Chapter 357: Knockoff Plan (Bonus Chapter 22 for Average Subscriptions)

Compared to the tense and hostile atmosphere over at Half City, the Jiuhua City shop appeared significantly more harmonious.

By this time, many had already reached their daily time limits, and a crowd of major figures including Nalan Hongwu, Lan Mo, and Xue Daolv could be seen sitting properly on the sofas, surrounded by a ring of students from various academies, sect members, and even independent warriors, some clutching bottles of Coke, others holding bowls of instant noodles.

"There is no harm in me discussing this Sword Controlling Technique," Xue Daolv said, taking a sip of Coke and picking up a spicy stick with his chopsticks, carrying the air of a grandmaster directing the realm. "The Sword Controlling Techniques of Shushan, Emei, and Qingyun each have their own merits. Those with talent can attempt to synthesize the strengths of all schools, while those without such aptitude can focus deeply on mastering a single lineage. Now, this seat will explain to everyone the key points of the Sword Controlling Techniques from these three sects, along with some of my own insights; how much you can comprehend will depend entirely on yourselves."

"Palace Master Xue!" Song Qingfeng was considered one of the better learners of the Sword Controlling Technique and drove his spiritual sword with flying speeds, often taking these major figures for flights on ordinary days, so he was not at all shy as he asked, "Although the Sword Controlling Techniques of these sects each have their strengths, we warriors should only be able to cultivate the Shushan Sect's Sword Controlling Technique, right?"

"A good question," Xue Daolv smiled. "However, you all must have read the Heavenly Book by now. In fact, this involves a concept of the Heavenly Dao expounded within it—that different paths lead to the same destination. In theory, as long as one's own Qi is pure enough, such differences do not exist. But this is only in theory; for the time being, it is naturally more suitable for warriors to focus primarily on the Shushan Sect's Sword Controlling Technique."

Xue Daolv spoke while stuffing a spicy stick into his mouth, making use of the leisure time between chews: "...The Sword Controlling Technique of the Shushan Sect, as everyone knows, has its core essence in controlling the sword with Qi, whether it be spiritual Qi or martial Qi, both can be utilized..."

"Instructor Mu, you are here too?" Lan Yan said at this moment, drinking her Coke while watching from the back, quickly spotting the figure of a woman dressed in red leather armor.

"Yes," Mu Hongzhu nodded and said seriously, "Otherwise, I would end up even more noobish than you students."

Although there were some things that still could not be fully understood for the time being, things that could be felt but not expressed in words, certain personal insights and understandings could still be taught. The advanced ones included Lan Mo's modifications to his sect's supreme technique, the Blue Flame Heaven Net, while the lower-level ones could be modifications to certain martial skills, or even insights into sword arts and cultivation methods like the Sword Controlling Technique and the Holy Spirit Sword Technique.

Mu Hongzhu pondered that as an instructor, she could teach her students more new things during classes.

Furthermore, Lingyun Academy was currently undergoing major reforms, and instructors who were not familiar with at least one movie, television series, or game basically lacked the qualifications to be promoted to senior instructors.

Meanwhile, supreme experts like Xue Daolv and Nalan Hongwu, even if they watched the same show or played the same game for the exact same amount of time, would comprehend things far more deeply than these low-level cultivators and warriors.

...

Outside the Half City shop, a scene of flying flames and intersecting sword shadows could be seen at this time.

"Witness my Yimu True Flame!" Sheets of ghostly fire shadows could be seen dancing outside the shop door.

"What does that amount to? Behold my Crimson Flame Incinerating the Heavens!"

"Yimu Qingyang Formula!"

"Seven Tribulations Dragon Slaying!" A misty haze of sword shadows flashed before the shop door, and in an instant, the sword shadows expanded explosively, like mountains and seas!

"When the hell did you secretly learn the Seven Tribulations Dragon Slaying Formula?!" a Daoist in a black-and-white Daoist robe cried out in surprise.

"Haha, unexpected, isn't it? I have even started learning the Ghost and God Slaying! Once I master it, I'll instant-kill you with a single strike!"

"Did you think you were using Double Blaze?"

"What use is that?!" A cultivator dressed in a black robe with black hair draped over his shoulders joined the battle, instantly executing a spell hand-seal, and a gloomy, terrifying, blood-colored illusion suddenly manifested in the sky.

"Holy hell! Old Monster Youquan?!"

"What do you want to do?!"

"Hahahahaha!" The Dark Demon let out a burst of wild laughter. "This is a spell I created by mimicking the mountain-splitting roar of Youquan that day. If you have the ability, receive a roar from me! Although it is merely an imitation, it definitely possesses a fraction of that power!"

A red figure was seen before the shop door again, expanding rapidly until it grew to the shocking height of two stories—a massive, horn-headed exotic beast covered in flames!

"If you have the ability, roar at my dog!" Xue Shuilong held his Dragon Pattern sword; the massive divine beast before his eyes had clearly reached level seven already, and with the defensive buffs he applied to himself, it could be described as terrifying!

"Hahahahaha!" Tang Yuan, who was nearby, stroked his beard and smiled. "Daoist Xue, bringing out such a large dog, aren't you afraid this seat will give it a Holy Word Spell?"

"You dare..." Xue Shuilong hurriedly shrank the divine beast back to its original size and quickly hid it behind himself; training it to level seven had cost him a great deal of effort, and if it were wiped out by a Holy Word Spell, it would be absolutely tragic.

"Hahahahaha!" The grey-robed elder of the Haoran Sect was named Duan Yue, and he walked out of the shop at this moment laughing loudly.

"Junior Brother, what good news makes you so happy?" The Sect Master of the Haoran Sect looked surprised.

"Oh, I just had an exchange with the cultivators of the Great Jin Country in the QQ group, and I didn't expect the art of artifact forging to have such methods," Duan Yue laughed. "Senior Brother, let us return and prepare immediately. Perhaps, there is hope of replicating the Haotian Mirror!"

"What?!"

All the contentions from just now ceased instantly, and everyone turned to look together at Duan Yue.

"What did you say?!"

"Don't wait for me with that kind of expression," Duan Yue said. "Achieving the power of the true Haotian Mirror is naturally impossible, but if we can thoroughly understand its structure, the engraved seal characters, and the auspicious patterns, perhaps we can manufacture a pseudo-Haotian Mirror."

After all, these cultivators of the alien world were no fools; if things were placed right in front of them to study and they couldn't even grasp a single shred of it, it would be a waste of their many years of cultivation.

"Good, good, good!" The Sect Master of the Haoran Sect said in great joy, "As long as there is half a possibility, the resources and manpower of the Haoran Sect are completely at your disposal!"

"Uh... this... Sect Master Wang." Old Daoist Tianxu of the Yimu Dao Palace hurriedly approached, rubbing his hands together as he said, "This kind of thing definitely cannot be thoroughly researched by one or two cultivators within ten years or half a year. Why don't we..."

"The meaning from the Wuwei Daoist Alliance over there is that everyone can set up a QQ group, and when the time comes, any research insights can be shared inside."

"We can do that, we can do that!"

"Let's go, let's go! Go set up the group!"

"In the future, our sect will be just like Emei, producing several super spiritual treasures. If any generation of disciples turns out disappointing, and anyone dares to infringe upon our sect, even if we just rely on these spiritual treasures, we can smash them to death!"

"Haha! Exactly! Preferably the kind with extremely high spirituality, so it's useless even if others try to steal them!"

"Speaking of which..." The leaders of several great sects looked at each other, "Perhaps our expenditures can be increased even further..."

...