A jade-like young man, displaying his might through Sword Riding!
If there is any injustice, let the sound of clashing ring out!
Du Tianle's emotions surged, so he composed a poem.
But after struggling for a long time, he couldn't finish the last line, so he gave up.
Even the Perfection-level 《Sword Riding Art》 is so dazzlingly cool.
Wouldn't those at higher Realms be even more formidable?
Anyway, the Remaining Lifespan wasn't enough to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Another hundred or eighty years wouldn't make much difference.
【Deduction Begins!】
【First Year, unwilling to accept this, you once again pick up your Long Sword and climb toward the unknown peak of the Sword Dao.】
【Fifth Year, you gain nothing...】
【Tenth Year, you still gain nothing...】
【Twentieth Year, you seem to see a glimmer of hope, and you become even more diligent!】
【Thirtieth Year, you are completely immersed in the cultivation of swordsmanship, and the feeling grows stronger.】
【Fiftieth Year, you finally break through the shackles and push the 《Sword Riding Art》 to a brand new height!】
【The 《Sword Riding Art》 has reached Superb!】
【The speed of your Flying Sword attacks doubles, and the range of your attacks doubles!】
【You comprehend the Sword Dao Divine Ability—Man and Sword as One!】
Man and Sword as One: Body merges with the sword, transforming into a beam of Sword Light, possessing unparalleled power.
【Man is sword, sword is man, you are a sword-man!】
Du Tianle: ...
Why is this System insulting people?
Attempt to continue infusing Lifespan.
However, the System prompts that the potential of the 《Sword Riding Art》 has been fully developed and cannot be infused further.
Only then did Du Tianle nod in satisfaction.
Indeed, the 《Sword Riding Art》 itself is a basic Sword Art commonly used in the Cultivation World.
Its ceiling was never very high to begin with.
Including the initial thirty years, it equals eighty years of non-stop arduous cultivation.
Eighty years!
Cultivators in the Qi Refining Stage, just like Mortals, have a maximum Lifespan of only a hundred years.
Which Qi Refining Stage Cultivator could spend eighty years cultivating a single Sword Art?
Heh heh, Du Tianle could.
That's why he could break the limit and comprehend a 'Divine Ability' in the Qi Refining Stage!
Divine Abilities are rare, high-end items.
They are sharp tools for robbing and slapping faces.
Only Old Monsters above the Nascent Soul Stage,
after their Lifespan has greatly increased, would dedicate significant Time to studying a Daoist Art.
Even then, they might not necessarily comprehend a Divine Ability.
In short:
This Man and Sword as One thing is awesome plus plus!
...
Since the Sword Riding Art cultivation is complete, only Daoist Magic remains.
As the old saying goes:
Cultivating techniques but not skills leads to nothing in the end.
Cultivating skills but not techniques means getting beaten up when you go out.
Cultivating both skills and techniques means one person can take on two!
...
The 《Basic Arts》 record over ten basic Daoist Magics that can be cultivated in the Qi Refining Stage.
Adhering to the principle of seeking excellence over quantity.
Considering his Cultivating All Five Elements Simultaneously status.
Du Tianle selected five Daoist Magics from among them.
The Metal element's 《Sharpness Art》.
It can increase the sharpness and lethality of the Flying Sword during combat.
The Wood element's 《Spring Return Art》.
It can heal wounds and alleviate injuries.
The Water element's 《Water Repelling Art》.
It can greatly extend the Time spent underwater and reduce resistance in the water.
The Fire element's 《Flame Fire Art》.
As the name suggests, it can launch fire attacks against opponents.
The Earth element's 《Barrier Art》.
It can raise earthen or stone walls to block attacks.
After selection, infusion began.
Unsurprisingly, just like the previous two times, something unexpected occurred.
Every Daoist Magic broke through the Perfection Realm.
Reaching the Superb Realm.
Although no Divine Ability was comprehended.
The gains were still significant.
For example, the 《Flame Fire Art》.
It changed from the orange-red of the Perfection Realm to a pale yellow flame.
The temperature increased by almost double.
The Fire Element Mana contained within it also saw a great increase in lethality.
The walls raised by the 《Barrier Art》 were both tall and thick.
If he were to build fortifications on a battlefield.
Du Tianle felt he alone could match ten excavators...
Of course, the Lifespan consumed was also extremely astonishing.
The five Daoist Magics consumed a total of three hundred years of Lifespan.
An average of sixty years consumed per technique!
The original Lifespan of over a thousand years was now less than two hundred years remaining.
Du Tianle planned to temporarily keep the remaining Lifespan.
One reason was to guard against any accidents.
The second was to be able to cultivate immediately if he encountered any suitable Cultivation Methods.
He opened the System Panel again.
Name: Du Tianle
Age: 18
Remaining Lifespan: 185 Years
Realm: Qi Refining Stage, 30th Layer
Cultivation Methods:
《Minor Five Elements Qi Refining Art》, 30th Layer
《Sword Riding Art》, Superb.
《Sharpness Art》, Superb.
《Spring Return Art》, Superb.
《Water Repelling Art》, Superb.
《Flame Fire Art》, Superb.
《Barrier Art》, Superb.
Divine Ability: Man and Sword as One.
Quite a few things had been added to the panel.
It looked completely filled.
It was refreshing to see.
Tsk tsk, who would have thought?
A stick of incense ago, he was a Mortal without the strength to truss a chicken.
A stick of incense later, he became an Immortal Cultivator possessing over eight hundred years of arduous cultivation?
Du Tianle felt he was terrifyingly strong now.
Of course, this was only within the Qi Refining Stage Realm.
...
For the next few days, Du Tianle kept a low profile.
He hid in the detached courtyard arranged by the Master's Sect, constantly adapting to the power he had just gained.
He practiced his swordsmanship and familiarized himself with the Daoist Magics.
Occasionally, he would go out to interact with other Outer Sect Disciples.
That day happened to be Mid-month, and a Golden Core Stage Elder was giving a sermon at the sect.
Du Tianle followed the crowd and went to listen for a while.
He found it rather boring.
Although the Golden Core Elder's cultivation was high, the knowledge about the Qi Refining Stage he lectured on
was not as profound as what Du Tianle comprehended when infusing Lifespan.
This further solidified his confidence.
The morning lecture ended near evening, and just as he reached the foot of the mountain,
two disciples approached him, looking battered, with blood trickling from their mouths.
They were supporting each other as they climbed the mountain.
The other disciples descending the mountain were greatly alarmed and rushed forward to inquire.
Du Tianle recognized these two disciples.
One was named Zhang Yi, and the other was Wang Lin.
Both were Outer Sect Disciples, though they had joined a few years before him.
Zhang Yi wiped the blood from his mouth and began:
"Junior Martial Brother Wang and I accepted a mission from the Master's Sect to purchase supplies outside."
"The journey down was smooth."
"Unexpectedly, on the way back, as we passed Clear Wind Valley, a Yellow Weasel Spirit appeared from nowhere."
"It blocked our path and demanded a Title from Junior Martial Brother Wang and me."
"Neither of us was willing to become entangled in that kind of Karma, so we naturally kept silent."
"Seeing that we wouldn't answer, the Yellow Weasel Spirit attacked us violently."
"Junior Martial Brother Wang and I have weak Mana and were no match for it, sustaining serious injuries."
"We had no choice but to agree to its Asking for a Title before we could barely escape."
"We are now heading up the mountain to report to the sect elders and request the elimination of this wicked monster!"
After speaking, he cupped his hands toward the crowd.
Seeing this, everyone made way, watching the two staggeringly ascend the mountain.
Du Tianle was puzzled, so he approached an older-looking Outer Sect Disciple and asked in a low voice:
"Greetings, Senior Brother."
"May I ask what this 'Asking for a Title' is about? Seeing how panicked those two Senior Brothers were."
"Does it carry some harm?"
The older disciple stroked his beard and chuckled:
"Is Junior Martial Brother a newcomer?"
Seeing Du Tianle nod, he continued:
"'Asking for a Title' is a bloodline ability of the Yellow Weasel Spirit, a type of Divine Ability."
"If you agree to their Asking for a Title, you become entangled in their Karma."
"If they commit evil deeds later and are punished by the Heavenly Dao, everyone who agreed to their Asking for a Title will be implicated."
"Cultivation is difficult enough as it is; no one wants to get entangled in that kind of Karma."
"That's why those two Senior Brothers were so furious just now."
Du Tianle suddenly understood.
This path of cultivation is indeed full of strange and bizarre things.
He must be extremely cautious in the future.
...