Chapter 654

The final stroke was completed.

Boom—

The Taiqing Flying Sword exploded outward in a ring of searing fire, spreading far into the distance, forcibly shearing off another layer of the already riddled Silver Sky Island, with vast quantities of molten metal and soil dripping from the sky.

Within a thirty-kilometer radius, all life was once again extinguished; even the spiritual herbs and trees, which had already adapted to the high temperatures, were instantly destroyed.

"Not broken!"

"Success! First try! Bro, you're incredibly strong—you're a genius!"

Jiang Ding danced with joy, exclaiming.

His face and hair were caked in soot, his hair curled, his clothes torn to shreds; even his third-rank electromagnetic concealment robe could not withstand the impact, partially burned away, its array patterns shattered.

His spiritual sense carefully examined the Taiqing Flying Sword.

Beside the first Heavenly Gang prohibition, myriad patterns connect, extending into the second prohibition—extremely intricate yet appearing faint and translucent, with spiritual vitality and the ability to absorb external heavenly qi far inferior to the first.

"A prohibition phantom…"

Jiang Ding was not surprised; he carefully studied this faint, translucent Heavenly Gang prohibition.

The Heavenly Gang prohibition is far too complex and inherently possesses spiritual awareness; even Nascent Soul cultivators cannot carve it fully in one attempt but must use multiple carvings and multiple formations.

"One refinement cycle takes three years."

"It will likely require nine cycles—that's nearly thirty years to complete a single Heavenly Gang prohibition!"

"Thirty years!"

Jiang Ding did a quick calculation and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Too long. This won't do. I must learn to refine the flying sword while cultivating simultaneously—split my focus. Otherwise, my Dao path will be delayed."

"One Heavenly Gang prohibition takes thirty years. To reach Nascent Soul peak, I need eighteen. That totals…"

Quickly, a terrifying number sprang forth in Jiang Ding's spiritual sea.

"Five hundred and forty years!"

"Good heavens!"

Jiang Ding's heart jolted.

"Did I make a mistake somewhere?"

Yet, upon careful thought, it made perfect sense.

This is the Nascent Soul cultivator's Nascent Core!

It is meant to accompany a Nascent Soul cultivator for life; to reach peak refinement in five hundred years—less than half their lifespan—is something any Nascent Soul cultivator would grin ear to ear over.

Individually,

Completing one Heavenly Gang prohibition in thirty years is over six times the efficiency of Divine Crow Master Dinghai Zhenjun!

It already surpasses the efficiency of most Nascent Soul Zhenjuns.

"But,"

"this doesn't add up!"

Jiang Ding's face darkened, unwilling: "The Great Sun Sword Disciple never spent five hundred years refining his Nascent Core—Chong Chong Guang Zi, for example, didn't even have enough lifespan. The missing… the inherited knowledge is incomplete."

He recalled back then, when he first entered Qingfeng University, Master Master Dinghai's advice: the inheritance was incomplete, and the path was fraught with hardship.

At the time, he hadn't cared—it seemed distant.

Now, looking back, every word was worth a thousand gold. The elder had foreseen so much years ago.

Yet, regret was impossible.

Without the Taiqing Flying Sword, he wouldn't even have the right to regret—he'd already turned to dust.

"The Great Sun Qingse Jianzong… I must accelerate my investigation of them."

After a long while, Jiang Ding calmed down: "Jin-92 carries a sixth-rank Wave-Dispelling, Cause-Eradicating Talisman—his concealment is reliable. Since he has nothing to do in the Northern Plains, send him to investigate the Great Sun Qingse Jianzong. Better to wait for events than for people—prepare in advance."

"Once my realm and power are sufficient, no matter how the Northern Plains war shifts, I'll simply block the flow of information over a hundred kilometers, instantly breach the Great Sun Qingse Jianzong's array defenses, suppress all internal and external sword cultivators, and kill every traitor."

"Then, reclaim what is mine."

"As for now…"

"Yu Yu Qianzi!"

Jiang Ding's gaze flashed: "This guy possesses part of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's inheritance—he might know something."

He acted on the thought immediately.

Ignoring his soot-streaked face and tattered clothes, Jiang Ding tucked away the Taiqing Flying Sword and, with a sharp *whoosh*, tore through space and departed, leaving behind the Silver Sky Island with its molten lava and dripping metal.

As for Yu Yu Qianzi's principles?

For Taiyi Qingmu Xianzong cultivators, he was gradually coming to understand.

The principles of Taiyi Qingmu Xianzong cultivators? They have no principles!

…

Guanghan Immortal Palace.

Under the night sky, a hazy moonlight spilled down—not a full moon, but a palace of white jade, radiating boundless pressure.

Far more shabby than Dayang Dayang Tianchi.

Jiang Ding silently added in his heart: not the least bit envious.

"Why did you suddenly come to see me?"

Inside the palace, Yu Yu Qianzi sat cross-legged beneath a five- to six-hundred-meter-tall moon laurel tree, now opening his eyes to gaze at the ragged, soot-covered, curly-haired youth in his faded blue robe, frowning slightly: "Also, can't you clean yourself up before barging into someone else's home?"

"True freedom, true nature—why adorn oneself?"

Jiang Ding said, expressionless.

"Huh?"

Yu Yu Qianzi glanced at him in surprise.

At this moment, the man before her had taken on some of the coldness and ruthlessness of a sword cultivator, indifferent to the world.

"Speak. What do you want from me?"

Yu Yu Qianzi brushed the hair from her ear and said coldly.

"How to accelerate the tempering of the Infant Treasure Flying Sword?"

Jiang Ding asked, "The efficiency is too slow. Although my speed is faster than others, it is still too slow. How to improve efficiency?"

He spoke in riddles, without beginning or end; anyone else hearing this would surely be left with a head full of question marks.

"I won't say."

Yu Yu Qianzi said crisply.

Clearly, she understood the meaning at once; the two paths shared many similarities.

"Reason?"

Jiang Ding asked again.

"Sect secrets are never disclosed; I have nothing to say."

Yu Yu Qianzi put on an air of unyielding loyalty to the sect, steadfast unto death: "Do not think you can get anything useful from my mouth!"

Jiang Ding understood instantly.

"Speak. What do I have? What do you need?"

"Am I that kind of person?"

Yu Yu Qianzi said displeasedly, clearly intending to shut the door and dismiss him.

"Yes, how could the Moon Shadow Sword Disciple be anything but a true immortal maiden!"

Jiang Ding nodded, bowed deeply, and said respectfully, "I have long admired an immortal maiden. Her beauty is peerless, surpassing all ages; her sword Dao attainment shakes heaven and earth. Yet I do not know what gift to bring to pay my respects."

"Please, Moon Shadow Immortal Maiden, be merciful and compassionate, and do not hesitate to bestow your guidance."

"You are not bad."

"I am not a stingy person."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Yu Yu Qianzi's mouth, then quickly vanished. After thinking for a moment, she said, "A sword cultivator, and an immortal maiden, would surely prefer something like Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin; at the very least, it would not cause displeasure."

"Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin..."

Jiang Ding fell into thought.

Natural things are not necessarily good.

Take Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin, for instance; the Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin produced by the Immortal Gate far surpasses naturally born Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin, both in impurity content and purity, and the same applies to its effect on sword tempering.

His ability to complete the seventy-two Earth Fiend Seals so quickly was greatly related to the endless supply of Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin No. 21 from the Immortal Gate.

The only issue is the purchase restriction.

Non-Immortal Gate citizens are not allowed to purchase it; export is prohibited. The price is too cheap; even low-grade Spirit Stones can buy it. This is part of the Immortal Gate's strategic advantage; the outside world cannot obtain it.

"Wait a moment..."

Several hours later, Jiang Ding finished thinking, tore open space, and vanished.

He returned shortly, holding an authorization document in his hand.

"Please, Moon Shadow Immortal Maiden, deliver this to that immortal maiden."

Yu Yu Qianzi took the document and swept her divine sense over it.

"Immortal Gate citizen Jiang Ding guarantees the application... Qingfeng University international student, visa holder Yu Yu Qianzi, visa number 5324... 764. Grant Yu Yu Qianzi the qualification to purchase Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin No. 21 until her Flying Sword advances to Infant Treasure... Grant Yu Yu Qianzi ten qualifications to purchase Synthetic Synthetic Gengjin No. 10..."

"I will deliver it."

Yu Yu Qianzi did not ask who that immortal maiden was; she put it away with a calm expression.

(End of this chapter)