Cultivation is just so scientific!-Chapter 536 - 314: Beginning_2

Chapter 536 -314: Beginning_2

Elder Su and Elder Ma’s discernment was extraordinary; upon witnessing Li Shiming’s array formation skills, they exchanged a look, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Just by this ability alone, Li Shiming’s level in array formation was probably comparable to that of an Array Master.

Moreover, what they couldn’t understand was why Li Shiming needed five pieces of third-grade Five Elements Array Materials for his advancement.

They were all puzzled, not to mention the three late-stage Foundation Establishment disciples, who were full of questions in their eyes. However, since discussions were not allowed on the scene, they could only watch.

With Li Shiming’s current identity, he didn’t mind exposing some special features within him.

Given his status as an Alchemy Master, even if he practiced forbidden techniques at Shushan Sect, the sect would still accept him. freewebnøvel.com

As long as he didn’t commit treason or similar grave offenses, the sect would continue to protect and value him dearly.

The ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’ formed by the five pieces of third-grade Five Elements Array Materials linked up with the ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’ within his Spirit Lake.

In order to replace the second-grade Five Elements energy nodes in the Spirit Lake with the ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’, there was no other way that he knew of, except using the Power of Heaven and Earth Rules that came just before a major breakthrough. This was the result of the IBMz15’s documentation on the research of forming the ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’ within the Spirit Lake during the Qi Refinement breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

This was also the reason why he needed to quietly consolidate what he had learned and adjust his mental state for a month, as his previous recklessness had filled his breakthrough with uncertainties.

Previously, without a master’s guidance and with his soul hailing from another world, accruing completely different thoughts from the people of this world, he had the courage to recklessly experiment, resulting in the formation of the ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’ within his Spirit Lake.

Whether the formation of the ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’ in the Spirit Lake was good or bad was too early to say.

For the time being, the benefits of the Spirit Lake’s ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’ were clear: whenever he reached a minor realm’s breakthrough, no matter how much Spiritual Power he had, its quality could be transformed into the pure Five Elements Spiritual Power that could only be possessed at the peak of that minor realm.

Perhaps Li Shiming was creating a new Cultivation Technique, which would be a great boon for future cultivators.

But for Li Shiming, the innovator, the process was fraught with risks; a single misstep could lead to complete destruction, with no chance of recovery.

Having reached this stage, he no longer had a second path to choose; he could only continue down the road paved by the ‘Five Elements Qi Absorption Array’.

Indeed, it was only because he had sufficient talent to become an Alchemy Master that he even considered gathering five pieces of third-grade Five Elements Array Materials as a pre-breakthrough preparation, a feat beyond the reach of an ordinary cultivator.

Not to mention that even the True Disciples of a large sect, with Golden Core Elders as their masters, would find it extremely difficult to obtain third-grade materials, let alone five specific pieces of third-grade Five Elements Array Materials.

For most Golden Core Elders, the five pieces of third-grade Five Elements Array Materials were worth nearly half of their entire fortune in Spiritual Objects, and they wouldn’t just hand them over to disciples.

Golden Core Elders often have more than three disciples, and some even have as many as over ten.

If they were to provide such cultivation resources for their disciples, the Golden Core Elders might as well sell themselves.

Amid the perplexed gazes of Elder Su, Elder Ma, and the three late-stage Foundation Establishment disciples, Li Shiming began his formal advancement.

Li Shiming took out a purple-glowing third-grade Meridian Protecting Pill and placed it into his mouth. At the sight of that purple glow, Elder Su’s gaze turned towards Elder Ma.

Although Elder Su didn’t speak, Elder Ma clearly understood the meaning in his eyes.

It’s true that Li Shiming, as an Alchemy Master, could refine third-grade Meridian Protecting Pills, and his skill level had already surpassed that of Elder Ma.

But Li Shiming had been an Alchemy Master for too short a time, and the total number of times he had fired up the alchemy furnace to refine third-grade Meridian Protecting Pills was far less than Elder Ma.

The purple glow signified top-grade Spirit Pills, which could only very occasionally emerge during a lengthy process of alchemy.

Considering the time and the number of refinements, the likelihood of Li Shiming personally refining a top-grade third-grade Meridian Protecting Pill was too low, whereas Elder Ma might have had such an accumulation.

Add to that Elder Ma’s high regard for Li Shiming, if he had a top-grade third-grade Meridian Protecting Pill, he would definitely put it into Li Shiming’s hands to aid in his Golden Core breakthrough.

Elder Ma also remained silent, shaking his head to indicate that this was none of his concern.

As for top-grade third-grade spirit pills, he had only ever produced one during the scheduled third-grade spirit pill refinement when the sect’s fixed third-grade resources were available.

And for spirit pills like the third-grade Meridian Protecting Pill, which could not be refined in large quantities at once, he had never produced a top-grade version of them.

The only top-grade third-grade spirit pill he ever refined, he had kept as a treasure to boast about to other alchemy masters.

“This is too extravagant!” This was the thought of the three late-stage Foundation Establishment disciples who were observing.

Although they knew how rare top-grade third-grade spirit pills were, they didn’t fully understand their value as clearly as the two Golden Core elders did.

Li Shiming’s aura became extremely unstable, his half-step Golden Core aura suddenly spiking and then just as suddenly dropping.

Because of his greed, he had started running both the “Five Elements Qi Refining Technique” and the “Nine Heavens Thunder Strike Technique” at the same time within his body.

His actions naturally couldn’t escape the senses of Elder Su and Elder Ma, and Elder Ma’s gaze toward Elder Su carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

Elder Su knew what Elder Ma meant, he was being questioned about his way of teaching disciples who were attempting to break through important stages with two different cultivation techniques at the same time.

There is a significant difference between breaking through with one cultivation technique and with two.

For instance, in Li Shiming’s situation, if he were to use the “Five Elements Qi Refining Technique” for his breakthrough, then his Golden Core would have the Five Elements spiritual power as its core. Once he became a Golden Core cultivator, even if he were to later practice a Thunder Skill, its power couldn’t compare to that of a cultivator whose core was formed with Thunder cultivation technique.

The Golden Core is the source of power for a Golden Core cultivator; without the Golden Core as a foundation, it is impossible to successfully cultivate a technique of different attributes from those of the Golden Core unless one is prepared to abandon their current core and start anew.

Elder Ma saw Li Shiming’s greed, a common fault among many cultivators.

After all, many top-tier cultivation techniques each have their focus; the Five Elements spiritual power allows a cultivator to learn almost any secret technique, while the power of the Thunder Skill could make a cultivator the strongest in their realm.

In fact, as early as the early-stage Foundation Establishment, a cultivator would have chosen their main cultivation technique and, regardless of changes, would only switch to a better cultivation technique of the same attribute, so as not to start all over.

Elder Su was also helpless, as this was not something he could be blamed for, since his guidance to disciples was consistent.

They were guided once almost every month.

However, Li Shiming was advancing too quickly, so quickly that the number of times he had received guidance from Elder Su was very limited.

Elder Su’s teaching method is quite common among Golden Core cultivators; considering the decades from early Foundation Establishment to late Foundation Establishment, it almost allows a master to explain in detail any problems encountered during cultivation.

What took other cultivators decades to achieve, Li Shiming did in less than ten years, reaching the brink of Golden Core.

This pace of cultivation limited the amount of teachings from Elder Su that Li Shiming received.

Now, it was too late for any guidance from Elder Su, even if he wanted to guide Li Shiming, he couldn’t do so at such a moment, for it might disrupt the slim chance of breakthrough success.

Li Shiming activated both the “Five Elements Qi Refining Technique” and “Nine Heavens Thunder Strike Technique,” and Spiritual Energy surged into his body from the formation.

He had entered a state of advancement, an unforeseen opportunity that allowed him to absorb Spiritual Energy at an unimaginable rate.

First, the Spiritual Energy of the Spirit Gathering Array flowed into him, but soon the Spirit Gathering Array couldn’t keep up with the rate at which he was absorbing the Spiritual Energy.

With a mere thought, Sword Holding Peak’s grand array directed all the Spiritual Energy from every part of the array toward the peak, delivering it to him.

Within his body, the Five Elements Qi Absorption Array within the Spirit Lake was running at full capacity, processing the spiritual power transformed by the two techniques and purifying it again.