Chapter 246: The Secret of Rank 2 True Arts
It took three days for Lu Yang to obtain the technique.
However, the gains were still significant.
Sitting upright on a rush cushion, Lu Yang silently examined his harvest from the past three days. It was a thick book, with several large characters written on the cover:
“Divine Refining Weapon Dissolution Sword Technique!”
This sword technique was the Sword Pavilion’s Rank 2 True Art held by Ye Guyue, and it was also the root of her [Nine-Child Mother Heavenly Demon Immortal-Slaying Sword].
The key to the sword technique lay in the word “Refining”. It involved a World Realm under the Sword Pavilion’s jurisdiction called the [Divine Weapon World Realm]. Cultivators of the Sword Pavilion would enter this World Realm to harvest the Qi of the Realm. Each time a strand of Qi was harvested, they would grow stronger by a fraction. After cultivating to the peak, they could even refine a flying sword that perfectly matched the Qi they had harvested.
However, this so-called “Qi Harvesting” was not simply absorbing spiritual Qi.
The so-called [Qi Harvesting] was actually seizing the essence of heaven and earth. This essence could be people, beasts, or rare treasures.
Seizing these essences of heaven and earth, then merging them into oneself.
For example, Ye Guyue’s [Nine-Child Mother Heavenly Demon Immortal-Slaying Sword] was created by seizing nine demonic weapons in the [Divine Weapon World Realm] and then pouring all her effort into forging them.
“But what does this have to do with attesting to the Golden Core?”
Lu Yang frowned slightly. He understood the principle of the Rank 2 technique, but there were undoubtedly gaps in the details, missing Ye Guyue’s personal comprehension of the sword technique.
Thinking of this, he immediately looked at Ye Guyue. “Looks like I have to do it again.”
For the sake of his future Dao path, Lu Yang didn’t hesitate and immediately entered into another intense and exciting session of “Dao discussion.” Soon, another day passed—
“So that’s it.”
Pushing Ye Guyue away with waning interest, Lu Yang’s face showed enlightenment. “Rank 2 True Arts… essentially are still about attesting to a Dao Fruit of this world!”
“The difference is that Rank 2 True Arts, through [Qi Harvesting], plunder the essence of other World Realms. Then, using this to attest to the Golden Core is effectively a process of merging the Dao Fruits of other World Realms into the Dao Fruit one is attesting to… This is undoubtedly of immense benefit to the Dao Fruit of this world.”
“Therefore, it is also easier to gain the favor of the Dao Fruit!”
“Cultivating a Rank 2 True Art, if one can reach the step of Seeking Golden Core, one doesn’t even need to perform any rituals; the Dao Fruit will actively respond and appear.”
This was the advantage of Rank 2.
Of course, cultivating a Rank 2 technique could gain the favor of one’s own Dao Fruit, but it would simultaneously attract intense hostility from the Dao Fruit of the external world where the Qi was harvested.
And this hostility not only made Qi Harvesting extremely difficult but also easily put one’s life in danger. It was equivalent to having the killing intent of heaven and earth falling upon one at any time. One moment of carelessness could mean death in the external world. That was why, compared to the stable and safe Rank 3 True Arts, Rank 2 True Arts were largely ignored.
However, there was another factor…
Reading on, Lu Yang suddenly frowned. “Why is it gone again?”
The memory cut off again.
It seemed that as the target’s cultivation base increased, the efficiency of refinement became worse and worse. Lu Yang felt helpless about this.
Another day passed.
“The other factor lies in the scarcity of World Realms!”
“After all, not every World Realm can nurture a Dao Fruit. Most World Realms are still like the Battle for the Dao battlefield of the past, easily manipulated by Perfected Lords.”
Lu Yang sighed with emotion. “Incredible…”
If Rank 2 True Arts were like this, what about Rank 1 True Arts?
If Rank 2 True Arts corresponded to World Realms where Golden Core Dao Fruits existed, then did Rank 1 True Arts correspond to World Realms where Nascent Soul Dao Lords existed?
If so, it would explain why Rank 1 True Arts pointed directly to the Nascent Soul!
“And because World Realms are scarce, different Rank 2 True Arts sometimes refer to the Dao Fruit of the same external world, just taking different meanings.”
Thinking of this, Lu Yang felt somewhat disappointed. Unfortunately, that [Divine Weapon World Realm] looks a bit like a Refining Arts Secret Realm; it should be exclusive to the Sword Pavilion. Unless I reincarnate into it, I have no way to harvest Qi and cultivate this Rank 2 sword technique. I’ll probably have to wait until after restarting to scheme for it…
Thinking of this, Lu Yang shifted his thoughts.
After all, besides the Sword Pavilion’s Divine Refining Weapon Dissolution Sword Technique, he still had a Rank 2 True Art produced by the Saint Sect, given to him by Perfected One Chong Guang.
Qian Heaven Primordial All-Governing Divine Method!
This Rank 2 True Art was not much different from the Divine Refining Weapon Dissolution Sword Technique in principle. The only differences lay in the target and method of Qi Harvesting.
“If the Divine Refining Weapon Dissolution Sword Technique achieves a Life-Bound Flying Sword through [Qi Harvesting], then the Qian Heaven Primordial All-Governing Divine Method cultivates a Supreme Dharma Body through [Qi Harvesting]. Therefore, the corresponding World Realm is also different, named the [Myriad Martial World Realm].”
Reading to the end, Lu Yang suddenly frowned.
“Besides the Saint Sect, the Pure Land has actually discovered the [Myriad Martial World Realm] too, and even created a corresponding Rank 2 True Art to compete with the Saint Sect?”
This was another difficulty of cultivating Rank 2 True Arts.
Aside from the hostility of the world where Qi was harvested, one might also encounter cultivators from other factions, further increasing the difficulty of Qi Harvesting.
“But getting started is much simpler.”
“After all, Rank 2 True Arts are actually unrelated to the Dao Foundation, so they can be cultivated alongside other techniques. One can cultivate them at Foundation Establishment without starting from Qi Refining.”
Just then, a loud noise suddenly came from the dome of the sky.
Boom!
In an instant, heaven shook and earth trembled. The originally dim and colorless sky suddenly lit up with a star. Golden lamp light instantly illuminated heaven and earth.
Wherever the brilliant light passed, it illuminated what the sun and moon did not, brightening the heaven and earth that were yet bright. It pushed aside the thirty-six layers of heavy clouds in one breath, revealing a scene of azure sky as deep as an abyss with no end in sight. Finally, it manifested a towering realm that commanded the universe, filled with brilliant lights, where jade towers and palaces could be vaguely seen.
“Uncle-Master Chong Guang… succeeded!?”
Lu Yang was startled at first, looking up at the sky. But soon, he discovered something strange. “No… it’s still a Blessed Land, it hasn’t sublimated into a Grotto-Heaven!”
Lu Yang had seen a Grotto-Heaven with his own eyes.
After all, back overseas, when that Perfected Lord of the Sword Pavilion fell and the Grotto-Heaven collapsed, he was at the scene. That was why he could see the difference between the two.
In his view, although the towering realm manifested at this moment had a majestic momentum, it still lacked the transcendent intent of a Grotto-Heaven standing above the mortal dust. This was like the gap between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment; without ascension, the stature didn’t change. Mere power, no matter how powerful, were meaningless.
In other words—he failed!
Crack!
In the next second, a crisp shattering sound spread in the hearts of all the Perfected Ones below. An indescribable sorrow suddenly welled up in everyone’s hearts.
Especially for the Foundation Establishment Perfected Ones whose Divine Abilities contained [Chen Earth].
This was not their own emotional fluctuation, but Perfected One Chong Guang’s mind-intent being transmitted to the hearts of all corresponding cultivators via the Dao Fruit at this moment.
One thought, and the world responds!
To some extent, this was already a symbol of a Perfected Lord. One could even say that the current Perfected One Chong Guang almost stood in the position of a Perfected Lord.
Alas, he remained water without a source.
“Just one step short… still defeated…”
In a trance, Lu Yang seemed to hear a long sigh.
Like a lamp flame encountering a strong wind, in an instant, the golden lamp light that originally illuminated the world suddenly dimmed. Along with it, that brilliantly lit Blessed Land also crashed down and overturned!
(End of this chapter)
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