12: Level 5 Painting - Swallowing Essence and Absorbing

The experience points to advance from the fifth rank to the sixth rank reached a staggering 100,000.

Gu Changsheng gave up on the idea of continuing to improve Qingfeng Swordplay.

The next technique to be improved was the Blood Escape Technique, and his gaze fixed on it.

Although this technique had just been acquired and was only at the first rank, it was the only technique he possessed that increased speed.

After improving it, facing an enemy, whether to fight or flee, would be entirely up to him.

Survival was the top priority.

One blood essence pearl after another was swallowed, and a warm current surged, circulating through his limbs and meridians.

A large amount of experience points was invested into the Blood Escape Technique.

Second rank.

Third rank.

Fourth rank.

Fifth rank!

The description of the Blood Escape Technique remained unchanged, still stating that it burned blood and Qi to increase movement speed.

However, the inner workings were completely different.

Gu Changsheng tried it out; a drop of blood burned, and immediately a bloody light emanated from his body, which became as light as smoke, seemingly weightless.

With a slight leap, as if gravity had ceased to exist, he shot several hundred meters away.

"With this speed, I estimate no Spirit Building Stage cultivator should be able to catch me.

Unless they are a major Realm higher than me, there's only a slight possibility."

Gu Changsheng tried a few more times and discovered two issues with the fifth-rank Blood Escape Technique.

Firstly, the speed was too fast, and moving placed a significant burden on his body.

Even though Gu Changsheng had cultivated various contemplation methods and his physical strength far exceeded others at the same rank, after repeated use, he still felt his body ache.

Secondly, flexibility decreased during movement; it was more suited for linear pursuit and escape, not good for dodging.

Of course, the flaws did not overshadow the advantages.

The fifth-rank Blood Escape Technique was still a trump card in his hand.

This time, another two hundred-plus blood essence pearls were consumed, leaving less than six hundred.

He estimated he could at most raise two more techniques to the fifth rank.

"If the Sword Planting Technique is raised to the fifth rank, the speed of nurturing a Sword Spirit will greatly accelerate.

As for the Human-faced Beast-hearted Fruit Tree, it has already taken root, and the Spring Breeze Transforming Rain Technique does not have high requirements, so I don't need to consider it for now.

I'll improve the Sword Planting Technique first."

Soon, the Sword Planting Technique was successfully raised to the fifth rank.

In his perception, the longquan sword within the Human-faced Beast-hearted Fruit Tree hummed, emitting a unique fluctuation.

"The nurturing speed has increased by more than ten times.

I have a premonition that a Sword Spirit will be born within three years.

Moreover, the Sword Spirit nurtured by the fifth-rank Sword Planting Technique seems to possess special attributes."

Gu Changsheng forcefully suppressed the urge to invest all his experience into the Sword Planting Technique.

If the fifth rank was already this powerful, what about the sixth rank!

Gu Changsheng paused slightly and took out the wolf-hair brush from his waist.

This brush, made from scorpion stingers, wolf hair, tiger teeth, and refined iron, was of excellent quality and served as a Magical Artifact for combat during the longquan sword's replacement period.

He grasped it in the Void Realm, absorbing a trace of the sharp Qi emanating from the Sword Spirit and fusing it into the wolf hair tip of the brush.

In the ethereal Realm, the wolf-hair brush emitted a sword cry, and its sharpness greatly increased.

"Not bad. In terms of destructive power alone, it surpasses the longquan sword, it just lacks some foundation."

He placed the wolf-hair brush back at his waist.

Gu Changsheng fell into hesitation.

The remaining blood essence pearls could at most improve one more technique.

He wavered between the Fox Shadow Technique and painting skills.

The Fox Shadow Technique's ability to conceal aura and hide one's figure was exceptionally rare.

Painting skills, however, were directly related to his Golden Finger and were frequently used.

Especially after several battles, he often needed to paint portraits after the fight, and the efficiency of his third-rank painting skills was too slow.

Moreover, it carried a certain risk.

For example, when he killed Chen Huanzhi last time, what if there were still remnants of his faction who ambushed him while he was painting?

"The Fox Shadow Technique's ability to create illusions is enough for dealing with mortals.

But painting skills are related to the Golden Finger, to lifespan, and to the efficiency of accumulating contemplation methods, making them of paramount importance."

After some deliberation, Gu Changsheng raised his painting skills to the fifth rank.

【Divine Craftsmanship Painting (Fifth Rank): 0 / 100000】

【Divine Craftsmanship: The images drawn possess the ability to absorb and Seal Origin Qi】

"Divine Craftsmanship Painting... it actually gave birth to a profound technique, just like Qingfeng Swordplay.

That makes sense. A fourth-rank skill is already rare among Great Masters.

For a fifth-rank skill to transcend and become sacred, possessing special profundities is not surprising."

After devouring the remaining blood essence pearls, he poured all the remaining experience points into the Fox Shadow Technique, barely breaking through to the fourth rank.

Even so, it still gained the ability to create illusions to confuse.

At this moment, thunder roared outside the house, and strong winds swept through.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, instantly illuminating the entire room as bright as day.

"This is a good opportunity to test the Divine Craftsmanship Painting's ability to absorb and Seal Origin Qi..."

Absorbing and sealing Origin Qi meant devouring and sealing energy into the painting.

The formidable power of the lightning was perfect for this experiment.

Gu Changsheng took out a scroll, dipped his wolf-hair brush in ink, and quickly sketched a "Stormy Night Thunder" painting on the blank scroll.

With a flick of his hand, the scroll floated into the air.

Boom, boom, boom—

The sky flashed with white light, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a thumb descended from the dark clouds, accurately striking the scroll and erupting in a brilliant blue light.

The lightning was scorching hot; if it struck a large tree in the wild, it would instantly burn through its core.

However, the scroll at this moment seemed to be insulated, suffering no damage whatsoever.

The "Stormy Night Thunder" painting landed, and Gu Changsheng tentatively picked it up.

It felt warm and smooth to the touch, and the lightning bolt in the center of the rainy night on the painting resembled a long Dragon; only Gu Changsheng could perceive the astonishing lightning energy contained within.

"Good! It truly sealed a bolt of lightning.

Prioritizing the improvement of painting skills was indeed the correct choice."

The power of the heavens in the lightning was immense, primarily for killing and warding off evil, and its might was comparable to a full-strength attack from a Spirit Building Stage cultivator.

It could serve as a trump card.

"However, it's not enough; I need a few more to be safe."

Gu Changsheng quickly replicated three more "Stormy Night Thunder" paintings and tossed them into the air.

As expected, accompanied by the roaring thunder, three bolts of lightning, like flood Dragons entering the sea, plunged onto the scrolls.

Perhaps because most of the lightning was absorbed by the scrolls, the clouds soon dispersed, and the rain stopped.

Inside the house, Gu Changsheng stroked the warm scrolls: "Very good, four 'Stormy Night Thunder' paintings, containing four bolts of lightning.

Even if I encounter demons whose Realm is higher than mine, I'll have some confidence in protecting myself."

All thanks to the Origin Seizing Method.

It was simply a divine skill tailor-made for Gu Changsheng.

In just one night, four techniques were raised to the fifth rank, and Gu Changsheng felt as if he had been reborn, his strength undergoing earth-shattering changes.

Gu Changsheng glanced at his remaining lifespan on the panel, which was only ten years.

"Lifespan is not a big deal; at worst, I'll just paint a few more pictures.

The troublesome part is the essence and blood Qi consumed when condensing blood essence pearls."

Even with Gu Changsheng's astonishing physical strength and recovery ability, after a night of condensing blood essence pearls, he was almost drained.

Imagining the terrifying experience bar for sixth-rank techniques made Gu Changsheng's scalp tingle.

"I need to find a way to increase my blood Qi and essence."

Gu Changsheng pondered for a moment; there were two methods.

Devouring precious medicines that strengthen the foundation and cultivate Origin Qi, or practicing contemplation methods that enhance blood and Qi.

"Precious medicines are hard to find, so I'll probably have to rely on contemplation methods that enhance blood and Qi."

The next day, after a night of rest, Gu Changsheng's condition had recovered significantly.

Only his complexion was still somewhat pale.

"The Jade Faced Fox Method does not have techniques to enhance blood and Qi.

However, it has fused multiple contemplation methods, reaching the sixth rank.

It provides a considerable boost to the body's blood and Qi.

Even if I can't find methods to enhance blood and Qi.

Just by continuously fusing contemplation methods, I can steadily raise my blood and Qi levels."

With this thought, Gu Changsheng was no longer anxious.

As a long-life Cultivator, he had plenty of time.

In the morning, Gu Changsheng went to the tofu stall as usual, but Widow Wang hadn't set up shop, and the stall was empty.

The whispers of passersby reached his ears.

Suddenly, Gu Changsheng's expression changed.