Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest-Chapter 517 - 13 The Jade Coral Sword of the East Sea
Chapter 517: Chapter 13 The Jade Coral Sword of the East Sea
Despite struggling to hold on and resisting with all her might, Lin Ning was still beaten to a frazzle, worse off than Zhao Yuanzhen had been moments before.
Technical diligence simply couldn’t overcome the gap in cultivation. When they could unleash one sword strike, you had to counter with three or four, making awkwardness inevitable. There was the fear that, with a slight lapse in concentration or a drained spirit, one would be pierced through the defenses by the puppet and fall into peril.
However, Lin Ning was also very stubborn. Since you’re asking me to duel with the puppet, even if I can’t win, I will hold on desperately and won’t retreat until commanded!
This was exactly what Yan Yu had anticipated. He chose the enchantress and Ningning for the one-on-one duels against the puppet not only because they were the only two who could potentially win but also because of their stubborn natures. Even if they were outmatched, they would desperately endure, allowing him extra time for observation and covert learning—no, it was to train their resilience under pressure!
Alas, Ruoxi with her Thunder Method could have easily handled the puppet goalkeeper, yet I deliberately spent time arranging challenging training opportunities for the two of you. How dearly I must love you both!
You must learn to be grateful!
Although Lin Ning was still desperately holding on upfront, she inevitably began to tire as the fight dragged on, and her intervals for rest and recovery grew longer.
Yan Yu recognized that she was nearing her limit and turned to ask Zhao Yuanzhen,
“Are you rested?”
Zhao Yuanzhen wanted to say no, but she didn’t want to show weakness in front of the little rascal and thus just snorted without speaking.
“Captain.” Su Yunjin beside him queried, “Are you conducting a training drill?”
Facing off one by one with the Sword Control Puppet reminded everyone of last year’s encounter with the puppet goalkeeper in the first level of the Mysterious Realm. They had also taken turns in single combat back then, to get those unfamiliar with the pressures of real battlefields acquainted with genuine melee combat.
Su Yunjin, always observant, quickly realized that this hypothesis was unlikely. After all, times had changed, and everyone had now become battle-hardened. What type of formidable enemy had they not faced?
Even the scenario of “combatting an invincible adversary,”—hadn’t the captain beaten us decisively in sparring sessions in our usual trainings? There was no need to use this puppet for practice.
Chen Lingyun blinked and asked beside him,
“Swordsmanship?”
“Correct.” Yan Yu nodded.
“I see.” Su Yunjin suddenly understood.
Zhao Yuanzhen and Xie Ruoxi looked at each other, and the former transmitted a message to the latter, asking,
“What’s that mean? Is he training me and Ningning’s swordsmanship?”
“I don’t know,” Xie Ruoxi responded blankly, “But if it’s swordsmanship training, wouldn’t the captain be a better fit than this puppet?”
Zhao Yuanzhen thought that made sense. If this rascal employed his skills to train our swordsmanship, he could not only spot flaws at a glance but also teach us how to improve and correct them. As for that puppet goalkeeper, it only knew how to slash endlessly; what progress could possibly come from fighting it?
She eyed Yan Yu suspiciously, then looked at the “I don’t know anything” innocent-faced Xie Ruoxi, and she sighed inwardly.
If Ruoxi doesn’t understand, then Yun Jin and Ling Yun surely must, but asking them would make it seem as though I’m too foolish… No, it’s better I just step in for Ningning.
Zhao Yuanzhen walked forward, preparing to take over the fight against the puppet goalkeeper.
Lin Ning retreated and took a moment to rest. She didn’t speak but glared at Yan Yu, waiting for him to provide an explanation.
Yan Yu wasn’t the least bit flustered. His strategy for dealing with Ningning was well-planned, and he just feigned profundity as he winked at her and asked,
“Understood?”
Lin Ning was taken aback.
Understood what? Are you hinting at something? Oh, that said, the captain isn’t one to waste time. By arranging for Sister Zhao and me to duel with the puppet goalkeeper, could there be some purpose I’m unaware of?
At this thought, Lin Ning’s Problem Solver nature kicked in, pushing anger and frustration to the back of her mind as she began to ponder Yan Yu’s intentions.
Zhao Yuanzhen and the puppet goalkeeper had been fighting for quite a while. Yan Yu watched the fight, noting that the puppet’s moves were mostly repetitive. He surmised that he had basically figured it out and sighed, waving his hand to signal:
“Yun Jin.”
Su Yunjin then activated her Taoism Method, casting a move called Li Fan, creating a wave that crashed ashore and knocked down the puppet goalkeeper from behind.
Zhao Yuanzhen immediately threw out the White Bone Heart-Locking Hammer, smashing the puppet’s head to pieces.
Yan Yu quickly stepped forward, slashing open the puppet’s body, only to find a Ruyi and a scroll inside, nothing else.
His Divine Sense scanned the Ruyi, confirming it was the nerve center of the second layer of the Secret Realm; as for the scroll… It was odd, nor should Cultivation sects save their information in Jade Slips?
He cautiously flipped through the pages, perusing them.
According to the records in the scroll, this place was called “True Rising Black Heaven,” established by a True Lord, and later occupied by a sect called the “Spiritual Pill Sect.”
The Spiritual Pill Sect claimed to be descendants of the ancient Penglai Jade Purity, specializing in alchemy, selling to inland sects to acquire Cultivation resources. However, during the Age of Dharma Decline, as Spiritual Energy in the world vanished, the Secret Realm itself was also affected.
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It became increasingly difficult to cultivate various types of Spirit Grass, and the average Cultivation levels of sect disciples continuously declined, not due to lack of talent, but because the environment was continually degrading. Therefore, the sect leader eventually decided to abandon the Secret Realm and relocate to another unaffected Grotto Heaven, seeking asylum in another sect stationed there.
As for the owner of this puppet, he was the Sword Control instructor of the Spiritual Pill Sect, having made these puppets to train his disciples in swordsmanship. Now that the sect was seeking asylum with another, the opposing sect was actually more interested in the Spiritual Pill Sect’s alchemy techniques, employing them to exchange the Lineage Succession for a place of refuge—as for the swordsmanship, it was disregarded by the other sect.
Thus, the Sword Control instructor placed the sect’s swordsmanship scrolls within the lead puppet, “to prevent the legacy of this swordsmanship from severing,” “leaving it for those fated to retrieve it.”
Yan Yu continued to look further, indeed finding corresponding records of sword techniques and diagrams.
This swordsmanship was named “East Sea Coral Swordsmanship,” renowned for its agility and variability. It emphasizes “using the strength of the few to control the many” and is most suitable for those weak in swordsmanship to use for self-protection. Although the threshold for starting is not high, the skill ceiling is evident, putting off professional Sword Immortals.
But now with the Resurgence of Spiritual Energy, everything is starting from scratch. In the Cultivation World, where sects and Sword Immortals are everywhere, the East Sea Coral Swordsmanship may not be appreciated by mainstream Sword Immortals, but in Lu Country, where there are only a few swordsmanship manuals, it is incredibly valuable.
So why not save it on a Jade Slip?
Yan Yu browsed to the back, seeing the pages were mostly yellowed and many words unclear, demonstrating the finite life of the book’s paper. Even preserved within the Secret Realm, inside the puppet, insulated from external moisture and air, it was hard to withstand the ravages of time.
Fortunately, he had already memorized the puppet’s sword techniques and, combined with some phrases remaining on the pages, recreating the complete East Sea Coral Swordsmanship wasn’t challenging.
Lucky for me to have foreseen this, hahaha!
Yan Yu laughed a few times, then quickly composed himself, turned to the puzzled girls, and smiled slightly:
“Refine the nerve center, then go notify the Military Mansion to come over.”
News of the “East Sea Coral Sword” emerged from the Wuyi Mountain Secret Realm was swiftly delivered to Li Weiguo’s desk.
Sword techniques directly affect the combat power of Sword Immortals, and the military has always placed great importance on this. The previous “Kunlun Imperial Sword Technique Compendium” set such high requirements that even Team Monks had difficulties in learning it, not to mention the even lesser-skilled Military Mansion Cultivators.
Now, having obtained this less demanding “East Sea Coral Sword,” Li Weiguo was overjoyed, striking the table and shouting “Excellent” three times, beaming as he said:
“This boy has indeed accomplished a great feat!”
If the East Sea Coral Sword could be selectively promoted among the Military Mansion Cultivators, even if only the top 10% could successfully learn it, it would greatly enhance the strength of Lu Country!
Chen Tianming smiled beside him, but did not join Old Li in celebrating, instead saying calmly:
“Instead of being spread throughout the Military Mansion Cultivators, there’s actually a more suitable place for this sword technique.”
“Oh?” Li Weiguo immediately restrained his smile, his expression becoming serious.
He looked toward a folder at the corner of the desk, stamped with the word [SECRET].
If someone could breach the security and make it to this chief commander’s office, and then open the folder, they would see the title of the document inside:
Mortal Warrior Program.
