"Tenfold!" I was stunned by those two words. Could this be considered a bug? For a long time, I had been speculating that monster-slaying in this world was likely very similar to leveling up in Legend, and Long Qi's words just confirmed my suspicion. This meant the more monsters I killed, the higher my cultivation progress would be, and my efficiency in slaying them directly dictated my pace of advancement. It seemed my swift blade was the greatest key to my rapid leveling. But was the Hundred Battles Blade Technique truly my ultimate skill for maximum monster killing? I pondered this deeply. The direct correlation between slain monsters and cultivation progress—was this a world bug? If so, with my wealth of gaming experience from my past life, I might still find ways to further boost my monster-slaying efficiency. Having played Legend, I knew that the speed of killing monsters was inextricably linked to attack power. Attack power, besides leveling, was most importantly determined by the quality of equipment. Good gear naturally meant higher slaying efficiency and faster level gains. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but scrutinize the Hundred Battles Blade in my hand. Now that I considered it, this blade had undeniably played a crucial role in getting me this far. Yet, this blade was originally forged based on the strength I possessed back in Ginkgo Village. Now, with my strength greatly increased, wielding the Hundred Battles Blade felt almost weightless, lacking any solid foundation to grip.

It was clearly time to switch weapons. Furthermore, my line of thought became more active. If the weapon for leveling needed changing, then the weapon for PK should also be upgraded, right? That rapier/broadsword was equally unsuitable for my current state. If the weapon could be further refined, my monster-slaying efficiency should have significant room for improvement.

With this in mind, I couldn't help but look towards Long Zhan: "You are all quite familiar with my attack style by now." I organized the thoughts in my mind and continued, "I feel this blade is too light now; it no longer suits the exertion of my strength. I think I should change weapons and would like to hear your opinions."

"Change weapons!" Long Zhan pondered. "To be honest, your current blade is indeed a bit light, and the material quality isn't great. It is time to switch."

The other three were drawn into the conversation by my topic, discussing what kind of weapon I should use.

"Condensing Frost?" Jin Hong suggested. "I think Condensing Frost would be quite good."

"No, Xingchen's blade techniques are primarily based on chopping and cleaving. How can you ask him to use Condensing Frost and expect him to utilize the core features of his style?" Long Zhan immediately dismissed Jin Hong's proposal.

"For warrior-class weapons, the one ranked after Condensing Frost is Purgatory," Long Xin murmured. "But I can hardly imagine little Xingchen wielding a huge battle-axe."

"..." I developed a line of dark shadows across my face: this girl still hadn't forgotten to tease me.

"Purgatory? Don't even consider it," Long Zhan said irritably. "If Xingchen used Purgatory, I could probably knock him down myself."

"That leaves Moon in the Well," Long Qi mused after a moment's thought. "Moon in the Well is a type of blade, but I always feel it would be improper for Xingchen to use it."

"Improper!" Long Zhan snapped back. "Of course, it would be gravely improper. Given Moon in the Well's thick and cumbersome shape, it simply cannot facilitate Xingchen's lightning-fast blade techniques."

"Could it be Verdict?" Jin Hong muttered. "That seems even less likely; that thing is much heavier than Purgatory."

..................

"I think we should just forge another blade based on the original prototype of this Hundred Battles Blade, but use better materials, and perhaps slightly increase the dimensions as well," Long Zhan stated his opinion after careful consideration.

"En!" I nodded. In fact, after listening to the series of warrior-class weapons they listed, I had arrived at the same idea. After all, I couldn't imagine any other weapon suiting me as well as the Hundred Battles Blade. Of course, weight and quality absolutely needed increasing. My current wrist strength allowed me to easily swing Long Zhan, a large fellow weighing nearly two hundred pounds, with a single hand. Therefore, my blade should weigh at least around one hundred pounds. This standard aligns roughly with the weapon weights of high-level warriors on the continent. However, for someone accustomed to wielding a blade with both hands, a weight of one hundred pounds would certainly not feel heavy and would not affect my drawing speed in the slightest. I understood clearly that once I lost the advantage of speed, the power of the Hundred Battles Blade Technique would be greatly diminished.

Moreover, the length of my new Hundred Battles Blade must be increased to 1.5 meters. This would significantly enlarge my effective kill radius and better suit the group-combat characteristics of my Hundred Battles Blade Technique. However, given my current physique, barely reaching 1.6 meters, pairing it with a 1.5-meter blade creates a mental image that is hard to reconcile. But one thing was certain: carrying this sword around would be extremely inconvenient in the future.

"You are right. I think the most suitable weapon for me is still the Hundred Battles Blade, and to maximize monster-slaying power, this blade's specifications must be significantly enlarged—the length alone needs to be 1.5 meters," I voiced the thoughts in my heart. "But if that's the case, how am I supposed to carry this sword around later? That length alone will be a struggle."

"........................." The four of them were momentarily stunned. To be fair, a 1.5-meter weapon wasn't an excessively long weapon on the Fama Continent. Many high-level warriors favored custom extra-long weapons, such as 1.6-meter extended Zhanmadao or modified 2-meter Condensing Frost Greatswords—they were numerous. However, these individuals were usually tall and sturdy giants. A high-level warrior like me, barely reaching 1.6 meters in height, yet wielding an extended weapon, was truly a rarity. Typically, shorter warriors preferred battle-axes like Xiu Luo or Purgatory, and some who relied on skill and speed favored daggers or ultra-short weapons like Soul Breaker. It was virtually unprecedented for someone of my stature to use an extended weapon.

"Are you certain?" Long Zhan asked seriously. "Are you sure you want a blade that long?"

"Yes!" I added, "This is purely to better utilize its power in group combat." Seeing the confused looks from the others, I elaborated, "Of course, the purpose of this blade is solely for slaying monsters and leveling. If I encounter a truly formidable opponent, I will still need to draw this sword." As I spoke, I instinctively glanced toward my left shoulder. "And I don't intend to make any external changes to this sword; I just want to use better materials to enhance its texture and weight, as my wrist strength is much greater than before."

"En!" Long Qi nodded. "Hearing you say that, I understand. Since I am pursuing the ultimate speed in monster killing and maximum group combat power, lengthening and weighting it is imperative."

"But from now on, you can only carry your blade in your hand; carrying it on your back like you do now will be impossible!" Long Zhan spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.

"Is there no other way?" I felt a touch of frustration. "Carry a 1.5-meter greatsword every day!" As I spoke, I unconsciously looked towards the spatial pouch on Long Xin's back. If only I had a pouch like that, how wonderful would that be!

"Don't tell me you're eyeing that pouch!" Long Xin instinctively reached back and touched the pouch with a nervous expression. "Let me tell you, don't even think about it; this pouch is my private property."

"How could I possibly," I quickly apologized with a smile. But I wasn't entirely resigned. Even if I couldn't have the exaggerated five cubic meters of space like Long Xin's, having a micro-sized spatial pouch to hold some basic personal items would be fantastic! Thinking this, I tentatively asked, "Um, Boss, do you know where one can get those micro-sized spatial pouches? One that can at least fit my new Hundred Battles Blade would be sufficient."

"Micro-sized spatial pouch?" Long Xin shook her head. "The one I have is the smallest type, but it still has five cubic meters of space!"

.....................

"You want a micro-sized spatial pouch?" Jin Hong asked quietly. "Just so you can easily store your new Hundred Battles Blade?"

"Exactly!" I nodded repeatedly. "Do you happen to have a lead?"

"This..." Jin Hong hesitated. "I know a Mage friend, but he's an intern in the Space element. He can make spatial pouches, but his rank hasn't reached the Artisan level yet, so he can't craft one as large as the Guild Master's." Jin Hong continued, "I think he should be able to handle your request; he should be able to make one with at least three cubic meters of space."

"What!" Long Xin, Long Qi, and I were greatly astonished. "You actually know a Mage who can open up a pocket dimension?"

"En!" Jin Hong seemed to have anticipated our reaction and continued, "It's just that because his level isn't high enough, he hasn't officially graduated, and thus no one has asked him to make a spatial pouch. I think if we prepare enough materials for him, he will surely be willing to help us craft a smaller spatial pouch."

Fortune truly smiles upon us! I hadn't expected Jin Hong to know such a person. This could save a huge amount of gold coins required to buy a spatial pouch. Even if the space isn't as large as Long Xin's, it would be more than enough for me. Three cubic meters of space—think how much I could fit in there!

"Then, what materials does your friend need?" Long Xin was equally thrilled. Coming from a noble family, she keenly sensed this was a rare opportunity. Since the person was Jin Hong's friend, there was a chance he could become one of our guild members too. However, looking at Long Xin's sparkling eyes, we knew her old habit had resurfaced.

Of course, we also wished for our guild to grow stronger, and Mages specializing in the Space element were exceedingly rare—a mere handful—on the Fama Continent. If we could recruit such a master to our guild, it would greatly benefit the future development of our organization.

Long Qi, Long Zhan, and I exchanged a knowing glance and subtly nodded to each other. Naturally, Jin Hong, who had only recently joined the Wandering Dragon Guild, couldn't grasp the full implications.

"Actually, there aren't any particularly special materials, but they are hard to gather—things like Green Crystal Ore, Silver Fox Tough Hide, and fragments of ZUMA Armor," Jin Hong said. "But we don't need to worry about that; my friend has his own ways of sourcing these things. I believe if we give him fifty thousand gold coins, he can make us a micro-sized spatial pouch."

"Heavens!" Long Xin gasped.

"What?" Jin Hong seemed slightly displeased by Long Xin's reaction. "Are you saying fifty thousand gold coins for a spatial pouch is too expensive?"

"No! No!" Long Xin quickly clarified. "You misunderstood."

"I've decided! I will order a spatial pouch for every member of our guild!" Long Xin slapped her chest, displaying a somewhat extravagant demeanor, but then she remembered a key detail. "Where is your friend located? Is it too far from Mengzhong City?"

"Not far! He's a student at the Mengzhong Academy."

"Mengzhong Academy," I murmured to myself, then recalled that this was the large manor-like complex outside the main city walls. In Legend, that place was called the Mengzhong Bookstore, the place where skill books were sold. I hadn't expected that in this world, it served as a large academy for nurturing talent. It was still very similar.

Jin Hong continued, "Actually, the reason I came to Mengzhong this time, besides training, was to visit him. It's just that the academy was busy with assessment trials recently, so he didn't have a chance to come out. But calculating the time, the academy's assessments should be over. If we return to the city now, he will definitely have time."

"Since that's the case, let's set off tomorrow!" Long Xin said excitedly.

"En!" Jin Hong happily nodded.

"And while we're there, we should collect the rewards from the previous few missions," Long Qi reminded her.

"Don't worry, how could I forget something like that," Long Xin replied. "And I will bring Xingchen's blade along too."

"That's best. It saves me another trip down the mountain," I said. In truth, Long Qi, Long Zhan, and I had no intention of leaving the Centipede Cave. After all, we didn't want to waste time traveling. Anything one person could handle was best handled by that one person.

The very next morning, Long Xin and Jin Hong left the cave and descended the mountain. Of course, they took with them the blueprints for the extended Hundred Battles Blade I had designed, as well as the blueprints for the improved rapier/broadsword.

As for Long Qi and Long Zhan, they naturally remained in the Centipede Cave to continue their training.

On the Fama Continent, for the Warrior class, only by comprehending the Assassination Sword Qi could one be considered an advanced warrior. Only at this stage did warrior practitioners become truly qualified fighters. This was because, upon reaching this level, the warrior’s internal battle energy had condensed to an astonishing intensity. If this battle energy could be wielded flexibly, not only could powerful attack skills like Assassination Sword Qi be executed, but the immense internal battle energy could also generate a Protective Battle Aura. With Battle Aura Protection, a warrior's defensive capabilities would also be greatly enhanced. Possessing formidable attack power and super-strong defense, only then would warriors truly qualify to venture across the continent and travel the world.

Now, the battle energy within me had reached the threshold required to activate the Protective Battle Aura. Consequently, what I needed to do next was figure out how to skillfully utilize this internal battle energy to protect myself or attack enemies. None of this could be achieved overnight; it required prolonged exploration and practice to gradually master the essential principles.

Thus, what I focused on next was not simple monster slaying for advancement, but rather attempting to control the internal battle energy, using my will to direct this abundant and powerful energy. Honestly, I had no idea how to proceed, and Long Zhan, being a fellow warrior, was even less equipped to guide me; his cultivation hadn't reached my level, so there was nothing to draw reference from. Everything depended on my own exploration.

However, there was one thing I needed to confirm: whether the murderous impulse in my mind was related to the intensity of the battle energy. To test this, I conducted several repeated experiments and discovered that the activity level of the murderous impulse was indeed directly related to the battle energy's intensity. The higher the intensity of the condensed battle energy within my body, the stronger the murderous impulse's influence on my body became. And when I pushed the battle energy intensity to a certain limit, a 'berserk' state would occur—almost identical to what happened when I first mastered the Offensive Sword Qi. The only difference was that previously, controlling the intensity of the Offensive Sword Qi was used to suppress the internal murderous impulse, and this method remained equally effective. The only change was that previously I controlled the Offensive Sword Qi with my will; now, I was controlling the far more astonishing Assassination Sword Qi. Furthermore, very similar to Offensive Sword Qi, my Assassination Sword Qi could also be sustained for a considerable duration, followed by the continuous release of a dozen or so strikes. This meant my Assassination Sword Qi shared the characteristic of continuous release with Offensive Sword Qi—a discovery that greatly shocked me.

It must be understood that the operational principles of Assassination Sword Qi and Offensive Sword Qi are the same: they rely on accumulating battle energy over a certain period. When a specific intensity is reached, the battle energy breaks free from the body's constraints, projecting outward to form the devastating Assassination Sword Qi. However, the intensity of the battle energy required for this skill is much greater than that for Offensive Sword Qi, thus making its destructive power even more astonishing.

Because the underlying mechanics of Assassination Sword Qi and Offensive Sword Qi are the same, I didn't spend much time studying the application of Assassination Sword Qi, focusing instead on the use of Protective Battle Aura. To my surprise, however, applying the Protective Battle Aura proved very simple, relying almost entirely on pure mental command. In my past life, thanks to a friend's connections, I had practiced Iron Body Qigong, though I was only an amateur. I could occasionally perform feats like breaking bricks with one hand or Iron Head skill. An ordinary person, without five or six others holding me back, couldn't even get close.

The cultivation of Iron Body Qigong relies entirely on a single breath of Qi. In expert terms, it's about externally training the tendons, bones, and skin, and internally training a breath of Qi. The circulation and guidance of this Qi hold profound knowledge. However, it wasn't as mysterious as described in martial arts novels—no mention of the Ren and Du meridians, or Qi passing through three acupoints. This might just be due to my shallow knowledge, not having encountered advanced modern Qigong methods.

The method I practiced was the most common basic Hard-Style Qigong in the military, taught to me by a friend who had retired from service. At the time, I only practiced it out of curiosity and didn't persist for long. According to my friend, my skill barely scratched the surface of Qigong.

The method for practicing basic Hard-Style Qigong involves taking large amounts of breath, gathering the Qi, and then directing it to specific points to strengthen a particular body part, achieving feats like Iron Palm, Iron Fist, or Iron Head skill. This kind of training is protracted, yielding no immediate results. Usually, one must persist for three to five years to achieve minor success. In my past life, I only practiced for about half a year, but the power was considerable. Under my full assault, ordinary wooden doors or bricks would definitely split in half, and my fists felt no pain.

Hard-Style Qigong practice involves only a few simple incantations: When the heart moves, the will moves; when the will moves, the Qi moves. The will follows the mind's turning, and strength follows where the will goes. Where the will reaches, the Qi reaches. Use the mind to turn the will, use the will to guide the Qi. This is the secret to controlling Qi in Hard-Style Qigong—simply put, it's controlling the direction of the Qi purely through mental intent, nothing mysterious about it. It’s just that ordinary people often find it hard to believe that the power derived from such a seemingly simple method can be so formidable.

However, to be frank, Hard-Style Qigong offers limited use in actual combat. While employing it, the body enters a state of extreme rigidity, causing movement speed to slow down. Against ordinary people, one punch would result in severe injury or death. But against a slightly skilled fighter, trying to counter using Hard-Style Qigong would be courting death. The opponent would never let you land a hit, and the state of channeling Qi for Hard-Style Qigong cannot be maintained for long. Once the flow of Qi slackens, the Hard-Style Qigong state is broken. Consequently, it's rare to see masters highly skilled in Hard-Style Qigong in modern free fighting or Sanda. But this doesn't mean Hard-Style Qigong is entirely useless; it depends on the situation for its deployment.

For more novels, visit storyread.net.