Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Sword Heart’s Four Forms (Request for Full Subscription)
The sword cuts flesh, the heart cuts soul—the Sword Heart Four Moves?
Although Lu Luo didn’t know what Qiao Xing was talking about, it always felt impressively powerful.
"These Sword Heart Four Moves, how exactly do they cut? I have a friend who’s very interested; I’m asking for him."
"Be honest with me, is that ’friend’ actually you?"
Lu Luo was startled. Probably only someone as audacious as Qiao Xing in this world could catch my own jest!
"Would Master Qiao Xing please demonstrate?"
Qiao Xing’s smile faded, and his entire demeanor suddenly became sharp, like a sword radiating a bone-chilling aura.
Lu Luo had only seen this kind of aura on Ludie before.
Qiao Xing’s energy intensity isn’t as strong as Ludie’s; I wonder how his combat abilities compare to Ludie’s.
According to the Observer’s hints, Qiao Xing’s energy intensity was indeed a notch below Ludie’s, but much stronger than Han Shiyu’s.
He and Ludie should be on the same level, with Han Shiyu a bit below them.
Qiao Xing moved in front of the metal sword target in the training area, gripping the Cross Greatsword in his hand slightly.
"The first of the Sword Heart Four Moves, Spiral. This move is the simplest. You just need to thrust out your sword in an extremely rapid transcendent state during a straight stab. Then, by infusing it with Spiral Sword Qi, you can achieve a piercing sword technique that is indestructible and can penetrate anything."
WHOOSH!
Right after speaking, Qiao Xing immediately thrust out his sword. There was no Holy Radiance, merely the sword’s own vigor and the Spiral Sword Qi naturally formed by the blade itself. He pierced through the solid sword target behind him. With the point of impact as the center, a massive amount of Spiral Sword Qi expanded outward, blasting a large hole in the center of the metal sword target.
[Recording sword technique data and demonstration of skills for host...]
Lu Luo was mesmerized. Compared to such a sword technique, Qiao Xing’s previously demonstrated Shock Sword was indeed crap.
"Without any energy infusion, can it achieve such an effect with skill alone?"
Qiao Xing was silent for a moment, as if considering how to answer Lu Luo’s question. "If you’re not blind, you should have been able to see my demonstration just now."
"Uh, how about the next three moves?"
Qiao Xing retracted the Cross Greatsword and with a light leap, his body hovered.
"The second of the Sword Heart Four Moves, Overturning Rain. This move is an area-of-effect, dense attack, bombarding the enemy with a high number of indiscriminate, concentrated stabs. It’s much more difficult than merely hovering; the energy consumption for infusion is huge. With each sword thrust as the conduit, every bit of Sword Qi is a droplet of rain. And that rainwater represents your energy strikes, achieving a thousand cuts with a single slash."
Upon saying this, Qiao Xing swung his second sword, still without the blessing of Holy Radiance. Moreover, this was not a single strike but, as he described, a thousand cuts in one slash. A single sword thrust resulted in thousands of sword shadows emerging simultaneously. These Sword Qis were like droplets of rain, falling from the sky to the ground. Qiao Xing controlled the attack range of this sword to just cover the area of the sword target.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The metal sword target, bombarded by these non-energized Sword Qis, was shredded from metal plates and chunks, gradually becoming tiny iron filings.
Looking at the sword target on the ground, now almost powder, only one word rang in Lu Luo’s heart: Badass!
"To cause such absurd destructive power without energy infusion... this technique can indeed be called a masterstroke."
"Such low-level flattery is hardly going to please me, understand?"
Fuck! Why is this guy so annoying?
"The third of the Sword Heart Four Moves, Rending the Void. The essence of this move is cutting—high-frequency, vibration, rapidity, sharpness. A single sword strike that executes all aspects of slicing to the extreme can cut through air and tear the sky. In theory, if your power is strong enough, cutting through space isn’t impossible. I certainly can’t do it. As for whether you can, I have no idea."
Qiao Xing didn’t pause this time but picked up the Cross Greatsword and swung it horizontally. This strike seemed unremarkable, but as Qiao Xing wielded the sword, the air around him began to distort. All the air converged toward the Sword Qi, compressing it, and the space around the Sword Qi also twisted and surged.
It seemed that because this strike was too dangerous, Qiao Xing didn’t use it on the sword target.
Lu Luo didn’t want to test how sharp this strike was; if he wasn’t careful and got sucked in, he didn’t know if Qi Xinzhu could save him in time.
"It cuts through air! So, what’s the last strike?"
"The last strike, you actually saw on the first day of swordsmanship class. It’s the strongest destructive move common to bladed weapons: Slash Strike. Release my grudges, defend my glory, slay the enemy in my heart, and protect what I hold dear. A single strike, a single thought—just fully unleash your strongest side. I call this strike Soul Breaker."
Qiao Xing looked at the sword in his hand, then lifted it high again. His actions were no longer as elegant and lofty as before but carried an unstoppable momentum as he heavily swung the sword.
This strike was even more preposterous than the one at the start of the swordsmanship class. A huge Slash Strike tore through the air as the blade swung, accompanied by golden Holy Radiance, like a radiant sun, dazzling and blinding.
BOOM!
The Slash Strike not only lit up the sky and cleaved through the clouds but also allowed Lu Luo to see the moon once again. Unfortunately, he didn’t see the celestial behemoth, Leviathan, this time.
Looking at the bright moonlight, Lu Luo was speechless for a long time. Qiao Xing’s abilities as a high-ranking Transcendent were not just about having powerful energy. They were the kind who could rely solely on strength to break through cunning and push through everything, and yet still cultivated their skills to perfection, covering all their weaknesses.
Qiao Xing waved the longsword in his hand. This Church-issued Cross Greatsword had melted due to the intense erosion of Holy Radiance energy. The Holy Radiance that Qiao Xing had gathered was already too strong for such ordinary weapons to handle.
He threw the hilt onto the ground like trash and then turned toward his home, apparently not intending to teach anymore.
"Those are the Sword Heart Four Forms. I created them myself; they are techniques that exist outside the Church system. Don’t think about praising me for now. Instead of praising me, you’d better clean up the trash on the ground. It’s more practical, to prevent the cleaning lady from scolding me tomorrow."
The cleaning lady dares to scold him?
Fine, that wasn’t the point. Lu Luo looked at the mess on the ground: the shattered metal sword targets, broken sword hilts, and the torn-up lawn. My God!
Although he hated cleaning, at this moment, Lu Luo naturally did so without complaint or regret. Mainly because the solid knowledge Qiao Xing imparted was just too substantial, and Lu Luo had his fill in one go.
This guy, apart from his quirky temperament, is actually not bad in other aspects. At least he’s not like Ludie, who just throws a notebook at you and then doesn’t care about anything else.
Whether Qiao Xing’s strength is as formidable as Ludie’s or not is beside the point, but when it comes to teaching ability, Ludie really can’t compare. It’s no exaggeration to say Qiao Xing completely outclasses him.
Qiao Xing himself was a swordsmanship master from the Church and had received a comprehensive Church education. He came from a renowned lineage, so many complex principles became easy to understand when explained by him.
Compared to Ludie, Qiao Xing truly fulfilled the responsibilities of a competent teacher for Lu Luo—of course, one had to first overlook his passive-aggressive sarcasm.
After cleaning up the trash, Lu Luo returned to Qiao Xing’s house.
The man was still drinking tea. However, the wooden cup from before was gone, replaced with a glass one. It seemed Lu Luo’s earlier reminder had some effect; at least it made Qiao Xing change his moldy cup.
"Lu Luo, how much do you understand about your own body?"
As soon as Lu Luo entered, Qiao Xing suddenly asked. Lu Luo had heard this question before; Han Shiyu had asked him the same thing in the medical room. And this time, Lu Luo gave the same answer.
"I know my body like the back of my hand."
Qiao Xing didn’t say a word, quietly holding his cup and taking several sips in succession. Lu Luo didn’t rush him but just sat opposite, quietly waiting for Qiao Xing to formulate his question.
"That’s good. If you ever learn the Sword Heart Four Forms, don’t tell anyone I taught you."
Lu Luo was startled and immediately stood up. "Why?"
Perhaps it was due to certain educational philosophies, but the concept of respecting teachers and valuing their teachings had become deeply rooted in Lu Luo’s mind. Qiao Xing taught him swordsmanship without holding back, making him his teacher. This was undeniable and needed no explanation.
Qiao Xing was already the Archbishop of the East Ring. Given his status and position, Lu Luo found this request for concealment somewhat incomprehensible.
However, Qiao Xing seemed to have noticed Lu Luo’s astonishment but did not offer an explanation. Instead, he said something else. "Humans are complex creatures. If you’re too bad, they’ll destroy you. If you’re too timid, they’ll trample you. If you’re too good or too strong, they won’t trust you; they’ll suppress and alienate you. Only if you’re somewhat similar to them, not appearing too special, will they feel secure in accepting you. So, since everyone is learning the Holy Radiance Cross swordsmanship, why do you need to be special?"
Qiao Xing suddenly became somewhat wistful. Lu Luo felt that at this moment, Qiao Xing seemed more solitary and lonely.
"That reason is rather unconvincing. What if I really master the Sword Heart Four Forms in the future and use them in front of others?"
"Then you just say it’s a swordsmanship you created yourself."
Lu Luo didn’t understand why Qiao Xing would ask this of him, but knowing Qiao Xing’s personality, even if he asked, he probably wouldn’t get the kind of answer a normal person would want to hear.
"I still can’t understand. The Sword Heart Four Forms must be a very powerful sword technique, right?"
"You don’t need to understand; you just need to agree."
"Alright, I’ll keep this matter in mind."
After finishing the water in his cup, Qiao Xing fell silent again for a while before speaking. "This Sunday, I’ll probably go to your Alliance University to give a talk."
After saying this, Qiao Xing didn’t elaborate, which left Lu Luo rather irritated. And then what? Are you asking me to do something for you, or do you want me to come and watch you preach? Can’t you make yourself clear?
"Are you expecting me to carry your bags for you?" Lu Luo asked.
Qiao Xing glared at Lu Luo and after a moment, finally spoke, "Never mind. It doesn’t matter whether you come or not."
With that, he went upstairs with a trace of haughty petulance.
Lu Luo gazed at Qiao Xing’s retreating figure, pondering. Could there really be such a passive-aggressive person in the world? Not even an ancient brat could match Qiao Xing’s capriciousness.
Lu Luo considered whether to sleep on the floor or practice swordsmanship. In the end, he resolutely chose the latter. Having already reached the Second Tier, he had to master his swordsmanship quickly and then find a way to apply for a mercenary visa or some other kind to leave the Wall, improve his attributes, and gather blood packs. The medicinal herb gathering visa was far too short. How could one be short and weak? A man ought to be long and strong.
That night, Lu Luo’s sweat poured like rain as he... wielded his sword.
...
The next day, as it was Saturday, Lu Luo lay sprawled on the floor, sleeping soundly.
There was no helping it; Qiao Xing’s place was too small, and too many people lived there. Apart from sleeping on the floor, there was nowhere else to go. He couldn’t possibly do what he did last time and have three people sleep together, could he? They were all young; that wouldn’t be right. Besides, expecting someone like Qiao Xing to make room for him was utterly unrealistic.
Lu Luo slept for a long time.
When he woke up, he found Qiao Xiao Mi standing over him, staring. Li Lan had also brought over a blanket to cover him.
"Xiao Mi, what time is it? Did you guys eat breakfast?" Lu Luo asked.
"It’s one in the afternoon. We’ve just finished lunch."
"Oh, okay then!"
Lu Luo tidied his clothes. According to his previous plan, he had to return to Circular today. He needed to exchange the remaining Dark Spirit Stones for money to deliver to Zhou Kai and then check if there were any unresolved issues at the studio.
Bai Yuetong found Lu Luo before Qi Xinzhu did. Today, Bai Yuetong wore a baseball cap that covered the tuft of Dumb Hair on her head. Large black sunglasses also completely obscured her face, making it impossible to discern her features.
"Lu Luo, are you going back to your Circle Studio now?"
"Yeah. Are you coming with me?"
Lu Luo saw the design plans in her hand. Has she already finished the optimization plan this quickly? This woman has strong execution skills, but I wonder if she can actually make it happen.
"Of course. I’m currently out of work in the Fourth Ring, so I might as well apply at your place. I reckon being CEO or something shouldn’t be a big problem."
"CEO? With your meager skills, in Circular, you’d at best be a receptionist."
When Lu Luo said this, Bai Yuetong naturally took great offense. She had always believed herself to be a very capable person.
"Who are you calling incapable? Wasn’t it me who gave you that Mechanical Arm? Have you forgotten?"
"All you can bring up is the Mechanical Arm. Haven’t you heard the saying, ’a true hero doesn’t boast of past glories’? Moreover, I won this in a quiz; it has nothing to do with you now. Stop harping on about how it was a gift from you. Someone who doesn’t know better might think I’m a freeloader living off a woman!"
Lu Luo’s words thoroughly enraged Bai Yuetong, and she began to speak without restraint. "So what if you live off me? Is that a problem? My dad’s a legislator, and my mom’s a high-ranking member of the Church. There’s a line of people from the Second Ring to the Fourth Ring who’d love to live off me, you know?"
This was the first time Bai Yuetong had openly revealed her background to Lu Luo. Goodness, her connections were indeed formidable. However, that didn’t stop Lu Luo from mocking her.
"Your parents are your parents; you are you. With your current penniless appearance, you probably can’t even pull a hundred yuan out of your pocket. Let’s not discuss living off someone else; it’s quite embarrassing. You keep saying you’re a rich woman, but you haven’t displayed a hint of that wealth. It’s just not convincing. If you’re broke, fine, but what about your skills? I do value talent in people. But as long as I’ve known you, while carrying the title of a genius mechanic, you’ve never produced anything substantial. I’m not even sure if you actually made that Mechanical Arm or if it was outsourced. It’s disappointing."
Lu Luo was intentionally provoking Bai Yuetong. You’ve had your eye on me for a while, repeatedly trying to get me to join you. But you’ve offered neither money nor technical skills; there’s no sincerity at all. What kind of rich woman is this? What sort of genius mechanic? Not even a production brigade donkey would dare to slack off this much!
"You! Of course I made that Mechanical Arm!"
Bai Yuetong was fuming yet unable to counter his points. She felt wronged. Being a mechanic required money. What conditions did she have in the Inner Ring versus now? A talented cook cannot make a meal without rice—she had no materials, no workbench, and certainly no money. Her parents had cut off all her cards, and she couldn’t produce a single cent now. Unfortunately, you can’t power things with love.
"I can invest my technical skills in Circle Studio and provide the latest mechanical equipment and technical support for your studio. Hasn’t your studio always wanted to enter the high-end business sector? If the equipment isn’t up to par, won’t combat effectiveness be greatly reduced? Such a small company probably can’t afford to hire an Alchemist or a mechanic. I think I can fill that position. What do you think?"
Lu Luo blinked. She’s right—we are indeed short on equipment. We’re nothing like Blue Sky Pharmaceuticals, whose teams can casually equip themselves to the teeth, tossing grenades and firing bullets recklessly, and even using large Energy Bombs. But is the lack of equipment really the fault of mechanics or Alchemists? Of course not. The root cause of having no equipment is simple: poverty.
As soon as Lu Luo heard Bai Yuetong’s tone, he knew she couldn’t possibly imagine how small and impoverished Circular currently was. It’s time she saw the harshness of the Fourth Ring.
"Miss Bai, I’m very interested in the technical support for equipment you’ve mentioned. However, Circle Studio is currently quite short on funds. Compared to technology, we’re in greater need of financial investment right now. Miss Bai, you’re a wealthy person from the Inner Ring. How about you swallow your pride and ask your parents for a little bit from your allowance? Invest in our Circular? Let me tell you, our Circular’s current momentum is strong; we’re just a bit short on funds. For investments like these, three to five hundred thousand wouldn’t be too little, and a million or so wouldn’t be too much."
"No way. I finally broke free from them and made it to the Fourth Ring. I’m not going back."
Fine, another girl with a story. Lu Luo felt somewhat helpless.
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PS: I’ve placed the subscriber-exclusive side story between Chapters 122-123 as a subscriber reward.