Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

From this night on, Li Yao, in order to ruthlessly bully Ding Lingdang someday, frantically started cultivating.

In any case, he had already memorized various theories and classics by heart. All that was left was to continue to experiment with them and assimilate all kinds of obscure and abstruse theories through experience. It was like grinding a stone with water; it requires time and effort. These theories were something which needed a lifetime of study, so he could not rush it.

Li Yao simply reduced the time he spent studying theories in the Heavenly Refining Tower and spent a fair share of hours in the depths of the Billowing Star Sea amidst the invisible undercurrents.

While he was resisting the pressure in the Billowing Star Sea, his brain would be madly operating to utilize the Micro-Particle Algorithm, Solar Corona Nine Algorithms, Mustard Seed Algorithm... to create air bubbles one after another.

It was simply impossible to use a single air bubble to deal with Ding Lingdang, this wild dragoness in human skin.

Gradually, Li Yao’s control over spiritual energy had reached a whole new level. He no longer simulated a single air bubble but instead a large air bubble that was lined with another air bubble which also had a set of seven or eight small air bubbles. Layer upon layer of air bubbles were superimposed to create something akin to an invisible armor which was firmly guarding his entire body.

But even so, it was still difficult for him to gain any advantage while fighting Ding Lingdang.

Ding Lingdang was a martial arts genius. The bubble formation which Li Yao had painstakingly spent time and effort to create was often broken by her as long as she came into contact with it for a couple dozen seconds. She was able to completely see through everything and was able to come up with ways to deal with it.

Which was then immediately followed up with some Purple Sun Palm, or Rainbow Punch, or Golden Lightning Finger, or Fierce Tiger Killer, or Meteorite Kick... She would shower him with 30 to 50 strange and marvelous skills.

Even if Li Yao’s weight-bearing capacity had once again increased so much that he could don seven or eight layers of armor alongside two shields crafted from pure steel, it was all to no avail; at most, he would stick for an extra 10-20 seconds before he was ruthlessly blown away.

In the maddening training of the first ten days, he never persisted for more than a minute and a half; the best result was 1 minute 29 seconds.

Fortunately, for the first couple dozen seconds, Ding Lingdang didn’t clearly understand the structure of the air bubbles. Every time she blasted a punch, her power would be broken down to a couple dozen stream of powers which were infused into different acupoints using the [Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining].

The [Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining] was worthy to be the first tempering canon of the Hundred Smelting Clan. After grasping the abstruse principle of cushioning as well as forcefully enduring the inhumane pain, Li Yao discovered that his body was transforming at a speed visible to the naked eye; his body was getting stronger and tougher as though what was located underneath his skin wasn’t some strands of muscles but a bunch of thick steel bars.

And every time he was hit by Ding Lingdang, his body would get stronger by a point, allowing him to endure an even stronger blow.

Starting from the eleventh day, he gradually reduced the number of layers of armor. From the very beginning with seven to eight layers of armor, he had slowly reduced to four to five layers, and then two to three.

Li Yao pleasantly discovered that along with the reduction of armor, his speed was rapidly elevating and his endurance, with the help of [Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining], was frantically improving. At best, under the wanton bombardment of Ding Lingdang, he could hold on for an entire two minutes!

On the thirteenth day, Li Yao, with the help of his crystal processor-like computational ability and his stronger body cultivated via [Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining], could occasionally withstand three minutes of Ding Lingdang’s crazy attacks.

Ding Lingdang was incomparably astonished by his transformation. She was also getting more and more satisfied with him being her sparring partner. Every day, the two would train once in the morning and once in the evening. Although Li Yao was completely suppressed, at the very least, he wasn’t knocked out in a second and could also put up a struggle once in awhile.

Originally Li Yao thought that with such high intense combat training, his progress in refining skills would be affected

However, the results were contrary to his expectation.

Every time he was finished sparring with Ding Lingdang, his brain was particularly active and his thinking was especially sharp. Many times, the problems he was unable to solve were often smoothly solved.

Many bright ideas would frantically flash inside his brain, even in the midst of battling Ding Lingdang when she was punching him.

It seems that the human body and brain perfectly complemented each other.

A strong body would, in turn, stimulate the brain to become even more powerful.

Needless to say, frantically calculating Ding Lingdang’s line of attack under the super perceptive state was in itself a terrifying exercise for the brain!

Just like this, Li Yao had not only earned many credits from Ding Lingdang, but he was also progressing steadily as he cleared several difficult refining specialized courses, allowing his total credits to almost reach the 10,000 mark.

Unknowingly, the first semester was about to finish.

Finally, Li Yao had completed the final modification plan and was preparing to modify his very own first crafting furnace.

He had everything worked out. By the end of the semester, he would be finished modifying the 1st Generation Tai’e crafting furnace, and during the winter break, he was also not planning to return to the Floating Spear City; on the contrary, he, while taking advantage of the quiet and serene institute, had decided to conveniently craft a few magical equipment.

While waiting for the beginning of the next semester when he could vigorously sweep the credits!

For an entire three days, Li Yao was holed up in the warehouse, blankly staring at the scattered wreckages.

Under his fierce gaze that appeared as though it could even melt steel, every piece of cold wreckage seemed to have come to life as they struggled, jumped, and danced.

Upon the break of dawn on the fourth day, Li Yao stood up and took a long deep breath before he finished a whole set of exercises, following which he slowly and unperturbedly exercised his wrist, which made ”crack crack” sounds.

...

In the morning seven days later, an enormous luxurious flying shuttle entered the space of Wild Waves City.

Sitting inside which were 20 odd 17 to 18 years old teenagers, whose curiosity could not be abated even by the biting cold of the cold winds as they kept on chattering and getting surprised by everything.

”Wow, so many floating mountains! The Grand Desolate War Institution is worthy of being one of the Nine Elite Universities. Although it is ranked last, it still can not be underestimated!”

”Check that out! Two cultivators seem to be practicing sword play in the sky. Wow! So fast—I can’t even see their shadow!”

”I wonder if the Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department, which we have to visit, will also have such a spectacular floating mountain. Do they also have some experts? I am truly looking forward to it!”

”Looking forward to what? It seems that you were not seriously listening to the class. Let me tell you, the Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department is the worst department among the nine elite universities. Moreover, just half a year ago, they had suffered a serious accident in which their entire floating mountain was blown up. It is simply too horrible to look at.”

”It can’t be! Even the floating mountain exploded? So why are we visiting such a place?”

”Professor Jin Quan, you graduated from Deep Sea University this year, so you must be well informed regarding news of the refiners’ community. What’s this all about Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department? Why must Elder Lei bring us to visit it?”

All the teenagers turned their gaze towards a corner at the forefront upon a young man who had a bit of proudful aura around him.

These teenagers were all third-year student of the ”Empyrean Terminus Central High School”.

And the young man who had graduated from the Deep Sea University’s Refining Department this year was Jin Quan, who was also an inner disciple of the Empyrean Terminus Sect and also gave introductory courses in refining to the students.

The Empyrean Terminus Sect was relatively traditional. Since the time it was established, it had always focused on developing various kinds of crafting furnace as their main form of business and would rarely be involved in other fields. It was an out-and-out refining sect.

A majority of the parents of Empyrean Terminus Central High School’s students were a member of Empyrean Terminus Sect or at the very least staff employed by the various enterprises under the Empyrean Terminus Sect. They were all engaged in refining related work.

Therefore, the Empyrean Terminus Central High School was completely different from comprehensive high schools like the Crimson Nimbus Second. The Empyrean Terminus Central High School was a high school which especially focused on fostering refining geniuses; it was a little bit like a specialized institute.

Every year, many students of the Empyrean Terminus Central High School would be admitted into the Refining Departments of the Nine Elite Universities. They were also a little bit aware of the news regarding the ongoings in the refiners’ community, and that was also the reason why they knew that the Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department was the worst among the Nine Elite Universities.

Jin Quan heaved a sigh as he spread out his hands and said rather helplessly:

”Students, the Grand Desolate War Institution is known for fostering body practitioners and sword cultivators, and its Department of Medicine and Cultural Department also has a certain level of fame. The floating mountains you just saw belonged to the key departments, so of course, they would look spectacular.

”The department we are about to visit is the Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department, which is also the worst Refining Department in the entire federation. Moreover, after the horrifying accident, it is left with a single professor and student. Everybody should be able to imagine a bit what it would look like. Please prepare yourself so that you will not be dumbfounded and turned speechless and lose the face of our Empyrean Terminus Sect!”

”What?”

All the students stood up: ”A single professor and student? There is such a wondrous department? Why exactly are we going there?!”

Jin Quan forced a smile as he gestured everyone to sit down:

”Students, please be patient. Our Empyrean Terminus Sect’s highly respected Elder Lie Yongming brought everybody to expand your horizons. So of course, there are some things which everyone will admire. At the very least, there will be three things which you can’t find in any other university. Everyone, please keep your eyes wide open or you might miss them.”

”How can there be three things in the worst Refining Department of the Nine Elite Universities which can not be found in any other university? Something that even the Deep Sea University does not have?!”

”Yes, even the Deep Sea University doesn’t have it!” Jin Quan face was laced with a weird look while his eyes wore a smile.

”Professor Jin, don’t keep us waiting, please do tell!”

Jin Quan had piqued everyone’s curiosity completely.

Raising his finger vertically, Jin Quan slowly and leisurely said:

”First is the only working 1st Generation Tai’e crafting furnace in the entire federation!”

”Wow!”

All the students were completely enlivened.

In the history of the Empyrean Terminus Sect, the 1st Generation Tai’e crafting furnace was a very important classical crafting furnace.

Some two centuries ago, the Empyrean Terminus Sect was just a third-grade sect which was struggling to maintain its existence amidst the brutal competition between various sects.

Only when their research came to fruition and they had developed the 1st Generation Tai’e classical furnace did they emerge from their predicament, becoming bigger and stronger. Now, they could even be considered in the ranks of first-grade sects.

Therefore, many of the older generation clansmen of the Empyrean Terminus Sect had very deep feelings for the 1st Generation Tai’e furnace, which was even referred to as the ”greatest treasure of the sect”!

However, the classical style would always be outdated, so then came the 2nd generation, 3rd generation, and so on. And now, the 9th Generation Tai’e furnace was put in use, while the 1st Generation Tai’e furnace was long out of use.

Today, the 1st Generation Tai’e furnace could only be found in some museums which specialized in collecting crafting furnaces as well as the history museum of the Empyrean Terminus Sect itself, where it was meticulously preserved as an antique.

As for an operating 1st Generation Tai’e crafting furnace, that could not necessarily be found in the entire federation even when one searched for it.

However, who knew that five days ago, the Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department would suddenly send a modification approval application to the Empyrean Terminus Sect.

Fortunately, the Empyrean Terminus Sect recognized that it was the outdated 1st Generation Tai’e furnace!