Cultivation: But Not a Game-Chapter 59 - 28: Mastery Achieved, Sword Aura Unleashed
On the other side, Gu Zhiqiu glanced back at the figure engaged in frenzied slaughter, grinning as he said:
"Do you believe it, Brother Su Yu will surely succeed in passing the Celestial Tribulation and becoming a Loose Immortal one day. I have a strong premonition that he will definitely become a significant figure in the future."
Ji Chen nodded, saying:
"His talent is too strong, and his growth speed too fast. In just a few months, he’s covered what would take others years."
Gu Zhiqiu laughed heartily, saying:
"We’re lucky to have become friends with him now. In the future, when he passes the Celestial Tribulation and becomes a Loose Immortal, even a little benefit slipping through his fingers will be enough for us to enjoy."
"Indeed!"
The two shared a slight smile and went off together to another nearby water area to level up.
"Purple Essence Qi Strength!"
A massive purple hand, fifteen feet in length, broke through the lake water and pressed into the lake, with a loud ’bang,’ smashing a large fish head into pieces instantly.
A white sword light, over twenty meters long, shuttled back and forth in the lake water, with four or five instances of approximately 2400 damage rising each second.
Taking out a Low-grade Rejuvenation Elixir to restore mana, Su Yu’s left hand made a gesture, and a blazing white sword energy gathered in his palm, rapidly extending over twenty meters in length and thrown into the water. The substantial sword energy penetrated to the lake bottom, and with a curve of his five fingers, the straight sword energy bent into an arc.
With a press, the arced sword energy snapped straight, sweeping crosswise, bursting out instances of damage over 3400 on more than ten occasions in an instant.
Immediately following, his Sun Concealing Sword Qi swept over, causing a dozen Black Fish Spirits to float belly-up instantly.
The sword energy, akin to substantial Sword Qi, was an extension of his power, capable of changing at his will, as long as there was enough mana to sustain it, it could exist indefinitely.
A sword energy over twenty meters long sliced back and forth among the monsters, immediately splitting the attracted spirit creatures open and in two.
With both flying sword and sword energy working together, the killing efficiency more than doubled.
It’s just that the mana consumption was a bit high, requiring 50 mana points per second to sustain, and even with his current mana, he couldn’t hold it for long.
But it couldn’t be denied, the killing was immensely satisfying, and the efficiency was super high.
In the Chained Demon Stronghold, he gained around 400,000 experience points in one day, but here, he could accumulate about 1,110,000 killing experience points alone in one day, more than three times higher.
Next, Su Yu stayed in the sea area near the base to level up, paying no attention to external affairs, dedicated entirely to accumulating killing experience.
He was patient, swiping for a week at a time and then taking a break.
During breaks, he wasn’t idle either, and stayed at the base to help with Gu Refining.
Yes, he could refine Gu as well.
The Ten Thousand Gu Spirit Gathering Scripture by Gu Zhiqiu came with a Gu Scripture containing 17 Gu refining methods that could be shared. There were ten sharing slots, and as a shareholder, Su Yu naturally had one of those slots.
Besides numerous common Gu insects like Blood-bearded Mosquito, Red Refining Snake, Poisonous Toad, Flying Gu, Ink Ball Bee, and Red Flame Flying Centipede, the Gu Scripture also included three rare Gu insects, and elite template rare Gu like the Golden-winged Flying Centipede.
He just didn’t follow the Gu Dao stream, and merely because the Qi Heart Skill had no bonuses for Gu insects, it didn’t mean he couldn’t refine or wield Gu insects in battle.
During leisure time, he could refine some to sell, serving as extra income.
He acquired a Hundred Gu Banner from Zhuang Zhuo, incorporating the refined Gu insects into it. Currently, he was refining Red Flame Flying Centipedes, refining some during his spare time, filling the banner almost completely.
He hadn’t attempted refining Golden-winged Flying Centipedes yet, since he wasn’t specialized in the Gu Dao stream, his level wasn’t high enough, and the success rate for refining Golden-winged Flying Centipedes wasn’t great.
He had to save up money and gamble on the next minor exam. If the plan succeeded, one move could earn dozens of taels of gold, only then he would attempt refining Golden-winged Flying Centipedes.
At the small Gu pit, Su Yu tossed the Gu insects, already sorted in his pocket, into the pit, injecting mana to activate it, and began refining using the Gu Refining Secret Skill.
Shortly thereafter, he sensed movement in the colored smoke inside the Gu pit, swiftly changing the technique.
Continuously changing techniques, he added materials several times for refining.
An incense stick later, the Gu pit opened, and a Red Flame Flying Centipede enveloped in poisonous smoke flew out. He promptly activated the Hundred Gu Banner, and the Red Flame Flying Centipede voluntarily flew into the vortex.
"Not bad!"
The quality was excellent, coming out at level 20.
Securing the Hundred Gu Banner, he took out a pre-prepared batch of materials and placed them into the pit.
"Continue!"
By the end of the day, he had successively refined over twenty Red Flame Flying Centipedes.
"Continue next week."
This item was sold at 2 taels of silver per piece. Filling the Hundred Gu Banner with 100 pieces could sell for 2 taels of gold.
The next morning, after having a bowl of river fish porridge, just as Su Yu was about to head out, Gu Zhiqiu stopped him and asked softly:
"Old Su, I just returned from headquarters yesterday and heard that the main second group of the guild got into a fight with the Frostfire Guild near Chensha Town. Did you hear about it?"
Su Yu paused, immediately asking:
"When did the fight start, and on what scale?"
"A few days ago, and I heard the group leader of the fourth main team of the Frostfire Guild, Li Yingshen, died. They want the guild to give an explanation."
"Dead?"
"Yes, completely perished, no resurrection."
"This..."
Su Yu was quite surprised. Li Yingshen didn’t look that old, and yet his remaining lifespan was actually less than fifty.
He shook his head, saying:
"This doesn’t concern us, let’s see how the guild handles it."
Gu Zhiqiu laughed, saying:
"I say, what explanation? Give a roll of tape at most. Wasn’t it Li Yingshen himself who picked the fight? Losing means he’s not as skilled; where does he get the gall to complain?"
Su Yu smiled without saying anything.
He also thought a major conflict was unlikely. Since the Frostfire Guild was weaker than the Thousand Feather Guild, and not in the right, it would only amount to bickering for appearances before eventually fizzling out.
Still, during this time, extra caution was necessary to guard against the Frostfire Guild’s potential retaliation by secretly assassinating newcomers.
Shaking his head, he turned and left, resuming his leveling.
This bout lasted another full week, with free time once again spent at the base refining Gu.
During the third week, he refined nonstop for two days, finally gathering a hundred Red Flame Flying Centipedes.
He sold them directly, earning 3 taels of gold; after deducting the cost of refined banners and Gu refining, netting 1 tael of gold.
"Do it again!"
Su Yu glanced at the remaining 8 taels of gold in his hand, purchasing four more Hundred Gu Banners, spending 4 taels of gold, followed by another 4 taels for Gu refining materials.
Returning home with his purchases, he continued refining Gu.
Maintaining the same pace, he immersed himself in monster hunting for a week, then rested for two days refining Gu, leading a highly fulfilling life.
When the four Hundred Gu Banners were crafted, it was already two months later, with half a month left until the second minor exam.
After two consecutive months of relentless monster hunting, he accumulated over seventy million killing experience points. Added to previous gains, the experience pool now held more than eighty-four million cultivation points.
Yet....
Su Yu opened the panel, his eyes resting on the Nine Heavens Bone Forging Skill, which demanded an astonishing 10 billion experience points, leaving him numb.
"The demand is too great."
At the current efficiency, it would take three months to accumulate 1 billion killing experience, meaning 100 billion would need 300 months, amounting to 25 years.
In theory, spending 25 years refining an Immortal Bone seemed worthwhile, given its attributes.
Forging any piece should lead to a qualitative transformation in strength.
Especially the Five Elements Divine Gang Bone and Supreme Dragon Transformation Bone, refining either would dramatically shift strength, making passing the Celestial Tribulation a cinch.
But Su Yu didn’t think so; he felt 25 years was too long.
No matter how helpless or speechless he felt, refining Immortal Bones at this stage was impossible.
Aside from the lack of experience, refining Immortal Bones also required other materials, none of which he could afford now.
"Guess I’ll just have to focus on improving my cultivation."
He glanced between the Basic Qi Refining Skill and Basic Sword Formulas, hesitating briefly before making a decision:
"Focus on cultivation, the sword techniques are effective enough."
With a thought, a steady stream of cultivation points and Dao flow into the Purple Essence Qi Refining Skill.
The cultivation points and Dao transformed into a warm stream emerging from his body, circulating according to the Heart Skill, channeling into mana, merging into the Qi Sea, elevating fifty-one levels.
After a brief rest, he continued practicing.
Hours later, after consuming 55 million cultivation points and 200 Dao points, the Purple Essence Qi Refining Skill rose to the sixtieth level.
Leaving 29.26 million cultivation points and 56 Dao points for later use.
Level Sixty Purple Essence Qi Refining Skill: Qi and Blood +2400, Mana +4800, Magic Power +2400, Mana Recovery +12 points per second.
"Not bad!"
"Among non-sect Loose Cultivators, my cultivation is pretty decent."
The only disappointment was that reaching the sixtieth level of the Purple Essence Qi Refining Skill didn’t derive any new magical techniques.
