"Thud."
Seeing the hidden gems within the reward list, Su Ming was so excited he nearly tumbled off his lounge chair.
"Holy crap! I actually got a hit! And a multi-pull at that?!"
Su Ming was truly astonished. Although he had anticipated that he might get lucky today, he hadn't expected to pull this much. He hurriedly began to inspect his haul.
There wasn't much to say about the Edge of Taixuan. Su Ming was so familiar with it that he didn't even bother opening the system's introduction interface.
The Edge of Taixuan was divided into five realms: Heart, Shape, Intent, Soul, and Spirit. It was a cultivation method created by Fu Hua based on her own martial arts combined with the Shenyin technology of the Previous Civilization.
The "Blade Heart" refined the "path" rather than the "vessel." It absorbed True Qithat is, Honkai Energyfrom all things in heaven and earth, allowing it to flow through the human body like living water in a stream, coming and going freely and circulating as one pleased.
Of course, the Blade Heart was not an absolute necessity. The essence of the Edge of Taixuan was singular: the manipulation, extension, and shaping of Honkai Energy. Or rather, the manipulation, extension, and shaping of what was originally formless energy.
Using the Blade Heart as a path to borrow the free-floating energy of the world was necessary because ordinary human bodies could not contain too much Honkai Energy.
However, if the user already possessed a massive amount of energy within their body to command, they could skip the Blade Heart phase, bypass the other four realms, and proceed directly to the final realm: the Blade Spirit.
This was the ultimate goal of the Edge of Taixuanto manipulate, extend, and shape energy at will according to one's own heart, and to drive that energy according to one's desires.
Su Ming was clearly a special case. Firstly, his body already contained a vast amount of energy for him to command freely; secondly, thanks to the swordplay inheritance from Jingliu, he already possessed deep attainments in the way of the sword. This Edge of Taixuan was thoroughly mastered the very instant he claimed the reward.
Furthermore, after learning the Edge of Taixuan and attempting to condense a Blade Heart, Su Ming received an unexpected surprise. He could finally sense the Elemental Power in the air and could use the Edge of Taixuan to exert control over it.
For Su Ming, this was obviously excellent news. Although the Edge of Taixuan he could currently unleash was nowhere near the intensity of Fu Hua or Li Sushang, it was certainly not weak. He had no issues with his understanding or mastery of the technique; his only current deficiency was his output.
To put it simply: he lacked "juice."
Even if he were squeezed dry, he definitely couldn't unleash the kind of power Fu Hua had in her primethe kind that could suppress or nearly wipe out the 6-Core Herrscher Sirin in a single wave. Su Ming would be satisfied if he could reach even a fifth of that power.
Compared to the Edge of Taixuan, an ability he knew all too well, the next few skillswhich were both familiar and yet strangecaptured more of his attention.
[Golden Light Spell: Heaven and Earth's profound source, the root of all Qi. Widely cultivated through myriad kalpas, proving my supernatural powers. One of the Eight Holy Spells of Daoism.]
[Once cast, golden light will spread around the body. It can be retracted to protect the self or released to attack the enemy.]
After carefully reading the description of the Golden Light Spell, Su Ming realized how extraordinary the skill was. It was actually a form of cultivation, but what it refined was "Essence and Spirit."
"Essence" referred to the nature of lifethe physical body. "Spirit" was where consciousness residedthe soul. The Dual Cultivation of Essence and Spirit was the simultaneous improvement of both body and soul.
(This is just one interpretation; don't take it too literally. True Dual Cultivation of Essence and Spirit is certainly not as simple as I've described; this is merely an explanation for easier understanding.)
The method of refining the body and soul was the true essence of the Golden Light Spell; as for the golden light itself, it was merely a byproduct of that cultivation. To Su Ming, this method of steady improvement was just as valuable as an offensive technique like the Edge of Taixuan.
Due to the existence of his Dragon Factor, the strength of Su Ming's physical body would be directly converted into the efficiency of his magical power conversion. In short, any increase in his physical strength would partially translate into a larger mana bar.
As for the improvement of the soul, that was clearly even more important on this continent of Teyvat. After all, no matter the world, methods to directly cultivate the soul itself were extremely rare.
While the effect of the next skill, the Heart Purifying Spell, was simple, it still delighted him.
[Heart Purifying Spell: A mantra used to purify the body and mind, eliminate distracting thoughts, and stabilize the spirit. This spell can lead the mortal heart into meditative silence, return one to the Daoist heart, and enter a state of tranquility. It also serves to protect the soul and spirit.]
Simply put, it was a purification technique that could be used on oneself or others to disperse negative mental states. Chanting it over a long period could also purify the mind and strengthen the soul. Resistance to negative effects targeting the soul or spirit would also be greatly increased.
The final reward was Master-level Bajiquan. There wasn't much to say about it. However, for a style that maximized physical strength, given Su Ming's current humanoid tyrannosaur-like physique, the power he could unleash would be nothing to scoff at. It could be considered a nice little bonus.
"Good, good, good! Today's boat rental wasn't in vain, and this trip to sea was worth it!"
Su Ming was currently in high spirits. With the addition of the Golden Light Spell and the Edge of Taixuan, he finally had a practical cultivation method that could be developed over the long term. He finally didn't have to rely entirely on whether the system's gacha decided to drop something good to increase his strength.
"Boss, lunch is ready. Would you like to eat now, or wait a while?"
"I'll come now. Right, these are for you guys. I'm in a good mood today."
As Su Ming spoke, he tossed a bag of Mora into the hands of the first mate who had come to deliver the message.
The first mate immediately beamed with joy. "Oh, Boss, you're too generous! This little one thanks the Boss! May your business prosper, Boss!"
Su Ming smiled. As expected, the feeling of spending other people's money was wonderful. It still hurt a bit to spend his own money.
But spending someone else's? Not at all.
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