Flying Sword

After introducing the various items to Qin Lian one by one, Yanlan left the cave.

She left the space to Qin Lian.

As for Qin Lian...

He looked around the cave, which lay inside the mountain yet was lit as brightly as day by special crystals, and at its painstakingly carved floor and walls. His expression, too, showed that he was somewhat moved.

"An immortal's abode could hardly be more than this."

Leaving everything else aside, any single one of the daylight stones embedded in the walls would probably be a priceless treasure if taken outside.

For a moment, Qin Lian's sense that he had "finally begun cultivating immortality" grew all the stronger.

"To advance from second grade divine intent to a first grade phenomenon, one must bring movement techniques, swordsmanship, and fist and foot arts to perfection, remedying every weakness before gradually developing an invincible 'momentum.' When this 'momentum' unites with 'intent,' it forms something akin to a domain, allowing one to easily perceive the weaknesses of anyone below first grade, thus establishing the might of first grade..."

Qin Lian had read this description...

He had always felt that breaking through to such a mysterious, elusive realm would be no easy task.

Especially when his comprehension stood at just 42 points.

Among the outstanding first-grade figures of this age, that really was not high.

Comprehending the momentum of "perfection" would probably take many years. Rather than that, he might as well focus on cultivating immortality.

At once, he opened the Chi Xiao Treasure Canon and studied its descriptions of the path of spirit refining.

On the path of spirit refining, one only needed to cultivate nine strands of divine sense and nine streams of Dharma power before using spirit-stabilizing treasures such as Spirit-Consolidating Incense to let the spirit-soul venture out.

Of course, venturing out with the spirit-soul wrapped in just nine strands of divine sense and nine streams of Dharma power was far too dangerous. It could withstand neither the Great Sun's heavenly radiance nor the Nine Heavens Astral Wind, and could only venture out on nights without wind or rain.

As Dharma power deepened and divine sense grew stronger by the day, one could gradually attempt excursions in strong winds and heavy rain.

Until, one day, divine sense and Dharma power each reached thirty-six, the number of a heavenly circuit, and one could attempt to leave the body in broad daylight, braving the Great Sun's heavenly radiance.

Reaching this step meant entering the realm of day wandering.

Since True Person Tang Yue's passing, not a single Daoist on Chunyang's present-day path of spirit refining had been able to venture out by daylight.

Not even the current peak master Ning Qing or Supreme Elder Huishan was an exception.

"Night wandering..."

Qin Lian sensed the warm Dharma power circulating within his Upper Origin Palace.

He had cultivated divine intent, and with the spiritual transformation that foundation brought, he condensed divine sense very quickly. By now, he had gathered all nine strands.

This was another benefit of practicing spirit refining alongside second grade divine intent.

But refining Dharma power was not the work of a single day. Despite months of painstaking cultivation, he had only honed three streams of Dharma power.

To gather nine streams of Dharma power would take at least another year or so of effort.

However...

Qin Lian set down the Chi Xiao Treasure Canon and picked up the thirteen pale-red crystals carefully treasured in a box.

"Fire Spirit Stones."

These were the core resource the Fire Spirit Lineage used to accumulate Dharma power.

Back when Chi Xiao True Person had roamed the world, he had explored countless remote mountains, vast marshes, underground fire seas, and earth veins, yet had obtained only twenty-six in total.

His predecessors had used thirteen, leaving thirteen.

These thirteen Fire Spirit Stones would undoubtedly greatly shorten the time Qin Lian needed to accumulate Dharma power.

"Sure enough, resources are the only shortcut to rapidly increasing one's strength. No wonder every sect and school, the imperial court, and the great clans all try every means to occupy vast territories and hold the resources of entire commanderies in their hands."

Enlightenment Tea, taibai refined gold, Heavenly Splendor Fruit, Spirit-Consolidating Incense...

Which of them was not a supreme treasure for cultivation?

Qin Lian glanced at the Fire Spirit Stones but did not rush to cultivate.

Instead, he patiently finished reading the several volumes of notes Chi Xiao True Person had left behind.

After reading these notes, he gained some understanding of True Persons, spells, Great Shang's nineteen provinces, and even the lands beyond Great Shang. His horizons and perspective had also been effectively broadened.

"The Yin Spirit ventures out... ten thousand li by day, eight thousand by night..."

Reading the description, Qin Lian could not help yearning for it.

Traveling nearly twenty thousand li in a single day and night...

At that speed, one could circle Blue Star in just a few days.

This was the romance of cultivating immortality.

However...

Only Yin Spirit True Persons dared travel ten thousand li.

Other cultivators, even those who had reached the day wandering realm, could encounter all manner of dangers along the way. The slightest carelessness could put their lives at risk.

After spending several days reading the relevant records in the notes and studying the Chi Xiao Treasure Canon several times over, Qin Lian turned his attention to the Chi Xiao Magical Sword.

The Chi Xiao Magical Sword was a top-tier flying-sword magical artifact.

Though it did not rank among Yang Spirit treasure artifacts, it was one of the foremost instruments of slaughter in the world.

Back then, Chi Xiao True Person had controlled his sword with his Yin Spirit, relying on the Sharpness Art and this Chi Xiao Flying Sword to slay countless enemies.

"A sword immortal's flying sword."

Holding the flying sword, Qin Lian first tried controlling it with true qi, only to find...

Although it was somewhat easier to use than the Azure Sky Treasure Sword, he could not bring out the might of this top-tier flying sword at all.

Immediately afterward, he switched to Dharma power. At once, the Chi Xiao Flying Sword seemed to become his arm, an extension of his consciousness. This feeling...

"It's a lot like the [Swordsmanship] trait?"

At a thought, Qin Lian activated the trait directly.

The next instant, the compatibility between the Chi Xiao Flying Sword and his own divine sense and Dharma power rose to an entirely new level.

It was not merely an extension of his arm, but more like an extension of his consciousness.

Almost in a single thought, the Chi Xiao Flying Sword shot through the air. Just before reaching the far end of the abode, its blade turned with extraordinary agility, rounding the bend and constantly weaving around Qin Lian.

"Good! Good! Good! Now this is a flying sword!"

Qin Lian was filled with delight.

He formed a sword-art hand seal purely to look impressive. The Chi Xiao Flying Sword circling him suddenly darted out, flashing left and right around him, crisscrossing and slicing, almost forming a net of sword light.

"Go!"

After letting the flying sword circle with extraordinary agility for a while, he pointed with the sword-art hand seal that actually served no purpose. Like a streak of flame, the Chi Xiao Flying Sword shot out of the cave.

But before it had flown far, his control over the Chi Xiao Sword clearly weakened considerably.

And the reason it weakened...

"Why does it lock on through sight? Once it leaves my field of vision, I can't control it anymore?"

Qin Lian felt somewhat regretful.

The spirit-refining lineage was not, after all, cultivation of immortality.

It actually had no such thing as divine consciousness.

Divine sense and Dharma power also relied on one's "gaze" to focus the mind and lock on.

To perceive things thousands or tens of thousands of meters away in a single thought, as with "divine consciousness"...

He would have to reach the night wandering stage, send his spirit-soul out of his body, and let it "see."

Even if he wanted to control a sword to slay an enemy a thousand li away, he would still have to rely on his spirit-soul to carry the flying sword there.

In functionality, it fell far short of the wonders of "divine consciousness."

The difference brought about by the system left Qin Lian somewhat regretful, but he quickly adjusted his mindset.

He could already cultivate immortality. How could he still be dissatisfied?

"Though I can't display the splendor of a sword immortal taking someone's head from a thousand li away... controlling a sword with my spirit-soul... isn't out of the question either."

Qin Lian brought over all thirteen Fire Spirit Stones.

"It's time to accumulate nine streams of Dharma power as quickly as possible and experience the wonders of Spirit-Soul Out-of-Body."