I Will Grind My Way To Godhood

Xue Jing took the elevator back to the Hidden Dragon Dojo.

At this time, the dojo was littered with shattered glass, fragments of various equipment, and broken furniture.

Dozens of disciples were cleaning up. Seeing Xue Jing return, they each greeted him respectfully.

Xue Jing nodded in response and walked into the training hall.

His master, Li Qi, was nowhere to be found, while Zhushan Ying had rolled up her sleeves and was also tidying the chaotic training hall.

Xue Jing asked, "Sister Zhu, where's Master?"

He moved forward to help as he spoke.

Zhushan Ying held a broom and was sweeping pieces of glass and chunks of concrete together. Hearing Xue Jing's question, she turned around with a hint of confusion on her youthful face. "Huh, where did Master go?"

"He was just here a moment ago."

Xue Jing was only casually checking and didn't pay much attention.

He glanced at the disarrayed dojo and said, "Looks like we'll need to renovate... I wonder how long it'll take to fix it."

Zhushan Ying's eyes brightened. "Little brother, doesn't that mean you won't have a place to practice martial arts?"

Her tone carried a hint of amusement, as if she was somewhat happy.

Xue Jing was puzzled, "Hm? The training room is still fine, only the glass is broken. It's still usable."

Zhushan Ying put down her broom and wagged her right index finger, "No, no, no~"

"The training hall here needs a makeover. There'll be all sorts of noises, like clanging and banging. It'll be impossible to practice peacefully, won't it?"

Hearing her say this, Xue Jing thought about it and agreed. So he smiled and said, "What brilliant idea do you have, Sister Zhu?"

The young girl's face bloomed with a radiant smile, "You can come to my house to practice martial arts, suck."

Xue Jing: "Hm?"

…

The next morning at five o'clock sharp, Xue Jing woke up on the dot, not a second off.

He glanced at his arm.

During yesterday's battle with Li Chengxuan, the opponent's White Rainbow Finger had pierced his skin and flesh.

Looking at it now, new flesh had completely grown over, leaving only a thumb-sized pink scar, which would probably be fully healed by tomorrow.

Level 6 of health and vitality provided astonishing energy and recovery.

"The Golden Wind White Rainbow Sword technique does have some merit," Xue Jing murmured to himself.

Although he managed to block the strike in the end, it wasn't because the opponent wasn't strong, but because he had utilized his full potential.

His body, enhanced and fortified by various skills, already had bones stronger than normal humans. Coupled with the gold-scale skin that resisted the "White Rainbow Sword of the Golden Wind" and the doubled defense from the twin techniques, this was the result he achieved.

Xue Jing sat up, stretched lazily, and rubbed the head of the cat-like creature sleeping beside him before getting out of bed.

After finishing his morning routine in the bathroom, he changed clothes, took the long blade Zhushan Ying gifted him yesterday, and headed out.

He arrived at his usual jogging spot, a small garden that was empty at such an early hour, enveloped in a dim, misty light.

“Clang—”

Xue Jing drew the long blade from its sheath. The silver-white blade shimmered with a cold gleam in the faint light.

“What a fine blade.”

He couldn't help but praise it again, marveling at how its value of a full twenty million made it appear even more beautiful to him.

“Hmm? What's this?”

Xue Jing noticed two subtle characters etched near the hilt of the blade.

In an ancient script full of charm, he puzzled over it for a while before tentatively saying, “Is this… 'Votu'?”

The two etched characters were likely the words ‘伏兔’—Votu.

“So this blade is called the Votu Blade?”

Xue Jing touched the characters, finding the name a bit odd.

“Rabbit probably doesn't mean an actual rabbit… likely a reference to the moon?”

He speculated.

“In that case, adding 'Votu' could mean several things… subduing or severing the moon, or the blade harboring the moon within it? Or simply representing ‘the setting moon’…”

“Whatever, it's just a name.”

He shook his head.

He fully unsheathed the Votu Blade, revealing its full length of one and a half meters. Placing the sheath on a garden bench, Xue Jing gripped the handle with both hands and began practicing his swordsmanship.

“Whoosh—swoosh—”

Unlike the ordinary long blades he'd used before, the Votu felt exceptionally smooth and natural in his hands. Its weight of nearly ten pounds was neither too heavy nor too light.

The sharp edge cut through the air, producing a piercing whistle, and Xue Jing, enthused by the practice, turned his gaze to the garden's turf…

“Slash—slash slash slash—”

Leaves and grass scattered, soaring through the air as green confetti amidst the waving blade.

Like a child with a newfound wooden stick, eyeing a vast field of flowers, Xue Jing relished the act of cutting, delightedly imagining himself as a warrior.

In his eyes, the grass ceased to be mere blades but became indistinct enemies. He lifted his blade, and with each swing, it wasn't grass flying; it was heads falling.

In his eyes, a hint of red quietly emerged.

“Slash—”

The flurry of green bits transformed into broken limbs and bloody remains in his vision.

“Slash—”

With a flash of the blade, the bare patch of lawn turned into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

“All things thrive for the nourishment of humanity, yet humanity cannot offer anything in return to the heavens…”

The enemy's face, previously indistinct, now took on clear features.

Initially, they were unfamiliar passersby whom Xue Jing didn’t recognize at all. Without hesitation, he dealt with them, one slash per person.

Later, they were people he vaguely remembered, like the followers of Pei Youguang, students of Pei, or gangs from that night’s Razor gang.

Then it was Duan Kaiping, Li Chengxuan, Su Bijing, Jiao Hongyuan, even Pei Youguang and his two brothers, the Mountain Ape, and the Void Blade—all individuals he remembered distinctly. All met their end with one slash each.

Next came the figures close to Xue Jing, Li Ge, his master Li Qi, senior brothers and sisters, as well as Wu Youqing and the cat Ning Fengwan.

Xue Jing's swinging blade avoided these people, only slaying those who kept reappearing.

The small garden was in chaos, with flowers and grass flying through the air, being continuously shredded into smaller bits. The pungent smell of plant sap permeated the area.

After hacking for who knows how long, Xue Jing suddenly stopped his actions.

Three new silhouettes appeared before him.

They were his family—his parents and sister.

The blood-stained pupils of Xue Jing instantly regained clarity as he sheathed his blade and turned around.

The mountain of corpses and sea of blood vanished, returning to reality.

Looking at the now barren garden and the ground covered with green bits, Xue Jing clicked his tongue.

He rubbed his chin, feeling a little embarrassed.

Then he opened the panel for a glance.

【You've grasped the true intent of the Shura Blade while practicing blade techniques. Combat experience +667】

【You've grasped the true intent of the Shura Blade while practicing blade techniques. Contemplation experience +689】

【Combat skill upgraded to Lv3】

So many gains?

Xue Jing was somewhat astonished.

It was the first time he'd gathered so much skill experience outside of a real fight.

“Feels pretty good, this epiphany.”

Xue Jing looked at the panel's key points.

“If I could have an epiphany this profound a few times every day, why would I need to venture out for adventure? Just train behind closed doors for a few years and emerge invincible.”

But then again, epiphanies are probably not something that can be forced.

Xue Jing held up the Votu Blade, eyeing its edge thoughtfully.

The blade was still speckled with fragments of grass and plant sap.

“Gaining experience points is secondary; the most vital aspect is that my training in the intent of the Asura Blade is finally showing progress.”

With a swift motion, Xue Jing executed the 'Cross Blood Swing', causing the Votu to vibrate and emit a clear 'clang'.

The debris and sap on the blade were shaken completely clean.

He then picked up the scabbard from a nearby bench, spun the Votu with a graceful flourish, and sheathed it.

“However... the essence of the Asura Blade is too extreme, not quite liberating.”

The Asura Blade, embodying an Asura, ascends through slaughter, wielding the power to destroy all.

Xue Jing frowned, deep in thought.

“While extremity often equates to strength, it doesn't quite suit me.”

Immersed in the blade's intent earlier, even his family appeared before him.

If not for maintaining self-awareness through [Visualization], he might have slain even his loved ones in the illusion.

“Asuras hold the authority and freedom to kill all, yet lack the freedom 'not to kill.'”

“True strength is to kill when you wish and to not kill when you choose.”

Xue Jing pondered his insights.

“With [Visualization], perhaps I can remodel the Asura Blade...”

Shaking his head, Xue Jing temporarily set aside this notion, then began his usual running exercise.

A few hours later, Xue Jing visited the community center to explain the situation with the garden's grass.

Relying on his good looks, he apologized profusely to the community auntie, successfully gaining her forgiveness; she even smiled, letting him off without any compensation.

Nevertheless, Xue Jing insisted on paying for the grass restoration cost. Being quite wealthy, he saw no need to save this meager sum.

By nine in the morning, dressed in casual attire and holding the Votu, Xue Jing stood at his apartment complex entrance, waiting.

With the charm of a Level 7 enchantment combined with his innate Saintly Soft Body physique, passersby couldn't help but cast him curious glances.

Many felt tempted to approach and strike up a conversation, but whenever they tried, they met Xue Jing's eyes.

In that moment, inexplicable fear chilled their hearts, dispelling any notions of engaging him, and they hurriedly left.

“Seems the Asura Blade's intent is quite handy in this regard,” Xue Jing noted as a subtle bloodlust shimmered in his gaze, locking eyes with a beautiful woman in hot pants and a seductive outfit.

Her expression instantly stiffened, erasing her desire to approach.

The intrinsic fear of death incited by his lethal aura was palpable.

He didn't have to wait long before a large, luxurious black sedan pulled up on the roadside nearby.

The rear window lowered, revealing a young, pretty girl who cheerfully waved at him from the window.

“Hey hey hey! Junior Brother~ Over here over here~” she called happily.

Xue Jing smiled and strolled over.

Upon his arrival, Zhushan Ying opened the car door and stepped out, extending her gentle, delicate hands to grab his arm and pull him into the back seat.

The young girl got into the car and sat beside Xue Jing. She turned her head and smiled at the driver, "Sister Sang, let's drive~"

"Yes, Miss."

The driver was a woman in her thirties, wearing glasses, projecting a refined appearance. She glanced curiously at Xue Jing through the rearview mirror, studying his face for a while, and sighed inwardly.

Without saying much, she pressed down the accelerator, and the car smoothly started, making a turn and heading towards the northern district.

Inside the car, Zhushan Ying and Xue Jing sat together.

The faint fragrance of the young girl lingered at the tip of Xue Jing's nose, but he paid it no mind, instead, he touched the seat cushion.

The texture was soft, with excellent elasticity.

"Little Junior, I went to the dojo this morning. The renovations have started, and it's really noisy..." Zhushan Ying chattered away beside him.

Today, she wore a youthful outfit: a light purple short-sleeve and black strap shorts, revealing flawless, smooth white legs, wearing flower-decorated sandals.

Xue Jing, accustomed to seeing Senior Sister in training clothes, found her appearance refreshing.

"I saw Senior Brother this morning."

As she talked, Zhushan Ying took off her sandals, placing her small, unadorned feet onto the wide seats, sitting sideways without formality.

She then stretched out an arm to hook around Xue Jing's neck, almost hanging onto him as she laughed playfully, "I heard from the master that Senior Brother chased Jiao Hongyuan for half a day yesterday, seriously injuring the old man. But when he reached the southern district, a group suddenly blocked him, letting Jiao Hongyuan escape."

Xue Jing considered the subtle sensation of Zhushan Ying's arm against his, pondering seriously, "That sounds quite problematic."

Jiao Hongyuan, as the head of Jin Feng Dojo, was extremely powerful. Among Canglong Dojo members, except for Senior Brother Meng Boxiang, perhaps no one else could handle him.

Now that Jin Feng Dojo and Canglong Dojo were in complete enmity, if Jiao Hongyuan, disregarding his own face, resorted to sinister tricks to avoid Meng and targeted the other direct disciples for assassination, it would indeed be troublesome.

Xue Jing himself wasn't too worried, as he had a fallback with his passive twin skill.

But the other senior brothers and sisters didn’t have this assurance.

Zhushan Ying shook her head, saying, "Master said, Jiao Hongyuan's injuries are severe. To protect his disciple, Senior Brother used the 'Secret Art: Eye-Puncture' to pierce his energy shield. Even if he survives, he's left with half a life, so we don't need to worry."

Xue Jing nodded, "That's good then."

"And there's Senior Brother Chen. He seems really mad, planning to follow Senior Brother to Jin Feng Dojo to get back at them..."

As the pleasant voice of the girl rang through the air, the car entered the northern district.

After several turns, they arrived at the entrance of a large estate.

Although Xue Jing had anticipated that the place where Zhushan Ying, who proclaimed herself a super-rich woman and could casually give away a 20 million long sword, lived would be impressive, it still exceeded his expectations.

The walls flanking the gate, as Xue Jing roughly estimated, were at least a hundred meters long. If the length and width were about the same, the estate's area must be over ten thousand square meters.

This area wasn’t actually that exaggerated.

But the issue was, this was the northern district where even having money couldn't buy a house...

"Hehe, this is the true power of a wealthy woman like me, Little Junior. Are you tempted to stop trying?"

The car slowly drove through the grand estate gates. With her arms crossed and a proud tilt of her head, Zhushan Ying said, "Welcome to my abode."

Xue Jing gazed at the opulently decorated mansion in the distance. He swallowed hard but maintained his stubborn facade, "It's alright."

...