I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World-Chapter 30 - 21: Ice Armor Beetle
"Senior Sister Lv, what is everyone looking at?" Shi Xiaowu stood next to Lv Ying, asking in confusion.
"Fraud!" Lv Ying twisted her clothing and bit her lip, feeling sour inside.
Jiang Yuebai paid no mind to the gazes of others. After Tao Fengnian finished explaining the key points, she began to activate the Sharpness Technique to prepare for her first pest control task.
Everyone watched her nervously. Although they didn’t quite believe she could master the Sharpness Technique’s Second Level in such little time, they secretly hoped she could truly help them.
Song Pei’er walked over, gazing deeply at Jiang Yuebai. She couldn’t believe it either but was very curious about the confidence Tao Fengnian had in insisting Jiang Yuebai give it a try.
Facing the gaze of so many people, Jiang Yuebai felt somewhat nervous.
Tao Fengnian brushed the snow off Jiang Yuebai’s shoulders, "Do your best; it’s okay if it doesn’t work, Grandpa is still here."
Jiang Yuebai nodded, exhaled into her hands, and squatted beside the ice-covered seedlings, ready to use the Sharpness Technique for pest control.
The heavy snow fell, and the people of Huaxi Valley surrounded the spiritual field in layers.
Lv Ying and Shi Xiaowu, being smaller in stature, squeezed through the gaps in the crowd to the front, staring intently at Jiang Yuebai squatting beside the seedlings.
Even Liu Dashan, working on pest control not far away, stopped to watch with Fang Zhong.
Having passed sixty years of age, Fang Zhong spent three years learning the Sharpness Technique to reach the Second Level.
Liu Dashan, although younger and somewhat dull, practiced diligently and reached the Second Level after five years.
In the past, when pests invaded Huaxi Valley, everyone hired the two of them and three others proficient in the Sharpness Technique to handle it, rarely asking Tao Fengnian.
The Second-Level Sharpness Technique could clear pests at the cost of one low-grade Spirit Stone per acre, with the seedlings suffering minimal damage, recoverable after a few days.
The Third-Level Sharpness Technique caused no harm to the seedlings at all, but the price was higher.
The cold wind howled as Jiang Yuebai, flexing her stiff fingers, reviewed the key points, her eyes steeled with determination!
Her fair hands clasped together in front, her ten fingers moved in bewildering patterns, and golden light suddenly appeared, dreamlike and illusory.
In that instant, silence enveloped the area, and everyone widened their eyes in shock, captivated by Jiang Yuebai’s skillful finger technique.
Song Pei’er relaxed her tightly crossed arms and stood straight. Guo Zhen’s mouth slightly opened, stunned.
Fang Zhong and Liu Dashan’s complexions changed dramatically in the distance, squeezing closer in a hurry.
Hair-thin golden threads intertwined and entwined between Jiang Yuebai’s ten fingers, a gentle tug and pull, completing the technique in three breaths!
"It truly is the Second-Level Sharpness Technique, and faster than I can form it!" Liu Dashan exclaimed in amazement.
"And it’s more solid than mine," Fang Zhong said, swallowing hard.
Amidst the swirling wind and snow, the brilliant golden light dazzled everyone, making them unable to look away, and made all her peers green with jealousy.
"Senior Sister Jiang is really awesome!" Shi Xiaowu exclaimed in excitement.
"Fraud!" Lv Ying grew more angry.
Jiang Yuebai focused intently, her maturity and steadiness leaving other apprentices far behind.
As the Metal Sharpness formed, Jiang Yuebai pressed down with her fingers, touching the ice-covered seedlings.
Crack!
The ice shell on the seedlings shattered, revealing a mass of ice-blue bugs, pea-sized like ladybugs, crawling all over the leaves and roots of the seedlings, with scythe-like mouthparts that chewed on the seedlings.
Ice Armor Beetle!
Seeing such a large cluster of bugs for the first time made Jiang Yuebai’s scalp tingle, almost losing the Sharpness. She’d always been afraid of bugs since working in fields from a young age.
But with Grandpa watching beside her, Jiang Yuebai didn’t want to let him down. She steadied her mind, directing the fine needle-like Sharpness to slash at the Ice Armor Beetles.
Clink!
The Sharpness rebounded off the hard shell of the Ice Armor Beetle, causing a sharp pain in Jiang Yuebai’s head as she fell to the ground.
She failed!
Silence fell around her, the unexpected turn of events catching everyone off guard, although she clearly activated the Second-Level Sharpness Technique successfully.
Experienced Fang Zhong was the first to respond, "It’s indeed the Second-Level Sharpness Technique, but she is at Qi Cultivation Third Layer, hasn’t cultivated Divine Sense yet, and can’t stabilize the Sharpness to cut through those Ice Armor Beetles."
Liu Dashan nodded, "Right, right; nearly forgot, the Sharpness Technique requires Divine Sense to stabilize the Sharpness, with Divine Sense cultivation only officially starting at Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, showcasing power at Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer. She’s like a toddler wielding a divine blade, unable to fully utilize the Second-Level Sharpness Technique."
The crowd suddenly realized, Guo Zhen sighing in disappointment and helplessness.
Song Pei’er patted Guo Zhen’s shoulder reassuringly, telling him not to worry.
Setting aside the failure, Jiang Yuebai’s achievement of mastering the Second-Level Sharpness Technique in such a short time indicated her significantly higher chance of becoming a Spiritual Cultivation Master compared to others.
Thinking this, Song Pei’er’s eyes brightened.
Jiang Yuebai blushed with shame, clenching her fists, defiance gleaming in her eyes.
"Get up, try again."
Tao Fengnian’s gaze carried no blame, only encouragement.
Jiang Yuebai took a deep breath, standing up, a renewed sense of competition flaring within her, pondering deeply.
The Object Control Method had already been given to her by Tao Fengnian. She knew that before mid-stage Qi Cultivation, the mind wasn’t trained enough to be called Divine Sense.
At mid-stage Qi Cultivation, as the mind trained through Qi Circulation, channeling Spiritual Energy, it slowly combined with Spiritual Energy to transform into Divine Sense.
Only then could objects be manipulated from a distance, with strong enough Divine Sense opening the Sea of Consciousness during late-stage Qi Cultivation, allowing control over magic artifacts in preparation for Foundation Establishment.
But no rule says that at Qi Cultivation Third Layer, one couldn’t cultivate Divine Sense and open the Sea of Consciousness!
With snow covering her head, Jiang Yuebai closed her eyes, recalling the scene moments before.
Nervous, her palms sweating, she rubbed her hands on her waist, her fingers brushing against the scythe handle tucked at her back, sparking a sudden idea.
She activated the Sharpness Technique again.
Go!
This time, Jiang Yuebai didn’t charge blindly. She assessed her failure’s cause, hit upon a thought: if she could use the Object Control Method to control a scythe, could she not similarly control the Sharpness?
Like how she killed the Lantern Monster at Ten Miles Slope? Locate the weak point, secure a one-hit kill!
Though lacking Divine Sense, she excelled at killing the Lantern Monster at Ten Miles Slope!
Jiang Yuebai sustained the Sharpness, increased Spiritual Power output, attempting to use the Sharpness with the Wood Cutting Blade Method upon the Ice Armor Beetles’ heads.
Their backs were hard, but their necks couldn’t be as tough, right?
Slice!
Changing her strategy, the Sharpness cut into the Ice Armor Beetle’s neck, easily severing most of it.
Delighted, Jiang Yuebai found the Wood Cutting Blade Method fierce and unmatched, the Metal Sharpness slashing in overlapping blade shadows.
Slice!
With the final stroke, the Ice Armor Beetle’s head was completely severed by Jiang Yuebai’s Sharpness!
[You used the Sharpness Technique through the Wood Cutting Blade Method, successfully slaying the Ice Armor Beetle; quite talented, Wood Cutting Blade Method skill level +1]
Jiang Yuebai continuously activated the Sharpness Technique, repeatedly employing the Wood Cutting Blade Method to slice through the Ice Armor Beetles, causing many to fall off the seedlings.
Within the Ice Armor Beetles’ bodies, green vitality, belonging to the seedlings, slowly dispersed, some absorbed back by the seedlings, and some drawn by her to guide Wood Spirit Qi into her body.
Jiang Yuebai focused with vigor, cutting away, feeling an unseen force rushing into her head, making her temples throb with pain.
Buzz!
Suddenly, a sharp pain as if her head split open struck, disrupting her pest control rhythm.
[Congratulations, through trial and error, you have stumbled upon a method to temper Divine Sense]
