บท 86: The Formless Sword Qi Card of the Transformation into the Great Freedom.
"Rest assured, I shall accompany you." This statement provided me with a modicum of comfort; however, Horus's subsequent words extinguished my smile. "I cannot assist you in grasping the heart of a warrior; you must discover it through battle. However, if you wish to return safely from Skull Island, you may learn martial skills from me. The techniques I impart are priced according to their levels."
"According to the auction prices on Demon Island, a complete set of martial skill cards costs over a hundred million. Master Horus, might your fees be more reasonable?" The diminutive old man seemed oblivious to my lament, casually gesturing towards the cave's interior, where a solitary bookshelf stood, laden with seventy or eighty tomes. He spoke coolly, "The prices are listed alongside the martial skill cards, and there are also some weapons. You have half an hour to choose."
"Seventy or eighty books! Could this old fellow be a seasoned warrior of Demon Island, amassing such a collection of martial skill cards?" My arrival in Canada was driven by a desire to enhance my abilities, so regardless of Horus's stringent conditions, I had to acquiesce. The unnamed martial arts manual was incomplete, rendering it impossible to cultivate to the highest level. Changing my martial arts style had long been my aspiration; however, throughout my time on Demon Island, I had been consumed by battle and had not contemplated the direction of my training, especially since my current combat system still had considerable room for improvement.
The recent skirmish with that youth made me acutely aware of my many shortcomings. While martial arts was not my sole path of development, possessing an additional skill would undoubtedly enrich my life. As I approached the bookshelf and casually picked up a book to peruse, I was astonished to find that it bore a striking resemblance to the Demon Book, which everyone on Demon Island possessed, albeit with differing styles and covers.
I quietly inquired of Julière, "Why does the Demon Book come in such a binding? And isn't it said that the Demon Book disappears upon the owner's death, rendering it impossible for others to seize?" Julière's voice echoed softly in my mind, "When the owner of the Demon Book acquires a new identity, they may willingly relinquish it. You are still far from that realm. As for the styles, some of these are not Demon Books at all."
"Though I do not particularly enjoy Demon Island, relinquishing the power I have gained seems implausible. Indeed, I am still distant from that realm. Ah! It appears that some of these are not Demon Books; this one is titled the Book of Skulls, and another is the Book of Elves—what a curious assortment."
"The distinction being made is not a matter of spiritual realms, but of power realms. However, you need not concern yourself with that for now; focus on finding a new martial art to practice." The book in my hands contained an abundance of treasures, far surpassing the number in my own collection, and each item was of superior quality. Yet, aside from the treasures and cards, all other information had vanished, and the only card type available was the martial skill card, with treasures limited to weapons such as swords and spears.
When I departed from Demon Island, I possessed nearly a billion demon coins. According to the prices listed in this book, I could purchase around ten sets of the most elite martial skill cards. However, I understood the wisdom of moderation; even my unnamed martial arts manual had only reached the third tier, and acquiring a greater variety of martial arts, aside from mere collection, would hold little value.
As I flipped through a dozen or so books, I felt dazzled and overwhelmed, as if each martial art was appealing. I yearned to possess every weapon, when suddenly, a profound sensation struck me. My gaze fixated on a book bound in dark green, the Book of Wishes, as if it were whispering that it contained what I sought.
I picked up this tattered Book of Wishes, which lacked the opulence and richness of the other tomes. Beneath the held cards were five cards, and under the treasures section lay a long, elegantly crafted wooden box, a fusion of Eastern and Western styles. The five cards were colored blue, red, black, gold, and purple, indicating they belonged to a set of martial skill cards. The entry-level technique was already of the sixth tier, named "The Formless Sword Qi of Transcendence," quite dazzling indeed. The treasure was called the "Demon-Breaking Sword Box." My intuition informed me that these were precisely what I needed, the finest skills and treasures in this place.
The Demon-Breaking Sword Box, a luxurious weapon crafted through alchemical mastery, housed twelve Demon-Breaking Spirit Swords: one fifth-tier weapon, three sixth-tier weapons, five seventh-tier weapons, two eighth-tier weapons, and one ninth-tier weapon. The wielder's mental prowess determined the order in which the more powerful swords could be utilized, requiring the user to possess alchemical qualifications, at least the rank of alchemical apprentice, and three thousand points of mental energy.
The Formless Sword Qi of Transcendence was a pinnacle martial art of the demonic path, with sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth-tier cards necessitating a foundation of fifth-tier martial arts for cultivation. This perfectly aligned with my unnamed martial arts card, allowing me to avoid starting anew. The Demon-Breaking Sword Box also compensated for my deficiencies in mid-to-long-range attacks, and mental energy was my strong suit—how could I choose anything else?
The only drawback was that while the Demon-Breaking Sword Box was classified as a tenth-tier weapon, its maximum attack power only reached ninth-tier. However, being able to wield a ninth-tier weapon was still a distant prospect, so striving for perfection in my choice seemed unnecessary.
Master Horus remained noncommittal regarding my selection. When I inquired about a possible discount, he firmly stated, "We adhere to fair pricing, with no exceptions. These two items are valued at three hundred thirty million demon coins—a significant expenditure."
After purchasing the two items, I activated the teleportation magic circle with my achievement card. To my surprise, he joined me within the circle, and the anticipated sensation of pain did not manifest. This Tunguska teleportation magic circle boasted exceptional performance and remarkable stability. Though the silver symbols on my hands began to shimmer, they exhibited no rebellious intent, and we descended safely at our destination.
"Proceed left towards the valley, where you will encounter a group of skeletal warriors. Begin your onslaught with them," he instructed.
Acknowledging his words, I strapped the Demon-Breaking Sword Box to my back. It was remarkably lightweight, providing ample protection, while the twelve uniquely designed sword hilts protruded from the box, giving me the impression of a peacock displaying its feathers.
The mental energy I had lost while consuming the Wish Fruit was gradually replenished through training, and I had even achieved a significant enhancement. Thus, when my mental energy probed into the Demon-Breaking Sword Box, I immediately sensed a Demon-Breaking Spirit Sword merging with my consciousness. With a mere thought, an orange-yellow longsword leaped from the box, hovering three feet before me.
Among the twelve alchemically crafted Demon-Breaking Spirit Swords in the box, only this lowest-tier sword was within my capability to wield.
"Stow your weapon; go unarmed!"
"What? Unarmed?" Horus replied coolly, "I brought you to Skull Island for training. Utilizing this weapon will not aid your martial arts development."
As I relaxed my mental grip, the orange-yellow longsword retreated back into the box. Horus's reasoning was sound; however, I needed to ascertain the strength of those skeletal warriors before deciding whether to prioritize training or self-preservation. "If things turn dire, I shall draw my sword and strike with swiftness; adaptability is key."
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