Sword-Controlling Art

Early the next morning, Liu Changxu finished practicing the Origin-Nourishing Qi Refinement Art. He stepped into the courtyard and walked over to the Cloudmist Tea tree.

The tea tree had shed the yellowed, withered look it had worn when transplanted and begun to regain its vitality. Nourished by the morning dew, its branches and leaves were so lush and green they seemed ready to drip. The transplant had been a success.

Liu Changxu brimmed with a sense of accomplishment.

He then looked at the seventy-two Jade Spirit Peaches hanging from the two trees. They were already half the size of a fist. Though still green and unripe, they carried a faint hint of a spirit peach's fresh fragrance.

The thought that he would be able to eat spirit peaches he had grown and harvested himself in just over two months lifted Liu Changxu's spirits further.

But remembering how hordes of demonic beasts attacked the Lineage every year to steal its spirit peaches and spirit rice when they ripened dampened his mood again. It seemed he still needed to strengthen himself!

The Lineage's formation could not contain the fragrance released by ripe spirit fruit and spirit rice, so every harvest season attracted hordes of demonic beasts intent on plundering them. Battles against these beasts often left Lineage members dead or injured. Besides the demonic beasts, evil cultivators also came calling. One could well imagine how difficult survival was for a Lineage of Qi Refinement cultivators.

After watering the spirit peach trees and the spirit tea tree with spirit spring water, Liu Changxu went to the dining hall to have breakfast with his family.

His appetite had grown so much that Liu Changxu no longer ate with his former refinement. He wolfed down whatever was before him, making everyone present cover their mouths and chuckle. Ling'er asked innocently, "Big brother, why are you eating so much today?"

At those words, Liu Changxu flushed bright red, utterly embarrassed. In the end, his father answered for him. "Your brother's appetite has grown because he's practicing a Body-Refining Technique."

"Will big brother get fat, then?" the little girl asked curiously.

"No, I won't!" Liu Changxu replied.

After breakfast, Liu Changxu hurried back to his courtyard before his younger brothers and sisters could pepper him with more questions.

Back in his courtyard, Liu Changxu entered the training room and began his morning spell practice again. He started with the Fireball Spell, Water Arrow Technique, Wooden Shield Technique, and Entangling Technique.

After two hours of practice, the quality of his spells had improved a little. The Wooden Shield Technique and Entangling Technique, in particular, improved more quickly. Practicing spells also had a beneficial effect on his cultivation progress.

Next, Liu Changxu began studying and practicing the Sword-Controlling Art and Wind and Rain Sword Technique.

The Sword-Controlling Art had been developed by improving upon the Object-Controlling Art. It was a spell that used a cultivator's spiritual sense to guide a flying sword and magical power to drive its attacks. It had no fixed grade; its power grew with the cultivator's cultivation.

A flying sword's attack range and power were essentially proportional to the reach of the cultivator's spiritual sense. Once the Sword-Controlling Art reached a profound level, it could take someone's head from a thousand miles away.

To ride a flying sword through the sky, however, required the magical power and spiritual sense of late-stage Qi Refinement.

After he formed the hand seals and cast the spell, the Dragon Spring Sword flew into the air with a soft ringing sound, then headed toward the target stone under the guidance of his spiritual sense. But a slight mistake in his hand seals sent the Dragon Spring Sword dropping to the ground.

He lifted the Dragon Spring Sword into the air again, only for it to fall after flying a few feet. After five repeated attempts to make it fly, his spiritual sense was completely exhausted.

While meditating to restore his spiritual sense and magical power, Liu Changxu made the most of the time by taking out the Wind and Rain Sword Technique and studying it.

This sword technique combined spells with swordsmanship, using the sword to direct spells and spells to guide the sword. Its power was quite impressive, making it a High-Grade Yellow-Tier Sword Art.

This sword art used a magical sword to drive wind- and water-attribute spiritual energy into attacks. It could greatly increase the magical sword's attack speed and coverage, giving it considerable power.

As Liu Changxu wielded the Dragon Spring Sword, the sounds of wind and rain rang through the air. His fierce Sword Qi drew upon Wind and Rain Power to strike the target stone, and the Blue Steel Stone shattered at the impact. Some of the scattering raindrops also struck the surrounding stone walls, leaving them riddled with pits.

Liu Changxu sighed, thinking that this training room probably would not hold out much longer.

Keep practicing!