ago. It was a small plum flower stud. The silver white stud was very suitable for her. Though the material was not that good, it felt cold in the summer and warm in the winter.

Accessories like these were common but the earrings that Qing Shui made was well crafted. It might not be the best in the world, but it was beautiful and it could increase all attributes by 5%. That was even better than the Violet Earrings the Old Ancestor had. Most people would feel that the violet earrings looked better, as they had a sort of magnificent aura. Conversely, these “Plum earrings” had an aura of purity untainted by the affairs of the world.

Misty Hall Mistress took the earrings from him. Qing Shui was spell-bounded by the beauty of those demanding, snowy-white hands. Huoyun Liu-li, Canghai Mingyue, Shi Qingzhuang, all had beautiful dainty hands. However, the hands in front of Qing Shui were seem to have a soul of their own; they were amazingly beautiful.

Misty Hall Mistress held the earrings in her hands. She looked at Qing Shui with pair of black, jewel-like eyes that seemed to indicate that she liked them very much.

Qing Shui tried hard to look at her directly, but he could not help it. Within the span of three breaths, he turned his head slightly to the side, which made the situation even more awkward….

“Did you cause trouble again?”

Qing Shui could hear a trace of laughter in her voice.

The words were heart-warming. Qing Qing felt like a younger sister despite being his older sister, whereas the Misty Hall Mistress gave him this sort of feeling with her few words.

“No, I can take care of it…”

“You are improving at a shocking speed!” Misty Hall Palace Mistress said unchangingly, looking at Qing Shui with the same slightly smiling expression.

At this moment, Qing Shui remembered when he was back in Hundred Miles City. They were eating together and she had not worn her scarf.

“Thank you!”

“Why are you thanking me?” Misty Hall Palace Mistress asked with a slight astonishment.

Qing Shui did not know why, but he felt slightly happy when he saw her surprised look. It was a sort of achievement! He quickly erased that thought from his head.

“You reminded me about something good!” Qing Shui replied.

No matter how intelligent the Misty Hall Palace Mistress was, she was not able to guess Qing Shui’s thought.

“You were looking for me…”

“”It‘s nothing. I just want my earrings.” Misty Hall Palace Mistress even raised her hand to express that.

Qing Shui certainly did not believe her words. Even so, Qing Shui could do nothing. He wouldn’t ask if she didn’t want to talk about it. He could only guess.

Qing Shui remembered that she had already rushed to save him twice. He knew that she wanted to say something but did not know why she did not make it clear.

“Qing Shui, I am leaving. Please remember to stay safe!”

Qing Shui nodded, and with these parting words, the Misty Hall Palace Mistress left on her Blue Luan.

Qing Shui was dumbfounded. He guessed she had felt that she could no longer help him, or rather, there was no need to help him anymore.

After entertaining those thoughts for a while, the first few rays of the rising sun appeared in the horizon. He chased the thoughts away and focus on practicing his Taichi Fists.

“Look, Qing Shui still has the focus to practice!”

“Wow! He is too bold! He can really keep his composure!”

“Feng Clan has already made their preparations. They are waiting for him to come and seek death.” A shifty eyes man commented.

“What are you saying?! We won’t know who will die!” A tall man yelled. His hair was like a lion’s mane and he had an exceptionally ferocious look.

……

After his morning practice, Qing Shui went to look for Cang Wuya. Everyone was around, but even though breakfast was ready, no one took a bite.

Troubles lay ahead!