Chapter 805: Star Spirit Network

"It's done!"

Qin Sang's heart stirred. He quickly suppressed distracting thoughts and focused on completing the hand seals for the cultivation method.

The Azure Luan vanished upon entering his body. This was merely Qin Sang's mental image; he used the Azure Luan as a guide to draw the power of the stars into his body. Unseen by Qin Sang, a faint light—the power of the cosmic stars—enveloped his body at this moment. He had successfully taken the first step.

With the star essence entering his body, he bypassed the initial refining step. The incantation guided the stellar energy to circulate throughout his entire being, a refreshing coolness spreading through him, making his flesh and blood feel as if they were cheering.

As Qin Sang was immersed in this comfortable sensation, a sudden change occurred in his Purple Mansion. A sinister and terrifying force invaded, heading straight for his primal spirit.

"The Star Fiends are here!"

Qin Sang's heart sank, and he monitored the state of his primal spirit. He had great confidence in the Jade Buddha, but he also worried about unforeseen circumstances. This power was very peculiar, unlike anything he had ever encountered. Legends spoke of outer realm demons in the cultivation world, said to be terrifying enough to slay even peak cultivators. He wasn't sure if this power was related to them. The Star Fiends were named by the great demon who created the cultivation method.

A chill filled his Purple Mansion as circumstances shifted rapidly. Qin Sang felt waves of eerie coldness; the Star Fiends brought great terror. The Star Fiends surged madly towards his primal spirit. The moment they made contact, the Buddha's light emanating from the Jade Buddha didn't even ripple. The Star Fiends seemed to hit a wall, completely cut off by the Jade Buddha. Unable to break through after a prolonged assault, these Star Fiends slowly dissipated. As long as they didn't invade the primal spirit, expelling them was much easier. Yet, the primal spirit was precisely the most vulnerable point for every cultivator.

Just as Qin Sang sighed in relief, a tearing pain suddenly erupted within his body, causing his brows to furrow. He realized that the process became less comfortable once the cosmic stellar power began to temper his body. His flesh and blood felt as if they were being torn apart and reassembled repeatedly, with pain and comfort alternating during the tempering process. Qin Sang fully circulated his cultivation method, observing the changes in his physical body.

When he awoke from his meditative state, he felt a sticky sensation and discovered a thin layer of sweat on his body. Star essence body tempering, while strengthening the physical body, also expels impurities. Although Qin Sang had never practiced specific body-tempering techniques, his physical body had already gained some benefits during his numerous cultivation breakthroughs, so the immediate effects weren't overtly dramatic. The benefits were clear: his initial cultivation speed would be faster.

A spiritual light flashed around Qin Sang as he wiped away the sweat, feeling refreshed. He looked at the dissipating starlight around him and thought to himself that this cultivation method produced little commotion during practice, so he could perfectly well stay on Baogu Mountain to cultivate, without needing to travel around anymore.

He performed an introspection, examining the state of his physical body. Cultivating a demonic race's technique, and visualizing the Azure Luan as the heavenly demon, he inevitably felt a bit apprehensive despite the smooth cultivation process, worrying about potential issues. Qin Sang meticulously checked himself all over. Fortunately, he found no discordant elements. He continued his meditative cultivation, drawing upon the power of the stars, until dawn, when the rising sun brought a sensation of heat, prompting him to stop. A night of arduous cultivation yielded significant gains, and Qin Sang was very satisfied.

It was indeed a top-tier cultivation method. Qin Sang could clearly feel his physical body transforming under the tempering of the cosmic stellar power. Reaching the level of the hook-nosed man was not a mere fantasy.

"After several years of travel and multiple battles in the Seven Kills Palace, including two life-or-death struggles against two powerful late-stage peak enemies, my comprehension of killing talismans has deepened. For now, there's no need to actively seek out fights. Since there's still no news about the Ten Great Divine Woods, I'll likely face a cultivation bottleneck soon. I might as well cultivate both techniques simultaneously from now on. I'll practice the 'Heavenly Demon Refining Form' at night, striving to break through to the third layer before the next opening of the Seven Kills Palace. Only by cultivating both my spiritual energy and physical body, possessing combat strength comparable to a late-stage peak cultivator, will I be able to pass through the Sword Path..."

Qin Sang resolved to take this path. The 'Heavenly Demon Refining Form' provided him with the means to forge a different route.

"However, breaking through the bottleneck won't be easy. Star Essence Infusion..."

Qin Sang recalled the cultivation method's description. Star Essence Infusion required a place with extremely abundant cosmic stellar power and spiritual energy. The best location was Zhitian Peak. Currently, going to Zhitian Peak was clearly impossible, so he would have to find a similar special place in the Canglang Sea.

"The bottleneck for the second layer of the cultivation method doesn't have high requirements... That's right!"

Qin Sang suddenly remembered something. He quickly searched through his Qianjun Ring, managing to retrieve a ball of threads. This seemingly messy ball of threads, with a gentle shake from Qin Sang, unfolded into a large net that floated in the air. It was precisely the Star Spirit Net given to him by Granny Jing. Years ago, this Star Spirit Net had helped him quickly capture star essence stones and claim victory at Zhitian Peak. Now, it could be useful again!

"The cosmic stellar power drawn into my body cannot be fully utilized, and the dissipating starlight is a bit of a waste. I can use the Star Spirit Net to capture it and reuse it, which is much more efficient than drawing in new power, thus increasing my cultivation speed further. Moreover, with the aid of the Star Spirit Net, I can gather enough cosmic stellar power to complete the first Star Essence Infusion and break through to the second layer of the cultivation method..."

The more Qin Sang thought about it, the brighter his eyes shone. He hadn't expected that a magical artifact, which had lain dormant in his Qianjun Ring for decades, could prove so astonishingly useful during cultivation. Of course, without the Jade Buddha, it would all be wishful thinking. Other demonic beasts practicing this method would be exhausted from refining the Star Fiends; they wouldn't have the luxury of thinking about reuse. Only he dared to be so unbridled.

"The bottleneck for the third layer requires countless times more cosmic stellar power than the second layer, far exceeding the Star Spirit Net's limits. However, the cultivation method also provides an alternative: taking spirit herbs that strengthen the physical body. Three such herbs are required in combination, all of which are unheard of. I'll have to inquire about them once I return. As for the fourth layer, the requirements are even stricter. One must first comprehend the Heavenly Demon Dharmic Form before breaking through; there are no shortcuts, and it's likely no easier than forming a Nascent Soul. My current realm is insufficient, so it's too distant and I have no clue..."

Throughout the day, Qin Sang consolidated his cultivation, explored his potential, and deepened his understanding of the cultivation method. When night fell, he summoned the Star Spirit Net, which enveloped his body, and began to cultivate. During cultivation, starlight surrounded him. The starlight that would have originally dissipated was now captured by the Star Spirit Net upon contact, and re-integrated into his body. This cycle repeated, and his cultivation speed was indeed much faster than the previous night!

Qin Sang opened his eyes, his face filled with pleasant surprise. This cultivation method was highly suitable for him. Unfortunately, it was created by a demon cultivator, so he could only gain its body-tempering effects, making it an incomplete path for him. Otherwise, once the path of the 'Primordial Spirit Nurturing Sword Chapter' reached its limit, he could completely switch to cultivating the 'Heavenly Demon Refining Form'.

Having just begun his initiation, Qin Sang was delighted with his new discovery and decided to stay on the island. For ten consecutive days, he cultivated at night and spent the day reviewing and perfecting his understanding, thoroughly comprehending the true essence of the cultivation method. Only then did Qin Sang leave the desolate island and fly back to Tianxing Island. He wanted to break through to the second layer as soon as possible, after which he would be able to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Transformation. The Heavenly Demon Transformation was the most crucial divine ability of the first three layers of the cultivation method, offering exceptional combat power. Qin Sang was not yet certain if he, in his human form, could successfully cultivate it, but he was filled with anticipation.