C77 The Four Character Sword Technique Was Finally Completed

In the training room of Profound Heavy Mountain, Woo Zhengyang lay on the ground, utterly exhausted, unable to even lift a finger. This was his fourth trial, meaning he had already climbed seventy-two of the heavy stone steps.

This time, the trial involved four humanoid puppets, each wielding a different weapon: a knife, a sword, a spear, and a staff. Their coordination was flawless, leaving Zhengyang utterly defeated.

After enduring more than half an hour of this grueling challenge, Zhengyang finally caught his breath and regained some composure. He was certain that, aside from those with a unique constitution like his and those who practiced Body Tempering Techniques, no one else could withstand such a brutal test. It was an inhumane trial of self-abuse.

Yet, Zhengyang had no intention of backing down. The existence of this trial indicated that it was possible for practitioners below the Martial Master Stage to succeed. Even though modern practitioners focused on refining their veins might not reach this level, ancient practitioners who combined vein refining and body tempering could certainly do it.

Zhengyang, being a practitioner of both body tempering and vein refining, believed that if others could achieve it, so could he. After an hour of meditation, the Flesh Condensing Technique healed his injuries. Rising to his feet, Zhengyang approached the next set of heavy stone steps.

Woo Zhengyang finally saw the end in sight. After nine more steps, he would reach the summit of the mountain, where a simple yet grand stone monument stood, engraved with the words: Profound Heavy Mountain.

"Profound Heavy Mountain has a total of eighty-one steps. The pressure increases with each of the first seventy-two steps, so these last nine steps are bound to be challenging," Zhengyang thought to himself.

The journey had been grueling, and Zhengyang no longer underestimated the trial's creator. As he took the first step, his expression changed. The pressure was surprisingly weak, comparable to the very first step he took on the mountain. It required no more than 220 pounds of force, making it manageable even for an average adult.

With the second step, the pressure increased slightly to around 440 pounds. Slightly surprised, Zhengyang continued to the third step. The pressure was now about 660 pounds, which was still manageable for him, but he noticed something unusual. The pressure wasn't just underfoot; it enveloped his entire body.

Looking down, Zhengyang observed changes in the steps beneath him. Intricate patterns spread outward from where his feet touched, adding to the mystery of the trial.

Keep moving forward, step by step, leaving a trail of brilliance.

As Woo Zhengyang stood on the sixth step, he was already drenched in sweat. The patterns beneath his feet now covered all nine steps. Each pattern held the power of nature, and despite only exerting a force of about 1,300 pounds, the pressure felt was far greater.

The seventh step was incredibly challenging for Woo Zhengyang. Although there was nothing around him, he felt as if he were trapped in a swamp, constantly being squeezed from all directions. Finally, he managed to place one foot on the seventh profound stone step. To achieve this, Woo Zhengyang had to unleash all his strength, including his sword-shaped genuine energy and the "Dragon Countering Nine Steps" technique.

His face was covered in large beads of sweat, yet Woo Zhengyang smiled, a brilliant smile. It wasn't because he was one step closer to the peak of the mountain, but because he had solved a long-standing problem. The issue of perfectly aligning strength and genuine energy in the "Sword Sacrificing Spell" had eluded him for a long time. According to his understanding, when drawing the sword, the genuine energy must already be infused, allowing for an immediate burst of energy once the sword is swung.

This created a challenging problem: if you infused energy into the sword too early, the force of wielding it would inevitably trigger the energy within the sword. Too much force would cause it to explode prematurely, while too little would slow down the sword's movement.

Woo Zhengyang had scoured numerous resources and notes but found no solution. However, under the intense pressure surrounding him, he finally had a breakthrough by considering the properties of the mysterious heavy stone.

Two distinct energies, no matter how much effort you put into it, remain separate and cannot fully merge. So, the solution was to let them attract and even enhance each other. The key was to allow both energies to work simultaneously.

Woo Zhengyang had previously considered this idea but dismissed it because when channeling energy, the meridians in his arm would almost freeze, making simultaneous action impossible. Throughout his journey and countless battles, he had become most familiar with the mysterious heavy stone. He realized he could harness its secrets to make his body exhibit some of its properties.

With this approach, even while wielding the sword, Woo Zhengyang could achieve what others couldn't—directing the flow and strength of energy into the sword. Under the influence of the heavy stone's properties, the energy flow not only remained unobstructed but accelerated significantly, eliminating the need for early infusion.

With this realization, channeling energy through the sword and unleashing its power was no longer just a theory. Woo Zhengyang, caught up in his thoughts, didn't care where he was. He pulled out the Frostblade from his Hidden Heaven Bag and thrust it forward.

Under the immense pressure around him, the sword moved slowly, but this didn't hinder his experiment. As the sword extended, the energy coursing through his arm flowed into the Frostblade faster than usual.

His arm stopped, and the sword reached its target.

"Pop..."

The sound of the air bursting was exceptionally clear in the quiet surroundings.

Woo Zhengyang beamed, his smile brighter than before. Not only had his idea worked, but the results exceeded his expectations. The energy could extend beyond the sword without dissipating, creating a sonic boom—a feat typically only achievable by a late-stage Martial Master.

Yet here was Woo Zhengyang, achieving this with his current level, which would leave others speechless if they knew. He also noticed that as he thrust the sword, the surrounding pressure dissipated.

Thrust, flick, spin, slash...

He tested these four basic sword techniques with the Frostblade. Though he hadn't yet mastered the full power behind these moves, the results were already impressive.

The intricate patterns underfoot could harness the forces of nature, and the way Woo Zhengyang wielded the Frost Sword was no different. With both forces canceling each other out, what was once a daunting climb up the heavy stone steps now felt as effortless as a leisurely stroll for Zhengyang.