Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

Ling Yunpo found Senior Sister An sitting in the backyard, unfastened the long sword from his back, and said with a smile,

“Senior Sister, please take a look.”

“A Flying Sword?” An Zhisu was drinking when she saw it and set down her cup, taking the Flying Smoke Sword , “Where did you get a Fire System Flying Sword…huh?”

She infused her True Yuan into it and refined it for a moment, immediately becoming shocked.

This…isn’t this the usual Immortal Sword? Could it be an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword?

“To let Senior Sister know.” Seeing An Zhisu’s astonished expression, Ling Yunpo calmly smiled and said, “This is the ‘Flying Smoke Sword’, a relic from Ancient Times. Originally a pair, one was destroyed during the great war between the factions, leaving only this one. And it just so happens to be of the Fire System, suitable to be Senior Sister’s Life-bound Sword Artifact.”

After stroking the sword’s spine for a moment and sensing the abundant Fire System True Essence within, An Zhisu placed it back on the table, then smiled and said,

“Junior Brother, how about I trade this sword for your Thunder Punishment Sword?”

“Why?” Ling Yunpo asked, puzzled, “The Thunder Punishment Sword is a Metal System Tenth Rank, both in attribute and grade rank, it’s more suitable for Senior Sister than this Flying Smoke Sword…”

An Zhisu shook her head, speaking softly,

“Senior Sister doesn’t need such a good sword, a Tenth Rank is enough.”

Ling Yunpo was speechless.

“This will be your Life-bound Sword Artifact!” he pretended to be furious as he stood up, indignantly saying, “Senior Sister, it’s only because you’re my Senior Sister that I’m going to say one more thing: the thing I hate the most are flip-floppers! Once it’s my sword, it’s my sword for life! Don’t even think about taking my Thunder Punishment Sword!”

Having said that, he grabbed the Flying Smoke Sword, stuffed it into An Zhisu’s hands without a word, then turned and walked away.

An Zhisu was stunned for a long while before her expression gradually softened, tenderly stroking the patterns on the Flying Smoke Sword, her eyes brimming with happiness, rippling out like waves.

…………..

Because Wei Dongliu’s side took too long, the timelines of the other three characters lagged relatively behind; therefore Ling Yunpo also planned to stay longer at Shushan before moving on to the next phase.

The overall atmosphere at Shushan had now settled down from the previous turmoil of the Demon Locking Tower incident, and external exchanges were gradually increasing, with Loose Cultivator Sword Immortals occasionally coming to visit relatives and friends and exchange sword techniques.

An Zhisu had already initially refined the Flying Smoke Sword into her body, but since the Fire System Flying Sword was aggressive and fierce in attack, she still needed some time to adapt her fighting style.

Meanwhile, Ling Yunpo, after rising to the Refining Mansion rank following his return from the Demon Locking Tower, unlocked the third Sword Dao Technique of the Qing Ping Sword, named “North Wind Rolls The White Feathers”.

Turning Water System Sword Qi into heavy snowfall, descending boundlessly from the sky, with great cutting and sharpening power.

Of course, when sparring with Senior Sister An, there was no need to resort to using Sword Dao Techniques.

Ling Yunpo’s right hand continuously formed Sword Techniques, as the Qing Ping Sword struck out swiftly and fiercely, making the Harsh Cold Sword retreat over and over.

However, observing the Harsh Cold Sword’s movements, it was only temporarily suppressed, as Senior Sister An never lost her rhythm.

He discreetly manipulated his left hand, and the Thunder Punishment Sword suddenly changed direction, attempting a sneak attack, which was blocked by An Zhisu with the Flying Smoke Sword.

Indeed, Ling Yunpo inwardly sighed.

No matter how cleverly he timed his attacks or from what concealed angle he attempted to sneak attack, they were always guarded against by Senior Sister An, as if she had anticipated them in advance.

Where exactly was the problem?

“Actually, Junior Brother,” An Zhisu suddenly said, “what you think are very clever sneak attack moves have already been used by many Sword Immortals many times.”

“Is that so?” Ling Yunpo pressed on fiercely, but An Zhisu casually parried all of his moves, “So what should I do?”

“Just steadily accumulate experience,” replied An Zhisu.

The two sparred for hundreds of rounds before stopping to rest for a moment.

“Senior Sister, how’s the new life-bound sword artifact?” Ling Yunpo asked with a smile.

“Pretty good,” An Zhisu replied cheerfully, “It’s lighter than the Frostfall Sword but more agile and forceful, and its flexibility is a notch higher.”

“After all, it’s an eleventh grade Immortal Sword,” Ling Yunpo joked, “You even had your eye on my Thunder Punishment Sword at the beginning, how do you feel about it now?”

“What?” the Thunder Punishment Sword cried out in his heart, “Master, although I must admit your senior sister has good taste, a sword master shouldn’t be changed lightly, or it’ll tarnish the reputation of me, the Thunder Punishment Sword!”

“What reputation could you possibly have?” Ling Yunpo laughed coldly, only to hear An Zhisu explaining, “The Harsh Cold Sword is of the water system, and the Flying Smoke Sword of the fire system. Water and fire clash; if both swords invoke their sword dao techniques at the same time, they would weaken each other, reducing their power. But if it’s a metal system flying sword, as cold metal generates water, there wouldn’t be such a concern.”

Ling Yunpo remained silent for a moment before saying with vexation,

“Senior Sister, why didn’t you say so earlier? If I had known… I would have made you a metal system or wood system flying sword.”

“No need,” An Zhisu said with a smile, “When our master comes out of retreat, I still have to return the Harsh Cold Sword to him. By then, you can just make me a wood system or an earth system flying sword. Mhm, earth system would be best so that it can complement the Flying Smoke Sword with one being defensive and the other offensive.”

“Senior Sister…”

“What is it?”

“Do I look like someone who can forge flying swords?” Ling Yunpo said helplessly, “Do you think I can just conjure up whatever flying sword you want?”

“I believe in my junior brother’s abilities,” An Zhisu said, covering her mouth with a laugh, “After all, in just ten years, junior brother has already reached the Refining Mansion rank~”

What, has it already been ten years? Ling Yunpo was slightly shocked.

For cultivators leading a secluded life, the passage of time is often hard to perceive. But with An Zhisu’s reminder, he had a sudden realization that he had been in this world for ten years already.

The East Sea Pavilion was the third year, and the Demon Locking Tower started in the seventh year; it was now the tenth year.

Ordinary cultivators at this time probably hadn’t even perfected the Qi Refining Rank yet, whereas he had already reached the Refining Mansion rank.

But upon further reflection, due to frequent use of the Kunlun Mirror to load previous saves, he had actually spent over thirty years in this world.

Kunlun, Shushan, Penglai, they each spanned thirty years, with the remaining time spent on Mount Wutai. No matter what pseudonym he used, when alone practicing Qi Refining Technique through breathing exercises, he cultivated the secret Immortal Realm Qi Refining Technique “Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,” which is why his cultivation level advanced so swiftly.

Thirty years to reach the Refining Mansion rank would probably be considered a peerless genius.

However, to the outside world, reaching the Refining Mansion in just ten years wasn’t just genius, it was monstrous.

“Senior Sister,” Ling Yunpo ventured to ask, “Don’t you find it strange that I advanced to the Refining Mansion rank so quickly?”

“Not strange at all,” An Zhisu shook her head, “Master also took a little over thirty years to reach the Refining Mansion rank.”

“Junior brother and Master are both geniuses, unlike me… I spent sixty years on Qi Refinement and another ten years on Marrow Cleansing before I barely entered the Refining Mansion rank.”

“Is that so?” Ling Yunpo said somewhat embarrassingly.

Both of us reached the Refining Mansion rank in thirty years; I only managed it by cheating with the Kunlun Mirror, relying on various talents and fortunate encounters meant for cultivation to force my progress, but my master Su Jian, he was the real genius.

But…

I remember Senior Sister was cultivating in her hometown in Yangzhou and it was only after entering the Refining Mansion rank that Su Jian brought her back to Shushan, right?

Plus, Senior Sister has only been in Shushan for half a sexagenary cycle (30 years). That means Senior Sister An is already a hundred years old?

“Junior brother, what are you thinking?” An Zhisu asked curiously.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” Ling Yunpo hurriedly laughed heartily.

What am I thinking! Senior Sister is forever the gentle and protective older sister who’s twenty at heart!