"Do you really want to learn these divine abilities?"
Seeing Lu Yang's expression of interest, Wang Borong was also a bit surprised and could not help but say, "Junior Brother, on the Immortal Path, cultivation realm always comes first. You need to get your priorities straight." In his view, Lu Yang had earned so many contribution points at such a young age.
In the future, even if Foundation Establishment was not a guarantee, reaching Perfection in the Qi Refining Realm was still very hopeful. Why would he need to practice those divine abilities with such immense side effects? So what if his combat power reached the heavens?
When his lifespan ended, would he not still be just a pile of dust?
"Life is short, do not lead yourself astray."
Speaking to this point, Wang Borong revealed a sorrowful expression, "You are still young, you do not yet understand this principle. Flowers may bloom again, but a person can never be young twice."
"Right now, you are in the prime of your life, but what about ten years from now? Twenty years from now?"
"The choice you make today might seem satisfying, but in reality, its drawbacks might only become apparent decades later. By then, there will be no medicine for regret."
Before his voice had even faded, Wang Borong seemed to fall into reminiscence again. After a good while, he said with emotion, "You do not know, when this old man was young in the Saint Sect, I was quite glorious. But I took one wrong step, and as a result, I wasted my entire life.
To this day, every time I think of it, the pain is unbearable." As he spoke, Wang Borong's eyes turned red. Under the influence of the wine, he simply pulled Lu Yang over and began to tell him about his glorious past.
In fact, it was nothing much. It was simply that when he was young, he did not understand the importance of the grade of one's True Qi. He had accidentally obtained a cultivation technique below the seventh grade and cultivated it.
As a result, the grade of his True Qi was too low. He had no hope of Foundation Establishment in his entire life, and it was even difficult to reach Perfection in Qi Refining.
For decades, he had one foot in the grave, while his former fellow disciples and the women he admired extended their lifespans one by one, remaining youthful to this day. How much regret, how much heartache this must cause. But alas, who in life can start over?
"What? I can start over? Then it is fine."
Seeing Wang Borong pass out drunk like this, Lu Yang finally stood up. Following Wang Borong's description, he found the book "Heavenly Demon Transforming Blood Divine Light". It was undeniable that this was indeed a demonic art.
Lu Yang exchanged for it, his expression grave.
"Quick to master, great side effects, high risk. It has almost all the characteristics a demonic path art should have."
To master this divine ability, one must first select a magical artifact, then use the magical artifact to flay one's own skin alive. Then, using a secret art, it must be refined for eighty-one days to create a ray of blood-transforming treasured light.
This light attaches to the magical artifact, and ordinary cultivators would be injured by a graze and killed by a touch.
"At the same time, I myself will become a blood shadow that exists by relying on the magical artifact."
"If the magical artifact is not destroyed, the blood shadow will not perish."
"The side effects are that my lifespan will be halved, and after transforming into a blood shadow, I will no longer have a human body, but merely a human form. Therefore, my cultivation level will no longer improve."
"Good, it suits me perfectly!"
Lu Yang's eyes brightened, and he immediately decided to practice this divine ability. And in the process of practicing, he discovered that this divine ability actually had another version. It seemed some Great Cultivator had revised and optimized it.
"After all, this divine ability is indeed wondrously profound."
"The revised version does not require the cultivator to flay themselves for a blood sacrifice. Instead, it has the cultivator use their own siblings or descendants for the blood sacrifice."
"In this way, one can also master this divine ability. However, because the blood shadow refined in this manner is ultimately not the cultivator themself, it is difficult to control freely, so there is a danger of backlash. But I am different. Whether it is this life or the next, the blood shadow will only ever be me!"
Several days later, Lu Yang left the Scripture Pavilion. In addition to this, he also purchased the "Divine Firmament Sword-Riding True Art" again for the full price. After all, only by doing this could he openly display it in the future.
The next day, the "cultivation technique" was delivered.
"Demon!"
Looking at Yun Miaoqing, who was clutching the magical sword at her neck in his hand and staring at him with an unyielding expression, Lu Yang suddenly had a feeling that a lifetime had passed. But he quickly threw it to the back of his mind.
"My apologies, I need the method and experience for refining a sword pellet."
"What? How could you know... Mmm... Wait, you...!"
The first time is unfamiliar, the second time is easy. Relying on his familiarity with Yun Miaoqing, Lu Yang went all out and quickly plundered the necessary knowledge and experience from her. Pulling up his pants, Lu Yang turned and left.
This time, he went to Myriad Treasures Peak, the mountain peak corresponding to the outer sect's Treasure Refining Hall. It was one of the four inner sect peaks, and most of the Saint Sect's magical artifacts came from here.
"I want to rent an earth-fire furnace."
Arriving at the front desk, Lu Yang stated his request directly. After providing enough contribution points, he was invited into the highest-grade furnace room a quarter of an hour later. After making ample preparations, he took out the materials.
Three liang of metal essence, three liang of jade marrow, two liang of cinnabar, two liang of sword qi. Then, he formed a hand seal, drew fierce flames from the earth's core, and threw them all into the furnace together!
"Although most of the sword pellets from the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion are refined by sect elders, that is in the righteous path, where you do not have to worry about people playing tricks behind your back. This is the Primordial Saint Sect. Rather than pinning my hopes on the moral integrity of the treasure refiner, I might as well do it myself. The worst that can happen is I try a few more times."
One set of materials cost 2000 contribution points. Lu Yang had earned a total of ten thousand contribution points. After deducting the cost of the divine ability and cultivation technique, and repaying his loan, his entire fortune could only buy three sets of materials for refining a sword pellet.
"If I fail all three times, then I will just try again in the next life!"
With this thought in mind, Lu Yang began to strictly follow the method and experience he had plundered from Yun Miaoqing, controlling the earth-fire to slowly condense all the materials. The metal essence fused with the jade marrow, the cinnabar combined with the sword qi... Gradually, a pellet appeared within Lu Yang's spiritual sense.
However, before he could feel joy, he saw the pellet suddenly tremble in place...
"Boom!"
It exploded.
One set of materials was wasted. Lu Yang calmly waved his sleeve to sweep away the debris, silently summarizing the lesson learned, "... My steps should have been correct."
"The problem lies in the final step."
Lu Yang reviewed Yun Miaoqing's memories, and understanding gradually dawned in his eyes.
"To refine a sword pellet, the sword and the heart must be one. I have not been cultivating the Divine Firmament Sword-Riding True Art for long, so my realm in the way of the sword is clearly lacking."
Logically speaking, this was a strict requirement that could only be fulfilled through slow grinding. However, this was from the perspective of the righteous path. After all, the righteous path emphasizes gradual progress and rarely uses methods that are rushed, seek quick success, and harm the harmony of heaven and earth.
But the demonic path did not care about these things.
"Sword and heart as one, in the end, it is about control over the sword pellet... In that case, if I simultaneously cultivate the Heavenly Demon Transforming Blood Divine Light, the effect should be the same!"
"The effect might even be better!"
After all, the Heavenly Demon Transforming Blood Divine Light was a technique of sacrificing one's body to a treasure. Once mastered, one practically merged with the magical artifact. The degree of compatibility would surely far exceed the so-called 'sword and heart as one'.
"However, to achieve this, the anesthesia I prepared beforehand cannot be used..."
Refining a sword pellet was delicate work. If he took medicine to suppress the pain, causing his reactions during the refining process to be half a beat slow, it would very likely result in failure. Therefore, he must remain fully conscious throughout the entire process.
"This is the demonic path; one has to be ruthless to oneself. Otherwise, how can one be considered a talent?"
Thinking of this, a ruthless glint immediately appeared in Lu Yang's eyes. A moment later, he sat upright before the earth-fire furnace, stuffed a torn cloth into his mouth, and waited until the sword pellet formed again. Then, he manipulated the sword qi to descend upon himself...