In martial cultivation, one day without practice left the hands rusty and the feet slow; two days without practice halved one's skill.
Even someone as powerful as a grandmaster would struggle to stay in form without regular practice.
Yet the wondrous Golden Light could ensure that the swordsmanship, fist and foot arts, and movement methods he mastered would never regress!
"With progress and no retreat, why should I worry about failing to reach great heights in cultivation!?"
A trace of joy appeared in Qin Lian's eyes.
The Five Elements Breathing Method circulated!
In just two hours...
[Five Elements Breathing Method perfected. The five elements generated one another, cycling endlessly. Heaven Rewards Diligence. Root Bone +1.]
He did not stop.
He recalled the Dragon-Capturing Hand again, honing his mastery.
Four hours later...
[Dragon-Capturing Hand perfected. Controlling cranes and capturing dragons, fists and palms moved at will. Heaven Rewards Diligence. Root Bone +1.]
"Good!"
The two-point increase in Root Bone made Qin Lian feel as though his body had been remolded, as if he were going through a second growth spurt.
His bones even gave off a series of faint cracks and pops.
Not only did his figure grow a little straighter, but his bearing also changed slightly, taking on something of the twenty-five-year-old young man he had been in his previous life.
[Root Bone: 48 → 50 (top-tier)]
"Unfortunately, not every sword art, fist and palm art, movement method, or internal cultivation method has an extraordinary underlying conception. The original owner practiced more than thirty fist and palm arts and movement methods altogether, but only these eleven could form phantom stars within the Golden Light."
Qin Lian exhaled.
Thirty-three years of accumulated effort...
Just then, a concerned voice came from outside the courtyard.
"Family head, your injuries haven't healed yet. You mustn't overexert yourself. It's getting late. Please eat something and get some proper rest."
Qin Lian frowned.
Late?
Only then did he realize that it was dark.
And by his estimate, it was at least eight or nine at night.
But the bright moon tonight lit the mountaintop like daylight, and he had completely lost track of time.
Still, knowing made no difference.
He was in the thick of enjoying his martial practice. How could he sleep?
As a modern person, this was precisely when he began to feel energetic!
"All right, there's no need to worry. I know what I'm doing."
Qin Lian added, "Just bring the food over. Don't disturb me."
"Yes."
Qin Lingzhi answered obediently.
Soon, she brought an exquisite food box, lit the oil lamps in the courtyard, and withdrew.
The food was exquisite, but Qin Lian's mind was entirely on martial practice, and he had no interest in savoring it.
After making do with a few mouthfuls, he turned his attention back to the Shadow-Sweeping Sword Art!
Another four hours passed.
[Shadow-Sweeping Sword Art perfected. Gaps filled and deficiencies remedied. Trait activated-Swiftness (1/3)]
"Hmm?"
This change, unlike the previous ones, made Qin Lian pause.
"A trait?"
An innate trait?
He performed the Shadow-Sweeping Sword Art once more...
He vaguely sensed that this sword art had changed.
Yet he could not say exactly how. He kept feeling that something was missing.
"Swiftness."
Qin Lian pondered briefly, then turned his attention to the Rushing Thunder Sword Art and the Shocking Swan Sword Art...
These two sword arts actually seemed to complement the Swiftness trait.
"As long as I can sense which sword arts are compatible, that's good."
Qin Lian swung his sword again.
Ten hours later...
[Rushing Thunder Sword Art perfected. Gaps filled and deficiencies remedied. Trait activated-Swiftness (2/3)] [Shocking Swan Sword Art perfected. Gaps filled and deficiencies remedied. Trait activated-Swiftness (3/3)]
When all three sword arts, so similar in nature, reached perfection and the three portions of "Swiftness" merged into one, an indescribable, inexplicable realization welled up within him.
In the wondrous state brought on by this insight, he suddenly thrust his sword. The speed of the blade in his hand...
Actually doubled outright!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Not only had his sword speed soared, but his dodges, turns, leaps, shifts, and weaving movements were all faster as well.
"This..."
Astonishment appeared on Qin Lian's face.
An innate trait!?
What innate trait was this? It was clearly an innate Divine Ability!
Rumor had it that great demons occupied the Ten Thousand Great Mountains south of Jiangzhou, and those of noble bloodlines were born with innate Divine Abilities!
He...
Had one now too?
"If 'Qin Lian' had also been fortunate enough to activate the 'Swiftness' trait... he wouldn't have had to fight Blood Demon Zuo Qiudao until his lamp ran dry."
Thinking of Zuo Qiudao, Qin Lian could not help turning his attention to the Blood-Burning Sword Art.
He had a strong premonition.
This Sword Art should also be able to activate a trait.
Unfortunately, although he believed he had cultivated the Blood-Burning Sword Art to the pinnacle, perfect and complete, when it manifested as a star within the Golden Light, it had not truly solidified and remained only a phantom.
And it was not just the Blood-Burning Sword Art...
[Pure Yang Qi Refining Art (great accomplishment 71/100), Vertical and Horizontal Art (great accomplishment 66/100), Blood-Burning Sword Art (great accomplishment 65/100), Nine Heavens Sword Forms (great accomplishment 51/100), Great Void Visualization Diagram (not initiated 21/100), Great Void Sword Qi (not initiated 34/100)]
A full six stars appeared in varying degrees of solidity.
Among these stars...
The Great Void Visualization Diagram could cultivate Divine Intent, pointing straight toward becoming a Second Grade Divine Intent grandmaster, while the Great Void Sword Qi was its accompanying sword art. It was only reasonable that he had yet to comprehend them fully.
But that the Pure Yang Qi Refining Art and Blood-Burning Sword Art were still so far from perfection truly surprised him somewhat.
"It seems 'Qin Lian's' own understanding wasn't necessarily entirely correct either. What he considered perfection wasn't actually the point where no further progress was possible."
Qin Lian considered this briefly. "The earlier methods, such as the Five Elements Fist, Five Elements Breathing Method, and Dragon-Capturing Hand, were all sixth grade or below. With my commanding vantage point, aided by the mystery of 'Never Regress,' I was able to complete that final link. But when it comes to the more sophisticated Pure Yang Qi Refining Art and Blood-Burning Sword Art..."
He would have to study these two major methods in greater depth.
Especially the Pure Yang Qi Refining Art.
It was a qi refining method that pointed straight toward the Fourth-Rank True Astral realm, as well as the core method through which he had attained True Astral Qi.
He wanted to see what effects it would have once he truly perfected it.
Qin Lian had always been someone who took things seriously.
If something necessary remained unfinished, he could not even sleep well.
All the more so now, when practicing martial arts over and over, watching his "proficiency" rise bit by bit until he reached perfection, felt like collecting cards and grinding achievements.
He found such enjoyment in it that he begrudged neither day nor night.
During this time, Qin An, Qin Ping, and even his elders Qin Feng and Qin Lie came to visit, but he sent them all back.
Until...
"Family head, your injuries haven't healed. You shouldn't overexert yourself. Please rest for a while. You've already been practicing for three days and three nights."
Qin Lingzhi was filled with worry.
Qin Lian was still brimming with energy.
But the words "three days and three nights" jolted him awake.
Not long ago, ever serious about his work, he had spent three days and three nights working on a proposal, until his vision went black...
"I understand."
Qin Lian eased off slightly on the Nine Heavens Sword Forms he was specifically practicing and the Pure Yang Qi Refining Art he was circulating.
The Nine Heavens Sword Forms had gained four points of progress, the Pure Yang Qi Refining Art three, and the Blood-Burning Sword Art and Vertical and Horizontal Art two each.
At this rate...
Even the Pure Yang Qi Refining Art, the quickest to reach perfection, would take nearly a month.
There was no need to rush over a day or two.
With that, Qin Lian went into his room to rest.
When he rose the next day, Qin Lian pushed open the door...
Oh, fog had rolled in.
Thick fog stretched everywhere.
The many quaint buildings and courtyards of Dragon Abyss Mountain appeared and disappeared within the white mist, like an immortal realm.
Hearing him stir, Qin Lingzhi immediately went to prepare his washing things.
Qin Lian glanced at them, somewhat unused to having someone attend to his daily needs.
Especially a young girl of only fifteen or sixteen, who theoretically should have been in high school.
Yet in the original owner's memories...
It had always been this way.
After washing and eating breakfast, Qin Lian changed into a finely made brocade robe.
The quality of these clothes was no worse than that of modern industrial products.
"Although this world is ancient, with martial arts and Daoist arts around, productivity isn't low. It may not match the modern world, but as Taibai's foremost martial family, the Qin Family enjoys fine clothes and exquisite food, with material resources far beyond those of ordinary people."
Qin Lian came to the viewing terrace beside the courtyard, which offered the best view, and gazed into the distance.
Clouds and mist wreathed Dragon Abyss Mountain, human figures were faintly visible, and the calls of chickens and dogs carried through the air.
For the three years since graduation, he had been so busy that he had scarcely seen the light of day. Seeing this scene now, he suddenly felt as though time itself had slowed.
His heart, which had come from the modern world, gradually settled too.
"This is the new starting point of my life."
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