For the next full month, Zhu Tian continuously circulated the spiritual energy within his body without pause. Every day, he trained—trying to sense the flow of energy, adjust his breathing, and control the movement of spiritual qi that still felt unfamiliar to him.
At times, loud "BOOM!!" sounds would erupt from the mountain peak, echoing far into the distance. These sounds came from uncontrolled explosions of spiritual energy—the result of Zhu Tian's experiments, which were still rough and far from perfect.
At other times, Zhu Tian would suddenly release an attack forward, simply to observe how his spiritual energy left his body and interacted with the surrounding air. Empty slashes, bursts of force, and small waves of energy often appeared without any clear form.
However, over the course of this entire month, Zhu Tian's control over spiritual energy improved dramatically.
He began to understand when to restrain energy, when to release it, and how to keep the flow of qi stable. Uncontrolled explosions became increasingly rare, and the movement of energy within his body grew smoother and more refined.
Today, Zhu Tian decided to descend the mountain.
His purpose was clear—he wanted to try creating his own technique.
Deep down, Zhu Tian actually wanted to go even farther. He wanted to enter the true cultivation world, mingle with other cultivators, see cities, sects, markets, and all the things he had only ever read about in novels.
He wanted to try many things.
But his rational mind quickly restrained that desire.
"Still too weak," Zhu Tian thought.
At present, he was only at the low stage of Qi Condensation—a level that could even be considered beginner-tier in the cultivation world. If he went out now, a single small mistake could easily lead to death.
"I'll go out after reaching the peak stage," Zhu Tian said softly.
With that decision, he calmed his mind.
Zhu Tian did not fly. Instead, he chose to walk down the stone steps that connected the mountain peak to the lower regions. Each step felt light, the cool wind brushing against his face and carrying the fresh scent of nature.
He paused for a moment and looked around.
White clouds drifted slowly between the mountains, moving gently as if following the flow of the wind. A few cranes could be seen soaring gracefully, their wings spread wide, creating a scene of profound tranquility.
The sight made Zhu Tian's heart feel at ease.
He took a deep breath.
"This really is… the cultivation world," he murmured softly.
In his heart, he felt deeply grateful to have arrived in this world—a world that had existed only in his imagination, within the pages of novels he had read endlessly in his previous life.
Not long after, Zhu Tian reached the foot of the mountain.
Before him stretched rolling green hills as far as the eye could see. Grass and trees grew lush and vibrant, the breeze blowing gently, creating an atmosphere that felt full of life.
"It feels like stepping into a different world," he said quietly.
From the ancestral hall, this expanse of green hills had not been visible at all. Everything there had been obscured by vast, towering mountains. Yet upon arriving here, the scenery seemed to change completely.
It felt as though he had stepped through a portal between worlds.
Zhu Tian stood still for a moment, enjoying the atmosphere. He allowed his thoughts to settle, letting the spiritual energy within his body adjust to the surrounding environment.
After a short while, he recalled his original purpose.
To understand techniques from novels—and make them real.
In one of the novels he had once read, there was a low-level sword technique set. It was not famous for its destructive power, but for its extremely solid foundation.
Zhu Tian still remembered it clearly.
"A sword technique set… Stable Sword Flow," Zhu Tian said softly as he recalled the words from the novel.
"This is a technique that's easy to understand," he continued.
Although it had only been described in a rough and not very detailed manner, its concept was clear and logically sound.
"This stable sword flow emphasizes balance, continuity, and the steadiness of sword intent," Zhu Tian murmured as he adjusted his breathing.
"Even though its destructive power isn't great, it's known for its solid foundation."
This technique suited his current condition perfectly.
He was still weak, and attempting techniques with high destructive power would only lead to failure or injury. But a stable foundation was something he could begin building from the very start.
"The first form is… Stable Breathing Sword," Zhu Tian said quietly.
He closed his eyes, recalling every detail he had once read.
"Stable Breathing Sword… to achieve it, one must unite breathing, spiritual energy, and sword swings into a consistent rhythm."
Zhu Tian slowly opened his eyes.
"The way to use it is to follow the stable flow of spiritual energy from the dantian to the arm," he explained again, as if teaching himself.
"Each slash carries even sharpness and is difficult to disrupt through emotional fluctuations or instability in spiritual energy."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
It was not a flashy technique—but that was precisely its strength.
After preparing himself for a moment, Zhu Tian was about to begin training. But suddenly, he realized a small problem.
"I don't have a sword," he said, letting out a light sigh.
He fell silent for a moment, then shook his head gently.
Still, Zhu Tian did not dwell on it for long.
He glanced around and walked toward the nearest tree. In this area, the trees were spaced fairly far apart. Zhu Tian snapped off a straight, reasonably long branch.
The branch felt light in his hand.
"This should be enough," he said calmly.