Chapter Forty-Eight: Pine Forest Blade Technique

“Brother Li, this is the Pine Forest Sect’s Pine Forest Saber Technique.”

Inside the Sutra Repository of the Pine Forest Sect, Li Ju sat amidst a pile of books, holding a martial arts manual in his hands.

“Just put it over there,” Li Ju said, not even lifting his head, merely pointing to a table nearby.

Chai Sen’s face remained expressionless as he silently placed his sect’s inherited technique where Li Ju had indicated, then turned and took his leave.

“Pine Forest Saber Technique…” Once Chai Sen had left, Li Ju set aside the manual he had been reading and picked up the Pine Forest Saber Technique that Chai Sen had just handed over.

The matter of the Pine Forest Sect betraying Li Ju would not simply end with the death of Chai Sen’s disciple. Seizing upon this incident, Li Ju had forcibly extorted the sect’s inherited martial arts from them.

With the Pine Forest Sect already in the wrong, and Li Ju enjoying the backing of the righteous Martial Alliance Leader—not to mention possessing the strength to wipe out their entire sect—the Pine Forest Sect, though seething with rage at Li Ju’s demands, ultimately had no choice but to acquiesce, swallowing their resentment.

“The Pine Forest Saber Technique was created by the sect’s founder, the Pine Forest Sage. The entire manual is constructed around the concept of cutting leaves with a saber. The technique is divided into five layers, and when a practitioner reaches the fifth layer, they may condense a martial artist’s intent and break through to the Lesser Trinity realm.”

“Unfortunately, over the centuries of the Pine Forest Sect’s existence, the fourth and fifth layers of the technique have been lost. Only the first three layers remain, and even if one perfects the third layer, they are at best an ordinary internal expert like Chai Sen.”

“The decline of the Pine Forest Sect—from a once-great power in the martial world to a mere mid-tier sect—can largely be attributed to the loss of their core legacy.”

Li Ju perused the Pine Forest Saber Technique with great focus.

Even with the later layers missing, this manual was still of significant value. After all, it was a technique that could reach the Lesser Trinity realm, and the martial principles and philosophies contained within pointed directly toward that height.

In some respects, these underlying principles and philosophies were even more important than the combat techniques themselves. While the latter simply made one stronger, the former revealed why one became strong and how to continue advancing.

For a martial artist aspiring to reach greater realms, neither innate talent nor techniques were the most crucial. Only a profound foundation built upon endless martial philosophies and insight could determine the heights a martial artist might one day reach.

“Of course, for now, what matters most to me is the method within this Pine Forest Saber Technique for breaking through to the internal stage.”

After quickly skimming the manual once more, Li Ju turned his attention to the section detailing the transition from an external to an internal martial artist.

To his surprise, there were two methods recorded for achieving the internal breakthrough. Li Ju raised his eyebrows.

The Pine Forest Saber Technique described two ways to make the leap. One was the most common and popular in the martial world: the Blood Essence Vibration Method. The other was called the Compression Conversion Method.

The Compression Conversion Method called for the martial artist to forcibly compress their own blood essence to its utmost limit, and then, by means of a special technique, convert that highly condensed essence into internal force.

Compared to the Blood Essence Vibration Method, Compression Conversion did not require one to repeatedly comprehend the vibration of force, nor did it depend on the practitioner’s insight; the entire process was almost absurdly simple.

However, the reason this method was not widely adopted was because it consumed an enormous amount of blood essence. To complete the process, one needed at least three times the blood essence of an ordinary internal expert; those lacking sufficient reserves would be exhausted long before finishing.

In the end, the Compression Conversion Method was suited only for those with extraordinary natural endowments and abundant blood essence.

“That suits me well.”

After studying the Compression Conversion Method, Li Ju decided to use it immediately to break through to the internal stage. It might not be the perfect method for him, but he was growing impatient.

The appearance of Hai Yuanyi had served as a stark warning. Li Ju had always thought those three Lesser Trinity experts were far beyond his reach, but with his own power now revealed, he had drawn their attention.

“The gap between a Lesser Trinity expert and a lower-tier martial artist is simply too vast.”

Recalling his first encounter with Hai Yuanyi, Li Ju narrowed his eyes. When Hai Yuanyi stood before him, his body instinctively sounded the alarm—like an ordinary man facing a mountain tiger.

He could sense that, with his current strength, he would not survive fifty moves against Hai Yuanyi.

“At present, the fastest way for me to grow stronger is to break through to the internal stage.”

Li Ju exhaled slowly.

He needed this—not only to lay the foundation for his future martial path in reality, but also to complete his tasks in the current scenario.

Having instructed the members of the Pine Forest Sect that he would be secluding himself in the Sutra Repository for several days and was not to be disturbed, Li Ju sought out a secluded corner in the library to begin his cultivation.

He deliberately avoided using any secret training chambers within the sect, wary that word of his breakthrough might leak and invite an attack; after all, there were many in the Pine Forest Sect who bore him grudges.

“No time to waste. I must begin the breakthrough now.”

Sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, Li Ju silently commenced the Compression Conversion Method to ascend to the internal stage.

A vast quantity of blood essence surged within him, being compressed again and again, forming a vortex within his body. The concentrated flow of blood essence was so intense that even his skin took on a crimson hue.

Upon his chest, a bat-shaped mark began to glow, its black lines spreading in an instant to cover his entire body.

A rustling sound filled the air as the books surrounding Li Ju were whipped about by an invisible current.

Three days passed.

The strange phenomena had subsided, and Li Ju’s aura had diminished to its lowest ebb. His once sturdy body was now gaunt, little more than skin and bones—a most wretched sight.

Suddenly, Li Ju’s eyes snapped open, a flash of white light shooting from his gaze.

Electricity in a silent chamber!

He exhaled a long breath of turbid air, his body crackling as it moved.

At the same time, a mighty aura began to rise from within him.