“Ding! You have successfully refined a Second-Order Spiritual Sword. Refining Skill proficiency +0.”
“Ding! You have successfully refined a Second-Order Spiritual Sword. Refining Skill proficiency +0.”
… …
The character log box displayed seven identical prompts. Refining Skill at Level 5, successfully refining Second-Order Spiritual Artifacts, no longer grants proficiency.
Li Mu glanced at it and then ignored it. Proficiency growth relied on farming, not on this.
Li Mu’s gaze was fixed on the seven Second-Order Profound Iron Swords floating before him. Their blades were over three feet long, entirely deep black, yet subtly shimmering with points of starlight. Their spirituality was restrained, and their sharp edges gleamed with a cold light.
Li Mu turned off the Yanyang Refining Furnace and left the Artifact Refining Room. The seven Profound Iron Swords seemed ‘sensible,’ rising into the air, lining up, and ‘obediently’ following behind Li Mu.
Upon arriving at the center of the spacious courtyard, Li Mu’s Divine Sense and Spiritual Power were simultaneously imbued into the seven Profound Iron Swords, controlling them to move according to the Flying Sword trajectories of the Seven Stars Formation.
“Swish, swish…” Gusts of sharp Sword Wind tore through the air.
In the air, the seven Profound Iron Swords moved like lightning, rapidly shuttling back and forth, circling a certain area. Sword shadows overlapped, and Sword Qi burst forth.
The difficulty in forming the Seven Stars Formation: The seven extreme positions must simultaneously operate seven Spiritual Swords, following the Formation’s sword paths. East Yi Wood corresponds to Mao, the Injured Gate corresponds to Zhen and the Four Azure Dragons; West Geng Xin Metal corresponds to You, the Startled Gate corresponds to Dui and the Two White Tigers; South Bing Ding Fire corresponds to Wu, the Scenery Gate corresponds to Li and the Three Vermilion Birds; North Ren Kui Water corresponds to Zi, … …
Li Mu had already raised his Formation to Level 5 and was extremely familiar with the seven-star positions. Positioning the Spiritual Swords and setting up the Seven Stars Formation was second nature to him, easily done.
Furthermore, with the powerful Divine Sense granted by the Level 5 Quenching Spirit Art, Li Mu effortlessly controlled the seven Profound Iron Swords, without the slightest difficulty.
Not long after the Seven Stars Formation began operating, a new prompt immediately appeared in the log bar of the character’s virtual frame.
“Ding! You have successfully operated the Seven Stars Formation. You have learned the Profound Heaven Sword Formation – Basic Chapter. Profound Heaven Sword Formation – Basic Chapter proficiency +1, Seven Stars Formation proficiency +1.”
Catching this log prompt out of the corner of his eye, Li Mu’s face lit up with joy. He quickly stopped the Seven Stars Formation with his Sword Control Technique and looked at his character panel.
Upon seeing the Profound Heaven Sword Formation listed in his character panel, Li Mu’s brows immediately furrowed.
“Character: Li Mu”
“Gender: Male”
“Lifespan: 17/108”
“Spiritual Root: Five Elements lower spirit stones”
“Heavenly Talent: Identifying Myriad Spirits, Plant Spirit Absorption”
“Cultivation: Qi Refining Eighth Layer: 1/100000”
“Cultivation Technique: Qingmu Spell (Huang Grade Low Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, Mystic Water Art (Huang Grade Low Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, Profound Earth Art (Huang Grade Low Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, Fire Control Art (Huang Grade Low Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, 《Glazed Gold Skill》 (Huang Grade Middle Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, Quenching Spirit Art (Xuan Grade High Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, Illusionary Breath Art (Huang Grade Low Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, Thousand Machine Puppet Art (Xuan Grade High Rank) Level 4: 1/5000; Dragon Image Eighteen Formations (Huang Grade High Rank) Level 5: 1/10000, Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter (Earth-Grade High Rank) Entry Level: 1/1000, Eighteen Paths of Yi Sword Art (Huang Grade Middle Rank) Level 3: 1/3000.”
“Skills: Qingfeng Huanyu Technique (Level 4): 287/5000, Dust Cleansing Art (Level 3): 231/3000, Sword Control Technique (Level 5): 1/10000; Symbol Making Art (Level 4): 1/5000 (Fireball Amulet Level 2: 54/1000, Qingfeng Talisman Level 1: 61/100, Light Body Talisman Level 1: 93/100, … …, Golden Sword Talisman Level 1: 21/100, … …, Refining Skill (Level 5) 1/10000, Puppet Refining Skill Level 2: 102/1000, Puppet Control Skill Level 1: 91/500, Array Formation Skill Level 2: 1/1000, Vein Surveying Skill Level 2: 1/1000, Seven Stars Formation Entry Level: 1/1000, … ….”
Minor Divine Ability: Five Elements Escape Technique, Illusion into Reality, Divine Refinement Spirit Fusion Method, Gathering Spirits into Formation, Divine Sense Whip
Free Proficiency Points: 60899.
… …
Looking at the magnificent character attribute panel, Li Mu felt a sense of accomplishment. However, the Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter Cultivation Technique required 10 times more proficiency. It needed 1000 proficiency points just to go from Entry Level to Level 1, which was a huge consumption.
Moreover, the Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter, like several Cultivation Techniques with sub-skills, also required proficiency points for sub-skill upgrades.
It was like the Symbol Making Art. Upgrading the main skill, while providing a vast amount of knowledge on symbol making and improving the success rate of symbol crafting, required obtaining sub-skill spirit talisman recipes. At the same time, refining sub-skill spirit talismans would also have proficiency requirements. The higher the level, the better the quality of the refined spirit talismans.
Unlike Refining Skill, which was just one main skill, the quality of various Spiritual Artifacts and Spiritual Swords refined depended entirely on the refiner’s performance.
Among the many Cultivation Techniques Li Mu Cultivated, most were Huang Grade, with only Quenching Spirit Art and Thousand Machine Puppet Art being Xuan Grade Cultivation Techniques.
Could it be because the Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter was an Earth-Grade Cultivation Technique?
This was the only Earth-Grade Cultivation Technique he had learned. No matter how many free proficiency points it consumed, Li Mu was determined to invest in it.
“Ding! You have consumed one free proficiency point. Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter proficiency +1.”
… …
“Ding! You have consumed one free proficiency point. Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter proficiency +1. Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter level has been raised to: Level 1. You have comprehended the Five Elements Sword Formation and the Zhou Tian Sword Formation.”
… …
“Ding! You have consumed one free proficiency point. Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter proficiency +1. Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter level has been raised to: Level 2. You have comprehended: Sword Intent, Five Elements Sword Formation, Seven Stars Formation, Zhou Tian Sword Formation. Proficiency has greatly increased.”
… …
“Ding! You have consumed one free proficiency point. Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter proficiency +1. Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter level has been raised to: Level 3. You have comprehended: Hundred-Foot Sword Domain. Five Elements Sword Formation and Zhou Tian Sword Formation have been raised to Level 1.”
A burst of Sword Qi suddenly erupted from Li Mu’s body. The seven Profound Iron Swords emitted a ‘buzzing’ sword hum, circling Li Mu as if celebrating the arrival of a king.
Li Mu opened his eyes, a sword glinting within them. He awakened from the state of Sword Intent washing over him and Sword Domain spontaneously forming, feeling as if a hundred years had passed in that instant.
As expected of an Earth-Grade Cultivation Technique.
If he hadn't already raised the Dragon Image Eighteen Formations to Level 5 and learned a vast amount of Formation-related knowledge, Li Mu might have been lost in the ocean of sword and Formation knowledge.
Li Mu gently waved his hand, and the seven Profound Iron Swords immediately quieted down, floating silently before him.
Li Mu pointed a finger, and the seven Profound Iron Swords shot into the sky, instantly reaching the horizon, transforming into seven sharp sword shadows, quickly forming the Seven Stars Formation in the air. Sword Qi was mighty, and the sky was filled with murderous Sword Intent.
The power and destructive force of the Seven Stars Formation were somewhat terrifying. Even if the Second-Order Demonic Bear from last time had entered this Formation, it probably wouldn’t have lasted long.
Amidst his joy, Li Mu frowned, feeling a sense of unease.
After comprehending Sword Intent and the Hundred-Foot Sword Domain, several surges of arrogant Battle Intent arose in Li Mu’s heart, and many dangerous thoughts popped into his mind, contradicting his original plan of cultivating in obscurity and being content with an ordinary life.
No!
This Cultivation Technique was poisonous; he couldn’t raise it any further.
Li Mu realized the negative effects of the Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter and immediately became vigilant.
