Sword Among Us

Panda Novel

A normal low-tier martial arts would only allow a person’s qi to increase by five to seven points when it reached great completion, which was the eleventh realm at Level 99.99, which was the Grandmaster Realm.

But qi cultivation techniques and hidden weapons were different!

Due to their requirement of qi, the increase in their levels was slow, but every time one gained an increase in level because of their hard work, their qi would increase. A low-tier hidden weapon technique such as Lancet Knife Throwing Technique helped Happy gain around three times the amount of qi compared to normal martial arts once he made it reach the highest realm. This meant that he would gain around fifteen to twenty points.

His Lancet Knife Throwing Technique had already reached the tenth realm, and it was at Level 95.31.

Happy checked his qi. Just as he expected, it had increased by quite a lot—27.28.

The increase of his Lancet Knife Throwing Technique and his Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Sword’s realms had increased his qi by around ten points. Judging by the looks of things, before long, he would have forty points and reach Gate Realm.

“Yup.” Happy nodded at Eastern Green Gate. “I just need to get a few more martial arts up to the tenth realm, and I’ll get there.”

“Senior Brother Happy, you’re free right now, so why don’t you go to the market and buy a hidden weapons manual?” Eastern Green Gate could not understand. “Since hidden weapons can greatly increase qi, if you walk the path of someone who specializes in hidden weapons, you should be able to reach Gate Realm very soon, right?”

“There’s no need for that.”

Happy shook his head. In his previous life, there had been some people who had tried to take this shortcut and reach Gate Realm sooner. They practiced hidden weapons only and joined organizations like Tang Sect so that they could receive a few hidden weapon skills. Within a short period of time, they used a large capital and swiftly entered Gate Realm and even Blessed Realm!

In the beginning, becoming a hidden weapon expert whose qi was higher than that of others was indeed a very popular choice. All of those people had great achievements and were all first-class martial artists in World of Martial Artists.

However, everyone gradually came to a realization.

When it became a common sight for players to be in Blessed Realm and the effects of their realm were activated, giving them a 30% increase in attack, defense, and speed, their abilities to evade low-tier hidden weapons greatly improved. Once they closed in on the hidden weapons expert, such people’s might was reduced by a large margin.

Thus, it became incredibly difficult for hidden weapons to determine the results of a battle anymore. At that moment, Tang Sect returned to being equals with the other sects from its previous spot as the top sect. Its people had to start practicing other martial arts.

Happy did not want to walk down the path of those people…

Besides, if he reached Gate Realm too quickly, it would become harder for him to receive high grade battle danger assessments. Once he entered Gate Realm, the increase in his abilities because of it would not be that great either.

When he considered things from this perspective, it was not very beneficial for him to enter Gate Realm too soon. It would be better if he mastered a few more martial arts and obtained some epiphanies through battles with the NPCs. That would be better for him.

Of course, it would not be convenient for him to reveal his experience from his previous life. Happy could only give a vague description of his experiences and say that he felt that hidden weapons was not a path they could tread for long…

Eastern Green Gate was a smart person. He understood with just a few pointers, and a contemplative look appeared on his face.

Happy also felt that besides Whirlwind Young Li, Eastern Green Gate was probably another person who would climb to the greatest heights from the six brothers in this game!

Eastern Green Gate was very intelligent, and he had his own thoughts and considerations, but he was not the type to be slow in his actions because of it. He would not be a bastard like Ximen Qing [1].

Happy swept his gaze across the room…

Whirlwind Young Li, in the end, was also defeated by the alcohol.

Happy instantly shook his head and laughed. He looked at the food on the table, but felt no appetite. Since he was free, he brought out the spoils of war he had obtained from the second bandit chief from his Universe Bag. Then, together with Eastern Green Gate, they began to examine the items.

[Ink Armor: defense, 100. BMM +1. Sells for three thousand taels of silver crumbs.]

The armor could be considered as something that was nearly as good as masterpieces. However, its appearance was rather crude, and it had to be equipped onto other clothes. If Happy wore it, he would look like the random passersby in action movies about martial arts. His frown betrayed that he did not like it.

“It looks rather ugly, but it’s still usable. Do you want it?”

Eastern Green Gate was stunned speechless. After a moment, he finally realized that Happy had asked him the question. He quickly shook his head.

“I won’t need to use it. But… the Universe Bag would serve as a great help before we begin doing quests from our clans and sects. We wouldn’t need to keep coming back to Gusu City all the time. Senior Brother Happy, if you don’t mind…”

“Take it.”

One Universe Bag was already enough. Happy had thought to give them the extra one from the start.

“Haha! That’s great! With this, we can save up a lot of time! Thank you, senior brother!” Eastern Green Gate smiled. He helped himself to it and hung it beside his waist. He looked incredibly delighted.

“You guys helped me to obtain these spoils of war, you know?”

Happy continued to examine the weapon and the martial arts manual he had obtained.

The second bandit chief’s saber was not that great. In fact, it was slightly inferior to the Hundred-battle Saber Happy had obtained from the tomb robber. Although it could sell for around five thousand taels of silver crumbs, it only increased the attack by 120, and its requirements for Arm Strength were rather high. Just like the Hundred-battle Saber, it was very difficult to be utilized for the time being…

The manual was a saber technique.

[Flowering Knights Saber Technique]

‘Flowering Knights?’

Happy was first stunned before extreme happiness showed up on his face.

It was not because of how garish the name for this martial art was. Instead… it was because practically all low-tier martial arts in the system in his previous life could be countered by many other martial arts. For example, the heavy hitting axe techniques were wary of fist techniques that focused on close-quarters and high speed battles. They were also wary of swift sword techniques that focused on thrusts and upwards slashes.

Saber techniques and sword techniques were suppressed by axe techniques that focused on ending battles fast, staff techniques, and hidden weapons. Fist techniques were countered by saber techniques and sword techniques. There was a balance between them.

However, among the endless low-tier martial arts, there was a handful of martial arts that had very few martial arts that could counter them. Even if there were some, they could rarely be found…

And Flowering Knights Saber Technique had been very popular in his previous life!

The creator of Flowering Knights Saber Technique was Hua Lang [2]. He was a legend among martial artists. For twenty years of his life, he had learned martial arts from all sorts of clans and sects, and after that, he had used all that experience to create his martial art.

Flowering Knights Saber Technique was considered above average in terms of speed, defense, attack, recovery, and body movements. It could even be said to be perfect. It could restrict multiple low-tier martial arts, and only a few martial arts could counter it completely.

Of course, it was impossible to be undefeatable by only mastering Flowering Knights Saber Technique. But if the user learned other saber techniques, they could absolutely stand supreme above all those who were below Blessed Realm in the world of martial arts with just one long saber. Even if the user fought alone against many, they could remain undefeatable!

With Flowering Knights Saber Technique in his hands, Happy felt a little drunk, as if all the strong alcohol he drank had finally taken effect. His blood boiled as if he was about to burst into flames.

Since the half a month ago he had joined World of Martial Arts, this was the first time Happy became extremely excited about a low-tier martial art…

“Beautiful lady, please give me another pot of wine and two pounds of beef!”

“Alright. Dear customer, please wait a while.”

Once she heard it, the beautiful waitress with the oval face serving them by the side had a smile slowly blossom on her face. Her reply was gentle, and she stood up in an elegant and beautiful manner. She brought a pot of warm wine over and filled Happy’s cup. Eastern Green Gate was stunned for a long time watching it.

“Senior Brother Happy, your wine tolerance is amazing!”

“I’m in a good mood today! Let’s drink!”

“Alright, I, Eastern Gate, will sacrifice my life and accompany you!”

Eastern Green Gate swept his gaze past his five brothers who were unconscious on the ground. He sucked in a deep breath and picked up the wine cup the beautiful waitress had filled up by his side as well.

“We won’t go back unless we’re drunk!”

“Well said! Let’s drink!” Happy laughed while feeling a little tipsy.

The two of them tilted their heads back at the same time and drained their cups in one go.

Translator’s Note:

[1] Ximen Qing: Ximen means eastern gate, Qing means celebration, but it has the same pronunciation as green. So Eastern Green Gate’s name sounds like Ximen Qing in Chinese. Ximen Qing is a corrupt social climber and lustful merchant who is wealthy enough to marry six wives and concubines.

[2] Hua Lang: It is it the transliterated version of Flowering Knights.