Chapter Ten: Exceptional Talent

  Xia Yan knew that the old emperor would come out of the Lingluo Seal at this time, and he must be here to guide him. So, he simply stopped thinking about it and waited for the old man to tell him the reason.

  "How is it now? What kind of feeling is there in your whole body?" The old emperor appeared and stood in front of Xia Yan, asking with a complacent expression.

  Xia Yan smiled lightly and didn't say a word, walking directly to a nearby large tree. He controlled the inner energy within his body, using his mind to mobilize it quickly into his palms. A surge of powerful energy burst forth from his hands, one palm striking out straightforwardly with a whistling airflow, hitting the main trunk of the tree in front of him. Xia Yan could clearly feel the inner energy flowing through the meridians in his body, like a rushing stream that seemed to never stop. He even heard the sound of a river flowing incessantly. This was the transformation of his entire body after clearing the 108 martial arts meridians and completing the marrow washing process.

  "Whoosh!"

  That thick and thin waist tree was directly cut off by Xia Yan's double palms. This palm strength, if it were to hit a person's flesh, even an iron-made body would be crushed.

  Xia Yan stared blankly at his own masterpiece, then looked at the pale palm of his hand. Was this really something he had done?

  Xia Yan didn't think that his current strength would be so powerful. He hadn't learned any martial arts techniques, but simply relied on his internal energy to slap a tree trunk as thick as his waist with one palm, and he still hadn't used all of his strength. Just now, the old Holy Emperor asked him how it felt after opening up 108 meridians, and he just wanted to try out his current strength, but didn't think that his internal energy would be so strong.

  "Not bad, clearing all 108 meridians in the body, it's considered a small success in cultivation. Now, you can learn martial skills!" The old Holy Emperor nodded, seemingly somewhat satisfied. Xia Yan turned around to look at the Holy Emperor, but his heart couldn't calm down for a long time.

  Ten months ago, he was still a waste with no meridians opened up, but now, he has such strength. Among all the younger generation of Xia family, he should be the strongest now? I wonder what kind of reaction those people in Xia family will have when they know about his current strength, and Elder Xia Lai will definitely be shocked to the point of rolling his eyes?

  "I spent six months completing the Forging Body, three months to complete the Tempering Marrow, and only one month to complete the Washing Marrow... " Xia Yan furrowed his brow. Normally, from Forging Body to Tempering Marrow to Washing Marrow, it should get progressively harder, because as you go further, there are more meridians that need to be opened up. But for Xia Yan, the speed at which he was opening up the martial arts meridians was getting faster and faster.

  This is obviously not quite right!

  "Haha, this is the wonder of 'Ling Luo Secret Classic'! The magical place of 'Ling Luo Secret Classic', you will slowly understand later." The old Holy Emperor seemed to have expected Xia Yan's question and said casually.

  He looked at the old Holy Emperor in front of him with a suspicious expression, and then asked: "Why can't I understand the cultivation content on the back of this secret book? The content above doesn't seem to be martial skills! How should I cultivate it? In a few more days, it will be the day when our family selects excellent disciples every three years. If I don't have martial skills and rely solely on internal strength, I'm afraid it won't be enough for the elder to recognize me!"

  Xia Yan's eyebrows furrowed even tighter! Without martial skills, this is currently the biggest obstacle.

  To know, the high or low of a cultivator's strength is not determined solely by their inner power. Not knowing martial techniques, or having a shallow understanding of them, makes it impossible to bring out the might of those techniques. These are all key factors that restrict a cultivator's own strength.

  The current Xia Yan, fundamentally does not know any martial skills. Simply relying on the destructive power of internal energy is clearly insufficient. Although his internal energy is deep and can shatter rocks and split gold, if he were to fight with someone, his opponent would not stand there stupidly and let him hit without dodging. Not knowing how to use martial skills to attack, having strong internal energy is useless.

  The old emperor stroked his grey and white beard, his eyes shining with spirit as he looked at Mo Lan Xiu and said slowly: "Now that you've opened up all 108 meridians in your body, go take a look at that 'Sun and Moon Twin Swords' of yours. Heh heh, after you're done reading it, you should understand another extraordinary aspect of the 'Ling Luo Secret Classic'!"

  When the Holy Emperor said this, Xia Yan was confused again. Four months ago, Xia Yan wanted to practice the martial skill that San Ye gave him, but at that time, the Holy Emperor did not let him practice, instead letting him continue to open up his body's meridians. Now, why is he telling him to practice "Sun and Moon Twin Swords" again?

  Furrowing his brow, Xia Yan was about to ask the reason carefully when the old emperor stretched out his hand to stop him and said: "Don't ask why for now, go take a look at that unorthodox ancient book and you'll understand. Alas, it can only start from this unorthodox ancient book now!"

  The old emperor shook his head and sighed, looking very disdainful of "Sun Moon Twin Swords".

  Xia Yan returned to his mountain cave with a puzzled expression, taking out the secret manual "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword". Although this manual had been by Xia Yan's side for several years, he had never flipped through it. Because his meridians had never been opened, he was fundamentally unable to cultivate any martial techniques. Not even the worst of them could be used.

  As he flipped through the "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword", Xia Yan discovered that his memory had suddenly become exceptionally good. Every time he finished a page, he would completely remember the contents of the secret book in his mind. Gradually, Xia Yan's reading speed became faster and faster, and it only took him a few short hours to finish the two-centimeter-thick secret book.

  As he carefully recalled the "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword" in his mind, Xia Yan suddenly opened his mouth wide. Because, as he was recalling it, his mind had actually started to practice the "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword" on its own!

  Xia Yan hastily exited the cave, and in a hurry, randomly found a tree branch. With her eyes closed, she began to dance with each sword move, following the steps rehearsed in her mind. Each sword move was perfect. Even the person who originally created the "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword" secret manual would probably be amazed and feel inferior if they saw Xia Yan's practice at this moment.

  Xia Yan's every sword move was perfect and flawless, without a single defect.

  An hour later, Xia Yan began to rehearse for the second time.

  Half an hour later, Xia Yan began to rehearse for the third time.

  After a cup of tea, Xia Yan began to rehearse for the fourth time.

  When Xia Yan practiced to the tenth time, "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword" 77 forty-nine moves, only three swords were left! These three swords condensed all the essence of "Sun and Moon Unparalleled Sword".

  In Xia Yan's mind, he clearly knew how to condense the "Sun and Moon Twin Swords". The complex sword moves and styles were all condensed by Xia Yan. Forty-nine sword moves, only three swords remained. But these three swords contained all the sword intent of forty-nine moves. Xia Yan casually stabbed out with one sword, although he was using just a tree branch, it brought immense pressure to others.

  "Hmm"

  The exercise is over, Xia Yan opens his eyes and exhales a breath, then takes another deep breath.

  "I was able to do so, it must be due to the 'Ling Luo Secret Manual'! In just half a day's time, I was able to fully master and comprehend the 'Sun Moon Unparalleled Sword', not only that, but I also condensed all the sword moves into three swords. This 'Ling Luo Secret Manual' is indeed extraordinary!" Xia Yan thought to himself, his eyes shining with light.

  "How's that? Now you know the wonders of the 'Ling Luo Secret Manual', right? Hehe, kid, you've already fully mastered that unorthodox manual 'Sun and Moon Unmatched Swords'. From now on, you need to collect more manuals and learn them all. The 'Ling Luo Secret Manual' will naturally help you refine your martial skills. As the number of martial skills you learn increases, your future skills will become purer, stronger, and unlike any existing skills." The Holy Emperor elder appeared in front of Xia Yan again, with a smile on his face.

  In half a day, Xia Yan had thoroughly mastered the "Sun and Moon Twin Swords" technique, which also surprised the old Saint Emperor. The old Saint Emperor had originally thought that Xia Yan would need several days to learn the "Sun and Moon Twin Swords", after all, even with the "Spiritual Loom Secret Classic", learning other martial skills still required innate talent.

  Xia Yan's talent surprised Sheng Huang Lao Zhe, he didn't expect Xia Yan's martial arts talent to be so high.