Chapter 348 - 163: Great Progress from Hard Training

Both retreated three steps.

Yu Xiuqi looked down at his fist, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Not bad."

Liang Cheng nodded and laughed. "Third Senior Brother, again."

Yu Xiuqi said nothing more. He simply threw a second punch, his eyes now much more serious.

This punch was even stronger than the last!

The Fist Force, condensed and focused, drew upon the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. It formed a hundred-foot-tall phantom fist that came crashing down from above, like the descent of a mountain god!

Liang Cheng took a deep breath and unleashed his Fist Intent with full force!

He met the attack with a punch of his own!

BOOM—!!!

This time, they both retreated five steps.

Yu Xiuqi looked at Liang Cheng and suddenly pulled back.

"I’m done."

Liang Cheng froze. "Third Senior Brother?"

Yu Xiuqi sat cross-legged again and closed his eyes.

"Your Fist Intent is purer than mine. My path is one of breaking skill with brute force. As it is, the most I can do is suppress you with my higher Cultivation."

"If that’s the case, why waste our time?"

He paused for a moment.

"However, while your Fist Intent is pure, it’s not vicious enough."

"The way of the fist, much like your Blade Intent, is about struggle."

"And to struggle is to fight to win."

"With that last punch, you held back. I’d wager you were worried about my pride."

Liang Cheng fell silent at his words.

Yu Xiuqi closed his eyes and said no more.

Liang Cheng stood where he was, looking at his quiet Third Senior Brother. He cupped his fist in a salute.

"Thank you for your guidance, Third Senior Brother. On the day of the Inquiry Conference, I believe I will be able to truly compete with you."

Yu Xiuqi did not respond, as if he had already entered a state of meditation.

Liang Cheng wasted no more words, turning to leave.

Behind him, green bamboo swayed, their leaves rustling.

...

「First Peak, Private Courtyard.」

Liang Cheng sat cross-legged in the Quiet Chamber, his eyes closed in deep thought.

He had already gained something from today’s spar.

’Although my Cultivation Realm is still at the Core Formation Early Stage, I achieved Core Formation with a Perfect Dao Foundation. My true strength is likely on par with that of a cultivator at the Core Formation Middle Stage.’

’And my Blade Intent and Fist Intent are both centered on struggle. They are about advancing, attacking, moving forward relentlessly.’

’The boost to my power takes me to a whole new level.’

’Besides, Third Senior Brother Yu Xiuqi was right. My Fist Intent can be even more vicious.’

’To struggle is to fight to win.’

What’s more, he had a trump card: he had condensed a third Martial Dao True Intent.

Sword Intent!

He opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.

Blade Intent, Fist Intent, Sword Intent.

The three True Intents currently coexisted within him, each distinct and not interfering with the others.

He had fought his way up from a young laborer in Linhai Town to become a Direct Disciple of the Penglai Sect.

Every step was a struggle.

To prove his worth?

To find a path to survival?

To seize a sliver of opportunity?

All of these were true.

But none of them were the whole truth.

’As a mayfly striving to be first, I must soar to the highest heavens.’

Liang Cheng closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his Sea of Consciousness.

A golden ocean churned with violent waves. The Ling Frost Short Sword hovered silently within it. In the deepest recesses of his Sea of Consciousness, the seven hundred years of memories absorbed from the Crossing Sea Master were still quietly deepening his Dao Foundation.

He extended his Divine Sense, touching that mass of memories.

In an instant, countless images flooded his Sea of Consciousness. On the path of the Martial Dao, was there anyone who did not struggle?

To prove one’s worth, to find a path to survival, to seize a sliver of opportunity.

The very essence of the Dao was to be forced into a desperate corner, with no choice but to struggle.

To achieve the Dao, one must struggle.

To fight against the heavens, to fight against the earth, to fight against all of mankind!

Liang Cheng opened his eyes.

A sharp glint flashed through his eyes and was gone.

He suddenly raised his hand, making a grasping motion at the empty air.

He held no blade, yet he swung his hand in a chopping motion. A blade’s cry rang out of thin air in the Quiet Chamber, clearer and purer than ever before.

His Blade Intent had just advanced to another level.

[Blade Intent: Basic Level (12568/100000)]

But Liang Cheng didn’t stop.

He clenched his fist again.

And threw a punch!

The Fist Force tore through the air, as if splitting heaven and earth at the dawn of creation!

His Fist Intent, already stronger than his Blade Intent after absorbing the Crossing Sea Master’s memories, had also improved.

[Fist Intent: Basic Level (32956/100000)]

The next moment, he formed a sword with his fingers.

A ray of Sword Aura pulsed from his fingertips, exuding a biting chill.

His Sword Intent was also solidifying.

[Sword Intent: Basic Level (1064/100000)]

After his spar with his senior brother today, he’d had an epiphany, and all three of his True Intents had advanced. They now shone with a brilliant golden light within his Sea of Divine Soul.

The Blade Intent that strove for supremacy, the Fist Intent that could level mountains, the Sword Intent that was piercingly sharp.

As Liang Cheng felt these three powers, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

For others, condensing even one was a sign of being uniquely blessed.

’So what about him?’

’Could he fuse all three? After all, with his Mayfly Life Chart, he has no bottlenecks. Success should be guaranteed.’

’Blade, Fist, and Sword... if these three True Intents could be fused into one...’

’What would that become?’

’And if he later condensed other Martial Dao True Intents and added them to the mix...’

Liang Cheng closed his eyes and began to test his idea.

...

「One hour later.」

He opened his eyes and shook his head.

’It’s too difficult.’

’The three Martial Dao True Intents have different natures and concepts. Forcing them to fuse only causes them to clash.’

However, he wasn’t discouraged.

Liang Cheng took a deep breath.

’One step at a time.’

’First, I’ll solidify them, then wait for the right time to attempt the fusion.’

’I still have three months. I might as well focus on increasing my Cultivation, tempering my Martial Dao True Intents, and aiming for the Inquiry Conference. I’ll take it one step at a time.’

In the days that followed, Liang Cheng entered a peculiar state of Cultivation.

During the day, he would either go to Li Jianfeng’s courtyard to practice the Sword Dao or trade punches with Yu Xiuqi. At night, he would sit alone in his Quiet Chamber, practicing his Cultivation Technique to advance his Cultivation.

At other times, he would attempt to fuse the three True Intents, refining his own Martial Dao.

Li Jianfeng’s Sword Intent was incomparably sharp and relentlessly aggressive. Yu Xiuqi’s Fist Intent was as steady as a mountain, breaking skill with brute force.

The two had vastly different styles, but their understanding of Martial Dao True Intent was far beyond Liang Cheng’s. With every spar, Liang Cheng gained new insights, big or small.

「One month later.」

In Li Jianfeng’s courtyard.

The two sparred again.

Li Jianfeng withdrew his sword and stood, his eyes full of admiration as he looked at Liang Cheng.

"Little Junior Brother, you’re a fast learner."