"Hm? What do you mean?"
Hearing Lu Li's words, Lady Red Furnace looked a little displeased.
"It's like this."
Lu Li said solemnly, "Whenever I practice the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture and produce even a trace of Five Elements Sun True Qi, my demonic arts devour it. I can't practice it at all. So I'd like to ask True Lord Yellow Spring to send a stream of true qi into me and help me cultivate the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture. That way, I won't forget that I'm a disciple of Flying Heaven Temple!"
His final words rang out, firm and clear as a bell.
Lady Red Furnace's expression shifted. A hint of approval appeared in her eyes, and she gave a small nod. "Good! It's rare to see someone with such devotion. I'll do it!"
As she spoke, she leaned forward and extended her snow-white, lotus-root arms toward Lu Li.
Lu Li raised his right hand and reached out as well.
The next moment, the tip of Lu Li's index finger lightly touched her slender jade finger.
Their fingertips met in midair.
In an instant, a stream of Supreme Daoist True Qi flowed into Lu Li's body, like an electric current!
Lu Li shivered, his whole body tingling.
Ding.
A system notification rang out:
"Your Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture sensed the presence of Supreme Daoist True Qi. Filled with reverence and excitement, its cultivation speed increased by 10,000%."
"Progress +1+1+1..."
The Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture began circulating wildly.
"Is that enough?"
Lady Red Furnace withdrew her hand and asked softly.
"I'm all set. Th-thanks, True Lord Yellow Spring."
Lu Li looked grateful as he expressed his thanks.
"Mm."
Lady Red Furnace nodded.
Whoosh.
The white smoke around them drew together and slipped back into the White Jade Snuff Bottle.
Lady Red Furnace shrank along with it and disappeared.
As soon as she was gone, Lu Li didn't hesitate. He activated the Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art and devoured the Five Elements Sun True Qi produced by the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture.
Ding!
"Your Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art devoured Five Elements Sun True Qi and became overjoyed. Its cultivation effect increased by 1,000%."
Hearing the system notification, a smile tugged at Lu Li's lips.
That was pretty good!
Still, this was a little slow. If only the Kunpeng Demon Art could devour Lady Red Furnace's Supreme Daoist True Qi directly.
Wait.
Wouldn't that make it the Northern Dark Divine Art?
Lu Li's eyes lit up, and regret washed over him again.
If only he'd memorized his reading properly. If he'd learned Free and Easy Wandering, he might actually have come up with an overbearing art like the Northern Dark Divine Art.
Forget it. Time to cultivate.
Lu Li suppressed his wandering thoughts, his expression turning serious as he sat cross-legged in the Spirit Gathering Array and began to absorb the dense spiritual energy around him.
At the same time, he silently recited the Prajna Heart Sutra:
"Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva..."
The night passed without incident.
The next day.
Lu Li opened his eyes, and a system notification immediately rang in his mind:
"Your Instant Sword Technique deeply despised your Buddhist Sect arts and challenged them outright. It was defeated by the combined might of the Great Might Heavenly Dragon, Great Power Vajra, and Indestructible Vajra Divine Art. In a fit of rage, it ran away from home."
What a troublesome child!
Lu Li furrowed his brow.
But the next notification brought a smile to his face:
"Your Instant Sword Technique absorbed a large amount of the Power of Seven Emotions within the Demon Sect and transformed it into Heavenly Demon Sword Qi. Its cultivation improved greatly, and its progress increased by 7%."
Not bad, not bad!
Although the Instant Sword Technique was unruly, it could cultivate on its own. That counted as well-behaved.
Then came three more system notifications:
"Your Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation and Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation sensed the threat of the Heavenly Demon Twenty-Three Swords and cultivated diligently. Their progress increased by 3%."
"Your Indestructible Vajra Divine Art sensed the threat of the Heavenly Demon Twenty-Three Swords and cultivated diligently. Its progress increased by 6%."
Good news kept coming!
As soon as Lu Li heard them, his eyes gleamed.
The Heavenly Demon Twenty-Three Swords was a catfish, stirring the Buddhist Sect arts to life in one fell swoop!
Looks like practicing the Heavenly Demon Twenty-Three Swords really had turned a misfortune into a blessing!
Just then, the final two system notifications sounded:
"Your Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art devoured spiritual energy of extremely high purity. It grew increasingly giddy and overjoyed, and its cultivation effect increased by 2,000%."
"While you were asleep, your Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art secretly went out and sneaked into Yellow Springs Peak to absorb spiritual energy. Its cultivation improved slightly, and its progress increased by 5%."
Lu Li's expression turned solemn.
Stealing was wrong!
Well, it had only stolen spiritual energy from Yellow Springs Peak. Oh, then that was fine.
Next time, steal more!
Yellow Springs Peak was where True Lord Yellow Spring and Li Jing lived.
"Time to cultivate! But first, let's see how long until I reach the sixth Qi Refining layer!"
Lu Li thought to himself and opened the system panel.
Host: Lu Li.
Cultivation: Fifth Qi Refining Layer.
Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation: Second Layer (15% progress).
Great Strength Vajra Dharma Incantation: Second Layer (18% progress).
Instant Sword Technique: First Layer (16%).
Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art: Fifth Layer (99% progress).
Indestructible Vajra Divine Art: Fourth Layer (30% progress).
Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm: Tenth Layer (Complete).
Spirit Ghost Phantom Step: Tenth Layer (Complete).
Excellent!
Lu Li immediately spotted the Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art's progress.
99%!
He'd break through to the sixth Qi Refining layer soon!
Then he checked the newly acquired Instant Sword Technique. After yesterday's practice, combined with the cultivation it did on its own, it had already reached 16% progress.
At this rate, he'd master this demonic sword technique in less than seven days!
All right, time to cultivate!
Full of vigor, Lu Li sat cross-legged in the Spirit Gathering Array and was about to activate the formation and continue his practice for another day.
Wait.
Something was wrong!
Lu Li suddenly remembered something and checked his system panel.
The various cultivation bonuses that had stacked up yesterday had disappeared.
First, he had to boost the cultivation effects!
Lu Li took out the Flowing Gold Sword and the White Jade Snuff Bottle and stuck the sword straight into it.
Then he flicked it three times.
Ding, ding, ding.
Clear, metallic chimes rang out.
Humm.
The White Jade Snuff Bottle shuddered, glowing with a brilliant blue light as white smoke drifted out and curled around them.
A graceful blue figure appeared in midair.
It was Lady Red Furnace.
"What is it?"
Lady Red Furnace furrowed her brows. Her voice was cool, with a hint of sleepiness.
Her displeasure was written all over her face.
This True Lord really had a bad case of morning grumpiness!
Lu Li solemnly cupped his hands and bowed. "True Lord, I suddenly remembered something last night. It concerns that white-haired old man."
"Oh?"
Lady Red Furnace's lovely eyes lit up. "Tell me."
"It's like this. When that white-haired old man gave me the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture, he also gave me something else and told me to hand it to the right person."
Lu Li cupped his hands as he answered, lying without batting an eye.
"Quick, take it out!" Lady Red Furnace's face lit up with delight, and she urged him on.
"But... I forgot where I put it." Lu Li abruptly changed course.
"What? You just tossed aside something so important?" Lady Red Furnace glared at him.
"Fortunately, I woke up just then. It turned out to be a dream, so I hadn't lost it."
"A dream?! Where is it?"
"But I just searched high and low, and couldn't find it."
"..."
"Then I went back to the cave where I'd practiced Qi Refining and finally found it."
"Good... Urgh!"
Lady Red Furnace was finally so disgusted that she threw up.
"True Lord, are you all right? Could you be pregnant again?"
Lu Li feigned concern, feeling a little guilty.
Still, danger could strike at any moment in the Demon Sect, and he didn't want to miss a single chance to increase his cultivation.
So he'd just have to repay Lady Red Furnace properly another day.
"Pregnant? My primordial yin is still intact! Enough nonsense. Take it out."
A flash of blue light swept across Lady Red Furnace, and her expression returned to normal. She spoke coldly.
"Okay."
Lu Li nodded. With a flash of yellow light, something appeared in his hand.
It emerged from his storage ring and lay quietly in his palm.
Lady Red Furnace examined it closely.
Her delicate brows immediately knitted together.
In Lu Li's palm lay a black, heart-shaped stone.
She extended a jade hand and lifted the heart-shaped stone to examine it carefully.
After a long while, she finally raised her eyes and asked with a frown, "This is nothing more than an ordinary Ghost Stone. They're everywhere in Ten Thousand Ghost Cave."
"This junior is a little puzzled too. But the old man didn't say anything else."
Lu Li shook his head.
Lady Red Furnace's brows knitted even tighter as she sank into thought.
"Um, True Lord, the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture I cultivated yesterday was devoured by my demonic arts again. Could you...?"
Just then, Lu Li made his request.
"Mm."
Hearing him, Lady Red Furnace nodded and held out her hand.
The next moment,
Lu Li held out his hand too.
Their fingertips touched, and true qi flowed across.
Lu Li shivered again. Once he'd recovered, he cupped his hands and gave his heartfelt thanks. "Many thanks, True Lord!"
"You're welcome. You're practically my junior, so it's only right that I look after you. All right, I'll head back. Call me if you remember anything else."
Lady Red Furnace smiled.
With that, she took the heart-shaped stone and shrank back into the snuff bottle.
The white smoke disappeared with her.
She was gone.
Lu Li immediately brought up his system records.
Excellent!
The Instant Sword Technique's cultivation effect had increased to five hundred times!
The Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art's cultivation effect from devouring Azure Flood Dragon True Blood was eighty times. Add the twentyfold effect from the surplus spiritual energy and the tenfold effect from the Purple Haze Sun-Refining Scripture, and his cultivation speed had reached a hundred and ten times!
Time to cultivate!
Foundation Establishment, here I come!
Before you continue