A Year's Worth of Improvement

--- Chapter 38 ---

As the sun rose to the sky, everyone in the Drifting River City started doing their activities. 

Yu Long woke up like usual, brushing his teeth and changing into fresh clothes. He went to the Profound Gathering Array on the cliff he usually visited to cultivate and sat down.

Profound Gathering Array is an S-grade Array. Yes, Yu Long graded them based on his understanding now. 

It utilizes the surrounding natural energy and refines it into the ground, strictly speaking, Tanky the living mountain range, and makes it purer as time passes.

The refined energy enriched the environment, allowing for better crops and cattle. However, that's just the by-product of the Profound Gathering Array.

The purpose of the Profound Gathering Array is to improve the purity of the 'Profound Strength' in the atmosphere, allowing the profound practitioner to grow faster.

Yu Long stared at the sunrise and felt the new wave of violet qi traveling to his skin. He inhaled deeply and regulated the new profound strength in his veins.

[Art of Violet Mist] generated Yang(Light) Energy and merged it with the Yin(Darkness) energy Yu Long passively absorbed at night. 

After ten cycles, Yu Long activated another profound art.

This profound art allowed Yu Long to create a new wisp of Primordial Energy in his inner world. By absorbing all elements and stabilizing them with Yin & Yang Energy and Natural Energy, a wisp of Primordial Aura will be born.

The Primordial Aura became gas-like and slowly condensed, generating a drop of grayish-colored liquid. This liquid is unrefined Primordial Energy, which needs further sublimation for the new three months before becoming true Primordial Energy.

One might think this process is too complex.

But this is the simplest way one is ever able to replicate the wonder of the Age of Gods. 

Even Yuyan, the residual soul of the Primordial Phoenix, praised Yu Long for achieving something she thought impossible in this era.

Yu Long created this profound art with the help of Xia Qingyue and named it 'Summer Moon Grandmist.' referencing her name. 

Xia Qingyue's name means "Summer to Collapse the Moon."

In truth, Yu Long has generated a decent amount of unrefined Primordial Energy. However, using them is a different matter.

The unrefined Primordial Energy is dangerous for living beings. One drop is enough to kill a mortal due to excessive profundity.

After all, Primordial Energy shouldn't exist in this era.

The Primal Chaos has declined so much. 

Yu Long discovered this about eleven months ago when the 'Summer Moon Grandmist' was a prototype.

"Fuu..." Yu Long exhaled violet-colored mist from his mouth.

"True Profound Realm is one's profound energy that truly enters solidification."

"The effect when one uses profound skill will become much smoother and stronger..." 

"Next is the Spirit Profound Realm." 

Yu Long smiled, "I'm in the 10th Level of the Spirit Profound Realm." 

"And after eight months holding myself from the breakthrough, I've finally the 'Spirit.' means." 

"One's profound strength is revitalized, gaining 'innate spirit.' that correlates their profound arts. For example, if one cultivates a Fire-Based Cultivation Technique, their profound strength will carry a spirit of fire."

"Me, on the other hand, is as blank as paper." He chuckled wickedly. 

"My spirit is constantly changing and evolving." 

"Myriad Spirit, if I had to name it." 

Yu Long closed his eyes and activated [Art of Ghost] and [Art of Violet Mist], breaking the flimsy barrier to enter the Earth Profound Realm.

BOOM!

The cliff shook as Yu Long's cultivation base soared rapidly.

1st Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

2nd Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

3rd Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

4th Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

5th Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

6th Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

7th Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

8th Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

9th Level of the Earth Profound Realm.

10th Realm of the Earth Profound Realm.

Yu Long pressed his finger against his chest's pressure point to seal the surging blood energy. His profound veins torn apart, burning rapidly into ashes and recovering itself a few minutes later.

"Let's see..." He spewed a mouthful of black blood and observed the change in his body, seeing the profound veins of his act like a miniature universe now.

There are 54 blinking stars, which were his profound entrances.

These blinking stars constantly swallowed the energy in the atmosphere and stabilized themselves.

"Earth Profound Realm, my profound energy is starting to evolve in an unknown direction."

"After gaining the 'Myriad Spirit' originated from [Kaiju Maker], it became more life-like." Yu Long rubbed his chin.

Yu Long shrugged and sighed, deciding to wait for the secret to reveal itself. As he maintained this cultivation base, something would be more apparent sooner or later.

The sun hangs in the sky, but the atmosphere is still cold.

Two and half hours passed after he woke up, meaning it was 8 A.M now.

"Big Brother Yu Long, why didn't you wake me up?" A charming voice comes from behind.

Yu Long smiled and turned, "Because you're sleeping so nicely. I didn't wake you up." 

Xia Qingyue has washed up and changed into her blue dress, looking cute and charming. "B-But I want to cultivate with you..." She pinched the corner of her dress.

"Well, well, don't look so sad." Yu Long shook his head helplessly.

"Sit here. Show me how much you progress." 

Xia Qingyue's face lit up immediately as she sat beside Yu Long and executed her profound art.

A water curtain appeared and slowly spiraled from Xia Qingyue's palm to her abdomen, turning into a swimming dragon. 

Not long after, thunderclouds appeared and covered the swimming dragon in mist.

Since Xia Qingyue is abnormal like Yu Long, there aren't many limitations on her profound way. She could cultivate any cultivation technique without getting a backlash.

When Xia Qingyue joined Yu Long's group, she cultivated [Art of Water], the basic but the most complex water-based cultivation technique in the [Art Series]. 

A year passed, and Xia Qingyue strengthened the [Art of Water] with [Art of Lightning] to create [Ocean Quake Symbol]. Her cultivation is at a modest 10th Level of the True Profound Realm. 

Yu Long observed Xia Qingyue's [Ocean Quake Symbol] and discovered her profound energy constantly vibrating. 

In the past, the vibration was slow and barely bore any result, but now even profound practitioners three minor realms higher than Xia Qingyue won't be able to resist it.

Of course, Xia Qingyue could adjust the frequency and create many results.

"Nice, you have achieved the True Vibration Stage." Yu Long praised Xia Qingyue's progress. "Once you improve it once more, even a Sky Profound Realm would have a tough time facing your attack." 

"The seismic waves are part of nature. Any defense is futile before it."

"Good job." He rubbed her head gently.

Xia Qingyue tilted her head and enjoyed the pats. It was so satisfying.

"I'm still lacking, big brother." She scrunched her little nose.

"Even at the True Vibration Stage, I can't break through your defense."

Yu Long smirked and teased, "That's because I could nullify your tremor attacks." 

"Maybe you should diversify your attack more."

"Elemental attacks aren't bad." 

"Physical attack requires some fitness, but you should be able to do it." 

"Hmm..." Xia Qingyue thought about it.

"Can I mimic your Elemental Spirit Weapons?" 

A wry smile appeared on Yu Long's face, "And you immediately went to the best application possible, huh?" 

Xia Qingyue giggled, "I mean... Your Elemental Spirit Weapons are just too versatile." 

"With a simple wave of hand, you can create profound energy's blade enhanced with elemental power and launch them at the enemy."

"Not only can you adjust the weapon to achieve different results, but the attacks also have a certain degree of ignoring one's defense because of the difference of profound energy's purity." 

"It's so fearsome!" Her eyes blinked like stars.

"Using it with my Ocean Quake Symbol will make it even better."

"Understandable." Yu Long sighed in defeat. "Just remember that Elemental Spirit Weapons consume profound energy." 

"With your current cultivation base, I don't recommend using more than twenty times." He added while placing a book on Xia Qingyue's lap.

Xia Qingyue hugged Yu Long and whispered with stutters, "B-Big Brother, I-I love you..." 

She then grabbed the book and ran away like a shy bunny. 

Yu Long couldn't see Xia Qingyue's face, but her ears were red, probably from the embarrassment.

"Haha, I've truly fallen..." Yu Long laughed, shaking his head weakly.

After staring at the sky for a while, Yu Long stood up and returned to the Yu Clan. 

"And I love it."