Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 103 Inner Saint, Outer King

The sun sets in the west.

The large wooden tub from which Chu Tianshu practiced his martial arts was moved to the courtyard of the locust tree; the medicinal sand inside was the color of yellow clouds.

Several guards were carrying over wine jars that were sealed very tightly.

The wines brewed in the restaurants and taverns of Nanzhao generally had low alcohol content.

However, after arriving at the Zheng residence, Chu Tianshu learned that these high-ranking officials actually possessed "Yuhua" liquor with a concentration close to alcohol.

It's not pure alcohol because some medicinal herbs have been added.

It is said that this was something invented by alchemists during the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

At that time, many prominent families in the Wei and Jin dynasties indulged in unrestrained behavior and lived a life of debauchery, which was considered a sign of elegance and was highly praised. Many people also enjoyed the use of Five-Stone Powder to revive their virility and feel as if they were drinking fine wine.

However, excessive use of Wushi Powder can easily cause dryness and heat in the joints, sudden chills and coldness, restlessness, and even itching and sores all over the body.

The alchemists realized that the wonderful effect of Wushi San was "like drinking fine wine", so they focused on wine and created the so-called Yuhua wine.

Even when diluted with water, this wine easily makes one feel tipsy and carefree, surrounded by soft light and beautiful scenery, bringing a sense of great joy.

A strong and powerful martial artist can drink ordinary wine until his belly is round without getting drunk, but only by drinking "Yuhua Wine" can he experience the exhilarating sensation of strong liquor going down his throat and get completely drunk.

However, this item was not easy to preserve in ordinary households, so it was not popular among the common people.

Only high-ranking officials often have a large collection of such items, which they use to attract diners.

Chu Tianshu ordered these jars, but not for drinking.

He had his guards pour the wine directly into the sand barrel.

With a hum, the Three-Seven Divine Sword stood straight as iron and was inserted diagonally into the sand bucket.

The sword hilt was still outside the rim of the barrel.

A guard, holding a flint and steel, struck a string of sparks into the bucket.

Hooray! ! !

The flames spread rapidly, leaping up to nearly a foot high.

The heat emanating from the red-and-blue flames caused the guards to hastily move away.

Chu Tianshu, however, remained standing beside the wooden tub.

This bucket is very thick and has iron hoops, so it won't be easily burned.

His palm rested on the hilt of the sword, and beads of blood seeped from the pores of the back of his hand and between his fingers, sloping downwards along the hilt.

The blood, upon encountering the flame, was not immediately evaporated.

Those lines, like snakes, winding downwards, looked exactly like the patterns that Chu Tianshu had repeatedly drawn on the sword over the past few days.

When Wenjing saw someone carrying wine, she came over to take a look. She was initially a little disappointed that the strong liquor had been poured into the barrel, but now she was also drawn to this scene.

Blood, flames, the smell of alcohol, and yellow sand combine to create a bizarre scene.

The blind man didn't open his eyes, but it was as if he saw it all. He whispered, "This is the first time I've ever encountered someone raising and refining a soldier's soul like this..."

The blood-forging military strategy cultivates a soldier's spirit that is yin, while the blood and energy of a warrior are yang.

Therefore, when the spirit of the warrior is about to be formed and is at its most sensitive stage, warriors should not depict or contemplate blood patterns too much.

When Chu Tianshu was cultivating in the mass grave, he could practice for an hour at a time.

When he arrived at the Locust Tree Courtyard, he was able to practice blood purification for more than two hours each day. After the bloodstains had completely disappeared, he would wipe them off again.

But ever since he sensed the beginnings of the formation of the Soul of the Army, the Three-Seven Divine Sword has occasionally displayed a resolute spirit.

The daily blood refining time was shortened to half an hour, and even gradually reduced to half an hour.

This critical juncture is precisely where we need to be most careful and meticulous.

But for some reason, he resorted to such brutal methods again today.

The blood pattern quickly disappeared in the firelight, whether evaporated by the flames or absorbed by the sword, it was unclear.

Blood beads once again appeared on the back of Chu Tianshu's hand and between his fingers, gathering into scarlet blood that flowed down.

Hai Donglai was also watching from the side, holding a large black umbrella in his hand.

Zheng Hui heard that he wanted to avoid the light, so the umbrella he chose was originally pure black.

However, when it was handed over to Hai Donglai, he transferred a bit of his own military spirit into it.

The top of the umbrella resembles a small red cloud spreading out, its color changing to a soft, rosy hue.

Presumably, when his military spirit is restored to its full strength, this black umbrella will turn into a red umbrella.

"Was that bucket the one he used for his daily practice?"

Hai Donglai pondered, "So, the medicinal sand in the barrel must have retained a lot of yang energy, which was then stimulated by the flames of the strong liquor... Could it be that the yang energy was intended to neutralize the yin energy?"

The theory of Taiyin and Shaoyang has existed since ancient times.

Refining a bit of the Lesser Yang essence and stirring up a large amount of Yin energy is the ancient saying, "to clear away the turbid and promote the pure," which is the idea that Hai Donglai had also found in the Tang Dynasty's armory.

But no one has been able to put this idea into practice.

This is because it can only be attempted when the spirit of the army is about to be formed but not yet formed. If one is not careful, all the hard work he has done before will be wasted.

Even if someone were to harden their heart and try repeatedly, they could only manage a few attempts in their entire life. Moreover, cultivating a soldier's spirit is a very personal matter.

If someone in a high position of power tries to force a group of people to make such an attempt, they will be unwilling and the result will inevitably be a complete failure.

For those who have already cultivated a soldier's spirit, this method is useless. Instead of pondering this, they should try to comprehend the moves.

Hai Donglai never expected that during his trip to Nanzhao, he would actually see someone using this method.

Whoosh!

The flames began to ignite the inside of the barrel, producing a faint crackling sound.

The sound of billowing flames and rising wind grew increasingly clear, and when people looked in that direction, everything appeared distorted.

A few strands of hair at Chu Tianshu's temples and forehead curled slightly.

He focused solely on his sword, watching the blood pooling and flowing on the back of his hand.

The shadow of the locust tree has become clear without me noticing.

Logically speaking, even if the sun shines on a large tree, its shadow should fall in this direction.

Because the firelight is so intense, illuminating the area, the presence of shadows becomes invisible.

That's how it's always been.

But now, the shadow of the locust tree, its branches spread wide, is clearly cast on this patch of medicinal sand in the wooden barrel.

The shadow of the locust tree branch fell on the back of Chu Tianshu's hand.

Blood is offered as a sacrifice, yang energy is used as a guide, and yin energy grows ever stronger!
A subtle energy was drawn in.

A crystalline white light, like silkworm silk, rose from the scattered stone bricks, casting its light upon the firelight and disappearing into the sword.

choke! ! !
The Three-Seven Divine Sword suddenly trembled, breaking through the thick layer of medicinal sand.

Yellow sand splattered, like waves and pillars, and the wind pressure generated in an instant extinguished the alcohol fire, plunging the entire courtyard into darkness.

Only that sword, bright and white, circled around Chu Tianshu.

Agile and graceful, seemingly both soft and strong.

The sword wrapped around Chu Tianshu's entire right arm, spiraled upwards, grazed his back, and reached his left arm.

The sword's hum rose slightly, then suddenly extended from his left arm to his waist, encircling it and tightening it like a belt.

The hilt of the sword ended right in front of his waist.

Chu Tianshu touched the sword and felt a deep sense of familiarity with it.

Blood ties connect us; it's as if this sword is a sense I've lost for over twenty years.

As Chu Tianshu rubbed his fingertips together, a sudden realization dawned on him, and he understood the effects of his weapon spirit power.

It is not as exquisite as "Flying Drum in the Sky", nor even as wondrous as "Avalanche".

The soldier's spirit turned inward, allowing Chu Tianshu to see the condition within his own body.

It's not the kind of keen perception that comes from practicing martial arts, but a true sense of "seeing".

Chu Tianshu raised his left hand and could see the tissue under his skin and the muscle fibers.

Moreover, one can adjust the depth of their viewing by sensing the spirit of the soldier.

You can see only the subcutaneous tissue and tiny blood vessels, or you can see your own bones directly.

The outward projection of the soldier's spirit can increase Chu Tianshu's overall strength and resilience, enhancing his ability to withstand attacks.

Although it was a very simple ability, Chu Tianshu smiled knowingly and liked it very much. Many rough strategies for its use had already flashed through his mind.

"My soldier's spirit power is called..."

Chu Tianshu thought for a moment and then smiled, “Inner sage, outer king.”

He used to wrap the sword around his arm so that he could easily parry any unexpected events by simply using the blade of the sword in his hand.

His current use of the weapon spirit power is to regulate his entire body. Therefore, the best way to make the weapon spirit power flow through every part of his body as quickly as possible is to keep the sword wrapped around his waist.

Hai Donglai looked at him and said, "Your plan is to conceal your progress and use the reputation of the Imperial Guard to achieve many other goals."

"But your weapon spirit is newly formed, and its benefits are limited. Furthermore, the effects of our weapon spirits are not similar. How can you possibly mimic the way I am the one attacking you?"

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "I've seen the people you killed, those brutal injuries. It shouldn't be difficult for you to do it, right?"

"Do not."

Hai Donglai said, “You must have arrived quite late, and the bodies were already cold. But the people I kill are warmer than usual for a period of time right after they die.”

"My soldier spirit is called Dingfei, which can rapidly heat up the blood in the body, turning the corpse red."

“There are quite a few people in Nanzhao who know this characteristic of my method. They can identify the body in a short time. You have to be able to do that.”

Chu Tianshu pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I have an idea too."

The guards brought him a red robe and a bright red cloak.

Chu Tianshu put on the red robe, took the cloak, draped it over his shoulders, watched the sunset, and then put on the cloak's hood.

"it's time."

(End of this chapter)