The big, plump girl crept furtively outside the Palace of Gathering Elegance's bedchamber. Stepping on the two gatekeeping ghosts, she rose unsteadily and peered through the window lattice.
Before the tea table, Qiao Yu and Jiang Yi sat facing each other.
The former pushed the Aquilaria sinensis box toward him and explained carefully, "Sword Pellets are the essence of the five metals. They're sharp by nature, and heavy too. They're difficult to refine with Divine Sense, let alone wield.
"Flying Needles are lighter and more nimble, better suited to beginners learning to control swords. Besides, this one was forged from Yang Steel. Its fine grain is like human flesh and blood, making it easier and less taxing to wield."
Jiang Yi nodded. With his current Origin Gate Divine Sense, seizing and moving objects was as easy as turning his palm over. But penetrating metal and commanding it as effortlessly as his own limbs was still beyond him.
He would have to condense Innate One Qi, nurture a true seed of Profound Light, then absorb the finest essences of the Five Phases and send it out through the crown of his head before he could do that.
Cultivation at that stage granted the ability of "Penetrating Objects." Even Copper Essence and Iron Essence, once enveloped in Profound Light, would turn into a wisp of primal Qi in an instant.
As for cultivators at the twelfth level of Qi Refining, they too needed to cloak their bodies in Profound Light to use Escape Techniques. Passing through mountains and stone, treading the void and flying through the air would then be nothing difficult.
Qiao Yu said eagerly, "Refine this Flying Needle first. I'll teach you the variations of sword control."
Jiang Yi readily followed her advice. His Divine Sense surged through the Lu