Chapter 165
Eternal Range (VII)
Huh.
That was...
Well, the lamest way to put it is: it was unexpected. So, so unexpected that I nearly just dismissed the window because I thought there'd be no extra rewards. But, instead, for this dumbass art that I created purely out of selfishness for a life I lost... I got an extra use of Tortoise Mirror? My best-in-slot (currently) item that already saved my ass once, and I was reluctant to use it again because there could always be a worse situation?
Huh.
Sometimes--well, quite often, really--the system just... surprises me. Like, it chooses to give me something remarkably good after creating something remarkably dull (at least by my standards and thoughts).
Not that I'm complaining, honestly. Imagine if it'd also given me another cultivation breakthrough?
Hah. Greed really is endless, it seems.
Anyway, that's that. As soon as the art was created, all the knowledge on how to use it flooded my mind--it was actually deeper than I even anticipated. For instance, my idea behind 'touching things turns them cold' was to be able to create mini-freezers, basically. Take some water or another drink, stuff it in a nicely insulated box, hold my hand against it, and cool everything within... at least for a little while.
But it went well beyond that. Well, well beyond was overselling it a bit, but instead of it being a 'create a coolant art', I could actually use it to augment other arts--for instance, with my Endless Steps, when I teleport back to my shadow, I can actually leave a small patch of ice at my original position, acting as a mini-trap of sorts.
And that's just one application.
In certain ways, I did get why the system upgraded the tier, but I also really don't. Because, despite these hidden little things, the art was still very much utility-oriented and contained mostly things that mortals would be interested in.
Anyway, I stuffed it into my robes and hid it; though I thought about sharing it, if I ever do, it won't be with any of my current disciples. They're far too talented and monstrous to care for a tiny little utility thing, because they can do basically all of those things innately.
… I will relent and give it to them to see why the system graded it so highly, won't I? Haah. Woe is me.
Taking a deep breath and lamenting briefly the loss of 100 points, I pulled up the creation window again and started experimenting.
What's left to create is my new cultivation method.
It would actually be a very temporary one--basically only until I break through into the next realm--but it was no less important than the one I'd use after it.
Stolen story; please report.
Since I'm a big ol' dummy (as was Lu Qi), I dispensed with all complications and settled on creating a very simple method--circulate two strands of Qi in opposite but symmetrical directions through the meridians. It would be relatively slow but steady and simple, which was exactly what I needed.
I added no special energies or concepts or imbuements, literally keeping it as basic as possible with just one unique aspect: a pretty unique restriction that allowed me to make it so cultivation speed was rather quick, and that is that only those with body states like mine (that is, requiring body-wide purification) could use it.
It only shaved off 80 points, which was kind of nothing as far as restrictions go, but enough to add a higher tier of cultivation speed to it.
Just as I pressed the damn button to create it, I remembered...
I forgot to name it.
Goddammit.
[Congratulations, Host, on creating the 'Rudimentary Qi Law' Cultivation Method]
[...]
[Rudimentary Qi law]
[Type: Cultivation Method]
[Rank: mid-Earth Tier]
[Host Comprehension: Intermediate]
[...]
[An extensively simple method, its rather rudimentary principles leave a lot to be desired. Due to its limited scope, it can only be used very early on in the journey toward immortality, and even then it is best used as a last resort. However, as it is restricted to those with extremely impure bodies, it allows for a far quicker cultivation speed than most other methods of its rank--even if its simplicity can entirely dull the mind and the spirit]
[Creation Points Value: 180/100 (Restriction applied)]
[Comprehension Difficulty: Easy]
[...]
[Creation Bonus: The Host's cultivation advanced by one minor realm, Middle Spirit Manifestation -> Late Spirit Manifestation]
[--hidden bonus unlocked, method undergoes a slight evolution]
[Addition: every 24h of persistent cultivation progresses Body Purification by 1%]
[...]
[Bonus Reward: Unlocked a superstate of existence; you may purify the body beyond 100%. It will only be valid until you break through into the next major realm. You will not be able to suspend yourself from breaking through]
[...]
Well, well, well.
System was feeling particularly generous today, huh? Or... is it my genius?
Yeah, let's go with the latter.
As soon as the bulk of knowledge entered my mind, I felt... lighter.
Quickly shuffling myself and sitting cross-legged, I closed my eyes, drew two strands of Qi from my dantian, and pulled them in opposite directions through my meridians. The entire 'route' took about thirty seconds, and I made as much progress cultivating in those thirty seconds as I did doing it literally for ten minutes with the previous method.
Opening my eyes, I exhaled in shock; it wasn't that my little creation was better than the central method of the Spirit Sword Sect, of course, but that it was better for me, specifically.
I also noticed the slight shift in how quickly and efficiently I could circulate my Qi, and it came likely because of the sudden breakthrough.
Whereas it would take me about two seconds to actually set up a shadow for the Endless Step, it now took me about half a second less. Not major progress, but any progress felt godsent.
Honestly, considering I've been here a year already... isn't my progress kind of, well, pathetic? I mean, sure, I raised quite a few disciples into monsters and watched them punch through realms like they were wet cakes, but that's them--my own progress has been so slow I may as well have not even progressed.
Okay, that's not entirely true--me of today would whoop the day-one me in about half a second flat, but still...
Maybe it will be exponential? I mean, it probably will be, at least to some extent. I got really, really, really gimped by this shitty body--which isn't even my fault--that I had to spend over a year now just purifying into the most baseline functions.
But... I'm close.
With the new cultivation method, and perhaps one or two lucky encounters, I might just cross that 100% threshold soon enough and find myself soaring into the heavens, becoming the most talented little soldier ever!
... hm.
I get swept away with these thoughts on occasion, but, luckily, it looks like the sun's dawning.
Did I really spend an entire night creating those two things? Sure didn't feel like it.
Nonetheless, it's time to go. To the training ground, as Long Tao would probably call it. And to yet another potential death trap for me, as I would call it.
The past few chapters have slowed things down a bit, but the pace will kick back up with the new arc. Furthermore, that thing in the synopsis that hasn't made appearance yet despite being, well, in the synopsis... it's about to make its grand entrance quite soon.
