I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 309 - 279: Return to the City

Duan Rong slept until the afternoon before waking up.

He turned over and got out of bed, feeling a dryness in his throat. Duan Rong rubbed his eyes and sighed, "I’ve been a bit heated lately."

He walked slowly to the entrance of the cave, squatted among several pieces of deer meat drying there, and picked a large rib with bone.

Duan Rong grabbed the rib with one hand and leaped along the cliff wall to the creekside.

He first gathered some dry branches, lit them with a flint, and placed the rib on the fire to smoke and roast. Then he walked over to the creek, washed his face, and drank several handfuls of clear water.

Duan Rong wiped the water stains from his mouth with his sleeve. He looked up, and at this time, there was no wind in the valley, adding to the tranquility.

The faint chirping of birds and the babbling of the stream came through clearly, accentuating the silence of the forest.

Suddenly, Duan Rong drew his saber and stood on a large rock beside the creek!

The warm afternoon sun shone on his face. His eyes were tightly closed, and a drop of water hung from his newly washed eyelashes...

With his right hand holding the saber, Duan Rong stood straight, extending it before him, motionless!

He closed his eyes, recalling that sense of emptiness and clarity from the night before!

Duan Rong could be sure that in that moment of clarity, he briefly reached the Great Perfection Realm!

He stood like that, petrified, for nearly half a stick of incense’s time before his body suddenly shifted, the saber light dancing...

Duan Rong’s eyes remained shut, but after several sets, he stopped. He hadn’t entered that state of emptiness from last night.

He opened his eyes and looked at his Cow Tail Saber. Under the spring sun, the saber glinted with a cold, sharp light.

After pausing for a few breaths, Duan Rong once again moved, his saber light dancing. This time, he didn’t deliberately try to enter that state from last night but rather cleared his mind of distractions and immersed himself in the saber’s momentum!

As he continued, Duan Rong realized his feelings had changed!

Instead of entering that state of emptiness, he directly broke through!

It was like bursting out of the water with a pop, and everything before his eyes suddenly became clear!

So that’s it!

Perfection is harmony!

Harmony is selflessness!

At this moment, Duan Rong finally grasped the true meaning of the Great Perfection Realm!

At this time, his saber movements were neither fast nor slow, without the feeling of flowing water!

On the contrary, each cut appeared extremely commonplace, like an old farmer harvesting rice.

Duan Rong’s eyes were also filled with tranquility!

A saber has never killed anyone; it merely represents the facts without murderous intent!

It is simply your friend!

It merely slits your throat, mercifully taking your life away!

It holds no intention to kill; it just accomplishes the fact of killing in a peaceful manner!

The intention to kill would only obstruct your clarity, making you narrow and irritable, while a true killer is compassionate and peaceful!

Only within compassion and peace can one command everything!

This is the true meaning of selflessness!

Duan Rong was immersed in the Great Perfection Realm. He executed the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber form after form!

At this moment, Duan Rong finally understood the last layer of meaning behind Xiao Zongting’s initial words!

Martial arts, with technique as the method of martial combat, rooted in the Inner Power Heart Method, and spiritual power as the core!

The final realm of martial arts is to command everything through spiritual power!

And this command is not a forceful drive but a spontaneous harmony and unity!

Duan Rong practiced for nearly an hour before suddenly sheathing his saber!

The sun had already descended somewhat, its lazy rays streaming through the treetops and casting shadows on Duan Rong’s face. He smiled slightly; after practicing for an hour, he had completely comprehended the Great Perfection Realm.

Just as Duan Rong sheathed his saber, a burnt smell suddenly hit his nose.

"Oh no!"

Duan Rong’s heart skipped a beat as he leaped towards the creekside boulder, only to see the pile of pine wood had burned out, leaving only ashes, and the piece of venison rib had become as black as charcoal.

Duan Rong touched his growling stomach, stretched, and sighed, "What a waste of good meat!"

With no other choice, Duan Rong returned to the cave, fetched another piece of meat, and started a new fire on the large white stone, roasting the venison over the flames.

As Duan Rong roasted the venison, he contemplated the newfound wondrous sensation after breaking through the Great Perfection Realm!

As he mused, his itch for practice grew. Flipping the venison, he drew his saber on the large white stone and began to perform techniques!

This time, Duan Rong wasn’t using the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber but the Ximen Family’s Thunder Smoke Saber Technique.

Previously, he had reached the Great Perfection Realm with the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber, and now, he was using the attained Great Perfection Realm to master the Thunder Smoke Saber Technique!

In just a few breaths, Duan Rong had completed the breakthrough with the Thunder Smoke Saber!

Now, at the creekside of the Empty Valley, he was performing the Thunder Smoke Saber Technique of the Great Perfection Realm!

If Ximen Yong saw this, he would be moved to tears because, for generations, no one in the Ximen Family had practiced this saber technique to such an advanced level!

Duan Rong performed for nearly half a stick of incense’s time before stopping. He stood with his saber across his chest, eyes filled with deep contemplation.

"Oops!"

Duan Rong’s nostrils flared slightly as he smelled a hint of a burnt scent again...

With a leap, Duan Rong came to the fire pile on the large white stone. With a flick of his saber tip, he lifted the large piece of venison from the fire.

The charred venison landed on the shimmering white stone, scattering sparks.

Duan Rong looked at the venison, one side already burnt but fortunately, the other side wasn’t ruined.

With his saber, Duan Rong cut away the burnt side, holding the remaining venison, and began to eat.