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nFlying over to the seashore, Li Huang was trying to find the disposition of thing as it stands.

nTransmigrators, reincarnators, returners, and God knows what. With each one existing the equation of 'Li Huang's Life Expectancy' would be more complicated but there is no use in bitching about it.

nAll I have to do is to take advantage of my past life readings and use this life's personal position to maximize my gains and voila! Instead of a cheat, I might get a cheat sheet.

nIn the superficial waters of the gold sea lies the wreck of a ship, a ship that was once the prized possession of an up-and-coming trader hundreds of years ago. She is not in what you'd call a good shape; a broken mast and shattered planks litter the main deck.

nShe's no longer home to a crew, but there are creatures who enjoy the vast opportunities she has to offer them. It can be difficult to spot them all as they hide at the slightest movement. Each one of them is in no rush to claim the entire ship as their own.

nThese creatures are what we call Boggard. They are frog-humanoid creatures that are one of the low-level sea creatures.

nThe shipwreck doesn't make for a pretty sight, especially not from further away. Like discarded waste, she seems to not belong in these waters. She hangs heavily to one side and the paint of where her name used to be had all but faded to nothingness. A wide range of possessions and many different crates mark her true story up to her demise. Whatever contents were inside some of them have long been claimed by ocean creatures as all broken containers are empty.

nNo bones or other human remains can be found, but it unfortunately doesn't mean they made it out alive…

nOne part of the destroyed port was covering the ancient sword mark for all these years. This is the reason for this mark being kept intact until now.

nDays ago a cultivator who was roaming around here was attracted by its sword Qi so he decided to tell our heavenly sword sect this piece of information, for a price.

nThis is how we got to know about this mark.

nArriving at the ancient sword mark I was astonished by its size. The mark stretched out for 500 meters and it was 3 meters deep.

nBut what was more astonishing was the sword Qi and the vast profundities in the air.

nLooking back at the elders I spoke to them.

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"Elders, I'm going to comprehend this ancient sword mark, I'll be leaving my back to you.

" Saying that I walked forward to the center of this commotion.

nComprehending a sword mark of this level is like solving a maze when you are in it. Also, you have to speed up in each turn and if you can't keep up with this increased rate you will face some backlash.

nThere is a saying that 'swords don't have eyes' but for sword Qi you can say that even if sword Qi does have eyes that only means you should be more afraid.

nIn an ancient sword mark, the sword Qi works in a pattern and shows you the way of the sword and how to better your sword art.

nBut you have to know that this is not a teacher kindly guiding his disciple but is more like gaining enlightenment in a fight that very well could be a life and death situation.

nClosing my eyes I take out my sword from its scabbard. This sword is an ordinary sword that Li Huang is using from the start of his sword practice.

nI say ordinary but you have to know it is 'ordinary' in a young master's standard.

nMoving further toward the center I could feel my swordsmanship improve.

nIt was as if I was doing a sword dance with the sword mark's sword Qi.

nEach passing second was like months of training even for me who has a terrifying understanding and yielded astonishing results in the shortest of times. Well, you can say this is because of my terrifying understanding that I can benefit this much.

nIf someone would tell me in my past life that I would be having fun in sword training I wouldn't believe it but right now I'm clearly having fun.

nSmiling to myself I continued on comprehending this ancient sword mark.

n——(POV Core Elder of Heavenly Sword Sect, Guo Heng)——

nThis time we got a mission to solve an ancient sword mark before others get to it. I say solve but we officially call it 'comprehending' the ancient mark.

nThe fateful encounter that you don't get is the one that your enemy would get.

nGoing with this logic we buy information on this kind of things more generously than others so that we can get these powers for our sect.

nThis time is no different than other times only that the receiver part in this 'fateful encounter' is someone special.

nLi Huang, the chief disciple of the sect and one of the main competitors for the patriarch position.

nThe other four elders accompanying are outer elders and don't have a high position in the sect but I, as a core elder, didn't have to come out personally for this mission but I did and I have a good reason for it.

nThe reason for me being here personally is to monitor this junior's worth for myself. I didn't choose anyone as of now for the patriarch position to support so this could be a good chance to check this one out.

nWhen we got to the ancient mark he went in like he was taking a stroll. I know this isn't the best of sword marks but how can he look down on it this much?

n'Too young and too arrogant.'

nI shook my head, the matriarch should have come here personally…

nAs I was in my thoughts he takes out his sword and-

nDanced!?

nRubbing my eyes to make sure that i didn't see wrong, I looked at the scene again.

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"Is- is he really sword dancing with the ancient sword mark?

" One of the elders beside me blurted out.

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"He is…

" I answered absentmindedly.

nHe went on for some moments and slowed down abruptly.

n'He is very talented but alas! it seems that he overestimated himself-'

nJust as I thought he is going to face a backslash for slowing down he started moving his sword faster than before.

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"He was playing around before..

" I couldn't hide my shock this time.

nI have never heard of someone comprehending an ancient sword mark this way. Usually, you would try to counter the sword Qi from the mark but Li Huang is going with the flow and is literally sword dancing with it…

nEvery passing minute he was getting stronger with each clash and slash.

nMe and other elders just kept watching this scene, this could be what they call 'birth of a new monster'.

nJust as we were shocked out of our minds he finished comprehending the mark and the sword Qi dimmed.

nHe put his sword in its scabbard and turned around.

n——(POV Li Huang)——

nPutting my sword back in its scabbard I turned to face the elders.

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"Well, that was fun!

" I told them my genuine emotions.

nThis time I have gained too much. After comprehending this ancient sword mark I can produce sword Qi as long as I have Qi in my body.

nThe conversation ratio is not efficient right now meaning I have to use like a lot of my Qi to get a bit of sword Qi but this is a big step In the right direction.

nJust as I was thinking about my gains I saw something shining at the end of the ancient sword mark.

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"Hey, what is that over there…

" I muttered to myself.

nAs I got close to the pink shining thing, it moved.

nIt didn't even let me be surprised that it shot out towards my head.

nI reflexively put my hand in front of my face but it just got past my hand like my hand didn't exist.

n'Man, didn't I just fall for the most basic trick in the scary movies?' As this shining thing sunk in my head I was thinking to myself but it was a bit late to get away from the 'dark pit'.

nAfter that all I could see was darkness…

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