From the moment the Tiger Soul awakened, I became invincible.

Chapter 113 Cultivation Technique Selection, Qin Wu Breaks Through the Realm

Having learned about the Spirit Spring, Qin Wu felt a surge of anticipation. However, the Spirit Spring's effects on him would be long-lasting, and what he was most concerned about right now was what kind of cultivation technique he could obtain. After all, for him at present, the most important thing was to acquire a core cultivation technique that could help him open his twelve acupoints; everything else was secondary.

However, before he could ask, Zhou Yan had already asked, "I wonder what kind of cultivation techniques Tianwu Mountain has that I can learn? The cultivation technique I'm currently practicing is already close to its limit, and I don't have the ability to open the twelve acupoints at all."

This was his biggest headache, and not just his, but his sister's as well. Opening the twelve acupoints was no easy feat. The choice of cultivation method was paramount; a suitable method, or even a better one, could greatly accelerate their progress. In this world, the greatest barrier to martial arts cultivation wasn't talent, but a method that allowed them to break through. Without opening the twelve acupoints, they couldn't enter that mysterious world, a fact no one understood better than the brother and sister.

Upon hearing this question, Cang Xuanwu replied, "My Tianwu Mountain may not have much else, but in terms of cultivation techniques, we are absolutely second to none."

His face was brimming with confidence, and his confidence was well-founded. Although Tianwu Mountain had indeed declined, it didn't mean its foundation had vanished. Even though many of its traditions had been lost, Tianwu Mountain still possessed countless techniques, such as the most basic cultivation method for opening the twelve acupoints, which they could freely choose from. This was the most important reason why Tianwu Mountain had been able to stand strong for so many years.

Upon hearing this answer, Qin Wu asked, "I desire a martial art that can aid in cultivation, one that takes the form of a beast. I wonder if Tianwu Mountain possesses any similar martial arts?"

Cang Xuanwu laughed heartily and said, "I knew you had this problem. I've learned a bit about you, and from the information I have, you seem to have a particular fondness for these beast-shaped martial arts. My Tianwu Mountain naturally has related martial arts, and quite a few of them. However, given your current situation, I still suggest you first cultivate a weapon technique. After all, although fist techniques are powerful in close combat, an inch longer, an inch stronger. And a good weapon can give you a huge advantage in battle, especially in group combat."

As he spoke, his expression grew more serious, and he continued, "Once you enter the world of true qi, things will be completely different from the past. This world is far more cruel than you imagine, and without a suitable weapon, your future will likely be very difficult. Therefore, I recommend a martial art to you called the Tiger King Saber. As the name suggests, it is a saber technique. I saw you use a saber to kill people before. Besides the Tiger King Saber, my Tianwu Mountain has some other similar martial arts."

Upon hearing the words "Tiger King Blade," Qin Wu's eyes flashed with a golden light. He had no aversion to weapons; it was just that he had mostly practiced fist techniques before, which suited the requirements of his beast-form martial arts. After all, using a weapon would inevitably differ from his beast-form blood intent, increasing the difficulty of cultivation. However, for him now, this wasn't a particularly difficult matter, especially now that he had completely integrated tiger-form martial arts, making the process much simpler.

"That's what I'll study."

Qin Wu nodded immediately.

He didn't need to think about it at all. Although he hadn't seen the Tiger King Saber yet, his instincts told him that this saber technique would be extremely compatible with him. However, this was just the beginning, because he knew very well that one saber technique couldn't support his future martial arts journey.

Then, Cang Xuanwu continued, "Sword technique is only one aspect. On the other hand, I see that your physique is incredibly strong, probably invincible among those of the same realm. In that case, I recommend the Immovable Vajra Body technique to you. The Immovable Vajra Body is a defensive technique, as immovable as a mountain or the sea, capable of encompassing all rivers and defending against all enemies. It takes the form of a circle, moving like thunder, yet remaining as still as a mountain. With these two techniques, one for offense and one for defense, your strength will increase dramatically."

Upon hearing Cang Xuanwu's recommendation, Qin Wu breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that joining Tianwu Mountain this time was indeed an excellent choice. Perhaps joining Kunlun Ruins would also offer other beast-form martial arts, but they would never be as good as what he had obtained. After all, Tianwu Mountain and Kunlun Ruins were different. In Kunlun Ruins, obtaining good martial arts required passing numerous trials. However, because Tianwu Mountain was in decline, it had streamlined many procedures, allowing him to easily acquire two beast-form martial arts techniques he desired. Joining Kunlun Ruins would definitely not have been such an easy task.

Cang Xuanwu then recommended the martial arts techniques that the Zhou siblings needed. Afterwards, he led them to the alchemy pavilion of Tianwu Mountain. Although called an alchemy pavilion, it was actually just a small thatched hut containing some pills. Cang Xuanwu then said, "These are the pills of my Tianwu Mountain. My Tianwu Mountain only has pills called Spirit Essence Pills. Spirit Essence Pills contain immense spiritual energy, which can assist your martial arts cultivation and accelerate your progress. Although there is a spiritual spring, its absorption speed is not as fast as that of Spirit Essence Pills. Therefore, while cultivating with the spiritual spring, you can also consume Spirit Essence Pills to further enhance your cultivation speed."

After saying this, Cang Xuanwu's expression became more solemn, and he continued, "I hope that in three years, all of you will be able to open your twelve acupoints. This world is not as peaceful as you imagine. My Great Zhou Dynasty has stood for countless years, but now it is in turmoil, and the situation is more severe than imagined. Before you reach the True Qi Realm, these things may be irrelevant to you. But from the moment you joined Tianwu Mountain, all of this has become a responsibility you cannot escape. One day you will step onto the battlefield. I hope that at that time you will still be standing here with me as you are now, instead of becoming a buried corpse."

These words immediately made the atmosphere more tense. Zhou Qiao'er was somewhat shocked, then said, "Are we going to have to fight for the Great Zhao Dynasty?"

This was something she hadn't expected at all. In their view, she had joined a martial arts sect, which shouldn't have much to do with the dynasty. After all, although the Great Zhou Dynasty was very powerful, its control over these sects shouldn't have been very strong; otherwise, the martial arts world wouldn't be so powerful, and the sects wouldn't have such great power.

Not only Zhou Qiao'er, but Qin Wu and Zhou Yan also looked somewhat shocked.

Cang Xuanwu's expression was extremely grave. He shook his head and said, "Our relationship with the Great Zhou Dynasty is one of cooperation, and the Great Zhou Dynasty has no jurisdiction over us. However, this matter is a responsibility that we martial arts sects cannot shirk. In fact, the decline of my Tianwu Mountain is also due to this. Beyond the Great Zhou Dynasty lies the territory of foreign races, especially demons."

As he spoke, he glanced at the Zhou siblings. Their expressions immediately changed; they knew, of course, what demons meant. Not only that, their mother had also been taken away by a powerful demon. Although their father was powerful, he was unwilling to risk rescuing their mother, which was why they had run away from home to Tianwu Mountain, hoping one day to become powerful enough to bring her back. Qin Wu had learned some things from Meng Qiudie, so while his understanding wasn't extensive, he roughly grasped what demons meant. However, he hadn't expected the war between humans and demons to have reached such a stalemate. Now it seemed his previous understanding had been rather simplistic.

After saying all that, Cang Xuanwu didn't continue. Instead, he gave them a brief introduction to Tianwu Mountain before turning and leaving.

These matters required Qin Wu and his companions to process gradually; they couldn't be resolved overnight. Afterward, Qin Wu and the others settled into their daily study and cultivation routine on Tianwu Mountain. Tianwu Mountain was vast, but many parts were in ruins, at least 90% of the area consisting of rubble. The remaining intact buildings also bore numerous traces of battle. Qin Wu even found a gigantic handprint in one spot. The enormous handprint was embedded seven-tenths of the wall, and when Qin Wu tried to penetrate it, even with all his might, he couldn't damage the wall in the slightest. This showed just how terrifying the owner of that handprint must have been. And that handprint didn't resemble a human hand; it seemed more like the work of some kind of humanoid demon.

However, these things were still too far off for Qin Wu, so he devoted himself entirely to cultivation. The Tiger King Saber was an extremely powerful saber technique. After choosing to learn it, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to its practice. He had some knowledge of saber techniques in his previous life, and although he hadn't encountered any saber techniques in this life, his experience from his previous life, coupled with his understanding of the tiger form, allowed him to quickly master the Tiger King Saber to the basics. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed, and he had now achieved mastery of the Tiger King Saber. During this time, he frequently visited the vicinity of the Spirit Spring. The Spirit Spring was indeed of great help to his cultivation, not only increasing the speed of his internal energy absorption but also clearing his mind and brightening his eyes. However, opening the twelve acupoints with the Tiger King Saber was extremely difficult, so he also diverted his energy to the Immovable Vajra Body. The Immovable Vajra Body was a defensive martial art that utilized the twelve acupoints more effectively, making it naturally easier to open them. Moreover, he had practiced the Dragon Elephant Suppressing the World Fist, which allowed him to temporarily open the twelve acupoints through that fist technique, giving him a certain understanding of the twelve acupoints.

His practice over this period of time finally allowed him to grasp the method of opening the twelve acupoints.

"It's time to open the first acupoint."

Qin Wu took a deep breath and then channeled all his inner energy into his first major acupoint. As time passed, he continuously swallowed Spirit Essence Pills, consuming three in the blink of an eye. The commotion quickly attracted the attention of Cang Xuanwu and the others. Upon learning that Qin Wu was attempting to open his acupoint, Cang Xuanwu was utterly shocked; this was completely different from what he had imagined. Although Qin Wu possessed great talent and strength, in his view, it was impossible for Qin Wu to open his first major acupoint so easily without several months of honing his skills. After all, these were two completely different paths. Furthermore, Qin Wu hadn't been focusing all his energy on the Immovable Vajra Body during this time; Cang Xuanwu had been observing him closely, so he knew very well that Qin Wu had devoted a significant portion of his energy to the Tiger King Blade. Under such circumstances, how could Qin Wu dare to open his acupoint?

"Too impulsive!" Cang Xuanwu slapped his thigh, his face somewhat grim. If this attempt to open the acupoints failed, it would inevitably damage them, causing the next attempt to open them to take even longer. This would certainly slow down Qin Wu's progress considerably.

Zhou Qiao'er glanced at Cang Xuanwu, then said, "I think Brother Qin is perfectly fine."

No one knew Qin Wu's strength and level better than her. Therefore, although Qin Wu opened his acupoints faster than they had expected, she did not think he would fail, and she believed that Qin Wu was not the kind of person who would act impulsively.

Cang Xuanwu sighed, saying with some helplessness, "I hope so. If he fails this time, it won't be easy for him to make another attempt. I came here to tell him something, but now it seems there's no need to."

"What's wrong?" Zhou Qiao'er asked.

Cang Xuanwu hesitated for a moment, then said, "The people from Kunlun Ruins will arrive at Tianwu Mountain in a month to spar with us. This is probably because Qin Wu didn't join Kunlun Ruins last time."

Upon hearing these words, the Zhou siblings immediately became nervous.

"Kunlunxu is causing us trouble. Could something bad be going to happen?"

Cang Xuanwu shook his head, then said coldly, "I'll say it again: Kunlun Ruins may be strong, but Tianwu Mountain is not a pushover. Although Kunlun Ruins is here to cause trouble for Tianwu Mountain, they must abide by the rules. They're using the pretext of a sparring match between young disciples to cause us trouble, requiring that only disciples who have been with the sect for no more than three years participate. Tianwu Mountain hasn't recruited any elite disciples in the past three years, so we'll inevitably suffer some setbacks, but that's all. For Tianwu Mountain, these things aren't very important."

There was something Cang Xuanwu didn't say. It wasn't that they didn't want the noodles, but rather that they already had a thorough understanding of the situation at Tianwu Mountain, so they could only disregard these external vanities. If victory was possible, who would want to lose? Originally, he had thought that even if they failed this time, at least Qin Wu and the others could learn some experience and observe the younger generation of Kunlun Ruins. He hadn't expected to stumble upon Qin Wu's acupoint opening. If they failed, even on the day of the competition, his injuries might not be fully healed. He feared he would lose face.

Oh well, it's just a matter of face. They've lost too much face in Tianwu Mountain already.