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Xie Lingfeng asked expectantly, "Lingxiu, do you have any pills that can strengthen the body?"

Su Lingxiu nodded, "For physical cultivation, the best is the Golden Body Pill, but that's only suitable for our Second Senior Brother. Since you two are not cultivating physical martial arts, the Golden Body Pill isn't right for you.

"Then there's the Strengthening Pill, which is also quite effective. It can at least double your physical strength, which should be quite beneficial."

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan were delighted. Doubling their physical strength would significantly enhance their abilities.

"Miss Su, are these herbs sufficient?" Hu Shan asked.

"Almost. I'll make up for the missing herbs myself. You've forged so many items for me, so naturally, I'll make the pills for you for free," Su Lingxiu said casually.

This set of assembly line pill furnaces, along with the new pill furnace, was quite valuable.

Taking out the herbs, Su Lingxiu eagerly began pill refining. The new pill furnace was of higher grade and had been redesigned by her, making it more suitable for pill refining.

Indeed, the refining speed was nearly doubled, and the quality of the pills was much better.

In one batch, she refined thirty-six Qi Condensing Pills.

She then proceeded to refine the necessary healing pills.

Finally, she began refining the Strengthening Pills. Su Lingxiu was very excited and seemed unable to stop, as if pill refining was addictive.

The more she refined, the more excited she became, as if she truly experienced the joy of pill refining at this moment.

"This pill furnace is excellent!" Su Lingxiu said excitedly.

"That's great, that's great!" Hu Shan couldn't stop smiling.

One bottle of pills after another was completed, making Hu Shan very happy.

Once all the herbs Hu Shan brought were refined, Su Lingxiu finally stopped refining.

With the pills in hand, Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan were thrilled and fully immersed themselves in their cultivation, striving to improve their strength as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Su Lingxiu continued to study the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) with Xu Yan's help.

Outside the manor, Kou Ruo Zhi was overseeing the construction of an assembly line pill refining room, and the people needed for refining were already selected.

They were all boys and girls around fourteen or fifteen years old, from poor backgrounds, whose lives had been improved by the Tianmu Sect. Their faith in the Tianmu Sect was firm and loyal.

To them, Su Lingxiu was their Tianmu (Heavenly Mother), whom they would never betray.

Kou Ruo Zhi was reliable and diligent. Ever since he stopped thinking about rebellion, dissolved the Tianmu Sect, and reorganized it into the Evergreen Pavilion, he had a new purpose in life and became more positive and hardworking.

On the Bagua diagram, Su Lingxiu, with Xu Yan's help, had some insights. She was only a step away from breaking through and seeing the world anew.

Standing in the center of the Bagua diagram, some insights appeared in her mind, and the positions of the Bagua emerged one by one.

Xu Yan watched from the side. This final realization had to come from his junior sister herself, so she could understand and develop her own martial arts technique.

Su Lingxiu frowned slightly, feeling that she was just a step away from comprehending a powerful movement technique, but she was stuck at some point.

Suddenly, a butterfly fluttered by, seemingly attracted by her fragrance, circling around her a few times.

At that moment, a flash of inspiration struck Su Lingxiu, and she finally understood!

She showed an excited expression and took a step forward. Her figure floated like a butterfly, appearing and disappearing, with multiple images overlapping, making it impossible to tell her true position.

The Bagua diagram was filled with her floating figure, like a dancing butterfly, making it difficult to capture her exact location.

Xu Yan smiled, seeing that his junior sister had finally comprehended it.

He also had some realizations about the profoundness of the Bagua and felt that he was not far from understanding a new sword technique.

Mountains and rivers have myriad forms. Besides the Cangsheng Sword, there should be a new sword path.

Meng Chong was also watching from a distance, showing a thoughtful expression. He walked over, ready to exchange insights with his senior brother.

Su Lingxiu finally stopped, her face flushed with excitement. She had finally comprehended the movement technique!

"Senior Brother, I've understood the movement technique. I'll call it Thousand Butterfly Illusion," she said.

The fluttering butterfly had given her the final inspiration to break through and see a new world.

"Good!" Xu Yan nodded and smiled.

Outside the manor, Li Xuan was instructing Chi Mao. Using his bamboo staff, he pointed at Chi Mao's body, applying a bit of force to help it remember the acupuncture points better.

The bamboo staff left a slight pain on Chi Mao's body.

Chi Mao lay on the ground, not daring to move, looking at him with pitiful eyes.

"This is your opportunity. If you understand, you might become the first great demon of this world," Li Xuan said with a smile.

As for whether there were any other demons in this world, Li Xuan didn't care. If Chi Mao comprehended it, it would undoubtedly be the first great demon.

Just like the martial arts he created, which were different from the inner region's martial arts and stronger.

The great demon path he created should also be stronger, right?

Even if not, it wouldn't matter. At least it wouldn't be weak and would be unique, forming its own system.

"Your disciple Su Lingxiu has comprehended the Thousand Butterfly Illusion movement technique from your Bagua teachings. You have gained the Heavenly Thunder Phantom of the Godly Thunder Transcendence."

Golden light appeared.

Su Lingxiu comprehended a new movement technique.

Li Xuan wasn't surprised by this. With Xu Yan's help and Su Lingxiu's own exceptional talent, it was natural for her to develop her own movement technique. Even without Xu Yan's assistance, she would have eventually understood it, though it would have taken longer.

This time, the feedback from the golden finger was an enhancement to the Divine Thunder Traversing Void technique, adding a sub-technique called Thousand Thunder Phantom! When using Divine Thunder Traversing Void, she could create thunder phantoms to obscure her true body, making it impossible for others to detect her real location.

"Not bad, the movement technique has become even stronger!" Li Xuan was in a great mood.

Divine Thunder Traversing Void was already extremely powerful. With enhanced strength, one could traverse the void like divine thunder in an instant.

In the following days, Xu Yan and Meng Chong continued to study the Bagua, and Su Lingxiu joined them, even reducing the time spent on pill refining.

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan were also diligently cultivating.

With the aid of the pills, their cultivation speed increased dramatically. Xie Lingfeng had already broken through to mid-level Grandmaster.

Hu Shan, who was already on the verge of breaking through, also achieved mid-level Grandmaster.

Kou Ruo Zhi completed the assembly line pill refining room. Su Lingxiu guided his cultivation and also instructed the selected boys and girls in pill refining, providing them with pills.

As for refining pills, they needed to wait a bit longer.

At least until the pill refining apprentices reached the Bone Refining stage, which would give them the endurance needed for pill refining.

Medicinal herbs and God Fire Stones for practicing pill refining were being transported in succession.

The martial arts community in the borderlands was growing larger, with more and more people practicing martial arts. However, the number of true martial arts initiates was still too few.

Most martial arts initiates were concentrated in the Xu family and the Evergreen Pavilion.

"Kou Ruo Zhi, you are also close to entering the martial path. For now, delegate your tasks to others and focus on your cultivation. Enter the martial path as soon as possible," Su Lingxiu said.

"Yes, Pavilion Master, I will enter the martial path as soon as possible," Kou Ruo Zhi replied excitedly.

"Once you enter the martial path, there are some tasks I need you to handle. With your abilities, I believe there won't be any mistakes," Su Lingxiu nodded.

"Don't worry, Pavilion Master. I will handle everything perfectly without any mistakes!" Kou Ruo Zhi promised, patting his chest.

He naturally understood that this involved going to the inner region.

After giving her instructions, Su Lingxiu returned to studying the Bagua with her senior brothers.

She was already at the peak of her Qi and blood, accumulating strength and waiting to break through to the Innate Realm.

Xu Yan had already explained the mysteries of the Innate Realm to her.

Time passed quickly. Although Xu Yan and Meng Chong hadn't broken through, their strength was steadily increasing.

Li Xuan was also pleased with this progress.

"Your disciple Meng Chong has achieved minor success in Blade Soul, and you have achieved perfection in Blade Soul."

Meng Chong had minor success in Blade Soul.

"Your disciple Meng Chong has achieved minor success in Blade Intent, and you have achieved perfection in Blade Intent."

Meng Chong's Blade Intent had also improved.

"When will Xu Yan comprehend the second realm of Sword Dao?" Li Xuan wondered.

Xu Yan had already achieved great success in Sword Heart, understanding the second level of Sword Intent. However, due to his current level, he couldn't yet fully utilize the second level of Sword Intent.

"If Xu Yan comprehends the Heart Sword Realm, even if he can't break through due to his strength, I can still be the first to break through to the Heart Sword Realm," Li Xuan thought.

The Heart Sword Realm was an extremely high level of Sword Dao.

Although Xu Yan had achieved great success in Sword Heart, understanding how to break into the Heart Sword Realm was still very challenging.

"The Heart Sword Realm might require transcending the Profound Realm to be fully understood," Li Xuan mused.

The Heart Sword Realm was incredibly profound, using all things in heaven and earth as the sword. How powerful would that be?

Even the Profound Realm seemed inadequate for such a feat.

But perhaps with Xu Yan's extraordinary talent, it might be possible to initially achieve this even at the Profound Realm.

Meng Chong had yet to reach the second realm of Blade Dao, but he had gained significant insight into the mysteries of the Great Sun Golden Body, enhancing his strength.

Li Xuan's gaze turned serious as he reflected on his own cultivation of the Great Sun Golden Body, nurturing profound mysteries within its meridians.

"The number of martial artists in the borderlands is still too small. However, we're not far from reaching a hundred martial artists. Will there be a feedback loop when that milestone is reached?" Li Xuan pondered in anticipation.

He was already revered as the Martial Saint by borderland martial artists and honored as the Martial Ancestor of the Borderlands. With an increasing number of martial artists achieving entry-level mastery, he believed this reverence would yield significant benefits.

Outside the manor, on a hillside.

Xu Yan unleashed a powerful sword strike, his "Mountains and Rivers Sword" displaying the might of nature itself. Thunder roared within the landscape, creating a thunder sword of immense power, seemingly capable of shattering the heavens and earth.

The very mountains and rivers appeared to tremble.

"Zhen represents thunder. Let's call this the 'Thunder Quake Sword'," Xu Yan murmured to himself.

This was a technique he derived from the Bagua, the second sword in his "Mountains and Rivers Sword Dao."

Thunder Quake Sword!

Meanwhile, Meng Chong, after a moment of contemplation, unleashed a punch that crackled with wind and thunder. Golden light shimmered as his fierce fist energy shot into the sky.

"Zhen represents thunder, Xun represents wind. My Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist can also gain insights and enhancements from the Bagua," Meng Chong mused as he soared into the air, demonstrating his technique.

Thunder roared, storms raged, and a tempest engulfed the sky. Amidst it, a golden figure reminiscent of a Vajra Arhat stood invincible, repelling all evil.

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan looked up, deeply shocked. Meng Chong's power had grown even more formidable—what kind of fist technique was this? It was truly overwhelming.

Li Xuan observed thoughtfully, recognizing that Meng Chong had gained insights from the Bagua, breaking through with his Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist.

"Your disciple Meng Chong has comprehended the true essence of Wind and Thunder. Your mastery of Wind and Thunder Essence has reached perfection."

Golden light appeared, feedback from the golden finger.

"Your disciple Xu Yan has comprehended the second sword of the Mountains and Rivers Sword, the Thunder Quake Sword. Your mastery of the Thunder Quake Sword has reached perfection."

Xu Yan's feedback had also arrived.

Li Xuan was secretly delighted. Creating the Bagua was indeed a wise decision, as it was now yielding significant benefits.

Both Xu Yan and Meng Chong had gained insights from the Bagua, further understanding its profound mysteries. They both felt that the true essence of the Bagua remained elusive and infinitely profound.

They marveled at their master's teachings, realizing that it embodied an endless martial path.

Su Lingxiu was also comprehending the Bagua with Xu Yan and Meng Chong's assistance. Given her talent and preferences, she too began to gain insights.

Li Xuan noticed that Su Lingxiu's comprehension pertained to needle-based martial arts.

She had already mastered techniques like the Golden Needle Acupuncture from the Dan Medicine Martial Canon. However, she was still missing stronger combat techniques.

"The mysteries of the Bagua are indeed unfathomable. Every deeper comprehension reveals endless utility and profoundness, as if one can never fully grasp its entirety," Xu Yan remarked after guiding Su Lingxiu.

"Indeed, the Bagua's mysteries are truly profound," Meng Chong agreed.

Even Xu Yan found the Bagua's Dao to be immensely deep, indicating its unparalleled strength and mystery.

Su Lingxiu closed her eyes slightly, and as her Qi and blood surged, golden needles appeared, floating around her.

Suddenly, the needles shot out, transforming continuously. At one moment, they resembled a gentle breeze, penetrating all barriers, piercing anything they touched.

Thud!

A small needle struck a tree. Though the needle was tiny, it left a small hole in the tree.

However, the area around the hole began to wither, as if the tree had turned into deadwood.

The life force in the tree trunk had been directly sapped by the needle, extinguishing its vitality.

Crack!

The tree broke and fell.

Xu Yan exclaimed, "Junior Sister's needle technique is truly formidable. Small and swift, it strikes silently and fatally."

Meng Chong nodded, "Moreover, Junior Sister's needle technique can both kill and heal!"

Su Lingxiu had finally developed a powerful needle technique.

"Senior Brother, try to catch my needles!" Su Lingxiu exclaimed excitedly, eager to test her newly comprehended deadly technique.

In an instant, a rain of needles enveloped Xu Yan like a gentle breeze, threatening to turn him into a pincushion.

Xu Yan smiled faintly. Without using his innate strength, he used only his Qi and blood strength, waving his hand. The Dragon Subduing Palm technique enveloped the needles, collecting them into his palm.

(End of this chapter)