Chapter 735: Ao Xinyan's Strength
Zhang Ruochen did not immediately refine Qi Hong's knowledge. He paused for a moment, let out a long breath, stood up, and began to pace around the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, using this to adjust his state of mind.
This walking continued for three days and three nights.
Zhang Ruochen circled the trunk of the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree three hundred times.
Finally, feeling that his condition had reached its peak, he truly began to digest Qi Hong's knowledge.
To make absorption easier, Zhang Ruochen divided Qi Hong's knowledge into three parts.
The first part: Qi Hong's sword dao knowledge.
The second part: Qi Hong's sacred dao knowledge.
The third part: other miscellaneous knowledge.
What Zhang Ruochen valued most was Qi Hong's understanding of the sword dao and the sacred dao.
Qi Hong was a disciple of Zangyue Sword Saint, so his attainments in the sword dao were naturally not low. Not only had he cultivated over thirty types of sword techniques, but he had also cultivated Sword Two to the fourth level, Yin-Yang Interfusion.
Zhang Ruochen's first step was to fully absorb Qi Hong's sword dao knowledge.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands together and began to mobilize the three ancestral sword intents within his Qi Sea, suppressing Qi Hong's sword dao knowledge.
Then, he began to refine it with full force.
He was not only absorbing Qi Hong's sword dao knowledge but also continuously absorbing the three ancestral sword intents, causing his understanding of the sword dao to grow by leaps and bounds.
At the same time, he multitasked, using his Sword Heart Illumination to continuously practice sword techniques within his Qi Sea.
"Swish, swish."
The Sword Heart Illumination transformed into a small silver figure, executing sword moves and creating countless sword shadows.
As Zhang Ruochen absorbed more and more sword dao knowledge, the sword moves executed by the silver figure became increasingly exquisite, utterly unpredictable.
It took a month for Zhang Ruochen to fully absorb Qi Hong's sword dao knowledge.
Although Zhang Ruochen had absorbed Qi Hong's sword dao knowledge, he had not yet fully comprehended it. Thus, he had only cultivated Sword Two to the third level, Yin-Yang Separation.
He needed to spend time thoroughly understanding all the sword dao knowledge, analyzing, learning, and practicing it until it was completely transformed into his own knowledge, before he could reach the fourth level of Sword Two.
"Refining someone else's knowledge is not mere plunder; it also requires learning and comprehension."
"Since that's the case, I might as well push forward in one go and break through to the fourth level of Sword Two."
Zhang Ruochen took out the box containing the Sword Soul Ice Soul and placed it on the ground.
Opening the box, a wave of icy cold air surged out. At the bottom of the box lay a pigeon-egg-sized piece of Ice Soul, milky white in color.
Inside the Ice Soul was a sword-shaped speck of light.
The Sword Soul Ice Soul was a treasure that could only be nurtured on the fifth floor of the Sword Pavilion, produced only once every twenty years. This showed its preciousness.
Zhang Ruochen swallowed the Sword Soul Ice Soul while simultaneously controlling the Sword Heart Illumination to continue practicing sword techniques in his Qi Sea, continuously absorbing the three ancestral sword intents and understanding Qi Hong's sword dao knowledge.
With the assistance of the Sword Soul Ice Soul and the ancestral sword intents, after another month, Zhang Ruochen finally cultivated Sword Two to the fourth level, Yin-Yang Interfusion.
"The fifth level of Sword Two is called 'Yin-Yang Wuji.' Reaching this level means achieving the Great Perfection of Sword Two."
Zhang Ruochen seemed to be only one step away from the Great Perfection of Sword Two.
However, that final level was extremely difficult. Countless talented sword dao prodigies had been blocked at this very stage.
It was impossible to cultivate Sword Two to Great Perfection in a short time. So, Zhang Ruochen began to absorb Qi Hong's sacred dao knowledge.
The so-called sacred dao knowledge was essentially Qi Hong's understanding of the sacred dao.
As a Half-Saint, Qi Hong's understanding of the sacred dao had certainly reached a remarkably high level—at least far beyond what Zhang Ruochen could currently match.
However, Zhang Ruochen soon discovered that the sacred dao knowledge was not something he could simply refine.
Even though a Half-Saint's sacred dao knowledge was laid out before him, he could only contemplate it; he could not directly absorb it.
Zhang Ruochen was not disappointed. Since he possessed Qi Hong's sacred dao knowledge, it was as if a Half-Saint was continuously demonstrating the sacred dao within his mind.
In this way, his understanding of the sacred dao would grow unceasingly, allowing him to comprehend it faster than other Fish-Dragon Realm cultivators.
This was an advantage that no one else could have.
Next, Zhang Ruochen spent two months fully absorbing the rest of Qi Hong's knowledge. This included Qi Hong's combat experience, his understanding of humanities, history, artifact refining, alchemy, formations, and various other aspects.
After nearly half a year, the knowledge Zhang Ruochen had acquired was vast, far surpassing that of his peers.
His temperament became more restrained, his eyes deep and unfathomable, giving him an air of profound mystery.
"Absorbing Qi Hong's knowledge and memories has both great benefits and great drawbacks. Overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages."
Even though Zhang Ruochen had adjusted his state of mind to the best possible condition, he was still too young and had experienced too little. Absorbing Qi Hong's knowledge and memories would inevitably have a significant negative impact on him.
Fortunately, Qi Hong was only a Half-Saint who had lived for a little over a hundred years. If it had been a Saint who had lived for several centuries, Zhang Ruochen might have suffered a mental breakdown.
"Ugh!"
Suddenly, Zhang Ruochen felt a splitting headache. He clutched his head and collapsed to the ground.
He quickly mobilized his powerful spiritual power to expel some of the chaotic memories from his mind.
Two days later, he recovered, still shaken. "For the next ten years, I absolutely cannot absorb the knowledge and memories of another Half-Saint. Otherwise, it will surely plant the seeds of disaster."
Over time, the influence of Qi Hong's memories and knowledge on him would gradually weaken and eventually disappear entirely.
According to Zhang Ruochen's calculations, this process would take ten years.
By absorbing Qi Hong's memories and knowledge, Zhang Ruochen had certainly gained tremendous benefits. At the very least, Sword Two had been cultivated to the fourth level.
Moreover, with Qi Hong's sacred dao knowledge, Zhang Ruochen would find it much easier to break through to the Half-Saint realm in the future.
It was worth noting that many top-tier talents were still stuck at the ninth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm precisely because of their insufficient understanding of the sacred dao.
Zhang Ruochen did not continue cultivating. Instead, he went to the place where Ao Xinyan was training.
There, the dragon qi vortex that had covered an area of dozens of miles was rapidly contracting, eventually merging completely with Ao Xinyan's body.
Ao Xinyan's delicate body was like a piece of human-shaped divine jade—crystal clear, flawless, and radiating a dazzling brilliance.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth continuously converged toward Ao Xinyan, flying into her brow and being fully absorbed by her.
"Roar!"
A purple dragon shadow flew out from Ao Xinyan's body, circling her rapidly and emitting a deafening dragon roar.
Ao Xinyan's eyes snapped open, and a powerful dragon might burst forth from her body, surging toward Zhang Ruochen.
"Rustle, rustle."
On the ground, grass, trees, and stones were all swept up, forming a sandstorm that darkened the sky.
Zhang Ruochen stood on the ground, looking up. He saw a purple giant dragon emerge from behind the sandstorm, extending a massive claw that struck down toward his head.
The entire sky seemed to press down with it.
Compared to the purple giant dragon, Zhang Ruochen's body was like an ant standing before an elephant—utterly insignificant.
"Her strength has reached such a formidable level."
Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised but remained composed, beginning to fully circulate the sacred qi within his body.
"Dragon-Elephant Divine Furnace."
A crimson palm imprint flew from Zhang Ruochen's hand, transforming into a colossal mark dozens of meters long, colliding with the purple giant dragon's claw.
"Boom!"
The two forces clashed, causing the ground to collapse and crack, with fissures spreading for dozens of miles.
Ao Xinyan retreated over three hundred meters before stabilizing herself. She stared at Zhang Ruochen in shock, clearly astonished. "I've already broken through to the eighth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, yet I still can't defeat you? Clan Leader, just how strong are you?"
Zhang Ruochen also staggered back dozens of steps. He looked at his somewhat painful right hand and nodded. "Your strength has already surpassed Long San. If you can break through to the ninth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm, I might be the one to lose in that exchange just now."
Over the past six months, Zhang Ruochen's cultivation had improved somewhat, reaching the late stage of the seventh transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm. His strength had grown compared to when he fought Long San.
Yet Ao Xinyan was still quite disheartened. After all, she had fully refined the Divine Dragon Bone, elevating her physique to an unprecedented level, making her the greatest prodigy of the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan in the past ten thousand years.
Even so, she still could not defeat Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen offered a word of comfort. "Don't be too disappointed. I achieved the Supreme Realm four times across the four martial stages, triggering the Resonance of the Gods four times. If you had defeated me, I would be ashamed to death."
Zhang Ruochen trusted Ao Xinyan quite a bit, so he did not hide much from her.
"Four times the Supreme Realm?"
Ao Xinyan was stunned once again, staring intently at Zhang Ruochen, unable to express the admiration in her heart.
She finally felt a sense of balance and let out a long breath. "Clan Leader, you're too incredible. No wonder you're so powerful even at the seventh transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm. But I won't give up.
"From now on, you are the goal I strive toward. I will refine divine blood and condense a divine seal within my body to defeat you."
A smile appeared on Zhang Ruochen's face. "Hearing you say that puts quite a bit of pressure on me."
Ao Xinyan pursed her lips and smiled radiantly. Whether Zhang Ruochen was serious or not, just being able to put pressure on him made her very happy.
"By my calculations, Elder Yinhai should have returned to Shentai City with the Divine Dragon Blood and Dragon Emperor Blood. I need to contact him quickly. Before the Realm Son Banquet, I want to refine a drop of Divine Dragon Blood to further strengthen myself. When the time comes, I'll definitely test the skills of the Demon Sect's experts." Ao Xinyan blinked her long eyelashes, her hands clasped behind her back, her chest rising high in an impressive curve.
Then, she left the Cosmic Divine Wood Map to contact Elder Yinhai.
(Readers can follow "Feitian Yu's Weibo" for updates on this book's developments.)