After the battle with Xu Lang, more information about Fang Wang began to spread.
Before joining, he was only in the seventh level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, but three years after joining, he defeated a direct disciple in the ninth level of the Spirit Elixir Realm!
This news was spread by the disciples of the third vein and swept through the city like a whirlwind. All who heard it were shaken. The prodigies of legend had appeared among them, making it seem unreal. Many people doubted this, thinking that Fang Wang was just as low-profile as Ye Xiang, giving the impression he was a new disciple.
Time would prove the truth!
In an inn within the main city, Zhao Zhen sat by the window. He was not looking at the Golden Mirror in the sky, but was pouring himself a drink, his right hand trembling as he did so.
The disciples in the inn, engrossed in discussions about Fang Wang's strength, failed to notice his agitation. If someone had sat opposite him, they would have seen him sweating profusely, his face etched with fear.
After Fang Wang left the arena, the battles that followed were spectacular but felt somewhat lackluster to the audience.
It turned out that the first vein had hidden another genius with the Earth Origin Spirit Treasure. Without including Fang Wang and Zhou Xue, this genius, along with Ye Xiang, Gu Li, and Lu Yuanjun, meant that the Great Abyss Gate had four such talents. No wonder they could become the strongest sect in the Grand Qi Cultivation Realm in another timeline.
Right up until the last half-day when a lower-ranked vein challenged the third, Yang Yuanzi sent Gu Li to face the challenge. Her opponents were three disciples in the Soul Sculpting Realm and one in the first level of the Spirit Elixir Realm.
Confirmed!
Something fishy!
After securing four consecutive victories, Gu Li returned to Fang Wang's side, her face expressionless. Perhaps it was Fang Wang's imagination, but it seemed she was deliberately avoiding his gaze. Even when the other disciples praised her, she merely nodded slightly.
Thinking back on Gu Li's previous opponents, it seemed likely that those above the Spirit Elixir Realm had intentionally gone easy on her.
Indeed, how could the Great Abyss Gate not nurture such a prodigy with the Earth Origin Spirit Treasure?
Every rule has its gray areas.
Time flew by.
The seven-day period for the Nine Veins Combat Method finally arrived, and in the end, the third vein maintained the fifth place, marking their best performance in fifty years.
After Guang Qiuxian finished announcing the rankings of the veins, the Vice Sect Leader Chen Anshi stood up and declared, "The nine disciples representing the Great Abyss Gate to seek opportunities in the Cave Heavens are Lu Yuanjun, Fang Wang, Xu Lang, Ye Xiang, Zhou Xue, Gu Li, Yan Feiyue, Tang Jue, and Xiao Ling!"
"One month from today, at noon, gather in front of the Shiyuan Hall and wait!"
With that, this session of the Nine Veins Combat Method came to an end!
Disciples from various pavilions flew out, heading towards the pavilion of the third vein, all drawn by Fang Wang.
Facing the outreach from the direct disciples of the other veins, Fang Wang could not help but respond politely, and even elders from other veins arrived later on.
It took a full hour before Fang Wang could finally extricate himself. He quickly returned to his own cave abode's gate, only to find Gu Li waiting outside.
As Fang Wang landed, about to greet her, Gu Li spoke first, "You must be disappointed, but I had no choice in refusing. Even if I was unwilling, the sect would have pushed me forward, and I do want this opportunity as well. My father had discussed this with me beforehand."
Fang Wang blinked and replied, "Disappointed? All I feel is envy. Please, are you bragging?"
Fairness?
A jokeβin this world, apart from life and death, what is truly fair? With the advent of cultivation, even life and death may become unfair.
Gu Li's mood lightened a bit at his tone. She rolled her eyes at him and then took out two blue-covered books from her storage bag, handing them to Fang Wang. She said, "After hearing about your victory over me during the entrance examination when you were at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation, my father wanted to make friends with you.
Here is the 'Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures' and my family's unique 'Divine Nurturing Sword Qi'."
"The 'Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures' records the various heavenly treasures of the world, which can help you collect treasures in the Great Saint's Grotto-Heaven. 'Divine Nurturing Sword Qi' is the compulsory swordplay for the direct descendants of the Gu Family, but few can truly master it. Achieving greatness with it is said to possess divine prowess as in the legends."
After saying this, she turned and left. Watching her retreating figure, Fang Wang was left wanting to say more yet held back.
Gu Li walked away quickly, returning to her own cave abode as if afraid he would refuse.
Fang Wang shook his head with a wry smile, then entered his cave abode.
Sitting on his bed, Fang Wang began to peruse the 'Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures'. Each page was illustrated, followed by descriptions, and the variety of flora and minerals captivated him greatly. Although not a secret manual, the 'Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures' still brought surprises to Fang Wang.
After immersing himself in it for half an hour, he put the 'Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures' into his storage bag and then picked up the 'Divine Nurturing Sword Qi' to examine it.
He did not have high expectations for the Divine Nurturing Sword Qi, having witnessed Gu Li's Five Saints Sword Technique.
As he watched, his expression turned serious.
Divine Nurturing Sword Qi is no mere trifle!
This sword qi is nourished within the Dantian, and the longer it is cultivated, the stronger it becomes. In general, Divine Nurturing Sword Qi is very weak in the early stages, and it is even difficult to form combat power within the first ten years, which is why Gu Li has never used it up to now.
Fang Wang was different. If he began with cultivating Divine Nurturing Sword Qi to the realm of Great Perfection, his speed in cultivating this sword qi would be far superior to any of the Gu Family, as they had to practice step by step, taking a long time to condense sword qi.
As Fang Wang was about to turn to the last page, his hand trembled slightly.
God knows how long he would stay within the Heavenly Palace, but thinking that he was about to go to the Great Saint's Grotto-Heaven, he felt that having one more method of combat was a good thing.
Fang Wang took a deep breath, then turned the last page and began to read.
When he finished reading the last word, his mind exploded, and everything before his eyes blurred.
When Fang Wang reopened his eyes, he found himself within the Heavenly Palace. He did not waste time and immediately began to cultivate Divine Nurturing Sword Qi.
Divine Nurturing Sword Qi did not have a division of levels in its realm, but the process of cultivation was challenging, resembling a quest to explore one's soul rather than an ordinary sword qi.
And so years passed.
Finally, it took Fang Wang a hundred and twenty years to cultivate the Divine Nurturing Sword Qi to the realm of Great Perfection. At that moment, he finally believed Gu Li's words.
The Divine Nurturing Sword Qi indeed possessed divine and mystical abilities!
The sword qi of Great Perfection was not within the Dantian but within the soul, resulting in a significant enhancement of Fang Wang's spiritual sense, enabling him to introspect his own soul.
Essentially, the Great Perfection Divine Nurturing Sword Qi was like a portion of the soul that had been split off. It could shoot out from the eyes, under his control, return to the body after slaying the enemy without any impurity, and possess terrifying lethality.
The most crucial point was that there was no limit to the Divine Nurturing Sword Qi. The longer he nurtured it, the stronger it became.
Fang Wang's consciousness followed and exited the Heavenly Palace. When he opened his eyes, he saw his own cave dwelling.
He resisted the urge to go out and behold the world and began to cultivate Divine Nurturing Sword Qi. Spiritual energy entered his body, and in less than half the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, his soul had refined the Divine Nurturing Sword Qi.
From then on, whenever he gathered qi, a part of the spiritual energy would automatically nourish the Divine Nurturing Sword Qi, which is the Great Perfection of Divine Nurturing Sword Qi that did not require separate cultivation.
Of course, if he felt that Divine Nurturing Sword Qi was affecting his cultivation speed, he could also sever the connection between it and the outside world on his own.
Fang Wang's eyes widened, shining brightly, and a stream of sword qi emerged from his eyes. It moved swiftly through the cave dwelling, fast as lightning. With a quick gesture, the sword qi rapidly reentered his eyes, and his gaze returned to normal.
Exhilarating!
The moment the Divine Nurturing Sword Qi left his body, Fang Wang felt as if he had a doppelganger, able to perfectly control the sword qi. Everything around him seemed to stand still.
In future battles, Divine Nurturing Sword Qi would be his ace!
Hundreds of years from now, Divine Nurturing Sword Qi would be his trump card. With a glare, sword qi would overflow, capable of destroying the heavens and the earth!
The mere thought filled Fang Wang with excitement.
He immediately got up, walked out of his cave dwelling, and stood on the edge of the cliff. Looking at the snowflakes whirling in the sky, he wanted to shout out loud to vent the frustrations of a century of arduous cultivation, but he refrained!
No!
He must go out for a walk, talk to someone!
Fang Wang immediately set off to visit his clan members. Except for Zhou Xue, they were all in their respective cave dwellings.
It was not until three days later that he returned, hesitating for a moment at the mountain gate. He then came to Gu Li's cave dwelling and called out, "Miss Gu, are you there?"
Soon after, the mountain gate opened, and Gu Li emerged. She asked with confusion, "What's the matter?"
Fang Wang seldom took the initiative to seek her out, and she thought something might have happened.
"I have been studying Divine Nurturing Sword Qi for the past three days. May I ask how many people in the Gu Family have mastered it? To what extent can the strongest among them utilize it?" Fang Wang asked earnestly.
After a hundred and twenty years of solitude, he needed to make some comparisons.
Gu Li replied helplessly, "Fang Wang, you are indeed a genius, but Divine Nurturing Sword Qi should not be rushed. Currently, in the Gu Family, less than a handful of people can use it in combat. The most powerful among them is my grandfather, who can exhale sword qi from his mouth, nothing can resist it, and it's even capable of shattering superior grade magic artifacts."