16: Chapter 16 Refining the Flying Sword

Joy flashed across Manager Chen's eyes, and he hurriedly said: "Good, good, good! The chiyang sword is 5,000 Spirit Stones, the bingpo sword is 8,000 Spirit Stones, the two thunder blazing fire beads total 4,000 Spirit Stones, and the breath-concealing Spell [Turtle Breathing Qi Concealment Art] is 1,000 Spirit Stones. In total, that is 18,000 Spirit Stones."

He rapidly clicked his abacus: "Junior Brother sold foundation establishment pills for 20,000 Spirit Stones. After deducting 18,000, I still need to give Junior Brother 2,000 Spirit Stones. Xiaocui, go get 2,000 Spirit Stones."

The maid quickly brought back a small cloth bag containing Spirit Stones.

After checking that everything was correct, Baili Yunche put the Spirit Stones into his Storage Pouch.

At the same time, Manager Chen also handed over the two swords, the two beads, and that Jade Slip.

"Does Junior Brother want to test the swords?" Manager Chen smiled and asked.

Baili Yunche nodded and picked up the chiyang sword first.

Channeling a wisp of Pure Yang True Essence into it, the sword body instantly burst with a dazzling red light, and the scorching Sword Qi flickered erratically, causing the indoor temperature to soar abruptly.

He then tested the bingpo sword. Unexpectedly, the freezing Sword Qi and the Pure Yang True Essence did not conflict with each other at all; instead, they had a wonderful feeling of Yin and Yang complementing each other.

"Good sword!" he praised sincerely.

Manager Chen stroked his beard and smiled: "Is Junior Brother a Sword Cultivator?"

"More or less." Baili Yunche put away the double swords, a decision already formed in his heart.

The path of a Sword Cultivator placed offense above all else, reigning supreme among those of the same Realm.

More importantly—it was cool!

Just imagine in the future, dressed in white robes, stepping on a Flying Sword, and roaming the Nine Heavens—how dashing would that be!

When the Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters in the sect saw him, wouldn't their hearts flutter with secret affection?

Inheriting the legacy of the Pure Yang Sword Immortal and becoming a suave and dashing Sword Immortal also seemed not bad...

"Since the transaction is complete, this old man will not disturb you further." Manager Chen stood up and cupped his fists,

"If Junior Brother has any more Medicinal Pills to sell in the future, or needs to purchase anything, just come to Baibao Pavilion, and this old man will definitely give you the most favorable price."

"Certainly." Baili Yunche returned the courtesy and turned to leave the inner chamber.

Walking out of Baibao Pavilion, the sky was nearing dusk. He didn't stay and headed straight back to the Waste Pill Room.

...

Returning to the Waste Pill Room, Baili Yunche did not go to the inner sect to collect his identity token. He planned to continue lying low and Cultivating in the Waste Pill Room for a period of time.

Not to mention anything else, the second-grade waste pills used in the Foundation Establishment Stage were practically inexhaustible, so he didn't need to worry about Cultivation resources...

Guarding this treasure mountain, there was no need to go to the inner sect and ask for trouble.

"However, before that, I still need to act low-profile."

Baili Yunche sat cross-legged on the stone bed, and took out the Jade Slip recording the [Turtle Breathing Qi Concealment Art] from his Storage Pouch.

According to Manager Chen of Baibao Pavilion, this breath-concealing technique was created hundreds of years ago by a Nascent Soul Elder of the Xuanyang Sect after observing the "Dark Water Spirit Turtle" for a hundred years, comprehending it from its innate talent of hibernation and inner concealment of aura.

Although it was only a High Grade Yellow Rank Spell, it had its own unique aspects.

He pressed the Jade Slip against his forehead and probed it with his Divine Sense.

Instantly, a complete Cultivation Technique surfaced in his mind.

The contents were recorded in detail, equipped with human Meridians circulation diagrams, and even vivid Concept illustrations of the spirit turtle hibernating and the aura retracting inward.

The [Turtle Breathing Qi Concealment Art] was divided into three layers in total:

First Layer: Spirit Turtle Hibernates.

After achieving Perfection in this layer, one could conceal their aura and hide their cultivation. Unless one's Divine Sense far exceeded their own by a major Realm, it would be difficult to see through the truth.

Second Layer: Thousand Faces Illusory Form.

After achieving Perfection in this layer, one could freely change their outwardly displayed cultivation Realm. At most, they could disguise themselves as a Cultivator whose true cultivation was three layers higher than their own, and at least, they could disguise themselves as a Mortal. Cultivators of the same Realm could not see through it.

Third Layer: Myriad Transformations Return to One.

After achieving Perfection in this layer, one's aura would merge with heaven and earth like a drop of water entering the sea. Even Cultivators with a cultivation Realm one major Realm higher than one's own would find it difficult to detect any abnormalities unless they deliberately used secret techniques to investigate.

"This happens to be a Spell that suits me very well." Baili Yunche nodded with satisfaction.

He immediately began to comprehend it.

The key to cultivating the [Turtle Breathing Qi Concealment Art] lay in "stillness" and "concealment".

One needed to restrain their own aura inwardly, return spiritual power to the Dantian, and bind the Divine Sense to the Sea of Consciousness, just like a spirit turtle hibernating in the deep sea without revealing the slightest trace.

For ordinary Cultivators, this might require months of arduous effort, but for Baili Yunche, it was much simpler.

Because he had an advantage that others could hardly match—Medicinal Pills were fully supplied!

"The enlightenment pill... should also be helpful for practicing Spells, right?"

The enlightenment pill, as the name implied, could help Cultivators comprehend the Dao. Whether it was swordsmanship, Alchemy, talisman making... it could all accelerate the speed of Dao comprehension.

Baili Yunche walked to the corner of the wall and opened a wooden box marked with "enlightenment pill".

The Medicinal Pills inside the box were as pitch-black as charcoal, most of them deformed and cracked, emitting a pungent, burnt odor.

He picked out ten relatively complete "waste pills" from them and threw them into the creation divine cauldron.

The purification time for third-grade Medicinal Pills far exceeded that of first and second-grade ones.

From waste pill to Low Grade, it took a full day and night; from Low Grade to Medium Grade, three days and three nights; from Medium Grade to High Grade, nine days and nine nights.

But Baili Yunche could afford to wait.

Ten days later, the cauldron lid opened, and ten crystal-clear Medicinal Pills with nine cloud patterns on their surfaces quietly lay at the bottom of the cauldron—Top Quality enlightenment pills!

As soon as this Medicinal Pill appeared, the entire stone house was shrouded in a profound and ethereal aura of Dao.

Baili Yunche merely took a breath of the pill fragrance and felt his mind clear and his thoughts move like lightning. Many obscure and difficult parts of his past Cultivation suddenly gave him a feeling of sudden enlightenment at this moment.

"As expected of a third-grade Medicinal Pill!"

He took out an enlightenment pill and swallowed it, immediately feeling his entire person enter a wonderful Realm.

Everything in the world seemed to slow down, yet his thinking was as fast as lightning.

The scriptures of the [Turtle Breathing Qi Concealment Art] surfaced word by word in his mind, every single detail and key point incomparably clear.

He could even see the trajectory of spiritual power running through the Meridians and perceive the subtle changes of the aura's concealment.

Under this state, how could his Cultivation efficiency merely improve tenfold!

One day later, the first layer, "Spirit Turtle Hibernates", reached Perfection.

With a thought from Baili Yunche, the aura around his body rapidly retracted inwardly. The Spiritual Pressure of the Foundation Establishment Stage vanished without a trace, and his outwardly displayed cultivation plummeted all the way, finally stopping at the third layer of Qi Refining.

He walked to the water vat outside the house, the water surface reflecting a slightly youthful face with a weak aura, no different from an ordinary Utility Disciple.

"Perfect." Baili Yunche's lips curved up slightly.

Without stopping, he continued to swallow the second enlightenment pill, charging towards the second layer, "Thousand Faces Illusory Form".

Five days later, the second layer reached Perfection.

At this moment, he could already freely change his outwardly displayed cultivation.

With a single thought, his aura could surge to the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

With another thought, it dropped back to the third layer of Qi Refining.

Changing freely without any pressure!

As for the third layer, "Myriad Transformations Return to One", after trying, Baili Yunche discovered that with his current cultivation and the assistance of the enlightenment pill, it would take at least a month just to get started, and achieving Perfection was even further away.

"It's enough for now." He stopped Cultivating and carefully put away the remaining enlightenment pills.

Next was refining the two newly acquired Spiritual Artifacts.

The chiyang sword and the bingpo sword hovered in front of him, one red and one blue, their spiritual lights intersecting.

Baili Yunche took the chiyang sword first.

The attributes of this sword matched his Pure Yang spiritual power the best, making refining it achieve twice the result with half the effort.

He bit his fingertip, dripped a drop of essence blood onto the sword body, and then formed hand seals with both hands, casting wave after wave of sacrificial refining seals.

The essence blood seeped into the sword body, and the chiyang sword trembled slightly. The crimson gemstone at the hilt lit up with a dazzling light.

Baili Yunche could clearly feel that the blazing fire-attribute spirituality within the sword was merging and resonating with his Pure Yang spiritual power.

Three days later, the refining of the chiyang sword was complete.

With a thought, the crimson Flying Sword turned into a stream of light, shuttling and flying around the room as naturally as moving his own arm.

Wherever the sword blade passed, the air was scorching hot, with a faint smell of burning.

"Good sword!" Baili Yunche praised.