Chapter 53: Li Yao’s Goals
The blue glow of the status interface bathed Xiang Yu’s face as he carefully examined his progress:
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Body: 5th Layer; Mind: Level 1]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: null]
[Enlightenment: Low (432/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (192/100,000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 7th Grade (44/30,000)]
[Professions: Cook: 8th Grade (52/200)]
[Techniques: Mid-grade Phantom Footwork: Beginner (40/100); Low-grade Iron Body Technique: Completion (0/500); Basic Knife Technique: Great Completion (100/1000); Basic Sword Technique: Great Completion (0/1000)]
[Scriptures: Mountain Heart Scripture: 5th Layer (65/500); Mountain Heart Sutra: Level 1 (60/1000)]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
He noted with a hint of disappointment that despite his knife technique advancing to the Great Completion stage, the experience exchange rate remained stubbornly fixed at ten-to-one. The Mountain Heart Scripture’s breakthrough to the 5th layer had effectively maintained the status quo.
Still, not everything was bleak. His sword technique had also reached Great Completion, providing another powerful tool for farming experience points. This dual mastery would accelerate his path to the sixth stage of Body Refining. Of course, he realized this advantage had a built-in expiration date—once he reached the Perfect stage in both techniques, the experience exchange would become obsolete.
"Well, it was nice while it lasted," he thought.
Without wasting another moment, Xiang Yu closed the system interface and assumed his meditation position, ready to train the Mountain Heart Sutra. The transition into his spiritual sea happened instantly, as if his consciousness had been eagerly waiting for this moment.
Upon arrival, something immediately caught his attention. The endless void surrounding him wasn’t entirely dark anymore. A small radius around his form glowed with a gentle brightness that couldn’t be attributed to his spirit flame. This subtle illumination seemed to be emerging from the void itself, distinct from the black flame’s otherworldly light.
Xiang Yu wondered if this transformation resulted from the sutra’s thirty-point improvement overnight. His knowledge about spiritual seas remained rudimentary at best—snippets gleaned from overheard conversations and fragmentary texts. Perhaps the next doubling would trigger another major change, possibly unlocking new abilities. But he didn’t have time for such thoughts at the moment.
He continued cultivating the sutra with dedicated focus until dawn finally colored the eastern sky. As sunlight filtered through his window, Xiang Yu opened his eyes and performed a series of careful stretches to loosen his body after the long period of stillness.
Choosing to cultivate the sutra instead of sleeping had proven remarkably effective. Not only did it help him process the overwhelming flood of enlightenment, but it also granted him extraordinary mental clarity—far beyond what even ten hours of restful sleep could provide. After each cultivation session, his mind reached a state of peak performance, thoughts crystallizing with perfect clarity.
For a brief moment, he considered dedicating himself entirely to sutra practice, abandoning his physical training regimen. The thought was tempting but ultimately impractical. Mental cultivation alone wouldn’t provide the raw strength needed to survive in this dangerous world. With reluctance, he dismissed these wishful musings.
Curious about his overnight progress, Xiang Yu summoned his status display:
[Enlightenment: Low (435/1000)]
[Battle Instinct: (195/100,000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 7th Grade (45/30,000)]
[Mountain Heart Sutra: Level 1 (80/1000)]
Though the improvements appeared modest at first glance, they represented progress in his most stubborn attributes. One was a natural treasure, another reflected innate talent, and the third typically required countless life-or-death battles to develop. The sutra’s ability to advance these seemingly immovable stats spoke volumes about its extraordinary value. Xiang Yu felt a surge of gratitude toward his master for providing such a precious technique.
The sutra itself had advanced by twenty points—its largest single-session improvement yet. Puzzling over this unexpected leap, Xiang Yu suddenly realized the cause: his enlightenment had doubled from the two hundreds to the four hundreds. As a meditation scripture that relied solely on mental clarity rather than physical exertion, the sutra’s effectiveness scaled directly with enlightenment levels.
This revelation carried profound implications. When his enlightenment doubled again, the sutra might gain forty points or more in a single session. More importantly, he recognized that his mind level had become his most critical stat—even more vital than his cultivation realm. If his mental capacity couldn’t keep pace with his exponentially growing enlightenment, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Fortunately, his mind cultivation was advancing steadily. He could face the future with cautious optimism.
Dismissing these reflections, Xiang Yu focused on the day ahead. Training time was precious, and he wouldn’t waste a moment of it. After a quick morning bath, he headed straight for the training grounds, ready to push his newly enhanced capabilities to their limits.
...
Despite his sword technique’s progress bar sitting at zero after reaching Great Completion, Xiang Yu chose to begin with knife practice as always. His reasoning was sound—the techniques shared fundamental principles, and if his knife technique advanced far enough, his sword technique could benefit from these insights, essentially borrowing success from its more developed counterpart.
As he squared off against Li Yao on the training ground, Xiang Yu immediately noticed something different. His battle awareness, now nearly two hundred points strong, completely outmatched his junior sister’s. The prediction lines in his mind showed her movements with crystal clarity, allowing him to anticipate her attacks with unprecedented precision.
For the first time, he managed to land several solid hits on her—a feat that would have seemed impossible just days ago. Though these strikes carried little force against her superior cultivation, they represented a significant milestone. In Xiang Yu’s practical mind, dealing damage wasn’t the primary goal. The ability to land hits meant he could escape safely when necessary, which aligned perfectly with his survival-focused nature.
They continued their rigorous training throughout the day, pausing only for meals. Each spirit-infused dish Xiang Yu prepared not only restored their energy but accelerated their cultivation, allowing them to maintain peak performance despite the intensive regimen.
When evening fell after dinner, Xiang Yu finally sheathed his knife and drew his sword. Though the weapon had already reached Great Completion, progress came more easily than expected. The insights from his knife technique transferred naturally to swordplay, creating a synergy that enhanced his advancement. Despite the different weight distribution and reach, the fundamental principles of combat remained consistent across both weapons.
Their training continued until midnight, when both disciples finally acknowledged the need for rest. With respectful nods, they bid each other goodnight and headed to their separate quarters.
In her private room, Li Yao removed her training garments. Rather than taking a conventional bath, she channeled her qi to cleanse her body completely. At her advanced cultivation level, mortal bathing methods were unnecessary—only springs with enhancement properties would provide meaningful benefits. For routine cleansing, qi purification proved more efficient and consumed less time.
After donning fresh robes, she settled into her meditation posture, reflecting on her progress. Her advancement was proceeding more smoothly than anticipated, largely thanks to her senior brother’s spirit-infused meals. She calculated that she would soon break through to the second layer of Core Formation realm. Her body cultivation likewise showed promising development, requiring just another week or two of dedicated practice.
Li Yao set ambitious goals for herself. By the time the Heaven-Testing Pagoda opened, she intended to reach the third layer of Core Formation, break through to the sixteenth level of Body Refining, and perfect her spell technique. With these achievements secured, she planned to depart from the sect immediately after the Heaven-Testing Pagoda event to search for the Rebirth Pill—the one treasure that might grant her beloved senior brother the spiritual roots he lacked.