At first, Ning Ri's practice was still somewhat clumsy, because he had relatively few skill points.
But it had to be said that Ning Ri's talent with the blade was simply too strong.
Very soon, he was no longer awkward. He grew more and more proficient, more and more formidable. The seemingly crude saber became so nimble in his hands that it seemed ready to fly. With a casual swing, it could send the wind in the room howling wildly, chilling the soul...
Ning Ri remembered clearly that after becoming a Third Stage Qi Refining cultivator, he had once taken on a job—
Performing saber techniques for disciples of a great sect!
Those disciples had been raised in great sects from birth. They had never seen mortal saber techniques; from the day they were born, they had watched cultivators' saber techniques. To put it bluntly, they were all prepackaged sabers. They had never seen anything so raw and primal.
And Ning Ri had been responsible for providing authentic mortal saber techniques.
Ning Ri had originally thought the disciples of those great sects would mock him. To his surprise, they treated him rather well. There was none of that arrogant young master attitude, and they lavished praise on his saber techniques—
They said that these days, it was far too difficult to see traditional saber techniques!
There had even been a ten-year-old boy from the Lingxi Immortal Sect. Though still very young, he had been at the Eighth Stage of Qi Refining. He excitedly circled Ning Ri, begging to become his disciple. He thought Ning Ri was unbelievably cool.
Ning Ri had merely stared at the ten-year-old boy and said that a child's energy ought to be spent on cultivating immortality, not on such flashy frills.
There had also been several older and more powerful cultivators, who sighed again and again—
Young people these days, once they started cultivating immortality, could never become like this.
Who would still persist in tempering such genuine, blade-to-blade skill?
They all went straight for cultivation methods!
Cultivation methods had predetermined qi circulation routes. One only needed to use Spiritual Sense to control flying swords and flying blades.
And if your Spiritual Sense was not particularly sharp, there would even be magical treasures to assist with control...
To put it bluntly, they had no soul at all!
People like Ning Ri were far too rare these days!
Ning Ri echoed them aloud, while thinking, I'd like to have no soul too, but my strength won't allow it!
Later, Ning Ri received several spirit stones in tips from that performance. Only after building up some savings did he have the chance to visit various sects and seek masters. Otherwise, he could never have traveled to so many sects.
Now that he could finally settle down in the Heaven Defying Sect, Ning Ri let out a long breath, stopped, and turned his gaze toward the cool moonlight beyond the window. The corners of his mouth curled upward slightly—
This was a good beginning!
After pausing for a moment, Ning Ri's body started moving again, and his saber techniques once more became awkward...
He had reset his skill points!
But with his excessively outstanding talent for the blade, he soon became proficient again...
After Ning Ri practiced saber techniques without sleep or rest for fourteen hours, he gained twenty-eight skill points, in addition to the four skill points he had already had in Saber Arts.
The total number of skill points in his hands reached one hundred.
It allowed him to directly max out the formal artifact-forging techniques and the miscellaneous artifact-forging arts.
Whoosh—
[Compendium of Qi Refining Stage Artifact Forging Techniques]: 10 (Maxed) (Skill points can be reset).
Whoosh—
[Blazing Heaven Chapter]: 10 (Maxed) (Skill points can be reset).
Whoosh—
[Subtle Art]: 10 (Maxed) (Skill points can be reset).
After maxing out every skill, Ning Ri let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Staying up all night and grinding so hard has really worn me out!"
If he did not need to go give Zhou Hai an answer, he would have liked to grind a little longer.
After all, he currently had no skill points that he could use to instantly reach the peak of Qi Refining.
However, just as Ning Ri was about to close the panel and leave the little house for the Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion, his gaze suddenly sharpened—
Something was wrong!
He saw that all the artifact-forging techniques on the panel had unexpectedly merged together...
In the end, they formed:
[Heavenly Craftsman - Incomplete Version]: 100 (Maxed) (Skill points can be reset).
Seeing the brand-new skill appear, Ning Ri froze for a moment, then began examining himself...
After checking for quite a while, he discovered that merging all the artifact-forging techniques together had not brought him any new changes. Of course, he had not lost anything either.
But Ning Ri felt that it could not possibly be that simple. Surely all those skills had not merged just to save a few words on the panel, right?!
After pondering for a moment, Ning Ri felt that perhaps the level was still not high enough.
He might need to collect more artifact-forging techniques and complete [Heavenly Craftsman]. Only then would new changes occur.
Then Ning Ri left the little house and headed straight for the Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion.
Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion.
The moment Ning Ri entered, before he even caught sight of Zhou Hai, Zhou Hai's cheerful voice drifted over.
"Have you made up your mind?"
Only after the words fell did Zhou Hai emerge from within the Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion.
"Greetings, Elder Zhou." After saluting, Ning Ri said solemnly, "This disciple has made up his mind. I have decided to give up the second choice."
For some reason, there was no surprise on Zhou Hai's face. He merely asked curiously, "Why?"
Ning Ri said in a low voice, "This disciple feels that since I have already entered the Heaven Defying Sect, with all the elders shielding me from wind and rain, and no need to worry about making a living, then I can try relying on my own strength and see where it takes me. If it truly does not work out, then I will deal with it when the time comes!"
Zhou Hai smiled. "The human heart is difficult to fathom and ever-changing. What if one day you achieve nothing, and we no longer intend to help you? What will you do then?"
Ning Ri pondered. "Then... this disciple might regret it and brood over it for two days first."
Zhou Hai burst into laughter. "Hahaha."
"Fine. Since you do not wish to choose, we will not force you. However..."
At that point, Zhou Hai paused and said solemnly, "Even if you lose, there is no need to fear. Most people are failures on the path of immortality. The only difference is whether they lose early or lose late."
Hearing this, Ning Ri was slightly stunned before saying earnestly, "Thank you, Elder Zhou!"
Zhou Hai waved a hand, then took out a jade slip. "I gave you two choices, and you chose neither. Since that is the case, I will give you a third choice."
"This choice is that I give you a mission. Upon completing it, you may obtain a copy of the [Heaven Defying Foundation Establishment Method]. It is the most expensive Foundation Establishment cultivation method in the Outer Sect's Pillars of Cultivation Pavilion."
With that, he handed the jade slip to Ning Ri.
Ning Ri accepted the jade slip. With a turn of his Spiritual Sense, he saw the words inside:
[Heaven Defying Foundation Establishment Method: Build a firm Heaven Defying foundation] [The following content will be unlocked after the mission is completed] [Mission: Go to Master Chen Xingfeng's Craftsmanship Tower and forge a set of Qi Refining Stage magical treasures for him. The quality of the magical treasures must receive the approval of artifact forger Chen Xingfeng.] [Master Chen Xingfeng will provide the artifact-forging materials.]
Ning Ri revealed a surprised expression. "Elder Zhou, is this... a reward for me?"
To him, the contents of this mission were practically a free gift.
And there was no need to mention the [Heaven Defying Foundation Establishment Method].
Ning Ri still did not understand how difficult it was to earn Outer Sect contributions, but from Zhou Hai's tone, he knew that under normal circumstances, obtaining this cultivation method would not be so easy...
Yet Zhou Hai said speechlessly, "What reward? Other than you, which Outer Sect disciple could take on this mission?"
"Of course, if you insist on calling it a reward, that works too."
"Because I originally planned to send this mission to the Inner Sect. Only Inner Sect disciples could handle it."
"But in light of your own efforts and your choice, I have decided to make an exception. I stopped this mission and gave it to you. I hope you will not disappoint my expectations."
Ning Ri immediately said solemnly, "Yes!"
"Thank you, Elder Zhou!"
Before you continue