The Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 1749 - Divine Wood Essence, An Unreal Sight

The Divine Wood Essence was an ability that massively improved the Wood Attribute Arts. Moreover, Qing Shui felt that it was even more powerful than the Five Element Art's wood attribute.

Qing Hanye had passed Qing Hanye a copy of the Divine Wood Essence which he had written down himself. Qing Hanye had used the wood of the Five Elements Pearls and already had the Wood Vines martial technique. However, there shouldn't be a need for it to be used at the moment.

Qing Shui looked at the Divine Wood Essence for a while. He then put it down and picked up the Wood Vines martial technique. His mastery of Wood Attribute Arts was already very strong. The only reason he picked up the Wood Vine martial technique was so that he could further stabilize his foundations. After all, the Five Elements Art's Wood Vine martial technique and Qing Shui's Five Elements Divine Refining Technique had a complimentary feeling to them.

Of course, this wasn't saying that the Wood Vines was more powerful than the wood attribute of the Five Elements Divine Refining Technique. The Five Elements Art that he had obtained from the treasures this time around was the most basic and could be considered the basic amongst the basics. On the other hand, the Five Elements Divine Refining Technique was quite a higher quality technique.

Qing Shui had absorbed the metal and fire pearls of the Five Elements Pearls, and the prowess of his metal and fire attributes had increased by a lot. For example, the prowess of Qing Shui's Primordial Flames and Golden Sword had gotten a massive growth.

However, Qing Shui had always believed that his best and most practical skill was in the wood attribute, the bloodthirsty demonic vines. Therefore, Qing Shui planned to first cultivate the wood attribute of the Five Elements Divine Refining Technique.

This time around, having gotten a lot stronger, the prowess of his Five Elements Divine Refining Technique naturally rose as well. However, since he had the Divine Wood Essence, the prowess of his Wood Attribute Arts would improve tremendously as a result.

As for the other aspects, there would be some improvements as well, but it would only be minor. After all, the Wood Vines and others were the most basic. Although they may not be bad for others, it would just be considered adding luster to something that was already beautiful to begin with from Qing Shui's viewpoint. The only one that could truly be of use was the Divine Wood Essence.

The moment Qing Shui started cultivating, he would completely forget about sleep and food. Within a week's worth of time, Qing Shui had completely mastered the most basic Wood Vines. After all, he was already considered to be proficient with it before this.

Half a month later, Qing Shui started learning the Divine Wood Essence. The Divine Wood Essence wasn't an offensive ability like the Wood Vines, but was a passive Qi circulation technique. After mastering it, one would be able to permanently increase the abilities of their Wood Attribute Arts.

Only improving the Wood Attribute Arts.

Qing Shui was already powerful with the wood attribute and naturally, he had managed to pick it up very quickly. However, time continued to pass and even until it was time for Qing Shui to leave, he still had not succeeded in it.

Although he wasn't successful in his cultivation, Qing Shui was still very happy. Moreover, he had the feeling that he wouldn't take much longer to grasp it. By then, his strongest ability would be the wood attribute abilities. They were the strongest control-type abilities.

Although the Paragon Strike was very powerful, he could only use it once. Right now, he had the Dragon Slaying Beast and as long as the wood attribute of his Five Elements Divine Refining Technique could become even more powerful, then regardless if he was killing enemies, dealing instant kills, controlling the opponents, or protecting his own life, he would be able to reach a perfect realm.

After he came out, he noticed Muyun Qingge outside, seemingly practicing something. Her surroundings were full of water vortexes. Her eyes were slightly closed as she sensed the changes in the surroundings.

She seemed as if she was motionless at all, but the Origin Qi in the surroundings kept on moving. The water spirals also grew increasingly bigger. Moreover, their strength also grew as time goes on, just like bottomless pits.

Qing Shui's eyes lit up. He then saw the vortexes around Muyun Qingge increasing from two to three and then finally stopping at four. This continued on for 15 minutes before Muyun Qingge opened her eyes.

Although her eyes appeared a little tired, there was also a hint of excitement in them. After seeing Qing Shui, she smiled. Half a day had passed by unknowingly. Qing Shui smiled and nodded, "Come. Let's have some food and continue on our way."

Qing Shui had taken note of time. They were only about an hour away before the next day. They could continue on their day after having some food and then use the Nine Continents Steps directly. After using the remaining nine times of the Nine Continents Steps, it would become the following day.

Qing Shui's food were the ones that had been prepared in the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal. With the Paragon Water Shield, he could move like a fish in the water and his origin Qi could push away the surrounding water, reaching a state where there was no water in the vicinity.

This wasn't the first time that Muyun Qingge had eaten Qing Shui's cooking and every time they ate, the meals were always delicious. However, she would feel a little embarrassed after eating, thinking that she had overeaten. As a powerful cultivator, she didn't have to worry about growing fat no matter how much she ate. However, she felt that it wouldn't look good.

"Qing Shui, have you cultivated the Water Spiral?" While eating, Muyun Qingge looked at Qing Shui and asked.

"Erm, I haven't been able to practice that yet. Why?" Qing Shui answered casually.

"It's nothing. I just feel that after reaching four water spirals, I can't progress any further. Moreover, the depletion is also significant." Muyun Qingge gave it some thoughts and said.

Due to the Five Elements Divine Refining Technique, Qing Shui had a strong understanding of the five elements. He looked at Muyun Qingge and informed her, "Each of the five elements has their own respective characteristics. Sharpness for metal, violence for fire, serenity for water, life for wood, and heaviness for earth."

After saying this, Qing Shui paused slightly before he continued with a smile, "You know about all these. Water flows toward lower grounds, a canal is formed when water flows [1], water gushes down quickly and across a far distance, waves surges and reach sky-high, and water is also merciless."

Qing Shui spoke in a very slow but slightly heavy tone. He stopped after reciting these and just simply continued to enjoy the meal.

Muyun Qingge was stunned for a moment before she looked at the surroundings. They were now situated in the ocean and she was aware that water was of an extremely gentle nature. However, water and fire were merciless and when the aura was formed, their prowesses were extremely paralyzing. Water flows freely, coming down with the flow of the aura...

Muyun Qingge got motivated and as a result, she rapidly got up and walked far away. Very soon, spirals started to appear around her one after another. After the fourth one appeared, there was no longer any increase in the numbers, but the size of the spirals had doubled in size. Moreover, the speed and force of the spirals brought about an intense killing aura that had more than doubled in intensity.

Most importantly, Muyun Qingge now appeared very relaxed. It was as if she did not need to exert any strength at all and her figure continued to move about in the water, moving freely in the spirals. She could even use the spirals to increase the speed greatly and her silhouette became afterimages and elusive like a ghost.

Very long later, Muyun Qingge had finally come to a stop, wearing a happy smile on her face. She walked up to Qing Shui, saying, "Thank you."

"Is this still necessary between us?" Qing Shui didn't look at Muyun Qingge and merely shook his head.

"Let's continue on our way so that we can reach the Sacred Ocean Sound Cave earlier." Muyun Qingge happily said.

Qing Shui nodded. Waving his hand to retrieve the tent and other items, he got onto the White Jade Dragon together with Muyun Qingge, leaving the area.

Nine Continents Steps.

He continued to use the Nine Continents Steps. By the time they had used the 80th Nine Continents Steps, Qing Shui stopped. This place was an underwater city. The unreal appearance of the surroundings caused Qing Shui to be overwhelmed with astonishment.

Even the world of the ocean domain could be this prosperous. Even more so than places on the ground. It was as if the deeper the ocean region, the more prosperous the world was. There were vast pathways here. Many buildings that were like palaces and endless stretch of other stuff. The visual impact was really strong.

[1] An idiom with the meaning that when the conditions are ripe, success will come.