Chapter 143 – True Essence Manifestation
“There’s no inscription symbol…” Lin Ming thought. He himself was the current most splendid inscription grand master in the Sky Fortune Kingdom. He would have to ponder over what sort of inscription symbol to add to this Heavy Profound Soft Spear, to seek the highest possible promotion of might.
By now, the blue-clothed old man said, “Before the Martial House Master departed, he gave me this spear and told me that as long as you pa.s.s the test, this spear would be given to you. This spear was created by the Seven Profound Valleys’ Refiner Faction. If it were not because of the inherent limitations of such weapons, it would be at least a high-grade human-step treasure.”
Weapons like the spear, staff, and bow all demanded both tenacity and elasticity. They were the most difficult of treasures to create. Although this Heavy Profound Soft Spear was only a medium-grade human-step treasure, in terms of value, it was much more precious and valuable than a common high-grade human-step treasure sword!
As Lin Ming held onto the Heavy Profound Soft Spear, he loved it enough that he was almost unable to put it down.
The blue-clothed old man said, “This Heavy Profound Soft Spear weighs 1200 jins. The spear shaft is 9 feet long and made from heavy profound soft silver, while the spear head is 9 inches and made from cold star steel. The total length of this spear is 9 feet 9 inches.
In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, the shape of a spear and lance were similar. The general belief was that a spear was less than ten feet, and a lance was longer than ten feet. The spear was a weapon usually used in battles by martial artists, but the lance was almost exclusively used by someone riding on a warhorse. Because the lance was too long, it was difficult to display its strength without riding on the back of a horse.
In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, the army provided standard war horses and lances to those in its ranks. The pole of a lance was 10 feet, and the lance point 8 inches, therefore it was known as a 10 foot 8 lance. The lance was once famously used by a tough and valiant general. He had favored the lance, and his strikes would cause the enemies to bleed as if his weapon was a serpent, thus it became known as the 10 foot 8 snake lance.
In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, an average man was 7 feet, and they would have sons that were 7 feet. Of course, there were those that were taller, and might even be 8 feet high or taller.
An 8 foot spear was already the height of a tall martial artist. A 9 foot 9 inch spear was higher than a martial artist by two feet. Using such a long spear, the range of attack would be larger, but the difficulty would also be higher.
Among all the numerals, 9 is the highest. This symbol had been n.o.ble and honored since ancient times. A mortal emperor could only be referred to as the royal nine five, but the martial G.o.ds of old were actually called the supreme nine nine.
The spear was the king of a hundred soldiers, and a nine foot nine inch spear was the supreme 99 among all other spears. This spear was truly a king among kings. A normal refining master with only a modic.u.m of ability would never dare to rashly refine a 9 foot nine 9 long spear. They would fear their ability was insufficient, and ruin their own destiny.
Even if there were refining masters that were confident in their own refining technique, when creating the spear, they had to quench the flames of its creation with water added with fifth-level ominous beast blood. Only with this sacrifice to the spear would the malignant influences of the spear vanish.
With the Seven Profound Valleys’ deep resources and history, they certainly would have used fifth-level vicious beast blood to quench and temper the spear. Not only that, but they would not have used a small amount. In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, 1 tael of this blood was worth more than 30,000 gold taels, and was difficulty to buy. When Lin Ming had been planning to draw his body inscription, he had spent a tremendous amount of effort in order to collect 2 taels of this blood.
“Thank you, Deputy Martial House Master.” Lin Ming reverently said as he took the Heavy Profound Soft Spear in both his hands and deeply bowed. This spear was simply too precious, and it was also very important to him.
Seeing Lin Ming receive the Heavy Profound Soft Spear, the other disciples of the Martial House had very keen and eager expressions. Although they did not use a spear, if a martial artist saw a good weapon, they would still be envious.
“Show off a few moves. This old man wants to take a look at your spear technique.” The blue-clothed old man wet his lips and chuckled.
“Yes.” Lin Ming held the spear in both hands and bowed. He took a step back, and pressed the spear flat against his arm and pointed it outwards. The 1200 jin Heavy Profound Soft Spear was held perfectly level by Lin Ming. With Lin Ming’s increased strength, this 1200 jin Heavy Profound Soft Spear was just right.
As he felt the weight of the spear, Lin Ming gave the shaft a fierce shake. The Heavy Profound Soft Spear danced like a silver snake in his hands, and the originally sharp point of the spear head vibrated until it looked like a large illusory pearl.
There was a powerful force contained within the Heavy Profound Soft Spear that was very lethal. If an average person touched this vibrating spear head, they would be sent flying backwards by the vigorous tremors. If this spear point touched certain points like the chest or belly, the ribs would fracture, and there was an extreme possibility that the internal organs would all burst and that person would die a miserable death.
“Good spear!”
Lin Ming sincerely praised the spear, and his left hand pat down on the breech of the shaft. He forcefully held down the vibrating long spear and then took a step back. An imposing momentum erupted around him, and the Heavy Profound Soft Spear thrust out like a bolt of silver lightning.
“Flood Dragon Goes to Sea!”
Cha!
The piercing sound in the air was just as if a sharp knife was running across a gla.s.s pane. Rippling waves visible to the naked eye congealed in the air, as if light itself was twisting.
This was because the vibrating true essence that was poured into the spear had no place to vent, so it rushed into the air, causing vibrating sound waves that rapidly spread out.
Boom!
A thunderclap sounded in the air, and a stone pillar 100 feet far from Lin Ming suddenly exploded, stone rubble flying everywhere as the column collapsed into dust and rocks.
But Lin Ming’s spear point was 90 feet away from that stone column!
The blue-clothed old man’s eyes brightened, “What a good young fellow, that was true essence manifestation!”
True essence manifestation was an ability within the realm of Pulse Condensation Period martial artists!
Martial artists were able to release magnificent and awe-inspiring martial skills; but, this was not true essence manifestation. True essence manifestation referred to when a martial artist casually attacked, and was able to realize true essence and condense it into reality. Like so, every free strike they made would be comparable to a martial skill from an ordinary martial artist.
The requirement for this was that a martial artist’s true essence must be incomparably thick. Usually, only a Pulse Condensation Period martial artist could achieve true essence that dense.
But the current Lin Ming had only just entered the early Altering Muscle stage; how could that blue-clothed old man not be startled?
It was not only the blue-clothed old man, but also the two elders, Elder Sun and Elder Xu, Qin Xingxuan, and some other master talents present that had noticed Lin Ming’s true essence manifestation.
To Qin Xingxuan, this ability of Lin Ming’s to manifest true essence was much more surprising than him obtained the sixth place rank on the Ranking Stone. Qin Xingxuan found it hard to imagine that an early Altering Muscle stage martial artist could reach the boundary where he could manifest true essence. She was already at the Bone Forging stage, yet she did not yet have that ability.
“What the h.e.l.l is Lin Ming cultivating? Is this ethereal martial intent really that G.o.dly?”
The other disciples had not been able to see the mysterious principles within Lin Ming’s spear strike, but this did not hinder them from exclaiming in surprise at the spear’s excessive vigor.
“Spear wind, that was definitely spear wind!”
“No, that was certainly the legendary spear light!”
“What do you know? That was what ancients called spear-fu!”
The lower-order disciples didn’t know much about the theories of spear wind, spear light, sword wind, sword light, and were somewhat vague on the other speculations. They only knew that Lin Ming’s strike was truly fierce.
With a single thrust of Lin Ming’s spear, he had been able to shatter a stone column. Though this was an unintentional move, he was still incomparably excited.
After Lin Ming had broken through to the Altering Muscle stage, he had reached the boundary of true essence manifestation. But he hadn’t been able to use this to fight his enemies. However, now with the medium-grade human-step treasure, for the first time Lin Ming was able to release his true essence. Even without touching, he could still attack his enemy.
Relying on true essence to create a ranged attack was not difficult. Normally, a martial artist could do this once they cultivated a martial skill. Lin Ming hadn’t yet studied any martial skills, but now, as long as his true essence reserves were enough, he could actually strike out with a force tantamount to a martial skill!
Lin Ming wasn’t satisfied with just a single spear move. When his true essence poured into the Heavy Profound Soft Spear, it had the feeling of a fish swimming in water, and let Lin Ming feel incomparably comfortable.
At this time, the aura around Lin Ming’s body bloomed once again. He received his spear, gripped it in his right hand and fiercely thrust out a dozen times. He turned and stabbed, ‘Flowers in the Storm’!
‘Flowers in the Storm’ was another move within the ‘Foundation Spear Technique’. The strikes of the spear were like a hail of petals, without a single opening, where not even water could enter!
The spear shadow became blurry, and a keening whistle was produced from the terrifying speed of the spear. In the surroundings of the spear shadow, there were ripples once again visible to the naked eye. Anything that this high speed vibrating shockwave touched was torn into shreds!
Lin Ming stabbed out hundreds of times, and finally vented the powerful momentum that he had gathered a moment ago. As he took back the silver spear, Lin Ming’s mind was filled with a great happiness. The strength of this medium-grade human-step treasure was truly outstanding!
If he added an inscription symbol on top of that, the might of the spear would increase by nearly 50%!
Lin Ming already couldn’t wait to battle Zhang Guanyu!
The news of Lin Ming reaching the sixth place in the Ten Thousand Killing Array was like a ma.s.sive bomb that exploded throughout Sky Fortune City. In merely one day, it had spread to every nook and cranny of the land.
Three months to enter the top ten ranks of the Ranking Stone, four months to defeat Zhang Guanyu, five months to defeat Ta Ku, and six months to defeat Ling Sen.
To everyone, this series of tests was as difficult as ascending to heaven! But now, Lin Ming had only used two months to complete the first task. Not only that, but he had eclipsed it – Ranking Stone, sixth place!
Did this mean that after four months he could defeat Zhang Guanyu, and then defeat Ta Ku in the fifth month?
And six months later, subsequently challenge Ling Sen?
Zhang Guanyu and Ta Ku did not count for much, But Ling Sen had already been recognized throughout Sky Fortune Kingdom as being invincible within his stage; it could even be said that he was the top martial artist of those below the Pulse Condensation Period.
He was only a half-step into the Bone Forging stage, and yet he had strength that was comparable to Pulse Condensation Period martial artists. If Lin Ming defeated Ling Sen, then he would have shattered Ling Sen’s legend of being invincible within his stage, and his individual strength would be comparable to a Pulse Condensation Period martial artist!
For someone with cultivation at the Altering Muscle stage to have the strength of a Pulse Condensation Period martial artist, it was terrifying. Not only that, but Lin Ming was so young, and his cultivation speed was completely abnormal.
How many years would he need to break into the Bone Forging stage, or the Pulse Condensation Period?
When Lin Ming reached the Pulse Condensation Period, could he defeat a Houtian master, and seize the throne of being the top martial artist within the Sky Fortune Kingdom?
Like this, could Lin Ming reach the Houtian stage, or even the peak Houtian stage?
With Lin Ming’s cultivation speed, to reach the Houtian stage before he was 30 would not be difficult!
If he were to reach the peak Houtian stage, would he be able to compare to a Xiantian master?
Thinking of this, many people did not dare to presume any further. To them, a Xiantian master was simply a fable that existed only in legends.
Even in the Seven Profound Valleys where masters and powerhouses lurked everywhere, a Xiantian stage master had a pivotal status!
Regardless of if they were a Seven Profound Envoy or a Martial House Master, they would only be at the peak Houtian stage.
Although their status was higher than the emperor of Sky Fortune Kingdom, they still had to give some respect to the emperor. When they were issuing a decree, they also had to mind their tone.
But a Xiantian master was different. They were able to directly discard the emperor, and even set up a new emperor in place of the old!
If one did not obey their orders?
They would kill their way into the Royal Palace at night, and take the emperor’s severed head!
Who would dare to stop a Xiantian master?
Even if everyone knew perfectly well who it was that killed the emperor, who would have the ability to investigate?