King Lin clasped his hands respectfully, "Brother Gongming, this voyage of mine has indeed been quite costly, so I won’t stand on ceremony with you."
He didn’t ask Xu Qing how much more to add, everyone was straightforward, wouldn’t Xu Gongming let him suffer a loss?
The time was too rushed, and he couldn’t find a proper buyer in such short notice.
Xu Qing didn’t mind the additional funds; Magic Artifacts suitable for Exorcism experts were priceless. Acquiring one was already a bargain.
Regarding the secrets on Elder Bai’s body, Xu Qing was interested in the content about Dao Skills, the Martial Arts Secrets were to be transcribed. It’s the opposite for King Lin.
As for the other valuables on Elder Bai’s person, Xu Qing didn’t take them but gave them directly to King Lin.
This pleased King Lin greatly.
Xu Qing didn’t feel at a loss either.
Being able to kill Elder Bai and obtain the Peach Wood Sword, he had already gained a huge advantage.
After experiencing the power of a Divine Soul Expert with Great Success in Exorcism manipulating a Magic Artifact, Xu Qing felt an even stronger sense of crisis.
His current strength was still inadequate against real powerhouses.
After dividing the loot, Xu Qing returned to Plum Blossom Cottage to rest. As for the Sect Leader of the Eagle Claw Sect, Su Lianqing directly handed her over to Guo Zhuang to watch temporarily.
Xu Qing felt mentally tired but didn’t enter deep sleep to recover. After a fierce battle, it’s crucial to review and assess the outcomes.
Moreover, the experience gained from engaging in close combat with the Sect Leader of the Eagle Claw Sect would certainly benefit his cultivation.
All of these needed to be quickly digested and absorbed.
He boosted his spirits, first analyzed his previous combat experience, then placed the Peach Wood Sword before his knees to scrutinize it.
This Peach Wood Sword had been heavily damaged by King Lin earlier, showing only minor cracks but was largely intact. The Divine Thoughts inside were also dispersed by King Lin’s vital energy, so there was no need to worry about Elder Bai’s resentment causing trouble.
Even so, Xu Qing had previously sent the Yaksha King to infiltrate and clean it.
"Clearly made of peach wood, but it weighs like metal, truly unimaginable." Xu Qing had realized the sword was heavy when he first acquired it. Examining it closely now, it was even more astonishing.
Xu Qing released his Divine Soul, delving into the Peach Wood Sword.
Entering it using the Yaksha King felt different; it strangely seemed as though the Peach Wood Sword had its own flesh body with a vibrant life force.
When he tried to activate the Peach Wood Sword, it merely trembled on his knee but didn’t take flight.
"In the end, the gap between my Divine Soul and the Divine Soul Power at the Great Success of Exorcism level is still very large. Plus, I haven’t officially consecrated it, making it much harder to manipulate..."
After experimenting with the Peach Wood Sword, Xu Qing concluded.
The sword must be officially consecrated before it can be used.
And without reaching the Realm of Great Success in Exorcism, it’s very hard to control it freely.
He needed to improve his strength as soon as possible; otherwise, even with good weapons, they’d be unusable or he might even fail to protect them.
Xu Qing knew, having such a Magic Artifact, Luo Sect would definitely not be indifferent once they discovered it.
"Fortunately, I have already subdued Su Lianqing. With her inside, Luo Sect, if planning any actions against me, will likely inform her, unless they have already discovered that she is affiliated with me."
Xu Qing had taken precautions early and had Su Lianqing report to the Main Temple of Luo Sect that she had joined the Inner Factory, detailing the exact circumstances.
As a response from Luo Sect’s Main Temple had yet to come, but with the Inner Factory drawing attention, the likelihood of Su Lianqing’s identity being revealed on his side was substantially reduced.
This woman was a skilled actress, now daily pondering how to speak in a convincing manner before the people of the Inner Factory and the Main Temple.
A multi-faced spy’s performance requires depth and greatly tests one’s acting skills.
If she wasn’t also skilled in disguising techniques, even born a dramatic genius, she would find it hard to handle so many identities.
Xu Qing couldn’t simply shift the blame regarding the Peach Wood Sword to King Lin.
He could secure this object mostly because King Lin was reluctant to keep the sword and attract the attention of the Lotus Sect and the Luo Sect to his doorstep.
In both Luo Sect and Lotus Sect, there was likely a secret technique to track the artifact.
Xu Qing hoped to find a solution to this kind of risk in the Dao Skills related content left by Elder Bai.
He browsed for a long time, thoroughly contemplating the information left by Elder Bai, still unable to find a solution.
Xu Qing couldn’t help feeling disappointed, deciding to think of another way later.
He then looked at the Martial Arts Secrets he had transcribed, his eyes landing on a page: "Thunder God Nine Slashes, First Form: Tiger Roar Dragon Whine."
This page was also a partial copy transcribed by Elder Bai from another source.
Relying on his robust Divine Soul, Xu Qing almost completely replicated this form.
"Thunder God Nine Slashes is a saber technique more powerful than the Five Tigers Breaking Gate Saber; it requires comprehension of the Sword Intent to cultivate. Unfortunately, what I got is only an incomplete part."
Pondering over this form, an idea suddenly flashed through Xu Qing’s mind.
"The last two moves of Five Tigers Breaking Gate Saber need to be created by myself; why not draw inspiration from this slash to help me grasp the final two moves of the Five Tigers Breaking Gate Saber?"
Xu Qing knew Thunder God Nine Slashes was incomplete; even if practiced, the incomplete version could only be used as a unique move. If he extracted its essence and integrated it into the Five Tigers Breaking Gate Saber, the significance would be different.
"The further one progresses in the cultivation of Martial Arts, more one needs to integrate the strengths of all schools to create something of one’s own. Since I could create ’Beng Fist,’ naturally I can also attempt to integrate and create other Martial Arts."
He now had the close combat Five Tigers Breaking Gate Saber, and once the Peach Wood Sword was consecrated, he would have a long-range weapon, making him better equipped to handle emergencies and various challenges in the future.