Sacrificial Artifact System: From Bell-ringer to the Ancestral Patriarch

Summer passes and autumn comes; winter fades and spring arrives.

It has been over two years since Li Qian's breakthrough in Sword Intent.

Life on the mountain is incredibly peaceful.

As he doesn't need to undertake internal sect tasks, he hasn't left the Divine Sword Sect in over two years.

His daily routine is very regular, focused on bell-striking cultivation.

However, the Divine Sword Sect is far from peaceful.

The Moon Worship Sect's rebellion in recent years has swept across the vast states of Dachang; although the imperial court has tried exhaustively to suppress it, the situation has grown increasingly severe.

The number of internal sect tasks within the Divine Sword Sect has also sharply increased, primarily related to the suppression missions.

This has significantly increased the risk associated with these tasks.

As a result, many Inner Sect Disciples have been injured or killed.

Consequently, the Divine Sword Sect has had no choice but to increase the task rewards.

In the afternoon.

Chen Yong made his way up the mountain.

Already half a year ago, Chen Yong finished first on the strength leaderboard for three consecutive years, successfully earning the status of Inner Sect Disciple.

Although he is merely the most ordinary Official Disciple, to servant disciples, it is akin to the transformation from a fish leaping over the dragon gate.

Resources for cultivation beyond the reach of servant disciples.

And the true Internal Cultivation Methods.

"Brother Qian, there is a rumor going wild in the Inner Sect about the Task Hall preparing to distribute tasks; and... the mandatory inner sect tasks have temporarily increased from once a year to twice a year."

Chen Yong said.

Every time he visited the mountain, he would bring some inner sect news to Li Qian.

"Is the situation this grave now?"

Li Qian's face showed surprise, then he said: "Then you must cultivate diligently. In another half a year, you will have to participate in the inner sect tasks."

"Brother Qian, rest assured, I will cultivate earnestly... However, I encountered a bit of trouble when cultivating my Inner Strength..."

Chen Yong nodded and spoke.

Actually, he was somewhat looking forward to participating in the inner sect tasks; by completing them, he could earn contribution points.

Without contribution points, relying solely on the cultivation resources provided by the inner sect, it would be tough to meet the needs of cultivation.

He also came from a poor background; his family couldn't provide cultivation resources, everything depended on what he could acquire himself.

"Speak, what's the problem?"

Li Qian knew that Chen Yong's visit to the mountain was surely about cultivation issues.

As a servant disciple who was promoted to an ordinary Official Disciple, he was at the bottom tier within the Inner Sect, without even the qualifications to be a Registered Disciple under an elder or Peak Master, let alone to take on a mentor.

Therefore, if Chen Yong wanted to consult about cultivation issues, he often needed to spend contribution points.

Without a strong background or sufficiently high innate Root Bone talent... cultivation is just this difficult.

Chen Yong quickly explained his problem.

Li Qian gave him answers one by one.

Anyway, he spent every day on the mountain, and beyond cultivating, he had plenty of free time.

Not long after Chen Yong left, Master Zhou Buping with hands clasped behind his back, gracefully walked up from the base of the mountain.

"Master, has the situation outside become very dire?"

Li Qian couldn't help but ask.

His main concern was that if there was great turmoil outside, it would affect the Divine Sword Sect...

Only if the Divine Sword Sect was stable... could he cultivate at the Chen Bell Platform with peace of mind.

"Good or bad situations are only relative. For ordinary people, the chaos outside is naturally quite dreadful... but for a large martial arts sect like the Divine Sword Sect, the impact is limited."

Zhou Buping said with a smile.

As the martial arts sect that commands respect from three states and twelve counties, the Divine Sword Sect has profound foundations. Even at the end times of a dynasty, amidst widespread chaos, it has the ability to protect itself.

Moreover, the current situation is far from the chaos seen in the final periods of a dynasty.

"So, you just focus on cultivating in peace and strive to refine your Pure Sword Body as soon as possible."

Zhou Buping added.

"Yes, Master."

Li Qian nodded.

Zhou Buping waved his hand and then walked toward his wooden hut.

After the master left, Li Qian summoned the system interface to check the latest information.

Host: Li Qian.

Cultivation: Acquired (Ninth Layer 99/100).

Sacrificial Artifact: Chen Bell (Might 2314/10000).

Martial Arts: Sword Stabbing Fist (Perfect), Heartless Sword Technique (Perfect), Pure Sword Body (Great Success 99/100).

Martial Intent: Heartless Sword Intent (Illusion 19/100).

Secret Skill: Ten Thousand Transformation Sword Qi, Blood Burning Technique.

....

In fact, his Pure Sword Body had reached the progress of Great Success 99 eight months ago.

Just missing the last bit, always unable to break through to perfection...

Unfortunately, he has no experience to refer to, and Zhou Buping can't teach him anything either.

After all, the Leakless Vajra Skill is not possessed by anyone in the Divine Sword Sect.

He could only rely on himself to figure it out.

"Maybe my vitality is still not strong enough..."

Li Qian thought to himself.

In truth, the robustness of his physical vitality has reached an extremely terrifying level.

Even innate martial artists who specifically practice Body Refinement may not be as strong as him.

"If I could enter the Sword Grinding Cave once more to observe the murals, maybe then I could understand the reason."

Li Qian returned to his room, sat cross-legged on the bed, and recalled the murals he had seen in the Sword Grinding Cave.

With astonishing memory, although several years had passed, he could still clearly remember them.

However, remembering the murals and seeing them in person are two different things.

"With perfected post-celestial Inner Qi, nourishing my physical body..."

After recalling, he pondered the method of cultivating the Pure Sword Body.

"Essence, energy, spirit... the physical body is the essence, which can transform energy and nourish the spirit... With Inner Qi nourishing the physical body, it's equivalent to using Qi to supplement essence, so shouldn't I also use the spirit to supplement essence?"

Li Qian's thoughts ran wild, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him, "Could it be that my Sword Intent has improved too fast, causing the Illusion-level Sword Intent to affect the perfection of the Pure Sword Body?"

At the same time, his attention fell on the sword shadow in his mind.

This Sword Intent itself was also condensed with a considerable amount of mental essence.

In any case.

He felt it was necessary to give it a try.

Over the last half year, he had analyzed all facets, except for the aspect of Sword Intent.

But he was not in a hurry.

It was still daytime.

It was temporarily inconvenient to attempt.

He waited until nightfall, and after the gong sounded, Li Qian was already standing at the Bell Platform, beside the Chen Bell.

Moonlight cascading like water.

Spilling on Li Qian's figure, hazy and dim.

The cool air, along with the night breeze, was very comfortable.

Li Qian closed his eyes and connected with the sword shadow in his mind.

As the bell sounded in his mind, the sword shadow vibrated with a hum and descended directly, combining with the Inner Qi in his Qi Sea and Dantian.

Following that, he assumed the stance and began cultivating the Pure Sword Body.

Boom!

Li Qian felt a shudder throughout his body, and as the rebellious Inner Qi dissolved, the sword shadow that represented the Heartless Sword Intent seemed to be affected in the same way, starting to disintegrate and dissolve.

A tremendous change occurred.

His physical body, upon receiving the nourishment of Inner Qi and Sword Intent, seemed to have broken a certain limit all at once.

Hum!

An odd power began to emerge within his body, as though taking the place of vitality, running through every inch of his muscles, organs, tissues, and even his cells…

A true rebirth.

Not just internally, even the hair and skin on his body began to wither and shed, quickly growing new skin and hair.

After a long time, this transformation finally completed.

At this moment, Li Qian had only one sensation.

That was freedom.

It was as though his physical body had broken free from some kind of shackles, experiencing the true liberation and freedom.

He slowly opened his eyes, and his eyes shone like stars as he lifted his hand to examine it carefully.

His skin became much whiter.

Delicate and sleek, seemingly glowing with a faint luminous sheen.

Swoosh!

He moved and came before a copper mirror.

The young man's facial features in the mirror had not changed much.

But exuded a divine temperament.

Li Qian finally understood what it meant to truly transcend the mortal world.

"Who would have thought that the cultivation of the Pure Sword Body would eventually require the integration of one's Sword Intent."

Li Qian was filled with emotion.

No wonder it's called Sword Body.

Without the nourishment of Sword Intent... how could it be considered a Sword Body.

He indeed missed something when he was comprehending that mural in the Sword Grinding Cave.

If it weren't for his epiphany, who knows how much longer it would have taken for the perfection of the Pure Sword Body.

.....