## AST: Chapter 58 – The Secret of Situ Luan

“Qing Shui, did you really use the sword forms from the <<Basic Sword Techniques>> to defeat Situ Bu Fan and his cronies?”

Qing Yi’s happiness was tinged with astonishment as she inquired. After all, Qing Yi was familiar with the bunch of youths which Qing Shui had defeated, and thus knew of their strength level. She could not help but to feel pride. The proudest moment of a mother was when her child truly shined with impressiveness. This was the most gratifying, as well as the most touching of all moments.

“Right, you all should not look down on the <<Basic Sword Techniques>>, hidden within them were foundations that would grant you a deeper understanding on the way of the sword!” Qing Shui seriously replied, as it was true.

“Qing Shui, how did you manage to do it? Among those people you defeated there was one named Shi Zong Yao whom I known personally. His strength is nothing to sneeze at.” 3rd Uncle Qing Hu furrowed his brows in suspicion as he asked.

“Actually, there is really no secret. You guys know the various sword forms listed out in the <<Basic Sword Techniques>> right? Of all the sword forms, the piercing form was the one with the fastest speed. I practiced that form over hundreds of millions of times, to the extent that I had even lost count of the amount, and gained some enlightenment regarding the “truth” of the sword. I believe that if others trained the same way as me, perfecting a simple move over hundreds of millions of times, he too would be able to gain the same enlightenment as I did.” Qing Shui felt that there was no need to keep this a secret. After all, how many were like him, and could squander time in training just a simple sword movement. How many would have heaven-defying time dilation artifacts to help them do so?

Everyone was dumbstruck by what Qing Shui had said. It took 10 years to polish your sword skills, this was what everyone knew. However, to think that the most simple sword techniques could have such a terrifying strength hidden within them after they were honed countless times. What a change of perspective… How much willpower did the sword user need? Everyone’s gaze was filled with awe and respect when they gazed upon Qing Shui.

A radiant smile blossomed on Qing Yi’s face as she ruffled Qing Shui’s hair, while complex emotions rose in her heart. She felt that Qing Shui was growing increasingly mysterious. The surprises that Qing Shui had given her, had far exceeded all her expectations. She could not help but feel impressed by the ancient old man who had taught Qing Shui.

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A certain luxurious room in Hundred Miles City!

A stalwart, strongly-built man dressed in gaudy robes was reclining on a comfortable bed while beside him, a scantily-clad busty woman with a towel covering her, was giving the young man a massage.

The woman had a head full of long black hair with milky-white skin, a willowy waist and a charming appearance. Her ears, small and slightly curved were extremely attractive.

An hour passed as the moans grew louder and louder in intensity when suddenly, there was only silence. The man coldly smiled, as he rousted his body and exited the room.

The man followed the corridor outside the room as he descended the stairs. This was an independent luxurious courtyard, as the owners seemed to spare no expenses in designing it. Red carpets were laid out everywhere, from the corridors to the main hall, and it looked to be suitable for keeping a mistress in a splendid abode.

As the man entered the great hall, his handsome visage immediately transformed from a look filled with pain and anguish, to exhibiting supreme confidence. All the males in the great hall stood up and greeted him as they walked in front of the man.

“Brother Luan is still the strongest among us.” A skinny and weak looking youth started to bootlick as he extended a thumbs up gesture to the man named Brother Luan.

The man called Brother Luan, was filled with a lascivious smile. This smile, was something that all males understood.

The man called Brother Luan was none other than Situ Luan from the Situ Clan, the strongest amongst the younger generation. He appeared to be at ease while joking and laughing around with his band of brothers, yet his heart was heavy as he heard their praises.

“Brother Luan, that youth from the Qing Village earlier, had trounced your younger brother as well as Shi Zong Yao earlier.” A strongly built youth with a build comparable to a tiger’s back and bear’s waist spoke.

“Ding Chen, wasn’t your younger brother Ding Xing also among those defeated?” After Situ Luan and the rest sat down, a young lady quickly served them tea.

The teacups were all made from purple sand, which showcased the wealth of the Situ Clan. This group of people gathered were all profligate sons of the rich, or disciples from the large clans. Every meal they had was filled with mouth-watering delicious food in abundance. They ate well while playing with women extensively.

“Hehe!” Ding Chen laughed embarrassedly.

“Ding Chen, keeping a low profile won’t do you any good. Don’t tell me you really want that fellow Ding Lang to succeed the Ding Clan as the Clan Head? So what you are not the eldest grandson? You can still create beneficial situations for yourself, blackening Ding Lang’s reputation and forcing him out of the Ding Clan.” Despite Ding Chen looking honest and upright, Situ Luan knew that hidden underneath that idiotic facade, was a ruthless and cold-blooded man.

“The time is not right yet, let’s wait for a while more, when that time comes, Brother Luan must lend me a helping hand!” Ding Chen continued laughing.

Ever since Situ Luan injured the lower part of his body during cultivation, he had tried all remedies and seeked the opinions of countless doctors but to no avail. All his hopes were dashed into pieces, no matter how charming or attractive a woman is, it was still useless to him! Under a fit of rage, he killed all the doctors he had consulted, leaving only himself who knew the secret.

After which, he spent all his efforts in focusing on his cultivation, but his previous girlfriend knew about this. So he had no choice but to use underhanded methods to lure her over, threatening her to kill her whole family. Without a choice, his ex girlfriend could only comply, and suffered… death for all her efforts.

“Does Ding Lang knows about this?” Situ Luan questioned as he cast a sidelong glance at Ding Chen.

“He knows, but he had never once shown any inclination to bother with our affairs. How would he ever think highly of this group of people!” Ding Chen said as complex emotions colored his tone.

“Hmmph, that fellow always had his head up in the air, in the future when he dies, I’m afraid he won’t even know what killed him.” Situ Luan coldly exclaimed.

“Outsiders have already climbed on top of our head, after all, Ding Lang is the representative of all the younger generations in Hundred Miles City. We should do nothing, and see how long he can endure this humiliation.”

These people here were all members of the great clans of Hundred Miles City. Ding Chen was from the Ding Clan, his only motive in befriending Situ Luan, was for Situ Luan to help him to dispose of Ding Lang.

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Qing Shui in the Qing Clan’s Medicinal Store, was busy with his own affairs. He was not even the slightest bit of concerned regarding the bunch of good for nothings that he had defeated. As long as they don’t come to look for him for trouble, Qing Should could care less for the things they did. Even if they were to rob the stores in public or murder someone in broad daylight, it was still none of his business. After all, Qing Shui was not that kind, he was not Jesus.

During the night, Qing Shui entered into the realm of the Violet Jade Immortal. He thought of the two treasures which he had stored in his spatial realm earlier that day as he searched the crystal pond before retrieving the black-colored tree branch that was filled with spiritual power. Despite observing for almost half a day, he was not able to tell what it could be used for, and eventually he decided to plant the tree branch in the soil near the Energy Enhancing Tree and he poured some of the water from the crystal pond over it.

As for the iron essence, he placed it on the wet soil near the crystal pond as he sat down cross-leggedly in preparation for his cultivation. Other than assiduously enduring the backlash from the failure of breaking through to the 49th cycle, Qing Shui would use the time after he failed, to train in his Ghostly Steps, Solitary Rapid Fist, Hidden Weapons Technique and the sword forms from the <<Basic Sword Techniques>> too.

Qing Shui hope that he would soon be able to step into the 4th Heavenly Layer of the Ancient Strengthening Technique!