149: Chapter 86 Primordial Chaos, Phoenix Approaches_2 149: Chapter 86 Primordial Chaos, Phoenix Approaches_2 Xue Daoyong smiled slightly and said, “When a martial artist enters the realm, their Inner Qi leaves the body.”

“After Qi Condensation, Inner Qi can be condensed.

Upon entering the second layer, one must harmonize the processes of [Qi Condensation], [Meridian], and [Body Casting], allowing the condensed Qi to naturally form a cycle throughout the body.

Look, just like this.”

The old man’s robe fluttered, and a stream of condensed Qi orbited around him.

Li Guanyi reached out to touch it and felt a clear sense of repulsion, as if placing his hand into a storm.

Xue Daoyong said, “This is [Defense].

The circulation of Inner Qi throughout the body can, to a certain extent, avoid most hidden weapons and cause arrows to deviate.

It is the foundation of the third layer’s Qi Condensing Armor.”

“[Attack] is much simpler,” he said.

Xue Daoyong held a wooden stick, from which Qi Radiance surged forth.

This was a hallmark of post-Qi Condensation.

With a flick of his wrist, the old man casually tossed it, and the Qi Radiance exploded, transforming into a burst of Jin Qi and slashing through the air.

It landed on a stone stele in front of him.

Along with the disintegration of the wooden stick into dust, the stele, which normally required a martial artist’s full-strength strike to break, slid to one side.

The break was smooth.

Sword Qi.

Xue Daoyong said, “With a defensive Qi Mechanism circulating through the body, the state of the second layer can unleash Sword Qi, kill from a distance.

At this time, martial artists need new weapons.

Special materials can facilitate the flow of Inner Qi and bear the energy emitted by its burst, which is what’s known as a [sharp weapon].”

“This is the second layer, the realm of martial officers from Ninth Grade to Seventh Grade.”

“The border Colonels, as well as some of the most elite Cavalry and infantry in the world, are all martial artists of this realm.

The one you killed before was the same, although he probably hadn’t cultivated to the point of unleashing Sword Qi,” Xue Daoyong said.

“If entering the realm is considered being someone with a reputation in a small town, then the second layer is akin to one of the top figures in a small city.

Moreover, the powers of our techniques and the strength of Dharma Form can only truly be utilized at this realm,” he added.

Li Guanyi looked up to see the old man smile, then casually reached out, and his Qi Mechanism burst forth.

Then, with a sweep of his sleeve, the Qi Mechanism converged into a ferocious tiger that pounced forward, blowing the stone stele to dust and leaving the ground pockmarked with pits.

Dust spread, and the old man dusted his sleeves and said:

“Jin Qi can carry the Dharma Form.

With Jin Qi leaving the body, one can execute such techniques.”

“It’s just that by the time the old man had the power of Dharma Form, I was no longer in this realm.

In the second layer realm, I never tasted the sweetness of overpowering others, ha ha.”

Li Guanyi looked at where the pit had exploded, his eyes shimmering with light.

He thought of the Night Rider Cavalry that pursued him ten years ago.

The Night Rider Cavalry consisted of martial artists above the second realm.

Li Guanyi gripped his weapon and asked, “Elder Xue, if I were to cultivate to this realm, how would I compare to elite units like the Night Rider Cavalry?” The elder burst into loud laughter and said, “If you could enter the second layer and unleash a punch, with the White Tiger’s roar, it would be far stronger than the flow of Sword Qi.”

“At that time, if you faced the Night Rider Cavalry,”

“You would beat them as if they were old pigs and dogs.”

“Back then, when the old man gave you a treasure weapon from the Martial World to defend yourself, a thrice-refined weapon made from mere iron, however refined, is ill-suited to withstand the scouring of Primordial Qi.

The more it is used, the more likely it is to disintegrate internally.

One that can bear Inner Qi is made from many treasured materials and is known as a sharp weapon.”

“Above that, a weapon that matches the Dharma Form can be called a treasure.

Treasure swords and treasure sabres—this term might be overused, but in reality, it is not something that can be easily claimed.

Any treasure sabre is worth a fortune.”

Li Guanyi asked, “Above that, would be Divine Weapons?”

The elder laughed heartily and said, “Yes, but also no.

Between Divine Weapons and treasure instruments, there is another type of weapon.

These weapons, which have not yet followed the unmatched heroes to accomplish earth-shattering feats and thus remain obscure and unnamed, have not been forged in the furnace of Qi Fortune and lack a spirit, so they cannot be called Divine Weapons.”

“Yet they are not comparable to ordinary treasure instruments; their material is hardly inferior to Divine Weapons.

Upon impact, all other swords and sharp weapons would shatter before them.

With many mysteries, each Mystical Weapon is unique; that’s what’s called a [Mystical Weapon].”

“Every Mystical Weapon has the potential to become a Divine Artifact.”

“Only in Ying Country’s Sword Casting Valley and Jiangnan Divine Weapon Mansion are there large numbers of Mystical Weapons in existence.”

“Two hundred years ago, the number one swordsman of Jiangnan swept across the whole Central Plains, breaking every Saber Sect and Sword Dao Sect, and gathered dozens of sect-defining Mystical Weapons.

With unmatched arrogance, initially only an aristocratic family, they stepped into the Martial World and founded their own sect in Jiangnan, which became the Divine Weapon Mansion of the Murong Family,” the elder recounted.

“With countless blood debts and supreme prestige.”

“That person is still alive today and is considered the number one Grandmaster of the Martial World.”

“He relied on weapons and swordsmanship to enter Central State Academy three times, repelling the Innate Taoists and engaging with Gongyang Su Wang in battle three times, emerging undefeated and unscathed each time.

Although originally a Sword Dao Grandmaster, his prideful nature earned him countless enemies.

In his life, he fought three hundred duels without a single defeat.”

“Sword Madman, Murong Longtu.”

Li Guanyi silently noted down this name, his thoughts drifting to the Qiushui Sword given by his Aunt.

However, this short sword, even if it came from Murong Mansion, should not be of the Mystical Weapon level.

Perhaps it was a Treasure Weapon?

The elder taught him the method of Ascending.

This step, called [Primordial Chaos], is to completely blend together the previous stages of [Body Casting], [Qi Condensation], and [Meridian], turning them into bodily instinct, achieving completion without a single thought.

But at this moment, Li Guanyi suddenly thought of the Four Symbols Dharma Form within his body.