Azure Sky Peak, beneath a green pine.
Xu Xuan sheathed his sword. Cinnabar Thunder fluttered joyfully onto his shoulder. Three years had passed since he entered that cave abode.
He had taken the Gift of One Mound Pill, refined its medicinal power, and spent a long time in seclusion. His cultivation had finally made a steady breakthrough to the eighth level of Qi Refining. At this rate, he could probably begin planning for Foundation Establishment in another decade or so.
He still had the One Origin Harmonious Peak Pill bestowed by the Chen Household, reserved for Foundation Establishment. He need not worry about cultivation resources.
As for his cultivation method, the seal script on his Spirit Platform had now transformed into an Immortal Register and settled in his Qi Sea. It constantly condensed lightning, making the human-headed, dragon-bodied manifestation ever more substantial. His Life Foundation had completed its transformation.
Now he was occupied with cultivating the Sword Dao, converting Sword Qi into Sword Mystic Qi. According to the Daoist text, this was a wondrous method for reconnecting a severed path and ascending the Sword Dao anew.
Ancient sword cultivators all refined a breath of innate Sword Mystic Qi. Only that counted as the orthodox path and allowed them to comprehend Sword Intent. No wonder Master's attainments far surpassed mine even when we were both at the Sword Qi stage. What he refined was Sword Mystic Qi.
According to this Profound-Enshrining Sword Canon, the Sword Immortals of ancient times had their own separate lineage. Once they attained Sword Intent, a lifebound flying sword would manifest from the Great Void, bearing their nature and life. That was the true wondrous method.
Only by first attaining Sword Mystic Qi could one attain Sword Intent. Most sword cultivators today remained trapped at Sword Qi