Ancient Strengthening Technique (Web Novel)
chapter-1012

AST 1012 – Sacred Item of the Heaven and Earth, Arhat Rosary Beads

Qing Shui saw the person in the central stone platform with a glance. More precisely, he saw the person whose skeleton was now a sitting pile of dried up bones. It was upright, with a tall stature and a position calm like an old monk.

That divine and dignified aura came from this set of bones. It was only after he had entered this place that the aura had felt even stronger. He now knew why no wild beasts or demonic beasts would come.

If Qing Shui was still in his previous life, he would definitely be scared to death upon seeing a set of bones like this. However, he didn’t feel anything right now. The closer he approached, the more strongly he could feel that near holy power. This power gave others the feeling of wanting to bow or kneel down to pay respects.

There was not a hint of dust on the set of snow white bones, which seemed very strange. After all, dust was everywhere in the surroundings, but in a three meter radius around the set of bones, there wasn’t even a speck of dust.

“Ehh!”

It was only now that Qing Shui realized that there was a string of “Buddha prayer beads” on the skeleton’s legs. It should be prayer beads. Part of it was on the skeleton’s legs, while the rest was covered by the bones. The prayer beads seemed to be made from ancient sandalwood, at least on the surface. Each bead was about the size of a baby’s fist, and the holy power came from this string of prayer beads.

Qing Shui took a few more steps forward and could sense that not only was there an ample amount of holy power, there also seemed to be a powerful spirit energy on the string. Such power would make one’s soul feel threatened.

“What the hell is this?”

It was only when he got close that Qing Shui saw that the prayer beads were very large. With a glance, he estimated that there were just over 60 beads. With a more accurate look Qing Shui guessed there were 64 of them in total. If an adult were to hang it around his neck, it could drape down all the way to his ankle, or even the ground. Of course, one could also circle it twice or thrice around the neck.

Qing Shui took a few more steps forward and a powerful spiritual sense or intent materialized and surged towards Qing Shui. Qing Shui frowned and the Yin-Yang Image in his consciousness spun very quickly, fending it off.

It was no wonder that the place hadn’t suffered any damage. For one, this place was very well-hidden. Moreover, the spiritual sense here was very weird. If it wasn’t for Qing Shui’s strong enough spirit energy and spiritual sense, he might have been turned into a fool right then and there.

Thankfully, he hadn’t let Luan Luan come in. Qing Shui knew that the string of prayer beads was definitely something good, but most good items were destined for people who came prepared. In other words, only people who were strong enough could have them. For other items, only those who had an affinity with the item could have it.

Qing Shui didn’t know if he was the person with that affinity, but he would definitely think of a way to get his hands on the prayer beads. This was definitely something good. He took two more steps forward, and his spirit felt like it was being pierced by needles.

This must be a restriction this skeleton had left behind when he was still alive, a pressure combining resistance and spiritual attack. Each time Qing Shui took one more step forward, it became slightly stronger. This was a warning, to humans and demonic beasts alike.

Expert level Focused Concentration!

With his heavenly meridians cleared, his spirit energy circulated very quickly. Qing Shui walked within two meters of the skeleton, but he found it hard to progress any further. He was only one step away from being able to reach out his hand and grab it…

This was too big a joke…

Qing Shui was helpless. If it wasn’t for the world’s regulations, Qing Shui felt that he would be able to take this single step in a month, or at most three months. With the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal, he had this confidence.

However, with the pressure from the world, a millimeter difference felt like 1,000 li. It was extremely hard for Qing Shui to breakthrough this step. He stood there and stared at the powerful spirit “shackles”, but wasn’t able to lift his legs to take another step forward.

He thought of how his Gold Needles could stimulate others, but he had become strong too quickly recently and for now, there wasn’t any way for him to stimulate even a little more potential.

This difference of a single step required one to be very strong. Moreover, one would need to break through the world’s regulations. It was just as hard as if he had to take ten more steps forward as opposed to just one.

Qing Shui was drenched in his sweat and even his spirit energy was showing some signs of backlash. The deeper in, the more aggressive the spiritual pressure here was.

Qing Shui wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he were to walk out empty-handed.

“Oh, the Berserk Dragon crystal card!”

Qing Shui recalled this item which could allow his strength to breakthrough the world’s regulations by 500 stars. It would be sufficient for him to take this one step. However, Qing Shui was slightly hesitant, because he felt that it might be useful when he headed for the Demon Gate or the Buddha Sect.

However, encountering this situation put him at a loss. After all, this Berserk Dragon crystal card was very powerful, being able to ignore the pressure of 500 stars. It was a power one could unleash only after attaining a strength of 5,000 stars.

After taking one Vital Essence Pill, Qing Shui hesitated for a bit before he took out the precious card. Qing Shui had only one. He had made multiple attempts to refine more, but only one was successfully created. This showed how precious it was.

Steeling his determination!

Qing Shui slapped down the Berserk Dragon crystal card on himself and immediately a mysterious energy rose from within him. The pressure before him suddenly lightened by a lot. Qing Shui lifted his leg, and the step which he had found impossible to take earlier was now easily taken.

Qing Shui didn’t reach out for the prayer beads immediately. Although it was very attractive to him, to the extent that he had used the crystal card, he had more than sufficient time and looked toward the skeleton once again.

The skeleton was very broad, and certainly must have belonged to a man. Judging from his sitting position, he might have been a monk. From the person’s skeleton, Qing Shui had the feeling that when this person had died, he must’ve been very strong. However, his age at death was unknown.

Qing Shui willingly bowed toward the skeleton, and the moment he did so, he could see a row of words inscribed on the stone platform.

After receiving the prayer beads, leave the cave within the time it takes for one breath. Remember! Remember!

Mmm, Qing Shui knew that upon removing the prayer beads, there would be danger. Why had the person inscribed the words there? Earlier, Qing Shui had only felt a little pity for this guy to have died in the Giant Beasts Mountains, and had thus given a bow to him out of pity. After all, he was going to take away something that belonged to a dead person. He even had the thought of setting up a tomb for this person.

Qing Shui sent a message to Luan Luan, who was outside, asking her to stay a little further away, together with the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. After knowing that they kept their distance, Qing Shui moved once again and picked up the prayer beads. It was quite large and were close to two meters long. A cooling sensation entered his body and he quickly left the cave. The cave wasn’t big and Qing Shui managed to get out within a single breath of time. After seeing Luan Luan and the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant in the distance, he made a few more leaps in a flash and reached their location.

Boom!

The mountain where the cave had been collapsed. This wasn’t the most terrifying thing, but Qing Shui sensed that the explosion was caused by spirit energy. If he had remained in the cave and the impact of the spirit energy was thrown towards him, he didn’t know if he would’ve been able to hang on.

In fact, when Qing Shui picked up this huge string of prayer beads, a spiritual sense from inside merged with his. The feeling was very weird but Qing Shui felt that this was something good. It was just that he hadn’t the time to check it out.

“Father, what’s going on? What is this you’re holding?” Luan Luan looked at the huge “prayer beads” in his hands with great interest.

“This is something I found in the cave. I have no idea what use it has. Let me take a look.” It was then that Qing Shui looked toward the huge “prayer beads”.

Arhat Rosary Beads

Qing Shui was stunned. Arhats referred to legendary deities from his previous life, the highest level disciples of Buddhism could attain in their cultivation.

Arhats were free from human desires and passions, and they had broken free from all worries.

They had entered a state of nirvana, free from the cycle of life and death.

Stunned for a moment, Qing Shui continued to read on. The Heavenly Vision Technique was very amazing and had brought him huge benefits in the past. Otherwise, he would have to look for appraisers to check out his items. Appraising items was done to understand the effects of the items. At times, items could be used without being appraised, since there were also times when one could chance upon knowing an item’s use.

Appraisers tended to have powerful spirit energies. Experience, powerful spirit energy, and spiritual sense could allow one to know the uses of different “things”, just like how it was for Qing Shui’s Heavenly Vision Technique.

Arhat Rosary Beads, a sacred item of the heaven and earth, only transferable to a new owner when the current one has passed away. It would recognize the first person to hold it as its owner, matching the person’s spiritual sense.

Qing Shui recalled the cooling sensation that had entered his body when he first picked up the Arhat Rosary Beads. It seemed as if he had merged with the Arhat Rosary Beads. Qing Shui saw the words, ‘sacred item’. Moreover, it was a sacred item of the heaven and earth.

Just these words alone made everything worth it, even if it had been at the expense of the Berserk Dragon crystal card.

The Arhat could increase its owner’s spirit energy by one fold, increase the rate of cultivation spirit energy by one fold, increase spiritual attack by one fold, spirit energy recovery by one fold, reduce spirit energy depletion, fend off half the damage of spirit energy attacks, ignore all pressure, effective only towards spirit energy.

Qing Shui’s hands were trembling. This was what was meant by sacred item. It came to him in a very timely manner. Although it was only effective towards spirit energy, it was sufficient. His Heart of Roc had reached the large success stage, his Yin-Yang Image and expert Focused Concentration were decent, and his spirit energy was very powerful. Moreover, he still had the Primordial Flames.

If this Arhat Rosary Beads was given to a person with weak spirit energy, it would be a waste. Qing Shui now felt that this was extremely suitable for his current situation. It would be even better if it could ignore pressure received through physical attacks. However, it wouldn’t be much use if he were to leave the Five Continents. After all, it increased one’s spirit energy and spirit energy attacks by one fold.

Spirit energy was the hardest to train and the Arhat Rosary Beads could double the user’s rate of cultivation of spirit energy. Just this alone would make alchemists and beast tamers jealous. Moreover, what made Qing Shui afraid the most was spirit energy attacks. It was just like how the lady in the crystal coffin had used Spiritual Confinement on him. It was a trauma to him and back then, it was all because his spirit energy hadn’t been strong enough.

Qing Shui’s spirit energy and spirit energy attacks had already been restricted by the world’s rules and back when he had picked up the Arhat Rosary Beads, he hadn’t paid much attention since he was fully focused on escaping from the cave. However, right now, he felt that the spirit energy in his consciousness was extremely strong and powerful.

Primordial Flames!

Qing Shui suddenly blasted out huge Primordial Flames from his palms, reaching out to a distance of over ten meters. It had the thickness of a water barrel and the depletion of spirit energy seemed to be lower than before.

He moved his hand and condensed the flames into a Primordial Flame Whip. The Primordial Flame Whip seemed to be even more condensed than before, with the thickness of a person’s wrist. It exuded a fiery aura and was 50 meters long.

Pa pa pa…

Qing Shui trembled as a wonderful feeling surged through right down to his bones. Now, if he were to encounter another Berserk Dragon, he could just use this Primordial Flame Whip to kill it.

Not only was his spirit energy increased by another fold, attacks using spirit energy, such as the Primordial Flames, had also increased in prowess by another fold. His spirit energy recovery was now faster, his spirit energy depletion was reduced, and half of the opponent’s spirit energy attacks would be fended off.

Right now, the most important thing to Qing Shui was to be able to ignore all sources of pressure. Although this was only effective towards spirit energy, it was enough. It could even increase the rate of his spirit energy cultivation.

Qing Shui tried to put the Arhat Rosary Beads into his Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal, since he didn’t wish to put on such a long string of prayer beads. He put it in carefully and discovered that the increase in his spirit energy remained.