[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete":3,"chapter-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-64":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from the Apocalypse, I Alone Severed Eternity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312446,4518,"Chapter 64: Flowing Disciples, Ironclad Senior Brother","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-64",64,"\u003Cp>(PS: Some additions were made to the previous 53 chapters; there’s one more chapter today.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why can’t I add it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the sword practice room, Fang Shi could not fathom it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was currently attempting to allocate a specialty point to Lightning Reflex III.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stream of data flashed across his vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You do not meet the conditions for specialty upgrade; cannot improve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left Fang Shi deeply disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weren’t specialty points supposed to upgrade any skill level?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he stuck?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was his prior knowledge simply too shallow, missing some crucial barrier?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s not that I can’t upgrade—it’s that I don’t meet the conditions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what’s the problem? Lightning Reflex III is already an Epic-level specialty; does further upgrade require additional factors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi thought it over, and ultimately accepted this hypothesis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t even fully unleash Lightning Reflex III yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let alone the stronger Lightning Reflex IV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps if he forced the upgrade, his brain couldn’t handle it and he’d become an idiot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Fang Shi felt a pang of regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each level increase of Lightning Reflex brought a qualitative leap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t imagine what kind of power Lightning Reflex IV might possess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thud, thud, thud.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knock came from outside, breaking Fang Shi’s thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped out and opened the gate of his small courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There stood a tall, slender outer disciple, radiating Qi Refining energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior brother, what brings you to this junior?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi was puzzled; since arriving at Tianjian Sect, apart from his own batch of disciples,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he’d barely seen any other Qi Refining senior brothers, let alone spoken to them—how could there be any connection?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Junior brother Fang, I’m Ling He Feng, sent by Senior Brother to take you to Demon Valley.” Ling He Feng smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi frowned: “Demon Valley? Isn’t that where outer disciples hunt? Why me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you Qi Refining? Naturally, you’re assigned this month’s task.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not right—I recall new disciples get a one-month exemption from tasks. Why must I go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng was surprised: “Junior brother, you’ve already broken through Qi Refining before the month’s up? Impressive talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi modestly replied: “Not at all, just some decent martial arts from the mortal world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng’s attitude grew warmer: “Still, that’s remarkable—how many disciples does Tianjian Sect recruit each year?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My batch had martial arts champions, Five Great Experts—you name it—and they all took a full month to advance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how skilled mortal martial arts are, they’re worlds apart from cultivation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi sensed the man was about to ramble further, so he quickly changed the subject: “By the way, Senior Brother Ling, wasn’t it Senior Brother who summoned me to Demon Valley?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng realized he’d gone off track and chuckled awkwardly: “That’s true—new disciples do get a month’s reprieve. But this is Senior Brother’s order; we’d best go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then fine, I’ll accompany you, Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Fang Shi set out with Ling He Feng, leaving his quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother, where in Demon Valley are the demons easiest to kill?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally, the giant black bears on the outskirts—they look tough, but they’re stupid. Just be careful, and you can easily slay them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, then please take me to the giant black bears’ territory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng blinked in surprise: “Huh? Junior brother, you’re being overly cautious. Giant black bears are garbage—they don’t know any spells, even skilled mortals can kill them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Using them for practice seems inappropriate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We sword cultivators walk the path of slaughter,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>if you can’t fight above your level, you’re mediocre.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, Tianjian Sect demands more—even new disciples rarely hunt black bears.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi felt helpless—he couldn’t say he was in a hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were plenty of level-one monsters, but this thirty-fold cultivation acceleration was hard to find.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t want to waste time killing monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother, I’ve only just advanced to Qi Refining; my swordplay is crude. Better not take risks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng shook his head: “Wrong, wrong. Sword cultivators must press forward, face hardship head-on, and break through in life-or-death moments.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every year, Tianjian Sect has outer disciples break into Foundation Establishment within a year—thanks to Demon Valley.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Other immortal sects are cowards, spending all day refining pills, mining ore, meditating, some even reaching Golden Core without ever fighting a single battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such worthless Golden Core cultivators? Even a slightly stronger pseudo-Golden Core senior brother could cut them down with one sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi was speechless—he didn’t think calmly reaching Golden Core was bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It proved they had the confidence to cultivate to Golden Core without worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that didn’t mean Tianjian Sect wasn’t powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through Tianjian Sect’s propaganda, every new disciple knew it was the number one sect in the mortal world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was merely a difference in cultivation philosophy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother is right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi changed the subject again: “By the way, Senior Brother Ling, how did Senior Brother know I’d advanced to Qi Refining? I’ve barely left my quarters since the breakthrough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s simple—longtime disciples all know Senior Brother controls the sect’s arrays; he senses spiritual fluctuations perfectly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi was astonished: “Senior Brother has that much authority—even control over the sect’s arrays?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng smiled mysteriously: “Senior Brother’s position doesn’t grant that authority—it’s Senior Brother himself who has it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know, when I joined twenty years ago, Senior Brother was already Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the senior brother who guided me told me, when he joined, Senior Brother was already Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disciples come and go like flowing water—some advance, some pass away—but Senior Brother remains Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even Golden Core elders who come to the outer sect address him as Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi was even more stunned: “Then why is Senior Brother so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So gentle? No aura of a revered elder, yet he guides every new disciple year after year?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never puts on airs—he acts like a Qi Refining senior brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi nodded; a few days ago, he’d seen Senior Brother manifest sword intent at Qi Refining and thought him a genius beyond compare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now he realized—if even Golden Core elders called him Senior Brother, manifesting sword intent wasn’t surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for his Qi Refining cultivation? Easy to fool newcomers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi truly admired this elder’s way of life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Living like a wanderer meant freedom, no worries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plainly put: only those free from lifespan constraints and safety fears could be so carefree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng added: “Senior Brother likes it this way—we accommodate him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that you know this, don’t treat him differently—just act as usual, or he’ll grow displeased.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling He Feng grinned: “Senior Brother loves talented disciples. Win his favor, and benefits won’t be lacking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shi patted the《Sword Art》in his pocket and smiled: “Thank you, Senior Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the two chatted as they walked, soon arriving at Demon Valley.\u003C\u002Fp>",1143,"2026-06-20T12:43:33.559Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","fec205971144eed19a32d71704df2c4eae5efae7f0b3a2f657515c88e4eea00f","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-65","starting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-chapter-63",109,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-the-apocalypse-i-alone-severed-ete-cover.jpg"]