Xiang Yu's fingers moved carefully across the alchemy furnace, the dark energy of his Abyssal Void Flame weaving through the materials perfectly, ensuring just the right temperature to refine the medicinal benefits but not burn the herbs.
Pill after pill formed under his attentive gaze, their spiritual essence stabilizing into perfect spheres. By the time he finished, several hundred ninth-grade pills gleamed in neatly arranged rows before him, their surfaces radiating a subtle luminescence.
"The sect should have enough resources for a while," he murmured, carefully storing them in his spatial ring.
With the pills complete, Xiang Yu turned his attention to weapon refining. His recent breakthrough to seventh-grade blacksmith had bestowed him with insights into crafting high-level magical weapons.
"Why waste time on lesser weapons?" he thought, retrieving a collection of rare metals from his storage. "Let's test the limits of my new abilities."
The process proved more challenging than before. Each high-level magical weapon required precise temperature control, meticulous spiritual energy infusion, and absolute concentration throughout every stage of forging. The Abyssal Void Flame responded to his will with perfect obedience, heating the metals to optimal temperatures without wasting a degree.
When the first weapon took form, Xiang Yu immediately activated his appraisal ability:
[Name: Basic Knife]
[Grade: High-Level Magical Weapon]
[Info: A basic knife made by Xiang Yu]
A smile of satisfaction spread across his face. Despite its unassuming name, this "basic knife" contained power that would make even the elders envious, after all, none of them had high level magical weapons.
After his first success, Xiang Yu threw himself into a crafting frenzy, his hands moving with increasing confidence as weapon after weapon emerged from his forge.
By lunchtime, approximately two hundred high-level magical weapons filled his workspace, their surfaces gleaming with ethereal light.
He observed his creations with satisfaction, noting that these weapons would definitely take the sect's combat power to the next level.
After carefully storing the weapons, Xiang Yu departed the spirit vein to prepare lunch. As he had anticipated, only Elder Guo appeared for the meal—Li Yao and Elder Huang remained occupied with sect preparations.
"And then the demon general said 'Since you dare to kill my subordinates, wait and see what I'll do to your little girlfriend'" Elder Guo gestured dramatically, recounting yet another adventure from his youth. "Little did he know, it was all part of my plan..."
Xiang Yu listened attentively, genuinely impressed by his master's experiences. Elder Guo's life resembled a novel protagonist's journey—filled with narrow escapes, powerful enemies, and unlikely victories.
"Master truly has lived an extraordinary life," Xiang Yu thought as they finished their meal and parted ways.
Returning to the spirit vein, Xiang Yu decided to focus on formations first rather than talismans. With his spiritual sea still nearly full, he could maximize his efficiency on seventh-grade formations.
First, he enhanced the concealing formations surrounding the spirit vein, strengthening their defenses against detection. Once satisfied with these improvements, he turned his attention to designing the sect-wide defensive formation.
The process required drawing intricate patterns across dozens of formation discs, each designed to be positioned strategically throughout the sect grounds. Though extraordinarily costly to maintain, such considerations no longer troubled Xiang Yu. As Grand Elder, he could mobilize the sect's substantial resources.
In the last few days, Elder Huang had been trading their excess resources with many factions, at this time, it was safe to say that the Azure Cloud Sect was quite wealthy.
For three hours, Xiang Yu worked without pause, his spiritual qi flowing across disc after disc. Finally, two complete seventh-grade formations materialized before him.
The first one was a defensive formation that impressed him with its durability—capable of completely resisting attacks from Core Formation cultivators for an entire day and withstanding at least three direct strikes from a Peak Golden Core expert.
The offensive formation proved even more remarkable, able to deliver three blows equivalent to a peak-stage Golden Core cultivator.
"The protective formation seems somewhat underwhelming," Xiang Yu mused, critically assessing his work. "It would barely last a minute against a Peak Golden Core attacker."
He nodded to himself. "As they say, sometimes the best defense is a good offense."
...
For talisman creation, Xiang Yu decided to explore beyond his usual explosive talisman. He infused the paper with precisely calculated spiritual energy as he crafted alternatives to his signature destruction talismans. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
"The concealment talisman," he murmured appreciatively, examining the finished design with its interwoven layers of light-bending runes. This particular talisman had become a personal favorite for its unique capabilities. While his system naturally suppressed his qi signature, it couldn't completely mask his physical presence. The concealment talisman filled this critical gap—rendering him effectively invisible even to the penetrating divine sense of Nascent Soul cultivators.
He thought to himself that he should always have one of those with him as they could come in handy. He carefully set the talisman aside before beginning production of dozens more.
After completing a substantial batch of concealment talismans, Xiang Yu shifted his focus to another intriguing talisman he had discovered—the lightning summoning talisman. He had previously overlooked this one, but upon closer examination, its destructive potential rivaled or even exceeded his beloved explosion talismans.
"The coverage area is impressive," he noted, studying the intricate lightning-channeling patterns. Unlike explosion talismans that concentrated force at a single point, these summoned widespread lightning strikes across an entire area—similar to how Li Yao had eliminated the spies during the sect gathering.
Such area-of-effect devastation offered tactical advantages that single-point explosions couldn't match. He could definitely use one of these if he was being besieged by many enemies. Though he hoped that time would never come.
The afternoon slipped away as Xiang Yu produced talisman after talisman, his concentration unwavering despite the hours of intensive work. By the time dinner approached, he had amassed impressive quantities of both types.
While preparing the evening meal, his thoughts drifted to tomorrow's challenges. Li Yao would depart, leaving the sect vulnerable. He needed to install the two formations he'd created and possibly craft additional attacking arrays.
"The defensive formation won't withstand sustained assault from a Golden Core cultivator," he calculated, skillfully chopping vegetables. "But the attacking formation could give even powerful enemies significant trouble."
A small smile played across his lips as he contemplated the offensive potential. Each formation could deliver three strikes equivalent to a peak Golden Core cultivator's full power. If he managed to create two more tomorrow, the sect would command nine such attacks.
"With that kind of firepower, couldn't I practically rule the world?" he mused, before catching himself. His imagination really liked to go wild.
Dinner proceeded comfortably with just Elder Guo for company. As always, his master's tales of adventure provided both entertainment and also helped him affirm his beliefs about the outside world's dangers.
Ironically, Elder Guo believed his stories were inspiring his disciple to embrace life's exciting possibilities. If he knew Xiang Yu's actual thoughts, he would definitely flip the table in frustration.
After their meal concluded, Xiang Yu returned to the spirit vein for his daily bloodline stimulation ritual. He removed his robes and submerged himself in the spirit spring, feeling the familiar tingle of spiritual energy against his skin.
He took several deep breaths to stabilize his nerves, though genuine apprehension lingered. Since advancing to the common blood stage, the bloodlines had grown not only in volume but also in ferocity. Their bloodlust had intensified noticeably, making him question whether his body could withstand their unleashed conflict.
After a few final calming breaths, Xiang Yu's expression hardened with determination. His eyes reflected unwavering resolve as he released his control over the two powerful bloodlines within him...
The moment the two bloodlines were unleashed, they didn't waste time and got right to it. It was on sight—no hesitation, no mercy. Xiang Yu's body became their battlefield, and he felt the devastation immediately. His spleen ruptured first, followed by his lungs in the next heartbeat.
The pain transcended his previous experiences, reaching heights he hadn't thought possible. Despite his growing tolerance, the bloodlines seemed determined to push his threshold higher. It was as though they recognized his adaptation and deliberately intensified their conflict to maintain his suffering. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
An hour into this internal war, Xiang Yu slipped another healing pill between his blood-flecked lips. Though the agony remained unrelenting, he took grim satisfaction in his endurance. The dragon bloodline's contribution to his hardened skin and reinforced bones had increased his durability, while the phoenix bloodline's enhanced healing capabilities worked tirelessly to counteract the damage.
After two more hours of this brutal exchange, Xiang Yu's body had become a canvas of blood. Crimson rivulets traced paths across his skin, pooling beneath him in the spirit spring's shimmering waters. He consumed another pill, directing its healing energy toward his most vital internal organs.
There was no point in wasting resources on surface wounds, he reasoned. They would just rupture again in seconds. It was better to focus the medicinal power where it mattered most, allowing his natural regeneration to gradually address the less critical injuries.
Several more hours passed in this cycle of destruction and partial recovery. When the system reset screen finally materialized before his eyes, Xiang Yu immediately reasserted control over the bloodlines, forcing them into submission. With their conflict suspended, he swallowed ten healing pills at once.
The effect was remarkable—without the bloodlines constantly tearing him apart, his body began knitting itself back together at an astonishing rate. His natural recovery, enhanced by the phoenix bloodline and amplified by the pills, restored him to near-perfect condition within minutes.
As the last traces of pain faded, Xiang Yu directed his attention to the day's progress:
[Body Refining: 12th Layer (3000/12,000) (+1000/12,000)]
[Qi Gathering: 8th Layer (300/800) (+300/800)]
[Mind: Level 5 (240/5000) (+120/5000)]
[Soul: Infant (80/100,000) (+40/100,000)]
[Spiritual Root: Medium-Grade Omni-Element (80/2000)]
[Transcendent Dao Body: Level 1 (1110/1,000,000) (+10/1,000,000)]
[Chaos Body: Level 1 (750/10,000) (+50/10,000)]
[Bloodline: Dragon, Phoenix: Common Blood (100/2000) (+100/2000)]
[Enlightenment: Superior (560/4000) (+60/4000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 5th Grade (70/50,000) (+10/50,000)]
[High-grade Lightning Strike & Palm: Minor Success (20/200)]
[High-grade Fire Palm: Intermediate (50/300) (+50/300)]
[High-grade Water, Wood, Earth, Metal Palm: Minor Success (72/200)]
[High-grade Ice, Wind, Light, Dark Palm: Minor Success (5/200) (+5/200)]
[Cook: 3rd Grade (30/700) (+10/700)]
[Appraiser: 6th Grade (304/400) (+100/400)]
[Talisman Maker: 7th Grade (150/300) (+50/300)]
[Alchemist, Formation Master, Blacksmith: 7th Grade (50/300) (+50/300)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Alchemist, Formation Master, Blacksmith: 7th Grade (50/300) → 7th Grade (100/300)]
[Talisman Maker: 7th Grade (150/300) → 6th Grade (0/400)]
[Appraiser: 6th Grade (304/400) → 5th Grade (0/500)]
[Cook: 3rd Grade (30/700) → 3rd Grade (60/700)]
[High-grade Ice, Wind, Light, Dark Palm: Minor Success (5/200) → Minor Success (10/200)]
[High-grade Water, Wood, Earth, Metal Palm: Minor Success (72/200) → Minor Success (144/200)]
[High-grade Fire Palm: Intermediate (50/300) → Intermediate (100/300)]
[High-grade Lightning Strike & Palm: Minor Success (20/200) → Minor Success (40/200)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 5th Grade (70/50,000) → 5th Grade (140/50,000)]
[Enlightenment: Superior (560/4000) → Superior (1120/4000)]
[Bloodline: Dragon, Phoenix: Common Blood (100/2000) → Common Blood (200/2000)]
[Chaos Body: Level 1 (750/10,000) → Level 1 (1500/10,000)]
[Transcendent Dao Body: Level 1 (1110/1,000,000) → Level 1 (2220/1,000,000)]
[Spiritual Root: Medium-Grade Omni-Element (80/2000) → Medium (160/2000)]
[Soul: Infant (80/100,000) -> Infant (160/100,000)]
[Mind: Level 5 (240/5000) → Level 5 (480/5000)]
[Qi Gathering: 8th Layer (300/800) → 8th Layer (600/800)]
[Body Refining: 12th Layer (3000/12,000) → 12th Layer (6000/12,000)]
...
Xiang Yu felt a twinge of disappointment as he assessed his body refining progress. Only a thousand points gained, despite the excruciating torment he had endured. With the bloodlines now at common blood stage, he had expected at least another five hundred points of advancement.
The frustration faded quickly, however, as he recognized the bigger picture. After doubling, his experience had reached six thousand points—meaning he would break through to the thirteenth layer after the next reset. That advancement would significantly increase his strength once again.
Though technically only at the eighth layer of qi cultivation, Xiang Yu possessed so many buffs that he couldn't accurately gauge his true fighting potential. And he preferred to keep it that way, he didn't want any enemies to test his strength.
His qi cultivation had shown remarkable progress. He had noticed it breaking through during the bloodline stimulation and it even accumulated a total of three hundred experience points after.
After calculating, he realized he had gained four hundred points throughout the day. While his improving spiritual root contributed somewhat to this growth, he attributed most of it to his bloodline advancement. The common blood stage had enhanced his body's ability to absorb qi directly through his skin just like spirit beasts.
After doubling, his qi cultivation had surpassed the halfway point to the next breakthrough. At this pace, he might advance before the next reset even triggered. Briefly, he considered whether to begin building his foundation after that breakthrough, but ultimately decided against it. Continuing to the tenth stage would establish a more solid foundation for his future cultivation.
His spiritual root had finally entered the hundreds and was developing steadily. The Transcendent Dao Physique, though finally accumulating points in the thousands and accelerating, remained distant from its next level.
In contrast, his Chaos Body had entered the thousands and would likely advance within just a few resets. His enlightenment had likewise crossed into the thousands, approximately two resets away from breakthrough. The prospect of advancing from Superior to Sacred grade enlightenment filled him with anticipation—if Superior was this impressive, how much more remarkable would Sacred be?
Among his elemental techniques, little had changed significantly except for the fire palm, which had gained fifty experience points. He attributed this to the phoenix bloodline's breakthrough, which had naturally enhanced his fire affinity.
Examining his professional skills, Xiang Yu noted that his cooking profession continued its advancement at its own pace. The appraiser profession, having broken through to fifth grade, was beginning to catch up. He made a mental note to test its new capabilities later, curious about what additional insights it might provide.
His talisman-making skill had reached sixth grade, unlocking deeper insights into existing talisman blueprints while introducing entirely new designs. A small smile crossed his lips, with this, the helplessness he had felt previously diminished considerably.
His remaining three professions—alchemy, formation mastery, and blacksmithing—remained at seventh grade but would probably advance after the next reset. The only disappointing aspect of his progress lay in his elemental techniques, which continued to advance at an almost imperceptible pace. Acknowledging there was little he could do to accelerate their development at present, he decided to accept their gradual improvement.
With his assessment complete, Xiang Yu closed the system interface and settled into a comfortable meditation posture.