Lin Yulan sat in contemplation, staring at the soft glow of the candles flickering in the room. Her thoughts were occupied with the growing task of guiding her disciple. While her own techniques Dance of Frost and the Dance of the Ice Blade were effective, they were primarily suited to female cultivators and based on the icy element that she had mastered. Her disciple, however, required something more fitting for his unique cultivation journey.
She turned her gaze toward the system interface, which appeared before her in the air, a display of options available at her command.
"System," she asked, her tone both thoughtful and decisive, "What would you recommend as a base for creating a cultivation manual for my disciple? My current manuals focus too much on female cultivators and ice techniques."
The system responded with its customary precision. **"Recommendation: Purchase a manual from the system store of common rank and use your insights and knowledge to adapt it for your disciple's needs."**
Lin Yulan's mind began to work, her thoughts turning over the possibilities. There were many options, but the system had already guided her toward a solution. She rose from her seat, heading towards the chest she had secured in the far corner of the room. The chest was sealed with a low level formation she had acquired from a loose cultivator a man she had killed during an earlier excursion into the mountains. His strength was formidable, but her own cultivation was far beyond his.
With a flick of her wrist, she dispelled the formation. The chest creaked open, revealing an assortment of beast cores neatly arranged inside. She scanned the contents quickly:
- **20 Tier 1 cores**
- **12 Tier 2 cores**
- **3 Tier 3 cores**
- **6 Tier 4 cores**
With a mental command, Lin Yulan instructed the system to convert the cores into points. She watched as the points were tallied up:
**[Monster core conversion rates are as follows:]**
- **Tier 1: 10 points per core**
- **Tier 2: 20 points per core**
- **Tier 3: 30 points per core**
- **Tier 4: 40 points per core**
The system responded swiftly.
**"20 Tier-1 cores: 200 points"**
**"12 Tier-2 cores: 240 points"**
**"3 Tier-3 cores: 90 points"**
**"6 Tier-4 cores: 240 points"**
**"Total points: 770 points."**
Lin Yulan nodded, satisfied. With the points now in her account, she turned her attention to the store function. As she opened it, a wide range of martial art manuals appeared in front of her, each with a brief description of its abilities and focus. Her eyes skimmed over the summaries, considering the options carefully. There were numerous manuals available, each specializing in different elements or cultivation techniques.
She needed something versatile, something she could adapt and refine. After a few moments, a particular manual caught her attention.
A common-rank sword cultivation manual titled Swords of Light stood out among the others. Its description was brief but intriguing: "This technique allows cultivators to summon up to three light blades, which can be controlled and used in combat. Suitable for those with an affinity for the light element."
"This could be it," Lin Yulan murmured to herself. The concept was solid summoning and controlling light blades was a promising technique. Yet, she could see the potential for further development. She selected the manual, purchasing it for **300 points**. This left her with **470 points** remaining.
She then opened the creation function of the system. Here, Lin Yulan prepared to shape the manual into something far greater. Using Swords of Light as the foundation, she began to modify it. Her mind raced as she considered how to improve the manual's core concepts.
First, she focused on the light element itself. The new manual would prioritize control over light, allowing the cultivator to gradually summon more blades as their affinity for the element grew. But she didn't stop there. The sharpness and effectiveness of these blades would be tied directly to sword intent, a concept she had studied extensively over the years. Only when the cultivator understood sword intent would the blades reach their true potential.
"I will need to ensure the stances align with these principles," Lin Yulan thought, her eyes narrowing as she recalled the stances she had developed in her own training. Although incomplete, they would serve as a perfect starting point for the new manual.
But there was one more aspect to consider: the sword domain. Lin Yulan hesitated she wasn't sure how to integrate it into the new manual. Still, she couldn't ignore its potential. The idea of combining light element control with sword intent into a domain intrigued her. She wondered if the system could help create a cultivation manual for something she had not yet fully grasped herself.
"System," Lin Yulan asked, her voice a bit uncertain, "I want to include a sword domain in this manual. Can you help cultivate a domain even if I don't fully understand it myself? Can you simulate something that I haven't mastered yet?"
The system's cold voice responded, **"Domain cultivation is a specialized skill that requires direct knowledge and understanding. Without the necessary foundation or comprehension, creating a domain-focused technique may result in an incomplete or unstable manual."**
Lin Yulan furrowed her brow, thinking quickly. "Then, could you include the domain as a placeholder? It could be added later, once I acquire more knowledge."
The system processed her request. **"Understood. Domain cultivation will be unavailable for now due to insufficient knowledge, but the manual will be upgraded later to include domain techniques when the host gains the necessary understanding."**
Lin Yulan nodded, the hesitation leaving her as she accepted the system's approach. "Very well. Proceed with the simulation."
**"Simulation in progress. Estimated time: 30 minutes."**
She settled back into a chair, watching the simulation unfold. As she waited, she felt the weight of the task before her this manual would shape her disciple's future. The thought of guiding him down a new path filled her with a quiet sense of fulfillment.
While the system worked, Lin Yulan took the opportunity to prepare for bed. She moved about the room with practiced grace, brushing her hair and changing into her night clothes.
**"Simulation complete. The new manual, *Light of the Sacred Sword*, is ready. Earth-ranked."**
Lin Yulan's lips curled into a smile. "Perfect," she whispered, her heart light with satisfaction.
She took a moment to reflect on her work. *Light of the Sacred Sword* would provide her disciple with a solid foundation, one that could grow and evolve over time.
As she closed her eyes, a new path awaited them both. Tomorrow, her disciple's cultivation would begin, and the journey to mastery would unfold before them.