Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

He could sense that the sword energy his master, Shen Qingshan, had channeled into his body was not only for healing, but also carried a mysterious rhythm, as if guiding him to rediscover the structure of his own meridians and understand the deeper mysteries of the flow of true qi. This was a silent transmission, at the edge of life and death, at the moment of destruction and rebirth.

After an unknown amount of time, the flying boat finally landed smoothly at the gate of the Qingxuan Sect. Elders of the Medicine Hall and their disciples were already waiting, and the seriously injured were immediately taken away for treatment. Fu Shaoping was also taken to a quiet room deep within the Medicine Hall, a room with the most abundant spiritual energy.

The following days were spent immersed in endless medicinal effects, infused with spiritual energy, and struggling against his own will. Shen Qingshan visited almost every day, personally administering acupuncture and guiding his qi, his expression as stern as ever, yet his movements meticulous. Elder Liu, Zhou Meng, and others also frequently came to visit, bringing news of the sect's commendation—Fu Shaoping had made outstanding contributions in this battle, and the sect had decided that once he recovered, he would be promoted to a core disciple, enjoying the sect's most generous resources.

But these external honors and disgraces were now as insignificant as smoke in Fu Shaoping's heart. His entire mind was immersed in the struggle against his injuries and in reflecting on his own path.

Scenes from the Valley of Ten Thousand Miasmas replayed in my mind: the terrifying pressure of the Core Formation Demon, the absolute difference in strength between the Foundation Establishment cultivators, the futility of my own desperate attack, and finally, the resolute act of burning everything and sacrificing myself to block the attack...

Power! He craved greater power, not for fame, but for protection, for the ability to change things when a real crisis struck, instead of passively enduring it or needing others to risk their lives to protect him.

"My sword is not fast enough, not sharp enough, not strong enough."

In the intervals between excruciating pain and delirium, he cleared his mind of all distractions. With the last vestiges of clarity, he repeatedly contemplated the grandeur of the "rising dawn," the ever-changing "myriad flowing clouds," and the unfinished "breaking through the clouds." He even began to recall Shen Qingshan's dazzling sword strike, which severely injured a Core Formation cultivator and contained a level of swordsmanship far beyond his current understanding.

Time slipped by quietly amidst the fragrance of herbs and the misty air. Three months later, Fu Shaoping's chest bones finally healed, and the foreign true energy that had invaded his meridians was completely eradicated. On this day, after Shen Qingshan finished performing the ritual for him, she did not leave immediately. Instead, she looked at his now able-bodied figure and said calmly, "Only through destruction can one build anew, revealing one's true self. Your severe injuries this time have nearly reshaped your meridians. Though it was a tribulation, it was also an opportunity. Carefully sense your Qi Sea; how is it different from before?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Shaoping focused his mind on his dantian. His dantian, which had been nearly depleted due to his severe injuries, was now unusually "spacious" and "resilient," as if it had been expanded several times. Although the remaining true qi within was scarce, it was much purer and more refined, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible, sharpness that he himself had not noticed—the mark left by Shen Qingshan's sword essence.

"I feel... my Qi Sea seems to be wider, and my true Qi is more refined," Fu Shaoping said truthfully.

"Hmm." Shen Qingshan nodded. "After you recover from your injuries, your cultivation level may temporarily drop, but your foundation will be far superior to what it was before. Starting cultivation from scratch may not be a bad thing."

He paused, then flicked his sleeve, revealing a purple token—neither gold nor jade, but warm to the touch—before Fu Shaoping. The front of the token was engraved with an ancient-looking small sword, while the back bore the characters "Qingxuan" encircled by cloud patterns.

"This is..." Fu Shaoping felt a jolt in his heart as he sensed the subtle yet powerful sword intent emanating from the token.

"Core Disciple Token." Shen Qingshan said calmly, "With this token, you may enter the first three levels of the 'Sword Pavilion' and consult seventy percent of the sect's sword manuals; you may cultivate in the 'Sword Washing Pool' to temper your sword intent; your monthly stipend is five hundred spirit stones and one thousand contribution points. Furthermore," he looked at Fu Shaoping with deep eyes, "now that you have already begun to comprehend the 'Heart Sword' technique, once your cultivation recovers to the seventh level of Qi Refining, you can come to me, and I will teach you the final move of the 'Three Forms of Sunset Glow'—'Bloody Sunset'."

Core disciples! Sword Pavilion! Sword Washing Pool! The setting sun is like blood!

Even with Fu Shaoping's unwavering will, he couldn't help but feel his heart surge with emotion. This was not merely a leap in status, but a passport to a higher realm of swordsmanship!
"Disciple...will certainly live up to the high expectations of Master and the sect!" He took a deep breath and solemnly accepted the token.

"No need for thanks." Shen Qingshan turned and walked towards the door of the quiet room, pausing slightly. "Remember, the essence of the Sword Pavilion lies in understanding its spirit, not imitating its form; the water of the Sword Washing Pool is for tempering one's will, not for sharpening its edge. Strength is ultimately an external thing; only when one's sword heart is unwavering can one go far."

As soon as he finished speaking, the figure in the blue robe disappeared outside the door.

Fu Shaoping held the warm token in his hand, feeling the immense sword intent and infinite possibilities contained within it. He also recalled his master's last admonition, and the excitement in his eyes gradually turned into calm.

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes again, and began to guide the faint but extremely pure true energy, slowly circulating it through his body according to the method of the Yi Mu Qing Yuan Jue.

This time, it's not about healing, but about truly rebuilding the foundation and embarking on a new journey.

He knew that when he stepped out of the pharmacy again, sword in hand, it would be a brand new beginning. The road ahead was still fraught with thorns and formidable enemies, but his sword was ready to meet any challenge.

The quiet room in the medicine hall seemed to be a world of its own, isolated from the noise of the outside world and the passage of time. Fu Shaoping's heart was as calm as an ancient well, his entire mind immersed in the cultivation of rebuilding his foundation.

Just as Shen Qingshan had predicted, his original Qi Refining Level 6 cultivation level temporarily "dropped" due to the reshaping of his meridians and the purification of his true qi, stabilizing at around Qi Refining Level 4. However, he could clearly feel that the purity and compatibility of this Qi Refining Level 4 true qi with his meridians were far superior to what he had before his injury. Although his Qi Sea was not yet full, it was like a widened riverbed, waiting for an even more turbulent river to flow.

He no longer rushed to improve his cultivation level, but instead focused on consolidating his foundation. The Yi Wood Azure Origin Technique circulated continuously, and the Yi Wood Azure Qi, like the most patient craftsman, meticulously nourished and warmed each newly grown and more resilient meridian. At the same time, he began to re-examine what he had learned.

The magnificent initial meaning of "the rising sun", the ever-changing prototype of "thousands of clouds", and the still rough "cloud breaking" that was forcibly integrated at the critical moment of life and death, as well as the Golden Rainbow Escape Technique that saved his life and gave him a preliminary understanding... Every move and every style was repeatedly disassembled, combined and deduced in his mind.

The pure sword essence left behind by Shen Qingshan was like a silent teacher, its sword rhythm subtly influencing him and giving him a deeper understanding of the control of true qi and the concept of "momentum".

During this time, Elder Liu, Zhou Meng, Chen Lin and others came to visit him one after another. Seeing that his breathing was becoming more and more stable and his injuries were steadily recovering, they were all relieved. They left some pills and spirit stones and then stopped disturbing him, giving him ample space to recuperate.

In the blink of an eye, another two months have passed.

On this day, Fu Shaoping awoke from a deep meditation. As his eyes opened and closed, a gentle, jade-like light, yet with an inner sharpness, flashed and disappeared. He slowly rose, stretched his limbs, and felt a subtle yet powerful hum emanating from within his body. His cultivation had naturally recovered to the fifth level of Qi Refining, and was incredibly stable, only one step away from the sixth level.

More importantly, he felt better than ever before. His meridians were unobstructed, his internal energy flowed freely, his mind was clear, and his understanding of swordsmanship had reached a new level. It was time to emerge from seclusion.

He pushed open the door to the quiet room, and the long-awaited sunlight bathed him, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees. The disciples on duty at the medicine hall saw him come out and quickly stepped forward to greet him, informing him that he was now free to move around.

After thanking him, Fu Shaoping did not immediately return to his core disciple's cave. Instead, he headed straight for the sacred place in the hearts of all sword cultivators—the Sword Pavilion. The Sword Pavilion was not a single building, but a complex of buildings built against the mountain. It was constructed entirely of a black mineral called "Sword Testing Stone," exuding an ancient and weathered charm. Even before getting close, one could feel the chilling atmosphere created by countless sharp sword intents.

He presented the core disciple's token, and the guarding elder verified it. With a hint of surprise and approval in his eyes, he waved for him to pass.

Stepping into the Sword Pavilion was like entering another world. An invisible pressure of swords filled the air, and the sounds of countless swords echoed in his ears. Fu Shaoping took a deep breath, circulated his Heart Sword Technique, kept his mind clear, and walked in step by step.

The first and second floors were filled with a vast ocean of sword manuals, covering everything from basic sword principles to various sword techniques. But he didn't stop there; using his core disciple token, he went directly to the third floor.

The third floor is much smaller than the lower floor, and the number of jade slips and books on display is reduced by 80%, but each one exudes a chilling aura of sword intent. The collection here contains at least mid-grade Xuan-level sword techniques, and even some Earth-level fragments and the lifelong insights of past sword masters.

Fu Shaoping didn't greedily browse through the books, but went directly to the area marked "Luoxia Lineage." There were only three ancient jade slips there.

He picked up the first one and immersed himself in it.

The General Outline of the Sunset Sword Manual.

It doesn't contain specific sword techniques, but rather elucidates the core of the Sunset Sword Intent—"Sunset Glow" is not merely radiance, but the moment when Yin and Yang of heaven and earth intersect, containing boundless vitality and the potential for extinction. The rising sun represents hope and beginnings; the myriad flowing clouds symbolize change and process; the blood-red setting sun signifies the ultimate and the final destination, and even... the cycle of life and death.

The general outline, written in a clear and concise style, thoroughly explained the internal connections and artistic evolution of the three forms of Sunset Glow, clearing up many of the confusions Fu Shaoping had previously encountered in his cultivation. He then realized how superficial his previous understanding of "rising dawn" and "thousands of flowing clouds" had been.

He absorbed the essence of the general principles with great eagerness, completely forgetting about time.

After an unknown amount of time, he finally put down the general outline jade slip and his gaze fell on the other two jade slips. One was "Detailed Explanation of Thousands of Flowing Clouds," and the other was "Initial Explanation of Blood-Red Setting Sun."

He suppressed the urge to immediately watch "The Setting Sun Like Blood," knowing that without a solid foundation, forcing himself to learn more advanced sword techniques would be harmful. He picked up "A Detailed Explanation of Thousands of Flowing Clouds."

This jade slip not only completes the basic qi cultivation method taught by Shen Qingshan, but also elaborates in detail on how to divide true qi into countless forms, simulating the ever-changing nature of flowing clouds, how to conceal killing intent within a dense offensive, and how to integrate "momentum" into the changes of each sword strike, making it as turbulent as a sea of ​​clouds, penetrating everywhere.

Fu Shaoping was completely absorbed in the scene, and many of his previously vague insights suddenly became clear. He even began to try to integrate and deduce some of the essence of "thousands of flowing clouds" with "the rising sun" in his mind at a deeper level.

He stayed on the third floor of the Sword Pavilion for seven days. Only after he had finally digested the essence of "Detailed Explanation of Thousands of Flowing Clouds" and felt that his mastery of "Thousands of Flowing Clouds" had made a qualitative leap did he reluctantly leave.

Next, he went to another secret realm that only core disciples were qualified to enter—the Sword Washing Pool.

The Sword Washing Pool is not actually a pool of water, but a naturally formed magnetic field of sword intent. The pool is not filled with water, but rather with a silvery luster that seems to be in liquid form. This is the "Sword Intent Liquid" that has been condensed over the years by countless predecessors of sword cultivators who left their own sword intent here.

Stepping into the Sword Washing Pool, a vast and chaotic torrent of sword intent surged forth, assaulting his mind. Some were incomparably sharp, some as heavy as mountains, some were sinister and unpredictable, some were as fiery as flames…

Fu Shaoping sat cross-legged by the pool, not immediately activating the sword intent liquid to temper his body. Instead, he once again circulated the Heart Sword Technique, slowly releasing his own sword intent, like a pebble thrown into a lake, silently colliding, exchanging, and tempering with the thousands of sword intents in the pool.

This was an extremely dangerous process; the slightest carelessness could result in a backlash from the chaotic sword intent, damaging the sword heart. However, Fu Shaoping remained steadfast, maintaining a sliver of clarity in his mind, guiding his sword intent, which blended the essence of the morning glow and flowing clouds, to become more refined and pure under the cleansing influence of countless sword intents, refining it from impurities.

He could feel that his sword intent was like a rough jade being sculpted little by little, its sharpness becoming more restrained, yet more resilient.

Time passed amidst the clash of sword intents. Only when Fu Shaoping felt his mental energy was about to be exhausted did he slowly withdraw his sword intent. Although exhausted, he could clearly sense that his sword intent was several times more solid than when he arrived, and his grasp of the "momentum" was also more precise.

After leaving the Sword Washing Pool, Fu Shaoping returned to his core disciple's cave dwelling. The cave dwelling was located on a mountaintop with even richer spiritual energy, and it covered a vast area, complete with a separate alchemy room, weapon forging room, and martial arts training ground.

He did not rest and went straight into the training ground.

The long sword is unsheathed.

This time, he didn't use any fixed moves, but simply acted as he pleased. Sometimes the sword light burst forth like the morning glow, instantly illuminating the entire training ground; sometimes it transformed into flowing clouds, dense and endless, silently slicing the falling leaves into fragments; and sometimes he attempted to merge the two, the cyan-gold sword light carrying the subsequent changes of flowing clouds, drawing mysterious trajectories in the air. Although it hadn't reached perfection, it was far superior to the "Breaking Clouds" of the past.

He was so engrossed in the world of swordsmanship that he forgot about time and the outside world.

Only after exhausting all his internal energy did he sheathe his sword and stand up, drenched in sweat, but his eyes gleaming with a bright and joyful light.

After being baptized by the Sword Pavilion and the Sword Washing Pool, he felt that he had taken a big step forward in the way of the sword, and he had a clearer plan for his future cultivation path.

He looked up at the even higher peaks hidden deep in the clouds.

Reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining, cultivating the "Bloody Sunset," and exploring a wider world... his goals were clearer than ever before. (End of Chapter)