Return to the Sect

When he reached South City, he renewed the lease on his cave dwelling at the management office for another year. He had grown accustomed to living here and planned to settle in for the long haul.

After returning to the cave dwelling, he spent four days deducing the Spirit Eye Technique and Skystride Hundred Transformations to the perfected level.

The perfected Spirit Eye Technique could see through the cultivation of cultivators more than one major realm above his own, and could also see through many low-level illusions and disguises.

After Skystride Hundred Transformations reached the perfected level, his speed over long journeys more than doubled. More importantly, his dodging and shifting speed in battle became far swifter, far beyond that of the greater mastery Skystride Hundred Transformations.

Qin Huaian then took out his flying sword and refined it with a drop of blood. Generally speaking, cultivators below the Foundation Establishment Realm did not need to refine flying swords with blood. Without Divine Sense, they could only hold them in their hands and use them as ordinary weapons.

Once one reached the Foundation Establishment Realm and could project Divine Sense outward, one could refine a flying sword with blood. Within the range of one's Divine Sense, the flying sword became an extension of one's own body and could be controlled to fight enemies.

One could even ride a sword through the air! After cultivating for so long, he could finally fly on a sword.

After being refined, a flying sword could be stored within the body for nurturing, allowing it to become more compatible with its owner.

After refining the flying sword, Qin Huaian used his Divine Sense to make it float one foot above the ground. He then jumped onto it, and the sword moved as his heart willed, carrying him in circles around the small courtyard.

After circling around a few times in mild excitement, Qin Huaian discovered that sword flight was not very fast. It was not even as quick as using the perfected Skystride Hundred Transformations. It was probably because his cultivation was still too low.

He opened the Data Panel:

Cultivation: Qi Refining (Eighth Layer 4/100)

Perception (Early Stage 3/100)

Cultivation Methods: Yi Wood True Formula (Perfected)

Spirit Tempering Formula (Greater Mastery, can be optimized)

Fireball Technique (Perfected)

Spirit Eye Technique (Perfected)

Skystride Hundred Transformations (Perfected)

Basic Swordsmanship (Perfected)

Skills: First-Rank Alchemist (Qi Recovery Pill: Lesser Mastery 30/100, can be deduced; Breakthrough Essence Pill: Greater Mastery, can be optimized; Essence Cultivation Pill: Lesser Mastery 5/100)

For the time being, there was no way to optimize the Spirit Tempering Formula to the perfected level, because it was far too costly. It required 800,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. His current greater mastery Spirit Tempering Formula was sufficient for now.

Qin Huaian still had nearly 320,000 Spirit Stones on him. Even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators probably did not possess that many Spirit Stones.

A few days later, Qin Huaian set out on the road back to the sect. He had not returned in a year.

Along the way, Qin Huaian kept looking left and right, wondering if he might encounter any roadblock bandits again. If he ran into the same situation as last time, he would definitely have to show off the might of the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect. Of course, if their cultivation exceeded his, then he had said nothing.

Unfortunately, the journey was peaceful.

When Qin Huaian returned to the cave dwelling district, the sounds of clanging combat came from Lin Qingxuan's courtyard next door.

He turned and walked to Lin Qingxuan's door, knocking once. The sounds of fighting inside immediately stopped.

"Who is it?" Lin Qingxuan asked.

"Junior Sister Lin, it's me."

"Senior Brother Qin!" Lin Qingxuan immediately ran to the door and opened it. When she saw Qin Huaian, she said with a hint of excitement.

"Junior Sister Lin, I didn't interrupt you two, did I?" Qin Huaian asked. Then he noticed that Lin Qingxuan had actually already reached the Seventh Qi Refining Layer.

May I ask, fairy maiden, what brand of cheat did you activate? Qin Huaian silently thought. It had only been a little over eight months since they last met.

"No, no. I was practicing swordsmanship with Senior Sister Duanmu. We were just about to finish when Senior Brother Qin arrived."

"Senior Sister Duanmu Zhiqin ranks second among the outer disciples of our East Dawn Peak in the Trial Tower. She's incredibly formidable," Lin Qingxuan introduced.

"Senior Sister Duanmu, this is Senior Brother Qin, whom I often mention to you."

"Greetings, Senior Brother Qin!" Duanmu Zhiqin said.

Duanmu Zhiqin had already reached the Eighth Qi Refining Layer. Dressed in a white gown, she was tall and slender, with delicate, beautiful features, like an immortal maiden standing alone beyond the world.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Duanmu." Qin Huaian nodded in return.

"Junior Sister Qingxuan, you two chat. I'll head back first. I'll come find you tomorrow, and we'll go to the Trial Tower together," Duanmu Zhiqin said.

"Mhm, Senior Sister Duanmu, take care!"

As Duanmu Zhiqin walked out of Lin Qingxuan's courtyard, she thought to herself, So this is Qin Huaian, whom Junior Sister Qingxuan is always talking about? Other than being somewhat good-looking, there's nothing particularly special about him. Judging by Junior Sister Qingxuan's expression as she saw me off, she seemed quite excited. Hah, an ignorant young girl who only knows how to look at appearances.

"Senior Brother Qin, Senior Sister Duanmu may be cold on the outside, but she's warm within. She's been accompanying me in sword practice this whole time recently."

"Looks like your swordsmanship has improved quickly during this period as well." The two sat beside the stone table as Qin Huaian spoke.

"Mhm. Senior Sister Duanmu has been practicing with me all this time, and I feel that my swordsmanship has improved quite quickly recently. I'm planning to challenge the Trial Tower again tomorrow." Lin Qingxuan took out a tea set, brewed a pot of Spirit Vein Jade Tea, and pushed a cup toward Qin Huaian.

"By the way, Junior Sister Lin, I haven't congratulated you yet on breaking through to the Seventh Qi Refining Layer in such a short time."

"Not at all, it's been a long time. Eight months have already passed since Senior Brother and I last met."

"My father gave me some pills, and he also gave me a Breakthrough Essence Pill. That was the only reason I broke through so quickly."

"Wait, Senior Brother Qin, don't tell me you broke through again?" Only then did Lin Qingxuan realize that she still could not see through Qin Huaian's cultivation. Covering her little mouth, she asked in astonishment.

"I also just broke through to the Eighth Qi Refining Layer. I came back because I'm preparing to challenge the Trial Tower again," Qin Huaian said with a smile.

Lin Qingxuan gave Qin Huaian a resentful glance. She had taken so many pills just to catch up to Senior Brother Qin, only to be surpassed again in the blink of an eye. Had Senior Brother been hiding the quality of his spiritual roots? Honestly.

"Senior Brother Qin, you're challenging the Trial Tower too? This is already the last month of the year. Senior Sister Duanmu and I are also planning to challenge it once. Senior Brother Qin, shall we go together tomorrow?"

"Alright. By the way, Junior Sister Lin, what is the highest Trial Tower ranking among this batch of disciples from East Dawn Peak?" Qin Huaian still hoped to enter the inner sect as soon as possible. Inner sect disciples had more abundant resources—not only visible things like Spirit Stones, but also many invisible resources.

"The highest-ranked person right now is still Chen Yuan. Among Qi Refining Stage disciples, he has already entered the top twenty overall, and he's improving very quickly. If he enters the top ten, he can be directly admitted into the inner sect." Lin Qingxuan spoke with a look of yearning.

"Junior Sister Lin, at your rate of progress, even if you don't enter through the Trial Tower rankings, you'll definitely be able to enter the inner sect through three East Dawn Peak Grand Competitions." Qin Huaian encouraged Lin Qingxuan.

"Mhm, Senior Brother, I'll work hard!" Lin Qingxuan raised her little fist.

Junior Sister Qingxuan could always get fired up from time to time.

Early the next morning.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

While Qin Huaian was cultivating, knocking sounded from outside.

"Senior Brother Qin, we're setting off!" Lin Qingxuan called from outside.

"Alright, I'll be right out."

Qin Huaian made a few quick preparations and walked out through the courtyard gate.

Lin Qingxuan wore a pale green dress, elegant and brimming with vitality.

Duanmu Zhiqin was still dressed as she had been yesterday, in a long white gown, cool and otherworldly.

"Sorry to keep you two waiting. Let's go."