Chapter 42: Bright Jade Merit

  Zhou Heng smiled and clasped his fists, saying: "Please instruct me, Shen Shifu!"

  The other party has a background of gathering spirits in three realms of heaven, and their understanding of martial arts is definitely more profound than his. It's not bad to listen to him.

  Shen Xin Qi smiled, she had long wanted to make amends with Zhou Heng, but hadn't had the chance before. This time, she wouldn't let it slip away. She walked over to Zhou Heng's side and took the martial arts manual from his hand.

  "Junior Brother Zhou probably doesn't know yet, but martial skills have different levels of quality!" She stared at Zhou Heng.

  Zhou Heng was taken aback for a moment, then thought of the Moon Shadow Heart Technique. Compared to the Fierce Sun Technique, this technique had an efficiency that was more than twice as high in refining and transforming true yuan energy. Since the technique had its advantages, it wasn't surprising that martial techniques were divided into different levels of quality.

  "I really don't know!" Zhou Heng nodded very honestly.

  Shen Xin Qi smiled again and said, "Martial skills are divided into three categories: upper, middle, and lower. Naturally, the upper category is the highest, and the lower category is the worst. Like the martial skills in your hands, hehe, they're all of the lower category!"

  If you want to learn, then naturally learn from the best!

  Zhou Hengdao said: "Why did Master Shen teach me?"

  "Ah, it's not that I don't want to help you, but the first floor only has low-grade martial skills. You can only find mid-grade ones on the second floor!" Shen Xinqi's beautiful eyes sparkled with an inexplicable charm.

  Zhou Heng, however, was indifferent to feminine charms. In his eyes, Shen Xinqi was not as practical as the martial arts techniques in his hands. He furrowed his brow and thought to himself, "Since mid-grade martial skills are on the second floor, you're just teasing me!"

  "But then again, there is a top-notch martial skill on this level. I wonder if Junior Brother Zhou has any interest in it?" Shen Xin Qi turned the conversation back around once more.

  No wonder people say it's hard to deal with petty men and women!

  Zhou Heng said in confusion: "How can there be top-grade martial skills on this floor?"

  Shen Xin Qi smiled slightly: "To be honest, it's not surprising. The martial skill is called 'Ming Yu Gong'. It's said to be a top-grade martial skill, but no one has ever successfully practiced it - not even the first layer! Moreover, this martial skill wasn't passed down by the earliest ancestors of the Jiuling Sect, but was instead found by the previous sect master in an ancient ruin over a hundred years ago. It's speculated to be a top-grade martial skill."

  "Because no one has ever succeeded in cultivating it, over time, people began to suspect that this was just a joke left behind by the ancients!"

  Moreover, the initial investment in cultivating Mingyu Gong is very large, requiring medicinal baths to temper the body, and afterwards there is not even a glimmer of hope, so naturally fewer and fewer people choose this martial skill, until now there are hardly a few people who know that this is still a top-grade martial skill!

  When she said that, Zhou Heng became interested and under Shen Xinqi's guidance, he found a book catalog in the last row of unobtrusive corners, with the three words "Ming Yu Gong" appearing suddenly.

  He opened it and saw that, as Shen Xinqi said, to cultivate the Mingyu Gong, he needed to first lay the foundation by washing his body with medicinal herbs. Otherwise, relying solely on the refinement of true yuan would not be enough to temper his body to an unbreakable state.

  Do you want to choose this one?

  Shen Xin Qi said that no one has ever succeeded in practicing this Bright Jade Skill!

  This might be because the martial art is too profound, leaving people helpless and unable to even enter the door. But it's also possible that this is actually a joke left by our predecessors, in which case we're just wasting our time.

  It was just a moment of hesitation, he decided to choose this martial art, he had a proud heart, and if he chose, he would naturally choose the best!

  Zhou Heng put down other martial arts and kept only one "Ming Yu Gong".

  "Junior Brother Zhou, are you really planning to cultivate this martial skill?" Shen Xinqi was somewhat surprised, not expecting Zhou Heng to be so resolute.

  "Hmm!" Zhou Heng nodded, once he made a decision, he wouldn't hesitate again. "Thanks for the advice, Shen Shijie!"

  "Don't be polite!" Shen Xinqi was about to say something else, but saw Zhou Heng already holding "Ming Yu Gong" and turning to leave. Suddenly, she felt suffocated in her heart and thought that this kid was so unromantic!

  A beauty like her, others are all vying to squeeze in beside her and fawn over her, unexpectedly this little brat actually has the chance to be alone with her yet doesn't even know how to cherish it!

  No wonder his combat strength is so strong, he must have devoted all his thoughts to martial arts, just like Jing Tian, but I don't know which of these two people has a brighter future.

  Zhou Heng took out "Ming Yu Gong" and came to the front of the old man in green, saying: "Senior, junior chooses this martial skill!"

  "Huh? Ming Yu Gong?" The old man was slightly startled, looked up and glanced at Zhou Heng, saying, "Young man, do you know that this set of martial skills has never been mastered by anyone before?"

  "Yes!" Zhou Heng nodded.

  "Even so, you still choose like this?"

  "Yes!" Zhou Heng replied firmly.

  "Alright, I'll let you take the copy!" The old man walked into a door and came out with a book in his hand. He placed the book on the table and said: "You have one month to study it, after one month you must return it. You are not allowed to teach others, otherwise... you will be punished severely!"

  "Yes!" Zhou Heng replied calmly.

  The law is not passed on outside, he understands this truth. For example, in the Zhou family, important kung fu skills are never passed on outside, and the kung fu skills learned by young people of other surnames in the town are only the lowest level, only exceptionally talented young people can obtain the inheritance of advanced kung fu skills.

  He took "Ming Yu Gong" back to his residence and immediately began to unroll it.

  This is a handwritten copy, not the original of "Ming Yu Gong". It's also understandable that after so many years of transmission, the original text should have been worn out and rotten long ago, and it would decay with just a touch.

  The Ming Jade Method is quite complex, with each sentence of the incantation being extremely subtle and difficult to understand.

  "No wonder nobody has succeeded, ordinary people see these oral formulas, they probably think it's nonsense, profound to a certain extent, indeed there is no difference with nonsense!"

  Zhou Heng revealed a hint of a smile, but unfortunately, his insight had already reached an alarming level under the transformation of Hei Jian's subtle and silent changes. Coupled with his constant pondering over Ling Tian Jiu Shi, even the most profound things were incredibly simple in front of him, and he quickly grasped their subtleties.

  Ming Yu Gong is divided into ten levels, and after practicing it to the highest level, one's physical body can be compared to a human-shaped divine weapon!

  The method is not difficult to practice, but it's hard because before practicing, you need to lay the foundation with medicine bath. If you don't go through this pass and practice directly, the true yuan force will circulate and first burst your body.

  Zhou Heng took a look at the medicinal materials needed for the Cultivation of Ming Jade Skill and couldn't help but secretly click his tongue.

  He is no longer the young man who first left Yuan Shi Town, his horizons have broadened greatly, and to configure this medicinal bath would cost at least several tens of thousands of silver coins.

  No money!

  Zhou Heng's body had nothing valuable except for a golden crown snake's gallbladder, he couldn't possibly sell the Frost Chill Sword, could he?

  Where can I get some money?

  The Tian Shan mountain range!

  That was a huge treasure trove, and he dared to venture in when he first entered the Refining Flesh Realm, let alone now?

  Besides, he is also close to the Blood Refining Realm and wants to go to the Cold Pool in the Absolute Valley to figure out what's going on with the shadow at the bottom.

  With the necessary items in hand, he set off immediately; after all, he had already obtained the fifteen Gathering Yuan Pellets.

  The Jiuling Sect does not impose any restrictions on the actions of its disciples, only requiring them to complete necessary tasks every month. However, this has nothing to do with Zhou Heng, and the top ten strongest outer sect members only need to cultivate without having to perform any tasks.

  In less than half a day, he had already entered the vast mountains, with his eyes on the green hills and waters, he felt his heart broadened, his true yuan power surging like a tide, like a mountain collapse and sea roar.

  So relaxed! Indescribably relaxed!

  Zhou Heng gazed up at the bright sunshine in the sky, and his mood suddenly lifted greatly.

  At this moment, he understood his own heart.

  He is an eagle in the sky, needing a vast expanse of sky for him to soar, rather than being limited to a small piece of land.

  Whether in the Zhou family or the Jiuling Sect, he seemed to be constrained by an invisible force, but at this moment, his heart was set free, and he could ascend to the ninth heaven to slay dragons, or dive into the deep sea to roam freely, completely releasing himself!

  The black broken sword lightly vibrated, and the heavens and earth seemed to have a reaction. Strands of pure power surged in from all directions, entering Zhou Heng's body.

  This is not the Black Severing Sword releasing its power, but rather a change in Zhou Heng's state of mind that caused the Black Severing Sword to resonate, which in turn made heaven and earth sympathetic, producing this inexplicable change.

  "This... could it be the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?!" Zhou Heng's mind was shocked, he had heard many times before that the strong in the Gathering Spirit Realm cultivated not by refining the energy from food, but by directly absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth!

  But he hasn't even reached the Refining Blood Realm, how can he possibly sense or absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth? But if it's not the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, then how to explain it, born out of thin air?

  Black Sword!

  Alright, a martial artist must open up their dantian to enter the realm of gathering spirits. With the world of dantian merged into the natural world, they can absorb spiritual energy from it! And the Black Sword is right in his dantian, playing the role of a bridge, helping him directly connect with heaven and earth!

  Zhou Heng sat cross-legged on the ground, now he had no time to think about whether it was like this, and hurriedly operated the Moon Shadow Heart Technique, converting these vast energies into True Yuan Force one after another, rapidly increasing his cultivation.

  Refining the Body into Nine Layers - Later Stage!

  Half an hour later, Zhou Heng stopped, and the surrounding area had no more power to surge into his body, meaning that the opportunity he had suddenly obtained was over.

  "It's just a hair's breadth away from reaching the peak of the 9th layer of Body Refining. Although the energy released by the Black Sword is getting weaker and weaker, its effect is still much stronger than that of the Gathering Yuan Pill. Within ten days, it should be able to reach the peak of the 9th layer of Body Refining!"

  "There's still some time, let's go hunt a few more demonic beasts first, then head to that secluded valley's icy pool!"

  He sprang up and ran through the mountains, his Cloud Stride Technique unfolding like a heavenly push. His movements were mysterious and swift, but consumed very little energy. Moreover, his body was close to the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, making his physique even more robust, allowing him to support long-distance running.

  Two days later, he came to the front of a dense forest and was about to enter it when he saw four people coming out, each with a scolding expression.

  "That damned donkey, next time I meet it, I'll definitely slaughter and eat its meat!"

  "Too despicable and shameless, I've never met such a monster!"

  "How dare you deceive us! What kind of monster are you!"

  Zhou Heng almost spit it out, needless to say, the donkey in their mouths must be that cheap donkey in the Misty Dead Valley!

  That cheap donkey hasn't left the Pingtian Mountains yet?