## AST 506 - Struggle At The Sword Tower, Huang Qing Makes Her Move

Roar!

Another explosive and thunderous roar filled the air. A second Raging Flame Cloud Leopard leaped down to joined in the skirmish. What happened next surprised Qing Shui.

The two Raging Flaming Cloud Leopards joined forces to repel the Purple-eyed Golden Spirit Monkeys. With this, one of the Purple-eyed Golden Spirit Monkeys dropped its Mahogany Staff, and without even bothering to retrieve it, it called noisily and escaped with the two other monkeys.

The monkeys escaped in a hurry and disappeared from view in a split second. The two Raging Flaming Cloud Leopards did not chase after them. Instead, the two leopards just left with their large group.

Amidst the rubble in the valley, a single lone Mahogany Staff was left behind...

Even after some time, Qing Shui could not calm himself down. The event indirectly allowed him to gauge the strength of an elementary stage Martial Saint. He gained a deeper understanding of his own strength and how far he was from becoming one.

Qing Shui knew that the beasts were not at the Martial Saint level yet because Martial Saints have a distinct ability to fly in the air while the Raging Flame Cloud Leopard could only glide down from the mountain top.

There is no end in the journey of cultivation!

Qing Shui walked down slowly. After he checked cautiously that there were no other sudden movements in the area, he sped down the valley and retrieved the Mahogany staff.

When the staff was in his hand, Qing Shui realized that the Mahogany staff was actually as heavy as his Big Dipper Sword.

Suddenly, Qing Shui recalled how the Purple-eyed Golden Spirit Monkey handled the staff. Qing Shui could feel his blood boil as the images of and impressions of the monkey brandishing the staff flowed through his mind.

Emperor's Qi!

Immovable Mountains!

Qing Shui wield the staff and swung it!

Pa!

With a flurry of motion, a series of bangs rang through the air. Qing Shui could sense something, he felt that the staff could maximize his potential strength.

It could fuse with his Qi, focus, and strength in a perfect harmony!

Qing Shui pondered for a moment, and swung the Mahogany staff again!

Boom!

The huge rock in front of Qing Shui was smashed into smithereens. Within swing, Qing Shui felt that the increased saturation of the afterimages left by the arc of the movement.

The skies changed!

Qing Shui was stupefied. As he regained his focus, he threw the Mahogany Staff into his Realm of Violet Jade Immortal. Knowing that the place he was in was not a safe place, he decided not to linger and quickly retraced his step back out of the valley.

Qing Shui decided not to look for the treasure in the first treasure map as this place was really too dangerous. He comforted himself with the fact that he already gained a lot. He already broke through to the second level of Heavenly Dan so his strength had risen significantly once again.

He did felt that it was a pity not being able to continue with the treasure hunt with the first map. After all, he expected that the treasures from the first map would be as valuable as those he found in the second. That would indeed be quite beneficiald.

Observing the Raging Flame Cloud Leopards and the Purple-eyed Golden Spirit Monkeys made Qing Shui realized that he could still improve further. This inspired him to changed his plans.

He must go to the Northern Sacred Lu Continent!

If fate permits, Qing Shui wanted to explore the entire World of the Nine Continents!

……

At Sword Tower...

“Old Ancestor, what should we do? That brat already entered Flowerfruit Mountain!” Tan Yang’s grandfather reported to the Old Ancestor of Sword Tower.

“If we don’t get rid of that brat, our Sword Tower will definitely be destroyed.” The Old Ancestor sighed and muttered.

“Did we make the wrong move…”

“There is no right or wrong. There is only weak or strong. It is hard to believe that the outcome of the feud between the Heavenly Palace and our Sword Tower would actually boil down to the actions of a young, inexperienced chap who is still wet behind his ears.” The Old Ancestor sighed again.

“Yes. If your fists are strong enough, will right or wrong even matter...”

“Then, what should we do now?” Old man Tan bowed as he asked the Old Ancestor.

“We have to get rid of him as soon as possible. Between the Heavenly Palace and our Sword Tower, only one can survive. If we give him time to develop further, no one in the Greencloud Continent will be able to stop him.” The Old Ancestor replied as he looked to the skies.

“Guardian Lin Yuchen was killed by that brat. Do you think we should inform the “Sky Tyrant Lord?” Despite everything, Lin Yuchen was still his disciple. If the Residence of the Sky Tyrant Lord steps in, even ten Qing Shui will not escape death.” Old man Tan continued still in his subservient position.

“Residence of the Sky Tyrant Lord from the Central Continent. Yes, that is a pretty good idea. We should do that quickly, lest the Sky Tyrant Lord blame us too and eliminate us as well. I want you to do it.” The Old Ancestor said flatly.

“Yes.”

“Wait a moment!”

“I await your command!”

“ Get Guardian Huang Qing to block him. Get two other guardians to go along with her. They should be able to kill him. Though, if the situation permits, it will be the best if we could let the people from Residence of the Sky Tyrant God kill him.”

……

With his new perspective broadened from his observation of the Raging Flame Cloud Leopards and Purple-eyed Golden Spirit Monkey, Qing Shui realized how terrifying a place like Lion King's Ridge was. There was a Martial Saint level beast there. For human cultivators, Martial Saints with the strength of 10 countries are at Grade 1, even when they reach the strength of 20 countries, they are still at Grade 1…..

Qing Shui shook his head and continued in the direction of the outskirts of the Flowerfruit mountain.

After a week, in the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal…

Qing Shui slowly exhaled. He had reached the 186th cycle of his Ancient Strengthening Technique. His based strength had increased another 500 thousand jin; his defense another 50 thousand jin and his other stats like his speed had also increased significiantly.

Previously, his overall stats only multiplied when he rose from one layer to the next layer of the Ancient Strengthening Technique. After he broke through to the 4th Layer of the Ancient Strengthening Technique, his other stats rose a little each time his strength increase with the breakthrough of each cycle.

When he reach the 180th cycle breakthrough, every completion of one cycle granted 500 thousand jin increase in strength, 50 thousand jin increase in defense and a large boost to the strength of his bones, the strength of his internal organs, and his self-recovery.

This is precisely why it becomes increasingly difficult to complete a cycle after the 180th cycle. In the same manner, Qing Shui felt stronger with each completed cycle. In a way, the effort he invested is fully reciprocated.

After he cycled through all his techniques almost half a day was gone. Due to the problems in the region, Qing Shui squeezed his training into the last 6 hours of the day. If he met any dangers in the day, he could fully utilize his Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal.

After three days, Qing Shui finally continued on the journey back to the Heavenly Palace. On his way, Qing Shui reflected on what had happened. He remembered how he was surrounded, and the many occasions where he nearly lost his life in the Flowerfruit mountain. It was lucky that he managed to gain a large boost in strength.

If he was once again surrounded by those martial artists, he was very confident that he could massacre them in a snap of a finger.

Qing Shui felt his Nature Energy rising. His Emperor's Qi started moving unconsciously. Qing Shui did not know that at this moment, his very aura was undergoing a series of changes.

His no longer tender face developed an aura of grace. A poise which gave him a gentle aura that lingered between dominance and nobility. A tinge of worldly detachment, a tinge of indifference, a tinge of stubbornness, a tinge of perseverance, a tinge of adamance, a tinge of lust...

Qing Shui did not ride on his Fire Bird. Instead, he continued riding on this Diamond Gigantic Elephant. Qing Shui wanted to practice his Man Elephant Unison. It made no difference to him whether he reached the Heavenly Palace early or one of two months late.

Even though Qing Shui had only achieved a 50 percent fusion with his Diamond Gigantic Elephant. He could generate the total force of his own strength and half of that of the elephant. This was enough for him to reach an incredible state. Right now, he was already undefeatable in the Greencloud Continent.

He was the most powerful person in the Greencloud Continent!

Qing Shui paused as he thought of this. Qing Shui felt uncertain. He did not have many thoughts about his reputation. He only wanted to get stronger, it did not truly matter if he had that reputation, he was not even able to venture into the dephths of Flowerfruit Mountain.

His journey was uneventful. Qing Shui practiced Man Elephant Unison in the morning and entered his Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal at night. Though he felt lonely, he felt that he made good use of his time.

After half a month....

Qing Shui found himself looking at a wide stretch of wasteland in the middle of the wilderness. He had to travel across this wasteland to go further west. As he looked to the boundless horizons, a smile lit up on his face when he spotted a figure in a distance.

“The Sword Tower really don’t know how to give up!”

Qing Shui then realized that there was a person who he did not know how to react to.

It was the Sword Demon, Huang Qing. Even though she was so far away, Qing Shui could recognize her with one look.

Elegantly clad in a simple silk dress, the woman carried a long sword. She had an aura that was not exactly domineering nor cold and a beauty that was almost fantasy-like, a transcendent beauty.

Despite the distance, Qing Shui could make out that her beautiful brows were knitted; her eyes were also filled with the same complex sentiments towards him.

Qing Shui was in his full armor. Throughout his journey, he wore it every time he left his Realm of Violet Jade Immortal. This prepared him for any sudden situations.

Qing Shui had an odd feeling when he looked at Huang Qing. He looked at her portrait so many times in his Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal. That invoked this odd feeling within him.

If he described it with his previous life, it was the feeling that he got when he saw a famous person.

Qing Shui sat on the Overlord Storm. Under Qing Shui commands, his Diamond Gigantic Elephant walked towards the three people in the distance and stopped about 50 meters away from them.

Other than Huang Qing, there were two old men. They were both way past their prime. At their age, any outward edges of their intentions have already been long hidden, Qing Shui could not tell much from their appearance.

Each of them held a three feet Greenedge Sword!

Of all swords, that three feet treasured sword towered over the rest!

A light smirk appeared on Qing Shui’s face. At that very moment, Qing Shui felt a strange feeling, he felt a disdain. He was certain that he must definitely annihilate the entire Sword Tower.

Qing Shui did not say a word. He stared at the Sword Demon, Huang Qing because he could finally tell the woman’s true capabilities.

The strength of seven countries!

Dressed plainly, a three feet long sword in hand, she actually had the strength of seven countries.

Qing Shui did not spot anything that boosted her strength. He noticed that she wore earrings, bracelets, and pendants. Qing Shui did not know if she hid anything else under that plain dress of hers…

Qing Shui felt a little uneasy now because of the sword in Huang Qing’s hand. The long sword shone like moonlight. He could feel its power!

He realized that she was actually lenient on him the previous time they dueled, yet she still came!

Was it to kill him?

Could it be that the women in the Portraits of Beauty are not people who would help him but people that will obstruct him..?