Before returning to Greenleaf Peak, Song Yan stopped by the library to return Tales of Ancient Swords.
Over the following days, he continued drawing in Qi and transforming it into spiritual power, condensing Sword Qi, and practicing and honing his Sword-Controlling Technique in his spare time.
Within the Two-Pole Realm, the black waves of flame around "Heart Demon" seemed to be slowly surging outward, surrounded by the embryonic Dao heart.
But until they stopped completely, Song Yan had no intention of taking "Heart Demon" out of the realm to refine it.
The Two-Pole Bead had helped him so much. It had even drawn the Flying Sword inside without his consent, so it must have had its reasons.
One day, inside his cave abode.
Song Yan sat cross-legged on the stone bed. With the Little Spirit Gathering Formation supporting him, vast amounts of Spiritual Qi swirled around his body.
He took a White Jade-Porcelain Pill Bottle out of his Heaven and Earth Bag.
He was just about to take out a pill when he suddenly frowned and stopped.
He continued condensing Spiritual Qi, and after absorbing all the Spiritual Qi in the Little Spirit Gathering Formation, he slowly ended his practice.
"I still need more tempering before reaching the Qi Refining sixth layer. It isn't something I can achieve overnight..."
"Doing nothing but cultivating in seclusion not only makes for slow progress, but also easily breeds impatience."
He took a deep breath and put the pill bottle away again.
Pills were expensive, every last one. He had to use them where they counted most.
He got off the stone bed and stretched.
"Xiao He, I'm going to the Heart-Cultivation Academy to do some calligraphy. Want to come?"
"No, no!"
Xiao He had recently become absorbed in the little trinkets she collected.