I'm determined to become an immortal!

Kou Xiang'er was quick and efficient, and soon returned from the secret vault, presenting a jade box with both hands.

He Sheng took the jade box, gently lifted it, and a refreshing scent of herbs and trees immediately wafted out.

Inside the box lay a translucent, pale blue plant, about an inch long, with seven slender leaves, each resembling a willow eyebrow, arranged in a spiral.

Most amazingly, each leaf tip, illuminated by the light, seemed to condense into a drop of silver light, appearing quite mystical.

"According to the Sixth Miss, this Spirit Rhinoceros Grass must grow by a pool with a spiritual vein, absorbing spiritual energy and moonlight for sixty years before it can mature."

Kou Xiang'er introduced it in a low voice from the side.

"This herb can permanently enhance one's comprehension slightly. The Sixth Miss said it is an invaluable treasure for those who cultivate supernatural arts or artifacts."

Supernatural powers?

Supernatural powers?

"Kou Xiang'er mentioned some kind of 'fate-defying supernatural power' before; it seems the word 'supernatural power' is quite extraordinary."

He Sheng pressed for more information, but Kou Xiang'er didn't know the details; she had only overheard what she heard.

He Sheng noted down the two names, looked at the Spirit Rhinoceros Grass in his hand, and nodded in satisfaction.

What he wanted was a permanent improvement in his comprehension, not some kind of sudden flash of insight or enlightenment.

Previously, whether using the water clock to cultivate secret techniques such as the "Clear Wave Water Control Technique" or the "Soul Imprint Technique", comprehension was a very important factor. One had to believe that one was a genius in this path in order to gain additional insights.

Isn't a genius simply someone with high comprehension?

In other words, comprehension is the key to triggering additional insights!

He Sheng knew that if his speculation was true, his comprehension would be of paramount importance.

With this thought in mind, He Sheng sent Kou Xiang'er away and put the translucent Lingxi grass into his mouth.

The Lingxi Grass melted instantly upon entering the mouth, without the expected powerful medicinal effects. Instead, a cool and refreshing sensation slid down the throat into the stomach, then transformed into tiny, star-like rays of light, silently permeating the body and finally reaching the sea of ​​consciousness.

"Um?"

He Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly. The feeling wasn't strong; there was no dramatic change, nor any sudden enlightenment.

But he could clearly feel that the faint 'stagnation' in his mind had been gently wiped away.

The feeling was like a dusty mirror being wiped clean and made brighter. Although the world reflected in the mirror had not changed, the mirror itself had become clearer.

"So this is the effect of a slight increase in comprehension."

The cool sensation gradually dissipated, and the physical sensation returned to normal.

"It's time to test the effectiveness of comprehension, as I've previously planned."

With a thought, He Sheng focused his mind on the minus sign at the end of the "Qinglan Water Control Technique".

Swah...

The "Clear Wave Water Control Technique," which had already reached a state of unparalleled mastery, experienced a wild fluctuation in its stats, eventually returning to zero, becoming:

[Technique]:

【Clear Water Control Technique (Beginner): 0/100】

(Total training time: one day)

In an instant, He Sheng felt all the insights he had about water magic recede from his mind like a receding tide.

The feeling of being one with the water vapor of heaven and earth completely disappeared, and the original lively and ripple-like artistic conception was also gone. He turned back into a beginner who only had a superficial understanding of water magic.

At the same time, the general practice time in the water clock increased dramatically.

[Current total available training time: 22 years, 2 months, 27 days]

Without pausing, He Sheng focused his mind on the plus sign after "Qinglan Yushui Jue".

Swish!

As a continuous stream of cultivation time is invested, a large amount of cultivation information is displayed.

After a year of arduous practice, your "Clear Wave Water Control Technique" has made great progress, and you marvel at your extraordinary talent in the art of water magic.

...

Once one has reached the pinnacle of mastery, the "Clear Wave Water Control Technique" can no longer advance.

Aside from the realm of water transformation, the realm of ripples, and the "Transcending Technique - Gathering Water to Break," I did not gain any new insights during this period.

"Could I have guessed wrong? Is comprehension having no real effect?"

Puzzled, He Sheng carefully examined the information displayed in the water droplet.

【Clear Water Control Technique (Masterful): 1000/1000】

(Total cultivation time: 16 years, 9 months and 17 days)

"If I remember correctly, it took me seventeen years, four months and twenty-two days to reach this point in my cultivation."

Now the time has been shortened... by seven months and four days.

In other words, increasing comprehension has an immediate effect; currently, it seems to be at least equivalent to a multiple of the training time!

He Sheng calmed himself down and calculated carefully, then murmured:

"If we follow the multiplier of cultivation time corresponding to comprehension, and assume that the effect remains constant, the previous comprehension can be quantified to 62. Assuming that the Spirit Grass only increases comprehension by 1 point, the current comprehension is 63."

That would perfectly match the shortened training time!

He Sheng originally thought that his increased comprehension would lead to new insights, but he did not expect that it would directly shorten the total cultivation time.

"That's good too. Even if it only improves comprehension by a tiny bit, it will have a direct effect."

He Sheng immediately tried other techniques.

After the revision of the "Flesh and Blood Rebirth Technique", ten days were saved;

The Soul Imprint Technique saves nineteen days.

However, the Qinglan Water Elemental Skill remained completely unchanged.

"Comprehension can only shorten the training time for techniques? It has no effect on magic?"

Or was my sample size too small?

Since he was still in the Lower River Branch, He Sheng dared not completely retreat. He only retreated to the early stage of Foundation Establishment to try, but there was no change whatsoever.

"Once this matter is settled, I need to find a quiet place to properly study the water clock."

He Sheng also considered the future; he currently had no intention of taking over the He family business.

Firstly, there was the direct threat of Ye Shao Chen, and he didn't want to be blocked by the other party with a sword in Changyang Mountain while he was cultivating.

Furthermore, the He family is far from the cultivation family he had imagined. If a great deal of effort is not made to reform them, they might cause trouble again someday.

However, making changes is not something that can be achieved overnight; it requires a great deal of effort.

If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to use that time and energy for self-cultivation?

Thinking about his future cultivation, He Sheng flipped his palm and took out two jade slips, both of which he had obtained from Wu Feng's storage bag.

The first is "The Secret of Refining Weapons at Tianyue Mountain", and the second is "The Forging Method of Divine Artifacts and Treasure Bottles".

The former is the weapon-refining inheritance that Wu Feng possesses, while the latter is a secret method of spiritual cultivation that can only be practiced with the aid of weapon-refining techniques.

"It's time to seriously consider where to cultivate in the future. After all, only by settling down can I study the art of weapon crafting."

He Sheng is now a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the Great Perfection stage. His first priority is to refine the prototype of a magic weapon. He has a third-tier treasure material, the Cold Soul Mystic Crystal Stone, given to him by the Star-Backed Mystic Turtle.

Once my weapon crafting skills improve, I can truly begin working on this matter.

But all of this requires, of course, a stable environment for spiritual practice.

"When we send Xiang Kou'er to Yuanxia Immortal City later, we need to carefully investigate her."

Since he wasn't going back to the He family, he could only change his appearance and become a rogue cultivator. He naturally couldn't stay in the Silver Sand River area, since the resources were too limited. Without the support of his family, he couldn't even get a second-tier spiritual vein.

"perhaps..."

As He Sheng was pondering this, his consciousness stirred slightly.

It turned out that his divine sense, enhanced by the subtle ripples of the realm, had sensed a Foundation Establishment cultivator heading towards Xiajiangfang, already several miles away.