In the secret chamber, Lin Tianming sat cross-legged on the floor.
He had been comprehending the first mystical technique attached to the Tiangang Body Art for several days without moving a step.
At this moment, Lin Tianmaking's expression was calm as he thoroughly studied the secret technique, with his mind envisioning a terrifyingly powerful Sword Array!
With each major realm achieved in the Tiangang Body Art, one could unlock a Divine Skill, and what Lin Tianming was comprehending now was the very first one.
"Earth Fiend Sword Formation!"
The Earth Fiend Sword Formation was created based on the arrangement of the Earth Fiend Seventy-six Stars. When fully activated, its power was earth-shattering, and Lin Tianming admired the ingenious thoughts of its creator to the extreme after seeing it.
Lin Tianming couldn't help but sigh, "The people of ancient times were truly remarkable, to have created such against-the-heaven cultivation techniques. They were indeed worthy of the golden age of cultivation!"
When the Earth Fiend Sword Formation was deployed, it could mobilize seventy-two Spirit Swords to trap the enemy within, capable of confining or shredding them.
The higher the level of the Spirit Swords, the stronger the attack power and the speed was incredibly fast. The attack was extremely powerful but it was also a test for the cultivator's own Spiritual Power, Divine Sense, and physique.
In varying levels of cultivation, the Earth Fiend Sword Formation could mobilize a different number of Spirit Swords. In the Qi Refinement Realm, one could simultaneously wield a maximum of thirty-six First Order Spirit Swords—the magnitude of that attacking power was unimaginable!
In the Cultivation World, Sword Cultivators have always been among the top in terms of attack power, and their Sword Array Divine Skills are even more formidable.
After several days, having practiced the formation in his mind over a hundred times, Lin Tianming carefully grasped the layout, sequence, and key points of the Earth Fiend Sword Formation. He basically felt ready to attempt using it.
With more practice and fine-tuning, he would achieve instant activation, increasing both the power and precision of the Sword Formation.
Although he had successfully cultivated the secret technique, Lin Tianming currently only had three First Order Medium Grade Spirit Swords, and the number was a bit short.
Even though he had just entered the Seventh Level of Qi Refinement and couldn't possibly deploy all thirty-six Spirit Swords at once, he deduced that he could still mobilize about a dozen or more.
Since it was currently difficult to gather enough Spirit Swords, he could only try forming a simple Sword Array with three swords. The power should not be less than that of the Divine Ability Fire Yuan Slash included in his previous cultivation technique!
He took out three Spirit Swords from his storage bag, and they levitated neatly in front of Lin Tianming.
These three Spirit Swords were spoils from the time he killed the man in red. Back then, without any Sword Formation techniques, he could only refine one Spirit Sword for traveling and fighting.
Now, he needed to refine the remaining two Spirit Swords to form a Sword Array for defense. In the event of a sudden emergency, he would not be thrown into disarray and lose his life.
Two days later, Lin Tianming successfully refined the two Spirit Swords. He could now try deploying a small Sword Array to see just how powerful it really was, something he was looking forward to.
The mystical techniques that came with a Heavenly Grade Technique would certainly not be underestimated, and it would definitely be more powerful than the Three Stars Spirit Sword Technique used by the man surnamed Jin. As for the exact power it held, only a trial would tell.
With less than half a month left until the one-year deadline, time was pressing, and Lin Tianming decided to leave the seclusion.
There was no open land within the city, and a simple gesture from a cultivator could unleash a power capable of shaking the heavens and earth.
Therefore, the city was not suitable for practicing such mystical techniques, and Lin Tianming planned to find an open space outside Qingfeng Town to start trying.
Before long, Lin Tianming appeared on the pavilion's outer square, where the Purple Gold Eagle lay snoozing heavily on the ground.
Lin Tianming walked slowly towards the Purple Gold Eagle. The beast sensed its master's presence before Lin Tianming got close, immediately getting up and trotted over, fawning and seeking approval.
At first, Lin Tianming didn't notice but upon closer inspection, he found that Purple Gold Eagle had successfully advanced to the First Order Late Stage, and he was overjoyed.
It had been over three months since they left the Purple Cloud Mountain Range. The Eagle was already in the First Order Middle Stage and not far from the Late Stage.
Although the Lingshen Pills fed to the Purple Gold Eagle were not very effective, the quantity it consumed was not small, especially when considering that he, himself, only took two or three Lingshen Pills for cultivation each month.
Lin Tianming spared no expense on the growth of the Purple Gold Eagle; had his fortune not increased significantly, he truly wouldn't have been able to afford its upkeep!
Both master and beast had made breakthroughs, and with his cultivation technique nearly complete, Lin Tianming felt like he was blessed with triple happiness and couldn't contain his excitement!
With a command, he jumped onto the back of the Purple Gold Eagle, and they turned into a streak of light, rushing out of the city.
Man and beast freely soared outside Qingfeng Town.
Half a quarter of an hour later, he descended into a secluded small valley.
Lin Tianming sat at the top of a hill while the Purple Gold Eagle soared nearby, watching out and also chasing some wild animals for fun.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Lin Tianming then summoned three Qingfeng Swords and began the cultivation technique for a full Grand Circulation.
Suddenly, Lin Tianming shouted loudly.
"Go..."
In the span of three breaths, the three Qingfeng Swords instantly appeared above a huge rock a hundred yards away, spinning ceaselessly and stirring up whirlwinds that tangled the surrounding flowers, plants, and trees into disarray, with only the massive rock remaining unshaken due to its immense weight.
At this moment, the three Spirit Swords spun rapidly, using their Sword Qi to form a barrel-like trapping array that ensnared the giant rock completely.
Seeing the effect of the Earth Fiend Sword Formation's trapping array, Lin Tianming was pleasantly surprised; he estimated that an average cultivator at the Sixth Level of Qi Refinement would have a hard time breaking out without some heaven-defying method.
Lin Tianming couldn't help clicking his tongue. If he were to fully summon all thirty-six Spirit Swords to form the sword array, even a cultivator at the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement would struggle to break out.
After testing the trapping power, Lin Tianming was extremely satisfied with the might, which had far exceeded his expectations!
"Grind and kill!"
Lin Tianming made another hand gesture, muttering words under his breath!
"Kill!"
The Spirit Swords forming the sword array swiftly intercrossed, stabbing toward the center!
In an instant, the hundred-yard rock appeared as fragile as tofu, and in just a few breaths, it crumbled into pieces.
Lin Tianming was also shocked by such power!
Witnessing the scene, he couldn't help but think that if he were trapped inside without a substantial number of Defense Talismans and relied only on offensive methods, he would likely face a nine out of ten chance of death.
After finishing his practice, Lin Tianming thought to himself.
From what he could see, whether it was the trapping or the killing formation, the power truly lived up to a top-level Heavenly Grade Technique, and indeed made one shudder with fear.
After calibrating his fluctuating emotions, Lin Tianming did not let arrogance get the better of him.
The Nine Provinces Continent had a million-year legacy with no shortage of exceptional beings and top-level techniques.
If he had such means, it was inevitable that other cultivators would as well.
Therefore, when combating enemies, one must never be complacent; a single mistake could mean no chance of survival.
Having experienced the effects of the trapping and killing formations, he realized that since this was his first time deploying the mystical technique, he hadn't yet fully grasped the essence, making the spellcasting process too long.
A span of three breaths was far too long, as an enemy would not stand still waiting to die.
After all, a cultivator's movements were agile, and their speed was extraordinary; they would likely have vanished long before.
The higher the level of the secret technique, the more difficult the cultivation, and to use it to its fullest potential, hundreds of practice sessions would be required.
Otherwise, a technique initially grasped might not be as effective as a basic Five Elements Cultivation Technique perfected to its utmost.
Since he had already sufficiently mastered the basic principles and with more than ten days left before his return to Green Bamboo Mountain, he could take this opportunity to practice further, ensuring an additional layer of safety on his journey home.
Under the scorching sun, Lin Tianming delved into his arduous practice once again.
Every time his Spiritual Power was reduced to less than half, he would take a Lingshen Pill to recover to an ample state and then resume his practice.
...