The First Sword of the Universe

Chapter 378 I, Huang Rong, will soon be invincible!
Xu Xingchen's research into martial arts has reached the essence.

Even martial arts manuals obtained in the previous two worlds can be modified and perfected to fully conform to the laws of heaven and earth of the present world.

Furthermore, it elevates them to their original supreme status in their respective worlds.

The Star Absorbing Technique was modified and perfected by Xu Xingchen!
The Sunflower Manual was also modified and improved by Xu Xingchen!
His original intention in coming to Lin'an was to give the Sunflower Manual to the old eunuch so that he could train a group of quickly-trained masters in the palace to protect the safety of the Song Dynasty.

After all, his decision to hold the "Heroes Compete for Supremacy" martial arts tournament in the capital of the Song Dynasty was a real slap in the face to the Song court.

No.
It's like tearing off the face of the Song Dynasty court and the officials, throwing it on the ground, and stomping on it!
After that incident, the prestige of the Song Dynasty in the eyes of the people was greatly diminished.

It even attracted a lot of disdain and contempt!
Xu Xingchen's actions this time had nothing to do with "making amends" or "feeling guilty." He simply wanted to give the Song Dynasty a little bit of self-protection so that they could recover from their low point and start afresh.

After all, he didn't want the Song Dynasty to really collapse!

During his conversation with the old eunuch, although the old eunuch didn't say much, Xu Xingchen had already guessed that the Emperor and the Song Dynasty court absolutely hated their actions on the fifteenth of August last year.

However, despite their hatred, they did not propose any substantial retaliatory actions.
Even if it were just posting their portraits on the city walls of every city in the Song Dynasty, and having the whole country hunt them down, that would be fine!
But the Song Dynasty court and the emperor did not do so.

They, just as they had done with the arrogant and domineering Jin envoys in the past, once again swallowed their anger and endured it.
This is what makes Xu Xingchen feel most regretful and dissatisfied!
It was precisely because he could not sense any fighting spirit or courage to compete with others in the Song Dynasty court that he realized the Song Dynasty court was truly hopeless.

Hopeless!
Therefore, he tore in half the Sunflower Manual that he originally intended to give to the old eunuch.

The Sunflower Manual has four layers. After tearing off half of it, only the first two layers remain.

Even with only the first two levels, it is still possible for junior eunuchs in the palace to break through quickly and become experts who can break through once or twice in just one or two years.

Compared to other divine martial arts secrets, once you overcome the most difficult initial step in the Sunflower Manual, subsequent breakthroughs in cultivation become as easy as drinking water.

The most difficult first step, however, was the easiest for the palace eunuchs!
In this way, a large number of experts can be quickly cultivated in the Song Dynasty palace.

He is an extremely outstanding master, at least in terms of lightness skill, agility, and speed of attack.

With this large group of experts, they would be absolutely effective in assassinating generals and strategists in the Jin army, or in assassinating some of the Jin court officials.

This was the gift that Xu Xingchen originally planned to give to the Song Dynasty court.

But when a dynasty rots from the root, it rots from top to bottom.
Even if you gave them a powerful martial arts manual, a manual that allows for quick mastery, what use would it be?

Aside from the fact that it's quick to learn, the imperial palace also has the world's best martial arts manuals.

Now, isn't it exactly the same weakness and incompetence?!
Utterly disappointed, Xu Xingchen left behind the first half of the Sunflower Manual and turned to leave.

After reading the first half of the Sunflower Manual, the old eunuch felt an indescribable mix of emotions and frustration.

This indescribable frustration reached its peak three months later.

Because, during those three months, he entrusted half of the Sunflower Manual to several trusted eunuchs to practice.

结果
Whether it's a senior eunuch or a junior eunuch.

Whether one is highly skilled or not.

The speed of progress is beyond imagination.

This progress is reflected in their ghostly movements and lightning-fast attack speed.

Accumulating skill takes time, but improving movement techniques is immediately visible.

These eunuchs who had mastered the Sunflower Manual were, of course, no match for the old eunuch.

However, they can easily defeat other companions of the same age, level, and skill, or companions who are older and more skilled.

In the course of the competition, the opponent would often fall victim to the attack in the blink of an eye.

It's too fast, so fast that the opponent can't even react!
This is only the result of one or two months of cultivation, and only the result of cultivating the first half of the Sunflower Manual.

If one could cultivate the entire Sunflower Manual, what level of skill would one reach?

Breaking through to the next realm three times is absolutely no problem for them!
If, like the Nine Yin Manual, it could grant these eunuchs immense power and resources, giving them a slight chance of breaking through to the fourth level of the Breakthrough Realm.
Whenever he thought about these things, the old eunuch felt extremely anxious, frustrated, and annoyed.

They desperately wanted to find Xu Xingchen's whereabouts immediately and force him to hand over the second half of the Sunflower Manual.

But some things, once missed, are missed forever!
Finding Xu Xingchen's whereabouts is not an easy task for them.

Besides, whether Xu Xingchen is even willing to pay attention to them is another matter.

Xu Xingchen left Lin'an City intending to go directly to the capital of the Great Jin Kingdom to take care of something.

But after thinking it over, I decided to postpone the action!

In the days that followed, he returned to his secluded home in Jiaxing and began to continue studying his martial arts principles, while also instructing the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan in their martial arts.

When Guo Jing and Huang Rong occasionally returned from their travels and came to visit, he would check Guo Jing's martial arts skills and offer some pointers. After more than a year of practice, Guo Jing's martial arts skills had improved considerably.

It is estimated that in another year or two, he will be able to break through to the third level of the Breakthrough Realm.

As for breaking through the realm four times
Xu Xingchen wasn't worried at all!

Guo Jing and Huang Rong are, after all, the chosen protagonists of this world.

For others, breaking through to the next realm four times might be extremely difficult; but for these two, it should be much easier.

just
Huang Rong is such a clever girl; she can learn anything quickly, understand it in no time, and master it in no time.

Compared to Guo Jing's martial arts talent, he is far superior.

However, she lacked Guo Jing's perseverance and the tenacity to train hard in the coldest and hottest winters.

Therefore, if Huang Rong wants to break through to the fourth level of the Breakthrough Realm, it will probably take her many years longer than Guo Jing.

Moreover, what if Guo Jing were to garrison Xiangyang again in the future and fight against the Mongol army once more?
Huang Rong inherited the position of Beggar Clan leader, which meant she had even more things to worry about.

Whether it was troop deployment, the management of Beggars' Sect disciples, the intelligence gathering and processing of information from all sides, or the interpersonal relationships with the officials and soldiers of Xiangyang City...
All these things require Huang Rong's attention!

Guo Jing only needs to rely on his unparalleled martial arts skills and his extensive network of connections in the martial arts world to act as a pillar of stability in Xiangyang City!

by that time.

With Huang Rong working tirelessly day and night, she probably wouldn't have time to practice martial arts!

Considering the many things that might happen later, Xu Xingchen thought it over and made a decision.

May 16th.

When Guo Jing and Huang Rong returned and came to pay their respects to Xu Xingchen.

Xu Xingchen told Guo Jing to wait in the courtyard, leaving Huang Rong alone in the house.

Sitting in the chair, Xu Xingchen listened to the sounds of his disciple practicing the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms in the courtyard and nodded slightly.

Then he looked up and asked Huang Rong, who was curiously examining him, "Rong'er, how is your martial arts training going? Have you made any progress?"

A smug smile appeared on Huang Rong's pretty face: "My master has already taught me the Nine Yin Manual and the Dog-Beating Staff Technique, so of course my martial arts have improved a lot!"

Xu Xingchen already knew that Hong Qigong had taken Huang Rong as his disciple again, so her expression remained unchanged. She asked again, "Compared to Jing'er, who has made greater progress between the two of you?"

Huang Rong's smile vanished instantly, and she said angrily, "Master Xu, your question is completely unnecessary. Brother Jing is like a martial arts fanatic; he practices the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms and the Nine Yang Divine Skill whenever he has time. Moreover, he drank the blood of that Ginseng Immortal Old Monster's precious snake, gaining ten or twenty years' worth of internal energy. How can I compare to Brother Jing?"

Xu Xingchen smiled and asked again, "Then, do you want to catch up with Jing'er's martial arts skills?"

Huang Rong's mind worked incredibly fast; she understood the implied meaning from the melody, her eyes lit up, and she said happily, "Master Xu, do you perhaps have some idea? Or is it that the Ginseng Immortal has raised another precious snake?"

Xu Xingchen's lips twitched, and he said irritably, "You should stop coveting that Ginseng Immortal Old Monster's precious snake; it would take him more than ten years to raise another one like that."

Huang Rong showed no disappointment at all. She smiled and took two steps forward, looking at Xu Xingchen behind the desk: "Master Xu, since it's not a magic snake, then there must be another elixir, right? Or perhaps some kind of immortal herb or fruit?"

“Those things aren’t there either!” Xu Xingchen shook his head, his expression turning serious as he said solemnly, “Rong’er, listen carefully; the martial arts I’m about to teach you must be used with extreme caution and care, and most importantly, the fewer people who know about them, the better!”

When Huang Rong saw the change in Xu Xingchen's attitude, her heart skipped a beat, and she put away the girlish smile on her face.

He clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed, and said, "Yes, Master Xu."

Xu Xingchen nodded, took a book from a drawer in her desk, handed it to Huang Rong, and said softly, "Take this and read it. Try to memorize it all. In the future, even if you want to teach it to others, you must consider that person's character."

"Yes!" Huang Rong said earnestly, taking the book with expectant eyes, and saw four strong and powerful characters written on the blue cover.

"Star Absorbing Technique!"

With her doubts in mind, Huang Rong opened the cover and began to read the contents.

As he read, his hands, which were tightly gripping the book, suddenly trembled violently.

As he looked on, a look of shock and horror appeared on his face.

As they looked at it, boundless joy appeared in their eyes.

After she finished reading the whole book, she could no longer contain her excitement and almost burst into laughter, hands on her hips.

At this moment, Huang Rong had only one thought in her mind.

"I, Huang Rong, will soon be invincible!"

(End of this chapter)