Day 1
Azrael stood in the center of his cave, the Grade 5 formation plate in his hands. It was a solid piece of jade, roughly the size of his palm, inscribed with intricate arrays that glowed faintly with spiritual energy.
Grade 5. Decent for most core disciples. Barely adequate for what he needed.
"Let's fix that," he muttered.
His 30% consciousness partition had already analyzed the formation plate's structure, identifying every rune, every energy channel, every connection point. Now, with his early Grade 8 formation comprehension, he could see not just what it did, but what it could do.
He placed the plate on the ground near his cave entrance and began modifying it.
His finger traced new patterns in the air, spiritual energy following his movements like luminous ink. Additional runes materialized around the existing formation, interlocking with the original design. He rewrote energy pathways, optimized qi distribution, and layered secondary and tertiary effects on top of the base array.
The sect's basic formation only provided simple concealment—hiding qi fluctuations and preventing spiritual sense from penetrating. Useful, but limited.
Azrael's upgraded version would do much more.
Aura and Qi Suppression: Any energy released inside the cave would be completely contained. No leakage, no detection.
Defensive Barriers: Multi-layered shields that could withstand attacks up to peak Nascent Soul realm. Each layer would regenerate automatically using ambient qi.
Counter Attacks: Intruders who tried to force their way in would trigger automated qi blasts calibrated to their cultivation level. Strong enough to cripple but not kill—unless they were stupid enough to keep trying.
Three hours later, the formation was complete. The Grade 5 plate now functioned at early Grade 7 effectiveness—two full grades higher than its original capacity.
Azrael activated it with a pulse of qi. The cave entrance shimmered briefly as the formation settled into place, then became invisible again.
"Perfect," he said. "Now for the qi gathering array."
He pulled out the Grade 6 formation plate—far more expensive and complex than the Grade 5. This one would require serious work.
The traditional Qi Gathering Array was simple: passively pull surrounding spiritual energy into a confined space. Useful for cultivation, but inefficient. It gathered energy indiscriminately, which meant you got whatever ambient qi was available—sometimes conflicting elements, sometimes impure residue.
Azrael was going to do better.
He sat cross-legged in front of the Grade 6 plate and began reconstructing it from first principles. His Heaven-Defying Comprehension tore through the existing design, extracting the core function and discarding everything else.
Then he rebuilt it.
The new formation was called the Grand Spirit Convergence Array.
Unlike the basic version, this array didn't just gather qi—it refined it. The formation would filter incoming spiritual energy, removing impurities and separating conflicting elements. Then it would amplify the pure essence, increasing density exponentially. Finally, it would harmonize all elements into a balanced state, preventing turbulence or backlash.
The effects would be extraordinary:
Exponential Density Increase: The longer it ran, the denser the qi became. After a week of continuous operation, the cave's spiritual energy would rival that of a sect's inner sanctum.
Zero Turbulence: Excessive energy wouldn't cause instability or backlash. The array would automatically regulate flow.
Elemental Balance: All six elements he'd comprehended—fire, water, earth, wind, wood, space—would coexist harmoniously instead of conflicting.
Conversion Efficiency: 70-90% of raw ambient qi would be converted into refined, law-aligned essence instead of the usual 20-30%.
Cultivation Speed: Meditating in this environment would be 5-10 times more effective than normal.
Azrael spent the rest of the day inscribing the upgraded array. The runes covered the entire floor of his cave in concentric circles, each layer handling a different function: gathering, filtering, refining, amplifying, harmonizing.
When he finally activated it at sunset, the change was immediate.
Spiritual energy began flowing into the cave like water down a drain. The air grew thick with refined qi. His skin tingled as law-aligned essence brushed against him. The formation hummed softly, a perfect harmonic resonance.
"Excellent," Azrael said, feeling the density increase with each passing minute. "This will make cultivation infinitely easier."
Day one: complete.
Day 2
Azrael woke refreshed. The Grand Spirit Convergence Array had been running all night, and the cave's qi density had already tripled. He could feel the refined essence saturating the air.
But today wasn't for cultivation. Today was for equipment.
He pulled out his sect-issued Han Jian sword—a basic Grade 1 weapon given to all outer disciples. Simple steel blade, wooden handle, minimal enchantments. Functional but unremarkable.
It wouldn't do.
Azrael placed the sword on his desk and closed his eyes, focusing on his Law comprehensions, at this level, he could manipulate matter at the atomic level, disassembling and reassembling molecular structures with precision.
He reached out with his spiritual sense and began breaking down the sword.
The blade dissolved into a cloud of atoms—iron, carbon, trace elements floating in organized patterns. The wooden handle separated into cellulose fibers and lignin. Everything reduced to its most basic components.
Now came the fun part.
Azrael began reconstructing the sword, but this time with intention and design. He rearranged the atomic structure, increasing carbon percentage for flexibility, adding trace amounts of spiritual metals he synthesized from ambient qi. The blade reformed into a sleek jian sword—straight, double-edged, elegant.
The design was modern, almost sci-fi. Clean lines, perfect balance, a subtle curve near the tip. The blade was dark gray with a mirror polish. Along both sides, he inscribed runes in flowing script—formations for sharpness, durability, qi channeling, elemental adaptation.
Each rune was precisely placed, drawing power from the blade's internal formation network. The sword would now:
Cut through Grade 6 spiritual materials effortlessly Channel any of his six elemental laws with perfect efficiency Self-repair minor damage using ambient qi Adjust weight and balance based on his needs Resist corrosion, heat, cold, and spiritual attacks up to Grade 8
The handle was wrapped in synthetic leather he'd created, perfectly contoured to his grip. The crossguard was minimalist but functional. The whole weapon radiated quiet lethality.
When he finished, he held up the completed jian sword and smiled behind his mask.
Grade 8 Jian Sword—created from a Grade 1 base. Not bad.
Next: the spatial bag.
His current storage pouch was adequate—about the size of a small room inside. But he needed more. Much more.
Azrael picked up the worn leather bag and repeated the process. Atomic disassembly. Molecular reorganization. This time, he focused on creating a ring instead—sleek, simple, made from the refined materials of the bag combined with synthesized metals.
The ring was dark blue with subtle engravings. Comfortable, unobtrusive. It would fit on his right middle finger.
Then came the hard part: spatial expansion.
Using his Space Law comprehension, Azrael began folding dimensions inside the ring. Layer upon layer of compressed space, each fold expanding the internal volume exponentially.
The process was exhausting. Each fold required perfect precision—one mistake and the pocket dimension would collapse. His soul strained under the effort, his qi reserves depleting rapidly.
But slowly, steadily, the internal space grew.
Ten cubic meters. One hundred. One thousand. Ten thousand.
When he finally stopped, the ring's internal space was the size of a small country—roughly 50,000 square kilometers. He could have continued, but his energy reserves were tapped out. Any more and he'd risk soul damage.
Still, a country-sized storage space was more than sufficient for now.
Azrael slipped the ring onto his finger and transferred everything from his old spatial bag. Spirit stones, materials, his sect token—all of it vanished into the ring's pocket dimension.
Much better.
Finally: the gloves.
He pulled out the standard leather gloves he'd purchased and the ten rod-shaped qi-conducting gems. These would be the most complex project yet.
First, he disassembled the gloves and remolded them to fit his hands perfectly. The leather became sleeker, more form-fitting. He reinforced the structure with synthesized fibers that were flexible but incredibly durable.
Then he began inscribing runes.
The runes covered the entire surface of both gloves in intricate patterns—energy absorption, qi storage, rapid charging, controlled release. Each rune connected to an internal formation network that would manage power flow.
For the gems, he created pocket spaces inside each glove—five per hand. The gems would sit in these dimensional pockets, invisible from the outside but fully functional. When he needed them, they'd feed qi directly into his meridians through the glove's formation network.
The runes would passively absorb ambient qi and channel it into the gems for storage. With the upgraded absorption rate and new qi gathering array, each gem could fully charge in about six hours instead of the usual three days.
Finally, he upgraded the gloves' durability using formations layered into the material itself. Grade 8 defensive enchantments that would resist spiritual attacks, physical damage, and elemental effects.
When he finished, the gloves looked deceptively simple—sleek black leather with faint blue runes glowing along the fingers and palms. But they were masterpieces of formation craft.
Each glove could store enough qi to sustain Golden Core-level combat for a day. Combined, they'd let him fight at full power far longer than his natural reserves allowed.
Azrael put them on and flexed his fingers. The fit was perfect. The runes pulsed softly as they began absorbing qi from the increasingly dense cave atmosphere.
Day two: complete.
Day 3
Today was about looking the part.
Azrael pulled out his sect-assigned combat outfit—a more practical version of the outer sect robes. Cultivators didn't fight in baggy ceremonial garments; those were for formal occasions. Combat outfits were sleeker, designed for mobility.
But the sect-issued version was still basic. Standard fabric, minimal enchantments, barely Grade 2 in terms of protection.
Not acceptable.
Azrael disassembled the entire outfit—shirt, pants, boots, belt—and began reconstructing everything.
The color scheme stayed the same: outer sect gray and blue. But the fabric quality increased dramatically. He wove in spiritual fibers that were light, flexible, and incredibly tough. The material would breathe like cotton but resist damage like steel.
He inscribed micro-formations into the weave itself—defensive barriers, temperature regulation, self-repair, qi circulation assistance. The outfit would now protect against attacks up to early Golden Core level while remaining comfortable for extended wear.
The design was sleeker, more modern. Less flowing fabric, more fitted lines. The shirt was form-fitting with a high collar. The pants were reinforced at the knees and thighs. Everything moved with him instead of billowing dramatically.
For the boots, he added traction formations, impact absorption, and feather-light enchantments. He could run up walls or across water if needed.
When he put on the complete outfit and looked in his bronze mirror, he barely recognized himself.
The gray and blue combat clothes fit perfectly, the runes hidden in the fabric glowing faintly. The sleek jian sword hung at his waist. The upgraded gloves covered his hands. The space ring sat unobtrusively on his finger. His mask covered his face, fractal eyes invisible behind smooth surfaces.
He looked like a disciple from a much more prestigious sect. Maybe even a young elder in disguise.
"This'll do," Azrael said.
But exhaustion was catching up to him. Three straight days of intense formation work, atomic manipulation, and spatial folding had drained his soul to its limits. His consciousness felt stretched thin, like overworked muscles.
He needed rest.
Azrael collapsed onto his meditation mat and immediately fell into deep sleep. His 70% consciousness partition continued working on the qi control technique synthesis, but the rest of his mind shut down completely.
He slept for the entire day and night, his body and soul recovering in the qi-dense environment of his cave.
Day 4
Azrael woke to a mental chime.
[Synthesis Complete]
[New Technique Created: Primordial Flow Control Art]
[Rank: Primordial]
He sat up quickly, his mind immediately accessing the completed technique in his Myriad Spiritual Library.
The technique appeared in his consciousness like a perfect crystalline structure—every principle, every exercise, every application laid out with absolute clarity.
It had surpassed even Divine rank and reached Primordial rank—a tier that touched the fundamental nature of qi itself.
PRIMORDIAL FLOW CONTROL ART
Rank: Primordial
Core Concept: Use every drop of qi perfectly. No waste, no leakage, just pure, devastating precision.
Philosophy:
Most cultivators used qi like a raging river—powerful but wasteful, with energy spilling in all directions. The Primordial Flow Control Art transformed qi into a razor-thin stream, perfectly smooth and guided. Every atom of qi moved in harmony with the user's intent, hitting with full efficiency.
Even a tiny spark of qi could carry the weight of a world when used correctly.
Main Features:
1. Perfect Flow Control
Qi moves exactly where it's needed—not a single wisp escapes Techniques become faster, sharper, and several times stronger with the same amount of qi Efficiency approaches 100%, eliminating all waste
2. Atomic Precision
The user can split qi into microscopic threads to strike weak points A small amount of qi can pierce armor or disrupt another cultivator's energy flow Can target individual meridian points or specific organs with hair-thin accuracy
3. Recycling Flow
After each move, remaining qi automatically cycles back into the body "Wasted" qi turns into pure energy that strengthens the dantian and meridians Creates a perpetual refinement loop—every technique use improves cultivation slightly
4. Energy Amplification
Because no qi is lost, every technique feels "heavier" A simple palm strike can carry the force of a powerful martial skill Law-infused attacks gain exponentially more impact from the same qi investment
Combat Applications:
At mastery, a cultivator could:
Fight opponents 7 to 10 major realms higher with equivalent energy efficiency Sustain full-power combat 10-50 times longer than normal Execute techniques that others consider "impossible" due to complexity Control qi in others' bodies (with permission or if significantly weaker)
Training Method:
The technique came with progressive exercises, each building on the last. Azrael would need to master them in sequence to achieve full Primordial-rank proficiency.
Azrael stared at the technique in awe.
This was perfect. This was exactly what he needed.
With this level of qi control, his theoretical combat power against Peak Core Formation cultivators would become real and even massively surpass it. And with his qi storage gloves providing additional reserves, he could sustain that power for extended periods.
His estimate flashed through his mind: With perfect qi control at Primordial rank, my effective combat power could reach early Star Convergence realm.
That was insane. Star Convergence realm was seven major realms above his current Qi Condensation cultivation.
But the technique was useless without practice.
Azrael spent the rest of day four beginning the training exercises. The first stage focused on perceiving individual qi particles within his dantian—a level of sensitivity most cultivators never achieved.
He could already feel the difference. His qi, which normally flowed like liquid, now felt like he could grasp individual droplets.
Days 5, 6, and 7
The next three days blurred together in a haze of focused practice.
Azrael worked through the Primordial Flow Control Art's exercises methodically, his Heaven-Defying Comprehension accelerating his progress dramatically.
Day five: Mastered individual qi particle manipulation. Could move single "atoms" of energy with perfect precision.
Day six: Achieved recycling flow. His techniques now returned unused qi to his dantian automatically, making every move also a cultivation exercise.
Day seven: Perfect flow control solidified. He could split his qi into microscopic threads or compress it into devastating beads at will. Every technique executed with zero waste.
By the evening of the seventh day, Azrael sat in meditation and reviewed his progress.
The cave's qi density was now ten times normal levels thanks to the Grand Spirit Convergence Array running continuously. His equipment was all upgraded to Grade 8 effectiveness. His combat outfit was comfortable and protective. His sword was a work of art. His gloves were charged and ready. His space ring held all his resources.
And most importantly, his qi control had reached Primordial rank.
He was ready.
Tomorrow, the qualifying competition would begin. Fifty spots. Hundreds of competitors. He only needed to place in the top fifty to enter the secret realm.
But he'd aim for top twenty-five. High enough to show competence, low enough to avoid excessive attention.
Azrael opened his eyes and looked down at his hands. Qi danced between his fingers like living threads, moving exactly where he willed with impossible precision.
He smiled behind his mask.
"Let's see how the competition handles this," he murmured.
Tomorrow would be interesting.
[END CHAPTER 9]