21：The Sword Beyond Worlds

An hour later, Shen Hao awoke from his meditative state, pleasantly surprised.

The memories of both men flashed through his mind like scenes from a movie, leaving behind only their skills and key memories—an unexpected bonus.

He hadn't anticipated that after absorbing the bodies of Liu Baoshan and Zhou Haihu, the spatial dimension not only transferred their memories but also granted him their internal energy. The space functioned like a massive filter, purifying the internal energy to an extent that it felt as refined as if Shen Hao had cultivated it himself for years.

Now, Shen Hao's strength had surpassed the Body Tempering stage, advancing him to the Postnatal stage—specifically the third tier. His internal energy was so pure that within this tier, he was unmatched.

But that wasn't all. Shen Hao had inherited both men's memories, which meant he had mastered Zhou Haihu's "Featherlight Shadow Step" and Liu Baoshan's internal cultivation method along with his sword technique, the "Clear Wind Sword Style."

In a single leap, he had become a Postnatal martial artist.

The key was that Liu Baoshan had previously been a Postnatal sixth-tier expert. Shen Hao now understood the path to those higher levels, as if the barriers to advancement had vanished.

Zhou Haihu had barely scratched the surface of "Featherlight Shadow Step," yet his lightness skills were already formidable. Shen Hao couldn't help but wonder how terrifying the technique would be once mastered.

What surprised him even more was the revelation that Zhao Chuang, the chief inspector who had fought Liu Baoshan, was a Postnatal eighth-tier expert. His blade techniques were fierce, heavy, and overwhelming, leaving Liu Baoshan no chance.

Yet even Zhao Chuang showed the utmost respect when facing the mysterious woman in black. Clearly, her status and strength were extraordinary.

Shen Hao quickly dismissed these thoughts. None of it concerned him. He had gained what he wanted, and that was enough.

The demonic core was hidden in the Liu family's study, located in Yangling Prefecture, over a hundred kilometers away.

However, since Shen Hao was now only at the Postnatal third tier, the demonic core wouldn't benefit him much yet, so there was no rush to retrieve it.

Although Liu Baoshan's "Clear Wind Sword Style" was considered second-rate, Shen Hao's unique space made it invaluable—like having a safe, side-effect-free version of the legendary "Star Absorption Technique."

This pleased Shen Hao greatly.

Previously, he thought the spatial system only provided the memories of corpses, which was already impressive. But now, with more powerful bodies, it also rewarded him with pure internal energy.

Feeling exhilarated after absorbing all the memories, Shen Hao couldn't wait to try out "Featherlight Shadow Step." His speed was astonishing. In just a few blinks, he had covered over a hundred meters.

Delighted, Shen Hao chuckled to himself, "Haha, if I delivered food with this speed, I'd be the undisputed king of express delivery!"

Amused by his own joke, his mood soared.

At first, he considered tossing more corpses into the space, but based on the memories he'd gained, most of them were ordinary people—not worth the effort.

In this martial world, being at the Postnatal third tier wasn't particularly impressive. But in the real world, that level of power would be akin to an invincible nuclear weapon.

Sure, he might not withstand bullets or explosives directly—but good luck trying to hit him.

Even a highly skilled soldier could require hundreds of armed officers to subdue. Shen Hao recalled a rogue soldier who had once gone rogue, taking down dozens of troops despite being surrounded by over six thousand military and police forces.

With Liu Baoshan's memories, Shen Hao now understood pressure point techniques. Finally, he didn't feel like a weakling anymore.

Having grown up watching martial arts dramas, Shen Hao had always dreamed of mastering such mystical techniques.

Overjoyed, he practiced the "Clear Wind Sword Style" again, but lacking a sword, he had to settle for a tree branch.

After one round, it felt unsatisfying.

Clearly, he needed a proper sword.

Based on Liu Baoshan's memories, the forging techniques of this martial world were inferior to those of the modern world, both in design and quality.

So Shen Hao returned to the real world.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone to search for swords online.

In modern times, the most famous swords he'd heard of were Longquan Swords.

Historically, these swords were considered auspicious symbols, believed to ward off evil and bring good fortune, often displayed in royal palaces and noble estates.

Even today, Longquan swords were prized as collectible artworks with steadily rising value.

Browsing through search results, Shen Hao found their designs stunning—the more he looked, the more he liked them.

Prices varied widely, from affordable models around 200 yuan to high-end swords worth several thousand. Even a cheap sword would be considered top-quality in the martial world.

However, Shen Hao's eyes were drawn to the high-end models priced above 3,000 yuan.

A fine sword depended on two factors: excellent materials and superior craftsmanship. The latter, in particular, required patience and skill—a true "ten-year sword."

After much consideration, Shen Hao set his sights on a sword priced at 8,888 yuan. It looked absolutely magnificent.

But upon inquiry, he discovered the sword wasn't sharpened.

The seller explained that once a sword was sharpened, it became classified as a controlled weapon and couldn't be legally shipped.

Buying or selling controlled weapons was illegal, subject to confiscation, fines, and, in severe cases, even criminal detention.

Not only could the buyer get in trouble, but the seller could face legal consequences as well.

The seller added, "We've got high-carbon steel and meteorite steel options. The meteorite swords are pricier—30,000 yuan."

"Meteorite steel?" Shen Hao's curiosity was piqued.

"Well, it's not pure meteorite. Just scrap material. It used to be rare, but now you can find plenty in Xinjiang.

Still, swords forged by smelting meteorite with steel have excellent sharpness and durability.

Compared to swords cut and ground from meteorite slabs, those made through smelting are slightly superior.

This 30,000-yuan sword has been smelted, folded over 16,000 layers, and finely polished—but it's not sharpened."

Shen Hao's heart raced with excitement. He nodded and said, "Alright, send me the address. I'll come in person. If I like them, I'll buy two."

Money was no longer an issue for Shen Hao. If he liked it, he'd buy it.

He didn't care whether it was meteorite steel, high-carbon steel, or manganese steel—he just wanted something that felt right.

Without hesitation, he booked a flight.

The next day, the seller was surprised when Shen Hao actually showed up.

Without much small talk, the seller led him straight into his forge.

"Mr. Shen, this is the meteorite-forged sword.

These blades are made from T10 steel—a type of high-carbon tool steel with 1% carbon content."

As the seller explained, Shen Hao examined the swords.

"These two are my most expensive pieces—the Primordial Sword and the Qinglian Sword—both crafted from meteorite steel. They're priced at 30,000 yuan each.

They're identical in size: total length 102 cm, blade length 71 cm, thickness 0.5 cm, and weighing about 1.5 kilograms."

Shen Hao unsheathed the Qinglian Sword, gripping it firmly. It felt perfect in his hands.

With a casual flick, he performed a dazzling sword flourish—effortless and elegant.

The seller stared in shock, giving him a thumbs-up. "Impressive! I didn't expect you to be a martial arts expert, Mr. Shen. Did you graduate from a martial arts academy?"

Shen Hao didn't bother to explain.

His eyes fell on another sword with a golden hilt, its scabbard inlaid with gemstones—an absolutely stunning piece.

The seller smiled, "That one's called the Divine Peak Sword, priced at 12,000 yuan."

Shen Hao asked, "Can you sharpen it?"

The seller shook his head. "That's illegal. Besides, how would you transport it?"

Shen Hao replied, "I'll take all three—the Primordial Sword, Qinglian Sword, and Divine Peak Sword."

The seller's face lit up with delight. "Well, in that case, I might be able to make an exception.

But if the swords get confiscated, don't blame me."

Typically, if a sword got confiscated, the buyer wouldn't pursue the seller. After all, they were likely from different provinces anyway.