Three Second-Grade Mystical Arts

"Spiritual energy, black, three fen.
Spiritual power, black with a hint of green, nine cun."
In the alchemy chamber of Bao An Hall, Xu Lu once again checked his cultivation base.
"More than half a month has passed since the last cultivation session; the spiritual energy absorbed last time has almost been completely assimilated by my body."
Xu Lu recalled the previous cultivation process using the ninth-grade genuine magical treasure, Great Abyss Offering.
In that single cultivation session, his spiritual energy had increased by a full five cun.
The immense spiritual energy at that time directly caused him to faint; if he hadn't reacted quickly before losing consciousness, stuffing all the Golden Liquid Minor Rejuvenation Pills in his hand into his mouth, he feared he would have exploded and died on the spot.
Cultivation secret arts, magical treasures, and medicinal elixirs need to be used in conjunction; without medicinal elixirs, the body cannot absorb spiritual energy.
"A ninth-grade magical treasure can provide an excessively vast amount of spiritual energy; if not handled properly, it can easily overwhelm one's body."
Xu Lu pondered, "However, the bold die full, the timid die hungry!
The origin of this ninth-grade magical treasure is questionable, so it's best to use it up quickly.
If I don't try, how will I know my limits?"
He took out the Golden Liquid Minor Rejuvenation Pills he had prepared long ago.
During his last cultivation session, he had used up all the Golden Liquid Minor Rejuvenation Pills in his possession.
But now that he had opened Bao An Hall, acquiring any medicinal ingredients was easier than before.
He had already refined another batch of Golden Liquid Minor Rejuvenation Pills.
"Then—let's go!"
Xu Lu directly poured an entire bottle of Golden Liquid Minor Rejuvenation Pills into his mouth, then without hesitation activated the ninth-grade genuine magical treasure, Great Abyss Offering.
"Boom--"
A surge of airflow swirled in the secret chamber, then Xu Lu's eyes rolled back, and he fainted without a word.
If anyone could see the situation inside Xu Lu's body at this moment, they would discover that immense spiritual energy was pouring into his body, continuously destroying his meridians and flesh. At the same time, the medicinal elixir took effect, rapidly stimulating his body to absorb the spiritual energy.
Under the dual effects of spiritual energy and medicinal elixir, his body rapidly healed.
After destruction came rebirth; during this process, Xu Lu's body was also continuously growing stronger.
This process lasted for an unknown duration.
Xu Lu gradually awoke from his unconsciousness, first experiencing an excruciating pain that penetrated his bones, then a tingling sensation surged from deep within his marrow, followed by an extreme sense of exhilaration.
The entire process was a dual sensation of ice and fire, making one desire immortality and death simultaneously.
After a long while, Xu Lu felt he had returned to normal and crawled up from the ground.
Once again, his body was covered in a foul-smelling, bloody mess.
He had long prepared for this, grabbing the bucket of water in the corner of the room to clean himself, changing into clean clothes, and only then checking the effects of this cultivation session.
"Spiritual energy, black, five cun two fen.
Spiritual power, black with a hint of green, nine cun."
His spiritual power remained unchanged, while his spiritual energy increased from three fen to five cun two fen.
"Last time I used the ninth-grade Great Abyss Offering magical treasure, my spiritual energy increased by five cun. This time, it only increased by four cun nine fen.
It seems it's as I thought: the higher the cultivation base, the more difficult it is to advance, and the effectiveness of using magical treasures also diminishes.
Next time, I fear it won't even be able to increase by four cun nine fen."
Xu Lu pondered; this was normal. Otherwise, if each cultivation session could increase spiritual energy by five cun, it wouldn't take many sessions for him to become a Ninth-Grade Mystic Cultivator.
This was clearly impossible.
"This absorption of spiritual energy is still transforming my body. According to past experience, it will take roughly half a month to a month before I can begin the next cultivation session.
Based on the current progress, next time, I should be able to break through to Third-Grade.
This speed--"
Xu Lu himself felt that this rate of increase was somewhat terrifying.
However, on second thought, he was using a ninth-grade genuine magical treasure, which even in the Heavenly Palace, only high-ranking Heavenly Officials could use.
For an ordinary Mystic Cultivator, increasing spiritual energy by a few fen in one cultivation session would already be cause for thanking the heavens; how could they be like Xu Lu, whose spiritual energy could increase by five cun in a single session?
However, ordinary Mystic Cultivators, even with a ninth-grade genuine magical treasure, could not follow Xu Lu's path.
Xu Lu could persevere due to one important reason: his spiritual power was sufficiently strong.
For other Mystic Cultivators, that immense amount of spiritual energy, once it poured in, would immediately go completely out of control. Forget about increasing cultivation, they might not even be able to preserve a whole corpse.
"Cultivation base is very important, and mystical arts are also very important.
Some mystical arts, under special circumstances, can unleash incredibly destructive power."
Xu Lu mused, "Fu Yuan He is merely a Second-Grade Mystic Cultivator, yet his Quicksand Mystical Art directly tricked and killed over a dozen rebellious Mystic Cultivators.
And that Earth Evasion Mystical Art is also the best choice for preserving one's life.
It's a pity I cannot learn it yet."
Xu Lu actually did not lack mystical arts now.
He had, after all, received the inherited knowledge of the Ninth-Grade Mystic Cultivator Feng Hu Zi.
Among the mystical arts Feng Hu Zi possessed, there were indeed a few powerful ones, such as Thousand Leaf Auspicious Dragon, and Scattering Beans to Form Soldiers. Unfortunately, these were all high-grade mystical arts, which Xu Lu could not yet learn.
"The Second-Grade Mystical Art Plucking Leaves and Flying Flowers, controls flowers and leaves to harm people invisibly.
It's not bad for impersonating a martial arts master, but its power can only be considered ordinary. It's sufficient for dealing with ordinary people, but for experts..."
Xu Lu glanced at Feng Hu Zi's inherited knowledge in the system panel.
"Conversely, the advanced mystical arts of Plucking Leaves and Flying Flowers, Falling Flowers and Flourishing Blooms and Boundless Autumn Leaves, possess terrifying destructive power, but one must at least have the strength of a Mid-Grade Mystic Cultivator to learn them."
Xu Lu thought with some regret, "The Second-Grade Mystical Art Entangling Roots and Branching Joints, summons countless roots to entangle the enemy's lower body.
The Second-Grade Mystical Art Jiang Di He Xu Yuan Yang Liu, can form a cloud of green mist to envelop the enemy, and simultaneously affect the enemy's mind, a type of spiritual attack mystical art."
Among Feng Hu Zi's inherited knowledge, there were not many Second-Grade mystical arts, and even fewer offensive ones.
Xu Lu deliberated and finally selected these two mystical arts.
"First, learn the Entangling Roots and Branching Joints mystical art, then the Jiang Di He Xu Yuan Yang Liu mystical art. If there's time, I'll also learn a bit of Plucking Leaves and Flying Flowers."
Xu Lu made his decision, and thus he wasted no more time, beginning his cultivation.
What was called a mystical art was, in essence, a fixed method of spiritual energy circulation.
Spiritual energy within the body circulated in a special manner, then resonated with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, thereby producing various unimaginable effects—this was a mystical art.
To increase the speed of casting, Mystic Cultivators deeply etched this spiritual energy circulation pathway into their consciousness as an imprint. When they wished to cast a spell, they would directly activate the imprint in their consciousness.
This was far easier than memorizing the circulation pathway and then activating spiritual energy according to that pathway when casting a spell.
Xu Lu already had some experience in deeply etching the core of mystical arts.
In his conscious world, his spiritual power acted like a brush, rapidly sketching out the pathways.
Immersed in his consciousness, Xu Lu forgot the passage of time.
After an unknown period, in the starry sky of his conscious world, another star suddenly appeared.
The Entangling Roots and Branching Joints mystical art was mastered!
With a slight thought, the spiritual energy within Xu Lu's body circulated.
At the same time, a slight tremor seemed to occur in the air.
Xu Lu pointed to a spot, and a circular green imprint appeared on the ground. Immediately after, roots sprouted from beneath the earth, instantly binding the alchemy furnace on the ground.
"My body's spiritual energy is primarily Water attribute; casting Wood attribute mystical arts will significantly reduce their power.
If Wood attribute spiritual energy were used to cast it, the power of this mystical art would be even greater."
Xu Lu was extremely satisfied with the power of the Entangling Roots and Branching Joints mystical art.
With a slight thought, those roots retreated into the earth, disappearing without a trace.
"Continue!"
Xu Lu felt that his spiritual power still had reserves, so he continued to cultivate the Jiang Di He Xu Yuan Yang Liu mystical art.
The Jiang Di He Xu Yuan Yang Liu mystical art was far more complex than the Entangling Roots and Branching Joints mystical art, but for Xu Lu, with his strong spiritual power, it was merely a matter of spending a little more effort.
Not long after, he successfully etched this mystical art.
After mastering the Jiang Di He Xu Yuan Yang Liu mystical art, the spiritual energy in Xu Lu's body, which was five cun two fen, was almost depleted.
He closed his eyes to meditate, waiting for his spiritual energy to recover, then began cultivating the Plucking Leaves and Flying Flowers mystical art.
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"Kill him, and I can join the Heavenly Palace."
Bo Chong lay prone on the rooftop, his gaze fixed on the backyard of Bao An Hall.
Night had fallen, and he had been on the rooftop for over half the night.
"He Qing has promised me that as long as I help him complete this task, he will recruit me."
Bo Chong thought to himself, feeling his blood warm slightly.
Five years ago, by a fortuitous encounter, he received a rebel's inheritance and then fortunately became a Mystic Cultivator.
In these five years, he had painstakingly schemed, and now he was only a First-Grade Mystic Cultivator.