Copying a single spirit root

Early June.

That morning, Su Bai finished his daily breathing exercises and left the Qingyun Cliff Cave Abode on his Sword Flight.

The Azure Dragon Sword sliced through the pale blue sky and flew straight toward the Sword Academy.

Before they even got very close, a cacophony of noise could be heard, a stark contrast to the solemn tranquility of the Sword Academy's usual training sessions.

Upon entering the Sword Academy's territory, one would find the Training Ground already bustling with activity. Over a hundred Disciple of the Sword Academy had gathered there, each one full of energy and their faces beaming with anticipation.

Today marks the first time the Sword Academy is holding a small-scale competition.

This is of extraordinary significance to this newly revitalized academic school.

As the Chief of the Sword Academy, Su Bai attracted everyone's attention the moment he appeared.

The Training Ground instantly quieted down, and countless reverent gazes focused on him.

He walked steadily to the high platform at the front of the Training Ground, faced the crowd, and loudly announced the rules and procedures for this competition.

The voice was clear and melodious, reaching the ears of every Disciple.

In this small competition, Academy Master Xu Shangran really went all out to motivate his Disciple.

The Top Ten will all receive rewards, ranging from Spirit Stone and Pill to cultivation manuals.

The winner will receive a First-Tier Superior-Grade magic sword with a cold, gleaming light and Spiritual Qi.

Sword One drawn, a chorus of low gasps and swallowing sounds rose from below the stage, and many Disciple' eyes blazed with intense desire.

"This is not only a competition, but also a test of everyone's training results over the past six months, and a good opportunity for each other to verify their Sword Dao and identify and fill in any gaps in their skills."

Su Bai's gaze swept over every young face below the stage. "I hope you will all give it your all, demonstrate what I have learned, and also see different possibilities in the way of the Sword Dao from your fellow disciples."

Xu Shangran had also arrived at this moment. He set up a table and chairs on one side of the Training Ground, brewed a pot of Spirit Tea, and sat down calmly, ready to observe carefully.

Su Bai and Zhao Shanhe retreated to the sidelines and temporarily took on the role of referees.

The competition rules are simple and clear: opponents are determined by random drawing, and it's a one-on-one elimination system.

Only Sword Dao- related Spell Divine Ability taught by the Sword Academy are permitted, with the sole purpose of testing Sword Dao Cultivation.

The draw was completed quickly, and the competition officially began.

To be honest, the first few rounds of competition were a bit dull.

Most Disciple have only been in the sect for half a year. Even with the "Profound Sword True Essence Art" lowering the threshold, it is still not easy for them to condense Sword Qi.

Therefore, the competition on the field mostly revolves around the "Dragon Roaming Sword Control Technique".

Two or even more flying swords clashed, chased, and parried in the air.

While the technique was somewhat presentable, the control of Spiritual Power was rather clumsy, and the trajectory of the flying sword lacked agility.

It's more like a competition to see who has a more solid foundation in Sword Control Technique and Spiritual Power is more enduring.

Occasionally, Disciple would attempt to execute more complex sword techniques, but they would often make things worse, eliciting good-natured chuckles from the sidelines.

Xu Shangran sipped his tea, he shook his head slightly, but he understood.

Sword Dao is inherently difficult, and slow progress in the early stages is the norm.

But as the competition progressed, a different kind of brilliance finally began to emerge in the arena!

"Laugh--!"

A slightly dim yet solid and sharp pale white Sword Qi burst forth from the sword finger of a Disciple with a resolute face, accurately knocking away the opponent's unsteady flying sword and directly securing the victory.

"It's Sword Qi! Senior Brother Li has condensed Sword Qi!" someone on the sidelines immediately exclaimed.

In the following matches, Disciple successively unleashed their Sword Qi.

Although most of these nascent Sword Qi are only a foot long, their light flickers, and their control is not particularly refined, their instantaneous explosive power and penetrating ability are far beyond what simple Sword Control Technique can achieve.

Disciple possessing Sword Qi generally defeated opponents who were still practicing Sword Control Technique with ease, quickly standing out from the crowd.

After the first round concluded, Su Bai and Zhao Shanhe conducted a brief inventory, and the results were exhilarating: out of more than 150 participating Disciple, eleven had successfully condensed Sword Qi!

"Eleven! Hahaha, good! Good!"

Xu Shangran couldn't help but clap his hands and chuckle, and even after taking several sips of tea, he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

To Su Bai's delight, among these eleven Disciple was Wang Jue, the round-faced, slightly chubby boy who had only managed to enter the sect with Su Bai's extra guidance.

At this moment, Wang Jue was excitedly rubbing his hands together, his face full of the joy of his first victory and the anticipation of the subsequent competition.

"It seems that the final top ten, and even the top three, will most likely be among these eleven people," Su Bai thought to himself.

As he predicted, things turned out exactly as he had expected.

As elimination rounds continued, those Disciple who had not yet condensed Sword Qi were gradually eliminated. Without exception, all of those who made it into the Top Ten of the Sword Academy Small Competition were ten of the eleven Disciple who had condensed Sword Qi energy (one of them was eliminated early due to bad luck in the draw, encountering a stronger opponent earlier).

Among the Top Ten, the performances of two Disciple were particularly eye-catching, drawing not only attention from Su Bai and Xu Shangran, but also from other Disciple watching from the sidelines.

What Su Bai and Xu Shangran most concerned about were their two Disciple, Jin Yangsheng and Hong Yi.

Even without Su Bai's private instruction, these two's mastery of Sword Art was in no way inferior to Wang Jue's, demonstrating their considerable Sword Dao Talent.

In comparison, Wang Jue, who received special instruction from Su Bai, also managed to squeeze into the Top Ten, but his Sword Qi power and control were indeed slightly inferior to Jin and Hong. His main advantage lay in his richer experience and more stable mentality.

The final focus naturally fell on the competition for the top three spots.

Unexpectedly, Hong Yi unleashed the Sword Vein Power, defeated Wang Jue, and won first place, much to everyone's surprise.

Looking at the Disciple below the stage, each with a different expression, Su Bai pondered: Wang Jue has his protection, Jin Yangsheng possesses both Talent and perseverance, and Hong Yi...

This young man clearly possesses at least a first-tier Sword Dao Talent, and his comprehension of the "Profound Sword True Essence Art" far surpasses that of Tongji University. With a little further refinement, he will be able to succeed in the future.

Within a few years, they might be able to secure a place in the Inner Sect Grand Competition, and even covet the precious Foundation Establishment Pill.

In this way, the framework of the new generation of the Sword Academy has been initially established, and the inheritance is promising.

The release of these eleven strands of Sword Qi today not only inspired the Disciple within the academy, but also silently declared to the outside world: the threshold for the Sword Academy's inheritance has been lowered!

Sword Dao is no longer an unattainable barrier.

At least, the decline of the academic school due to a lack of capable individuals will not be repeated.

At noon, the sun was blazing.

The small event began in full swing and ended in a lively atmosphere.

Su Bai declined Xu Shangran's invitation to stay for a meal. After exchanging a few words with Zhao Shanhe, he flew away on his Sword Flight and returned to his Qingyun Cliff Cave Abode.

After the excitement subsides, it's time to Mind-Calming and reflect.

Several days passed quietly in the midst of regular practice.

June 10th arrived as scheduled.

In the Quiet Chamber, Su Bai slowly opened his eyes, and a mysterious rune-like light flashed and disappeared deep within his eyes.

The cooldown of [Immortal Talent Reflection] has ended, and the status has returned to a reassuring "1/1".

The time has come.

Su Bai stood up, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Copy Single Spirit Root, then... it's time to plan a long-term, quiet True Disciple mission and go into seclusion to break through to the Breaking Through to Foundation Establishment stage!"

Once the Foundation Establishment, the dantian transforms into a spiritual sea, with Liquid True Essence flowing freely. The Spiritual Power throughout the body circulates in a self-contained system, and the aura becomes perfectly integrated.

At that time, unless he actively exposes himself or encounters a detection Secret Method far beyond his own level, even Golden Core Cultivator would find it difficult to easily discern the true nature of his Spirit Root.

This will provide him with excellent cover for continuing to use [Immortal Talent Reflection] safely in the future.

Taking out the Mysterious Black True Disciple Token, Su Bai sent a Transmit Message to Elder Wan Haoran of the Transmission of the Dharma Hall. His words were respectful, mentioning that there were still some difficulties in the previous discussion on the fusion of Thunder Method and Sword Dao, and he hoped to visit again to seek guidance.

A moment later, the Token vibrated slightly, receiving Wan Haoran's reply, which was concise and to the point. "Alright, come to my cave."

Su Bai didn't delay any longer. He flew out on his Sword Flight and soared upwards along the steep cliff of Qingyun Cliff.

As Elder of the Transmission of the Dharma Hall and a master of Thunder Method, Wan Haoran's cave dwelling was naturally located in the upper part of the cliff where the Spiritual Qi was more abundant.

Soon, Su Bai found the cave.

There was no doorway at the entrance of the cave, only a pale purple light curtain that rippled like water. Now the light curtain was open, clearly indicating that the Master had removed the restriction and allowed him to enter.

Su Bai concealed the Sword Light and stepped into the cave.

The interior is quite spacious and simple, with Thunderlight Stone embedded in the four walls, emitting a stable incandescent light, and a faint, extremely subtle crackling sound of static electricity can be heard in the air.

Wan Haoran was sitting cross-legged on a Prayer Mat, his aura calm and serene, yet perfectly blending with the faint Lightning Spirit Qi around him.

"Disciple Su Bai greets Elder Wan." Su Bai stepped forward and bowed.

Wan Haoran waved his hand, and without any visible movement, Zhang Yu table and two Cloud Patterns wooden chairs silently appeared in the center of the cave.

"Please sit down."

His voice was calm, his gaze fixed on Su Bai, carrying a hint of a senior's appreciation for an outstanding junior. "Have you come today with new progress or questions regarding your concept of integrating Thunder Method and Sword Dao?"

In the preceding months, Su Bai had already come to consult him three times, citing the need to understand Thunder Method in advance to prepare for the possible mission involving the Land of Evil Ghosts.

Wan Haoran was quite interested in his idea of "integration and creation of techniques," and patiently explained it to him each time, even personally demonstrating some of the essentials of Thunder Method.

In his eyes, Su Bai was exceptionally talented and had already shown Sword Dao. The young man was quick-witted and full of inspiration, wanting to draw upon the power of Thunder Method and integrate it into his Sword Dao.

While it is bold, it is not entirely impossible.

He was genuinely hoping that this young man could come up with something new.

Su Bai sat down as instructed, and when Wan Haoran asked her a question, she appropriately revealed a look of mixed thoughts and confusion.

Clearing his throat, Su Bai said, "Elder, I do have some ideas, but I'm stuck at a crucial point and can't make any progress. I've come to seek your guidance."

"Last time, I was fortunate enough to receive guidance from the Elder on the method of Spiritual Power vibration and compression for the Palm Thunder. After Disciple, I pondered it repeatedly..."

He began his pre-rehearsed fabrication. "This Disciple has discovered that when the power of the magic sword reaches its Peak, the clear and resonant sword cry, like the rolling thunder at the moment of a lightning strike, seems to have a similar effect in triggering a resonance of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to intimidate the opponent's mind."

"However, truly integrating the essence of the two into sword techniques is extremely difficult. If one is not careful, not only will they not complement each other, but they will interfere with each other, causing the Spiritual Power to dissipate."

Wan Haoran nodded slightly, signaling him to continue. This kind of "metaphysical" insight is precisely where the difficulty of creating a method lies.

Su Bai changed the subject. "Later, Disciple tried to isolate the subtle ' Lightning Arc Light-Splitting ' variation from the ' Palm Thunder ' technique you taught me, Elder, and practice it in a modified way..."

"Once, when my mind was completely absorbed, I unintentionally activated my Spiritual Power, and my palm emitted a series of sharp, crackling sounds, as dense as a torrential rain and as crisp as tearing silk. If you listened closely, it sounded as if hundreds of birds were chirping at the same time!"

He described it vividly, drawing inspiration from a famous anime concept from his previous life, which was naturally novel in this world.

"This scene of ' Chirping of a Thousand Birds,' though far less powerful than true Thunder Method, still deeply moved this Disciple with its extreme penetrating and tearing force!"

Su Bai looked intently at Wan Haoran, his tone becoming fervent. "This Disciple is thinking, if we could find a way to graft the artistic conception and penetrating properties of this ' Chirping of a Thousand Birds ' Song' onto the moment when a flying sword rapidly cuts through the air, or when Sword Qi is condensed and explodes at its extreme..."

His statement was half true and half false, cleverly linking the characteristics of Thunder Method such as "sound," "light," and "speed" with the "sharpness," "swiftness," and "intention" of Sword Dao.

This proposes a research direction that sounds both imaginative and seemingly plausible.

Wan Haoran listened, his fingers Consciousness tapped his knee, and a thoughtful look deepened in his eyes.

After a moment, he slowly nodded, a hint of approval on his face. "' Chirping of a Thousand Birds '... Although I haven't witnessed this phenomenon myself, from your description, it certainly contains a unique Daoist charm."

"Lightning inherently possesses both destruction and life; its power is partly a manifestation of its might."

"Your ability to connect this to the Sword Dao, and to focus on the levels of 'intention' and 'spirit,' rather than forcibly combining the power of thunder and fire, is quite insightful!"

After making up some nonsense, Su Bai reached out his hand, using the excuse of asking the Elder to help him sense the transformation of the Palm Thunder, and successfully touched Wan Haoran's body.

The cooling-off period for the Survey hasn't passed yet.

Su Bai simply chose to Copy!

"Copy the target's Lightning Attribute Spirit Root for me!"

Wan Haoran's Spirit Root Talent was determined the day he joined the sect; it cannot be faked.

Even without Survey, Su Bai's Copy this time will proceed without any unexpected problems!

[Selected target Lightning Attribute Spirit Root Talent to Copy...]

[Copy successful, target Lightning Attribute Spirit Root has been Copy.]

[It has been detected that this Single Spirit Root does not match the host's dual attributes. Please select a target Spirit Root to discard.]

Su Bai did not hesitate to give up his previous Dual Attribute Spirit Root.

Buzz.

A warm sensation entered my body.

Su Bai felt a slight numbness in his body, and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi became clearer.

Some bluish-purple Lightning Attribute Spiritual Qi began to rapidly enter Su Bai's body.

"If one possesses a single Lightning Attribute Single Spirit Root for an extended period, one might be able to develop a Lightning Attribute Spell Talent."

This conclusion was drawn by Su Bai based on his own observations.

Most Cultivator who possess a certain type of Spell Talent will also have a corresponding Spirit Root attribute, although there are a few exceptions, which will not be discussed here.

Su Bai guessed that this was because the Spiritual Qi attracted by the Spirit Root had a long-term effect on the Cultivator's body.

Some Cultivator with four or five attributes may not have any Spell Talent because the Spiritual Qi they attract is too mixed.

The theory that Spirit Root influence Spell Talent to a certain extent is particularly evident in Cultivator with Single Attribute Spirit Root.

Cultivator with Single Attribute Spirit Root often possess Talent for Law Technique with extremely strong single-attribute abilities, such as Wan Haoran.

Secondly, Cultivator practices a Law Technique of a certain attribute for a long time, even if the Cultivator does not have the Spirit Root of that attribute, they can still make up for their lack of talent by diligently cultivating the corresponding Spell Talent.

This is likely a result of prolonged contact with Spiritual Qi of that attribute.

This is even evident in Sword Dao Talent, which do not have specific attributes.

While Spell Talent, a subjective Talent, is not entirely without specific detection methods like Spirit Root, it is not entirely untraceable either.