Han Kui grinned when he saw how domineering Li Xiaoyao was. "If this person is dead, then so be it. There's no need for you to shoulder the responsibility alone. We'll bear the consequences together. Do you think I, Han Kui, am a coward?"
He naturally understood the deeper meaning behind Li Xiaoyao killing Han Feng. It was to prevent them from being dragged into trouble and facing retaliation. At that moment, Han Kui truly admired Li Xiaoyao. A hot-blooded man should stand tall and bear the weight of responsibility.
"Right, whatever the consequences, we'll face them together. Besides, as long as we're within Canghai Sect, it's forbidden for fellow disciples to kill one another. Even if Jing Yan knows we killed Han Feng, he can't do anything to us as long as we stay within the sect's territory," Qing Jiu resolutely said.
"Count me in." Jingxiang smiled, her beauty shining brightly.
"Good," Li Xiaoyao replied, happy to have such friends. Qing Jiu was right—although Canghai Sect didn't restrict its disciples from acting freely outside the sect, there were still rules within its walls. Without them, the sect would have fallen into chaos long ago.
Squatting down, Li Xiaoyao rummaged through Han Feng's belongings and found a book—an advanced martial technique.
"Thunderflash Sword Technique," he murmured as he flipped through it. The Thunderflash Sword Technique was a top-tier yellow-grade martial art. Mastering it to the highest level allowed the sword to strike like lightning, with each slash echoing the sound of thunder. The technique focused on speed and explosive power.
"The Thunderflash Sword Technique belongs to the Sun and Moon Pavilion. Both Han Feng and his brother practiced it. It's powerful, but very difficult to master, especially reaching the stage where the sword strikes like lightning," Qing Jiu said. As someone who aspired to become a sword master, Qing Jiu had dabbled in various sword techniques. "I've trained in this technique too, but I haven't grasped its essence. My strikes lack power."
Li Xiaoyao nodded slightly. He had already mastered three martial techniques: the Nine Waves, which could be used for both offense and defense; the essential body movement technique Floating Shadows; and the Sword Draw Technique, which was meant for a single lethal strike. If he added the Thunderflash Sword Technique to his repertoire, combining its strikes with the Nine Waves to disguise his Sword Draw Technique, it might be an excellent strategy.
"Shall we return now?" Jingxiang asked Li Xiaoyao as she walked over. By now, everyone was starting to view Li Xiaoyao as their leader.
"Why rush back when we can hunt more beast cores?" Li Xiaoyao wasn't eager to return to the sect just yet. In the Black Marsh Forest, he could hone his skills by hunting demonic beasts while simultaneously practicing the Thunderflash Sword Technique. It was a perfect opportunity.
The other three exchanged smiles and then laughed together. With Li Xiaoyao around, they didn't need to worry about encountering overly powerful demonic beasts. There was no reason to hurry back.
"If only we could trade for some Qi Origin Pills," Jingxiang said, a hint of anticipation in her voice. The Qi Origin Pill was a type of elixir that could significantly enhance the cultivation of martial artists in the Qi Martial Realm. However, it required a large number of beast cores, and only the cores of high-level demonic beasts could be traded for one.
A gleam flashed in Li Xiaoyao's eyes. Relying on his past knowledge, he was also familiar with the Qi Origin Pill. Although he could easily defeat martial artists in the eighth level of the Qi Martial Realm, his current level of seventh was still somewhat low. If he could raise his cultivation, perhaps he could fight martial artists in the ninth level without relying on the Sword Draw Technique.
Five days later, deep in the forest, sword energy whistled through the air, accompanied by the faint sound of thunderclaps, which was startling enough. Even more surprising was that the sound came from the sword strikes themselves.
"Boom! Boom!" As the sword slashed, the trees splintered apart. A dashing young man wielded his long sword, his strikes as swift and powerful as lightning.
"To reach this level with the Thunderflash Sword Technique in just five days—this guy is a monster," Qing Jiu said with a bitter smile, watching from the sidelines. As someone who loved swordsmanship, he had also practiced the Thunderflash Sword Technique and understood its difficulty. Yet in just five days, Li Xiaoyao had reached the stage where every strike produced a thunderous sound, indicating he had mastered the technique. Qing Jiu felt both admiration and discouragement.
"Don't even try to compare yourself to him. He's just using that eighth-level demonic beast, the Blackwood Leopard, to practice his sword technique," Han Kui said, his arms crossed as he watched Li Xiaoyao fight. The battle was entirely one-sided. What was even more infuriating was that although Li Xiaoyao could easily kill the Blackwood Leopard, he deliberately dragged out the fight. His sword strikes were impenetrable, making it impossible for the leopard to escape, even with its speed.
With a soft sound, Li Xiaoyao's sword pierced the Blackwood Leopard's brain, killing it instantly.
Sheathing his sword, Li Xiaoyao was very satisfied with the Thunderflash Sword Technique. The sword, when used to its full potential, possessed explosive power that surpassed even the Nine Waves technique. A sword was, after all, known for its unrivaled offensive strength.
At that moment, Li Xiaoyao stood there, his delicate face now lined with firm resolve. Compared to when he first arrived in this world, he seemed more mature—tougher, freer.
Han Kui walked over and began collecting the beast cores again, muttering to himself. His original intention was to train himself and hunt demonic beasts, but now he was solely responsible for collecting the cores. Still, he didn't mind. After all, Li Xiaoyao was the one hunting high-level demonic beasts, and just watching his battles was beneficial.
"Han Kui, how many Qi Origin Pills can we exchange for with these beast cores?" Li Xiaoyao pulled Han Kui up and asked.
"At least twelve," Han Kui replied, excitement flashing in his eyes. They hadn't expected such a huge haul this time, but it was all thanks to Li Xiaoyao. Without him, they wouldn't have been able to kill even a seventh-level demonic beast.
"Great! That's three each. We can trade the rest of the cores for weapons or money. If any of you need something, go ahead and exchange it. Let's return to the sect now."
For martial artists, only the first three Qi Origin Pills had any effect. The first provided the greatest benefits and the highest chance of breaking through. The second and third would be progressively less effective.
"Three Qi Origin Pills." Han Kui and the others were thrilled. With three pills each, they had a good chance of advancing to the eighth level of the Qi Martial Realm. At the fifth level, they were considered weaklings in the sect, and even at the seventh level, they were only mediocre among the outer disciples. Only at the eighth level could they start to gain recognition.