Chapter 229 - 227: New Trait ’Meditator
This young girl comes from the Ancient Abyss Country, with a rather mysterious identity and background.
Even though Su Qingqing mentioned she was from the Su Family, he didn’t know what kind of background the Su Family in the Ancient Abyss Country had.
"This is a good thing and will help in martial arts training," said Song Changming, deciding to observe this little maid’s martial arts practice more closely in the future.
Continuing with yesterday’s Pile Skill body refinement.
One hour later.
"Persist, persist!" Su Qingqing gritted her teeth, eyes wide open, cheering herself on. The resolve she had yesterday was fully on display today.
This time, she persisted for nearly two hours before collapsing from exhaustion.
The progress here was significant, and this was just the result of one night’s rest and one practice session of the Pile Skill.
An ordinary person couldn’t achieve this. Song Changming saw enormous talent and potential in the little girl.
Then, Song Changming allowed her to take a rest and drink some water.
A moment later, he taught her several Sword Skills, Swordsmanship, and other related Weapon Martial Arts.
He discovered that the girl had the most affinity for the sword, making her best suited for practicing Sword Dao in the future.
Although Song Changming himself was proficient with the sword, he also had some knowledge of swordsmanship.
Liu Xiangnan’s Flying Swallow Technique could be applied as both a Sword Skill and a Swordsmanship, and after his integration and expansion over the years, it had become a top-grade martial arts skill, perfectly suitable for teaching Su Qingqing.
While Song Changming was instructing Su Qingqing, the Jianghu Secret Chronicles from the Zhuji Pavilion also sparked widespread discussion in the outside world, drawing much controversy.
After all, the rankings on the list changed drastically this time. Many previously unheard-of nobodies managed to make the list, while some self-proclaimed formidable martial artists were overshadowed, not receiving the Zhuji Pavilion’s attention.
This left them feeling disgruntled!
So it was only natural that, much like when Song Changming first stepped onto the Earth List, these new faces on the list were destined to face challenges from all directions.
Whether they’re truly made of gold will be tested by whether they can withstand these challenges.
The news about Song Changming and Young Master Jianya, Nan Chen Guang, both skipping grades and ascending from the Earth List to the Celestial List, had already spread completely.
The two had long dominated the top two spots on the Earth List, gaining widespread fame. Their tangled stories in the Jianghu were becoming increasingly exaggerated.
Now that they’ve stepped onto the Celestial List, they’re naturally entering more people’s sights, with many comparing them.
It was discovered that Song Changming once again overshadowed Nan Chen Guang, sparking much debate.
Compared to Song Changming, who had no background or support, people were more inclined to believe that Nan Chen Guang was the true favored child of the heavens. How could he live in Song Changming’s shadow?
Many people enjoyed the spectacle, hoping that Nan Chen Guang would defend his name by challenging Song Changming directly.
A one-on-one duel would be the simplest and most direct way to prove their strength.
However, after returning to Sword Cliff, Nan Chen Guang remained out of sight.
He seemed unconcerned about the Celestial List and Song Changming, entering a closed-door seclusion early on, with a single-minded focus on honing his Sword Dao, keeping a very low profile.
This disappointed many Jianghu people, who felt they missed out on a good show.
In fact, it was rare for strangers on the Celestial List to issue public challenges for duels.
After all, they all knew that those who could enter the Celestial List were genuine talents, none of whom were easy to deal with.
Truly pushed to the limit, there was a chance of forming grudges with each other.
Fighting for the pointless fame of the Celestial List seemed somewhat not worthwhile.
That night.
Meditator (Green): Born with strong spirits, with Nether Sea open, increases Refining Spirit efficiency and reduces mental usage consumption!
"Meditator..." Song Changming looked at his newly acquired trait, only feeling a coolness from the Nether Sea.
His spirit body had spontaneously strengthened significantly.
Previously, if he could perceive a distance of a hundred meters, he now could perceive roughly a hundred and fifty meters, with the strength greatly enhanced.
This new trait was one of the rewards from this year’s evaluation.
This year’s evaluation was quite high, very positive.
The main reason was his participation in the significant event of external enemy invasion, and the Zhuji Pavilion placing him on the Celestial List, which had a huge impact in enhancing his reputation.
As a result, he once again received the opportunity to choose two out of four rewards.
Among the rewards was this new trait.
Born with strong spirits, as the phrase implies, he received a tremendous boost in Spiritual Power right on the spot.
However, opening the Nether Sea had no use for him, given that he had already opened it through the Dragon Transformation Pearl.
The new trait could further enhance his spirit refining efficiency, which was undoubtedly a profoundly beneficial trait effect.
Finally, the reduction in spiritual usage consumption was particularly delightful for him, as it was of great help during battles with enemies, cultivation, and even when deducing Martial Arts Secret Techniques.
He often felt that his daily Spiritual Power was insufficient, especially as it was consumed rapidly during cultivation.
Now, with the acquisition of this new trait, it greatly eased this troublesome issue.
After testing its effects, he was undoubtedly satisfied with the new trait.
The other reward he chose was an increase in Inner Qi Cultivation.
He wanted to know if this reward could help him condense another Qi Vortex.
Unfortunately, condensing the fourth Qi Vortex proved to be a different level of difficulty from the first three, and he ultimately did not succeed by relying solely on this reward.
Instead, it increased a significant amount of Inner Qi in his body, estimating that it roughly shortened his Qi Refining time by about two years.
For him, although this reward wasn’t particularly surprising, it was still quite decent.
"It shouldn’t be long before I break through to the Fourth Layer Qi Refining..." Song Changming sensed the abundant and vigorous Inner Qi within and estimated.
While silently adjusting to his surging spirit strength, he also consolidated the surging Inner Qi within.
An hour later, Song Changming opened his eyes.
The spiritual radiance in his eyes, previously hard to suppress, had already been restrained.
The surging Inner Qi within had also temporarily settled down.
Consolidation and adaptation needed to continue, but there was no need to rush.
Retracting the panel, he tried extending his spiritual perception.
Instantly, everything in the room became clear and plain, with even tiny dust particles in the air imprinted in his mind, as if a radar had formed a stereoscopic image.
Then, Song Changming continued to extend his spiritual perception; the closed door wasn’t able to block it.
Soon, his spiritual perception had extended to the courtyard, where he ’saw’ the girl fervently swinging her sword.
Now it was deep in the night, but Su Qingqing was more focused on sword practice with each passing day.
In a mere half-month, the girl seemed to undergo a complete transformation.
The formerly soft and delicate demeanor was nowhere to be found; all that remained was the tenacity and drive of someone who had found their goal!
Even Song Changming admitted that during his early martial practices, he couldn’t compare to the girl’s diligence.
But excess is as bad as shortage.
Overly focused practice without rest would only harm the body and develop issues.
"This child..." Song Changming shook his head, got up, and walked out of the room.
"Master!" Su Qingqing immediately sheathed her sword and saluted upon seeing Song Changming entering the courtyard.
"Did I disturb your rest, Master? I’ll go back indoors to practice..."
"Martial arts training requires a balance between tension and relaxation. Even I take a day off for complete rest within seven days, practice moderately for two or three days, and occasionally go out on excursions, drinking and enjoying life.
If you practice without rest, your body and mind will eventually give out, leading to chronic illness and bitter consequences..." Song Changming advised.
"I understand, Master. I’ll go rest now." Su Qingqing bowed, nodded thoughtfully.
The girl had a good thing.
She was receptive to advice.
As long as it made sense, she understood and accepted it well.
Even though she was eager to find her parents again, she understood that it would possibly take years, if not decades, of effort to have a glimmer of hope to return home.
But for that glimmer of hope, she would persist.
"Family..." Song Changming muttered to himself as he watched the girl’s figure retreating indoors.
His parents in this lifetime had both passed away, and in terms of true family, he only had a third sister married far away in Donglai Prefecture.
And some clues about his oldest and second eldest brothers, which required him to go to the Ancient Abyss Country to clarify.
Besides that, what other relatives were there to accompany?
This Song Family, for now, was just him alone.
He occasionally thought that marrying and having children might not be a bad idea, but those thoughts were fleeting.
He still had hesitations, stopping him from taking action.
...