Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 236 – Forging Blueprints, Flowers on the nameless tree branch!

After walking back to his residence, Qing Shui directly placed the set of forging tools inside his spatial realm. After which, he went out to purchase a set of tableware before he returned. Going up to the 2nd level, he arranged and set up the tableware in his kitchen. After all, he would be staying here in the future.

As for food, he could eat the stuff inside his spatial realm. At the very least, there was still plenty of black fishes and turtles, and he wasn’t sick of them at all. On the contrary, he still found them to be very delicious.

Qing Shui was thinking that he needed to increase the types of aquatic animals so he could make good use of the crystal pond. He didn’t have the chance to do so yet. After fixing up a simple meal, he entered into the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal.

Qing Shui started to cultivate his Ancient Strengthening Technique. Regardless of how busy he was, he would never neglect his cultivation since it was a must for him to cultivate every day. Currently, he had already reached 77 cycles of circulated Qi. After which, he began practicing his Basic Sword Techniques. Now that he was already at the Obscure Realm stage, Qing Shui’s execution could only be described as smooth-flowing as though he were appreciating wine. It allowed spectators to bask in enjoyment as they spectated his immersive practice.

After he finished his sword practices, he took a break and filled his stomach before starting the cultivation of his fist techniques. One of his hands was practicing the Nine Waves Golden Buddha Palm technique while his other hand was practicing the Solitary Rapid Fist. Although the Solitary Rapid Fist only had a single move, its potential was boundless. The mastery of it depended on one’s insight as well as their reaction speed. Not only that, it was not merely an attacking-type technique. but rather it was also a kind of hand-speed skill that could be integrated into any other kind of unarmed techniques!

All in all, Qing Shui’s attacking repertoire consisted of the Basic Sword Techniques, Nine Waves Golden Buddha Palms, Tiger Form, and Taiji Fist. Of course, there were also his hidden weapons technique and his golden needles!

When he was back during the day, he would give the acupuncture treatment to Huyou and used his Saintly Hands technique to soothe Huyou’s pain.

The Saintly Hands incorporated the Qi of the Ancient Strengthening Technique. It was able to connect bones, strengthen the constitutions, increase one’s accuracy and agility, and bring other tremendous benefits to the recipients of this technique.

After which, he rested in between by eating some stuff while communicating with the fire bird. When Qing Shui glanced at the Tempered Metallic Essence, he felt that it would be a waste to use it now despite the fact that he really wanted to.

Looking at the hammer on the ground, Qing Shui thought of the Thousand Hammer Technique. Although it couldn’t be used purely for forging, he could still train in the techniques of using a hammer for attacking. After which, Qing Shui happily lifted up the hammer.

At the moment the hammer danced in the air, the aura of the Ancient Strengthening Technique could be felt emanating from it. The hammer was a heavy-class weapon, and was extremely tyrannical when used as a weapon. Hammers could be wielded either with two arms or singlehandedly. Qing Shui’s right arm held the hammer as he chopped with immense strength, before gracefully shifting into a horizontal sweep…

The dance of his hammer gradually got swifter as the strength he used increased in proportion to his weapon. With experience at the Obscure Realm, Qing Shui’s hammer technique improved at a lightning speed. Even if he couldn’t reach the Obscure Realm in a short period of time, he could still reach the Ancestor Realm at the very least.

This was a kind of shortcut. Upon reaching the Obscure Realm, everything would feel easier to learn. When facing against enemies, one would also be able to see the paths of attacks. It would enable one to dodge easier and even give an opportunity to ‘insta-kill’ your opponents.

The hammer in Qing Shui’s hands turned into a blur of shadows as that air of tyranny got stronger and stronger. His nimble hand techniques incorporated the Taiji Fist which was at the Obscure Realm. The concept of the Solitary Rapid Fists fused into the Thousand Hammer Technique as the hammer in his hands danced gracefully and continuously. His moves somehow emitted an awe-inspiring feeling by interweaving behind “hard strength”, “softness”, “swiftness”, and “slowness”.

Peng!

When a thunderous sound rang out the moment his hammer struck the ground, he stood there motionlessly. This was the feeling, and he could feel that somehow. Information was being unlocked in his sea of consciousness again.

When the hammer strike struck out, it was as though Qing Shui’s sea of consciousness was activated. His heart and mind completely immersed in his sea of consciousness. Numerous blueprints of items suddenly appeared in his mind. Qing Shui stared dumbly at the new information, clothed cap, jaded hairpins, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, overcoats, ox-leather whips, five colored flying stones, masks, scale mail, horse whip, leather boots, and ribbons.

Jagged Sword, Bluebronze Sword, Crooked Point Spear, Sawtooth Pike, Bluebronze Axe, Mountain Axe, Mystic Iron Sword, Dragon Phoenix Twin Swords. Illusion Silver Sand, Golden Veil, Metallic Claw, Skywolf Claw, Golden Magic Rod, Jade pendant, Mystic Iron Hammer, Willow Sabre, Goldenback Great Sabre.

Not only were there weapons of various grades, there were even blueprints for items that were suitable for beast tamers! Qing Shui felt as though he was a person that was lost on the streets and finally saw a signpost. All of these blueprints were priceless. Qing Shui knew that all this information was unlocked only because he had cultivate the Thousand Hammer Technique to the Ancestor Realm.

Not only that, there was also information regarding refinement of second-grade gemstones. This caused Qing Shui to be thunderstruck. He would never have imagined that the simple forging technique he learnt at the start was actually the doorway that granted him so many awesome stuff. Only now did he realised that experience gained for the Ancient Forging Techniques was inseparable to the Thousand Hammer Technique. If it wasn’t for the fact that the Thousand Hammer Technique could be used as a method to deal with his enemies, Qing Shui wouldn’t have put so much effort into it. Not only that, all the support type techniques he learnt were all extremely useful. He silently told himself that as long as it was a support-type technique, he would put in all his efforts and learn them all.

Although he already had ten times the amount of time compared to normal people, he began to feel that he needed even more time.

Now, the amount of things that needed to be learnt increased more and more. Now it was to the point where it felt that his time was insufficient

The Yin-Yang picture in his sea of consciousness slowly rotated as it radiated divine might, slowly tempering his bone structure as well as his spiritual senses. Only the amount of improvement was truly minute, but it was still better than nothing.

Qing Shui knew that once he broke through the Ancestor Realm to the Truth Realm, there would be even more Forging Methods and blueprints for stuff that would appear. Upon stepping into the Obscure or even higher realms, there might be even more mysterious blueprints.

In his fantasy, Qing Shui was wearing a complete set of divine equipment as he trampled his way over to the Yan Clan. In order to truly trample on them, he would need breakthroughs in his Ancient Strengthening Technique, alchemy, and forging methods.

A few moments later, he suddenly saw the Thousand-Year Gloomy Wood that he left inside the crystal pond. With a wild burst of inspiration, Qing Shui decided to plant it. If it grew into something, it would be good, but if it doesn’t, he wouldn’t lose anything anyway. If it truly could be grown, he wouldn’t have a lack of Gloomy Wood any longer. Demonic cores, Black Turtle Shell, and the Heavenly Silk could be obtained elsewhere, thus he was not too worried about them.

After planting the Gloomy Wood, Qing Shui glanced with surprise at the almost forgotten, nameless tree root which he had obtained from an unknown old man way back in the past. Currently, there was actually flowers already sprouting on it!

“100 years to germinate, and another 100 years before it sprouts flowers! What the hell is this tree? Why does it need such a long time to grow?” Qing Shui was dumbfounded.

“Peach Blossom?”

Qing Shui frowned as he stared at the pink flowers that looked akin to peach blossoms. It truly looked alike but there were still some differences. The flowers shone with a crystal light glow as it emitted a fragrance that was extremely pleasant.

What kind of tree is this? It took over hundred of years of being buried in the soil of the Immortal Realm before strong branches grew out. They were about one meter long, and had the thickness of a child’s arm. At the end of the branches, pinkish flowers of various sizes could be seen, looking as beautiful as a work of art.

“I’m truly anticipating what would this thing grow into.” Qing Shui happily stared at the nameless tree, waiting for it to bear fruit. He guessed that the quality of the fruits that this nameless tree wouldn’t lose out to the Energy-Enhancing, and Agility-Enhancing Fruits that were currently in his spatial realm.

Qing Shui was basing his conjectures on the time it takes for the tree to grow. On principle, the longer was obviously the better!