Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship

The unexpected always arrives quietly.

Yang Chan never imagined that Xu Gaocen, a man who rarely left the mountain, would volunteer to leave the Cyan Yuan Sect. He was going down the mountain to join the battle and assist Sect Leader Liu Xuan and the others.

When the news came, he was so angry he wanted to smack Xu Gaocen with a medicine furnace. ’Wake up!’ he thought. ’Don’t go looking for trouble at a time like this!’

Sect Leader Liu Xuan and the rest of the Cyan Yuan Sect were currently on the front lines, facing the forces of the Three Major Sects: Lingyu Palace, Taiyu Valley, and the Nanhua Sword Sect. It was the most dangerous place imaginable, yet Xu Gaocen had volunteered to go. ’Has he lost his mind?’

Yang Chan had hoped to pass the Pharmacist’s assessment to get out of this mission, but Xu Gaocen was informing them of a decision, not asking for their opinion.

The names of all the Pharmacist’s Assistants were already on the list of those descending the mountain. This meant Yang Chan and the others had to go, period. Even if he passed the assessment and became a full-fledged Pharmacist, it wouldn’t change a thing.

This whole affair gave Yang Chan a firsthand taste of life’s unpredictability.

Just a short while ago, he was sighing over the tragic fate of the disciples sent down the mountain. Now, he was forced to become one of them—and he was being sent to the most dangerous front.

The ones fighting Sect Leader Liu Xuan’s group were bound to be experts from the Three Major Sects. Before such masters, even his own expertise in the External Refining of Flesh and Skin meant nothing.

After all, look at what happened last time. Of all the disciples who followed that Inner Master Elder, none came back alive except for a single Direct Disciple whose Martial Arts Cultivation was crippled.

They may have been ambushed, but it still showed just how perilous it was.

Even experts at the level of Inner Master and External Iron Bone Refining faced mortal danger down there. It was a testament to the risks. And now he was being sent right into the thick of it. It truly made him feel like he’d been royally screwed.

Yang Chan couldn’t help but mentally send his ’kindest regards’ to Xu Gaocen’s mother. After that, he could only resign himself to going.

As for thoughts of betraying the Sect or deserting the Cyan Yuan Sect, Yang Chan didn’t dare entertain them. After all, the Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall was no joke.

If he went, there was at least a chance of survival. And if Sect Leader Liu Xuan and his forces managed to defeat the Three Major Sects, then people like him would be credited with great merit. There would surely be no shortage of Cultivation Resources and silver coins.

Besides, they were Pharmacist’s Assistants. They wouldn’t be on the front lines, but rather in support roles.

Yang Chan could only repeat these thoughts to comfort himself.

Before leaving, Yang Chan received a Ten Refinements Long Sword, which the Cyan Yuan Sect had prepared for all the disciples being deployed. It was far superior to any common long sword found among the populace.

It was sharp enough to injure someone at the level of External Refining of Flesh and Skin. These long swords were forged in the Cyan Yuan Sect’s own Artifact Refining Hall.

Elite Disciples were issued Hundred-Refined Long Swords, which were even sharper. Yang Chan had seen one in an Elite Disciple’s hands before; when it was drawn, it truly gleamed with a cold light.

Just from the sound of the sword slicing through the air, you could tell how sharp it was.

He hadn’t seen a Direct Disciple’s Thousand Refinements Long Sword unsheathed, but it was certainly even more formidable. It was the most powerful weapon one could find short of a true artifact.

Since most of the Official Disciples, including Yang Chan, had never practiced any swordsmanship, they were taught a set of Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship before they left the Cyan Yuan Sect.

The name sounded impressive, but it was actually a swordsmanship designed to complement the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist. Normally, Official Disciples could only learn this swordsmanship in the Instructor Hall after their Wild Ox Force Power had reached the Great Success stage. This was to prevent them from getting distracted by swordsmanship and delaying the cultivation of their Wild Ox Force.

But now that they were being deployed, they naturally needed a way to protect themselves.

The “Demon Suppressing” part of the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship referred to subduing the “Ox Demon” from the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist. It was a complementary technique; practicing it was synergistic with the fist style, allowing Official Disciples like them to grasp the basics quickly.

For those who had already reached Great Success in their Wild Ox Force, the practice was even faster, saving a great deal of time.

In just one day, Yang Chan had not only grasped the basics of the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship but had already become proficient. When he performed the entire set of techniques, he looked quite competent.

The Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist was powerful, but it still fell short compared to fighting with a weapon.

As the saying goes, “an inch of length is an inch of strength.” A weapon provided a significant advantage.

Even a child could kill a man if they were holding a weapon.

If Official Disciples like them went into battle without a weapon, they would be at a huge disadvantage right from the start.

Cultivating the Wild Ox Force didn’t make one invulnerable. Even with External Refining Copper Skin, you were only resistant to ordinary weapons and difficult for a normal person to harm. It didn’t make you invincible.

While practicing the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship, Yang Chan heard the Dharma Transmission Steward mention something interesting. The “demon” in the technique’s name referred not only to the “Demon Bull” of the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist, but also the “Tiger Demon” from the Tiger Demon Bone-Forging Fist, a Bone Refining Fist Technique. It was a swordsmanship designed to be compatible with both.

By subduing both of these “demons,” the power of one’s Sword Techniques would become immense.

These were all part of a set of complementary cultivation techniques for Cyan Yuan Sect Disciples. They were all synergistic, and only a powerful sect could possess such an integrated system of techniques.

Everything was connected, from Nurtured Strength to External Refining Boxing Techniques and even Protective Swordsmanship. Once a disciple became proficient, their future cultivation would accelerate, and their techniques would grow ever more deadly.

After a single day, Yang Chan’s progress in the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship had reached 15% of the Beginner Level. This was quite a bit faster than his progress with any previous cultivation technique.

This was partly because it complemented his Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist, but the main reason was that his Talent had increased to 12.

After his Talent improved, his progress in cultivating the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist, the Tai Chi Health Cultivation Skill, and the Turtle Breath Body Cultivation Skill had all seen a significant boost. The effects were remarkably clear.

Previously, with his Low Talent, there had been some progress, but it was nothing compared to the clear jump to a medium-tier speed he was experiencing now.

For instance, previously, practicing a full set of the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist would only increase his Beginner Level progress by one percent. Now, it was at least three percent. This was a qualitative leap. And that was *with* the bonus from his panel; without it, the difference would likely be even greater.

It was like how, after two and a half years as a Servant, he still hadn’t managed to reach one hundred percent in the Beginner Level of the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist.

Yang Chan’s progress in the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship was fast, but he couldn’t compare to the disciples who had volunteered for the mission.

Those volunteers had started practicing the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship in the Instructor Hall nearly a month ago. Yang Chan, Shu Yu, and the other Pharmacist’s Assistants were essentially late additions. Naturally, they had far less time to practice than the other Official Disciples, and their proficiency in the swordsmanship showed a clear gap.

On the other hand, as Pharmacist’s Assistants, Yang Chan, Shu Yu, and the others wouldn’t be fighting directly. Their job was to assist Xu Gaocen with support tasks like sorting herbs, preparing medicinal packs, and treating wounded disciples. The only reason they were learning the swordsmanship was for self-defense—a necessary skill for any disciple leaving the sect’s protection.

Since he was being forced to go, Yang Chan had no choice but to spend his Potential Points on the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship.

His original plan to keep upgrading the Tai Chi Health Cultivation Skill to increase his lifespan and Talent was now completely derailed.

His cultivation had reached the Second Layer Yellow Brass of External Refining Copper Skin, making him difficult to injure with ordinary blades. Advancing to the third layer, Ancient Bronze, required too many Potential Points, so his natural choice was to upgrade the Demon Suppressing Swordsmanship first. Using the swordsmanship for protection would at least make him feel a little safer.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep