Chapter 163 – Seventh Layer

After He Li-Xin and the others left, a mound of earth suddenly formed near the Shui Yan Pavilion disciples and Lu Ping emerged from the ground atop a fat mouse.

Lu Ping cast a [Dust Swing Spell] to clean the dirt from his body, then patted Dabao, who had run out of arcane energy and was now lying flat on its belly. “Dabao, is this [Earth Spirit Escape] the talent spell you awakened from your lineage after entering the Blood Condensation Realm? Not bad, you’ve been of great help this time. When we get back, I’ll concoct a special cauldron of medicinal pellets for you as a reward.”

Dabao was now so exhausted it couldn’t even shrink itself down. If not for Lu Ping’s arcane energy, Dabao wouldn’t have been able to use the [Earth Spirit Escape] to bring them underground.

Lu Ping fed Dabao a medicinal pellet to help restore its spiritual energy, then put the little mouse back in the spirit pet pouch.

After that, he turned around to choose a direction to leave.

Ten miles away, he arrived at a small and inconspicuous hill, and used the Verdant Dawn Sword to open up a secret cave in the middle of the hill. After covering the cave’s entrance and setting up protective measures, he placed Lu Dagui out on guard and promptly started healing his injuries.

The encounter with the young gentleman was a real blow to Lu Ping.

Ever since his advancement to the Mid Blood Condensation Realm, he had almost never lost a fight anymore even against Late Blood Condensation cultivators. In most cases, even if he couldn’t win, he could easily retreat without injuries.

Lu Ping knew that those opponents weren’t skilled fighters among cultivators of the same rank, like Liu Zi-Yuan, a North Ocean 18 Warrior.

However, as someone who was used to winning, he had gradually adopted the mentality of achieving absolute victory when fighting against any Blood Condensation cultivators.

Therefore, Lu Ping never thought he would end up defeated, let alone in a single move!

When the young gentleman’s sword had turned into a sea of blades, Lu Ping’s inflated arrogance from his past triumphs had finally shattered. Whether it was his cultivation base or sword skill, Lu Ping was not on the same level as the young gentleman.

At this time, Lu Ping finally realized that he was still far from being a good cultivator. Even though he knew that he wasn’t the best, he didn’t understand where he was lacking. Now he understood.

Fortunately for Lu Ping , the young gentleman only had one sword.

Thanks to Lu Ping’s strong foundation, after repeatedly weakening the power of the sea of swords, he survived the sword attack.

Although he suffered serious injuries, his cultivation foundation remained intact.

Utilizing the rich spiritual energy in the Heaven of Seven Stars, and with the aid of Spirit Regenerating Pellets and Essence Recuperating Pellets, Lu Ping recovered completely within just five days.

During this time, Lu Ping thought back to the sword attack made by the young gentleman. The image of that scene was like a light showing him to a new world—it was exactly what he needed to proceed to the next state.

Lu Ping felt that he was only a step away from entering the State of Intent, but he somehow couldn’t walk through the door to the other side.

Lu Ping knew he was missing an opportunity!

For several days, he stayed in the cave to polish his arcane energy, and at the same time studied the sword skill, hoping to come across that moment of light.

…

On this day, Lu Ping finally remembered that he still had something to do in the Heaven of Seven Stars.

First of all, there was the Golden Nut Tree. Not to mention his promise to help Ji Zi-Xuan and Yin Zi-Chu.

At the same time, Zhen Ling Sect had also sent its disciples into the dojo, so obviously the sect had its own goals to achieve. As a disciple trained by Zhen Ling Sect since childhood, how could Lu Ping stand by and do nothing?

Lu Ping started to swallow and refine the Primal Giant Crocodile’s Condensed Blood Beads. After refining all seven blood beads, seven days had passed.

Lu Ping vaguely felt that the blood beads were not enough to help him break through to the Late Blood Condensation Realm.

Fortunately, Lu Ping had cultivated using the spiritual energy left behind by the Enlightened Master. During that time, not only did he raise his cultivation base to the peak of the Sixth Layer, he also compressed some of the excess spiritual energy in his body, which now came in handy.

Lu Ping consumed two Late Blood Condensation Realm medicinal pellets to assist him, and at the same time stimulated the excess spiritual energy stored in his body.

The Essence Smoke started to gather on his skin and after reaching its limit, began to condensate, forming a layer of blue energy on the surface of his body.

This layer of aegis energy had a name—[Water Sky Curtain].

Lu Ping tested the defense of his aegis energy and was pleasantly surprised to find it almost comparable to a high-grade defensive mystic instrument.

One must know, when he fought against the Late Blood Condensation cultivators back then, his high-grade Soaring Wing Swords could always rip through his opponent’s aegis energy very easily.

As a result, Lu Ping underestimated its defensive capability, which was the hallmark of the late Blood Condensation Realm. But now, he was overjoyed to find that his [Water Sky Curtain] was no less protective than his inner vest.

Along with the breakthrough, his heartspace had once again expanded. However, it didn’t feel empty, as another Condensed Blood Bead had formed, and the previous six beads were once again larger by a third.

Lu Ping had finally reached the Late Blood Condensation Realm, at last returning to the same starting line as his friends.

Lu Ping was so happy that he raised the Verdant Dawn Sword and started practicing the [North Ocean Twelve Ultimates].

[Stormy Waves Crashing Shore Sword Art]!

[Water Manipulation Art]!

[Treading Waves Art]!

[Green Jiao Sea Haunting Art]!

[Sea Crossing Concealment Art]!

[Great River Eastward Sword Art]!

[Cloud Moving Rain Falling Art]!

The more Lu Ping practiced, the more excited he became. In the darkness, he felt like he was getting closer and closer to that moment of light.

His arcane energy gradually flowed into the Verdant Dawn Sword, and his hand seals turned faster and faster. The longer he practiced, the stronger his attacks became.

Suddenly, a bolt of thunder flashed in Lu Ping’s mind, and a white wave of sword light suddenly emerged from the countless sword attacks around him!

Lu Ping was enlightened!

With a change of sword technique, Lu Ping practiced an unfamiliar sword skill, also one of the [North Ocean Twelve Ultimates], known as the [Thousand Stacks of Snow Sword Art]!

He casually struck out with the Verdant Dawn Sword, and eighty-one sword lights were made. The sword lights felt like flawless white snowflakes piled up in layers, pushing forward with an ethereal aura.

The hill he was in finally couldn’t bear his enormous Sword Intent, and the cave collapsed with a loud rumble, about to bury him inside.

But he couldn’t care less. His arcane energy surged out and the sword lights containing his Sword Intent shattered the small hill into rubble.

At the same time, his left hand was forming a series of nine one-handed seals. When the last hand seal was made, a yellow wave gushed out on the green grassland.

Underneath, Lu Ping controlled the yellow wave like he was riding in a yellow river, surging across the plains.

This was also one of the [North Ocean Twelve Ultimates], the [Emerald Sea Rising Tide Art]!

In that moment, Lu Ping’s long whistle reverberated in the sky and the wilderness!