Chapter 12: The Poet's Grasp

At this moment, Cao Xuan seemed to be immersed in a vast sea of information. One after another, medicinal herbs and spiritual plants appeared in his mind. The Yellow Ganoderma was no longer just a cold word; its entire process, from sprouting to maturity, was perfectly clear to him.

Simultaneously, Cao Xuan seemed to become an old apothecary, as if he had honed his skills countless times. He knew exactly how to handle Yellow Ganoderma—how to harvest, store, grind, and use it in medicine.

At this moment, Cao Xuan’s understanding of spiritual medicines rivaled even that of a master who had spent a thousand years in alchemy.

“So this is what it means to achieve complete enlightenment?” Cao Xuan murmured to himself.

He had to admit, everything produced by the system was truly exceptional. He had thought that so-called complete enlightenment merely meant gaining insight into the use of certain herbs, but he hadn’t expected it to include every detail, even the process from seed to maturity.

Looking at the four remaining complete enlightenments on his panel, he didn’t hesitate and used them all at once.

[Using 'Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps' complete enlightenment. You are currently being personally instructed by the master of the Heavenly Gang Sect!]

[Unfortunately, your talent is as useless as a lump, but since the system only produces the best, the master of the Heavenly Gang Sect, despite his grimace, still patiently teaches you.]

[One year passes. With the master wearing the expression of a poet grasping his verse, you finally reach the entry stage.]

Cao Xuan felt a bit awkward. “So when I acquired the three techniques before, I thought I had mastered them, but in reality, my mind knew them, but my body didn’t.”

Techniques directly imprinted in the mind allowed him to understand the basics, but transforming them into actual skill required time and hard training.

[Thirty years pass. With the master of the Heavenly Gang Sect looking utterly hopeless, you finally cultivate 'Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps' to perfection.]

[The master is finally liberated!]

[‘Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps’ perfected!]

Somewhere unknown, in the midst of towering mountains, an elder was explaining 'Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps' to his disciples.

“This technique, as direct disciples of the sect, you must cultivate it diligently. Strive to perfect it within a year. Now, the key points are…”

Suddenly, he felt nauseous, as if he had been teaching a fool for thirty years.

Just then, a student asked, “Master, there’s something in 'Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps' I don’t understand…”

Without thinking, the master blurted out, “Idiot!”

Student: ???

...

Cao Xuan’s panel ended there. In that instant, he closed his eyes and sensed the breath of the Sky Gang wind.

With a turn of spiritual power within, his figure faded and instantly reappeared ten meters away.

Cao Xuan opened his eyes in shock. “Is this the perfected 'Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps'?”

In that instant, wrapped in spiritual energy, he felt himself slide into the void, as if nothing in the world could block his path.

In this world, cultivation techniques were limited by realms—for example, his 'Green Wood Technique' could only be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment initial stage, at which point he'd have to switch to a higher-level technique.

But combat techniques and spells had no such restrictions. Even the Green Wood Palm from the Green Wood Technique could, if wielded by someone at the Grand Completion stage, destroy heaven and earth.

Of course, realm was only one aspect; there were also differences between techniques.

Previously, 'Light Body Art' was merely a basic movement skill for the Qi Refining stage, enabling one to add a layer of lightness, making the body more agile.

Compared to the secret technique 'Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps,' which allowed integration with the void, it was simply incomparable.

After using 'Heavenly Gang Wandering Steps' for a while, Cao Xuan sighed, “Indeed, the rewards of hard work and sweat are undeniable.”

“With this movement technique, without thirty years of bitter training, how could I be so proficient?”

“Let’s continue!”

[Using 'Azure Sky Dao Sword' complete enlightenment. A sword immortal descends gracefully, reciting, “Riding the sword with the wind, subduing demons between heaven and earth!”]

[You approach to ask about 'Azure Sky Dao Sword.' The sword immortal responds nonchalantly, “What’s so difficult about that!”]

[Soon enough, he pays the price for his arrogance!]

[Ten years pass. With the sword immortal’s hopeless expression, you swing the sword 100,000 times, finally reaching entry.]

[One hundred years pass. Eyes closed, sword in hand, a surge of sword intent shoots skyward. The sword immortal rises with it and disappears!]

['Azure Sky Dao Sword' perfected!]

Cao Xuan smacked his lips, sword intent surging in his chest.

“Ahem, looks like my talent in swordsmanship is one in a million. It only took a tiny bit of time to master a top-tier sword technique!”

Cao Xuan automatically ignored the system’s evaluation of his talent.

After all, it was the system that had made him transmigrate into the body of a “genius” with four tempered spiritual roots—he certainly hadn’t chosen this!

Somewhere in an unknown tavern, a youth said to a free-spirited middle-aged man, “Sword Immortal, since you’ve drunk my wine, you must keep your word and teach me 'Azure Sky Dao Sword'!”

“No problem, no problem…” Suddenly, he shuddered, feeling utterly drained.

“Next time, for sure!”

Youth: ???

...

Cao Xuan decided to strike while the iron was hot and use the remaining two complete enlightenments.

[Using 'Golden Body Protective Shield' complete enlightenment]

[...]

[Eighty years pass. 'Golden Body Protective Shield' perfected!]

[Using 'True Understanding of Alchemy' complete enlightenment]

[...]

[Ten years pass. 'True Understanding of Alchemy' perfected!]

The former was nothing special, but the latter made Cao Xuan’s eyes shine. “With the ‘Affinity for Herbs’ talent and the perfected 'Thousand Spirit Herb Manual,' I actually managed to master 'True Understanding of Alchemy' in just ten years.”

This wasn’t an exaggeration. The path of alchemy was inherently long; a single batch of pills could require ten years of daily refinement, and only then could the success rate rise from ten percent to seventy or eighty.

Cao Xuan possessed affinity for herbs, allowing him to directly taste pills and become familiar with the ratios of each herb. 'Thousand Spirit Herb Manual' spared him the lengthy process of learning and familiarizing himself with medicinal plants.

In the system simulation, the old apothecary was astounded and wished to take him as his final disciple. Unfortunately, it was only a simulation. Otherwise, Cao Xuan believed that apprenticing himself to an unknown but surely high-level alchemy master would guarantee endless cultivation resources.

Cao Xuan smacked his lips, “'True Understanding of Alchemy' is a secret technique for pill refining—it’s granted me entry to the art.”

“Sadly, in the simulation, I refined many pills, but now I don’t have a single recipe.”

'True Understanding of Alchemy' is akin to skill, while pill recipes are like formulas.

“It’s unfortunate to have such perfect alchemical skills, yet not even the most basic pill recipe.”

He shook his head in regret, but after a moment’s thought, “Wait, I do have the recipes for Qi Gathering Pill and Condensing Qi Powder!”

Through his affinity for herbs, he had “tasted” the composition of these two pills, though he still needed practical experimentation for the precise ratios.

“This method of deducing pill recipes via talent is one way, but if I had proper recipes, efficiency would naturally be much higher.”

“In that case, I should visit the Pill Refining Peak when I have the chance!”

Cao Xuan recalled that in the Green Mountain Market, the attendant in the Spirit Grass Pavilion spoke highly of Senior Sister Ye Caixuan from the Pill Refining Peak in their Azure Cloud Sect!