Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

For the next six months, the team members did not leave the market, enjoying a rare period of peace.

With the help of the pills from the sect, Lin Zhao's cultivation level successfully broke through to the late stage of the sixth level of Qi Refining, not far from the seventh level.

Most importantly, after countless battles, his swordsmanship was finally about to break through, and his magic power began to transform into sword energy, but he suppressed it because he hadn't yet figured out his path.

Lin Zhao sat cross-legged in the training room, contemplating his own swordsmanship.

The deeper he delved into the Azure Profound Sword Manual these days, the more he realized the limitations of the sword cultivation path.

The powerful sword cultivators recorded in those ancient texts were all eccentric individuals.

They regard the way of the sword as the only way, rejecting all external things, believing that only "man and sword become one, and one sword can break all laws" is the best path.

If he takes this path, his future cultivation will only rely on constant fighting and battles, seeking breakthroughs on the edge of life and death.

Although this path is vigorous and progressive, it also severs his connection with other paths, and most importantly, it contradicts the path he aspires to.

However, the Azure Profound Sword Manual gave him new inspiration.

The second move of this sword technique applies magical cultivation methods to the way of the sword, transforming sword energy into other attributes, although it deviates somewhat from the way of the sword.

But this showed Lin Zhao another possibility.

Through his knowledge from his previous life, Lin Zhao learned that there is another path in swordsmanship: "One sword gives rise to ten thousand techniques," which is also the highest realm of swordsmanship. Or rather, the two paths ultimately lead to the same destination. What Lin Zhao needs to do is find this path.

The sword philosophy that Lin Zhao had previously comprehended was "The sword is a weapon of killing."

However, fragments of memories from his past life surfaced in Lin Zhao's mind. Those soldiers guarding the border, wielding weapons, did not fight, but rather protected their homeland.

The sword is indeed born for killing, but that shouldn't be its only purpose. Those soldiers are protecting something more important than themselves.

"I see..." Lin Zhao opened his eyes, a hint of understanding flashing in them. "A swordsman should be a weapon of protection."

Lin Zhao's mind gradually entered a state of clarity. When that state of "oneness with heaven and man" returned,

Without hesitation, he guided the surging magical power within his body and began the most crucial step: transforming his magical power into sword energy.

However, this transformation is different from what is recorded in the "Azure Profound Sword Manual".

The expected sharpness of the sword energy did not appear; instead, a gentle, flowing light circulated through the meridians.

Sometimes it transforms into pure spiritual energy to nourish the body, and sometimes it condenses into invisible sword energy to temper the muscles and bones. The two can be transformed freely and endlessly.

Lin Zhao suddenly realized something—this might be the prototype of "one sword gives rise to ten thousand laws"?

Although he didn't know what lay ahead, "protection" was the path he had chosen.

As his thoughts deepened, he pondered the concepts of "heaven and humanity." If "heaven" represents the natural laws of this world, then how should "humanity" interact with it?

Cultivators absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and comprehend the ultimate principles of the universe. Could it be that their ultimate goal is to become a part of "heaven"?

If that's the case, then wouldn't immortals become "heaven" in another sense?

Once this thought came to him, his mind cleared up.

If humanity is unjust, then man should stand up and punish on behalf of Heaven; if Heaven is unjust, then man should fight against Heaven with his own strength, just as the sword in his hand can both protect and punish. Man can surely conquer Heaven.

"Following the natural order makes one mortal; defying it makes one immortal. Immortals can ascend to heaven. Immortals are originally human, but humanity can conquer nature!"

This sudden realization struck Lin Zhao like a thunderclap in his mind. He slowly raised his hand, and the sword energy in his hand transformed into spiritual energy, which in turn transformed back into sword energy, forming a perfect cycle of control. In the end, it transformed into a condensed longsword, which hung in the quiet room.

The longsword, though its sharpness was not outwardly apparent, contained a chilling aura. This path, rooted in humanity, with protection as its initial aspiration, and the duty of punishing on behalf of Heaven, ultimately seeking transcendence, was his unique way of the sword.

"The Way of the Celestial Sword".

Inside the quiet room, Lin Zhao slowly opened his eyes, a flash of blue light seemingly disappearing in them.

Just as he comprehended the Celestial Sword Dao, he clearly felt a clarity in his sea of ​​consciousness, and his divine sense effortlessly broke through to the ninth level of Qi Refining. At this moment, his perception range expanded several times over.

"It's time."

He murmured to himself, a calm smile playing on his lips. Inside lay a perfectly round elixir, the size of a longan, with three clear cloud-like patterns on its surface. A spiritual light seemed to flow within the elixir; it was the Breakthrough Pill, coveted by countless mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

Logically speaking, he has only recently broken through to the late stage of the sixth level of Qi Refining, and should need another year to reach the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refining before breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining.

If it were the old Lin Zhao, he would have saved it for when he reached the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refining. But now, after comprehending the Heavenly Sword Dao, his state of mind is completely different. But now he will not hesitate, because he believes that he has enough ability to increase his value for himself and his family after breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, transforming into a gentle yet powerful medicinal force that surged into his meridians. An ordinary cultivator would have to exert all their strength to barely control this power. But within Lin Zhao's body, this medicinal force flowed like a stream returning to the sea, easily tamed.

His ninth-level Qi Refining stage divine sense precisely guided every ounce of the medicinal power, and the Celestial Sword Dao made his spiritual energy far surpass that of others at the same level, not to mention that he was currently in a profound state of oneness with nature. Combined with the "Breakthrough Pill," the four elements working together produced an effect far beyond imagination!

"boom--"

It was like a clap of thunder in spring, or the thawing of an ice river. The bottleneck of the late-stage Qi Refining realm that had trapped countless cultivators shattered without even lasting a breath under the impact of this power.

Abundant spiritual energy surged through his meridians like a river bursting its banks, causing his cultivation level to rise steadily.

After breaking through to the seventh level of Qi Refining, he took another step forward with the help of the medicine, and his cultivation continued to break through to the middle of the seventh level of Qi Refining before stopping.

Lin Zhao stood tall, feeling the surging power within him.

Ten years of arduous training are still vivid in his mind: at ten, he guided Qi into his body; at fifteen, he broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining; at sixteen, he reached the fifth level; and at eighteen, he reached the sixth level. Now, a year has passed, and at nineteen, he is already at the mid-stage of the seventh level of Qi Refining.

This speed is so fast that even among the most resource-rich sects, it would be considered exceptional.

Outside the Lin family's shop, a layer of spiritual energy barrier, like an inverted bowl, enveloped the entire shop. The surface of the barrier shimmered with light and rippled from time to time—a sign that the shop's protective array had been fully activated.

Lin Zhao's breakthrough was quite dramatic. His ninth-level Qi Refining Divine Sense and powerful Celestial Sword Dao could either trigger the shop's protective mechanisms. Lin Zhao, focused on cultivation, had no time to attend to these, resulting in the shop being completely covered by the array barrier.

In the backyard of the shop, Lin's father was not in the market, and Zhao Ziming was in charge of the shop. Zhao Ziming was sweating profusely in the middle of the backyard.

He gripped the array token tightly in his hand, constantly trying various incantations. However, with only the fourth level of Qi Refining cultivation, he was unfamiliar with arrays and, after working on it for a long time, still couldn't shut it down.

"Why can't this formation be closed?"

Just as he was at a loss, a soft sound suddenly came from the backyard. The barrier, upon touching a certain figure, automatically parted, creating a gap as if spring snow had met the sun.