Three Arts Simultaneous Cultivation

In the days that followed, Shen Hao began a life of Three Arts Simultaneous Cultivation.

Every day at Mao Hour, he went to the Medicine Garden on time to work and earn Spirit Stones. At You Hour, he returned to his residence. First, he circulated the Meridian Tempering Art, using spiritual energy to scour his meridians and temper their resilience and width. Once his meridians had adapted, he circulated the Spirit Devouring Art, opened the Spirit Devouring Vortex, and activated the Companion Jade Pendant to devour the spiritual energy within the Spirit Stones.

Cultivating the Meridian Tempering Art was exceedingly painful. Every time spiritual energy scoured his meridians, it felt as though countless needles were piercing him. Yet Shen Hao gritted his teeth and persisted, never stopping day after day.

As his meridians were tempered bit by bit, he could clearly feel that his capacity for spiritual energy was growing ever greater. The Spirit Devouring Vortex and the Companion Jade Pendant also operated more and more smoothly, naturally increasing his cultivation speed.

That day, after Shen Hao circulated the Meridian Tempering Art to scour the meridians in his arms, he took out a Low-grade Spirit Stone as usual and pressed it against the Companion Jade Pendant.

A green glow lit up, and the Spirit Devouring Vortex began to turn. The spiritual energy within the Spirit Stone surged into his body like floodwaters bursting through a breached dam. After being purified by the jade pendant, it became a trickling stream that flowed through his widened meridians and into his Sea of Qi.

This time, the spiritual energy flowed without the slightest obstruction. The lake of spiritual energy within his Sea of Qi rose at a visible pace, and even faint spiritual radiance rippled across its surface.

"Hmm?" Shen Hao's heart stirred. Looking inward at his Sea of Qi, he sensed that the concentration of spiritual energy had reached the threshold of the Late Qi Refining Third Layer.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately stopped devouring the Spirit Stone and focused all his attention on breaking through the barrier.

All the spiritual energy in his Sea of Qi was mobilized, transforming into a roaring tide that slammed fiercely into the barrier of the Late Qi Refining Third Layer.

"Bang!"

A muffled boom exploded within his body. His meridians trembled slightly, but the swelling pain he had felt before did not come—this was the benefit of tempering his meridians.

A tiny crack appeared in the barrier. Shen Hao was overjoyed and hurriedly increased his spiritual energy output. Wave after wave crashed against that crack without pause.

The crack grew wider and wider until it finally shattered with a thunderous crash.

Dense spiritual energy surged into the deeper reaches of his meridians like floodwaters bursting through a breached dam. The lake of spiritual energy in his Sea of Qi expanded in turn, while its concentration increased severalfold.

"Late Qi Refining Third Layer—I finally broke through!"

Shen Hao slowly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them. Clenching his fist, he could clearly feel that the power within his body had become far more robust, and his control over the Flying Sword had grown more effortless as well.

He looked out the window. The sky had already begun to brighten. Only ten days remained until the Inner Sect Preliminary Assessment.

"Ten days is enough for me to stabilize my cultivation at the Late Qi Refining Third Layer, perhaps even make a push for Perfected Qi Refining Third Layer." Shen Hao murmured to himself, a confident smile appearing on his face.

He rose to his feet and stretched, feeling utterly refreshed and filled with strength.

He walked to the table, picked up the Purple Sun Basic Sword Codex, and began to study it carefully.

After his cultivation had improved, his understanding of sword arts had also deepened. He knew that the second trial of the Inner Sect Preliminary Assessment was the Sword Art Assessment, while the third was the Combat Competition. Only by practicing the Purple Sun Basic Sword Codex to perfection could he achieve good results in the assessment.

Holding the Flying Sword, Shen Hao walked to the open space before his house.

The morning sunlight fell upon him, warm and soothing. He assumed his stance and practiced the three sword forms recorded in the codex—cleaving, thrusting, and sweeping—move by move.

The Flying Sword seemed to come alive in his hand. Every cleave carried a fierce gust of wind; every thrust was swift as lightning; every sweep was unpredictable and ever-changing.

Sword Light flashed, slicing through the dawn. Shen Hao's figure leaped and darted continuously across the open ground. Sweat slid down his cheeks and dripped onto the earth, spreading into small wet marks.

He knew that the competition in the Inner Sect Preliminary Assessment would surely be fierce, but he was already prepared.

Ten days later, he would display his strength on the Training Ground and launch his charge toward becoming an Inner Sect Disciple.