Chapter 297: Mastery-Level Withered Glory Profound Light Art, the Realm of Sword Heart

Five years later.

Xianxia Peak, inside a secret chamber.

Zhou Sui sat cross-legged on the ground, his hands forming Dharma seals. White and black light emerged from his body, alternating constantly, as if it were the alternation of life and death, containing the mysteries between life and death.

Vaguely, a Taiji Yin-Yang pattern seemed to appear behind him.

"The grass on the plain flourishes and withers in a year; wild fires cannot burn it all away, the spring breeze blows and it grows again."

"Not bad, not bad. I have finally cultivated this divine ability, Withered Glory Profound Light Art, to the Mastery level."

"The essence of this divine ability is the transformation and alternation of the power of life and death."

"It is just like equivalent exchange; life and death are the same thing."

"Only by comprehending the essence of life and death can one grasp this supreme divine ability."

Zhou Sui took a deep breath, his eyes revealing a trace of startling brilliance. It seemed as if the power of the fusion of life and death had emerged on his body, and the power of withered glory within his body flickered uncertainly.

After five years of contemplation, he finally cultivated this supreme divine ability from the Kurong Sect—Withered Glory Profound Light Art—to the Mastery level. Even in the history of the Kurong Sect, few have been able to cultivate this divine ability to the Mastery level.

After reaching this realm, one can exchange five years of one's own longevity for one year of an enemy's longevity.

Compared to the Beginner and Proficient levels, the power of this realm has clearly been greatly enhanced.

Although the price is still not small, it is completely sufficient; it is almost enough to enter the level of actual combat.

Of course, if one wants to truly enter the level of actual combat, one still needs to cultivate to the Minor Achievement realm.

In this way, one could exchange one year of one's own longevity for one year of an enemy's longevity.

Truly reaching the realm of exchanging life for life.

After reaching the Mastery level, he understood even more the formidable nature of this divine ability. Being able to transform the power of life and death is simply exquisite to the peak, pointing directly to the essence of the Dao, unfathomable.

To be honest, if it were not for the power of the Book Gu, which greatly enhanced his comprehension, he would not have been able to cultivate this divine ability to the Mastery level without hundreds of years.

"No rush, no rush."

"Although I have a long lifespan now, there is no need to exchange life for life with an enemy."

"Only when encountering an irresistible enemy will I use this move."

"If I can slap them to death, only a fool would use this divine ability."

"That would purely be seeking one's own death."

"Right, let's first see how the Virtual Panel is doing."

Zhou Sui's heart stirred, and he subconsciously activated the Virtual Panel on his body.

【Host: Zhou Sui, Cultivation: Nascent Soul Early Stage (Progress 13%), Longevity: 105 (15400) years】

【Aptitude: Second Grade Spiritual Root (20%)】

【Sword Dao: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade (5%)】

【Rune: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade (5%)】

【Array Formation: Fifth-tier Middle-Grade (10%)】

【Alchemist: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade (40%)】

【Artifact Refining: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade (5%)】

【Phantom Demon Transformation Art: Grandmaster (99%)】

【Five Elements Alchemy Formula: Grandmaster (99%)】

【Phantom Demon Heart Sutra: Demon Seed, Summon Demon】

【Seven Apertures Exquisite Book: Heart Eye Identifying Objects, Heart Eye Insight, Heart Eye Communicating Language】

【Withered Glory Profound Light Art: Mastery, Ancient Profound Turtle Art: Second Layer, Void Soul Thorn: Major Achievement, Fireball Technique: Grandmaster, Wind Blade Technique: Grandmaster, Golden Light Technique: Grandmaster, Cold Ice Technique: Grandmaster, Spring Breeze Turns to Rain Technique: Grandmaster, Lightning Summoning Technique: Grandmaster...】

【Infatuation Gu: Fifth-tier Low-Grade, Clone Gu: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Wine Insect: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Gold-Eating Insect: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Book Gu: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Dream Soul Gu: Fourth-Tier Middle-Grade, Dragon Elephant Gu: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Golden Light Myriad Poison Gu: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Teleportation Gu: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Array Heart Gu: Fifth-tier High-Grade, Object Seeking Gu: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade, Tribulation Thunder Gu: Fourth-Tier Middle-Grade, Medicine Gu: Fourth-Tier Low-Grade.】

"The spiritual root aptitude has indeed advanced to the Second Grade realm."

Zhou Sui was very satisfied.

Clearly, the effect of the Fifth-tier Spirit Medicine Buddha Flame Root was enormous, helping his spiritual root advance from the Third Grade level to the Second Grade.

Even to this day, its medicinal power has not yet ended and continues to exert its effect.

It is estimated that after another period of time, perhaps it will be able to advance to the First Grade Spiritual Root level.

"However, the cultivation of the Nascent Soul Realm is indeed very difficult."

"After five years of bitter cultivation, the progress is only 13%."

"No wonder Nascent Soul Cultivators often require hundreds of years of cultivation time."

"If one does not rely on pills, even until death, one cannot advance to the Transformation God realm."

"In the current cultivation environment, it is almost impossible to give birth to a Transformation God Cultivator."

Zhou Sui felt more and more the difficulty of a Nascent Soul Cultivator's cultivation. Even though he had a Second Grade Spiritual Root, if he cultivated every day, it was as slow as a snail. If it were not for the Virtual Panel, he would not even feel that his cultivation had progressed.

It is conceivable what other Nascent Soul Cultivators feel.

Of course, he was not in a hurry.

Because his Medicine Gu, after five years of cultivation, had already advanced to the Fourth-Tier Low-Grade realm.

That is to say, by relying on the power of the Medicine Gu, he could plant a large pile of Millennium Spirit Herbs.

The Medicine Gu that has reached the Fourth-Tier realm can gestate drops of green liquid from its body. If it drips onto a Fourth-Tier Spirit Medicine, after growing for one year, it can possess a hundred years of medicinal power.

Growing for ten years, it can possess a thousand years of medicinal power.

It is conceivable that if one obtains a Fourth-Tier Spirit Medicine seed, as long as one spends ten years, one can plant a plant of Millennium Spirit Herb. This is the formidable nature of the Fourth-Tier Medicine Gu.

With the Medicine Gu, there is no need to worry about one's longevity being exhausted before being able to obtain Millennium Spirit Herbs.

One can even plant Millennium Spirit Herbs in large quantities.

Afterwards, refining Fourth-Tier Treasure Pills will also be an easy matter.

"With Millennium Spirit Herbs, I should be able to attempt refining Fourth-Tier Treasure Pills."

"The reason the number of Fourth-tier Alchemists is so small is largely related to the scarcity of Millennium Spirit Herbs."

"After all, the profession of an Alchemist is closely tied to practical experience."

"If one never truly attempts to refine pills, how could their cultivation level improve?"

"Therefore, the vast majority of Fourth-tier Alchemists in the Canglan Sea are only at the Fourth-Tier Low-Grade realm."

"A clever housewife cannot cook without rice."

"If it were the ancient era, a time when Millennium Spirit Herbs were abundant, there would definitely be more than just this few Fourth-tier Alchemists."

Zhou Sui stroked his chin.

Currently, his Alchemist cultivation is still at the Fourth-Tier Low-Grade realm.

After all, he does not have much experience in refining Fourth-Tier Treasure Pills, so the speed of increasing his cultivation naturally remains very slow.

This is also a matter of course.

But now it is different; after the Medicine Gu advanced to the Fourth-Tier realm, it can nurture a large number of Millennium Spirit Herbs.

By then, even if he wastes Millennium Spirit Herbs at will, he will not feel much heartache.

Then, he can continuously improve his Alchemist cultivation, raising it to the Fourth-Tier Middle-Grade and Fourth-Tier Upper-Grade realms.

Perhaps it won't take long before he is the strongest Alchemist in the Canglan Sea.

Of course, he does not need such a reputation.

After all, he refines pills only for the sake of his own cultivation and does not intend to sell many of them.

Clearly, five years of cultivation did not just allow Zhou Sui's cultivation level to improve.

The hundred arts of Immortal Cultivation also improved.

Among them, Rune, Alchemist, and Artifact Refining all advanced to the Fourth-Tier Low-Grade.

Only Array Formation advanced to the Five-Tier Middle-Grade, which is all thanks to the power of the Array Heart Gu.

Because the Array Heart Gu continuously assimilated the Five-Tier Array of the Kurong Sect island, it allowed his comprehension of Five-Tier Array Formations to reach a higher level, reaching the Five-Tier Middle-Grade realm.

He dares not say that his Array Formation cultivation is the best in the Immortal Cultivation World.

But there are certainly very few Cultivators who can rival his Array Formation cultivation; they can be counted on one's fingers.

"The Sword Dao realm has finally improved to the Fourth-Tier Low-Grade."

Zhou Sui clenched his fists.

The improvement of various Spirit-Refining Techniques is merely an improvement of auxiliary abilities.

The improvement of Sword Dao cultivation is the true improvement of combat power.

Especially for the improvement of his clone's combat power, it is clearly immense.

After all, his clone does not have the help of Gu Insects; everything must rely on itself.

Therefore, after the Sword Dao cultivation improved, the clone's combat power also became increasingly formidable.

"Wanting to advance to the Fourth-Tier Sword Dao realm is actually very simple."

"That is to further improve the Third-tier Sword Intent and advance to the realm of Sword Heart."

"Reaching this realm is the 'Ten Thousand Swords Bowing in Homage'."

"The further transformation of Sword Intent is the Sword Heart."

"Once one masters the Sword Heart, one masters the power of the mind."

"Under the shroud of the Sword Heart, all things can be swords."

Zhou Sui narrowed his eyes.

He originally thought that the power of the mind was his unique power, but he did not expect that Fourth-tier Sword Cultivators also possess similar power.

Only when Sword Intent is condensed to the extreme will it condense into a Sword Heart.

Of course, the Sword Heart power possessed by Sword Cultivators cannot compare to the Heart Eye Insight nurtured by his Seven Apertures Exquisite Book.

This is a power of the mind belonging to a higher dimension.

"The Sword Heart I have comprehended is naturally the True Dragon Sword Heart."

"Under the shroud of the Sword Heart's power, it is as if being shrouded by the power of a True Dragon, overlooking the earth."

"All objects will be controlled and destroyed by the power of the True Dragon."

Zhou Sui held a long sword in his hand; he felt an invisible Sword Heart power surge within his body, spreading out toward the area of several hundred miles, seemingly forming a Sword Dharma Domain.

Above the sky, a True Dragon seemed to appear, overlooking all living beings from a god's perspective, mastering everything.

As long as his mind stirred, a strand of sword Qi could be blasted out, taking an enemy's head from a thousand miles away.

It could easily pierce through an enemy's physique.

It can be said that under the shroud of the Sword Heart, every move of the enemy has nowhere to hide.

One can even anticipate the enemy's moves in advance.

This is one of the reasons why Fourth-Tier Sword Dao is so formidable.

Ordinary Cultivators facing a Fourth-tier Sword Cultivator are simply at an innate disadvantage.

"Of course, different Sword Hearts will have different powers."

"For example, my True Dragon Sword Heart will have the power of dominance, control, and being peerless in the world—invincible and indestructible."

"There is also the Benevolent Sword Heart, which can distinguish good from evil and perceive wickedness."

"The Slaughter Sword Heart, slaughtering the world, indestructible, with boiling killing intent."

"The Demon Extermination Sword Heart, capable of perceiving demons and dealing double damage to demons."

"Moreover, the power of the Sword Heart is a cut above the power of Sword Intent."

"Silent and soundless, without a trace or shadow."

"A single sword strike, once unleashed, can pierce through an enemy's defenses, penetrating the Soul and the internal organs."

"Therefore, a Fourth-tier Sword Cultivator can be called peerless in slaughter; even if one wears a Spirit Treasure for defense, it is of no avail."

Zhou Sui carefully contemplated the power of the Sword Heart within himself.

He also increasingly understood why the Tianjian Sect was currently the number one sect in the Canglan Sea; even Sea Clan cultivators and demonic cultivators dared not provoke the cultivators of the Tianjian Sect too much.

It was truly because every single Sword Cultivator possessed terrifying combat power.

Especially Nascent Soul-level Sword Cultivators, who each possessed the combat power to fight many with few and challenge those of higher realms.

Ordinary cultivators, if careless for even a moment, would be pierced through by sword Qi and die without a burial place.

In the past, when the Immortal Cultivation World encountered an invasion of demons, it was precisely the Sword Cultivators who stepped forward, one person and one sword, slaying countless demons and establishing illustrious merits.

That the Sword Cultivator is the number one profession for slaughter is not something boasted about, but something carved out through slaughter.

"No wonder I comprehended the Fourth-tier Sword Dao so easily."

"And comprehended the True Dragon Sword Heart."

"So it turns out that from the very beginning, I had already comprehended the power of the heart."

"In this way, comprehending the Fourth-tier Sword Dao was even more effortless."

Zhou Sui stroked his chin.

He also no longer wondered why he felt it was so simple when he comprehended the True Dragon Sword Heart; it was as if everything fell into place naturally, and he comprehended it without expending much effort.

To tell the truth, he had heard that among the cultivators of the Tianjian Sect, the number of people who could become Nascent Souls and comprehend the Fourth-tier Sword Dao was very few.

Up until now, the number of Nascent Souls in the Tianjian Sect was the lowest.

Perhaps less than half of other Nascent Soul Sects.

But their combat power was the most formidable.

"For a Sword Cultivator, the most difficult thing is not how to form a Nascent Soul, but how to comprehend the Sword Heart."

"Once the Sword Heart is comprehended, the Heart Demon Tribulation is no longer a problem; a single sword strike can tear the Heart Demon apart."

"At the same time, the Thunder Tribulation is also not a problem."

"A powerful Sword Cultivator will not fear the Nascent Soul Lightning Tribulation."

"Therefore, comprehending the realm of the Sword Heart is, for a Sword Cultivator, the Tongtian path leading to the Nascent Soul."

"Comprehending the Sword Heart almost guarantees becoming a Nascent Soul."

Zhou Sui narrowed his eyes.

Clearly, the path of the Sword Cultivator is extremely difficult, but once one walks through it, it is also extremely powerful.

There is no need to borrow external forces at all; relying solely on oneself, one can walk a broad and smooth path.

However, he was not a cultivator who focused solely on the Sword Dao.

For him, the Sword Dao was merely a tool to enhance combat power.

It is good if it can continue to improve.

But if his Sword Dao cultivation cannot continue to improve, it does not matter.

His foundation is always the Gu God Scripture, controlling all Gu in the world.

"By the way, my Ancient Profound Turtle Art has also made progress, advancing to the second level realm."

Zhou Sui smiled slightly.

Besides the Sword Dao and the progress of the divine ability Wither-Prosper Profound Light, the cultivation technique he obtained, the Ancient Profound Turtle Art, had also progressed.

This is a defensive technique that can be called peerless in the world.

After successfully cultivating it, one can condense the Mysterious Turtle Cover to provide all-around defense for the body.

After advancing to the second level realm, he had now condensed two layers of Mysterious Turtle barriers.

Compared to before, the defensive power had increased by more than several times.

It can be said that the energy shield he condenses now is a true turtle shell.

Even if he stands still, he can let Nascent Soul Cultivators bombard him with spells.

He could even withstand the power of a Sword Cultivator.

This is the prowess of the supreme defensive technique, the Ancient Profound Turtle Art.

After practicing for a few more hours.

Zhou Sui consolidated his cultivation and walked out of his meditation room, feeling refreshed, and then he saw Ji Bingyu and the others walking toward him.