Guidance

Basic Sword Qi Primer

Judging by the name alone, it was clearly not in the same style as things like <Heaven-Piercing Star Dou Return-to-Origin Fiend-Transforming Dark Underworld Embryo-Forging Divine Art>. He did not even need to open it to tell at a glance.

The colors were completely different!

Unlike the ink-black bamboo slips over by the Five Elements Escape Method, this bamboo slip was yellow. It felt like a woven bamboo mat, and it looked as though it had often been handled, its surface already slightly frayed.

Li Fan then raised his head and looked at the shelf the chubby young prince had just taken books from. It was piled everywhere with these same yellowed old bamboo slips. At a glance, besides Basic Sword Qi Primer, there were actually Advanced Swordsmanship Guide, Advanced Sword Method Explained, and Practical Sword Formula Exercises. Listed under Bamboo Mountain Sword, they seemed to be a set of four volumes.

Li Fan had that Tibetan fox expression, you know?

"Why the hell were you fighting someone for it?! Aren't there more on that shelf?!"

Li Fan pointed at the pile of Basic Sword Qi Primer on the shelf and cursed at his right hand.

His right hand raised its index finger and wagged it, pointed at Basic Sword Qi Primer, gave a thumbs-up, pointed at Advanced Swordsmanship Guide, flattened its hand and wobbled it in a so-so gesture, then simply jabbed its thumb downward at the later sword methods and sword formulas.

Li Fan narrowed his eyes at his right hand, which was putting on an entire performance by itself.

System, what exactly was this thing?

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent appraised the Bamboo Mountain Sword Dao. It stated that Basic Sword Qi Primer was acceptable, the swordsmanship guide was mediocre, and the sword methods and sword formulas were all carefully selected garbage.'

"I fucking know what it means! I'm asking where this Profound Heaven Sword Intent came from! Huh?! Was it the thing I got from the lottery?!"

It was that little sword that had drilled into his right palm. So it had not been an illusion after all?

'When the host first drew the lottery, he was outside the service area and the prize could not be delivered. The Profound Heaven Sword Intent voluntarily offered to serve as the prize and signed a contract with the system. The host may now use it normally.'

...No, were lottery prizes from the system really allowed to sign contracts on the spot so casually?

At this moment, his right forearm also rose up. Facing Li Fan, its four fingers pressed together while its thumb opened and shut rapidly, making a duck-talking gesture. While chattering away, it pointed here and there: first at the sky, then outside the door, then at Li Fan's nose, then at the bamboo slip, and finally it made a beheading chop with its hand, radiating murderous intent.

What...

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent stated that it had previously been trapped by Void Star and had suffered severe losses to its strength. Just now, it had actually been provoked by the Sword Light of the flying sword at the entrance. It could not tolerate this. The host's aptitude was acceptable, so it wished to guide your cultivation and have you sever that Black Sword someday to avenge it.'

Damn, what kind of sword intent was this? It was so petty...

"...No, System, translate this for me. I can only take two Dao methods. I came here this time to find cultivation methods for Foundation Establishment and Golden Core. Ow!"

In the end, the Profound Heaven Sword Intent understood far more than Li Fan did. It made an OK sign and directly controlled his right hand to charge forward, nearly yanking Li Fan's shoulder out of its socket.

Li Fan could only sigh helplessly as his right hand dragged and tugged him over to the shelves at the back. It grabbed an ink-black bamboo slip from the shelf and stuffed it into Li Fan's arms.

And what was this supposed to be?

<Taiyin Five Luo Sword Ghost Divine Treasury Secret Refinement Outline>.

'Li Fan's mood decreased slightly.'

His right hand raised three fingers beside him and gestured animatedly.

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent stated that the Black Sword's swordsmanship before the Golden Core Stage ranked among the top three in the world, but its sword methods after the Golden Core Stage ranked among the bottom three in the world.

Though this Five Ghost Sword was not particularly impressive either, it contained refinement methods for all five elemental Sword Qi, and it was a rare Divine Treasury Method. Master this before Golden Core, and it will be enough. You can replace it with something better later.'

Black Sword? Sword Ghosts? Divine Treasury?

...Forget it. Li Fan did not understand a single cultivation-world term written on these scriptures anyway. Anything he picked would be the same. At least the Profound Heaven Sword Intent was a professional.

Thus, Li Fan left the Scripture Pavilion carrying a yellow bamboo slip and an ink-black document.

After circling around the brilliantly shining treasured sword from earlier, he saw the chubby young prince outside the courtyard. With his hands on his hips, the boy was shouting at the martial man behind him—a towering figure with a leopard's head and ringed eyes, an ape's back and wasp waist, the bearing of a crane and form of a mantis, nine feet tall, dressed like a Star Official or Heavenly King from a temple, exceptionally handsome and imposing. "Grand Imperial Father! That's him! He stole my opportunity and even slapped my face!"

Hearing this, the martial man glared at Li Fan with a pair of eagle eyes that carried authority without anger.

'Li Fan's mood decreased slightly.'

Li Fan's right hand refused to be outdone and gave him the middle finger.

Hey, enough already! That guy was coming over with fists the size of sandbags!

Before Li Fan could explain, Real Person Wanshu had already flashed to his side. She gave the martial man a single glance. "What mountain god are you, to dare pressure my attendant with your aura?"

Only then did the martial man seem to notice Real Person Wanshu. He was horrified and dropped to his knees with a bang, prostrating himself flat on the ground with a practiced posture so skillful it was outrageous. "This little god did not know that Real Person had arrived! I failed to welcome you from afar! My wicked disciple offended your attendant; I beg you to forgive us!"

The chubby young prince was also stunned. He looked at his grand imperial father, then at the Real Person before him. Without another word, he attempted a perfect kowtow, only to seem as if an invisible wall of qi held him up. His face flushed red, but he could not kneel down.

Real Person Wanshu looked at the handprint on the chubby boy's face, then at Li Fan. "You hit him? Did he offend you?"

Li Fan hurriedly shook his head. "No, no. I didn't hit him... My hand did."

The martial man and young prince both sucked in a breath.

Real Person Wanshu frowned slightly. "Qingyue, you must not bully your fellow disciples, much less slaughter mortals wantonly..."

The martial man and young prince both let out a long breath.

"If you insist on showing off and fighting fiercely, stray down the wrong path, and fall into the demonic path too early, then there will not be enough of your flesh to divide among them."

The martial man and young prince: "..."

Li Fan was speechless at this unprovoked disaster. "Thank you for Fairy's instruction. Qingyue will remember it."

"You can be taught." Real Person Wanshu smiled and nodded, then looked at the two before her. "As for you two, do not remain on the mountain."

Before her words had even faded, she flicked her sleeve. The martial man and young prince vanished without a trace, though Li Fan had no idea what divine ability had moved them away.

Damn... Was this the difference between immortals and mortals? The gap was way too huge...

"All right, let me see what you chose." Real Person Wanshu took the yellow slip and ink-black document from Li Fan's arms and glanced at them. Suddenly, she froze. "Has an expert already guided you?"

Hadn't one... Though whether it counted as a "person" was hard to say...

Li Fan glanced at his right hand.

"Our sect's foundation truly cannot compare to the renowned schools of the Central Lands. Most sword-control methods after the Golden Core Stage were seized from unorthodox schools. Thus, few Inner Sect disciples focus on the sword Dao, and few know that the Bamboo Mountain Sword Method is an ancient sword art passed down by an itinerant cultivator at the sect's founding. It actually possesses a measure of subtle profundity and does not lose out to those proper sword sects.

The Taiyin Sword Scripture is not bad either. The current Heavenly Dao has the False Moon hanging in the sky, so Taiyin Sword Intent is the easiest to cultivate. However, the path of the sword immortal carries too much killing intent. If you cannot restrain your hand, there is a risk of falling into demonic cultivation. Since you have chosen sword cultivation, you must guard your Dao heart even more carefully. Do not stir up trouble or contend fiercely with others."

Since Real Person Wanshu had confirmed them twice over, these two cultivation methods were probably safe to cultivate.

And after this little incident, Li Fan had also gained a rough understanding of how vindictive these sword immortals were.

Fortunately, the Profound Heaven Sword Intent stopped courting death in front of Real Person Wanshu. It vanished without a trace for the moment, as if Li Fan really had been having a mental breakdown with his own right hand.

Cultivators naturally had their own karmic fortunes. Real Person Wanshu did not ask further. Since he had taken his initial cultivation methods, she brought Li Fan flying toward her own cave dwelling.

Her cave dwelling was atop a floating peak. At the summit lay a crescent-shaped Cold Pool. From far away, he could see dense white mist rising into the air. The pool water was deep blue like ink, and its depths could not be seen at a glance.

Real Person Wanshu led Li Fan down into a waterside pavilion floating on the surface at the center of the pool and called into the courtyard, "Fuling."

"Miss, you've returned..."

A beautiful mature woman emerged from the pavilion, lifting aside a beaded curtain. Her hair was arranged in cloudlike coils, framing her face in elaborate buns. Golden flower pins adorned her head, rouge colored her cheeks like rosy clouds, and her distant-mountain brows had been carefully painted. Her features had already been breathtakingly lovely, but after such adornment, she looked even more like a proper young lady than her mistress.

Her expression was somewhat languid, likely because she had just awoken from a couch. A dark, silk-draping robe with wide sleeves hung loosely over her jade-smooth, rounded shoulders, revealing her lovely shoulders, back, and collarbones at a glance. Below, she seemed to wear only a flesh-colored floor-length dress, walking barefoot across the floor. Through the gauzy silk, one could vaguely glimpse her graceful, full figure underneath.

Niiice~~~ Hiss~~~

'Li Fan's mood greatly increased by 1 point.'

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent stated that the host should pay attention to cultivating his heart. At such a young age, do not lose your virgin body, as it would hinder cultivation. The system also agreed.'

Both of you, shut the hell up!

"This is Qingyue, the attendant the mountain lord assigned to me. Help him settle in."

"Yes, Miss." Fuling glanced at Li Fan from afar, lowered her eyes, and gave him a slight bow. That counted as their introduction.

Real Person Wanshu then said to Li Fan, "Fuling has served at my side since childhood. We are as close as sisters. Qingyue, do not neglect her."

"Yes, greetings, Sister Fuling." As a man obsessed with looks, Li Fan naturally would not neglect her.

"It is late tonight. Go rest first. Tomorrow, I will guide your cultivation." Real Person Wanshu nodded in satisfaction. As she spoke, she removed her ornate crown, opened her moon-colored robe, casually tore off her undergarments and tossed them aside. In the blink of an eye, she had stripped completely naked and stepped toward the Cold Pool.

Li Fan stood dumbfounded beside her with his mouth hanging open.

'Li Fan's mood greatly increased by 1 point.'

Fuling swayed over, gathering the light robes, trousers, pearl ornaments, and jade hairpins scattered across the ground. "Miss, Ink Bamboo Mountain teaches Against Music. At this rate, you're about to turn it into indecency..."

Real Person Wanshu swam through the icy pool like a white fish, laughing loudly as she sang, "Woohoo! Dance with abandon, yellow words and broad statutes; Heaven's Sovereign is inconstant, and the nine domains perish thereby. Heaven's Sovereign does not obey, descending a hundred calamities; that household shall surely be ruined and destroyed."

"Sigh, you comprehend the Great Dao. I cannot argue with you." Fuling wiped the Dao robes in her arms, and they disappeared into the jade bracelet on her wrist. Turning her head, she looked at Li Fan, whose eyes had gone wide. "What, do you want to go down for a swim too?"

Li Fan nodded instinctively, then came to his senses and hurriedly shook his head.

Fuling's expression did not change, as if she did not mind. "You may only enter the Cold Pool to cultivate after Foundation Establishment. This is medicinal liquid formed from Dark Nether Dao Breath, and it is very beneficial for condensing the Dao Embryo. Your body cannot withstand it yet. Come with me."

Couldn't withstand it? He really could not withstand it...

Li Fan felt like his nosebleed was about to burst out. Too embarrassed to keep looking at Fairy Wangshu floating on her back in the pool, he hurriedly bent at the waist and followed the voluptuous Fuling into the residence. From behind, he could clearly see that her flesh-colored silk skirt had been pressed beneath her while she sat and reclined; it distinctly outlined the peach-like shape of her buttocks, swaying and trembling with every step...

Oh, mother of god... Too much, too much...

'Li Fan's mood greatly increased by 1 point.'

'Li Fan's mood greatly increased by 1 point.'

"You may stay here as before." Fuling led Li Fan into a clean and tidy meditation room in the small building. A purple-gold incense burner within held burning sandalwood, with thin blue smoke curling through the room. Sitting quietly inside, one immediately felt one's breath settle and spirit calm.

'Li Fan's mood increased by 1 point.'

"The previous attendant was a true disciple Miss personally chose and trained with great care. Unfortunately, fate cannot be forced..."

Li Fan understood the implication. He nodded solemnly. "Thank you for the reminder, Sister. I certainly will not make Fairy worry."

Fuling looked at Li Fan. "...That was not quite what I meant. Miss is also a True Cultivator who has attained the Dao long ago. Since she intends to defy heaven and alter fate, what matters of life and death could she fail to see through?

I am worried about you. The person she taught before was a girl, and their daily interactions were rather casual and uninhibited. I fear Miss's temperament is such that she may not even realize that, as a woman, she is being too unrestrained. For her, it is simply acting freely and following the natural Dao. But more or less, I fear it may affect your state of mind."

It's fine, it's fine. Bring on more of it. You two have an extremely significant beneficial effect on my mental health!

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent stated that the host must hold himself back!'

Shut up! I've seen it all! What was a little storm like this? Let the storm rage even harder!

'Li Fan's mood decreased by 1 point.'

"In any case, if anything is inconvenient for you at Wangshu Residence in the future, Qingyue, just tell me directly." Fuling flipped her wrist, revealing a Twin-Fish Jade Pendant in her palm. "Inside this Storage Jade Pendant, I have placed three sets each of Dao robes, casual clothing, and ceremonial robes, along with pills for Qi Refinement and replenishing blood, spiritual medicines for saving lives and staving off hunger, paper currency and cinnabar. I have also stored some gold, silver, and Spirit Stones. Just put any miscellaneous items inside; there is no need to stuff everything into your clothes."

Oh! Storage space! This was a magic treasure!

"Thank you, Sister!" Li Fan eagerly accepted it and turned it over in his hand for a while... "How do I use it?"

"Hm? Aren't you an attendant? Just send a breath of Dao Breath into it."

Li Fan scratched his head. "Um, Sister, I only arrived from the Human Dao tonight. What is Dao Breath?"

"Oh, you arrived tonight... Huh?" Fuling suddenly froze. "Tonight? You only came from the Human Dao tonight? The Human Dao?! And after only one night, you already reached the Qi Refinement Stage?"

Wait, wasn't Qi Refinement the most basic level? Since when was reaching Qi Refinement in one night something to show off here?

'The Profound Heaven Sword Intent stated that the host's aptitude truly was acceptable.'

Hmm... The Profound Heaven Sword Intent had very high standards. It seemed Li Fan really was a cultivation genius...

Fuling also looked unconvinced as she reached out to touch Li Fan.

Sigh, I'm used to it. Go ahead, touch away.

'Li Fan's mood increased by 1 point.'

"You really formed a Qi Sea!" Fuling's face was filled with shock. Naturally, her shock was much more specific. "Miss took me in when I was old enough to remember. Even I needed ten years to develop a sense of qi and open my Inner Landscape. Yet you did it in a single night!"

To be exact, he had sat on the meditation cushion for around a hundred seconds.

But he had better not say that exactly. Judging from Fuling's expression, she was already approaching the point where her "mood decreased slightly."

With a conflicted expression, Fuling said, "Dao Breath is the true qi that you produce through daily cultivation and breathing exercises, absorbing the spiritual qi between heaven and earth and transforming it into your own within the Inner Landscape. Such true qi contains mixed five elements, and its Dao Breath is impure. It depends on the quality of the spiritual qi directly absorbed from heaven and earth. Within Bamboo Mountain's cave dwellings, there is no need to worry, but if you breathe and cultivate in the Human Dao, many impurities will accompany it.

If you do not refine it and directly use true qi over a long period, it will instead clog your meridians and acupoints. That is the root reason why those loose cultivators and heterodox practitioners in the Human Dao, lacking proper methods, cannot attain the true fruition of a Heavenly Immortal.

What is called Qi Refinement is the use of cultivation methods from the various sects of the Postnatal Immortal Dao to refine this mouthful of true qi and Dao Breath into purer, superior five-element Dao Breaths such as Divine Hardness, Purple Radiance, Dark Nether, Crimson Fiend, and Return to Dust. Only then can it be further used for superior divine abilities and secret arts, tempering the body, establishing the foundation, controlling objects, and casting spells.

Spatial magic treasures like Storage Jade Pendants include some superior custom-made ones that require you to cultivate true qi of a specific attribute and concentration through exclusive formulas before they can be opened. But the one I gave you is merely an ordinary Ling Bao. Even without refined true qi, you can activate it directly with the Dao Breath within your body. Of course, its space is limited, and anyone can use it, so it is best not to store precious Heavenly Treasures inside.

Since you could open your Inner Landscape in a single night, simply call upon the true qi within it. That should be very easy for you, shouldn't it?"

Fuling was clearly still somewhat doubtful. It was as if she deliberately refused to explain further in order to test Li Fan.

But Li Fan had more than one cheat on him.

With a single breath, he felt a distinct pulse at the acupoint on his right wrist, where his thumb connected to his forearm. It was as if a small fish swam backward through the meridians in his right arm, traveling along river-like channels through his body, circling once through his lower abdomen, then returning by the same path to hide in his wrist.

Li Fan was not stupid. He immediately understood that the Profound Heaven Sword Intent was guiding him. And this was truly a literal case of straightening his meridians—it had directly run through the route for circulating qi. At once, he gathered the Dao Breath in his Inner Landscape along that meridian, reached out, and gripped the Twin-Fish Jade Pendant.

Li Fan's mind immediately became clear, as if he could see a system-like space. With a mere thought, he stored the scriptures in his arms and the pearls given by the mountain lord into the jade pendant, then casually took out a replacement set of Dao robes.

"That really was quite simple. Thank you for your guidance, Sister."

Another freak! Fuling rolled her eyes, covered her face in irritation, and left.