Download App
0.31% Sword Among Us / Chapter 4: Gate Realm, Gate to Enter the Path Leading to Life and Death

Chapter 4: Gate Realm, Gate to Enter the Path Leading to Life and Death

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Complete Reality Qi Cultivation Technique was a very normal beginner qi cultivation technique in World of Martial Arts. It belonged to normal factions such as the Five Tigers Sect and Thunderous Hall. It appeared to be like their orthodox techniques. 

Complete Reality Qi Cultivation Technique placed an emphasis on preserving health and training the body. It relied heavily upon the qi in a person's body. If there was no qi, then all the palm techniques and sword techniques from Complete Reality School would be empty shells. 

During the period of time Happy had lingered around Complete Reality School, he spent an entire month meditating. Besides partaking in a few simple missions, he had spent all his time meditating. 

The strength of people's qi divided them into different qi realms.

In World of Martial Arts, the division of qi realms was very clear. In the beginning, the beginners had absolutely no qi, and the novices just barely touched the threshold. The difference between them in terms of qi was not great, and their fighting abilities were low. It would be very difficult for them to retreat with every part of their bodies intact even when they fought against normal monsters. 

But once they reached the first qi realm, Gate Realm…

Even if they had only obtained a tiny bit of success in their qi cultivation, they already possessed a certain amount of qi, hence the people in World of Martial Arts said that they had "entered the gate leading to life and death". In short, it was called Gate Realm. Only those who had reached it could be known as wanderers who walked in the world of martial artists. 

It was not difficult to enter this realm. 

At least from Happy's perspective, it was not difficult. All he needed to do was to guide his true qi in circulating through his body thrice every day to expand the meridian system so his acupoints would be strengthened and his Dantian region would fill up. In less than three months, he would reach Gate Realm. 

However, the time required to circulate true qi once in the body was rather long; it took around an hour. Very few people could complete three rounds in one go, so some people preferred to use the qi cultivation technique to meditate and increase their recovery speed when they were tired after a fight. Then, they would slowly come to a realization. Once they formed their answer, they would persevere and slowly build up their qi. 

But this was no longer a secret to many players, or else Happy would have been able to rush to the peak once he started accumulating qi from the start. He would be able to show his qi abilities and become a powerful fighter in China (within World of Martial Arts) who was unmatched. 

It was rather dull to circulate true qi in the body, but it was also a very serious matter that needed to be treated seriously, especially during the first few times. In the beginning, the meridian system was weak, and Happy could not be rash or violent when he circulated his qi. If he strove for speed, not only would it be easy to damage his meridian system, it was likely that he would stray off the track. Many people suffered from this, which was why Happy had to be extra careful when he circulated his qi!

He might have ample experience in using many qi cultivation techniques, but he did not dare to lower his guard when he used them…

Once he sat down quietly and meditated like an old monk, he circulated his qi for around ten minutes. Though it felt as if he had done nothing, he noticed that a barely noticeable trace of qi had appeared in his Dantian region. 

Happy suppressed the excitement in his heart and carefully guided the small trace of true qi into his meridian system before he slowly pushed it forward. 

The Murong Clan Lady had never actually left and watched from the distance. When she saw a hint of qi that was difficult to see with the naked eye curl up from the boy's head, she smiled and left with her heart at ease.

Happy only managed to circulate his qi once with Complete Reality Qi Cultivation Technique after nearly half an hour. The true qi in his Dantian region had increased by one fold, and it was no longer as difficult to notice or grasp.

But this was nothing. 

The difference between having some true qi from having none of it might seem great, but in truth, it was just an insignificant amount. He was still a long distance away from entering Gate Realm. 

He began the second round. 

This time, because he was already used to his meridian system, he was familiar with the trajectory he should take. His speed increased slightly, and in less than twenty-five minutes, he ended his second circulation of qi. 

Happy decided to complete everything in one go and did the third circulation as well. Then, a flow of true qi that was half the breadth of a little finger was secured in his Dantian region!

Happy made some calculations. He could not fight with the tiny bit of true qi he just gained, but the main point was that the speed at which Complete Reality Qi Cultivation Technique increased his qi was acceptable. 

He rose from the ground in high spirits and grabbed the shortsword with abnormal enthusiasm. Once he achieved a little bit of success, he went out of Murong Mansion. 

'Hehe, I'm about to begin my first mission in World of Martial Arts!

'Purple Bamboo Forest is to the east of the suburbs of Gusu City. I seem to have heard of this place before.' Happy thought about this while he briskly walked out of the city.

Purple bamboo originally came from somewhere beyond South China Sea. Its stem was thin and a deep purple. It could be made into a good xiao. [1]

When Happy reached Purple Bamboo Forest, he found that there was an abnormal number of people seeking bamboo…

There were more than a hundred newbies dressed in servant clothes scattered around the dense and eye-catching Purple Bamboo Forest. They were either gathered in groups of three to five or stood by themselves beyond the forest. None of them dared to enter the place. 

Happy wondered about it when he noticed a charming woman in the pavilion inside the forest. She had a sword servant and was playing the zither. 

A thought struck his mind then, and Happy grabbed a person to ask him some questions. He found out that there were quite a number of instrument shops in Gusu City that gave one particular mission. Anyone who took it up had to retrieve a purple bamboo from Purple Bamboo Forest, and all those who successfully did it could not only receive half a tael of silver crumbs [2], but the master of Purple Bamboo Forest might even take a fancy to them and bring them into their sect. 

"Master of Purple Bamboo Forest?"

Happy was stunned, and a thoughtful look appeared on his face. 

He had played World of Martial Arts for years, but he hadn't heard of such a sect in the game. Could it be a small, insignificant sect?

But that was not right!

If the Murong Clan Lady asked him to retrieve bamboos from this place, and this task could be included into the list of quests from the Murong Clan, then the master of Purple Bamboo Forest was definitely not an ordinary powerful fighter. 

"Are the bamboos in Purple Bamboo Forest something you can take as you wish now?"

As he thought about it, a disdainful rebuke came from within the forest. A player who had wanted to sneakily approach the forest and cut a section of bamboo was pushed back by a gust of wind before he could do anything. He landed on his butt, then tumbled back until his face was flat on the ground! He cupped his nose and ran into the distance while looking crestfallen. 

The players in the area were silent. 

Only Happy was not surprised. He was actually quite happy. He had known it—there was something to this place.

The woman was merely a person with a sword servant, but she had a deep understanding of a technique named Throw Spirit Sphere, which was a high-tier martial art. It would seem that the quest the Murong Clan Lady had given Happy was a difficult one. 

Whether or not he could enter the Murong Clan's sights would depend on whether he could successfully complete it!

But Happy would naturally not be like the other players in the area. He did not intend to use some improper tricks to get the purple bamboos. Their tricks were useless in the eyes of powerful martial artists who were on alert at all times, especially those who knew Throw Spirit Sphere. If such a person stood guard, it was impossible to get the purple bamboo through goofing around. 

If Happy wanted to settle matters with martial arts, he had to do so with the rules wandering martial artists adhered to!

Happy smoothed out his clothes and walked out from the crowd. His footsteps were calm and slow. He went straight to the pavilion in the forest with his back straight. 

"My master is here. If an outsider steps in, do not blame me for my rudeness!"

Before Happy could get close to Purple Bamboo Forest, a powerful gust of wind went straight to his face and prevented him from moving forward. 

But Happy was not alarmed. He placed his fist in his palm, and everyone could instantly recognize the mannerisms of a martial artist. "This humble servant is Happy. I have come to visit Purple Bamboo Forest on orders from the lady of my clan. My Lady, on behalf of the Murong Clan, please give me three purple bamboo sections. I will be eternally grateful." 

His composed attitude, clear words, and the mystery shrouding the Murong Clan because of its superiority in World of Martial Arts made the players in the area begin talking among themselves. 

"Murong Clan?"

The interest of the master of Purple Bamboo Forest seemed to have been stirred. "It would seem like the Murong Clan does indeed live up to its name. You are but a mere house servant, but you already possess such courage and demeanor. However, if you want to gain my purple bamboos, you must do so according to our rules. If you can withstand three strikes from my sword servant…"

Happy was happy. 'Three strikes? Alright, I'm not afraid of you mentioning the rules. I was afraid that you wouldn't play according to the rules!"

"Please grant me your instruction!"

While Happy still did not have any skills, he had gained a vague understanding of the goal of his mission. He flung his sleeves back and revealed a composed expression that spoke of calmness that would not falter even if heaven fell on him. 

Translator's Note:

[1] Xiao: Chinese woodwind instrument. Unlike the Chinese flute, you blow this vertically.

[2] The currency system in this game: They don't seem to use Ban Liangs or bronze coins, so silver crumbs is the smallest currency.

10 taels of silver crumbs -> 1 tael of gold crumbs

Silver notes and gold notes, which you will see later, are like statements saying, "Hey, I have here a paper that says I have XX taels of silver/gold."


Chapter 5: Beginner Novice Level

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Very well!"

A gentle and pleasant voice came from the mouth of the master of Purple Bamboo Forest. There was a faint hint of admiration and mockery in it. "I would like to see whether the Murong Clan lives up to its name in terms of their martial arts, just like they did with their courage! My dear sword servant, give instructions to this boy."

The sword servant, who had not been doing anything in the sword pavilion, immediately moved forward. He did not show any hesitation even if his opponent was just a boy. However, once the sword servant walked out of the pavilion, many players outside the forest gained a deep impression of the player called Happy. 

However, they were in for a disappointment. 

The eloquent boy with the extraordinary bearing was even weaker than they were. The sword servant only used two simple skills before Happy was sent flying. No sign of the strong fighting against the strong could be seen. 

"Thank you for your lesson. I will come again."

Happy stood up. He did not feel defeated at all. He wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed. Before the other could speak, he quickly walked away while the crowd looked at him with gazes mixed with derision and pleasure derived from his misery. 

The sword servant stood dumbly on the spot for a long time while staring at the boy's thin back. He then turned around and returned to the pavilion. 

"You actually needed to use two skills against a child?"

"I understand my mistake."

The master of Purple Bamboo Forest could not help but lament. "It is fine. This child is not ordinary. That bearing and those mannerisms… If I did not have an understanding toward the disciples of the Murong Clan, I would have thought a successor disciple from the Murong Clan had come over to learn our martial arts. When he goes back, the Murong Clan Lady will definitely not let this matter slide. Continue fighting against him and grant him instruction…"

"But master, why..."

"You do not need to ask." The master of Purple Bamboo Forest seemed to know what the sword servant wanted to ask, so she chuckled softly. "You will not be able to defend against the people from the Murong Clan learning your craft. Since that is the case, it doesn't matter if we let them learn a few tricks. But the child is quite interesting as well. He actually came forth and told us his intentions honestly… He is very interesting."

Naturally, Happy knew nothing about this. 

When he returned to Murong Mansion, the white-clad Murong Clan Lady was waiting for him in the backyard. 

"My lady, I did not manage to get the purple bamboos. Please punish me."

"You fought against the sword servant of Purple Bamboo Forest?" The Murong Clan Lady cast a glance at Happy's dusty clothes and frowned slightly. "Did you mention the name of our clan?"

"Yes."

Happy narrated his encounter in Purple Bamboo Forest, and the woman nodded repeatedly. 

"You did well. You had the bearing the Murong Clan should have. By the way, you said that the sword servant delivered two strikes? Show them to me," said the Murong Clan Lady with a tone that allowed no refusal. 

"Yes." 

Happy had already understood the general gist of the quest. 

The Murong Clan Lady intended to investigate the foundations and skills of the Purple Bamboo Forest master through him when he fought against her sword servant. As long as he could remember the skills, he had an idea of what would happen next. The Murong Clan Lady should slowly teach him some skills that would specifically counter the sword servant's skills. 

At that moment, Happy suppressed the excitement in his heart and demonstrated the two skills the sword servant had used to attack him. He also showed her how he moved to avoid the attacks while flustered. 

After all, Happy already had three years' worth of experience in World of Martial Arts. Not only could he remember some skills after looking at them once, he could also bring out their form when he demonstrated them. When he executed the skills, he even perfectly emulated the sword servant's charm, and the Murong Clan Lady was quite surprised when she saw this. 

She could not help but say, "The first skill is rather normal. He used the third style from Turbid Principles Hand, Iron Palm Shakes Heavens. He did not need to use qi against you, and there was no power behind his attack. But surprisingly, you managed to avoid the tremors, and so, he should have thought that you were pretending to be weak and revealed his skills. 

"He used Beggar Sect's Mad Demon Staff Technique, so they are from Beggar's Sect…? But that's not right. It's impossible for Beggar's Sect to have such an elegant woman." The Murong Clan Lady fell into deep thought. She did not ponder about the reason why Happy could avoid Iron Hand Shakes Heavens.

"Mad Demon Staff Technique places an emphasis on speed and hopes to achieve victory by oppressing slow attacks with fast attacks… Hmm, he still found it beneath himself to use qi against a child like you. Looks like I will have to teach you martial arts that protect your lower body and joints. The martial art that relies the most on the lower body is Shaolin's Long Fist. It is energetic, sturdy, and relies on strength to subjugate the nimble."

The Murong Clan Lady brought out a book tied together with a string as if she conjured it out of thin air. She handed it to Happy with a reminder. 

"I will give you three days to break his Mad Demon Staff Technique! Don't forget to continue practicing Complete Reality Qi Cultivation Technique. During this period, if you have any questions, come and find me here."

Once she finished speaking, she walked away, leaving Happy alone while he looked like he did not know whether he wanted to laugh or cry. He held the martial arts book that all Shaolin secular disciples in the world could receive—Shaolin's Long Fist. 

And it was even a beginner's martial art. 

'I will endure this for the sake of Shifting Stars!'

Resolution shone in Happy's eyes. He then began training in the backyard. He could do nothing else about it; after all, his greatest regret in his previous life was that he had never received a matchless martial art. And right then, he had ran into a rare and valuable chance to get one, so there was no way he would not pursue it to the end.

When Happy began to train, his moves were actually quite on point. 

Shaolin's Long Fist was the most basic of all martial arts Shaolin monks would learn when they joined Shaolin Temple, which was a respectful sect in the world of martial artists. Thus, there was no way that Happy would have never learned it before.

However, he could not directly transfer his gaming experience from his previous playthrough into this game. He could only practice the skills again to slowly bring out the feeling he once had when he executed them. 

Even though he had to start anew, he could get the same results with half the effort this time, and he could execute the skills with ease. Soon, the noise in the backyard gained a rhythm, and the sounds became linked together. Every single time Happy executed a punch, the roaring of the wind could be heard. 

When he grew tired, he would meditate and use Complete Reality Qi Cultivation Technique to restore his stamina and spirit. Then, he would throw himself back into understanding Shaolin's Long Fist. In just a day, he pushed his Complete Reality Qi Cultivation Technique to Level 2, and his speed when he circulated his qi gradually increased too. 

As his meridian system was opened up and his body became stronger, the might of Shaolin's Long Fist also increased slowly. When he dealt a swift, explosive punch with all his strength, he could even make the air roar. He improved so quickly that perhaps no one in the Murong Clan could compare to him. 

But with just normal training, he would never be able to gain true improvement in the path of martial arts. This was something Happy knew very well. 

When his Shaolin's Long Fist reached Level 10, it would stop progressing. The progress bar would simply refuse to budge. If Happy were not busy with continuously studying and fusing his understanding of Shaolin's Long Fist from his previous playthrough into his current one, he would have left Murong Mansion a long time ago in search of real fights outside the city. 

Even though Shaolin's Long Fist could handle Mad Demon Staff Technique once he was familiar with it, Happy was a person who strove to do his best in whatever he did. Since the Murong Clan Lady gave him three days to study and understand the technique, he was not in a hurry to try it out. He intended to continue polishing his skills until he could meet the sword servant head on at the peak of his condition. 

He was going to suppress Mad Demon Staff Technique. The sword servant should not be a disciple from Beggar's Sect, but Shaolin's Long Fist was the basic skill of all the strong and fierce techniques in Shaolin, so it could be used against various practitioners of low-tier martial arts without its user being at a disadvantage at the first three strikes. 

Happy did not wish to be sent face-down the second time by the sword servant!


Load failed, please RETRY

Gifts

Gift -- Gift received

    Weekly Power Status

    Batch unlock chapters

    Table of Contents

    Display Options

    Background

    Font

    Size

    Chapter comments

    Write a review Reading Status: C4
    Fail to post. Please try again
    • Translation Quality
    • Stability of Updates
    • Story Development
    • Character Design
    • World Background

    The total score 0.0

    Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
    Vote with Power Stone
    Rank 200+ Power Ranking
    Stone 9 Power Stone
    Report inappropriate content
    error Tip

    Report abuse

    Paragraph comments

    Login

    tip Paragraph comment

    Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

    Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

    GOT IT