For Martial Artists, ’being like ordinary people’ is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage; it simply indicates that this person is unremarkable and not worth further consideration.
Low-level Martial Artists seek to eliminate their abnormalities, while excellent Martial Artists perform special cultivation based on their unique traits, transforming their peculiarities into their unique ’Divine Skills’.
Clearly, Gu Yeqi’s uniqueness has such potential and can provide considerable insight to An Jing.
Realizing this, An Jing advised Gu Yeqi to temporarily cease practicing the ’Fighting’ skill and to focus instead on honing her foundation, strengthening the resilience and sensitivity of those ’Qi Forces’.
An Jing asked, "How is your cultivation going?"
"Very well, after following Eldest Senior’s advice, I found my Hundred Refinement Qi Force becoming increasingly sensitive, almost like an extension of my limbs!"
As she opened her eyes, Gu Yeqi’s gaze was radiant. She marvelled at her Qi Forces around her body and exclaimed, "Using them as an extension to perform the ’Hundred Refinement Gathering Essence Method’, I obtain much more Spiritual Fiend than before!"
"Perhaps I won’t even need two years to reach the pinnacle of Inner Strength!"
"Hmm, not bad, your progress is very rapid."
An Jing slightly nodded. Gu Yeqi was younger than him, just over fifteen years old. If things go smoothly, she should reach the Martial Meridian threshold before eighteen, break through to mid-high order two years later, becoming a Grandmaster around twenty years old, qualifying as an excellent True Transmission of the Bright Mirror Sect. Based on her cultivation alone, she would at least be a second-tier Martial Artist at the prefecture level.
"Eldest Senior, how is your cultivation?"
Gu Yeqi asked about the ’Hundred Refinement Method’ she had taught An Jing. Given An Jing’s talent, two days were enough for him to grasp the essence of the technique and start practicing it, and An Jing had been practicing it for nearly half a month, so he should have achieved something substantial.
"Indeed, it is an excellent cultivation technique."
An Jing stood with his hands behind his back, seven Mysterious Iron swords flowed out from the Great Void Magical Instrument, rotating like satellites, and then skillfully performed seven entirely different cultivation techniques: "Moreover, through your ’Wood-like Qi’, I vaguely comprehend the relationship between this Snake Heart Hundred Refinement Method and Dragon Qi."
An Jing never concealed anything from Gu Yeqi, sharing everything he understood.
By distinguishing Gu Yeqi from other practitioners of the Hundred Refinement Methods, An Jing judged that the most crucial part of the Hundred Refinement Qi Force is ’Hundred Refinement’ rather than the Qi Force.
It should be like octopus tentacles or air roots of banyan trees, designed to plunder Yuan Qi, and the Divine Abnormality centered on the spine bears some resemblance to Heaven and Earth Root, Heaven’s Virtue.
From this perspective, Hanhai’s True Chi Dragon discovered something fundamental about Dragon Qi and the Ancestral Dragon, which earned him equal treatment and contract from Da Chen, the pinnacle of Pure Yang.
An Jing could currently manipulate up to seven Qi Forces, averaging one per day, though this was initial rapid growth. Progress would slow during the plateau period. Gu Yeqi initially awakened four Qi Forces immediately; over a year of cultivation, she had sixteen now.
"In this world, Dragon Snakes and Divine Woods share their essence. As Purple Qi Wood Fiend with long branches, you are essentially a dragon. Therefore, you should use your Hundred Refinement Qi Force as roots to absorb Spiritual Fiend, refining yourself. This is the true Snake Heart Hundred Refinement to extract Dragon Qi."
Sharing his insights, An Jing raised his hand: "Take this Dragon Storing Bottle and use it first."
An Jing handed the Dragon Storing Bottle from his Sword Box to Gu Yeqi: "Imitate its structure. I believe it will greatly benefit your cultivation."
Gu Yeqi wouldn’t be modest with An Jing. She understood that diligent cultivation is the best repayment to An Jing and directly accepted it: "Thank you, Eldest Senior!"
After expressing her gratitude, Gu Yeqi reported the latest intelligence on demons and demon spirits around Bright Mirror Sect to An Jing.
Previously, with no high-level combat power backing them, the members naturally wouldn’t foolishly risk venturing deep into the mountains to confront demons, hence their limited knowledge about the situation within the mountains.
But after An Jing’s return, the Children of Calamity initiated reconnaissance missions against the demons.
The disturbances to Mingguang Peak’s pioneering efforts were caused by some plant demon spirits that looked like walking grass, with two sturdy woody fiber legs, usually rooting in the grass to absorb Spirit Qi. Almost no reconnaissance method could differentiate them from normal shrubs and grass. Once pioneering began, they would come and disrupt, either absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Fiend to starve spirit plant seeds or directly uprooting the spirit plants.
This actually doesn’t matter because taming these walking grass demon spirits would make them the best farmers. Many spirit plants could thrive unattended precisely because these low-level plant demon spirits took care of them.
When high-level spirit plants also successfully advanced, awakening their spirits, they would become part of the Divine Wood’s favored, earning the status of walking grass king. By then, these walking grass would have a chance to advance, also becoming Divine Wood’s favored.
Moreover, those lurking demons served as ’kings’ to these walking grass demon spirits.
They were some demonized tree-men, deeply hidden but noticeable. They could move, not slow in speed, and once rooted, they could perceive natural demonic qi vibrations to ’monitor’ a wide area around them.
In simple terms, these demonized tree-men acted as observation posts, mainly for vision. The entire Mingguang Peak was under their surveillance, thoroughly observed inside and out.
——Fortunately, I am consistent both in public and private, with no worries about any contradictory behavior being monitored.
Hearing this, An Jing stroked his chin: "The number?"
Gu Yeqi reported a number that almost made An Jing think he misheard: "What? Over a thousand?"
"Yes, at least fifteen hundred."
Gu Yeqi replied confidently: "The forest surrounding Mingguang Peak contains millions of trees, and these demonized tree-men mostly cover it. Fifteen hundred is certainly an understatement."
"No wonder our pioneering efforts always fail. What spirit plant can withstand over a thousand demonized tree-men?"
"Even common Heavenly Demon nests don’t have over a thousand demons!"
Gu Yeqi realized, feeling relieved, as if thinking, ’Ah, the problem clearly isn’t with me!’ But An Jing was a bit troubled: "I completely believe Ye Po True Lord’s words now, about a True Lord being corrupted by Heavenly Demons. Otherwise, how could Bright Mirror Sect be so thoroughly corrupted?"
"One or two hundred could be managed, but how can we handle over a thousand or more demonized trees? Burning them would take forever. Should we directly set fire, turning the entire forest into white ashes?"
"No, don’t go to such extremes, Eldest Senior!"
Hearing An Jing’s words, Gu Yeqi panicked: "The Spirit Vein around Mingguang Peak largely lies in these tree seas. Burning them would disrupt the Yuan Qi balance, and Mingguang Peak’s Spirit Evil Lake would dry up!"
An Jing didn’t really intend to burn them; he wasn’t that extreme. The problem indeed existed, requiring quick resolution of these demons: "Our entire Mingguang Peak, including myself, has only fifty-one people. How can we individually investigate each tree-man? Moreover, these demonized tree-men can move and hide, capable of resisting. A small group can’t defeat them, a large group would make them disperse into the deep mountains, returning to hide at an opportune time."
"Also, these demonized tree-men subtly corrupt the walking grass demon spirits, turning them into new demonized tree-men..."
For a moment, An Jing considered directly seeking help from his Grandmaster or another senior. His time was precious; he didn’t want to spend it fighting guerrilla wars with demonized tree-men.
However, Gu Yeqi proposed a new idea.
"We do have manpower..."
The delicate-looking girl revealed the deep gaze of a seasoned earth and wood project manager, reminding, "Eldest Senior, have you forgotten?"
"Each peak’s True Transmission will soon come to Mingguang Peak, visiting you!"
"Isn’t that plenty of manpower?"
Realizing this, An Jing nodded, laughing and applauding: "Yes, yes. Good idea—well understood, Ye Qi, you indeed have many ideas!"
Gu Yeqi’s reminder immediately sparked various thoughts in An Jing’s mind, prompting preparations: "Indeed, it’s a great opportunity... I should observe various reactions as well."
Upon deciding, An Jing guided other junior disciples in their cultivation and began gathering a team for initial planning.
Each peak’s True Transmission arrived as scheduled, collectively reaching Mingguang Peak.