Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit
Chapter 111 - 89 Dingshan Old Demon: Da Liang - Concluded! [Thanks to ’Sky Prison’ for the 50,000 reward!]

Chapter 111: Chapter 89 Dingshan Old Demon: Da Liang Chapter Concluded! [Thanks to ’Sky Prison’ for the 50,000 reward!]

Twenty years passed.

Chen Jichuan would occasionally stay in Dai County or Mount Qian, and at other times wander southward and northward, exchanging insights with masters of swordsmanship from various regions, or observing the boundless landscapes of mountains and rivers.

He avoided being confined to one place, where his spiritual essence might deplete.

Whenever he came across a feng shui treasure land, or felt he had gained insights in his training, Chen Jichuan would choose to stay, perhaps for three or five months, or even one or two years.

As free-spirited as he was disciplined.

On this particular day.

Chen Jichuan arrived at a desolate mountain temple near Guo County in the North Prefecture. At night, eerie winds howled through, creating a chilling atmosphere seldom ventured by ordinary people.

It was the critical juncture for cultivating a stream of Sword Qi: the Sword Qi pressed against his Dantian, physical body, and soul with intensity. The timing was ripe to attempt a split.

Thus, he decided to settle down here and focus on cultivation.

"Sword Qi splitting."

This requires reaching the Innate Realm, where the ’spirit’ merges with the True Qi in the Dantian, attaining seamless control. At this stage, a single thought would enable the Sword Qi to split.

Split into two.

Two into four.

This is not an overnight endeavor. For Chen Jichuan, who was practicing it for the first time, he had to explore cautiously and refine his techniques meticulously, which made the process even more time-consuming.

One month.

Two months.

Three months.

In a twinkling, he had already spent three years in this dilapidated ’Dingshan Temple’ in the northern part of Guo County.

One stream of Sword Qi transformed into two, then into four.

This was currently the limit.

Attempting further splitting would result in overly diluted Sword Qi, causing it to lose its form and fail completely. He would need time to nurture it, refining the newly split four streams of Sword Qi to consolidate them. Once this was achieved, four could split into eight, and eight into sixteen.

The number of Sword Qi streams could increase rapidly.

Sword Qi cultivation is said to be both difficult and easy. By comparison, the practice of swordsmanship and the interplay between swordsmanship and Sword Qi are even more challenging.

Each day, Chen Jichuan practiced his sword techniques beneath an old locust tree outside the Dingshan Temple.

Of all the techniques recorded in the ’Sword Map,’ it was the ’Splashed Ink and Striped Cloth Sword Technique’ that Chen Jichuan mastered most thoroughly. This technique is executed in one continuous flow, extraordinarily seamless, and at its fastest, dozens of sword moves can merge into one. Every move carries a lethal edge, densely layered and highly intricate.

When attacking with a sword, it can unleash tremendous power.

Coupled with the ’Ten Thousand Sword Map,’ this technique—at the level of thirty-two streams of Sword Qi—is among the finest of sword techniques.

"White Rainbow Piercing the Sun."

"Spring Breeze Willow."

"Flying Dragon and Rising Phoenix."

"Jade Dragon Hangs Upside Down."

Chen Jichuan performed his sword steps and wielded his sword techniques.

Form moved alongside spirit, spirit moved alongside energy. As Chen Jichuan practiced, the newly split four streams of Sword Qi coursed chaotically within his Dantian. Initially, they lacked coherence, but as days turned into months and after repeated practice, the four streams began to exhibit semblances of structure, reflecting elements of the ’Splashed Ink and Striped Cloth Sword Technique.’

Four streams of Sword Qi.

Simultaneously executing four sword moves, transforming continuously. No matter how quick or skillful the movements of an ordinary practitioner, the transitions between moves would inevitably leave a barely perceptible gap.

But the execution of Sword Qi eliminated this flaw entirely.

The ’Splashed Ink and Striped Cloth Sword Technique’ emphasizes ’unbroken flow.’

When wielding Sword Qi, its power truly multiplies.

Yet this is no trivial task. Chen Jichuan spent three years in Dingshan Temple splitting four streams of Sword Qi, followed by three years nurturing these streams. Over the course of six years, and then into fourteen years further ahead, he continuously deliberated and refined his execution of the ’Splashed Ink and Striped Cloth Sword Technique,’ driving Sword Qi further.

Daily accumulation.

Gradual transformation.

Only after all this could he penetrate some measure of the True Intent of this sword technique, preliminarily attaining the Divine Realm. The four streams of Sword Qi now moved as seamlessly as his own limbs, and when unleashed, could harmonize with his sword techniques.

From this point onward.

He had begun to transcend the realm of mundane sword techniques, stepping into the domain of the Immortal arts, which could rightfully be called—

"Sword technique!"

...

North Prefecture Guo County.

Located in the central east of Da Xiang, its position akin to that of Meishan Prefecture’s Dai County.

For travelers between the Southern Country and Northern Country, those heading west often pass through Dai County, while those heading east frequently travel through North Prefecture.

With March’s spring warmth.

Though the autumn imperial examination was still half a year away, scholars traveling to the capital city for the exams were already beginning their journeys, trickling through North Prefecture.

Some passed through Guo County; others stayed briefly at Dingshan Temple.

Chen Jichuan, having cultivated arduously in Dingshan Temple for twenty years.

Had already attained Divine mastery of swordsmanship.

His strength had multiplied several times compared to forty years ago or twenty years ago, and his cultivation had also advanced immeasurably.

Compared to the ’Divine Pouncing Saber.’

The ’Sword Map’ was undoubtedly superior—not only more enigmatic but also far faster in terms of progress, making it incomparable to the ’Divine Pouncing Saber.’

Its difficulty, however, was considerable.

If an ordinary person began cultivating the ’Sword Map’ right from the start, ten, twenty, or even thirty years might see them still lingering in the stage of ’nurturing a single stream of Sword Qi.’

Chen Jichuan was different. He had a solid foundation—

Innate Inner Strength.

He could directly bypass the hurdle of ’spirit blending with energy,’ and, with the True Qi from the ’Divine Pouncing Saber,’ though the transition left only two to three layers usable, inevitably setting his cultivation back, it nonetheless saved significant time.

He also possessed the ’Primordial Skill,’ which facilitated the transfer of True Qi and provided a rapid boost.

...

Transforming Strength in external skills.

With a strong and refined physique, he bypassed the arduous process of gradual tempering, needing little effort to bear the utmost and most formidable Sword Qi.

...

His Daoist Skill achieved Soul Emergence.

A powerful soul and sharp mental acuity allowed him to control the streams of Sword Qi—initially one stream, and then two and four upon splitting. Without sufficient soul strength or mental fortitude, the Sword Qi would spiral out of control, piercing his Dantian and body with devastating results.

This was the peril of cultivation and the many checkpoints along the way.

Prior to embarking on the ’Sword Map,’ Chen Jichuan had endured decades, if not centuries, of relentless training, equivalent to having overcome numerous hurdles.

Once he began cultivating.

Progress came naturally with the flow.

Sword Qi residing in the Dantian, refining his Inner Strength.

His cultivation advanced swiftly; Innate Internal Power quickly accumulated, reaching critical mass and transforming into Innate True Qi. Then True Qi evolved into True Yuan, cycling endlessly and perpetuating growth.

Chen Jichuan’s cultivation continued to surge—

On the Inner Strength front, the ’Sword Map’ soon reached the eighth layer, catching up to the previous level he had attained with the ’Divine Pouncing Saber.’ From there, he pressed on boldly, splitting and refining more streams of Sword Qi.