As lethal qi from the mystic metal flowed into his body, An Jing directed the seal seed to stir. The seed absorbed the external metal lethal qi, assimilating a part of it while breaking down the rest into tiny particles that dispersed and coalesced. Then it began to split from two to four and continued to multiply, much like a sprouting seed gorging on nutrients to fuel its growth.

The minutes ticked by. Every aspect of An Jing's physiology was undergoing a profound shift. Through the tempering of spirit qi, his skin, flesh, organs, and bones, down to the most microscopic structure of his blood vessels, were being reshaped into a more optimal state.

Though every human was suffused with spirit qi from their first breath, they were incapable of drawing in external spirit qi until reaching the Spirit Awakening Realm, and by the same token, couldn't be harmed by it.

Thus, the initial intake of spirit qi triggered staggering transformation. An Jing felt a fundamental change sweep through him, restructuring his body to better harmonize with spirit qi, so the violent burning within him began to fade.

While the spirit qi he drew was a mere drop in the ocean compared to the vastness of the spirit vein and the world beyond, An Jing's breath lengthened into a steady rhythm, his limbs surged with newfound power, and even his lower back gained flexibility and resilience.

Never before had An Jing experienced such a pronounced improvement. Following the influx of lethal qi from the jadeslice steel, the seal seed fused with his qi essence, splitting and forming the nascent shape of a white seal. Strands of pure white qi began to take shape within it.

Cultivated through Evenstar Ivory Divine Seal, this was the Evenstar lethal qi which singularly contained spirit energy. The sliver of spirit energy flowed within his dantian, undulating like quicksilver, or the swirling glow of Evenstar. Though only a wisp, it felt substantial and solid, radiating a sense of immaculate purity and light.

An Jing snapped his eyes open and leaped off the glass platform, appearing before the wooden dummy a zhang away in an instant. He struck out, Evenstar lethal qi surging from his dantian and coursing through his right arm. He swung his hand like a blade, and his arm took on a metallic sheen as if cast from solid, indestructible steel.

A thunderous bang resounded across the room. The wooden dummy, which had stood unyielding against An Jing's previous blow, was violently hurled back by the strike charged with Evenstar lethal qi. It bent into an astonishing curve as if smashed by a steel sledgehammer, only to whip back fiercely. An Jing had already recoiled a step, dodging the rebounding metalwood puppet as he stared at his right arm in utter disbelief.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Once the initial shock subsided, An Jing felt a searing heat rampage through his sternum. He instantly used Ailment Swordfinger and coughed up a mouthful of acrid crimson qi.

Tiny beads of blood fell from the crimson qi and congealed into a scarlet metallic substance, emitting the pungent odor of burnt metal. Purging the crimson qi brought a sudden, refreshing relief. A hot, tingling sensation flooded An Jing's body, particularly in his right arm, where the joints and muscle burned and swelled with a sense of indestructible power.

"Well done," Yvelbane said with a tone of approval. "I was going to warn you to discharge that initial surge of lethal qi to keep it from accumulating within you, but you sensed it and purged it yourself!"

"That felt like a good application of Ailment Swordfinger, so I used it." An Jing looked down at his right hand and nodded slightly. "The lethal qi I had condensed earlier was saturated with pure metal qi from the jadeslice steel. It was far too sharp to keep within my body and had to be discharged."

At this moment, new wisps of white qi condensed once more. This time, the Evenstar lethal qi was more docile and fluid, yielding easily to his command. Much like the first brew of tea that was cast aside for its overly strong flavor, cultivation through external aids offered speed but also came with limitations. Ailment Swordfinger fully healed any lingering wounds An Jing sustained during his encounter with the vilespawn fiend.

An Jing shifted his attention to the metalwood puppet. The dummy had finally stilled, its tremors ceasing, but a bone-deep gash now cleaved its frame from its shoulder to its chest. This was the very same mark left by the lethal qi that An Jing had expelled using his ability.

Such was the potency of the Evenstar lethal qi. A mere sliver could strengthen the human body to rival steel and grant a strength so immense that he could split metalwood puppets with ease.

This power had far surpassed the limits of the Aura Realm, reaching into the Fortification Realm, or more aptly, the Qi Refinement Realm![1] But there was more.

"Observe closely." Yvelbane guided An Jing to examine the mark. It was unnaturally smooth, rather unlike the result of a hand strike or blunt force. Instead, it looked like a cut from an impossibly sharp sword.

"This was achieved by refining pure lethal qi of mystic metal using jadeslice steel." Even the sword soul was taken aback. In its own era, no one would have used jadeslice steel just to build the foundation for Evenstar Ivory Divine Seal. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Yvelbane said, its voice thick with emotion, "Lethal qi from ordinary mystic metals only enhances your strength and resilience to a certain threshold. But thanks to jadeslice steel, your spirit energy carries a trace of Evenstar's piercing sharpness. Your body has now become a weapon!"

It was heavy and indestructible, and could slice through metal and shatter jade as easily as a razor-sharp blade.

"I didn't think it would be so powerful." Lowering himself back onto the glass platform, An Jing let out a long breath as a new understanding began to take root. "This way, I can resist the vilespawn fiend's attack without a bulletproof mantle. And by powering the sword case with Evenstar lethal qi, its lethality will skyrocket. A single well-placed strike could prove fatal."

"But don't become complacent," Yvelbane warned. "You only have meager spirit energy, so you can't sustain a long battle. Should you possess a weapon that can end it in one hit, then use it."

"I understand. It's just that seeing my cultivation improve brings me real joy."

Taking a deep breath, An Jing braced himself to resume his meditation. Time was of the essence. A safe sanctuary to cultivate was rare, and with only a day remaining, every wisp of Evenstar lethal qi he condensed would add another layer of confidence for his return to Void Embrace.

"Wait," Yvelbane interrupted just as An Jing resumed absorbing spirit qi from the spirit vein as well as lethal qi from the jadeslice steel. "There's something wrong with this spirit vein."

Yvelbane's voice grew solemn. "I sensed something wrong earlier, but now it's clear. There are traces of fiend qi in this spirit vein."

1. Reminder that the Fortification Realm is on the martial path while the Qi Refinement Realm is on the immortal path. Both realms are roughly equivalent in power. ☜