When I return to my rightful place, destiny itself shall be your reward.
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[Today, the Profound Moon True Fire was used to cut down a ghost; Profound Moon True Fire gains +1 intelligence.]
"It really works!"
Seeing the familiar text box appear, Xiao Qingpei, though he had anticipated it, could not help but feel elated.
From this moment on, his path to immortality was assured!
The greatest difficulty in condensing the Fate Pill lay in the Profound Moon True Fire lacking intelligence, or even if it possessed intelligence, it was not strong enough. But for Xiao Qingpei, this was no longer a problem.
"Come to think of it, the strength of a magical treasure hinges on intelligence. Whether one can refine a magical treasure, the key is still intelligence..."
Xiao Qingpei’s thoughts raced, joy upon joy filling his heart.
When his Sword Pellet gained +1 intelligence, he had focused solely on it, and then, due to lack of talent, had not examined this aspect carefully. Now, realizing this, he instantly understood: with these two talents, if he used them well, he could completely outshine the heroine’s Fuyao System!
On the path of cultivation, intelligence is needed in many places—not just here. Alchemy, talisman crafting, and countless other arts require it.
Low-grade spiritual talismans do not require intelligence.
But at certain heights, higher-grade talismans demand sufficient intelligence.
As for talismans imbued with intelligence... Xiao Qingpei had heard that in the past, a Nascent Soul ancestor dissatisfied with the Pure Yang Taiyi Palace refused tribute and pilgrimage. In response, the Palace merely dropped a single spiritual talisman, which slew the ancestor outright.
This story might be somewhat exaggerated and sensational, but it is undeniable that a talisman rich in intelligence can threaten even a Golden Core cultivator!
"If I can nurture intelligence within these system-gifted treasures, they’ll be as if I forged them myself..."
Without hesitation, Xiao Qingpei took to the clouds and departed.
He disturbed no one in his departure; only the nearby county town continued to gossip about the old man leading the skeleton. Yet, in the direction Xiao Qingpei left, a dark cloud followed from afar.
However, the cloud did not pursue him for long. Upon witnessing Xiao Qingpei "artificially" create a "phantom ghost" for the second time, the dragon-like figure within the cloud departed.
The Dao of phantom ghosts was merely a minor path, a mutated offshoot from combining the Dao of Apparitions and the Dao of Faith—strange and cunning, but hardly worthy of true cultivation.
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Originally, the dragon-like figure believed that Xiao Qingpei, who had helped him escape, was a descendant of his old friend "Dao Ghost" and had come to rescue him by command.
Thus, after their chance encounter, he followed.
But after tailing Xiao Qingpei and confirming that the cultivator only commanded the minor Dao of phantom ghosts, the figure lost interest.
He realized that his early escape was merely a stroke of luck.
Therefore, if he truly wished to return, he could only rely on himself and had no reason to concern himself further with the little cultivator who had accidentally aided him.
Though his nature was cold, he was not ungrateful. Once he returned to his proper place, he would bestow upon the little cultivator a decent fate in recompense.
...
Xiao Qingpei was completely unaware that he had been followed, or that his second talent—"Better Me Than Thee"—had been mistaken for the Dao of phantom ghosts. At this moment, he had "enlightened" a ghost creature.
He was now waiting for seven days, when the ghost would return, so he could use the Profound Moon True Fire to refine it once more, gaining another +1 intelligence.
During these seven days, Xiao Qingpei naturally continued his diligent cultivation.
The ghost creature that appeared this time was especially powerful, as the item Xiao Qingpei used was over a hundred and twenty years old.
Naturally, such a formidable ghost brought even greater improvements.
Combined with the daily double reward of "Heaven Rewards Diligence," Xiao Qingpei’s cultivation soared. Since breaking through to the second layer of Foundation Establishment unexpectedly, he now showed signs of reaching the third layer.
Cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage was vastly different from the Qi Refining stage. Qi Refining only required a Pure Yang Dao cultivation method—even incomplete—as long as the qi movement section was correct and one worked diligently, after twenty years or so, one could reach the peak of Qi Refining.
After all, this world is saturated with Pure Yang Immortal Qi; practicing Pure Yang Dao methods is akin to cultivating with constant elixirs—except it is a gift from Heaven, with no side effects.
But Foundation Establishment is different; it demands comprehension of the mysteries of Heaven and Earth. If the method involves the stars, one must grasp the workings of the stars, striving to gain a hint of their true meaning.
Many Qi Refining cultivators, after passing the Immortal Examination, advance to Foundation Establishment, but often remain stagnant for twenty or thirty years thereafter.
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Foundation Establishment is the true test of spiritual aptitude and cultivation talent!
Xiao Qingpei’s current method was not of the Pure Yang Dao, yet his progress was no different from those who practiced it.
He needed to comprehend the true meaning of nurturing life!
At this stage, the importance of the ancient texts he had read previously became evident.
Even if he had not fully understood certain passages at the time, now, aided by his "Better Me Than Thee" talent, he could easily grasp them.
A chilling wind swept through.
Xiao Qingpei knew at once: his long-awaited "main event" had arrived. Without hesitation, he produced the Profound Moon Fire Seal.
With his immortal power, the treasure rose on its own. One of the skulls opened its mouth and spat a torrent of azure-gold flames upon the ghostly figure.
The newly manifested ghost was instantly obliterated, along with the ancient item within.
After gaining +1 intelligence, the Profound Moon True Fire within the treasure had grown vastly more powerful.
[Today, the Profound Moon True Fire was used to cut down a ghost; Profound Moon True Fire gains +1 intelligence.]
The text box appeared again. Though he did not gain double cultivation progress today, Xiao Qingpei’s mood was still excellent; he could distinctly sense the Profound Moon True Fire in the treasure had developed powerful intelligence.
"Just one or two more times, and the Profound Moon True Fire will complete its final transformation."
Without delay, Xiao Qingpei moved on, using his second talent to "enlighten" more ghosts, finishing them off with Profound Moon True Fire.
Thus, half a month later, as another ghost was reduced to ashes by the Profound Moon True Fire—
The azure-gold flames suddenly emitted matching radiant light, then gathered themselves into a ball and flew straight into Xiao Qingpei’s palm.