Chapter 85: “The Six Meridians Divine Sword”

Fang Han cupped his hands lightly and said: “Many thanks, Master!”

With that, he unhurriedly began studying the Liumai Shenjian Jing.

His frank and open demeanor gave Ku Rong pause for a brief moment, but soon the old monk nodded gently and resumed his chanting of sutras.

He believed that this affair of Tianlong Temple would thus be resolved.

But as his voice flowed, something suddenly felt amiss.

He turned sharply toward Fang Han.

What he saw left him utterly stunned.

The youth held up his finger like a sword. Inner energy surged, condensing at his fingertip into a blade of sword more than a foot long—solid yet invisible, like a sword formed purely of air.

Ku Rong’s eyes widened.

“…!?”

Even with his deep Zen discipline, he could not suppress a jolt of dread.

To observe, to comprehend, and to immediately master!?

What kind of talent is this!?

For ordinary men, being able to cultivate even a single meridian of sword qi in a lifetime was already a remarkable achievement.

Take Benyin and the others: they had each barely managed to master one meridian.

Ku Rong himself had trained for many years. With the third-rank Yiyang Zhi as his foundation, he had managed to cultivate two meridians of sword qi—but that was his absolute limit. Any more was impossible.

And yet, this young benefactor had grasped it instantly upon sight!

Was this not heaven-bestowed genius!?

In truth, this had little to do with Fang Han’s innate talent.

The greatest difficulty in learning the Liumai Shenjian was not only needing the fourth-rank Yiyang Zhi as a prerequisite, but above all, possessing sufficiently profound and abundant inner energy.

Indeed, inner power was the true key to cultivating the Six Meridians Sword.

In the original story, Duan Yu had comprehended the technique simply by watching and pondering. Fang Han’s inner power was no weaker than Duan Yu’s, and was even more refined, being entirely unified Beiming Zhenqi.

Moreover, Fang Han had long since mastered the Yiyang Zhi to its first-rank perfection!

The essence of the Liumai Shenjian was nothing other than transforming the Yiyang Zhi into invisible sword qi!

With both prerequisites—inner power and finger technique—not merely fulfilled but perfected, how could Fang Han’s speed of learning be slower than Duan Yu’s?

Without conscious effort, as he studied the diagrams, his Yiyang Zhi naturally shifted into invisible sword qi, condensing a foot-long blade at his fingertip.

And if he unleashed it, the range of its strike…

It was utterly terrifying!

And this was not even his full strength—merely a casual run-through of one meridian’s sword qi.

Fang Han focused intently. In short order, he had gone through the entire manual, condensing all six meridians of sword qi.

Thus he had mastered the invisible sword qi of the Liumai Shenjian!

If the Yiyang Zhi’s essence was the inner root of finger force,

then invisible sword qi was the very essence of the Six Meridians Sword!

This was exactly what Duan Yu had learned.

But like all martial arts, the Six Meridians Divine Sword contained both inner and outer elements. Beyond the invisible sword qi, it included six exquisite sword styles!

Shaoshang Sword, Shangyang Sword, Zhongchong Sword, Guanchong Sword, Shaochong Sword, and Shaoyang Sword!

Some fierce, some agile;

some expansive, some archaically heavy…

Each sword style matched its corresponding meridian of sword qi, enhancing one another when used together.

If one man could wield all six, harmonizing them seamlessly, the power would be beyond imagination!

But in the original tale, Duan Yu had found the sword forms confusing, and so he never practiced them, only relying on the invisible sword qi’s sheer sharpness.

Even so, no one in the world dared to face it head-on!

As for Fang Han—he certainly intended to master all of it, perfectly and completely!

He carefully studied the first set of sword forms, then the last.

A sigh rose in his heart: the brilliance of these techniques far surpassed his so-called Sui Feng Jianfa (“Sword of Following the Wind”).

It was the difference between heaven and earth!

The Six Meridians Sword was truly Tianlong Temple’s supreme art. Even one fragment of it exceeded other martial disciplines.

Fang Han calmed his thoughts, reviewed the manual again, and committed it to memory.

Scroll in one hand, the other hand moved lightly, simulating the sword paths until he grew more familiar.

At the side, Master Ku Rong was already stunned into numbness.

Even knowing that this young man’s inner power was monstrously strong, he never imagined he could be so terrifying!

All six meridians of sword qi, mastered in so short a time!

What manner of genius was this!?

In his shock, he also breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

With such a man here, the Liumai Shenjian Jing no longer needed to be destroyed…

Ku Rong’s gaze shifted back to the main hall, his expression obscure. He closed his eyes once more in meditation.

Time flowed slowly onward.

By now, Jiumozhi had been fighting the five monks for over an hour.

He had already observed the workings of five meridians of sword qi.

The intricacy and brilliance delighted him greatly.

“What a marvelous Six Meridian Divine Sword! Truly extraordinary! These five each wield but a single meridian, yet their combined power is already so great. If all six were brought forth… would it not be divine!?”

At this thought, he secretly rejoiced.

“Fortunately, Tianlong Temple has declined. No one here can wield all six together! Otherwise, how could I hope to seize it!?”

Still, he mused, if a sixth man had cultivated the final meridian, and the six were joined in a formation, even he would surely be forced to admit defeat.

But as it stood, with one meridian missing and their coordination lacking, it was easy for him to hold the upper hand.

Jiumozhi, seeing clearly, recognized the art’s brilliance. The more he admired it, the greater his covetous desire grew.

No need to continue fighting.

With a smile, he released a surge of Huoyan Dao force, driving back the five monks.

Then he stepped forward, saying warmly:

“Indeed, your temple’s Six Meridians Divine Sword is beyond comparison. Yet this monk wished to witness the sword itself, not merely its formation! I must be in trouble… ”

His eyes shifted toward the old monk meditating in the back of the hall.

“Venerable Ku Rong, might you demonstrate a little for this humble monk?”

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