Chapter 83
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Chapter 83: Advancement of Cultivation Methods, Heavenly Grade!
Controlling an enemy’s techniques and magical tools face-to-face might sound appealing, but achieving this proved far from simple. These items inherently carried their owner’s will and magical essence. To seize control, Mu Lin had to expend soul power to wrestle for dominance – only through winning this mental tug-of-war could he truly command them.
The challenge lay in the enemy’s inherent advantage. Both techniques and artifacts bore deep imprints of their original users. Against opponents of equal strength, complete domination became nearly impossible. At best, Mu Lin could slightly deflect incoming attacks.
What sent waves of excitement through him was this realization:
"I’m no ordinary cultivator!"
"My spirit cultivation has reached the Spirit Pool Realm. This gap in rank means even Ji Xue’s flying sword falls under my command when she stands before me!"
The mastered control ability finally gave proper outlet to his soul power. Having grasped this new capability, Mu Lin now fully understood the implications of his Heart Lamp of Will’s advancement.
Overall, the upgrade satisfied him.
"Control. Transcendence. I wonder what trait the Heart Lamp will gain next. Pity that’s distant – reaching Master Level requires 8,800 proficiency points. Wait…!"
"Units, tens, hundreds, thousands… Proficiency panel! You added an extra zero!"
Mu Lin shouted at the unresponsive interface, watching unchanged numbers confirm his nightmare. The path from Level 3 Mastery to Level 4 Mastery now demanded 88,000 points – an absurd requirement for what should be a top-tier Earth-level method.
"This makes no sense! If Level 4 needs 88k, what comes next? These numbers belong to…" His complaints trailed off as merged memories from the Heart Lamp flooded his mind.
Dread turned to stunned realization. The staggering requirement marked neither error nor Earth-level progression – his cultivation method had evolved into a Heavenly Grade technique.
"So the legends are true. Personal cultivation can alter methods…" Mu Lin recalled his own teachings about how individual differences reshaped cultivation practices, like countless interpretations of a single classic novel. Most changes proved insignificant, but his case defied norms – through relentless cultivation, the Heart Lamp of Will had ascended from top Earth-level to low Heavenly Grade.
This metamorphosis stemmed not from scholarly knowledge, but the artifact’s unique nature. "The Heart Lamp manifests differently based on the beliefs fueling it," he mused. "Weak convictions produce Earth-level effects. But what burns within me…"
A fierce grin spread across his face.
"…is invincible belief."
The so-called pride was the desire to stand above all others. But phrased positively, wasn’t this simply the invincible belief of a true prodigy?
Believing you’re invincible and can do anything is one of the strongest beliefs there is. Using such conviction to nurture the Heart Lamp of Will produces remarkably pure results.
Yet cultivating invincible belief isn’t without risks.
Normal Qi Practitioners walking this path must maintain absolute faith in their invincibility while actually proving it through real battles – never losing to anyone.
A single defeat, even one loss, could shatter their invincible path. At best, their Cultivation would stagnate. At worst, their heart of the Dao would break completely, destroying all their power.
Truly, invincible belief is a double-edged sword. Success brings immense strength, but failure destroys utterly.
Mu Lin counted himself fortunate. First, his difficult path had transformed into exceptional proficiency through the system, letting him avoid endless battles to prove himself.
Second, his invincibility wasn’t tied to the present.
He never thought he was invincible now but believed the proficiency panel would help him grow into a top-tier expert someday. Since his invincibility lay in the future, even repeated defeats today wouldn’t break his heart of the Dao.
Only if he encountered an unparalleled genius – someone he couldn’t surpass even after exhausting all efforts – would his conviction shatter completely.
“Also, if I ever truly submitted to another powerful being… but that’s unlikely to happen.”
One couldn’t lie to oneself. If Mu Lin secretly doubted himself, even while boasting of invincibility, his heart of the Dao would still fracture.
“A broken heart of the Dao… yes, pride cuts both ways.”
Though he sighed inwardly, Mu Lin didn’t regret his choice.
The proud heart lamp carried risks but granted extraordinary powers. Its control effect finally let him harness the Burial Power instead of being overwhelmed by it. The transcendent ability – though unused yet – could elevate his rank and shield him from corruption, preserving his true self in crises. Both abilities were exactly what he needed.
Moreover, advancing from Level 3 Mastery to Level 4 Mastery would bring qualitative changes. With 88,000 proficiency points and invincible belief, he wondered what extraordinary traits might emerge!
…
While the Heart Lamp of Will’s dual advancement proved rewarding, Mu Lin hadn’t forgotten today’s true goal – the Substitute Paper Figure.
This mattered more than even mastering a Heavenly Technique.
Firstly, it was the core spell from his cultivation method. Secondly, it could accelerate his training – the aspect he valued most.
“I will awaken the traits I want this time. No… I must awaken them!”
Knowing belief shaped reality, Mu Lin steeled his resolve.
Closing his eyes, he examined the Substitute Paper Figure at maximum proficiency. Instead of advancing immediately, he reviewed memories of clone cultivation from his past life, biology texts, anatomical studies, and even quantum theories.
Only after mentally preparing did he grab a dagger and stab his own arm.
*Thud!*
