Chapter 0010 – If You Show Up in 10th Place, You Lose – Absolute Returns

“Clang!”

The iron sword broke again, and the iron ball remained intact.

“It seems that it won’t work without some real skill.”

I switched swords once again, and then, injected my inner strength, into the sword.

“Buzz ……”

The sword, at once, emitted a humming sound, and a greenish-colored light, emanated from the sword.

That’s the Big Dipper.

In my previous life, I didn’t comprehend the mysteries of the Sword Dipper until I was in my thirties.

And now, I can actually release the Sword Dipper easily.

“Is this, what’s so great about going back in time?”

Everyone’s Sword Dipper, the color was different, even if they cultivated the same technique, it would be different because of the individual’s physique.

I’ve always thought that it was amazing.

I love the color of my swashbuckler, it’s a, something between blue and green, sometimes it’s like the sea, sometimes it’s like the sky, it’s refreshing.

I was about to use the Sword Dipper, to cleave through the iron ball, when suddenly, my mind stirred, and I hastily withdrew my inner strength.

The Big Dipper, too, disappeared.

“That’s too easy, isn’t it?”

I originally thought that this trial, was to test us, if we could use the Sword Dipper.

Because, without using the Sword Dipper, it would be hard to split this iron ball.

So, I thought that this trial would continue until we comprehend the Sword Dipper.

But if we’re already able to use the Sword Dipper, then this trial, it’s too easy.

On the flip side, if we can’t use the Sword Dipper, then this trial, it’s too hard.

In both cases, it’s too extreme, it doesn’t make sense.

I walked over to the wall to check out the messages left by the challengers.

“I used the Sword Dipper and split it in one go.”

“I tried eighty-nine times and failed, and in the end, I used the Sword Dipper.”

“I didn’t use the Sword Dipper and it split.”

“How is that possible? I don’t believe it!”

“Damn! My sword qi, it can’t even cleave through, I haven’t comprehended the Sword Dipper yet, what should I do?”

“I’ve been studying the Sword Dipper for two hundred days now, and when I see the Pesky Dan, I want to vomit ……”

“It says that it can be cleaved without using the Sword Dipper, it must be a lie!”

“I think it’s a lie too!”

……

I searched through these messages for traces of what my father had left behind.

Finally, at the very end, I found my father’s message.

“What a hell of a thing to say.”

Hahaha, it’s hilarious that he said, “I’ve seen a ghost.”

This time, however, he added another sentence alongside the message:

“Don’t be in a hurry.”

“Don’t be in a hurry? What does this mean? He used to, only curse, and this time, why is he even reminding me?”

Don’t be in a hurry? Don’t rush? Did ……

I rushed back to the tablet and scrutinized the writing on it.

I. Split the stone in half within the time it takes to burn incense, and you can use sword qi and sword astral.

My eyes, falling on the last sentence.

Can you use Sword Qi and Sword Dipper?

Not “must use” but “may use”.

That is, we can choose, to use it, or not.

Moreover, one incense stick was too long, splitting an iron ball wouldn’t take that long at all.

Also, too many swords on the wall.

“I see! For this level, you must split the iron ball without using sword qi or sword deities!”

My father’s phrase, “Don’t be in a hurry,” was a reminder to me not to use the Sword Dipper.

Because, the Sword Dipper, which produces high temperatures, can make one’s mind restless.

Moreover, the rest time of the second level was twice as long as the first level, which also indicated that the difficulty of the second level was much higher than the first level.

I must find some other way to split this iron ball.

“Thank you, Father.”

I walked over to the iron ball again and scrutinized it.

Since I can’t use Sword Qi or Sword Dipper, what should I do?

“How should I split it? Vertically? Horizontally? Diagonally? Fast sword? Heavy?”

I’ve tried everything and failed.

I’ve tried over thirty times and still haven’t found a way to crack it.

A little frustrated, I leaned against the wall and sat down.

“There must be a way.”

Time, minute by minute, there was less than a quarter of an hour left.

“Could it be that I have to wait for twenty-one days before coming back to the challenge?”

I’m a little desperate.

“Why don’t I just use the Sword Dipper and split it?”

But my father specifically left that behind, and I couldn’t let him down.

“Too hard, too hard ……”

I sighed and unintentionally released a strand of true qi, the secret technique of “extension of qi” that my father had taught me in the mountains.

My true qi, touched the iron ball.

“I wish, you were a boar, then I could split you with my sword.”

My true qi, wrapped around the iron ball, slowly sensed its surface.

Suddenly, my eyes widened.

“Huh?”

I noticed that on the surface of the iron ball, there was a fine line.

The pattern, which could not be seen with the naked eye and could not be touched with the hand, could only be perceived with the use of true qi.

I focused my mind, my true qi, all of it, on that striped road.

My true qi, like a gentle hand, stroked the stripe, wanting to become one with it.

The stripe, circling the iron ball, turned around and, finally, returned to its starting point.

I stood up and slowly walked over to the iron ball, my true qi, still connected to the stripe.

I closed my eyes, and with my true qi, I guided my sword, towards the stripe, and slashed it.

“Swish!”

I didn’t push, I just slashed my sword, with precision, on that striped road.

Then a miracle happened.

“Ka-ching!”

The iron ball, cracked in half.

That stripe, it turned out, was the weak point of the iron ball.

What surprised me even more was that inside the iron ball, there was an elixir hidden.

“Gollum ……”

The elixir, rolled down to my feet.

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