Several days later.
Inside the cave residence, Lu Yang sat cross-legged on a cushion. His right hand formed a seal, and a point of spiritual light gathered at his fingertips, finally transforming into a bone-white flying sword as thin as a cicada's wing.
The sword was bluish-white in color, and when it hummed, it sounded like rolling thunder.
"Go."
Lu Yang flicked his finger.
The bone-white flying sword instantly turned into a magnificent sword-light several zhang long and shot forward, the sword light howling like heavenly thunder sweeping across the sky!
"Good sword art!"
Seeing this, a look of joy immediately appeared on Lu Yang's face. Then he changed his sword formula, and the bone-white flying sword instantly split into two.
In the next second, Lu Yang's figure vanished from where he stood, as if he had teleported, directly appearing at the location of one of the sword lights. And as the sword formula in his hand changed, his figure seemed to turn into a streak of lightning, freely darting back and forth between the two sword lights.
After a long while, Lu Yang finally stopped, his face full of excitement.
"Excellent! Truly an excellent Divine Firmament Sword Control True Art!"
This sword art was actually very simple. After cultivating it, the practitioner could split off sword lights and then instantly move into the separated sword lights.
The higher the cultivation, the farther the distance one could move.
If the Sect Master of the Yushu Sword Pavilion were to personally take action, he could even sit in the Yushu Sword Pavilion and teleport ten thousand miles with a single sword, taking an enemy's head with a smile.
And this was only the most basic transformation of the sword art.
Going further, it was said that one could truly manifest the might of Divine Firmament lightning through the sword light. Unfortunately, that part of the technique was not something Lu Yang could get his hands on.
Not because he couldn't extract it—but because Yun Miaoqing herself didn't know it either.
But that was normal. After all, if it were the complete Divine Firmament Sword Control True Art, a mere 1000 contribution points definitely wouldn't be enough. Even 10,000 points would be more like it.
"Hmph, clumsy and stupid!"
A cold sneer came from behind.
Lu Yang turned around and saw that the woman from the Yushu Sword Pavilion was looking at him with a face full of disgust, contempt, and disdain.
After spending several days together, Lu Yang had gained a fairly good understanding of her.
The woman's name was Yun Miaoqing, an inner sect disciple of the Yushu Sword Pavilion. She was a disciple of True Person Shenxiao and specialized in the Divine Firmament Sword Control True Art. She had once had cultivation at the sixth level of Qi Refining.
Lu Yang looked at Yun Miaoqing and asked curiously, "Did I use the sword art wrong?"
Yun Miaoqing turned her head away. "Do you think I would tell you? Demonic brute, even if you steal-learn my sword art, you're just imitating the form without the essence!"
"Why bother?"
Lu Yang shook his head and walked up to Yun Miaoqing, looking helpless.
"Are you sure you don't plan to tell me? Or do you want to force me to use that again?"
"That…"
Yun Miaoqing stared at Lu Yang.
"Do you mean that demonic technique? You think I'll submit?""Even if you say that… you've already submitted once before." Lu Yang pointed at the mark on Yun Miaoqing's chest and said, "You haven't forgotten, have you?"
"You… you're talking nonsense!"
Seeing the mark on her body, Yun Miaoqing pressed her lips together in humiliation.
"That time was only because you took advantage of my weakness!"
As she spoke, she clenched the pendant at her neck.
It was a delicately crafted small white jade sword—something only disciples of the Yushu Sword Pavilion could possess. Its function was similar to Lu Yang's disciple token.
"I am a disciple of the Yushu Sword Pavilion. The demonic path is irreconcilable with me. This will never change!"
"No matter how powerful your demonic arts are… the human heart will not be changed by such evil and crooked methods!"
"My loyalty to the Sword Pavilion will never waver!"
"I swear upon my life sword!"
As she finished speaking, Yun Miaoqing clenched her silver teeth and looked at Lu Yang with a firm gaze, like a pure lotus flower mired in mud yet untouched by filth.
Another day later.
Inside the cave residence, Lu Yang sat cross-legged, five hearts facing heaven.
After a long while, he finally let out a heavy breath of turbid air.
"Actually, you've already mastered the Divine Firmament Sword Control True Art very proficiently. There isn't much of a problem. Even if there is, it's with external objects…"
Yun Miaoqing said weakly.
Under Lu Yang's brutal "interrogation", she had eventually given in. When Lu Yang asked again, she only snorted coldly and then obediently explained:
"Our Sword Pavilion disciples, once we enter the Qi Refining Realm, will use secret methods of the sect to take metallic essence materials and, with the help of various external medicines, refine a sword pellet. All sword arts in the Sword Pavilion require the assistance of the sword pellet to display their full power. The higher the quality of the sword pellet, the greater the power of the sword art."
After Yun Miaoqing's explanation, Lu Yang finally understood.
Right now, when he cultivated the Divine Firmament Sword Control True Art, he could only split into two sword lights, and the effect was limited to teleportation. The speed was fast, but the attack power was insufficient.
However, once he had the support of a sword pellet, the number of sword lights he could split into would at least double.
At the same time, he could merge his body with the sword pellet, and while moving between sword lights, unleash terrifying slashes. Using this in battle against others, he would have the advantage.
In frontal combat, Lu Yang would only need to control the sword pellet and then split sword lights all around. Once the opponent was surrounded by sword light, it would be like falling into a trap jar.
After that, no matter what methods the opponent used, he could easily avoid them and strike from another direction, exhausting the opponent. After a few rounds of such back-and-forth, the opponent would naturally reveal a fatal flaw. At that time, he could strike with all his strength, and the opponent would basically be doomed.
"And that's why we Yushu Sword Pavilion disciples are number one in Jiangnan when it comes to combat!"
As she said this, pride immediately appeared on Yun Miaoqing's face.
"Demonic brute, you—"
Lu Yang stood up. "So the problem was with the sword pellet. I also know the refining method now… Mm, you're done here. Go rest."
Yun Miaoqing: "???"
That's it?
No more torture?
In the next second, she suddenly came back to her senses and subconsciously grabbed the life sword at her neck.
"No… this is good… I am a disciple of the Yushu Sword Pavilion…"
"Time to make money."
Walking out of the cave residence, Lu Yang began to think about the future.
"I only have 50 contribution points right now. This month's cave rent will take 30 points. If I don't make money, next month I'll have to move back to live in the Hehuan Hall."
In the Chusheng Sect, there were many ways to earn contribution points.
Including but not limited to: taking positions within the sect for salary, selling personal items, rewards for completing bounties, and sect missions.
"But a disciple like me with no backing, no assets, and no strength—no connections for sect positions, personal items mostly worthless, and no ability to complete high-paying bounties—I can only choose sect missions and work for the sect to barely maintain my livelihood…"
The more Lu Yang thought about it, the angrier he became.
"I've already started cultivating immortality… and I still have to work a job?!"