In the Cultivation World, 99 percent of cultivators are at the Qi Refinement stage, so there is a habit among cultivators to divide the Qi Refinement stage into nine levels, and only afterwards do the realms include three sublevels.
However, for the Seek Dao Sect, it is different. Qi Refinement is simply the threshold for entry, so why bother subdividing it?
The Seek Dao Sect only has the Qi Refinement stage, without any sublevels.
"Do other people also cultivate in this way, guiding the Qi into the body?"
Lu Yang was curious. If everyone else was cultivating in this manner, why was his progress the slowest?
Yun Zhi shook her head, "What you are practicing is the most primitive way of cultivation of the ancient ancestors. They resonated with nature, united heaven and man, guided Spiritual Energy into their bodies, and instantly became cultivators."
The initial cultivation did not require the guidance of predecessors or the existence of cultivation techniques. What was needed was only constant enlightenment and the trial and error of the body itself.
"As for the meridians, during the medicinal bath, your meridians have been completely opened, allowing Spiritual Energy to flow smoothly. Under your state of unity of heaven and man, Spiritual Energy moves according to your feelings. This route is the best for you, superior to any level of cultivation technique."
The Cultivation World tends to categorize cultivation techniques into five levels: Yellow, Mysterious, Earth, Heaven, and Immortal. But for Yun Zhi, there were only two kinds of cultivation techniques — those suitable for her and those unsuitable for her.
"Any cultivation technique was not specifically designed for you when it was first created. There are many techniques suitable for those with the Sword Spirit Root, I even have a box full of them, but none of them are suitable for you."
"Starting today, I am assigning you a long-term task: to create your own cultivation technique."
When Yun Zhi said to create a cultivation technique, she naturally did not mean for Lu Yang to explore on his own. She would guide him, but even so, one can imagine the difficulty of this task.
Creating a cultivation technique was something that only the old veterans in the Cultivation World could do.
Lu Yang twisted his mouth in discomfort, "To create a cultivation technique, those predecessors, their status is high, and they have a thorough understanding of all realms. They are qualified to create cultivation techniques. Me, who just started to guide Qi into my body, to create a cultivation technique is a bit... "
Yun Zhi interrupted Lu Yang's complaint, "Creating a cultivation technique is not as difficult as you might think."
"Do you know that the Seek Dao Sect has a rule? After the Foundation Establishment stage, each disciple must complete the tasks released by the Task Hall to fulfill their duties on the Righteous Path."
Lu Yang nodded, he had heard of it.
Other sects also have similar mechanisms, requiring their disciples to complete tasks because the sects don't tolerate idleness. To prove your worth, you must contribute to the sect.
However, the Five Great Immortal Sects were different: they asked their disciples to release tasks, not to contribute to the sect, but to contribute to the Righteous Path.
The Five Great Immortal Sects leading the Righteous Path was not just empty talk.
"Generally, the tasks require going down the mountain to eliminate demons and expel ghosts, among other things. I don't like the worldly troubles, so I chose another way to complete the tasks."
"What is it?"
"Task Hall has a standing task: to back up a cultivation method not previously recorded by the Seek Dao Sect. This is also considered as completing a task."
"Then, Eldest Senior Sister, you..." Lu Yang has a bold and somewhat ridiculous idea.
"So, in order to... complete the task, I created many cultivation techniques and tricked them into thinking that I found them in the Relic Blessed Cave."
"Unfortunately, I was found out later."
"How were you found out?" Lu Yang asked further.
"Because according to the tasks I reported, I have been all over the Relic Blessed Cave, and I did not know which one to make up next."
"So, you see, creating a cultivation technique is not difficult."
Yun Zhi gave her own experience as an example, with good reasoning, convincing Lu Yang.
Lu Yang opened his mouth, wanting to say "Eldest Senior Sister, I thought you were honest, but I didn't expect you to lie," "Eldest Senior Sister, your intelligence does not match us," and "What you call creating a cultivation technique could be called random concoction on my part."
Lu Yang looked into Yun Zhi's indifferent eyes and all his words were reduced to one sentence.
"Eldest Senior Sister is right."
"Although you have become a cultivator, you are still far from being a qualified sword cultivator. Here's a book for you."
The Eldest Senior Sister handed over an ancient book, which was made from the skin of an unknown demon beast. It was large, thick, and heavy.
"'Monster Field Chronicles'?" Lu Yang opened the ancient book, feeling a sudden chill. Various demon beast images jumped off the pages, and he could even faintly hear the roars of the demon beasts.
This book must be priceless!
Lu Yang pondered as he turned the pages. Swordsmanship requires sword intent. He just started Qi Refinement, so how could he cultivate sword intent?
He had heard that ancient swordsmen gained their initial sword intent in bloody battles with demon beasts, in the struggle between life and death, and while directly coping with the ferocious intent of the demon beasts.
So the answer seemed clear: he had to envision the images of demon beasts, comprehend their ferocity, take the essence and discard the dross, and by incorporating thousands of demon beasts into a single point, he would gain his unique sword intent.
Even though this methodology was challenging, it was perfectly suited for someone with the Sword Spirit Root like himself.
He could also see Eldest Senior Sister's deep expectations for him.
"I understand," Lu Yang said, understanding the implications of Eldest Senior Sister.
Yun Zhi glanced at Lu Yang, she had no idea what he had understood. She gestured, and the puppet brought another cart of tofu.
"As long as you understand."
"To become a sword cultivator, you need precision. Take this Green Peak Sword. The next thing you need to do is to use the tip of the sword to carve the tofu into the shape of a demon beast. The shapes of the demon beasts are all in the book."
Yun Zhi took out a sharp sword from her storage space, its blade glinting coldly. The words "Green Peak" were engraved on the hilt.
Lu Yang: "..."
Tofu again?
Perhaps that nightmare he had was actually a premonition, hinting at his future title as Tofu Celestial?
Damn, he couldn't afford to think like that.
Lu Yang quickly banished this terrifying thought from his mind.
As he took the Green Peak Sword, he felt that it was very lightweight.
In fact, it was not that the Green Peak Sword was too light, but rather the opposite. The Green Peak Sword was definitely not designed for cultivators in the first three levels of Qi Refinement. The sword was too heavy, and they wouldn't be able to lift it.
But Lu Yang was different. After his training, he had developed such strength that even he had no concept of how strong he was. Bluntly speaking, he, as he was now, could easily knock out any cultivator of the first three levels of Qi Refinement with a single punch, no technique needed.
...
Perhaps because he had stepped into the Qi Refinement stage and his innate talent for swordsmanship began to emerge, combined with the control gained from rigorous training, Lu Yang handled the Green Peak Sword with ease.
In just over ten days, Lu Yang was able to carve tofu into the shapes of various demon beasts and into the shapes of himself and Eldest Senior Sister, even the likeness of the nine lotus-shaped peaks of the Seek Dao Sect.
Following the folk entertainers, Lu Yang learned a new skill and made a name for himself in the kitchen.
He had to speed up because he couldn't eat any more tofu.
After Lu Yang completed this stage, the Eldest Senior Sister appeared. After some encouragement, she took out a sesame seed.
"Sword cultivation also requires training in observation. Now I will toss this sesame seed into the tofu scraps, you must find it in the shortest possible time."
Lu Yang fell to his knees, "Eldest Senior Sister, can we find another way?"
The Eldest Senior Sister looked quietly at a begging Lu Yang, with no wave in her eyes.
"Oh."