Fang Cheng poured a stream of Magical Power into it.
The Red Feather Sword instantly transformed into a Vermilion Rainbow and shot into the air, dancing around the courtyard like an unshackled Red-Scaled Dragon. Its fiery light blazed, flaring powerfully.
With a single thought, Fang Cheng commanded the Flying Sword to return. It shot back to his side and coiled around him several times. The sword's light was nimble and lively, its movements as graceful as a dragon's. Bathed in the crimson glow, Fang Cheng's hair and clothes appeared to be cast in fire.
Overjoyed, Fang Cheng gave a soft cry and activated the Cyan Profound Sword Technique. With a SWISH, the Red Feather Sword shot into his sleeve, and the fiery light that had filled the courtyard instantly vanished.
He stood up, feeling absolutely elated. The Flying Sword in his sleeve felt as sharp as lightning—as if there was nothing it couldn't cleave!
'There are always higher heavens and stronger people. I can't get cocky.'
Fang Cheng reminded himself to stay grounded, suppressing the budding arrogance in his heart and gradually calming his mind.
'So, besides Dao Pattern Spirit Jade, the patterns on the bones of a Demon Beast's skeleton can also grant Creation Points…'
He frowned in thought, recalling his experience at the Jade Banquet Tower today.
'It seems anything that is a manifestation of the Great Dao can potentially generate Creation Points.'
'In that case, I should broaden my search…'
Thinking of the five hundred Creation Points he had obtained out of thin air today, Fang Cheng gritted his teeth and decided to spend them all at once.
Talisman Master: Fang Cheng
Divine Power Techniques:
One Qi Technique·Minor Achievement (200/200)
Cyan Profound Swordsmanship·Great Success (0/1200)
Nameless Gu Technique·Minor Achievement (65/300)
Creation Points: 0
The One Qi Technique consumed 38 Creation Points, reaching its maximum level. The "+" icon next to it vanished, indicating it could not be upgraded further.
Cyan Profound Swordsmanship consumed 461 Creation Points, breaking through to the Great Success Realm.
The remaining 9 Creation Points were added to the Nameless Gu Technique.
Two streams of profound Spiritual Sense instantly flooded into Fang Cheng's divine soul!
The first stream of Spiritual Sense was relatively simple—it was an insight into Qi Refining that instantly gave Fang Cheng decades of cultivation experience and understanding of the One Qi Technique.
In a flash, his understanding of this rudimentary Qi Refining technique reached an unprecedented level, rivaling that of the very Cultivator who created it.
It could not be improved any further.
The second stream of Spiritual Sense transformed into a profound insight that rose in Fang Cheng's mind.
A scene inexplicably materialized in his mind, feeling as real as one of his own memories.
Between the vast heavens and earth.
A Daoist in a cyan robe, hands clasped behind his back, rode a beam of Profound Light, weaving through a sea of clouds.
Suddenly!
The void warped, and a ferocious, pitch-black monster nearly a thousand feet tall tore through the fabric of space, opening its maw to devour the Daoist.
An instant later, a sword hummed, the sound echoing across the heavens.
A brilliant, crimson Sword Aura erupted forth. Swift as lightning, the blade's light wrapped around the massive monster countless times in the blink of an eye.
Only then did the sound of rolling thunder follow.
The Sword Aura's movements were broad and majestic. Yet, its turns were as nimble as a fish's tail, its flashes as quick as lightning. After circling and slashing the massive monster several times, it came to an abrupt halt, hovering silently in the void.
The sword's light flashed, and the cyan-robed Daoist's figure reappeared.
「The next moment.」
The monster shrieked in agony as blinding lines of fire erupted across its body, before it shattered into a thousand pieces.
After a long while, Fang Cheng finally opened his eyes.
He stood in the courtyard, Sword Intent surging from his body, creating a faint resonance with his Magical Power.
His Divine Sense and the Red Feather Sword now shared a mutual connection, gradually reaching a state of perfect harmony. He had attained the First Realm of the Sword Dao: the Sword Heart Clarity Realm!
At that moment, a realization dawned on Fang Cheng. His Sword Intent and Magical Power had completely fused. Now, every strike he unleashed would be at the absolute peak of his strength.
His sword strikes were now faster, sharper, and more agile!
His Sword Intent and Divine Sense merged, sharpening his senses to perceive the most minute details.
Only now could he truly be considered a master of Swordsmanship.
'It's a shame my Magical Power is still lacking. Even so, a single strike from me now could probably match the power of a First-rank top-grade magical tool.'
Fang Cheng could only guess, as he didn't have a precise measure of his own strength. He just felt his sword strikes were far more powerful than before, likely having long surpassed the level of a First-rank Middle-grade Magical Artifact.
After all, he had previously been able to slay a Tier One Mid-Stage Demon Beast with just an ordinary Refined Iron Flying Sword.
Now, with the Red Feather Sword and his vastly improved Swordsmanship, his power was in a different league entirely—his only remaining weakness was his insufficient Magical Power.
...
Fang Cheng cultivated in his courtyard for several more days. He successfully raised a new batch of Vajra Gu, and after a round of cannibalism, one finally emerged as a Tier One Mid-Stage Gu Insect.
He now had two Tier One Middle Grade Vajra Gu!
「One month later.」
After being fed large quantities of venomous substances, the batch of Poison Gu finally began to cannibalize each other.
Fang Cheng carefully performed the Gu Refining Secret Technique, letting the batch of Poison Gu battle amongst themselves for several hours.
In the end, one Poison Gu successfully broke through to become Tier One Middle Grade.
This Poison Gu was tiny, only the size of a pea. Its body was as black as Demon Jade, and its two pinprick eyes glowed a striking, bright scarlet.
This Gu could release a colorless, odorless, and highly toxic gas, allowing it to poison a Cultivator without their knowledge.
It could even invade a Cultivator's body directly to spread its poison, a far more potent method.
After securing the Gu Insect, Fang Cheng now possessed five Tier One Mid-Stage Gu Insects—
one Love Gu, one Wine Gu, a pair of Vajra Gu, and one Poison Gu.
He then started a new batch, continuing to cultivate Gu Insects.
He spent the rest of his time in secluded, ascetic cultivation, striving for a breakthrough.
Ever since his comprehension of the One Qi Technique reached the Great Success Realm, his speed of refining Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi had increased once more.
The first realm of cultivation on the Great Dao for Cultivators in this world was the Sensing Realm.
It involved sensing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, opening a Qi Sea within the body, and refining that Spiritual Qi into Magical Power for one's own use.
The size of the Qi Sea, and by extension the amount of Magical Power one possessed, was the primary measure for dividing the levels within this realm.
Fang Cheng sat cross-legged on his divan, circulating the One Qi Technique over and over. He absorbed the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, refining it into a gurgling stream of Magical Power that flowed like a gentle brook through his limbs and meridians.
After completing a full circulation, it would pool in his Dantian Qi Sea. This cycle repeated endlessly, the power growing stronger with each revolution.
Devoid of joy or sorrow, his heart was tranquil. His mind merged with the world around him, immersed in a state of oneness with heaven and earth as he continued his Qi Refining.
At first, the Magical Power in his body circulated like a gentle, trickling stream. But as it grew, it became a torrent, a great river surging and churning throughout his entire body.
Gradually, his Qi Sea began to overflow, unable to contain the newly refined Magical Power.
After hundreds of circulations, his Magical Power surged like the tide, relentlessly pounding against the walls of his Dantian Qi Sea.
When this momentum reached its zenith, the Qi Sea in his Dantian suddenly trembled, as if a fissure had opened.
BOOM!
The surging Magical Power rushed into the opening, as if a dam had burst.
A clear, ringing sound seemed to echo in Fang Cheng's ears. His vision went completely white for an instant, then erupted in a brilliant light.
With a roar, his Qi Sea expanded, nearly doubling in size!
The aura around him surged and a spiritual light flickered. The roiling Magical Power within his body at last grew calm.
Fang Cheng slowly withdrew from his meditative state. A jade-like, crystalline sheen flashed across his face and was gone. His eyes were bright and sharp, and he radiated vigor.
Fourth Layer of Sensing!
He had finally broken through.
The Magical Power churning in his Qi Sea had more than doubled!
His Divine Sense and physical body had both been tempered by the Magical Power, receiving significant enhancements.
Seated on his divan, he felt refreshed and clear-headed. His five senses were sharp and his heart was filled with tranquility.