Inside the Cave Residence.
Jiang Li looked at the half-materialized dragon-shaped phantom gathered in his palm, and his eyes lit up.
With the Dragon Slaying Sword at mastery, the sword took dragon form, matching the characteristics of Sword Aura Manifestation, the second major realm of Sword Cultivators.
At this stage, a Sword Cultivator's slashes were no longer confined to sword radiance. They could shift through a thousand forms and give birth to all things.
And his Dragon Slaying Sword technique had apparently locked horns with dragons; even its form had transformed into that of a dragon.
With one sword strike, sword radiance became a dragon phantom that pounced forward and tore the target apart.
Its power was absolutely solid.
Immediately afterward.
Jiang Li began channeling the newly added technique trait of Dragon Slaying Sword—Fire Intent.
At once.
The originally colorless dragon-shaped phantom was dyed crimson.
The dragon phantom became a crimson dragon.
The temperature rose to an extreme.
Heat waves rushed at his face, while scorching air and water vapor continuously rose into the sky.
"With the new Fire Intent trait added, the technique's power has soared again. And now that the sword move has elemental power, its destructive force is even more astonishing."
Jiang Li clicked his tongue inwardly.
Just what had Dragon Slaying Sword comprehended to actually alter the nature of a spell?
This strike was no longer a simple Spirit Sever, but a Crimson Dragon Slash.
It had changed from an attribute-less attack into a fire-attribute one.
"Come to think of it, this Fire Intent pairs rather well with that second-tier spirit treasure, the Burning Sky Sword."
Jiang Li thought of something.
He took a crimson sword measuring three feet and three inches from his Storage Ring.
Its blade resembled a scarlet luan spreading its wings, making its extraordinary nature obvious at a glance.
This was one of the three welcome gifts his master had given him.
A spirit treasure he could use even beyond the Golden Core stage.
Paired with this spirit treasure, even if he could not unleash all its might, it could still raise his combat strength without limit.
Especially in battle, the gap between spirit artifacts and spirit treasures was anything but small.
With a single strike from the Burning Sky Sword, even if a spirit artifact did not shatter, several cracks would burst across it.
More importantly, to fully bring out the power of sword aura, it had to be paired with a top-tier spirit artifact.
Only top-tier spirit artifacts could withstand the attachment of sword aura.
It would not break after being used once.
It could be said.
With this second-tier spirit treasure, the power of Jiang Li's Dragon Slaying Sword could rise another level.
Stacked—his combat strength was stacking like mad.
Jiang Li was exhilarated.
He even felt that if he kept stacking like this, he, at the Qi Refining stage, could kill a Golden Core cultivator across realms.
With such a setup, even the elite disciples of the Inner Sect were probably no better than this.
That was what Jiang Li thought.
His heart settled completely.
His sense of security shot straight upward.
If he continued cultivating at this pace, he might truly have a chance to kill Myriad Desire Demon Lord in return and completely end this Sword of Damocles hanging over his head.
"Cultivate, cultivate. I've shown off enough today. For the next while, I should focus on secluded cultivation and let the fuss die down."
Jiang Li muttered.
He opened the Cultivation Technique Growth Plan.
He selected the Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art.
Activation successful.
Cultivation Technique Hosting for the Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art began.
As his body was formally placed under hosting, Jiang Li enjoyed the idle cultivation service with complete peace of mind.
After studying it for this period of time, he had basically figured out the system's temperament.
If he wanted the Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art to cultivate steadily without causing trouble, he had to do good deeds in advance—either Slay Demons and Defend the Dao, punish evil and promote good, or comprehend The Way of Righteousness.
Only with the support of righteous conviction would the Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art stop stirring up trouble and focus wholeheartedly on cultivation.
As it happened.
The Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art had undergone a transformation yesterday under the Heart Questioning Mirror's examination. Its righteous conviction was at its strongest, so there was no risk at all in choosing Cultivation Technique Hosting in this state.
Sure enough.
The next second.
The system notification sounded again.
Ding. The Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art is immersed in righteous conviction and urgently wishes to cultivate. Temporary cultivation efficiency +80%.
Piece of cake.
Jiang Li could not help giving a soft snort.
He then immersed himself in the efficient cultivation brought by Cultivation Technique Hosting.
Time flashed by.
Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Jiang Li never left the Cave Residence.
He devoted himself single-mindedly to cultivation.
The results were remarkable.
As early as ten days ago, he had officially advanced to Qi Refining Level 6.
Now, he was advancing toward the goal of Qi Refining Level 7.
Name: Jiang Li. Identity: Disciple of Heaven Sword Peak, Heavenly Mystery Holy Land (Myriad Desire Demon Lord's four-hundredth possession vessel). Realm: Qi Refining Level 6. Main Cultivation Technique: Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art (click to expand). Main Technique: Dragon Slaying Sword (click to expand).
"Expand."
Cultivation Technique: Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art Cultivation Technique Traits: Shield of Justice, Soul of Justice. Technique: Dragon Slaying Sword. Technique Traits: Dragon Bane, Fire Intent.
Looking at his status panel, Jiang Li was extremely satisfied.
As long as his cultivation broke through again and reached Qi Refining Level 7, he could officially join the Elite Training Program and enter the core circle of figures in the Heavenly Mystery Holy Land.
Even undercover agents had dreams.
Although this would bring a certain amount of risk, compared to the rewards, this much risk was worth taking.
He merely wanted to keep a low profile; it was not as if he was a coward.
There was still a difference between the two.
At this moment.
The system notification sounded.
Ding. The Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art lacks the urging of righteous conviction. Cultivation efficiency has decreased, and hosting has ended.
Jiang Li felt somewhat regretful.
The system was letting him down.
It had been drained dry after only twenty days.
He had thought it could hold out until he broke through to Qi Refining Level 7.
Then.
Jiang Li rose to his feet.
He stretched his limbs.
Twenty days of tireless cultivation had not been under his control, but it had indeed been rather tedious.
Still, he enjoyed it.
"I need to renew the cultivation technique's state."
Jiang Li muttered.
Perfect timing—he could use this opportunity to officially join the Law Enforcement Hall and complete the undercover mission assigned by Myriad Desire Demon Lord.
He acted as soon as he decided.
Jiang Li, who had been in seclusion for twenty days, stepped out of the Cave Residence.
The sunlight was just right.
It shone straight down.
The light of righteousness shone upon his face.
It made him, an undercover agent, feel warm all over.
He boarded a Flying Skiff and sped away, leaving the towering Heaven Sword Peak behind and heading all the way to the Law Enforcement Hall.
By then.
A month had passed since Jiang Li made a huge splash and exposed the Yin Puppet Sect's undercover agent.
The news concerning him had already faded.
New geniuses had begun to make names for themselves, becoming another topic of conversation in the Holy Land.
As Jiang Li walked through the Holy Land, few disciples recognized him.
This delighted him.
How nice it was to be a little nobody.
He loved this state far too much.
Jiang Li made his way to the mission reception area, intending to accept a sect mission that punished evil and promoted good.
To get his cultivation technique worked up.
Just then.
A commotion erupted within the crowd.
Noise rose without end.
Jiang Li looked over.
A graceful figure approached from the distance.
Her skin was like white snow, her brow as delicate as a painting. Her lovely face carried a cool aloofness, like an ice-and-snow lotus standing apart from the world, proudly rooted upon a mountain peak.
It was Murong Qing, the Water-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root of Little Jade Peak.
Jiang Li looked at her a few more times before withdrawing his gaze.
Everyone loved beauty.
But he could restrain himself well.
That was also part of an undercover agent's professional self-cultivation.
However...
At the very instant Jiang Li turned his head, Murong Qing also spotted him in the crowd. Her clear eyes rippled, and her cherry lips curved upward. "Jiang Li."
Her cool voice carried outward.
The scene instantly erupted.
Everyone's gazes followed the cold fairy's line of sight and gathered upon Jiang Li.
"Who is that? Even Fairy Murong knows him?"
"Ahhh! How could the fairy take the initiative to speak to someone?"
"This is too blissful, isn't it? The number one genius among the Outer Sect disciples actually greeted him first."
For a moment.
The Outer Sect disciples in the mission area broke into an uproar.
The gazes they directed at Jiang Li were filled with envy and jealousy.
Jiang Li: ...
The corner of his mouth twitched wildly.
What was going on?
He and Murong Qing had only met once. What was with her looking so happy to see him?
No.
My little-nobody persona.
And the reputation I worked so hard to suppress—it was all going down the drain now.
Jiang Li's expression stiffened.
He gave a slight nod.
Little did he know that Jiang Li's reaction caused another uproar among the crowd.
The fairy took the initiative to greet you, and you're acting this cold?
Could it be that in their relationship, the man held the upper hand?
This was too unbelievable.
Just who was this guy?
Amid the clamor,
the arrival of Cui Yan, the Law Enforcement Hall's Punishment Elder, quieted the scene once more.
"Hm? Jiang Li, you're here too? Perfect. Come along as well. Come to think of it, this matter has some connection to you."
Jiang Li's heart stirred.
He had been planning to find an opportunity to join the Law Enforcement Hall, and the Punishment Elder before him was the best choice.
So,
he hurried after the Punishment Elder, leaving the center of public attention.
Murong Qing followed close behind.
The two left one after the other.
Leaving behind only a crowd of Outer Sect Disciples wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves.
Inside the Law Enforcement Hall.
Jiang Li felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted.
He was somewhat curious what matter could possibly have any connection to him.
At the same time, he believed this was an opportunity.
If the Punishment Elder recommended him into the Law Enforcement Hall, his chances of becoming a core disciple would be much greater.
"Jiang Li, do you still remember the three Yin Puppet Sect spies you exposed? Under the Law Enforcement Hall's interrogation, the Holy Land learned of the Yin Puppet Sect's recent major movements. Therefore, it plans to organize manpower to sabotage the Yin Puppet Sect's plans."
Eh?
Wait.
Jiang Li's heart skipped a beat.
This was bad.
Very, very bad.
This was fucking not something I should be hearing.
I need to run.
The thought had only just arisen.
The next second,
a cold, mechanical electronic voice rang out in sync.
"Ding..."
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