Chapter 137: Slaying the Primordial Spirit

"Greetings, Senior Brother Gong."Qin Sang bowed.

"It's you!"Senior Brother Gong evidently still remembered Qin Sang, and he spoke with a complicated expression, "Junior Brother Qin, are you here to choose a cultivation technique? All the techniques on the second floor are available for review, and you can choose one for free. If you wish to cultivate a spell, however, it will require spirit stones, with the value determined by the spell's power."

Upon entering the great hall, Qin Sang noticed it was vastly different from the alchemy chamber. Dozens of jade pillars stood in the hall, each with a floating orb of light, while the walls behind them were filled with jade slips.

He approached the nearest jade pillar and, upon reading the characters inscribed on it, was surprised to find it was the "Thoughtless Cultivation Technique."

Sweeping his spiritual sense over the orb and carefully reviewing its contents, Qin Sang discovered that the "Thoughtless Cultivation Technique" was a method that directly led to the Nascent Soul stage. However, just as the Sect Master had mentioned, it only offered one divine ability during the Foundation Establishment stage, and that ability was solely for escape.

If he chose this technique, he wouldn't be able to engage in direct combat with others in the future, unless he possessed powerful magic artifacts.

Acquiring top-grade magic artifacts already required immense effort. Qin Sang, with his collection of top-grade artifacts, was a rare sight even among Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Qin Sang withdrew his spiritual sense from the orb and began to browse the hall. Each orb contained a cultivation technique, but the core parts of these techniques were sealed by restrictions. Only after making a selection could he request Senior Brother Gong to transmit the full method.

These techniques each possessed their own profound mysteries, greatly expanding Qin Sang's horizons. While more than half of them were incomplete, some were whole, pointing directly to the Grand Dao of Soul Transformation.

For some unknown reason, the Minor Cold Domain had not seen a Soul Transformation stage powerhouse for countless years. Countless talents, brilliant like Patriarch Kuiyin, had spent their entire lives stuck at the Nascent Soul stage.

Qin Sang dared not think so far ahead. Whether a technique was incomplete or not wasn't important; as long as the Foundation Establishment section was complete, it would suffice.

Qin Sang had also reviewed the several cultivation techniques recommended by Sect Master Yu.

Indeed, as the Sect Master had said, given his talent, he could only choose between the "Thoughtless Cultivation Technique" or similar methods.

Even then, the hope of forming a Gold Core was exceedingly slim.

Sect Master Yu had subtly advised him.

Among Foundation Establishment cultivators, fewer than one in a hundred could form a Gold Core. Rather than pursuing such a vague hope, many preferred to choose a technique with powerful divine abilities, seeking only to settle grudges as they pleased, achieve clarity of mind, and avoid wasting two hundred years of their lives.

But how could Qin Sang be content with that?

He withdrew his spiritual sense from the "Primordial Core Art," scanned the hall, and walked directly towards the innermost row of jade pillars.

Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation!

As his spiritual sense delved into the orb, he was immediately struck by seven large characters, causing Qin Sang's mind to tremble violently.

'Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!'Seven blood-red 'kill' characters, radiating astonishing killing intent!

In that instant, Qin Sang felt as if he were on a bloody battlefield, enveloped by an extremely dense killing intent. All the hairs on his body stood on end, and he had the illusion that he would be torn to shreds by the raging killing aura in the next moment.

Qin Sang suppressed the shock in his heart and continued to read further into the cultivation technique. The more he read, the more astonished and horrified his expression became. After a while, a hint of hesitation appeared in his eyes, but gradually, the expression on his face grew firmer. He resolutely grabbed the orb and strode out of the hall.

"Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation!"Senior Brother Gong looked at Qin Sang with a face full of surprise, as if he were looking at a madman. He remarked, "First... and now the 'Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation'? You truly are not willing to live without going mad! You must have learned about this technique from the legends of Senior Azure Bamboo, right? But do you know how Senior Azure Bamboo cultivated the 'Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation'?"

"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Gong."Qin Sang was indeed very curious.

This cultivation technique was incomplete, its origin unknown. It only comprised the first five levels, allowing cultivation up to the early Gold Core stage at most.

The name "Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation" was added by later generations, specifically named after the technique's inherent characteristics.

As the name suggests, this technique was not for ordinary sword cultivators who merely infuse spiritual sense into their spirit swords and nurture them in their dantian. Instead, it was true Primordial Spirit sword cultivation, allowing the spirit sword and the Primordial Spirit to merge!

Qin Sang, who cultivated the Profound Finger Sword Art and had some accomplishments in the way of sword cultivation, had never heard of such a thing. Had it not been for the indisputable rumors within the sect that Senior Azure Bamboo had indeed cultivated this very technique, he might have even suspected that the "Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation" was fake, a deception.

Spirit swords were instruments of sharpness, and sword qi was sharp to the extreme.

Before the Nascent Soul stage, a cultivator's Primordial Spirit was extremely fragile.

According to the technique's requirements, practitioners had to insert their spirit swords into their Primordial Spirits, constantly enduring the torment of sword qi devouring their spirit—an unimaginable agony originating from the depths of the soul.

And that wasn't all; the "Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation" had an even more terrifying requirement.

When cultivating this technique, one must visualize the 'kill runes' within the method, drawing killing intent into the Primordial Spirit. Finally, these kill runes are condensed onto the sword body, a process that is both nurturing and refining the sword.

The Primordial Spirit would constantly be influenced by killing intent. If one's consciousness were to be eroded by this intent, unable to maintain one's true self, the only outcome would be to be dominated by the killing intent, lose all sanity, and transform into a killing machine.

Furthermore, as one's cultivation realm advanced, the killing intent condensed by the kill runes would grow stronger and stronger. Even the most resolute individuals would be unable to resist, and the erosion of their consciousness would be inevitable.

This technique must also contain a secret Primordial Spirit art capable of resisting the killing intent and stabilizing one's true self; otherwise, it would be impossible to cultivate.

How did Senior Azure Bamboo cultivate this incomplete technique, he wondered?

"It is said that Senior Azure Bamboo used a secret art to directly split his Primordial Spirit in half, using one half to cultivate the sword. Only then did he manage to mitigate some of the technique's inherent dangers, though the ultimate result was still semi-madness and semi-delirium. If you are concerned about your foundation, you needn't take such an extraordinary risk. The Taiyi Pill Sect is unparalleled in the art of alchemy; perhaps they have a way to restore your foundation. Junior Brother Qin, are you sure you want to cultivate this 'Chapter of Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation'?"

After speaking, Senior Brother Gong gazed deeply at Qin Sang.

Qin Sang was dumbfounded. He had thought he was ruthless enough with himself, but facing Senior Azure Bamboo, he could only feel inferior.

Foundation Establishment cultivators could indeed divide their attention to simultaneously control several magic artifacts, but that was merely splitting their spiritual sense.

To split one's Primordial Spirit in half, not only surviving but also forming a Gold Core in just forty years, setting a sect record—what incredible willpower that was!

Qin Sang took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Please transmit the technique, Senior Brother."

Senior Brother Gong's reminder was simply out of a surge of emotion upon seeing Qin Sang.

Seeing Qin Sang's resolve, he no longer tried to dissuade him. He placed his palm above the orb, activated the restriction, and then a stream of light flew from the orb, entering Qin Sang's glabella.

The complete technique appeared in his mind. Qin Sang scanned it roughly and, upon seeing the core 'kill runes' of the technique, felt a sharp sting in his spiritual sense.

At this moment, Senior Brother Gong suddenly spoke, "To be frank, Junior Brother Qin, I once considered staking everything on cultivating this technique, so I researched it for a while. My guess is that this technique demands the most extreme killing intent. Merely visualizing the 'kill runes' isn't enough; one must truly immerse oneself in the path of slaughter to gain enlightenment. I hope you proceed with caution."