Field

Nearly half a month had passed since Li Gan achieved Xiantian.

That day, just after Li Gan finished cultivating by striking the bell, his master, Zhou Buping, came up from the foot of the mountain.

"Li Gan, I told the Sect Leader about your breakthrough to Xiantian. In three months, you'll start taking Inner Sect missions, so make sure you claim them on time."

Zhou Buping said.

Now that his disciple had achieved Perfect Xiantian, there was no reason for him not to take Inner Sect missions.

Besides, it was time for him to go out and gain some proper experience.

"Understood, Master."

Li Gan said.

He also felt it was time to take on missions.

Cultivation was costing him too many Medicinal Pills now. Without them, he could only cultivate three times a day. He couldn't keep living off his master forever.

During the years he hadn't taken Inner Sect missions, the Inner Sect hadn't provided him with any cultivation resources.

His master had been spending Contribution Points to supply him with everything he needed.

Of course, he wasn't planning to take on many missions. Completing the two Inner Sect missions required each year would be enough.

Even without Medicinal Pills, he could still cultivate. At worst, he'd progress more slowly. His cultivation speed was already fast enough.

There was no need to rush.

After all, he had only just reached the Xiantian Realm. Forget the whole of Dachang—even in the Divine Sword Sect, there were countless people stronger than him.

He was still far from being able to protect himself.

Cultivating safely was what mattered most.

His real reliance was the Sacrificial Tool, the Chen Bell.

Cultivating by striking the bell was the method best suited to him.

Zhou Buping headed toward the wooden hut.

Li Gan continued cultivating the Heartless Sword Technique and comprehending Sword Intent.

After he finished, Li Gan habitually opened the System Panel to check the latest information.

Host: Li Gan.

Cultivation Base: Xiantian True Qi (Early Stage 98/100).

Sacrificial Tool: Chen Bell (Artifact 2334/10000).

Martial Arts: Sword Piercing Fist (Perfect), Heartless Sword Art (Perfect), Immaculate Sword Body (Perfect), Soul Chasing Sword Technique (Minor Accomplishment 18/100).

Martial Intent: Heartless Sword Intent (Illusion 19/100).

Secret Techniques: Myriad Transformation Sword Qi, Blood Burning Technique.

His cultivation progress had reached the early stage. He should be able to break through to the middle stage today.

He had also begun cultivating a new sword art called the Soul Chasing Sword Technique.

His master, Zhou Buping, had taught it to him some time ago.

The Heartless Sword Technique was the foundation for comprehending Sword Intent, not a technique focused on killing.

So he needed a pure sword art made for offense.

Of the several sword arts his master had offered, he had chosen the Soul Chasing Sword Style.

This art emphasized speed, precision, ruthlessness, and explosive force. Its attacks were swift and fierce, and the Sword Qi it condensed carried the killing power to chase souls and cleave spirits. It suited the Heartless Sword Intent exceptionally well.

He had only practiced it for a little over ten days, yet he had already reached Minor Accomplishment.

After all, he had the Heartless Sword Art as a foundation, and the Chen Bell's influence made cultivating other sword arts twice as effective.

If he chose to cultivate a palm technique or some other kind of martial art, his progress would be much slower.

As a sect named for the sword, the Divine Sword Sect also had palm, finger, leg, and saber techniques, but sword arts were still the first choice.

That afternoon.

Atop the Bell Tower.

As True Qi surged through the meridians in Li Gan's body, Heaven and Earth Origin Qi gathered in torrents and poured into him, merging with his vital energy.

Boom!

His Cultivation Base seemed to break through a threshold.

Streams of keen True Qi burst from the acupoints all over his body, transforming into streaks of Sword Qi that circled and darted around him.

In the sea of qi within his body, two strands of Life True Qi intertwined like a double helix.

At the early stage of the Xiantian True Qi Realm, there was one strand of Life True Qi.

At the middle stage, it split into two.

At the late stage, it could transform into three strands of Life True Qi.

The difference between one strand of Life True Qi and two or three wasn't simply that there was more True Qi.

The greatest difference was that two or more strands of Life True Qi could form a True Qi Field. When released through a martial technique, the field drew in Heaven and Earth Origin Qi, greatly amplifying its power.

The field formed by two strands of Life True Qi was called the Taiji Field.

The field formed by three strands was called the Three Talents Field.

It was said that upon reaching the True Essence Realm, besides liquefying True Qi, one could also form the Four Symbols Field, Five Elements Field, and Six Lines Field.

As for the True Core Realm, it brought the Seven Stars Field, Eight Trigrams Field, and Nine Palaces Field.

At that moment, the two strands of Life True Qi in Li Gan's sea of qi had formed a strange Taiji Field.

Suddenly, the long sword in his hand trembled as True Qi flooded into it, and he unleashed a move from the Soul Chasing Sword Style.

In an instant, the Taiji Field drew in Heaven and Earth Origin Qi. It merged with his Xiantian True Qi, condensing into a dazzling blade of light along his Treasure Sword.

Whoosh!

The blade of light tore through the air. A bird flying a hundred meters away was sliced cleanly in two.

"It's the same strike, using the same amount of True Qi, but the Taiji Field can draw in Heaven and Earth Origin Qi and amplify the power. This strike is more than twice as strong!"

Li Gan was amazed.

That was the amplification brought by the Taiji Field.

When he used a sword art, even though the True Qi he drew on left his two strands of Life True Qi, the Taiji Field's influence continued to hold as it flowed into the technique.

This meant that after breaking through to the middle stage of the True Qi Realm, Li Gan's strength had increased considerably.

"I should try to reach the late stage of the True Qi Realm before taking an Inner Sect mission."

A gleam flashed in Li Gan's eyes.

At his current cultivation speed, it seemed quite possible.

Time flew by, and another two months passed.

Below the Bell Tower.

The sun shone brightly that day.

"Brother Gan, I heard the Moon Worship Cult rebellion in the Eight Southeast Prefectures is almost completely quelled."

Chen Yong was sharing some information with Li Gan.

"So soon? Last year, didn't it look like things were only getting worse?"

Li Gan was quite surprised.

"I'm not sure, but the number of Suppression Missions at the Mission Hall has dropped a lot over the past two months."

Chen Yong said.

Ever since becoming an Inner Disciple, he had worked even harder. To obtain cultivation resources, he had taken part in Inner Sect missions again and again after his first year, earning Contribution Points.

Chen Yong still had his honest, unassuming looks, but his whole bearing had grown tougher and more capable.

"Brother Gan, there's one more thing. I heard the Inner Sect is preparing to hold another True Disciple Selection."

Chen Yong added.

"That makes sense. It's been more than five years since the last True Disciple Selection."

Li Gan said with a faint smile.

Time really did fly.

"Brother Gan, I heard becoming a True Disciple lets you enter the Sword Tomb once. Have you ever been in?"

Chen Yong asked.

He had been in the Inner Sect for a long time, so he'd naturally heard that a few years ago the sect had opened the Sword Tomb to all Official Disciples once.

Unfortunately, they had only gotten that one chance.

At the time, he hadn't even been an Inner Disciple.

"No."

Li Gan shook his head.

He wondered whether he might get the chance to enter the Sword Tomb someday.

Unfortunately, his master had retired from his position as an Elder due to his injuries, so it would probably be much harder now.

If he'd missed his chance, then so be it. It wouldn't make much difference.

It was a little disappointing, but he couldn't make things difficult for his master.

After they chatted for a while, Chen Yong asked him for advice on a few cultivation questions before leaving Chenzhong Terrace.

Li Gan went straight to the wooden hut where his master lived.

In the fields, his master, Zhou Buping, had rolled up his trouser legs and was turning over the soil with a hoe, just like an old farmer in the countryside.

As far as the eye could see, the fields stretched out in a broad swath of green, planted with all sorts of vegetables and fruit.

Chickens and ducks wandered in groups between the rows.

It was quite the idyllic country scene.

Ever since his master took over the farming, Li Gan had rarely worked in the fields.

He had only planted crops because he'd been bored at the time.

But in the long run, with his temperament, he would surely let the fields go to waste.

After finishing his cultivation, he'd rather lie down than lift a finger.

"Master, you're getting better and better at growing vegetables."

Li Gan squatted on the ridge and said with a smile.

"Growing vegetables is like cultivating martial arts. You have to understand how each vegetable and fruit grows. Observe them carefully, and it all becomes simple."

Zhou Buping straightened up and said with a smile, "What brings you here all of a sudden?"

"Master, I heard the Moon Worship Cult rebellion in the Eight Southeast Prefectures is almost quelled?"

Li Gan asked.

Though his master had retired due to his injuries, Li Gan visited him often, so he was sure to be well informed.

"More or less."

Zhou Buping nodded.

"How did it suddenly happen so quickly?"

Li Gan asked curiously.

"Ah. Even though the Moon Worship Cult rebellion is nearly quelled, I'm afraid there'll be even more trouble later."

Zhou Buping sighed, his words tinged with worry.

"Master, why is that?"

Li Gan was puzzled.

Wasn't it a good thing that the Moon Worship Cult rebellion was being quelled?

"The so-called Moon Worship Cult rebellion is only a spark. There are complicated reasons behind why it's lasted so many years. The imperial court, the vassal kings, and the great martial sects—all these factions have their own little schemes."

Zhou Buping said.

Li Gan understood at once. The Moon Worship Cult rebellion wasn't as simple as it seemed. It was even possible that various factions were secretly supporting the cult.

On the surface, it was a Moon Worship Cult rebellion. Beneath that, it was a contest between the imperial court, the vassal kings, and the great martial sects.

It seemed the imperial court's control over the provinces had weakened considerably.

Otherwise, the vassal kings and great martial sects wouldn't have been able to exploit the Moon Worship Cult rebellion to stir up trouble.

Judging by the lessons of history from his previous life, Dachang was clearly beginning to show signs of decline.

He just didn't know what role the Divine Sword Sect had played in this Moon Worship Cult rebellion.