[Spell auto-update complete. This was a minor version update. The spell's effects have been adjusted as follows:]
[Basic Sword Qi: Enhanced Sword Qi power, increased Sword Qi quantity, greater casting distance, and reduced True Qi consumption.]
He had just finished the Refinement of the Flying Sword, Bikong, which he had borrowed from Zheng Yi.
His Basic Sword Qi had successfully been upgraded to version 4.0.
This time, however, the upgrade didn't add any new mechanics. Instead, it was a comprehensive boost to the Basic Sword Qi.
Its four basic attributes—power, Sword Qi quantity, casting distance, and True Qi consumption—had all been upgraded at once!
Gazing at the Flying Sword in his hand as it dematerialized into ash, Qi Yun narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting thoughtfully.
'I borrowed this Flying Sword with my own abilities. Why should I return it?'
'And since I don't have to return it, it's my property. And if my property is gone, well, it's gone.'
With that line of reasoning, Qi Yun felt his mind clear, the gloom in his heart vanishing. He held his head high and strode outside, ready to test the effects of his version 4.0 Basic Sword Qi.
「A short while later.」
The once-elegant little courtyard was now in complete shambles.
The decorative rockery that had served as his target was now riddled with countless holes from the sharp Sword Qi, resembling rotten wood ravaged by a violent storm.
Qi Yun stood amidst the rubble and dust, nodding slowly.
'Overwhelming stats really are more intuitive than new mechanics!'
Compared to adding new mechanics, a pure stat boost had a much more noticeable effect on the spell's power.
After this upgrade, the power of his Basic Sword Qi had surged, making it almost comparable to the higher-grade Red Night Sword Qi.
Forget a person—it could now easily pierce even a thin sheet of crude iron.
The number of Sword Qi streams had increased from one to two; with a single thought, he could now unleash both at once!
The range increased from the original thirty feet to a hundred feet.
The True Qi consumption was significantly reduced, dropping to just one-third of what it was before.
This meant he could spam the spell like a basic attack.
When combined with its miraculous effects of instant casting and continuous tracking...
...this version 4.0 Basic Sword Qi had already far surpassed the Red Night Sword Qi scroll.
'The only drawback is that I'm the only one who can master this spell.'
"And beyond all that, the Basic Sword Qi has an even greater strength..." Forming a hand seal for the Sword Formula with one hand, Qi Yun chanted the Spell and thrust his palm forward. A stream of Sword Qi shot out, BOOM!, and blasted the already-pockmarked rockery into dust.
"Even though its power has been completely transformed, the Sword Formula and Spell for Basic Sword Qi haven't changed."
"When I face an enemy, they'll see me forming the hand seals for the Basic Sword Qi's Sword Formula and Spell and will inevitably underestimate me. Just like that, I'll have seized fifty percent of the initiative."
"Then, once he's felt the true power of my Basic Sword Qi, I'll follow up with an instant-cast attack to catch him off guard. That's the other fifty percent of the initiative."
"Against anyone in the same Realm, few should be able to escape in one piece." Nodding thoughtfully, Qi Yun strode over to the Screen Wall and opened the Infinite Treasure Market.
He still had a good amount of Holy Essence left from his Talisman Painting sales, and he planned to purchase some Spiritual Objects to upgrade the version level of his spells.
His Clear Wind Technique and Basic Sword Qi were sufficient for now, so he would use all his remaining Holy Essence to upgrade his protective spell, the Skull Curse.
You have to stay alive to have a future!
His mind made up, Qi Yun no longer hesitated. His fingers swiped rapidly across the Screen Wall, filtering for Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Objects that could accelerate the Skull Curse's auto-update process.
...
"The Shiyi Realm? What kind of place is that?"
A month and a half had passed. Wu Tao, having received no reply from Qi Yun, sent a second letter.
The contents of this letter, however, had changed.
Perhaps feeling that his previous, abrupt invitation for Qi Yun to travel and meet had made his intentions a bit too obvious.
This time, Wu Tao claimed he had gotten lucky and accepted a Sect mission to the Shiyi Realm.
The rewards were supposedly extremely generous and the risks very low, but he couldn't handle it alone, so he wanted to invite Qi Yun to go with him.
As if disdainful of Qi Yun's inferior tea, Zheng Yi had brought some of his own home-grown Spirit Tea this time.
As it began to brew, a rich, soul-refreshing aroma wafted through the entire courtyard. A single whiff was enough to clear the mind and soothe the spirit.
"They're small demiplanes, either carved out by Ancient Cultivators or having drifted close from the Outer Realm. They often have ownerless treasures scattered about, so they're jokingly called 'gleaning grounds.' That's the origin of the name Shiyi Realm—'to pick up what's left behind.'"
"If you're lucky, you can find Magical Artifacts, Dharma Transmission Jade Talismans, or even Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Objects."
"However, such places are lawless and chaotic, and they fall outside the Holy Sect's jurisdiction."
"It seems the Flower Moon Hall Master is getting impatient. He plans to lure you to the Shiyi Realm to make his move, thus avoiding the Holy Sect's oversight." Zheng Yi took a light sip of his Spirit Tea, glanced at the letter, and explained slowly.
"This Foundation Establishment Master is going to act personally?" Even though he had been prepared for this, Qi Yun still felt a sense of gravity at the thought.
That was a Foundation Establishment Master, after all, a being with world-shaking power. A mere Junior Cultivator at the Qi Refining Third Layer like himself was truly no different from a speck of dust in the Master's presence.
A single breath from such a person could turn him to ash.
"Unlikely."
Zheng Yi set down his teacup, which made a crisp clink against the stone table.
"Song Kun may be arrogant, but he's no brainless brute."
"Act personally and leave behind loose ends? He wouldn't do something so foolish."
"He'll most likely send one of his disciples to do it for him."
Of course, there was one thing Zheng Yi left unsaid: 'An ant at the Qi Refining Third Layer like you, are you even worthy of a Foundation Establishment Master acting personally?'
"That's good, then." Qi Yun breathed a small sigh of relief. As long as he wasn't facing the Foundation Establishment Master in person, he still had some room to maneuver.
"What's so good about it? The youngest disciple under the Flower Moon Hall Master is at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. His eldest disciple is at the Qi Refining Great Perfection and already preparing to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."
"You don't have a chance of winning against any of them," Zheng Yi stated bluntly.
"Ah? It's that dangerous...?" With a look of shock, a glint appeared in Qi Yun's eyes, and he immediately said:
"If that's the case, then I won't be able to complete the mission the Master gave me."
"Oh, what ever shall I do!"
He smacked a fist into his palm in frustration—SMACK!—and tentatively glanced up at Zheng Yi.
"Unless... Senior Brother could spare me a few more life-saving items..."
"Hold it!"
Zheng Yi, who had just been lifting his cup to take a sip of the fragrant tea, nearly swallowed it whole. He slammed the cup down and quickly waved his hand to cut Qi Yun off.
He was all too familiar with his junior brother's shamelessness.
A few more words, and he'd probably have another layer of his personal savings scraped away!
"You don't need to worry about this matter!" Zheng Yi's tone was firm and decisive, leaving no room for doubt. "Master has already made foolproof arrangements!"
"You just need to go to the Shiyi Realm at the appointed time, as the letter says."
"Don't ask about anything else."
"Alright, then."
Seeing Zheng Yi's resolute tone, Qi Yun could only nod and drop the matter.
'Tsk, he's gotten smarter...'
...