Chapter 5: Blade Vein

In the Skynet Sect, the hierarchy was strict. For an Outer Sect disciple to become an Inner Sect disciple, they had to go through rigorous selection processes. The selection for Inner Sect disciples to become core disciples was even more stringent, with only the most elite having the opportunity. As for becoming a personal disciple of the Sect Master, one needed to possess exceptional talent, far surpassing that of core disciples, to catch the Sect Master’s eye. Back at his old residence, Titus appreciated the solitude, allowing him to focus on cultivation. Upon inspecting the money pouch, he found only a couple of gold coins, several silver coins, some copper coins, and various other items. He then turned his attention to the martial arts technique, a Yatesllow-grade lower-rank Blade Martial Technique named Wind Shadow Slash. "Blade Martial Technique" is a type of "Weapon Martial Technique." Martial techniques are mainly divided into two categories: Body Martial Techniques and Weapon Martial Techniques. Body Martial Techniques primarily involve the use of one's limbs, such as fists and feet, to execute martial techniques. On the other hand, Weapon Martial Techniques are practiced with specific weapons. The Thousand Jins Fist was an example of a Body Martial Technique. Body Martial Techniques were more common, whereas Weapon Martial Techniques were rarer and valued higher due to their greater power. Titus surmised that Wind Shadow Slash wasn’t a technique belonging to the Skynet Sect, as the sect strictly controlled access to Weapon Martial Techniques, leaving Outer Sect disciples with only a few Body Martial Techniques to practice. The usual sources for Weapon Martial Techniques were either accidental discoveries by Outer Sect disciples or expensive purchases for personal cultivation. “If I only had the Ancient Wilderness, I could only cultivate this Wind Shadow Slash to its peak. But I have more than just the Ancient Wilderness; I also possess remnants of the Venerable Clowde’s memories...” Titus, looking at the Wind Shadow Slash, made a decision he previously wouldn’t have dared to contemplate. He decided to become a Blade Cultivator! In the martial arts path, cultivating one’s body is the easiest, known as “Body Cultivation.” Over ninety-nine percent of martial artists follow this route. After all, fists and feet are intrinsic to oneself and require no initial bonding for cultivation. However, “Blade Cultivation” is extremely challenging, as weapons like blades are not part of one’s body. One must first bond with the blade to cultivate it. Due to the difficulty of becoming a Blade Cultivator, their numbers are scarce, and they are much stronger than Body Cultivators. Previously, Titus lacked the conditions for Blade Cultivation, as its requirements were too stringent and demanded exceptional talent. Now, Titus possesses these conditions. The Venerable Clowde, a prominent figure among The Six Venerables of the Nine Heavens Divine Realm and a master of the Blade, exemplifies the epitome of Blade Cultivation. What does it mean to be a master of the Blade? It means pursuing the path of the blade and becoming its supreme authority. In Blade Cultivation, no one in the Nine Heavens Divine Realm can match the Venerable Clowde, let alone in the Mortal Realm where Titus currently resides. The Venerable Clowde’s memories are a treasure trove for martial cultivation, with even a fragment being enough to drive cultivators into a frenzy. However, the Venerable Clowde’s blade path wasn’t perfect. He became a Blade Cultivator at a high level, missing the optimal period for Foundation Building. Thus, he always regretted not achieving the perfect Foundation Building, which would have advanced his blade path to an even higher level. Perfect Blade Cultivation must start with flawless Foundation Building from the beginning. Although the Venerable Clowde's later disciples could achieve perfect Foundation Building, their talent in blade cultivation could never match the Venerable Clowde's. Thus, they couldn't reach the level of blade mastery that the Venerable Clowde had envisioned. Titus looked at the presence of the Ancient Wilderness within him, a talent comparable to the most perfect. Even the Venerable Clowde's talent couldn't compare to it. He might not be able to become the Venerable Clowde, but with the Ancient Wilderness and the Venerable Clowde's memories of blade cultivation, he could potentially reach the pinnacle of blade mastery. With determination, Titus entered the Ancient Wilderness. Bring forth the blade! Titus reached out, and an almost translucent blade appeared in his hand. Wind Shadow Slash! Blade shadows emerged one after another, progressing from the introductory stage to the threshold, and then to rudimentary, intermediate, advanced, and finally, reaching the pinnacle of blade shadows. Titus wielded the blade in his hand, continuously performing the Wind Shadow Slash. The process of cultivation was similar to that of the Thousand Jin Fist, but because it was a Yatesllow-grade lower-tier Blade Martial Technique, it required more time and effort. Two days passed. Titus dedicated all his time to practicing the Wind Shadow Slash, except for eating and resting. His progress within the Ancient Wilderness was indeed rapid, and within two days, he had already reached the advanced stage. However, this was not enough; Titus had to take Wind Shadow Slash to its pinnacle. On the seventh day: Swish! Rolling waves of energy accompanied by a flurry of a hundred blade shadows surged forth. While the advanced stage had seventy blade shadows, reaching the pinnacle allowed for a hundred blade shadows, significantly elevating its power. "Finally reached the pinnacle." Titus let out a breath of relief. Yatesllow-grade lower-tier Blade Martial Techniques were truly different. If he were to face himself from seven days ago, he could easily overwhelm his former self. During these seven days, Titus had made significant progress. Not only had he mastered the Wind Shadow Slash at its pinnacle, but he had also advanced his own cultivation to the seventh level of the Qi Refining Stage. But this was only the beginning. These seven days of arduous cultivation were preparation for forging the Blade Vein. "The timing is ripe; I can forge the Blade Vein now." Titus took a deep breath and released six strands of Qi. These six strands of Qi were formed by the Wind Shadow Slash and represented the condensed true Qi throughout Titus's body. As Titus controlled them, the six strands of Qi pierced into his head. It felt as if six blades were stabbing into his skull. Titus trembled all over, his face turned pale, and the excruciating pain made him clench his teeth while large beads of cold sweat dripped down his face. The six streams of qi moved slowly, as if a knife was cutting within the skull. What was even more agonizing was that the six strands of Qi, as they moved, constantly split apart, dividing into two, then four... After a while, when the blade qi permeated his entire body, Titus felt like he was being sliced by thousands of sharp blades, and it wasn't a brief pain but a continuous one. This agony was a hundred times worse than when Titus was initially injured by Chloe's people. It was a horrifying torment. There were several moments when Titus thought that if he could just faint right there, he wouldn't have to endure this pain. However, he dared not do so because if he fainted, the process of forging the Blade Vein would fail. The consequence of failure would be death from the backlash of Qi. Whenever he felt he couldn't endure any longer, Titus would think about the Xenos Family in the Sparrow Kingdom, his family, and Chloe... Every time he thought about getting revenge on Chloe, Titus's spirit would be uplifted, and he would persevere through the most difficult moments. It was unclear how much time had passed; it felt like many years had gone by. Suddenly, a buzzing sensation emanated from his limbs and meridians. Titus's pupils contracted as he realized the critical moment had arrived because the intense pain was subsiding. He sensed a rapid change occurring within his meridians. Titus's body trembled slightly, as if something was about to burst forth from within him. Swish! A formidable blade qi surged out from the top of Titus's head. Titus smiled; he had finally succeeded. The first stage of Foundation Building was complete, and his Blade Vein had taken shape within his body. Feeling the potent blade qi enveloping his body, Titus truly understood the power of Blade Cultivation. Although he currently only possessed the cultivation of the seventh level of Qi Refining and only had thirty percent of his Sea of Qi left, he was now much stronger than before, compared to others at the same level. "Now that the first stage of the Blade Vein is formed and this strong, I wonder to what extent it will reach when the Blade Bone and Blade Soul are also formed..." Titus looked forward with anticipation. When all three elements—the Blade Vein, Blade Bone, and Blade Soul—were formed, it would constitute a perfect Foundation Building. At that point, the blade intent would be overwhelming, and nothing would be indestructible.