<h4>Chapter 369 - Shadow Sword Technique</h4>


    “This sword is an advanced Earth-tier weapon,” Ling Xi said, tapping her lips after studying the sword.


    “But there are good and bad advanced Earth-tier swords. That Hell King de you previously owned was not bad at all, though unfortunately, it was destroyed by Lin Zichen’s Imperial Sword. This sword is simr to the Hell King de; the Heavenly Demon Pce probably owns less than ten divine weapons on this level.”


    “If this sword is on a level simr to the Hell King de, then it must be decent. Since it is shimmering with faint starlight, I’ll call it Star Sword.” Long Chen nodded, touching the de with his hand. Although it had been buried for a long time, he could tell that the Star Sword was still sharp. It had not deteriorated over time.


    “Why would this sword be in Divine Ember Beast territory?” Ling Xi asked, confused.


    “I’m guessing a Heavenly Demon Pce disciple found the Divine Ember Beast nest at some point in time. However, he did not have a technique like the Soul Swallowing Gaze, so he could not pinpoint their numbers and locations. Therefore, he could not strategize and kill them off slowly. Instead, he was surrounded and killed, leaving this behind. This sword probably never thought it would see the light of day again ...” Long Chen sighed.


    Then he looked at the tiny Ling Xi in front of him and smiled. “Xiao Xi, you’re the most familiar with my current condition. I am now doing my best to get the Demon Emperor Sword and the Demon Emperor Sword Technique. The Azure Dragon Halberd and the Azure Dragon Combat Technique are my only means of offense, and they are pretty weak. Since I have the Star Sword now, do you have any suitable sword techniques that you can teach me?”


    Ling Xi said bitterly, “Based on what I can remember, even the lowest tier sword technique I can teach you requires you to be at the Heavenly Passage Realm for you to master it. The Sword Devil Finger was only a trick I learned as a kid for fun. Let me think harder ...”


    Ling Xi’s words made Long Chen speechless. The Sword Devil Finger was once Long Chen’s most powerful attack, yet it was just a technique Ling Xi had learned for fun when she was a kid. What she could provide him needed to wait until he was at least at the Heavenly Passage Realm ...


    How powerful is Xiao Xi’s background ... Long Chen felt weak in the knees when he thought about this.


    Xiang started to consume the Fire Essences. This time, there was arge number of Fire Essences and Divine Ember Beasts, so it would take him some time. During this period, Ling Xi thought bitterly about sword techniques while Long Chen was happy to be free for a while.


    Finally, Ling Xi blurted excitedly, “I thought of a small sword technique! It’s an advanced Earth-tier technique, but I’ve forgotten most of its theory verses. Give me two hours. I’ll try to figure it out.”


    After that, she continued to immerse herself in a focused meditation. It was rare to see her so focused, and she looked very attractive while doing it.


    “Figure it out?” Long Chen was speechless. Ling Xi was basically creating a sword technique for him at this point. How much foundational knowledge and family background did it take to do such a thing? All Long Chen knew was that at this moment, he would not be able to create a sword technique.


    “This sword technique is called the Shadow Sword Technique. It’s something I cultivated when I was a child to y with. At the time, I felt like it was very pretty because of the shadow on the sword, which was why I learned it on my own and yed with it every day. After that, as I grew up, I lost interest in it ...”


    Ling Xi cocked her head, thinking out loud while simultaneously triggering Long Chen’s nerves.


    What a psycho, Long Chen yelled in his heart. He had never asked how powerful Ling Xi’s family was because he was afraid that if he knew, the pressure would prevent him from improving.


    It did not take two hours. Less than an hourter, Ling Xi leaped with excitement and cried, “Ah! It’s finally done! I don’t remember the original verse, so I altered it a little. However, I can confirm that the Shadow Sword Technique is the most powerful technique below the Heaven-tier. You can use this until you get the Demon Emperor Sword!”


    “Huh?” Long Chen didn’t know what to say.


    “Hey, I worked very hard. Aren’t you going to praise me?” Ling Xi’s face darkened. She had done so much and squeezed her brain dry for this so that Long Chen would praise her, but he remained stunned.


    “Xiao Xi, you’re so amazing! You’re so good to me! You’re basically my parents reincarnated!’ Long Chen cried out dramatically once he woke up from his shock.


    “Tsk, you are my parents reincarnated! Not me! I’m not that old! Alright, I’m not talking to you anymore. There’s not much time left, so take your time to study this. Tell me if you don’t understand something.” Ling Xi rolled her eyes and left him the theory of the Shadow Sword Technique, then she returned to the Ling Xi Sword.


    “That girl ...” Long Chen smiled in exasperation. But Ling Xi was right. There was indeed not much time left. Now was a critical moment for Xiang to raise his cultivation level, so Long Chen quietened his mind and started to study the Shadow Sword Technique with Ling Xi’s modifications.


    After cultivating the Heaven-tier Traceless Demon Shadow, cultivating an advanced Earth-tierbat technique felt much simpler. Also, due to Ling Xi’s modifications, many subtler parts had be much easier to understand. That was why it did not take him much time to master it.


    Long Chen had enough Fire Essences on hand, so he did not need to search for more. After Xiang consumed the Fire Essences and Divine Essence Crystals, he took time to rest his body and stabilize his cultivation. After umting the effects of so many Fire Essences and Divine Essence Crystals, he had sessfully leveled up from Category Seven to Category Eight.


    The inconspicuous Xiang had be thergest winner of the Pyro Passageways training exercise. The Category Eight Earth-tier Sun Devouring Wolf was now strong enough to fight cultivators like the Eighth River Stage Yang Danfeng, and maybe even surpass them. Xiang was Long Chen’s brother for life, so essentially, his strength was also Long Chen’s strength.


    Therefore, it meant that Long Chen had be stronger once more.


    While Xiang rested, Long Chen sessfully finished cultivating the Shadow Sword Technique. Of course, Ling Xi helped him greatly.


    “Brother Chen, I can give you an even stronger sword technique after you’ve reached the Heavenly Passage Realm. It’s even stronger than the Demon Emperor Sword Technique. Are you excited?” Ling Xi said sneakily in his ear after he mastered the Shadow Sword Technique.


    “Really?” Long Chen was pleasantly surprised.


    “Xiao Xi, I love you so much! I swear I will marry you in this lifetime! If I don’t, won’t I just be taking advantage of you?” Long Chen chuckled.


    “Do you mean you’re only with me for my sword techniques?” Ling Xi asked resentfully, blinking with herrge eyes.


    “Who said that?! There’s no way I would do that, haha ...” Long Chenughed.


    The Heavenly Passage Realm was far away, but Long Chen was filled with anticipation. The first sword technique Ling Xi gave him would surely be no ordinary technique. Even if she said it was nothing, it could end up changing Long Chen’s life.


    Only one day was left when they wrapped up their activities. Long Chen was prepared to leave. He had no need to search for more Fire Essences; all he needed to do was search for the tunnel where he entered from and prepare to return tomorrow. He refused to believe that he would lose to anyone, not with effectively two thousand Fire Essences.


    Not everyone was lucky enough to find a Divine Ember Beast nest after all. And no one else had the ability to clear a Divine Ember Beast nest.


    He had enjoyed a great harvest in this training exercise. Long Chen was steadily making progress towards his goals.


    When he finally left theva river with ck mes, after some traveling, he encountered Yang Jun and the eight other cultivators. Last time, Long Chen ignored and passed them. This time, all he had was time.


    Long Chen noticed them with the Soul Swallowing Gaze from a distance. Of course, they had not noticed him. They were conversing while traveling in Long Chen’s direction.


    He stepped aside and hid. He wanted to see how many Fire Essences eight people could umte.


    “This is awful! We’ve been searching for two days! Why haven’t we found the ce marked on the map?! Yang Jun, this map can’t be fake, can it?!” one of the disciplesined.


    “Fake?! My master personally gave this map to me! He said there are only three maps in total. Senior Yang Danfeng and Senior Murong have probably found the Frost Soul Essence already! You idiots have been walking in circles! It’s been two days, and we’ve found nothing!” Yang Jun yelled, clearly angry.


    Yang Jun was the Third Demon Elder’s number one disciple, so he outranked everyone there. When he raged, despite their dissatisfaction, they did not dare to show it.


    They were called idiots, yet the idiot was Yang Jun himself. He had been the one looking at the map for two days, and giving them instructions. He was the main reason why they could not find their destination.


    “I’ve had enough of scolding you all! There’s one day left! We still stand a chance to find the Frost Soul Essence, so get to work!” Yang Jun yelled furiously.


    After walking for a while, one of the disciples said worriedly, “Senior Brother, we have only found a bit over two hundred Fire Essences during these two days. What will we do if Long Chen gets three hundred Fire Essences?”


    “How is that possible?” Yang Jun gave a contemptuous chuckle. “This is Long Chen’s first timeing to the Pyro Passageways, so he will be unfamiliar with the ce. Each of you can find fifteen Fire Essences in a day, while even finding ten would be impressive for him. And if he found twenty a day, that would only add up to one hundred across five days. Don’t worry about that trash. We must focus on the Frost Soul Essence! Master said it’s something that can help boost one’s cultivation in a stable manner!”


    “Yes, Senior!”