Chapter 40 - Thirteen Levels of Qi Refinement, Passing On the Sutra

Many disciples noticed Li Guanqi and looked at him with admiration and envy.

“

Sigh...

If only I didn’t have to worry about cultivation resources every day.”

“

Pfft

, even if you had all those resources, you wouldn’t cultivate as fast as him!”

A female cultivator from Heavenly Water Peak gazed at Li Guanqi, infatuation shining in her eyes. “Wow! Senior Brother Li is challenging the Sword Tower again! Do you think he’ll reach the seventh level this time?”

The girl beside her, cheeks flushed, replied, “He should... He definitely can!”

Li Guanqi, however, paid no attention to the chatter around him. His entire attention was on the sword strike that Sword Spirit had shown him. Even if he had noticed their conversation, he wouldn’t have cared. His only concern was‌ whether he could reach the seventh level today.

In his mind, he kept replaying the image of Sword Spirit displaying the sword strike.

What he didn’t realize was that the move had been nothing more than a casual slash for her. She hadn’t expected him to comprehend much from it. Even an offhanded strike of hers was unfathomably powerful.

Li Guanqi placed a spirit stone onto the formation, and his brows relaxed.

Buzz!

The transport array of the Sword Tower instantly teleported him to the seventh level. When he arrived, his eyes fell on the seven pitch-black puppets that had caused him so much trouble.

If he took even half a step forward, these seven puppets—each matching his cultivation level—would immediately attack.

Li Guanqi huffed and slowly reached for the longsword at his waist. His hand moved with deliberate control as he mirrored Sword Spirit's exact stance from earlier.

Sword Spirit watched this scene in disbelief.

Does he really have such incredible comprehension ability?

Buzz!

The longsword trembled slightly, and Li Guanqi’s entire aura instantly changed.

Then, he stepped forward. The seven metal puppets’ eyes lit up with a faint blue light.

They moved together simultaneously, attacking Li Guanqi from seven different directions. The sound of swords slicing through the air echoed in his ears.

However, Li Guanqi remained motionless.

Just as the seven longswords were mere inches away from reaching him, Li Guanqi’s eyes snapped open. His once lifeless gaze erupted with sharp intensity.

Clang!

He drew his sword. A flash of sword light—quick as lightning.

Before the lingering hum of the unsheathing faded, his longsword was already back in its scabbard.

Boom! Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of muffled explosions rang out. The seven puppets remained frozen, each bearing a deep gash across its chest.

Li Guanqi turned and stepped off the transport array, murmuring softly, “Such a fast draw technique...”

“I’ll call it Thunderbolt.”

Sword Spirit watched in silence from inside the sword case.

I never expected his talent in swordsmanship to be this extraordinary! Could this be fate...?

She suddenly chuckled before she could finish her thought.

Heh, since when did I start believing in fate? Su Xuan... did you really just give me to him on a whim?

As she watched Li Guanqi’s departing figure, she couldn’t help but ponder a lingering question that had troubled her for a long time.

Should I help him? The stronger he becomes, the better it is for me.

One month before the entrance examination, Li Guanqi became the busiest person in the sect. Every day, his master came to check on his progress.

After his master left, it was time for Sword Spirit’s harsh training. Because of this, his cultivation advanced at an astonishing pace.

Among the new disciples, he was undoubtedly leading in training progress. However, disciples from other peaks were also breaking through rapidly, such as Ye Feng from the Heavenly Metal Peak and Lin Dong from the Heavenly Earth Peak.

Li Guanqi wasn’t the only one who was training hard. Many others were cultivating tirelessly, unwilling to slack off even a little.

Sword Spirit also modified the sword technique Li Guanqi had been practicing. That’s right, she had changed it, discarding the once elegant Azure Lotus Sword technique and leaving only its swiftest movements.

When questioned about it, her answer was simple: “Speed is the only thing that matters! Everything else is useless. If your sword is fast enough, you can stab your enemy’s throat before they can even react.”

The draw technique Li Guanqi had secretly learned was the ultimate embodiment of speed, precision, and lethality.

Seven days before the entrance examination, Li Guanqi had already reached the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Realm. His cultivation speed didn’t just shock everyone—it even caught the attention of Sect Master Lu Kangnian.

During a speech to motivate all disciples, he openly praised Li Guanqi’s dedication to cultivation. No one objected to this praise. After all, it wasn’t just about his talent; everyone acknowledged that Li Guanqi worked harder than anyone else.

Some people were born with talent, and that’s simply how the world worked. But when someone more talented also worked harder, that was truly upsetting.

Li Nanting was equally delighted. At night, he had a long conversation with Li Guanqi in his courtyard, offering him one piece of advice.

“Don’t rush into the Foundation Building Realm.”

Li Nanting said, “For you, Foundation Building is just the beginning, so your overall foundations must be solid! Expand your dantian as much as possible during the Qi Refinement Realm! This will determine how far you can go on the path of immortality!”

After Li Nanting left, Sword Spirit appeared and remarked, “The little guy’s advice is quite reasonable.”

Li Guanqi’s face darkened. “Little guy? My master is over two hundred years old, and you’re calling him a little guy?”

Sword Spirit simply smiled and said nothing. Instead, she gestured for him to sit down with a solemn expression.

Puzzled, Li Guanqi frowned but still complied. Over time, he had come to realize that Sword Spirit was incredibly knowledgeable. No matter what he asked, she always seemed to have an answer. Her harsh training was also always effective, with his rapid breakthroughs being proof of it.

After a long silence, she finally said, “Do you know how many levels exist in the Qi Refinement Realm?”

Li Guanqi blinked in confusion. “The Qi Refinement Realm has ten levels. Isn’t that common knowledge?”

However, Sword Spirit shook her head.

“It’s... not?” Li Guanqi asked.

With a wave of her hand, she set up an invisible barrier around the courtyard. Then, she spoke in a solemn tone.

“That may be what the cultivation world believes. However, the Qi Refinement Realm actually has thirteen levels! The techniques for the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth levels have been lost over time, so everyone only knows ten.”

Her words struck Li Guanqi like a thunderbolt, leaving him utterly stunned.

“What? Did I hear that right?

Thirteen

levels? How is that possible? If that’s true, why does everyone only know about ten? Besides, breaking through the tenth level leads directly to the Foundation Building Realm. What comes after that?”

She simply smiled. She gently tapped the air, sending a wisp of spirit light into Li Guanqi’s mind.

In an instant, complex and obscure sutras flooded his consciousness.

His eyes gradually widened in shock.

He was looking at the techniques for reaching the thirteenth level of the Qi Refinement Realm.