73: Chapter 73 Crazy Cultivation

There were five days left until the Shadow Pavilion attacked, and I felt the time pressure as if someone was whipping me from behind.

"Five days, I must reach level 25!"

I gave myself a death order in my heart. Although Mo Wentian said level 25 would give me the strength to fight, I knew level 25 was just the minimum requirement. To survive this great battle, and even protect the people I wanted to protect, I needed to become stronger.

Thus, I began a crazy cultivation mode.

During the day, I practiced sword techniques in the inner sect of the Sword Pavilion. Mo Wentian, that old man, gave me special treatment and let me enter the Sword Pavilion's library, which housed various high-level sword technique manuals. I studied hungrily, flipping through manuals with a rustling sound.

"Kid, I've never seen a learning speed like yours in my entire life." Mo Wentian looked at me, his eyes full of surprise.

"That's because I'm a genius." I smiled smugly.

Actually, I knew clearly in my heart that this wasn't some genius ability; it was clearly the stall system helping. Every time I learned a sword technique, the system would automatically analyze its essence and then let me master it at the fastest speed.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for learning "Flowing Cloud Sword Technique", current proficiency: Beginner]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for learning "Wind-Breaking Sword Art", current proficiency: Beginner]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for learning "Nine Heavens Sword Dance", current proficiency: Beginner]

As I learned one sword technique after another, my combat power was also steadily improving.

At night, I didn't rest either, but instead studied the new functions of the stall system.

Ever since the stall income exceeded 200,000 gold coins and the chain store function was unlocked, the system had opened up quite a few new functions. The one that interested me the most was a function called "Synthesis System".

[Synthesis System: Can synthesize various materials into high-level items]

"This function is not bad." My eyes lit up, and I started studying the synthesis recipes.

While flipping through, I suddenly discovered a recipe that pleasantly surprised me.

[city defense array core: Can provide a protective shield when the city is under attack, duration 1 hour, cooldown 24 hours]

"Holy crap! This thing is awesome!"

I was so excited I almost jumped up. With this city defense array core, Tianqi City's defensive capabilities would be greatly improved, and it might even be able to block the Shadow Pavilion's attack!

But when I saw the crafting materials, my heart went cold.

[Crafting materials: Star Stone x10, Dragon Blood Crystal x5, Extraterrestrial Meteor Iron x3, Ten-Thousand-Year Lingzhi x1]

"This... this is too much of a scam!"

Star Stone, Dragon Blood Crystal, Extraterrestrial Meteor Iron, Ten-Thousand-Year Lingzhi—which of these wasn't a priceless rare material? Especially the Ten-Thousand-Year Lingzhi, that was a legendary heaven-sent treasure; you couldn't buy it even with money!

"No, no matter how hard it is, I have to get it!"

I gritted my teeth and started figuring out how to collect the materials.

First, I used the income from my three stall shops to purchase them at high prices at the auction house. My stall shops were now raking in money daily, with tens of thousands of gold coins in income every day, and the accumulated fortune was quite substantial.

"Star Stone, starting bid 5000 gold coins, I bid 10000!"

"Dragon Blood Crystal, starting bid 8000 gold coins, I bid 15000!"

"Extraterrestrial Meteor Iron, I bid 20000!"

I was frantically sweeping up goods in the auction house. My posture was like a rich tycoon shopping at a vegetable market, buying whatever I saw without blinking.

Other players were dumbfounded, guessing which guild tycoon I was to be so rich.

"Who is that kid? So rich?"

"I don't know, maybe some hidden billionaire."

"Envy, jealousy, and hatred. I wish I had that much money."

I didn't have time to pay attention to their discussions and focused on acquiring materials. After spending nearly one hundred thousand gold coins, I finally gathered the Star Stone, Dragon Blood Crystal, and Extraterrestrial Meteor Iron.

But the Ten-Thousand-Year Lingzhi was still nowhere to be found.

"Where on earth can I find this thing?"

I thought about it with a bitter face, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck.

"Right, Death Swamp!"

Death Swamp was a dangerous area outside Tianqi City, where all kinds of level 25-30 monsters lived, and it was said that some heaven-sent treasures grew there. A treasure of the level of a Ten-Thousand-Year Lingzhi might just be there!

But the problem was, Death Swamp was too dangerous. With my current strength, going there alone to hunt monsters carried huge risks.

"Forget it, for the city defense array core, I'll risk it!"

I decided to go to Death Swamp to try my luck. But before that, I had one more thing to do—further fuse Sky Breaker, Moon Slash, and World Extinction.

These three moves were my strongest attack means currently. If I could fuse them into one move, the power would absolutely increase exponentially.

I went into seclusion in the Sword Pavilion's practice room for a day and night, constantly trying, failing, and trying again.

"The momentum of Sky Breaker, the speed of Moon Slash, the power of World Extinction..."

"If the three are combined, what will the effect be?"

I swung my longsword, practicing over and over again. Sweat soaked my clothes, but I was completely unaware of it.

Finally, at the one-thousandth attempt, I found the feeling.

"Now is the time!"

I shouted, and the longsword swung out. This sword strike had both the forward momentum of Sky Breaker, the speed of Moon Slash, and the world-destroying power of World Extinction.

The three forces fused together perfectly, forming a dazzling sword light.

Boom!

The sword light hit the wall of the practice room, blasting a big hole directly.

"Holy crap! Is it that powerful?"

I looked at my masterpiece with pleasant surprise, my heart filled with a sense of accomplishment.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for creating a fused sword technique—Sky-Breaking Moon-Slashing World-Extinguishing Sword!]

[Sky-Breaking Moon-Slashing World-Extinguishing Sword: Fuses the essence of Sky Breaker, Moon Slash, and World Extinction, power increased by 300%]

"Hahaha! I am indeed a genius!"

I laughed proudly.

Just then, the system's notification sound rang again.

[Ding! Detected that the host is about to break through to level 25, unlocking condition: Complete a life-and-death battle]

"Life-and-death battle?" I frowned.

It turned out that to break through to level 25, relying on cultivation alone wasn't enough; it also required experiencing a true life-and-death test. Only by hovering on the edge of life and death could one stimulate potential and complete the breakthrough.

"It seems Death Swamp is a must-visit."

I made up my mind and prepared to leave the city for Death Swamp.

But just as I was packing my things, Ye Liuli suddenly appeared.

"Where are you going?" She looked at me, her eyes filled with a trace of worry.

"Death Swamp." I didn't hide it, "I need to experience a life-and-death battle to break through to level 25."

"Death Swamp?" Ye Liuli's expression changed, "That place is too dangerous, going there alone is suicide!"

"I know it's dangerous, but I must go." I said firmly, "The Shadow Pavilion will attack in seven days, I must improve my strength as soon as possible."

Ye Liuli was silent for a while, then finally sighed: "I'll go with you."

"What?" I was stunned for a moment, "You'll go with me?"

"Mm." Ye Liuli nodded, "Two people are safer than one. And..."

She paused and didn't continue.

"And what?"

"Nothing." Ye Liuli changed the subject, "When are we leaving?"

"Now."

"Okay."

Just like that, Ye Liuli and I formed a team, left Tianqi City together, and headed towards Death Swamp.

Death Swamp is located to the southeast of Tianqi City, about fifty miles away. It is a swamp area covered in poisonous fog all year round, where all kinds of ferocious monsters live. It is a leveling sanctuary for level 25-30 players and also the burial ground for countless adventurers.

"Be careful, the poisonous fog here is toxic." Ye Liuli reminded.

"I know." I nodded, took two detox pills from my backpack, and handed one to Ye Liuli, "Eat this, it can resist the poisonous fog."

The two of us took the detox pills and carefully entered the swamp.

As soon as I entered, I felt a chilling aura rushing towards me. The visibility around was very low, and I could only see a dozen meters away. From the distance, the roars of monsters came from time to time, making people's hair stand on end.

"Stay close to me." Ye Liuli drew her sword and looked around vigilantly.

"Mm."

The two of us moved back to back, slowly advancing into the depths of the swamp.

Suddenly, the grass in front of us shook, and a huge black shadow rushed out!

"Watch out!"

I shouted and swung my sword to meet it.

The life-and-death battle had officially begun!