(Typed all afternoon. Will try again in the evening—see if I can squeeze out another chapter! Those who have tickets, could you please give a few more? Woe is me, my new book has dropped to eighth place on the monthly ticket rankings!) The divine technique known as "Splitting the Sword's Shadow" is mastered by those who have reached the peak of the third layer of the Sword Sect's cultivation. To practice this technique, one must first possess a flying sword-type artifact—though a flying dagger will also suffice. Once achieved, during combat, the technique allows the practitioner to project a shadow-sword identical in appearance to the original flying sword, thereby dazzling the opponent's vision and moving in tandem with the main sword to attack. Initially, the shadow-sword's power is only one-tenth that of the main sword, but as the sword technique's levels advance, its strength increases—reaching one-third of the main sword's power by the ninth level. Moreover, during cultivation, the practitioner can generate more than one shadow-sword; starting from the seventh level, each subsequent level allows the creation of an additional shadow-sword. Thus, when the Qingyuan Sword Technique is refined to its utmost, one can simultaneously generate three sword shadows that resemble the appearance of a flying sword, each possessing only one-third of its power. It seems the "Sword Light Division Technique" is quite capable and has room for further refinement. Yet Han Li already knows that among the numerous Jianji-level cultivators in Huangfeng Valley, none have truly mastered and deeply cultivated this technique—there must surely be some subtle reasons behind this! He now deeply regrets not having inquired thoroughly into the matter back then, having assumed it was certainly not worth pursuing and thus having treated it with casual indifference. Even now, though he is aware of the technique's significant flaws, he is compelled to proceed with its cultivation, hoping that it will not bring about any complications such as a failure of the internal energy flow or a condition akin to the fire-entrance syndrome. Nevertheless, he has also considered that although others have not deeply cultivated it, several layers of the technique are still evident in their practice. Thus, it seems that a moderate level of cultivation should pose no serious issues at all. With this self-consoling thought, Han Li reluctantly followed the methods of the Qingyuan Sword Technique, drawing in the medicinal energy that was about to surge within him. The technique only completed a single cycle, yet Han Li felt a sudden, powerful surge—his internal energy skyrocketing as the medicinal energy was absorbed—so exhilarating that he nearly gasped with delight! Immersed in this delightful sensation, Han Li found himself repeatedly cycling through the technique, his mind gradually drifting into a state of serene detachment. He didn't know how long he had been meditating when, finally, after drawing in the very last trace of medicinal energy, he came back to himself from this blissful experience. Upon regaining awareness, Han Li stood up without hesitation. After briefly blinking and tilting his head thoughtfully, he suddenly raised his arm and gestured before him—immediately, a blade of jade-green light, about a foot long, surged from his fingers, sharp and cold, radiating an unmistakable brilliance. Seeing that cold glow, Han Li wasn't delighted at all—instead, he broke into a wry smile. Then, suddenly, he swung his arm, and the green light surged dramatically, swelling to over ten feet in length and nearly piercing into the opposite stone wall. "Oh dear, I didn't expect the residual medicinal power to be so strong. It's already refined the fourth layer of the sword technique. I wonder if this won't cause any serious issues," Han Li muttered, his face shifting between worry and uncertainty. "Well, be it as it may—perhaps I'll just have to stop practicing this sword technique from now on," he murmured, then gently lowered his arm, and the green sword aura faded away. Nevertheless, driven by curiosity, Han Li picked up the scroll, *The Severe Origin Sword Technique*, reviewed the spells related to the protective sword shield, and memorized them several times over. After a moment of quiet contemplation, he closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them again—by then, a peculiar shield had already formed around him. This shield is uniformly green, about the same size as a typical defensive barrier, yet its surface is no longer smooth—it features spiky, thorn-like projections, giving off a subtle aura of intensity and power. "Is this the body-shield of the sword?" Han Li examined the spiky shield closely, somewhat astonished. "According to the sword technique, this shield should be able to emit its own sword-like energy to counterattack enemies. Unfortunately, I can't test that feature just now!" Han Li thought with a touch of regret. Left him deeply dissatisfied, fussing and scolding him for a while. When Han Li entered the garden, the elderly man was seated before the thatched hut, eyes closed, absorbing the ambient spiritual energy. Though he hadn't opened his eyes, he accurately called out Han Li's name. This was no surprise—besides the elderly man, only Han Li could enter and exit the Hundred Medicine Garden at will. However, as soon as the elderly man uttered Han Li's name, he suddenly sensed something unusual, snapped his eyes open, and stared at Han Li with disbelief. "Has he really achieved Foundation Stage?" "Master Ma, I did indeed manage to enter the Foundation Stage by good fortune!" Han Li bowed slightly and smiled gently. Though the elderly man was initially stunned, he gradually regained his composure. Yet, he still murmured, "It's absolutely incredible! He truly has reached the Foundation Stage!" After muttering a few words, his expression suddenly grew serious and he said solemnly, "Since we are both at the Foundation Stage, let's drop the title of 'Senior Brother.' From now on, we shall simply be brothers. I am a bit older, so if you don't mind, you may call me Master Ma!" Hearing this, Han Li nodded with a smile and did not object. It was customary in the immortal cultivation world to determine seniority based on one's stage of cultivation—there was no need for humility here. Then, the elderly man, Master Ma, sat down beside Han Li in the room and took their seats at a table, where they poured a fine cup of tea. Not long after settling in, Master Ma eagerly asked Han Li about his journey to achieving Foundation Stage cultivation. Han Li naturally did not reveal his true feelings, but he did not withhold the details of his Foundation Stage cultivation in the House of Earth Fire. He honestly shared this information with Master Ma, as it would be easy for him to uncover the truth simply by a little inquiry. He merely said that he had rented a room in the Yuelu Hall's Dihuo Pavilion, then took the foundation pill bestowed by his master and closed himself in for nearly a year—by sheer luck, he had managed to succeed. The elderly man listened intently as Han described the process, occasionally murmuring in admiration. After hearing Han's alternative account, he blinked and said, "Han, as you've described it, your journey to foundation stage is quite similar to others'. With such talent, achieving foundation status is no surprise—yet I must say you've truly been blessed with fortune. You've even managed to make the odds of one in a hundred seem plausible!" Being familiar with Han for several years, the elder spoke plainly and directly, revealing his genuine admiration—his face even showing clear traces of envy. "Ah-hah! This can only be attributed to my good fortune," Han replied with a chuckle, smiling warmly. "I never expected it would be so easy to enter the foundation stage!" "However, since Brother Han has successfully established his foundation, he should go to the abbot's office and formally notify Master Zhong so that your name is officially recorded in the register. From then on, you'll be treated as a senior disciple, receiving a substantial annual allocation of spiritual stones!" The old man said with a light, joking tone. "Thank you so much, Brother!" Han's face brightened with genuine appreciation. "It's nothing at all! After all, we've known each other for so many years—any advice or guidance I can offer you, I'll make sure to share." The old man waved his hand, speaking with a relaxed, indifferent air. "In fact, one of the greatest benefits the sect offers to disciples upon reaching foundation stage is the freedom to establish and maintain their own dwelling anywhere within the Taiyue Mountain Range, allowing them to practice independently. And furthermore…" The old man then went on to provide Han with a detailed explanation of various matters to pay attention to after reaching foundation stage, which earned him continuous nods of agreement. But after the other had finished explaining these matters and had casually chatted with Han Li for a few moments, Han Li still couldn't help asking him about the "Sei Yuan Sword Technique." A surprised look flashed across the old man's face at the mention of the "Sei Yuan Sword Technique!" Yet, after gazing at Han Li intently, he didn't press further, but thought for a moment before speaking: "I have indeed heard of the Sei Yuan Sword Technique from others, and I myself have practiced its first three layers. This technique is not our Huang Feng Valley's original family scripture, but rather the supreme masterwork of the Xuan Jian Sect, which was extinguished many years ago in our valley. Originally, it wasn't nine layers—it was supposed to be thirteen. It's said that when the Xuan Jian Sect's master saw his entire family's fate about to be lost, he actually decided on the spot to destroy the technique. However, our several senior ancestors intervened swiftly and managed to wrestle half of the technique from the sect's hands, while the other half was ultimately lost and forgotten. Thus, the Sei Yuan Sword Technique that is currently passed down in our valley is only a partial version! It can only As for the complete version of the Sword Technique, it's said that even the practices of the Divided Consciousness stage have it—though I'm still unsure whether this is true or not." The old man shook his head slowly, lifted the teacup before him, took a small sip, and continued: "Although the Qingyuan Sword Technique lacks a subsequent cultivation sequence and thus falls slightly short when compared to other top-tier practices, its actual power is quite impressive. Especially its ability to instantly generate sword brilliance and protective sword shield—these features are highly favored by many of our Foundation Stage colleagues. Therefore, if it's relatively easy to cultivate, there are indeed many within our sect who are willing to adopt this technique as their primary practice. After all, the practices for the Yuanying stage seem so distant that they're simply out of reach for us.