My training continued at a fast pace, delving a bit in every Artisan aspect, as well as gathering essence to level up my cultivation realm, training my body in harsher exercise and even forging my soul in various ways, eventually obtaining my 2nd Soul level in Saint Realm after 5 years.

  "It is quite improbable what you did, Young Master. Humans require at least 50 years of life experience to even be able to reach this 2nd level. Spirit Beasts can develop faster, but they have a different body and soul." Grandpa mused with examining me again from head to toe.

  I kinda knew what he was talking about, considering my combined age from both lives was now higher than 50 years. "Artisan develop faster too." I countered with a well-reasoned argument.

  "Hmmm. You haven't failed enough pills for that. Anyway, jump into the Combat Array now. We should see a substantial increase." he demanded with a gruff voice. I smiled and jumped directly into the middle of the Formation Array, and got surrounded by 50 level 4 Saints, all the ghosts one level higher than my own cultivation.

  My Tri-sword sutra lit up, and 9 extra energy swords floated around me, while my Divine Sword began to glow with sword intent. My progress in combat skills had slowed down with the split focus on Artisan skills, but I still managed to reach 19 kills, before my Soul cultivation upgrade.

  Instantly, I used 6 energy swords to attack the nearest targets, while using 3 swords to deflect incoming weapons, but today the Saint ghosts seemed to move slower, or perhaps more predictably. I killed 15 before even taking my first hit, and climbed to 25 kills before taking the next. Half-way to victory? The soul upgrade seemed to matter a great deal more than regular cultivation.

  Then 20 ghosts sacrificed themselves to block my swords and allow then remaining 5 to strike me at once and 'kill' me, losing 6 more in the final attack.

  "You killed 31? 31!" Bai yelled from the side, half surprised and half amazed.

  "Again!" Grandpa demanded with a frown on his ghostly face.

  I completed a dozen more trials before I managed to increase my kill count again, to 32. However, inside me something stirred and burned, as if my soul was not satisfied.

  "Again!"Grandpa demanded loudly.

  I did a dozen more, and failed to pass the 32 kills mark, to my inner dissatisfaction. I felt I was close to a breakthrough, but not there yet.

  "Again!" I demanded with a growl, although my qi reserves were drained.

  The ghosts moved even slower this time, and I managed to kill 35, before being rushed by the remaining 15 and killed in disgrace.

  "How are you doing that?" Bai yelled in an outraged voice.

  "Again..." I whispered in a tired voice. My qi had run dry, and my sword felt heavy, now that I couldn't circulate my qi to support the massive weight.

  The ghosts moved like trapped in honey, and even without my qi and my Crimson Sword, the energy swords flew around like deadly butterflies, slicing and dicing my enemies who could barely dodge or defend.

  I felt my Crimson Sword fall to the floor, before my eyes closed and everything turned black.

  ....

  ...

  "Grandpa? What was that? He killed 48 ghosts!" Bai asked with a loud voice. Pef had more than doubled his kill count, and almost won the array!

  "Hmmm. That is the final stage of that Xiantian combat technique. It has reached Saint Realm." the old ghost answered while tugging at his long beard.

  "What? You mean he achieved Perfection? Doesn't that take a thousand years?" Bai wondered with a surprised voice.

  "It depends on the person, and the technique itself. Immortal techniques might take a kalpa or two to reach Perfection. Or maybe just a thousand years for a genius." the Artifact Spirit mused in a thoughtful voice, and turned to scan the white-haired woman with his special senses.

  The karma string between her and Pef had just turned red. They would never part in this life, and perhaps not ever. Which was a problem, but for later. That Absolute Hare would not like such a strong karma tie. Then again...her Absolute Frost bloodline wasn't bad either. Not to the level of a Heaven's Chosen, but such people were much too rare even in an entire starfield.

  A top tier bloodline would have to do, even for the Master of the Tower. Maybe later, once Pef grew stronger, he could explore the local starfield and find some better women for his harem.

  "Will I be able to reach the same level as Pef?" Bai asked in a worried voice.

  "Yes. It will take longer for you, but everyone who trains inside my Combat Array becomes a Sword Saint. Eventually." he answered in a level voice.

  Bai sighed and slumped beside Pef, holding his head in her lap. "They called me a genius...what a joke." she muttered, a bit defeated.

  "You're probably equal to the Lin Fei now. It's not too bad, but you'll get better." the Artifact Spirit spoke in a kinder voice. Even a one-in-a-million genius was nothing, when compared to Heaven's Chosen. At least she will have the Tower to compensate for her lack of talent.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "Grandpa, you're so old and seen so much. Is there a way to become stronger?" Bai asked while her eyes glowed with determination.

  "There are many ways. But to grab those opportunities, you should become a Sword Saint first. Pef will be one in a week or two." the old ghost answered with a shrug.

  Bai lifted Pef in her arms and took him outside the Formation circle, then returned inside the array with her Divine sword out. "Please Grandpa. Make me a Sword Saint!" she asked in a respectful voice.

  The old ghost sighed and dialed the training ghosts two levels lower. "Try to reach Transcendence first. You have 3 months." he demanded in a warning voice, then started the combat training once more. Without a proper Soul cultivation method, the girl would take a thousand years to attain her goal. Unless her bloodline awoke sooner.

  ....

  ...

  I woke up much later, still feeling like a truck has parked on top of my brain.

  "That was weird. I didn't even feel when I died." I grumbled and glanced around to find Bai dance gracefully with 50 ghosts and a thousand ice shards floating around.

  "Eat a few spirit stones and rest. Qi depletion is quite harsh, the first time. Not healthy the second time either." Grandpa advised me with a mild voice.

  "I killed more than 40 of them! I must be close." I realized while reviewing my memories, and eating two high-grade spirit stones to get my qi filled.

  "Yes. You managed 48 kills, before you passed out. Not bad. But you would be really dead outside." the old ghost answered with a raised eyebrow.

  Yeah. Fainting on the battlefield wasn't conductive to survival. And in this life, I had a good chance to live forever, if I didn't fuck up.

  "I need a way to increase my qi pool." I said while thinking ahead.

  Grandpa laughed just as Bai stumbled out of the array, and ran into my arms. "Pef, you're fine now?" she asked with a tender voice.

  "My skills got better, but my head is killing me. Let's go eat and sleep." I said a bit tired, and dragged myself to the dinner table, and laid out a Spirit Feast for us.

  Bai escorted me to my room and fell asleep on my chest, too tired to remove her robe. I should take out more silk and make us new robes. Or even better, ask Grandpa to make some. Tomorrow.

  I woke up with Bai sucking on my hard shaft with an earnest face, glancing up to my eyes for praise.

  "Very good, my love. You can do this everyday, when we're alone." I praised her and caressed her silky white hair.

  Her azure eyes glinted with something hidden, then she opened her robes to take my dick between her breasts. "And this too?" she asked in a coy tone.

  Yeah. It felt great, especially when my tip poked out and touched her lips. "Not bad. I might keep you in my harem, just for those nice puppies" I commented with a wry tone.

  "You dummy!" she growled and leaned deeper to wrap her tongue around my tip. I pumped my hips higher and faster, until my love juice burst and filled her mouth.

  I just waited for minute, enjoying the warm sensation of my balls getting drained, then grabbed her head and drew her deep, until my dick entered her throat. "Maybe two dozen kids. I will fill you up with love juice, right?" I asked her in a horny voice.

  Bai nodded and closed her eyes, likely dreaming of being pounded into my bed for decades. And she will.

  I drew back and pointed at the window. "Waterfall and breakfast. Then I want to try a few things with the sword ghosts." I explained curtly, then jumped out the window and mostly fell towards the waterfall, barely able to guide my trajectory without a sword under my feet.

  While Saints were supposed to fly even without a sword, it was much harder than it seemed. Beasts didn't even bother to try, unless they had wings.

  Humans were lighter and could slow their fall or even levitate with their qi, but true flight was hard. I didn't focus much on flight, not yet.

  It just wasn't necessary in the Tower, and I would have a sword to help me outside. But eventually I would have to learn it properly, even if only for my image. Powerhouses stood on air like on flat ground, and impressed others with that feat, without even using spells or threats.

  "Young Master, best way to learn flight is under a waterfall, like this one. Even simply levitating as the water pushes down, helps you find the balance." the old ghost spoke out of nowhere, having appeared near me under the water stream, but completely dry and undisturbed by the water. Then again, he would probably be just fine inside a volcano or even a supernova. Damn high tier cultivators were such bullshit.

  I nodded to let him know I got the point. Best treat him like a super-advanced AI that could guess my thoughts from the smallest context.

  "Do they use artificial minds in the starfields?" I asked to make sure.

  His face shifted for a fraction, as if surprised. "The mechavores do. And some sects that looted their ships and learned to use them. Everyone else uses soul imprints, like myself. Much safer." he spoke in a warning tone.

  Good to know. There might be advanced tehnology out there, to give me an edge against the medieval culture of these cultivators. Power suits, advanced weapons, maybe scanners and such. Even better, I wouldn't have to uplift an entire starfield by re-inventing science. Just find a computer and a database of manuals.

  "Could you scan this planet and see if there's anything of worth to loot? Once we get out of this secret realm, I mean." I asked while gently trying, and failing, to levitate while the waterfall unbalanced me constantly.

  The old ghost smiled and turned away. "You're not a Sword Saint yet, Young Master. The array is waiting."

  Bai jumped out from her waterfall and joined me for breakfast, then she sat down to cultivate while I entered the array. Once more, the Saint ghosts moved too slow, and I could fight them all with too much ease. I killed 40 before taking my first hit, and killed 46 before dying to a sucide attack.

  I was close. More than 90% now. I just had to focus and do better. "Again!" I demanded and the array started again.

  My kill count grew again, reaching 48 after a dozen trials. Damn last targets were much harder, but I didn't give up. A dozen more trials, and I killed one more. The last Saint seemed to be special, dodging my energy swords with ease, and only blocking my metal sword.

  "Again!" I demanded even though my qi was almost dry. One last push. I managed to dodge a few hits and killed 49 ghosts before taking a strike to my ribs. But now it was one on one, and the ghost was surrounded by 9 of my energy swords, glowing with sword intent.

  I grinned and ran forward. "Dodge this!" I proclaimed in a winner's voice, as my Divine Sword sliced the ghost in two.

  A burst of pain exploded in my stomach, as the ghost sacrificed itself to give me a mortal wound, were this a real battle.

  I fell to the floor, as the Combat Array shut down. "Passable. Try not to die with your enemy, next time. Your harem girls would be sad if you die." Grandpa spoke in a wry voice.

  "Pef, you did it! You're a Sword Saint now!" Bai yelled and ran to jump in my arms.

  "Barely. But yes. Now it's your turn, Miss Bai. Try not to leave a dozen kids orphans, one of them in the Tower is plenty enough." the old ghost commented in an amused voice.

  "Bring it on!" Bai shouted and jumped into the Formation circle with a brave face.

  I sighed and flew back to my alchemy room to start on more failed pills. I was a Sword Saint now!

  Time to make Xiantian pills.