Technique Method Sword Instruction, Embryonic Breathing Fourth Layer?

Sixth-grade Technique Method: [Sword Instruction of the Dipper's Handle, Turning the Cosmic Order and the Laws of Heaven]-

This was a top-tier Purple Mansion Sword Instruction that had appeared in the immortal book, along with several Law Techniques, when ancient cultivator Lü Yuan entered the Embryonic Breathing Third Layer not long ago.

It consisted of the Sword-Ray chapter for the Fetal Breathing Stage, the Sword Qi chapter for the Qi Refinement Stage, the Sword Essence chapter for the Foundation Establishment Realm, and the Sword Intent chapter for the Purple Mansion Stage.

Its power was immense. Once the Technique Method reached perfection, it could even produce a Sword Intent comparable to an offensive Purple Mansion Divine Ability. At that point, fighting enemies above one's own realm would probably be no problem.

Even the lesser Sword-Ray, Sword Qi, and Sword Essence, once cultivated, could hardly be matched in killing power by any Law Technique in the same realm.

Most pleasantly surprising of all, the intent cultivated through this Sword Instruction had no particular characteristics of its own. The cultivator did not have to accommodate it; instead, it accommodated the cultivator.

The "Treatise on the Celestial Offices" said: "The Dipper is the emperor's chariot. It revolves at the center, overseeing and commanding the four quarters."

"Turning the cosmic order" meant rotating the framework of heaven.

In plain language, the intent itself would change as its master changed.

That also meant punk Lü Yuan could cultivate this Sword Instruction without worrying about copyright or where it came from.

Early on, all he needed to do was spend some money on a low-level Sword Instruction Technique Method with an intent similar to his own as a cover.

As for later on...

If I've already made it that far and people can still get a grip on me over a Purple Mansion Technique Method, wouldn't all that progress have been for nothing?

"Anyway, the Sword Instruction didn't say you had to use a sword to learn it, but don't you think it's a little improper to just snap a stick off a tree and use that as one?"

After night fell in the capitalist cultivation world, he entered the consciousness space.

This time, standing beneath the lush tree ancient cultivator Lü Yuan had created with his thoughts, punk Lü Yuan voiced his complaint softly.

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan said little in response. Having risen early in the ancient cultivation world, he merely yawned. "Whatever you say."

The reversal of day and night between the two worlds was something that could save punk Lü Yuan and ancient cultivator Lü Yuan a great deal of trouble early on.

One of them still wasn't qualified to work overtime, while the other had only recently encountered the ancient cultivation world's Dao traditions through the immortal book.

Neither of them could easily change his routine just yet.

So they didn't have to adjust their habits. Each simply handed the Spirit Root over to the other after cultivating and before going to sleep. It couldn't have been easier for them.

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan used the Spirit Root to cultivate, while punk Lü Yuan used it to improve his Spiritual Qi affinity and sense his internal breath ahead of time.

Both of them could be said to have bright futures.

Now that they had Law Techniques and Technique Methods to cultivate, that was truer than ever.

"What do you mean, whatever I say? Look at that slack attitude of yours! How are you supposed to get good at the sword Dao?"

Punk Lü Yuan scolded him with righteous indignation.

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan, however, saw nothing wrong with himself. "But I don't think there's much difference between a wooden sword and a magic sword, is there?"

Punk Lü Yuan couldn't stand that, not when he actually had a magic sword.

"That's an insult to magic swords! A wooden sword is a wooden sword, and a magic sword is a magic sword. If you're going to use a wooden sword as a magic sword, why don't you use toilet paper as an immortal book?

"I'm telling you, compared to a wooden sword, a magic sword has ten victories and ten wins..."

After rattling on about the winning theory he'd copied from the internet, punk Lü Yuan didn't forget to show off the magic sword he'd just acquired.

"All of the above is supported by evidence. Take the one I just bought at a bargain, for example. It perfectly meets every one of those requirements, and it was very cheap."

"Guess how much I paid?"

Seeing that he was about to go on and on again,

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan sighed softly and stopped paying him any attention.

Instead, beneath the tree, he began his morning practice, working through the sword moves one by one in accordance with the verses in the Sword Instruction, coordinating them with the circulation of his embryonic breathing.

For the past few days, he had been demonstrating here for punk Lü Yuan, so that when the latter entered Embryonic Breathing, he could learn faster.

"What age is this, and you're still practicing the sword the ancient way, going through the moves and the circulation of your embryonic breathing step by step..."

"Backward!"

Since the other man wouldn't ask and let him show off, punk Lü Yuan chose to look down on his sword practice instead.

Of course, he still had to watch, but he would watch critically.

After all, he didn't know whether watching would help, but not watching certainly wouldn't.

Still, ancient cultivator Lü Yuan's way of practicing the sword really was too ancient.

Even the greatest advocate of ancient sword practice in punk Lü Yuan's day wouldn't go that far back.

After all, practicing moves really wasn't important. There were only so many stances and variations.

Buy a chip, and you could master any sword art in an instant.

The reason it was so incredibly difficult to get started on the sword Dao

was entirely that learning sword arts was secondary. Otherwise, any hardworking person who persevered would achieve some results.

But reality was cruel.

To get started on the sword Dao, the most important things were talent and compatibility with the intent. Without either one, all one's efforts were wasted.

Yet here was ancient cultivator Lü Yuan, snapping off a branch and starting to practice-

Even if you have talent, practicing like that won't get you anywhere.

If you can get started on the sword Dao like that, I'll eat my new magic sword right here today!

"Clink-"

He had barely finished the thought when a faint sound of something cutting through the air interrupted him. Then a pale white light appeared on the branch before his eyes.

After less than a month of practice, he had entered the sword Dao.

His Sword-Ray had just taken form!

Punk Lü Yuan wasn't too surprised by the sight. He merely shoved everything he'd just been thinking to the back of his mind.

Then, out of habit, he started bootlicking:

"Who said that wooden sword was no good? This wooden sword is wonderful!"

"Come to think of it, this ancient way of practicing the sword does have its merits."

Punk Lü Yuan wasn't surprised because ancient cultivator Lü Yuan had already given him enough shocks over the past few days.

If he had a shock-value system, he'd probably be winning numb by now.

With ancient cultivator Lü Yuan's rapid advance to the Embryonic Breathing Third Layer in two months as precedent,

taking up sword arts alongside cultivation and entering the sword Dao to produce a Sword-Ray in less than a month didn't seem like such a big deal.

Damn it, talent dog!

Huh?

Aren't we the same person?

In that case, what else is there to say? A heaven's chosen, gifted and virtuous!

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan turned to look at him, speechless, only to find that punk Lü Yuan had already edged up in front of him, gazing at him expectantly.

"Dad, do you have any experience or insights to pass on?"

"Don't spare this delicate little white flower. Please, water me fiercely with your insights into the sword Dao!"

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan's face was calm. "If I have to name an insight, it's just what you were thinking-"

"Cultivating the sword Dao depends entirely on talent."

"Oh, right. I just formed my Sword-Ray, and it seems to have helped stabilize my embryonic breathing a great deal. If nothing unexpected happens, I might break through to the fourth layer in a few days."

After hearing that, punk Lü Yuan could only feel that heaven was unfair. He even suspected that both their shares of talent had gone to this guy.

He had the immortal book as a cheat, and his talent defied heaven too. How was he supposed to catch up?

When would his own local cheat arrive?!

"You've only been cultivating for two months, and you're at the Embryonic Breathing Fourth Layer with a newly formed Sword-Ray. Is your cultivation speed trying to reach the heavens?"

Punk Lü Yuan's eyelids twitched as he wailed without restraint:

"If you hadn't lent me the Spirit Root and had worked a little harder, cultivating nonstop twenty-four hours a day, wouldn't you be at the Embryonic Breathing Fifth Layer by now?"

"How is anyone else supposed to live?!"

"You won't have attained a Fruit Position by the time I'm still at Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment, will you?"

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan wasn't quite so optimistic. "Probably not. I feel like my progress isn't as fast as it was at the beginning anymore."

Punk Lü Yuan could only think he was humblebragging.

Of course it's not as fast!

Did you really think you could keep advancing a layer a day like you did at the start?

He shook his head. "Even if you can't keep going quite this fast, it'll take you just over a year at most to reach Embryonic Breathing Perfection, right?"

"Among the promising candidates for the junior high entrance exam I've heard about here, it's rare to find anyone who reaches perfection in six years of elementary school without repeating a grade."

"Look at Lin Qi's record. Even for an uptown Celestial Dragon with a Spirit Root who cultivated a sixth-grade Embryonic Breathing Cultivation Method, it took her three years to reach perfection and enter Qi Refinement."

"By comparison, only the very top Celestial Dragons in uptown could probably match your talent."

"But the problem is, they have the means to use drugs, and the Spiritual Qi conditions here are much better than where you are-"

At that point, punk Lü Yuan couldn't help indulging in a little fantasy. "Do you think that once I start cultivating, I can keep up your kind of speed?"

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan glanced at punk Lü Yuan, who had neither an immortal book nor the ability to cultivate a seventh-grade Cultivation Method, and whose Spirit Root was borrowed from him.

He didn't discourage him. "Hard to say."

Punk Lü Yuan gave him a displeased look. "Would it kill you to say something nice?"

"Forget it. I'm not going to hold it against you, you ancient Celestial Dragon with your cheat and your enviable talent..."

"After all, tomorrow I'm getting my Spiritual Qi affinity tested, and the day after that I'll open my apertures and start cultivating!"

"When the time comes, we'll find out."

Ancient cultivator Lü Yuan took back the Spirit Root and nodded gently. "Then good luck."

"And don't worry. Even if your aptitude turns out to be poor and your cultivation is too slow, I'll try to find something on my side to help you."

"My brother... don't shine your golden wheel of merit at a vampire like me who can only hide in the shadows-"

Punk Lü Yuan was lost for words for a moment. Not knowing what else to say, he could only let out that exclamation.

Then he slowly left in silence.

Lying on his back in bed, he gazed up at the pitch-black ceiling and closed his eyes, but remained sleepless all night.