98: Harvest

Ever since he started Cultivating, Qin Yue had not truly rested for a long time.

After tidying up his room, Qin Yue felt a bit unaccustomed; it was too boring.

So he thought for a moment and decided that complete rest wasn't suitable for him. He should still check the rewards from this mission.

"Open the System panel."

A familiar light screen appeared before Qin Yue.

Name: Qin Yue

Stamina: 100 / 100

Protective Aura: 1725340 / 1725340

Traits: Strong as an Ox, Gathering Qi into Protective Aura, Super-Sense, Walking on Flat Ground, Blade and Sword Mastery, Shadow Affinity, Baleful Body, Puppet Mastery, Condensing True Form, Flame Control, Medicinal Property Integration, Protective Aura Threads, Shapeshifting

Skill 1: Celestial 罡 Qi Gathering Art (Perfection)

Skill 2: Nine Revolutions Body Refining Art (Fourth Revolution) (Perfection)

Skill 3: Fire Control Method (Medicine Refining) (Perfection)

Skill 4: Fusion Method (Medicine Refining) (Perfection)

Skill 5: Nine Manifestations Blazing Hand (Perfection)

Skill 6: Thousand Thread Guiding Qi Skill (Perfection)

Skill 7: Demon Puppet (Perfection)

Skill 8: Shapeshifting Art (Perfection)

Start Idling? (Yes/No)

Looking at all the skills on the light screen before him, all cultivated to Perfection, Qin Yue felt a surge of satisfaction.

It wasn't in vain that for the past two years, even during missions, he had diligently Cultivated every day, never slacking off for a moment.

All the skills at Perfection had transformed into one trait after another, making Qin Yue's body constantly grow stronger even without active Cultivation.

The Gathering Qi into Protective Aura trait, awakened after Celestial 罡 Qi Gathering Art reached Perfection, integrated the previous Refining Food into Qi and Qi Transformation as Desired traits.

This allowed him to replenish the Protective Aura within his body directly from the air, without needing dietary supplements or special Qi gathering methods.

Due to Qin Yue's continuous use of both blade and sword, Blade Mastery and Sword Mastery merged into a new trait: Blade and Sword Mastery.

This trait made Qin Yue even more fluid and adaptable when using both blade and sword simultaneously.

Qin Yue vaguely felt that he could use this to create a Cultivation Technique that combined blade and sword.

Condensing True Form, Flame Control, and Medicinal Property Integration—these three traits were the characteristics that appeared after Qinglu Ningzhen Hand, Fire Control Method, and Fusion Method reached Perfection, respectively. Among them, Flame Control also integrated the trait awakened when Nine Manifestations Blazing Hand reached Perfection.

All three of these traits were born for Medicine Refining.

Qin Yue had a feeling that these three traits were interconnected, and after Qin Yue's Medicine Refining skill advanced to a higher level, these three traits could fuse into a new trait.

The Shapeshifting trait allowed Qin Yue to freely change his form within a certain range without external aids.

The Protective Aura Threads trait allowed Qin Yue's Protective Aura to automatically condense into threads.

Both of these traits were newly awakened during this mission.

In Qin Yue's original plan, he wanted to use Shapeshifting Art to change his form and hide among the Puppets, making his tactics more flexible and allowing him to ambush enemies from the shadows.

However, in actual combat, Qin Yue discovered that the so-called hidden form and flexibility were just flashy, and the most important aspects were offensive and defensive capabilities.

Thus, the Six-Armed Puppet appeared later.

But even the Six-Armed Puppet had many drawbacks.

For example, it could only perform stationary attacks and couldn't pursue enemies.

It also had the disadvantages of being difficult to carry and not flexible enough, making it completely unsuitable for high-end combat.

Therefore, Qin Yue developed the Sword Crane Puppet.

The Sword Crane Puppet perfectly solved all the previous shortcomings; it was not only flexible in use but also had powerful attack capabilities.

Moreover, as Qin Yue's own abilities improved, this Puppet could also grow stronger with Qin Yue's growth, truly making it a good Puppet essential for home and travel.

This also pointed a direction for Qin Yue in refining Puppets in the future: the weaponization and miniaturization of Puppets.

To give each small Puppet a specific function, and then combine them into a large Puppet when needed—this is Qin Yue's current envisioned future for Puppet design.

Closing the System panel, Qin Yue prepared to go to the Alchemy Room to find his Master again.

Resting was not an option; Qin Yue would continue to Cultivate!

"Master, this Disciple has something to ask."

Outside the Alchemy Room, Qin Yue spoke into the room and then waited by the side.

This was because he had been scolded by his Master yesterday for just waiting outside the Alchemy Room door.

After a while, his Master opened the door.

"You just returned yesterday, why aren't you resting for a couple more days? What do you need me for now?"

Qin Yue clasped his hands and bowed,

"This Disciple has already Cultivated all the Cultivation Techniques to completion and has no direction for advancement, so I specifically came to Master for guidance."

"Hmm, I see you can't sit still either.

Come into the Alchemy Room with me; I'll check your current Cultivation progress."

Qin Yue followed him in as instructed, sitting in the same seat as yesterday.

After pouring tea, Qin Yue proactively spoke,

"Master, I have already completed the Fourth Revolution of Body Refining, and Celestial 罡 Qi Gathering Art has also reached the Perfection Realm.

So now I have no direction for Cultivation and want to ask Master how to Cultivate to Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm."

"Indeed, you are a Cultivation Genius.

To complete Celestial 罡 Qi Gathering Art and Breakthrough to the Fourth Revolution of Body Refining in two years—this speed is unprecedented for me.

Actually, having Cultivated to your current level, you have completed the Cultivation of the Ninggang Realm, and there is no path forward except to Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm.

But how difficult is it to Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm? Out of ten Martial Artists at the Perfection of the Ninggang Realm, not even one may be able to Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm.

The process for Breaking through to the Divine Intent Realm is very simple; at your Realm, you only need to take a Divine Will Pill.

If you endure, you can Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm; if you don't, you will die and your Dao will vanish.

However, obtaining this Divine Will Pill is not easy; it requires the Holy Sect's high-ranking officials to grant it to Martial Artists who have made outstanding contributions to the Holy Sect.

What constitutes an outstanding contribution?

Completing three Descent missions is an outstanding contribution.

Deducing a Cultivation Technique that helps the Holy Sect's Martial Artists is an outstanding contribution.

Researching a Medicinal Pill that benefits all Martial Artists is also an outstanding contribution.

In summary, the Holy Sect's goal is to allow Martial Artists who are devoted to the Holy Sect and the Human Race to Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm.

After obtaining a Divine Will Pill, to Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm, one must understand the principle by which the Divine Will Pill allows Martial Artists to Breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm.

This principle is very simple: it is to convert the Martial Artist's physical energy and Protective Aura energy into the Martial Artist's spirit.

When a Martial Artist's spirit is strong enough to be able to survive independently of the body, it is considered a successful Breakthrough.

But a Martial Artist's spirit is diffuse; even if it is strong enough, how can it survive independently of the body?

That requires comprehending 'Divine Intent'.

Only with Divine Intent as the core can a Martial Artist's spirit become sufficiently condensed, truly capable of acting independently of the body.

This is also why this Realm is called the Divine Intent Realm."