Ji Qing carried a bamboo basket on his back, in which Ji Yao had already fallen asleep. After days of long and arduous trekking, he had long since escaped the borders of Liang City.
The sky was gradually turning dark. The nearest city was still dozens of miles away, and Ji Qing was exhausted and thirsty. Even if he could endure it, Ji Yao could not. Therefore, he planned to rest at the small town ahead, recuperate for the night, and resume their journey tomorrow morning.
This small town was called the Mule Horse Inn. Situated along a major transportation route, it saw a constant flow of merchants and travelers. The town was filled with inns providing lodging for guests and resting places for mules and horses, hence the name.
Ji Qing found a relatively uncrowded inn. He stepped forward while leading his horse and tapped the table, startling the dozing Shopkeeper awake.
"Guest, how many in your party?"
"Just one. Give me a top-tier room and prepare a tub of bathwater. Send some food up to my room as well."
"Yes, right away."
Wearing a cloak, carrying a bamboo basket on his back, and holding a long saber, Ji Qing looked every bit the part of a Martial Artist of the Martial World. The Shopkeeper dared not ask any questions and immediately had the waiter make the arrangements.
It was dinnertime, and the inn's main hall was bustling with guests. Sweeping his gaze across the room, Ji Qing noticed quite a few people dressed as Martial Artists. At that moment, several of them were chatting about the hottest topic currently circulating in the Martial World.
"Hey, have you heard? A heinous crime occurred in Liang City! A man murdered his own parents and set fire to exterminate his entire family. The Government has already issued a wanted poster, offering a bounty of one thousand taels of silver to capture the culprit. I wonder who will be lucky enough to claim that reward?"
"The man who committed such an unforgivable crime is named Ji Qing. I heard he even held the title of Scholar. Tsk, tsk, who would have thought that a Scholar who studied the teachings of the sages could be so heartless? Not only did he kill his parents, but he also burned the entire Ji Residence to the ground."
"For a cruel degenerate like him, even without the bounty, if my brothers and I run into him, we will definitely strike him down with our sabers!"
"Three Heroes, I've also heard a thing or two about that major case in Liang City. Rumor has it that this Ji Qing lusted after his stepmother's beauty. When she refused him, he committed such a monstrous crime..."
Some traveling merchants had also joined the discussion. Everyone heavily embellished the story. By the time these rumors had passed through countless mouths, the truth of the incident had been distorted beyond recognition. As a result, "Ji Qing" was painted as a fickle, depraved, and heartless scoundrel whom everyone had the right to execute.
Ji Qing's expression soured. The rumors about him were incredibly outrageous; people were pinning every dirty deed onto his head. His reputation was now completely ruined. He had essentially become public enemy number one, despised and hunted by all.
However, this was entirely within Ji Qing's expectations. He was already a wanted criminal; could he really step forward to clarify the truth?
Ignoring their gossip, Ji Qing headed straight up to the second floor and entered his room. The waiter soon brought up hot water and a tray of food.
"Ji Yao, wake up." Ji Qing gently shook her awake.
Ji Yao rubbed her eyes. The moment she saw the savory food, she turned into a ravenous little kitten and pounced on the table. After all, the two of them had been fleeing for days without proper rest, subsisting on nothing but dry rations along the way. They were completely drained and starved.
After they had their fill, Ji Qing helped Ji Yao wash up and tucked her into bed. Only then did he sit in the wooden tub by himself, enjoying a highly comfortable hot bath.
Taking advantage of his bath, Ji Qing focused his mind and opened the Demon Monster Record within his head.
Ji Qing: Third-class Martial Artist
Jade Skill: Small Success (Third-class Martial Arts)
Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber: Great Success (Third-class Saber Technique)
Source Point: 4
Since he had an abundance of Source Points, Ji Qing hesitated no longer. He silently chanted in his heart, "Upgrade Jade Skill."
"Consuming one Source Point. Jade Skill reaches Great Success!"
A series of Cultivation scenes surfaced in his mind. He saw himself practicing the Jade Skill day in and day out for years. Hard work pays off—finally, one day, his Jade Skill achieved Great Success! Reaching Great Success in any Martial Arts was supposedly the highest Realm.
However, Ji Qing remembered his master at the Martial Arts Hall mentioning that if one were lucky enough to possess a high degree of compatibility with a specific Martial Art, it was possible to reach Mastery, which was the legendary Realm of Perfection. At that point, the Martial Art would undergo an unimaginable transformation.
Ji Qing noticed that the Jade Skill still seemed upgradeable. Thus, he decided to give it a try.
"Continue upgrading the Jade Skill."
"Consuming one Source Point. Jade Skill reaches Perfection. Your Jade Skill has attained Mastery. You have comprehended Inner Power burst! You can temporarily boost the might of your Inner Power by up to thirty percent!"
Once again, scenes flashed through Ji Qing's mind. In these visions, his Jade Skill had already achieved Great Success, yet he persisted in his Cultivation. One day, he seized a fleeting opportunity and comprehended the Dharma Method for an Inner Power burst through the circulation routes of the Jade Skill. It allowed him to instantaneously unleash an Inner Power burst boosted by thirty percent.
However, this Inner Power burst placed an immense burden on the meridians and could only be used a few times during battle. Using it too frequently risked permanently damaging his meridians.
"The Jade Skill is merely an ordinary Third-class Martial Arts at the end of the day," Ji Qing thought. "Even at Perfection, a thirty percent boost in Inner Power isn't incredibly profound. Forget about matching a Second-class Martial Artist; it wouldn't even make me top-tier among Third-class Martial Artists.
"The master at the Martial Arts Hall once said that if a Martial Artist wants to break through their Realm, they either need profound Cultivation Techniques or they must stack several low-grade ones. If I had a Second-class Cultivation Technique, I could instantly break through and become a Second-class Martial Artist. Since I don't currently have one, perhaps I can try practicing multiple Third-class Cultivation Techniques to accumulate Inner Power."
Ji Qing estimated that mastering around three Third-class Cultivation Techniques should be enough to push his Inner Power into the Second-class Realm.
Since the Jade Skill could no longer be upgraded, Ji Qing turned his attention to the Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber. His Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber had already achieved Great Success, yet it could also be further upgraded.
"Upgrade Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber."
"Consuming one Source Point. Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber reaches Perfection. You have comprehended the Ultimate Technique, 'Heavenly Line'."
Immediately, images of him practicing the Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber day after day surfaced in his mind. The Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber focused primarily on the word "swift." There were no flashy or unnecessary movements; the faster, the better.
Having reached this Realm, the Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber was no longer restricted to rigid stances for Ji Qing. He could execute it effortlessly at his fingertips, with every strike of the Saber Technique flowing flawlessly and naturally! Furthermore, through years of tireless practice, Ji Qing had found a spark of inspiration within the technique, allowing him to comprehend an Ultimate Technique named "Heavenly Line."
With a single slash, the dazzling Blade Light was as swift as a startled swan!
"Reaching Perfection in the Saber Technique actually allowed me to comprehend an Ultimate Technique?" he marveled inwardly. "This 'Heavenly Line' is truly terrifying. If used to catch someone off guard, it can instantly slay an enemy with a single strike!"
On the Demon Monster Record, Ji Qing's information had changed drastically.
Ji Qing: Third-class Martial Artist
Jade Skill: Perfection (Inner Power burst, thirty percent boost)
Thirteen Paths of Swift Saber: Perfection (Ultimate Technique: Heavenly Line)
Source Point: 1
With his Martial Arts fully upgraded, Ji Qing had one Source Point remaining, which he could only save for now.
Seeing two of his Martial Arts at "Perfection," Ji Qing felt deeply satisfied. For ordinary Martial Artists, practicing a Martial Art to Great Success was already their absolute limit. As for Perfection? Unless they were peerless martial prodigies who chanced upon miraculous serendipity, they might cultivate one or two Martial Arts to Perfection. Otherwise, it was absolutely impossible!
Yet Ji Qing could master every single Martial Art to Perfection. This was his greatest advantage over all other Martial Artists!
CLACK.
Ji Qing was deep in thought with his eyes half-closed. Suddenly, his ears twitched as he caught a faint sound coming from above his head.
"Who's there?"
Ji Qing's eyes snapped open. With a swift sweep of his hand, he immediately pulled his clothes over himself and grabbed his saber. Bending his legs slightly, he pushed off with tremendous force, leaping straight up from the bathtub and smashing right through the roof.
Up on the roof, Ji Qing instantly spotted two masked men in black.