In five months, Wang Mu had cultivated the Taixiao Sword Mysterious Skill to the Third Layer. He reached the early stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm and stabilized his cultivation there. One layer per month; compared to the later layers of the Energy Introduction Skill, the initial stages of the Taixiao Sword Mysterious Skill didn't seem as difficult.

Currently, three of Wang Mu's ten Spiritual Acupoints were brimming with spirit liquid. In terms of sheer quantity, the spirit liquid in these three Spiritual Acupoints couldn't compare to the Spiritual Energy previously held in all ten. The quantitative difference was undoubtedly vast. However, in terms of quality, there was no comparison. Now, a single wisp of spirit liquid, when used to power the Sword Control Technique, was several times more potent than before.

Spiritual Communication was a true impartation from his senior brother. He had practically mastered it after half a month of cultivation at Contemplation Cliff through daily practice alone, without using any action points. Now, after more than a year, it was fully mastered.

With direct tutelage, I can master minor Divine Skills like this within a year, even without using action points...

My Comprehension is not low.

The Sword Formation Introduction, an entry-level Sword Array manual from the Dome Cauldron Sword Scripture, contained detailed explanations of basic formations and methods for using swords to create arrays. To cultivate Sword Arrays, one had to study this as well. However, because his Realm was relatively high and his Attributes were already very strong, he learned it easily, mastering it within a month.

The following month was spent cultivating the Yin Yang Mutual Generation Sword Formation. This formation could restore Spiritual Energy, heal injuries, and accelerate the growth of Spirit Plants. It was especially potent when combined with his Spirit of Nature Divine Skill. Most importantly, ordinary disciples of the Sword Sect needed to carry materials to deploy this Sword Array. Having cultivated the Great Yin Yang Joyful Map, he could autogenously produce Yin and Yang Qi. Thus, he didn't need materials and could deploy the array directly, which was very convenient.

In game terms, it would be a Divine Skill for large-area healing and energy restoration with low consumption.

As for other Sword techniques, he practiced several stances of the Love Nine Swords daily and had become very proficient without realizing it. Wang Mu even used action points to test his progress, only to find it wasn't as fast as his regular daily practice. It was a special Sword technique that rendered his usual cheat ineffective.

Cultivation knows no passage of time.

Sometime ago, Chen Feng and Shen Jiao had written to ask if he had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. Wang Mu lied, saying he hadn't yet, and told them to stall for a bit.

At the same time, he was also paying attention to news from Glazed Lake. Occasionally, Little Jiao Huo would have a few of its kin swim along Yunlai Creek to Gu Yun Mountain to report to Wang Mu. It said that Immortal Bi You had contacted it, and it had also managed to learn Immortal Bi You's location through their conversations: Bi You Palace, located in the Bibo Sea of Ling Province, atop Sealing God Mountain. It was a sanctum within a forbidden land, generally off-limits to outside Cultivators. The place was only open on rare occasions.

And then... Little Jiao Huo received no further messages from Immortal Bi You. Occasionally, Immortal Bi You would ask about its cultivation progress.

Wang Mu was momentarily speechless. Could she have deliberately told Little Jiao Huo? he wondered. I still haven't found the Emperor Spirit Pearl... If I go, will I be thrown out?

As for the Emperor Spirit Pearl... When it came to finding Treasure, the first thing Wang Mu thought of was the Jinmao Rat. That little fellow had an incredibly keen sense for Treasure.

Besides, if even someone with Bi You's strength couldn't find the Emperor Spirit Pearl, then there was only one possibility. Either the Bead was gone, or it was in the hands of an expert of comparable power to her.

Considering the current state of the Cultivation World... Wang Mu believed it was likely in the hands of one of the other heroines. Yan Qingwu could be excluded; she wasn't the type to take others' belongings. Mu Hongyuan was also unlikely. Judging from their previous conversation in the Holy Land, she and Bi You could even conspire against him, implying their relationship wasn't too strained, so there would be no reason for her to take it.

Thus, only one possibility remained.

It's possible Mo Xilan has it... or perhaps one of the three heroines I've yet to encounter...

Wang Mu felt that Mo Xilan was the most likely. This extremely petty heroine, if she had truly obtained the Emperor Spirit Pearl, would definitely not return it to Nanrong Biyou.

This was Wang Mu's own conjecture. He felt there was some logic to it.

So, Wang Mu decided, I'll head to Qianzhou first...

「At the end of the month, Wang Mu rode his sword and headed for Qianzhou.」

With his Foundation Establishment Realm strength, he now possessed the means to travel far and wide on his own. After traveling for half a month, Wang Mu arrived at Heavenly Fragrance Valley at the end of December. En route, he slew several Foundation Establishment Realm Fierce Beasts, passed through a few cultivation towns, sold some materials at the local Workshops, along with Elixirs and Spiritual Artifacts he refined daily. He also cleared out miscellaneous items from his Space Bracelet, earning a modest profit of about thirty thousand Spirit Stones, and purchased a few Foundation Establishment Realm Elixir recipes for future use. He fled from any formidable Fierce Beasts he encountered, barely managing to reach Heavenly Fragrance Valley.

Upon arriving at Heavenly Fragrance Valley, Wang Mu happened to meet Senior Shen Yuanzi just as he was about to enter. He wondered if the man had been waiting for him.

"Young friend, you've finally arrived," Shen Yuanzi said with a smile. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

Heavenly Fragrance Valley, situated in the southwest of Qianzhou, was actually quite close to the border of the Huangtian Continent. The terrain was low-lying and fertile, with a small Spirit Vein beneath it. The valley teemed with exotic flowers, rare herbs, and various Spirit Beasts. Naturally, its most famous resident was the Flower God who, like Shen Yuanzi, was an ancient Immortal Spiritual Medicine that had attained Dao through cultivation. As one of the Eight Saints of Qianzhou's Spirit Clan, her renown was considerable. Compared to Wang Mu, who was merely somewhat famous for topping the Potential List, the Flower God was a celebrated figure throughout Qianzhou.

Accompanying Shen Yuanzi were a very young boy and girl.

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