Chapter 58: Sword Nurturing Technique

Qin Sang flipped to the end of the genealogy, but he failed to find a single Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. The highest realm belonged to someone from Grandpa Song Hua's generation named Song Yi, who had only cultivated to the seventh layer of the Qi Refinement stage before disappearing without a trace after an excursion.

The Sword Intent Decree of Mount Shaohua was very likely still lying within the tomb of the Song clan ancestor!

Qin Sang pinched the Song family genealogy between his fingers, his eyes shifting with indecision. Although his understanding of the cultivation world was not yet profound, the benefits of joining a sect were obvious.

Just like the shopkeeper next to the Divine Artifact Pavilion; the envy that rogue cultivators felt toward sect disciples could be heard even in their briefest remarks.

But Song Hua had, after all, saved his life. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Qin Sang had to repay this debt. He never claimed to be a good person, nor would he actively harm a benefactor.

Moreover, Mount Shaohua was a great orthodox sect. If he truly lacked a spiritual root, even obtaining the Sword Intent Decree would be useless.

Qin Sang let out a soft sigh, set down the Song family genealogy, and pulled over another nameless book, while simultaneously retrieving the ebony sword hidden against his chest.

The nameless book was actually the *Song Family Sword Manual*, which was also the manual used to drive the ebony sword!

The so-called *Song Family Sword Manual* was actually a modified version of Mount Shaohua's sword-control techniques, adapted by the Song clan ancestor.

After practicing the sword manual, one could use divine sense to control a sword, soaring through the azure heavens. With a mere thought, sword light would traverse the sky, graceful as a startled swan and agile as a swimming dragon, darting away and returning in an instant, killing enemies from thousands of miles away.

By cultivating sword-control techniques to a certain realm, one could transform sword qi into rainbows and fly upon a sword, possessing a divine majesty that inspired awe and longing.

Qin Sang had long coveted sword-based flight. Among the basic spells in the *Netherworld Sutra*, the Wind-Walking Spell only increased movement speed, and the Void-Hovering Spell only allowed one to stand in mid-air for a short duration; neither allowed for free flight at will.

The reason Qin Sang could not drive the ebony sword was precisely because he lacked this sword manual.

According to the Song family genealogy, the fourth-generation ancestor of the Song family had once obtained a fragment of a flying sword treasure while exploring the cave dwelling left behind by an ancient cultivator.

Though it was a fragment, it still possessed the quality of a magical treasure.

Only cultivators at or above the Golden Core stage could refine magical treasures. Every treasure was crafted using incomparably precious spiritual materials and tempered day and night by a Golden Core cultivator, resulting in terrifying power that even the finest spiritual tools could not match.

The Song ancestor had been overjoyed upon obtaining the fragment and spared no expense, hiring a renowned blacksmith master from the market to refine the fragment into this ebony sword.

Because of this, the ebony sword was like a treasure but not quite a treasure, and it was vastly different from ordinary spiritual tools. Since its essence was a treasure fragment, it was far harder and sharper than common spiritual swords, and it required a specific sword manual to be driven.

However, the drawbacks were also very obvious. The ebony sword's consumption was too high; only a Foundation Establishment cultivator could sustain its drain. A cultivator at the tenth layer of Qi Refinement or above could barely drive it.

Cultivators below the tenth layer had spiritual power that was too meager; they had to hold spiritual stones in hand and accumulate sufficient spiritual energy before they could release a single strike.

With Qin Sang's current assets, he could release at most eight strikes.

Of course, the ebony sword's power was quite extraordinary, making it difficult for opponents of the same realm to resist.

Qin Sang held the *Netherworld Sutra* in one hand and the *Song Family Sword Manual* in the other, falling into deep thought.

Whether practicing a sword manual or a spell, nothing could be achieved overnight; it required a long period of painstaking effort.

If his cultivation progress were hindered by practicing spells, it would be a net loss.

How to choose was something only he could weigh.

Qin Sang had never fought a cultivator before and did not know which of the five spells would be the best choice, but focusing all his energy on the *Song Family Sword Manual* was undoubtedly unwise.

Even if he found Yin-Fiend Qi and his Soul Pills were continuous, his cultivation speed would slow down as his realm increased. Coupled with occasional bottlenecks, he could not expect to break through to the tenth layer of Qi Refinement within a few years.

Before reaching the tenth layer of Qi Refinement, he would have to absorb spiritual stones to prepare before every use of the ebony sword. In a moment of crisis, an opponent would not grant him the time to prepare.

He would still have to rely on spells and artifacts like the Purple Soul Bell to fight; the ebony sword could, at most, serve as a trump card.

Of course, the *Song Family Sword Manual* still had to be practiced.

After throwing away Song Hua's miscellaneous items and packing his own, Qin Sang felt a sense of lightness; after all, carrying gold and silver on one's back was quite tiring.

The Purple Soul Bell and the Sky-Silk Treasure Armor remained outside to handle crises at any time. Then, Qin Sang lost even the inclination to practice the *Netherworld Sutra* and immersed himself entirely in the *Song Family Sword Manual*.

For an entire day, Qin Sang did not step a single foot out of the small courtyard, becoming lost in the *Song Family Sword Manual*.

The primary aspect of sword-control techniques is "nurturing the sword." Only by fully understanding the characteristics of one's spiritual sword and merging one's mind with it can one fly at will and exert the true power of the manual.

Qin Sang communicated with the ebony sword through his divine sense. Following the manual's guidance, he first used his essence blood to temper it, gaining the ebony sword's recognition. After a full day, he finally brought the ebebony sword into his dantian, where it would be continuously nurtured.

This method of nurturing a spiritual sword was the most basic sword-nurturing technique of Mount Shaohua.

The *Song Family Sword Manual* stated that only when sword-nurturing reached great success and one achieved the realm of "unity between man and sword" could one be considered to have entered the Way of the Sword. To Qin Sang, that was far too distant.

Even when out of a meditative state, Qin Sang could still feel the ebony sword within his dantian.

Qin Sang opened his palm, and with a thought, a streak of dark light appeared out of thin air in his hand. The small ebony sword floated above his palm; the originally unremarkable wooden sword now shimmered with a faint light, possessing an extraordinary luster.

Qin Sang's face was slightly pale, but it could not hide the excitement in his eyes. He couldn't help but point forward and whisper, "Go!"

The ebony sword trembled, then wobbled forward. Its speed was very slow. Before it had even flown a few feet, Qin Sang's face suddenly turned deathly pale. He hurriedly recalled the ebony sword into his body and only then let out a long breath, his face still showing lingering fear.

In his momentary excitement, he had forgotten that nurturing the sword had consumed a great deal of spiritual power.

Furthermore, the ebony sword's consumption of spiritual power was staggering; after flying only such a short distance, his internal spiritual energy had nearly been depleted.

After meditating to regulate his breath for a while, Qin Sang returned to his normal state. Knowing that sword-nurturing could not be rushed, he took out the *Netherworld Sutra* to practice the spells first.

These basic auxiliary spells were very simple. With his experience in the Object Manipulation Spell, Qin Sang learned them all in just a few hours.

Of course, mastering their application would require diligent practice.

Qin Sang tested each of these spells on parchment one by one, and the results were discouraging.

Ultimately, Qin Sang selected the Cloud-Evasion Method and the Ten-Thousand-Mile Ice Seal—one for escaping and one for fighting—as both were urgently needed.

He possessed the Purple Soul Bell and the Ice-Silkworm Treasure Armor, which had similar effects to the Mist-Locking River and the Water-Condensing Barrier, so there was no need to practice those two first.

As for the Shadow-Shifting Technique, Qin Sang felt that even if he released an illusionary clone to confuse an enemy, once the deception was seen through, he would still be unable to escape.

(End of Chapter)