Chapter 101: Picking Leaves and Throwing Flowers
The fourth palm of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm had already been successfully cultivated, elevating the entire palm technique to the level of a Spirit-level low-rank martial technique. The power of the palm technique even rivaled that of a Spirit-level mid-rank martial technique.
The palm technique could be set aside for now; it was time to focus on sword technique.
The Heavenly Heart Sword Technique, a Spirit-level low-rank sword technique, consisted of twelve moves. Zhang Ruochen had only mastered three so far. Only by completely mastering the entire sword technique could its full power be unleashed.
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged on the ground, twelve scrolls appearing in his mind. Each scroll depicted a figure holding a sword, the figure seeming to come alive, continuously swinging the sword within the scroll.
While cultivating the sword technique, Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but grab the Flash Soul Sword from the ground and begin swinging it. Streaks of sword light followed his arm, emitting sharp sword qi.
After spending ten days, Zhang Ruochen successfully mastered the fourth move of the Heavenly Heart Sword Technique, "Heavenly Heart Full Moon."
After spending fifteen days, Zhang Ruochen successfully mastered the fifth move, "Heavenly Heart Stirring the Tide."
After spending another fifteen days or so, Zhang Ruochen successfully mastered the sixth move, "Heavenly Heart Wind and Rain."
During this seclusion, Zhang Ruochen stayed in the inner space of the Time-Space Crystal for forty-three days, while about half a month passed in the outside world.
In these forty-three days, Zhang Ruochen not only cultivated the Heavenly Heart Sword Technique but also took Three Pure Qi Pills daily, significantly improving his cultivation.
The true qi reserves in his qi lake had reached fifty percent of its capacity.
With his current cultivation, even without using the Time Domain or the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, he could defeat a martial artist at the Extreme Realm Great Extreme Position.
"Tomorrow is the time for the life-and-death battle with Feng Zhilin. It's time to go out and take a walk."
Zhang Ruochen stood up, and the space within a few meters around him emitted a "shua shua" sound of sword qi, as if invisible swords were flying through the air.
"This is..."
Zhang Ruochen's heart was overjoyed. His sword intent realm had advanced to the peak of the Sword Follows the Heart realm.
Sword Follows the Heart was divided into four levels: Initial, Intermediate, High, and Peak.
Very few Extreme Realm martial artists could reach the Intermediate level of Sword Follows the Heart. Once they did, they were considered strong among Extreme Realm martial artists. Huang Yanchen and Duanmu Xingling were both at the Intermediate level.
With his martial arts memories from his previous life and his powerful martial soul, Zhang Ruochen had actually reached the Peak of Sword Follows the Heart at the Extreme Realm Late Stage, just one step away from entering the Sword Heart Illumination realm.
Having reached the Peak of Sword Follows the Heart, even if he picked a branch or a blade of grass by the roadside, he could use it as a sword.
With a branch or a blade of grass, he could kill.
Zhang Ruochen's aura had changed noticeably, like a young sword god.
Arriving at the courtyard of Yellow Character Building No. 1, he suddenly heard an unusual noise behind him. Zhang Ruochen frowned and said in a deep voice, "Who's there?"
Zhang Ruochen stomped his foot on the ground, sending a leaf flying into the air and into his fingers. Infusing true qi and sword intent into the leaf, he flicked his fingers, and the leaf shot out like a sharp blade.
"Bang!"
The wall in the distance was pierced by the leaf, leaving a crack.
A black cat kicked out from behind the wall, exclaiming in surprise, "Picking leaves and throwing flowers! Young man, incredible! At such a young age, you've reached the Peak of Sword Follows the Heart. Before long, won't you reach the Sword Heart Illumination realm?"
Zhang Ruochen looked at Xiao Hei, withdrawing the true qi in his body, and said, "Did you go steal books again?"
Xiao Hei walked on two legs, standing upright, holding a thick book in his paws, and said, "I was sealed in the Cosmic Divine Wood Map for a hundred thousand years, completely out of touch with the outside world. Naturally, I need to read more books to understand the changes in the Kunlun Realm over the past hundred thousand years."
Zhang Ruochen nodded, finding Xiao Hei's reasoning sound. He also felt he should take time to read more books and learn about the major events of the past eight hundred years.
The more he knew, the better it would be.
"Come with me. Let's go see if Fourth Brother's injuries have healed," Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiao Hei kicked off with both feet, leaped, and landed on Zhang Ruochen's shoulder.
He lay on Zhang Ruochen's shoulder, focused solely on reading, not caring where Zhang Ruochen was going.
Zhang Ruochen had only met Zhang Shaochu once. There was no deep familial bond, but he still had a good impression of this Fourth Brother. After finishing his seclusion, he planned to visit him.
Liu Chengfeng and three new students from the Yunwu Commandery were heading toward the Dragon Martial Hall when they saw Zhang Ruochen. They were overjoyed and immediately went to meet him.
Liu Chengfeng said, "Your Highness, the Ninth Prince, you've finally come out of seclusion! Something terrible has happened!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "What happened?"
Before Liu Chengfeng could speak, one of the new students gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness, during the month you were in seclusion, the Four Directions Commandery has been constantly oppressing us students from the Yunwu Commandery. Several students have been seriously injured, and the rest have been bullied in various ways. It's been unbearable."
"Moreover, I heard that two students from the Yunwu Commandery went out to do a mission and disappeared without a trace. It's very likely that the Four Directions Commandery students were behind it, killing them outside."
Another new student said, "Those Four Directions Commandery students don't dare to break into the Dragon Martial Hall, so they target us. I've been beaten three times myself. Now, when I see them, I have to avoid them."
Zhang Ruochen hadn't expected things to escalate like this. He said, "Don't the academy elders intervene?"
Liu Chengfeng said, "To temper the students and increase competition, the academy elders generally don't interfere in student conflicts. Besides, they have Elder Situ backing them, so they act even more arrogantly in the Western Courtyard."
Liu Chengfeng lowered his voice and said, "Elder Situ's status in the Western Courtyard is second only to the Dean and the two Vice Deans. Right now, almost all the affairs of the Western Courtyard are managed by Elder Situ."
Zhang Ruochen understood. As long as the Four Directions Commandery students didn't kill others openly, it didn't violate the academy rules, and they wouldn't be punished.
As for the two missing students, who could prove they were dead? Who could prove the Four Directions Commandery students were behind it?
Zhang Ruochen said, "They're retaliating."
During the first round of the academy exam, Zhang Ruochen and Zi Qian had killed nearly a hundred young martial artists from the Four Directions Commandery. Now, the Four Directions Commandery was retaliating against the Yunwu Commandery students, even trying to drive them all out of the Western Courtyard.
One of the new students said with a worried expression, "I've had enough this month! Your Highness, you absolutely cannot lose tomorrow. If you lose to Feng Zhilin, we Yunwu Commandery students will be completely defeated, and the Four Directions Commandery will oppress us even more."
Another new student nodded and sighed, "If even Your Highness loses, I don't dare to stay in the Western Courtyard anymore. I'll have to go back to the Yunwu Commandery."
The other two new students also nodded.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Everyone, rest assured. Since the Four Directions Commandery students want to start a conflict, I'll fight them. By the way, Liu Chengfeng, why did you come looking for me?"
Liu Chengfeng slapped his forehead and said, "I almost forgot the main thing! I received news that Nie Xuan, Wang Lang, Xie Zhaowu, and a group of students from the Four Directions Commandery are going to cause trouble for Fourth Prince Zhang Shaochu."
Zhang Ruochen's eyes darkened. "Nie Xuan again? Wasn't the last lesson enough?"
Liu Chengfeng said, "They chose to target the Fourth Prince tonight mainly to disrupt your state of mind. If your heart is disturbed, you're sure to lose in tomorrow's life-and-death battle."
Losing in a life-and-death battle meant only death.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Take me to Fourth Brother's residence immediately. I want to see who dares to make a move today."
Liu Chengfeng had great confidence in Zhang Ruochen. He led Zhang Ruochen and the other three new students toward Zhang Shaochu's dormitory.
As the top new student, Zhang Ruochen could live in the Dragon Martial Hall and enjoy the best treatment.
The top ten new students and the top one hundred students in the Western Courtyard could also have private dormitories. Though not as luxurious as the Dragon Martial Hall, they were still comfortable and suitable for cultivation.
As for the other students, they could only live in ordinary dormitories, four to a room.
Zhang Shaochu, being an ordinary student, lived in such a dormitory. His three roommates had been beaten black and blue by Nie Xuan and thrown out, lying on the ground spitting blood.
Nie Xuan grabbed Zhang Shaochu by the collar, lifting him off the ground, and said with a cold smile, "Zhang Shaozhu, your arms have healed? But my hand is permanently crippled. What do you think we should do about it?"
Nie Xuan's hand had been severed by Zhang Ruochen, so he had installed a True Martial Treasure-level short sword at his wrist, embedding the blade into his wrist and connecting it to the meridians in his arm.
"It's not Zhang Shaozhu, it's Zhang Shaochu," Zhang Shaochu said through gritted teeth, his voice low.
He was still somewhat afraid of Nie Xuan and spoke without much confidence.
Nie Xuan raised his arm, placing a sharp blade against Zhang Shaochu's right ear. With a slight downward stroke, he could cut off the ear.
Nie Xuan sneered, "Heh! Just say that Zhang Ruochen is a coward, a turtle hiding in its shell, and I'll let you off this time. How about it?"
Wang Lang, Xie Zhaowu, and the other martial artists from the Four Directions Commandery all wore mocking smiles.
Zhang Shaochu was furious. Though afraid, he mustered his courage and said, "You're dreaming! Do you think my Ninth Brother won't cut off your other hand?"
Nie Xuan's face darkened. "You don't know what's good for you!"
Nie Xuan swung his arm down, ready to cut off Zhang Shaochu's right ear. Zhang Shaochu, drenched in cold sweat, closed his eyes and let out a scream.
But no matter how hard Nie Xuan tried, the blade embedded in his arm couldn't fall.
The blade was firmly clamped between two fingers, suspended in midair.
The owner of those two fingers was, of course, Zhang Ruochen.
"Snap!"
Zhang Ruochen's fingers turned jade white. Two streams of true qi surged to his fingertips, creating a twisting force that shattered the blade.
A powerful force traveled from the blade to Nie Xuan's arm, shaking him with pain and sending him stumbling backward, nearly hitting the wall.
Nie Xuan raised his arm, looking at the broken blade, his face filled with shock. "He actually snapped a third-rank True Martial Treasure-level blade with just two fingers!"
"Clang!"
Zhang Ruochen dropped the broken blade tip to the ground, glaring coldly at Nie Xuan. "Nie Xuan, picking on my Fourth Brother is nothing impressive. How about I spar with you for a few moves?"
Old Fish is asking for recommendation votes again! Let me make a promise first: if the cumulative recommendation votes reach 5,000 within a week, I'll add an extra chapter. If they reach 10,000 within a week, I'll add three chapters.
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