The primeval forest was lush and verdant, with trees stretching endlessly like the waves of an ocean.

Birds and beasts scurried about as colossal trees crashed down one after another, as if a ferocious giant beast had rampaged through, trampling everything in its path.

Beneath this chaos, Qin Lu moved swiftly among the trunks.

In his hand, he held the brand-new Qinghong Sword, executing the movements etched into the Gray Shadow Sword Art, guided by his spiritual energy.

With the aid of spiritual energy, the sword effortlessly sliced through even the hardest wood, cleaving it as easily as tofu. Trees so large that it would take several people to encircle them fell at the mere touch of his blade.

Through repeated practice, Qin Lu’s swordsmanship had grown increasingly refined. When combined with the Soft Wind Technique, his body moved with the agility of a leopard.

His form was ethereal and elusive. Sword light flashed repeatedly as he leapt and spun, slicing down every tree within reach with each swing and flick.

The long sword slashed with fierce precision, moving at blinding speed. This swordsmanship was now entirely different from what it had been at the beginning.

Huff! Huff!

After a moment, Qin Lu sheathed his sword, pausing to catch his breath and concluding this session.

Improving swordsmanship proficiency differed significantly from improving talisman crafting.

The higher one’s talisman skill, the greater the success rate and the more effortless the process, until one could even craft talismans with eyes closed.

But swordsmanship was the opposite.

As one’s level increased, improving proficiency became more difficult, demanding ever greater precision. Even though Qin Lu’s physical condition was rapidly improving, practicing still left him breathless and exhausted.

Qin Lu had once speculated that this might be because the power of the technique had increased, requiring his spiritual energy and muscles to operate with extreme accuracy, leaving no room for error.

Yet, the difficulty of mastering swordsmanship also brought clear benefits.

First and foremost was the transformation of his physique.

His muscles were now strikingly defined, his abdomen carved into a perfect eight-pack. His overall physique was lean and well-proportioned, exuding raw power. His robust frame, coupled with a bronze tan, gave him a striking appearance.

Most importantly, every aspect of his physical capabilities had soared alongside his cultivation. His overall strength, reaction speed, mobility, balance, flexibility, and endurance far surpassed that of ordinary Level 6 Qi Condensation cultivators.

Qin Lu twisted his shoulders to relieve the tension in his body, a smile spreading across his face.

“With the addition of the Qinghong Sword, I wouldn’t fear even a Level 7 Qi Condensation cultivator, and might even hold my own against a Level 8!”

Of course, even among late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators, not all were created equal.

A solitary cultivator who spent their days rolling around in the slums was simply no match for a disciple from a prestigious sect, trained in professional combat and equipped with exquisite gear. It was like comparing a street thug wielding a baton to a special forces soldier armed with an assault rifle—the disparity in combat power was immense.

After resting for a moment, Qin Lu placed his long sword back into his Storage Bag. Then, adopting a runner’s stance, he prepared to test his sprinting speed.

Bang!

With a powerful kick against the ground, he shot forward in a single bound!

His strides were lightning-fast, each step carrying him four or five meters, covering a hundred-meter distance in just a few breaths. His figure darted and dashed through the trees, moving with astonishing speed.

If early-stage Qi Condensation was still within the realm of ordinary human capability, then the mid-stage had already transcended human limits.

Especially after Qin Lu reached Level 6, the combination of his cultivation, the Soft Wind Technique, and the Wind-Calming Array on his robe pushed his speed to another level.

Uneven hills, sprawling vines, occasional wild beasts—Qin Lu dashed through the complex terrain, stopping and starting abruptly.

He estimated his average speed to be around fifteen meters per second—roughly fifty-four kilometers per hour.

Of course, when faced with threats or emergencies, he could boost his speed up to twenty meters per second. However, this high-intensity sprint couldn’t last long—perhaps ten minutes before exhaustion set in.

Overall, his current physical condition far surpassed even that of Captain America.

After a moment, Qin Lu halted, gasping for breath.

“Awesome! Hehe!”

He glanced around, calming his excitement slightly, then sauntered over to a stream. He crouched down to scoop up a handful of water and splash it vigorously over his face.

Just as he raised his head, he noticed a fierce tiger glaring at him from the opposite bank.

Qin Lu’s heart skipped a beat. Although this was just an ordinary forest, it wasn’t impossible for a spiritual beast to lurk here.

But upon closer inspection, Qin Lu relaxed. This was merely an ordinary animal, not a fierce spiritual beast that had absorbed spiritual energy and become sentient.

In his previous life, Qin Lu would have been terrified. But now, as a quasi-superhuman, he felt no need to fear this little cat.

Qin Lu stood up and waved to the tiger with a smile. “Come on.”

Provoked by the gesture, the tiger let out a low growl, braced itself with all four paws, and leaped powerfully across the stream, charging straight toward him.

Qin Lu showed no fear, standing firm.

When he caught the scent of blood emanating from the tiger’s ferocious maw, he suddenly raised his left palm, extending it forward.

Spirit Shield Technique!

A shield of energy, one meter tall, appeared between Qin Lu’s palms, emitting faint waves of spiritual power.

Bang!

The tiger’s charging body slammed violently into the shield, producing a dull thud.

Crack!

The tiger’s jaw shattered instantly, spewing blood, and it collapsed limply onto the ground, falling unconscious.

The Spirit Shield Technique, now at the Expert level, was extraordinarily resilient. It could block laser weapons; against ordinary beasts, it left nothing but shattered bones.

“Hehe, pretty good—better even than talismans.”

Looking at the unconscious tiger, Qin Lu smiled contentedly and deactivated the shield.

When using a talisman-based barrier, one’s body would stagger uncontrollably upon impact, disrupting movement even if no injury was sustained. But the Spirit Shield Technique had no such drawback—even if a powerful attack shattered the shield, it wouldn’t hinder one’s actions.

This made it far superior to many ordinary talismans.

Standing there for a moment, lost in thought, Qin Lu activated his Flying Cloud Paper, mounted the magic carpet, and soared swiftly into the sky, heading toward the Wuji Market.

Flying through the heavens once more, Qin Lu remained exhilarated, gazing at the magnificent landscape below.

He flew all the way back to the market town.

To avoid attracting attention, Qin Lu deliberately chose an unpopulated spot to land ahead of time, then strolled slowly toward the gates.

As he approached, however, he noticed many cultivators hurrying inside, their expressions filled with anticipation.

“Hmm? What’s going on?”

The strange scene immediately filled Qin Lu’s mind with questions. He quickly grabbed an old, solitary cultivator.

“Fellow Daoist! What’s got everyone in such a hurry?”

“Ah! I heard Li Qingdu is about to announce something, and everyone’s rushing over to see what’s up!” the elderly cultivator replied quickly, then turned and hurried into the town.

“Li Qingdu? Is he up to something again?”

Qin Lu muttered doubtfully to himself, then followed the crowd inside. He figured he might as well join the spectacle.