Chapter 467: The Hope of the Ying Bao

"The second Earth Fiend prohibition is complete."

"The flying sword needs to rest a few months before the next refinement can begin."

Jiang Ding placed his hand on the Taiqing Flying Sword, closed his eyes to feel it for a moment, then set it down.

"At this rate, accounting for the time spent cultivating and switching cultivation techniques, I should be able to complete two Earth Fiend prohibitions per year. For the prohibitions in the flying sword to be elevated to a Zhong Pin Fa Bao, it will take…"

"Six years."

He judged.

However, while the increase in flying sword power brought by the Earth Fiend prohibitions was terrifying in the eyes of Jin Dan cultivators, it was not very important for the Taiqing Flying Sword, which could already initially tear open space.

Only when the seventy-two layers of Earth Fiend prohibitions are complete, the Fa Bao heavenly tribulation is survived, and it transforms into a Heavenly Gang prohibition, can its strength advance further.

"The prohibitions of Xia Zhong Shang Pin Fa Bao hold no bottleneck for the Taiqing Flying Sword. Although the refinement difficulty increases exponentially toward the later stages—enough to stump ninety-nine point ninety-nine percent of Jin Dan cultivators in the world—"

"For me, the difficulty of the seventy-two layers of Earth Fiend prohibitions is the same as the first layer, no different."

"Two Earth Fiend prohibitions per year…"

Jiang Ding Zi murmured, calculating in his heart.

"In a total of thirty-six years, the Taiqing Flying Sword can be elevated into a Ying Bao, and my strength will multiply."

Hum!

The Taiqing Flying Sword trembled joyfully, flew into the sky, then plunged toward the ground, stabbing deeply into it.

A moment later, a Sun Divine Tree broke through the soil, resplendent and brilliant, its radiance illuminating several hundred kilometers.

Beneath the tree, a youth in blue robes sat cross-legged, his magic power aura constantly adjusting and shifting, entering a deep state of meditation.

The days of cultivation are just this plain, like water.

January through March each year is class time—following Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun to learn Gong Fa, and following Luling Master Dinghai Zhenjun to learn military formations. One lesson per year.

In April, May, and November, December respectively, the Taiqing Flying Sword is refined twice, adding two Earth Fiend prohibitions.

The remaining time is spent on cultivation and switching cultivation techniques, participating in research on the Great Sun Nascent Soul Secret Art, third-tier Sword Dun Fa, and other aspects—accumulating immortal Dao foundations little by little.

……

Unknowingly, five years passed.

Beneath the Sun Divine Tree, the world's spiritual energy and Great Solar Essence within a fifty-kilometer range converged, filtered through the canopy, transforming into two qi dragons that surged into the mouth and nose of the blue-robed youth below.

With each breath, gales rose and clouds swayed.

After a long while, one Zhou Tian concluded.

Boom!

In broad daylight, sudden thunder erupted; streaks of azure electromagnetic currents suddenly became chaotic and violent, spreading across heaven and earth, as if the world had instantly plunged into an electromagnetically disordered thunderstorm.

After a long while, the thunderclouds dispersed.

The sky cleared.

Beneath the divine tree, the blue-robed youth's previously somewhat disordered aura abruptly changed—in an instant becoming perfectly unified, merging seamlessly with the world's spiritual energy, indistinguishable from one another.

With each exhale, he spontaneously inhaled the world's spiritual energy and Great Solar sunlight, drawing them into his dantian to be refined by the phantom of the Nine-Orifice Jin Dan.

With each inhale, streams of waste qi were expelled, scattering the sea of clouds at the horizon, leaving ten thousand li cloudless.

"The Jin Dan Pian of the Wan Hua Ci Yuan Jing has been successfully switched to."

"I can now formally begin cultivation of the Jin Dan Jing."

Joy welled in Jiang Ding's heart. He opened his eyes, and the aura filling heaven and earth slowly subsided.

He looked inward at his dantian.

Within the dantian, the Nine-Orifice Jin Dan spun ceaselessly; the liquid magic power in the qi sea below churned, already accumulated to nearly one-third capacity.

It was not the accumulation of his years—it had been like this the moment he advanced to Jin Dan.

This was the benefit of laying a thick foundation during Foundation Establishment.

"Jin Dan Zhong Qi, I can break through within ten years, no bottleneck."

Jiang Dinglue calculated briefly and arrived at the answer.

"The Gong Fa problem is solved. Now it's time for concealment techniques and Sword Dun Fa."

"There's no Sword Dun Fa for now, so let's start with concealment techniques and ordinary electromagnetic Dun Fa."

Jiang Ding's divine sense connected to the Xian Men library, flipping and searching within.

For surviving in the Cultivation World, he also had his own set of insights.

Concealment techniques are the most important—even more so than Dun Fa.

Cultivators stronger than you will rarely be slower; without great fortune, the chance of escape is quite low.

Best not to be discovered at all.

Concealment techniques are exactly this—not seeking to function within a stronger cultivator's divine sense range, which is unrealistic, but only seeking that before contact with higher-tier cultivators, they gain no information about him—that is enough.

"Electromagnetic system, third-tier top-grade, concealment technique."

Jiang Ding set his search parameters and looked from top to bottom.

"《Magnetic Concealment Art》, third-tier top-grade—using the power of ten thousand magnets to reflect light waves, construct virtual divine sense channels, shield and mislead cultivator divine sense, letting it pass through one's concealed location without harm… Cultivated to perfection, there is a certain probability of evading the divine sense scan of a Nascent Soul cultivator."

"This one, then."

Jiang Ding briefly compared the top five concealment techniques and confirmed his choice.

This was the best third-tier concealment technique in Xian Men. Cultivated to great mastery, one could toy with peers on the spot; cultivated to perfection, one might even escape from under a Nascent Soul cultivator's divine sense.

Its only flaw was that it was too difficult.

Many cultivators of scripture-tier Gong Fa with outstanding comprehension, lacking special talent, would not dare choose this concealment technique, fearing that spending too much time would yield nothing and delay their cultivation.

These difficulties were naturally no problem for him, who possessed a Nascent Soul-level divine soul.

"Dun Fa… the best third-tier top-grade Dun Fa is called 《Magnetic Void Flash》."

Jiang Ding was drawn to a certain escape technique.

"It requires a Grade Electromagnetic Xi Gong Fa, along with a certain understanding of space. Furthermore, the cultivator must possess some self-preservation capability within spatial turbulence; preferably, one with an innate talent like an Empty Spirit Root."

"Once cultivated to the Minor Success stage, one can transform the body into a current of electricity, flashing short distances through space—a true short-range teleportation. It might allow escape from a Nascent Soul cultivator... provided that cultivator does not hold a life-or-death grudge against you."

"This one is good."

Jiang Ding's gaze flickered.

He did not possess an Empty Spirit Root, but the Great Clarity Flying Sword could break through space, ensuring his survival within spatial turbulence was no problem.

"If the 'Magnetic Void Flash' is cultivated to Great Success, the escape speed should surpass some Nascent Soul cultivators, undoubtedly greatly expanding tactical maneuvering space."

Having made his decision, Jiang Ding became dazed and stunned.

His divine sense surged into the Immortal Gate Library, sweeping through the vast and complex spiritual texts of the 'Magnetic Void Flash' and the 'Magnetic Concealment Art', then downloading them bit by bit into his divine soul.

A full day passed.

The download of the two Grade Three top-tier spells was complete.

Jiang Ding recovered from his dazed state and began to contemplate the 'Magnetic Concealment Art' first.

"It is quite difficult; it will likely take two years just to enter the door. This is even considering that a teacher is available to help explain."

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

After reaching the Jin Dan stage, he gradually became accustomed to cultivation and treasure-refining times that often spanned years.

Just as he was about to enter a new round of meditative cultivation, his heart gave a sudden throb, and a slight chill touched his entire body.

"A life-or-death crisis..."

Jiang Ding paused, then his expression turned serious.

He quickly turned his divine sense inward to inspect his own body and sword intent, while simultaneously preparing to report to the Central Array Spirit Computer.

Within the Immortal Gate, what person or matter could bring him a life-or-death crisis?

After a long while, he relaxed.

"It is not here."

Jiang Ding muttered: "It is another place, on the Nano-Liquid Robot Armor-25, transmitted through it."

He glanced at the broken sword tip in his storage jade pendant, and his figure vanished.

(End of this chapter)