Ding:Mental Energy Fully Replenished (120/120).
Li Shen's eyes flickered open. The faint morning glow had yet to breach the mountains, and his room was still wrapped in quiet darkness. The crystalline sound of the system's notification echoed softly in his mind — crisp, cold, and strangely comforting.
He sat up from his bed, the world still hushed. His breathing steadied. His body, though calm, brimmed with anticipation.
"System," he said in a low voice that trembled slightly with excitement.
"Use all of my mental energy to improve the Verdant Core Sutra."
Ding:Verdant Core Sutra (Tier III) [Proficiency: 10%] [Efficiency: 17% → 18.2%]
A warm current coursed through him. The system's silent guidance weaved through his consciousness like a master sculptor refining jade — smoothing imperfections, sharpening perception, deepening his attunement to heaven and earth. His breathing aligned subtly with the rustling of leaves outside, each inhalation mirroring the draw of Qi from nature itself.
But his focus had already shifted to something else — a promise left lingering in his mind.
"System," he said, his eyes gleaming faintly. "Can I use my previous reward — the one that grants full proficiency — on Cutter's Vital Rhythm?"
Ding:Host can use it without backlash.
"Proceed."
The moment he uttered the command, agony rippled through his body.
"Urghh!" His breath hitched as his muscles tensed, as if countless invisible threads were tugging them in unison. His veins throbbed with Qi, his blood roared like a surging river.
It was pain — but not the tearing kind he once felt during his first forced integration. It was refinement. His body was being adjusted, every fiber of muscle taught to remember, every joint reshaped to carry rhythm and precision.
This was what it meant to master a technique — the system was not teaching him how to move, it was engraving that knowledge into his very flesh.
Yet because he had endured similar integrations before, the backlash was muted, leaving only a deep soreness that pulsed through his arms.
Ding:Cutter's Vital Rhythm (Tier I) [Proficiency: 60% → 100%] [Efficiency: 100%]
He exhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling like the tide after a storm. The pain faded, leaving behind an exquisite clarity — every movement of his arm, every twitch of his wrist, felt alive, resonant with rhythm and vitality.
Then, another sound.
Ding: Host has successfully mastered two battle techniques. System will now merge compatible techniques.
Cutter's Vital Rhythm (Tier I) — Qi drawn during cutting rhythm, increases stamina, and boosts vitality.
Verdant Blade Form (Tier I) — Five foundational cuts that emulate nature's flow.
Ding: (Combined new battle technique improved to Tier II.)
Verdant Rhythm Blade (Tier II) [Proficiency: 1%] [Efficiency: 1%]
A new memory flooded into his mind — a seamless dance of breath and movement. The Verdant Rhythm Blade fused precision and vitality, turning each strike into a living manifestation of Qi's flow. Where the Verdant Blade Form was balance, and the Cutter's Vital Rhythm was endurance, this new technique was continuity — a symphony of rhythm, breath, and intent.
Each swing would no longer be separate — but a continuation of the one before it, like waves in an endless sea.
Li Shen rose. The first rays of dawn were still climbing over the horizon when he reached for his Verdant Spirit Blade.
The moment his fingers touched the hilt, a faint hum resonated in the air.
He stepped into the courtyard. Mist coiled at his feet, and dew still clung to the grass.
He breathed once — deep and steady.
Then, he began.
The blade whispered through the morning air, its motion fluid and deliberate.
The First Cut – The Verdant Dawn.
The sword descended in a vertical arc, splitting the mist like sunlight piercing clouds. His Qi pulsed in rhythm, drawing energy into his limbs with each motion.
The Second Cut – Flowing Stream.
He shifted seamlessly into a diagonal strike, his movements soft yet controlled. The energy flowed like a river, unbroken.
The Third Cut – Whispering Leaf.
A deceptive motion, light as the fall of a leaf. It twisted midway, redirecting the Qi's momentum into a hidden burst.
The Fourth Cut – Shifting Wind.
A turn, a counter, his blade recovering with grace, gliding as if guided by invisible currents.
Then came the new motion — the culmination.
The Fifth Form – Verdant Pulse.
His breath, Qi, and spirit synchronized. The blade's arc drew a luminous line through the mist, and for a moment, the entire courtyard seemed to breathe with him. The mist dispersed in ripples, and the hum of the sword faded like a sigh.
Li Shen lowered the blade, sweat glistening across his brow. His heart beat steadily, his body alive with rhythm.
"This…" he murmured, smiling faintly, "this is harmony."
After steadying his breath, he crossed his legs on the wooden platform. The world grew still once more.
It was time.
"System," he whispered, "begin cultivation — Verdant Core Sutra."
The flow began slowly, like the awakening of a sleeping forest. His Qi spread through his meridians, tracing elegant paths illuminated by his consciousness. The Sutra's rhythm was unlike any technique he had practiced — it wasn't about pulling Qi greedily, but breathing with the world.
Outside, the morning wind brushed against his face, and he could almost hear it — the pulse of the world.
Qi seeped into him like dew through soil, nurturing and refined.
Time slipped away unnoticed.
Five hours later.
Ding:Verdant Core Sutra (Tier III) [Proficiency: 10% → 10.25%] [Efficiency: 18.2% → 18.7%]
Qi Density: 63 Q units → 77.5 Q units
(Calculation: 5 hours × (4.4 base × 0.187 efficiency modifier) + 1 environmental bonus + 2 absorption boost from mid Spirit Stone (Verdant Core Sutra doubles absorption rate))
Li Shen opened his eyes, feeling the surge of power coursing through his dantian. The single Mid Spirit Stone beside him had dimmed slightly — its once brilliant glow now faint, though still containing much of its essence.
"I've drawn only a fraction," he whispered, marveling. "Yet the difference is profound."
The Qi inside his body was purer, denser. His breath felt lighter, and his control, sharper. Every pore, every muscle responded with subtle precision.
He rose slowly, sheathing his sword at his side. The morning sun had begun to peek through the veil of mist.
He moved again — the Verdant Rhythm Blade unfurling with newfound power.
This time, the air itself seemed to follow the motion of his strikes. Each slash released faint arcs of green energy that fluttered like leaves caught in a storm. His body moved as if carried by the rhythm of the wind; each step, each breath, each swing formed a single unbroken flow.
For Li Shen, it was as though the sword was no longer a weapon — but an extension of his will.
He could feel the Dao in his movement — the truth that power did not come from aggression, but from perfect resonance between mind, Qi, and blade.
The faint knock on his courtyard gate came just as he completed the fifth cut.
Knock, knock.
"Honored Young Master," a respectful voice said, "your breakfast is ready."
Li Shen exhaled, returning his sword to its sheath. "I'll be there shortly."
The maid bowed deeply when he opened the door. She presented a tray lined with porcelain dishes — spirit lotus porridge, crispy glazed boar slices, and steamed buns infused with Qi herbs. The fragrance was rich and gentle, suffused with life.
The first spoonful flooded his body with warmth. Compared to the coarse meals of outer disciples, this was divine. Even the simple act of eating in the inner sect nurtured cultivation — every dish designed to harmonize body and Qi.
He ate quietly, each bite grounding him, steadying the wild excitement still lingering in his chest.
When he finished, he donned his new robes and stepped out of the courtyard. The morning sun had fully risen, the sect alive with activity — disciples practicing sword forms, elders guiding Qi refinement, birds soaring through misty peaks.
He made his way towards his master's courtyard, where his master resided.
Elder Zhang was seated by the veranda, sipping tea as always, his expression serene.
When he saw Li Shen approaching, a faint smile curved his lips.
"Good timing," Elder Zhang said, his tone calm but carrying quiet authority. "I was about to send a servant to fetch you."
He placed the teacup down, eyes sharp yet approving.
"I have a mission for you."