Chapter 53: Cheat Activation in Battle

Merit Points: 162

Chen Shicheng recalled the amount of Merit Points required to comprehend a technique when he entered the game.

If he remembered correctly, it seemed to have cost fifty points back then, and his current Merit Points total 162, though he wasn't sure whether he could smoothly comprehend the Qi Refining technique.

But now he could only treat a dead horse as if it were alive.

【Year One, while still in Body Refining, you began to overreach, recklessly inventing a Qi Refining technique, yet you had no clue.】

【Year Thirteen, you changed direction, began working from your own qi and blood, attempting to achieve True Essence condensation through the unity of spirit, qi, and body.】

【Year Fifty‑Five, now aged and frail, you finally succeeded in elevating the power of qi and blood; the first strand of True Essence appeared in your dantian, but the method was flawed and the True Essence vanished the next instant.】

【Year One Hundred Twelve, you, barely clinging to life, after endless trial and error finally succeeded in condensing True Essence, feeling it circulate endlessly through your meridians, you wept with joy.】

【Year One Hundred Thirty, having summed all experience, you finally compiled the method of True Essence condensation into a book, becoming the first player to independently comprehend a Qi Refining technique.】

【Note: Upon reaching the Qi Refining stage, the most crucial choice appears; please select one of the following options as your primary technique direction.】

Unnamed Technique (Body Refining): each level up gives +3 Spirit, +1 Qi, +1 Divine.

Unnamed Technique (Qi Refining): each level up gives +1 Spirit, +3 Qi, +1 Divine.

Unnamed Technique (Refining Spirit): each level up gives +1 Spirit, +1 Qi, +3 Divine.

What a relief!

When he still had 32 Merit Points left, the Qi Refining technique finally completed comprehension.

However, unlike the Body Refining technique, the Qi Refining technique appeared in three branches, essentially allowing a player to choose a profession as in an online game!

This left Chen Shicheng dumbfounded; he had always assumed the game had no class distinction, that everything was compensated through Skills, so he had made no preparations at all.

Yet the arrow was already on the string, so he could only temporarily pick a direction based on his own situation; after all, he was only after the technique reward, not an immediate level‑up.

Moreover, picking the wrong one wasn't scary; at worst he could switch to another Qi Refining technique once his level increased.

With that in mind, he began to carefully calculate the composition of his own power.

Undoubtedly, all his attacks stemmed from the Blade Fang attached to the Basic Sword Technique; most Skills served the Blade Fang, and the only Spell‑type Skill remained the healing "Universal Rainfall".

Blade Fang is an extension of the Basic Sword Technique, and its consumption is nearly identical to the generic blade qi and sword qi abilities, so he didn't need much Spirit or Qi Attribute, but Divine Attribute did add some power to Blade Fang.

After all, Blade Fang arose from years of practice, granting a hint of insight into the sword path; under the boost of the spiritual realm, blade qi upgraded into Blade Fang.

Accordingly, Chen Shicheng made a snap decision and chose Unnamed Technique (Refining Spirit).

At the same time, a century of arduous cultivation flooded back, and the True Essence inside began to stir, eager to operate according to the newly comprehended technique's pathway, based on habits formed over a hundred years.

Unfortunately, limited by his level and the threat of internal blade aura, the qi‑blood power only twitched before calming again, repeating the previous process.

Congratulations on independently comprehending the technique "Unnamed Technique (Refining Spirit)". As the first player to grasp a Qi Refining technique, you receive 1,000 gold ingots, Five Three Treasures Body Refining Pills (Qi Refining), and one Qi Refining Technique True Explanation (Universal).

As expected, the reward for being the first player to comprehend a Qi Refining technique was the same as that for Body Refining.

There's nothing special about the gold reward; it merely doubled, moving him a big step further on the road to wealth.

The Elixir became exclusive to the Qi Refining realm, and the Skill True Explanation turned into a technique‑related one.

Three Treasures Body Refining Pill (Qi Refining) – Description: forged from three heavenly and earthly treasures, containing the essences of sun, moon, and stars; after consumption, all Attributes increase by 3. (Same realm, same type of pill raises Attribute cap by 15 points.)

Qi Refining Technique True Explanation *1 (Universal)

Description: inscribed with abundant Qi Refining technique cultivation experience; after use, Qi Refining technique level +1 (regardless of primary direction).

The Technique True Explanation was of no use to Chen Shicheng, because the self‑comprehended technique started at the perfect level; aside from gathering dust in his storage, he could only wait for a player market to see if he could sell it later.

So after a quick glance, Chen Shicheng shifted his focus to the Elixir.

Each level up in the Qi Refining technique adds five Attribute points, while the Elixir can add six; although not all can go to the primary Attribute, it's enough to keep him ahead.

Moreover, it compensates for any Attribute bias, allowing him to maintain a relatively balanced state with no absolute weakness.

What was there to hesitate about? Chen Shicheng immediately used all the Elixirs.

Surging energy spread through his body, turning him as red‑hot as a boiled shrimp; the "clack‑clack" of muscles and bones strengthening rang incessantly, leaving Hui Siye, perched on his shoulder, dumbfounded.

What's happening? A breakthrough in battle?

Do all returning ones boost their strength this way?

Yet why didn't Chen Shicheng's realm advance, while his internal qi‑blood swelled to an unbelievable degree, still without transforming into True Essence!

You damn it, don't you want to?

Countless questions swirled in Hui Siye's mind, yet with his knowledge he still couldn't discern what had occurred.

Moreover, it wasn't allowed to think too much now; perhaps due to a sudden incident, Chen Shicheng's constantly swinging hands had ceased.

Hui Siye, watching the overwhelming blade intent, could only painfully employ his remaining incense flame power to shield him from the attack.

On the other side, Chen Shicheng was not clueless about the situation; he could "see" Hui Siye substituting himself to block the blade intent.

Very clear.

Quite marvelous.

At this moment, he needed not open his eyes to clearly gather everything within a 24.2‑meter radius into his mind, and the blade intent that previously required concentration to sense was now fully visible, each detail absorbed into his perception.

If he's correct, this ability to perceive surroundings without opening one's eyes, using mental power, must be Divine Perception, the essential ability of cultivators.

He glanced at his current attribute panel.

Spirit: 26.3, Qi: 26, Divine: 24.2

After consuming the Elixir, Chen Shicheng's three Attributes became unusually balanced, each exceeding 20 points.

His Spirit and Qi Attributes could rival those of level‑12 players focusing on Body Refining or Qi Refining, while his primary Divine Attribute was the lowest of the three, yet matched that of level‑11 players specializing in Refining Spirit.

Moreover, this figure gave Chen Shicheng a hint that the range of Divine Perception is linked to the Divine Attribute.

Very reasonable! (End of Chapter)