CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 0064: LIGHTNING THREE SWORDS_1

After nearly half a month of recuperation, Teng Qianzhang had recovered significantly. Although his Cultivation Level had been crippled, he still had a foundation in martial arts and appeared quite robust.

At this moment, he stood in a somewhat dilapidated courtyard where an old man of about fifty was practicing his swordplay. He moved with the agility and grace of a swimming dragon; his sword thrusting, slashing, cutting, and flicking with unpredictable speed.

He rushed toward a cluster of lit incense that resembled a dense forest. In the darkness, the tips of the sticks flickered with red light, looking like a swarm of countless fireflies. He thrust his sword out with incredible speed.

PFFT! PFFT! PFFT!

In a single instant, he had struck out an unknown number of times, and the entire patch of incense was extinguished in a flash, as if snuffed out all at once. The speed was terrifying.

"Such a fast sword," Teng Qianzhang said, clapping vigorously and shouting with excitement.

The old man continued practicing for about ten more minutes before stopping, without a flush on his face or a hint of breathlessness—the very picture of a master. Seen clearly now, he had a square face, thick, short eyebrows, and small eyes that emitted a chilling light, giving him a very intimidating appearance.

He approached Teng Qianzhang with a unique gait, touching the ground only with the tips of his toes. He moved without a sound, as light as a feather, like a ghostly spirit.

"A crude sword technique, not worth mentioning," the old man said indifferently as he reached Teng Qianzhang. "Brother Teng, you may now state your purpose."

"Brother Tu, I’ve taken a serious tumble this time. My Cultivation Level was crippled by a mere 20-year-old peasant boy..." Teng Qianzhang said through clenched teeth. "I’d like to ask you to take revenge for me. Cripple his Cultivation Level and break one of his legs. This is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."

With that, he handed over a check.

"Five million RMB?"

Turen Xiong took it and glanced at it. His eyes lit up, practically glowing. However, he didn’t agree immediately. Instead, he asked casually, "How many meridians has Zhang Bin opened?"

"Seven at most," Teng Qianzhang replied.

"Opening seven meridians makes him nothing but an ant to me. But he’s only 20 years old. That makes him a peerless genius," Turen Xiong said. "Such a person must have significant backing. I’m worried about retaliation from his sect."

"You don’t have to worry, Brother Tu. Zhang Bin’s master is an old hermit from the deep mountains. He’s completely alone, with no other disciples or sect members. Besides, he’s 150 years old with little fighting power left, nearly at death’s door," Teng Qianzhang assured him.

"If that’s the case, I’ll take the job. Three days from now, at the Four Directions Martial Arts Hall, I’ll cripple his Cultivation Level and break his right leg. Have an ambulance ready in case he bleeds to death," Turen Xiong said flatly.

"Thank you. I’ll take my leave."

Without any delay, Teng Qianzhang turned and walked out the door, disappearing into the night.

***

"Damn it... a persistent ghost who just won’t go away. He actually managed to hire such a powerful expert."

Zhang Bin watched the surveillance footage on his phone, his expression turning grim, his heart filled with dread.

That old man, Turen Xiong... his swordplay is terrifyingly sharp. And even though he’s also a Rushing Pulse Realm Cultivator, he has clearly opened more than ten meridians. I’ve only opened seven. If I opened the eighth, my True Qi would double, and opening the ninth would double it again. By that calculation, my True Qi is only about one-eighth of his. At my current strength, I stand no chance against him.

After contemplating for a moment, he called Tian Bingbing.

"Sister Bingbing, do you know someone named Turen Xiong?" Zhang Bin asked, his voice stern.

"Turen Xiong?" Tian Bingbing’s voice came through the phone. "He’s a former disciple of the Iron Sword Sect. He’s very powerful. They say his sword technique is impenetrable and that he kills people as easily as mowing grass."

"What realm has he cultivated to? Exactly how many meridians has he opened?" Zhang Bin had no time to ask about the Iron Sword Sect, getting straight to the point.

"At the recent martial arts banquet, I heard Uncle Qin Xiaolong mention that Turen Xiong has opened 10 meridians, and he’s expected to open the 11th within the year. Why are you asking about him?" Tian Bingbing asked, surprised.

"Just asking casually," Zhang Bin said with a forced smile. "By the way, could you get a good sword for me? I’ll come by to pick it up later."

"I’ll bring it to you." Tian Bingbing sensed that something big might be happening.

Zhang Bin didn’t refuse and agreed.

He then shut himself in his room and called Gao Si.

"Gao Si, I want to trade for a very powerful sword technique," Zhang Bin said, getting straight to the point.

"You sound so serious. Did you run into a powerful enemy?" Gao Si asked, his voice immediately growing tense.

"You guessed right. I’ve encountered a formidable enemy who has opened 10 meridians and possesses a masterful sword technique," Zhang Bin said solemnly.

"That’s big trouble! You’ve only opened 7 meridians!" Gao Si exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his seat.

"It’s fine. I have a way to raise my Cultivation Level," Zhang Bin said. "But even if my cultivation improves, it’s useless if I don’t learn a powerful sword technique."

"Rest assured! I’ll give you a sword technique passed down by my ancestors. It’s extremely powerful. You should know, my ancestors were among the most powerful beings on Xuanwu Star. It’s just that our Gao family has since fallen into decline."

After speaking with complete confidence, Gao Si immediately transmitted a sword technique to Zhang Bin’s phone. In return, Zhang Bin had Tutu download a popular web novel for Gao Si.

He didn’t chat any longer, instead beginning to carefully study the technique Gao Si had sent him.

The name was impressive: Lightning Three Swords. It consisted of three moves, or rather, three realms:

The first sword: Sword Release Enemy Cripple.

The second sword: Sword Out, Enemy Dies.

The third sword: Sword Shatter Foe.

Zhang Bin’s eyes lit up, a look of joyful anticipation on his face. He continued to read the details closely. Soon, he sucked in a sharp breath.

The Lightning Three Swords technique was terrifying, characterized by its blinding speed. Though it was called "three swords," it actually referred to three distinct realms of mastery. In the first realm, the sword wasn’t fast enough to kill in a single strike, as an opponent could still dodge or block; therefore, it could only cripple them. In the second realm, the sword moved so quickly that it could kill on impact. In the third realm, the speed was even greater, allowing the user to slice an enemy into pieces before they even had time to react.

Undoubtedly, the only part Zhang Bin could learn right now was the first realm: Sword Release Enemy Cripple.

Although mastering the Lightning Three Swords required a great deal of practice to build up speed, there was a special technique to it. Without this technique, one could never hope to achieve the speed necessary to even cripple an enemy. The principle was simple: it involved using Longevity Qi to stimulate the nerves in the right hand and arm, making them exceptionally sensitive. Only with such heightened sensitivity could the speed of the sword-wielding hand be rapidly increased.

Additionally, a certain Cultivation Level was required. The higher one’s cultivation, the better their sight and hearing, and the sharper their reflexes. This made it easier to increase one’s speed, as the technique also involved a special application of True Qi.

Reading this, Zhang Bin became extremely excited. He immediately began to circulate his Longevity Qi according to the method, stimulating the nervous system in his arm.