I Contracted All Ancient Divine Artifacts-Chapter 279 - 178: Bamboo and Sword, One Thousand Days

Be careful of the bamboo?

When Han Zhan heard this sentence, without needing to think, everything before his eyes had already given him the answer.

The originally gentle breeze, with bamboo leaves rustling, presented a tranquil, serene bamboo forest.

But once Han Zhan set foot in it, everything changed drastically.

The bamboo to his right suddenly attacked him.

Bamboo shadows like swords.

Han Zhan reflexively lifted his sword to block, a strangely familiar feeling lingered in his heart.

Is this the technique of the eerie shadow?

Having encountered the eerie shadow countless times, Han Zhan was thoroughly familiar with those techniques.

Clang, clang, clang!

The Moonlight Longsword clashed with the lush green bamboo.

These bamboos, of unknown species, were harder than metal or stone, sparking many fiery sparks that lit up Han Zhan's pupils.

Han Zhan calmed down, adjusting his breath's rhythm.

A trickling stream of spiritual power began to flow into his limbs and bones, simultaneously unlocking four Urgent Locks in different positions.

Four Urgencies, open!

Besides this, the Demon Crossing Cloak was already worn on his body.

Capable of resisting fifty percent of Tier Seven damage, the Demon Crossing Cloak was now Han Zhan's most reliable defense tool.

His eyes were firm as he took the second step.

Han Zhan's actions seemed to challenge the entire bamboo forest. In response to his challenge, the rustling sounds of the bamboo grew even more intense.

The bamboos further away stood upright, lining both sides of the forest path, like silent swordsmen guarding this land.

Each one of them wielded a sharp sword, ready to cut down any intruder.

——Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The swift sound of something cutting through the air erupted.

Behind a deep green bamboo shadow, innumerable attacks of the same color followed.

In the blink of an eye, Han Zhan faced hundreds, thousands of different bamboo shadow sword techniques.

All-out attack!

Amidst the rain of bamboo swords, Han Zhan felt as if he returned to the days and nights practicing with Gongyang Jin at Wofeng Palace.

Since becoming an Awakened, besides his Contracted Spirit, he had only learned two skills.

One was the fist, Eight Urgent Fist, but the teacher left too soon, spending too little time with the teacher. More than martial arts, the teacher wanted to teach more than he had already imparted.

The other was the sword, Xuanyuan Sword. Han Zhan always thought his Sword Dao was mediocre until he fought with the eerie shadow, and even the sword genius Gongyang Jin recognized his talent in this field.

Talent also needs to be unearthed.

In one battle with Gongyang Jin, the sky was filled with Sword Qi turned into a rain of swords, densely packing so tightly that Han Zhan had no way to fend them off.

Han Zhan pleaded for a long time before getting two solutions to this technique from her.

"The first method is to attack with Sword Qi. Vigorous Sword Energy is nurtured within oneself, growing with constant practice of the sword. As long as you possess enough Sword Qi to form an Infinite Sword Sea, you can break this move."

This method can be ignored.

The level of an Infinite Sword Sea was still too early for Han Zhan, who had only been practicing swordsmanship for less than two and a half years.

"The second method is to strike the vital point. Activating Sword Qi requires full concentration. In this process, if you can withstand most of the Sword Qi and then strike directly at the opponent's vital point, you can also neutralize the offense."

Vital point.

What is the vital point of these Bamboo Sea Sword Shadows?

It's their bodies!

In a flash, Han Zhan moved.

Wearing the Demon Crossing Cloak, the agile Silver Armor protected his whole body, especially at the joints and vital spots, now engaging the first wave of Bamboo Sea Sword Shadows.

Sharp, ear-piercing sounds of impacts resonated like a dense drumbeat, striking the armor.

Instead of retreating, Han Zhan advanced, charging into the emerald Bamboo Sea Sword Shadows with a bold posture.

In his hand, gripping the Moonlight Longsword, he swung his wrist, casting bright, luminous moonlight arcs through the air, shooting out like Sword Qi, also hitting deep into the bamboo forest.

Crack, crack, crack!

There was a continuous sound of bamboo being cut down, bringing an unharmonious pause to the once uniform Bamboo Sea Sword Shadows.

The time was brief, but effective.

The reason for choosing the Moonlight Longsword instead of the Xuanyuan Sword was that the Xuanyuan Sword consumed more spiritual power.

Han Zhan didn't want to fall into a desperate situation due to a huge loss of spiritual power after this battle.

Time passed, second by second.

Han Zhan's figure rose and fell continuously within the bamboo forest, moonlight illuminating the area, and more and more fallen bamboos laid on the ground.

When Han Zhan slashed the last bamboo.

The Bamboo Sea Sword Shadows finally disappeared.

The Demon Crossing Cloak on Han Zhan's body was now tattered and in rags.

But just as he thought it was over, a brand new bamboo forest refreshed before his eyes!

Han Zhan glanced behind him. The fallen bamboos remained in place; he had genuinely fought through one bamboo forest.

But how many bamboo forests he still needed to go through, nobody could answer him.

There might only be this last bamboo forest in front of him.

Or there might be hundreds, thousands of bamboo forests.

Han Zhan planted the Moonlight Longsword into the ground, resolutely sat cross-legged, allowing the Fu Xi Zither to gently play beside him, restoring spiritual power, stamina, and the wounds on his body.

After a while.

He stood up again and picked up the Moonlight Longsword.

Just like before, he stepped into the second bamboo forest.

...

The first day.

Han Zhan entered three bamboo forests in total.

Each bamboo forest held the same attack, an ocean-like expanse of Bamboo Light Sword Shadows, always ready to destroy and overwhelm him.

Four Urgencies, Demon Crossing Cloak, Moonlight Longsword.

Fu Xi Zither, Shennong Cauldron, Nuwa Stone, Xuanyuan Sword.

Han Zhan unleashed every means he had, looking at the freshly appearing fourth bamboo forest in front of him, he collapsed despondently onto the ground.

Exhausted, he slowly closed his heavy eyelids.

He needed a good rest.

The second day.

Fully recovered, Han Zhan reentered the bamboo forest. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Compared to yesterday, Han Zhan's responses were more practiced and faster today.

Except for the Demon Crossing Cloak becoming increasingly tattered under the repeated slashes of bamboo shadows, nearly becoming a tattered black rag,

everything else was fine.

Today, Han Zhan cleared five bamboo forests in total.

But the tenth bamboo forest had already refreshed ahead of him.

Han Zhan pursed his lips tightly and, like yesterday, collapsed onto the ground, closing his eyes to rest.

The third day.

"It's been three days. Wouldn't Xiao Jin and the others have noticed I was missing?"

"Since the Mechanical Sect, Sun Never Sets Knight Order, and Holy Bishop could all find and lock onto this location, Xiao Jin should be able to too!"

"No need to think about it. Isn't it just bamboo forest? Today I'll try it again!" Han Zhan encouraged himself as he talked to himself.

The tenth day.

The hundredth bamboo forest.

Han Zhan's hand holding the Moonlight Longsword trembled slightly. "Why hasn't Xiao Jin arrived yet?"

The hundredth day.

Lost memory of how many bamboo forests.

The Demon Crossing Cloak was reduced to the last black strip, lying in Han Zhan's arms while barely surviving, yet still maintaining its item properties.

The blade of the Moonlight Longsword had numerous fine cracks.

Han Zhan's gaze grew sharper, as if embodying tangible Sword Intent, gradually forming around him.

The thousandth day.