The [World Eater] talent uses all available Qi entrances to operate its secondary function of absorbing Qi — assuming the primary function is to consume matter. This effect is merely a coincidence due to the way [World Eater] works — it creates a strong suction force that focuses the Qi of Heaven and Earth and pulls it toward the origin of the force, conveniently using all available terminals to flow inward.
The Qi flows through our open channels, where our spiritual roots absorb and modify it, and before proceeding to our dantian, it gathers in the space between us, two parts Yin — and water, and metal, and whatever trace affinities their spiritual roots possess — and one part pure Yang and metal from my own contribution.
Here they combine, mixing together into equal parts Yin and Yang until the energy attributes are balanced and then flow back into our vessels and dantian where the spiritual force is compressed and circulated, strengthening the spiritual veins, roots, and the dantian itself.
Cultivation is a simple process of compressing Qi and absorbing it into the physical and spiritual vessel, but not all cultivators are equal.
At first, when I appeared in this world, my roots were of the lowest grade, and had no natural inclination toward any element. But now, they’ve received an upgrade due to my misfortune with Heavenly Tribulation, and even show a particular affinity toward the metal element, and more specifically, lightning Qi itself.
However, even if my roots were still of the lowest grade, I would not be so helpless. Now that I am in the Foundation Establishment realm, I can produce Sword Qi with such force that crushing this Qi and compressing it is a trivial matter, allowing me to cultivate much faster and with much higher efficiency in environments with very rich Qi— like the one my [World Eater] can produce — than other cultivators would be capable of.
Naturally, this compression is not only limited to the region of my dantian, but in this configuration of dual cultivation which I suppose is no longer dual, I can exert a measure of influence even in the Qi that gathers between us, but also, and more effectively, within their own dantians.
Using the principles of [Fractured Sword] that I am capable of wielding due to my deep Dao, I collapse the region of space where the Qi gathers, crushing it down and compressing it to a point where it is so thick that even Wu Yulan and Lan Xiaohui become aware of its existence and can sense it with their spiritual senses.
When Lan Xiaohui operates her Emptiness Prana, she pulls in a quantity of highly compressed Qi that sets her nerves on fire. Her dantian pulses and her spiritual veins begin to sparkle like multifaceted gems of clear diamond. Her body temperature sharply increases due to the sudden inrush of energy, and even the outline of her Sword Domain comes into view, flickering at first before stabilizing.
Unlike Lan Xiaohui who is somewhat accustomed to my benefits, Wu Yulan cannot help but release muffled sounds into Lan Xiaohui’s neck when the Qi absorbs into her dantian and from there spreads through the rest of her body.
Wu Yulan’s Sword Domain also appears, hovering above and behind her head, spreading an aura of pleasant and comfortable cold through the area.
Under the influence of their Sword Laws, the waterfall undergoes a strange transformation. The water that falls off of it, while already rich in spiritual content, becomes infused with rich Sword Qi and begins to emit a faint sparkle of multi-colored motes.
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Connected like this, I am very aware of their states. Their nerves are all hypersensitive and this proximity between the two of them is the center of the pleasure they feel and also precisely why they try their best to remain as still as possible.
But even so, it is not this hypersensitivity that they find most shocking of all, but the effect of this cultivation method.
“Like this I think I could break into the Core Formation realm before morning comes,” Wu Yulan whispers into Lan Xiaohui’s neck, her lips grazing my owner’s skin.
Lan Xiaohui smiles and nods in response, resting her left hand on top of Wu Yulan’s head but does not say anything.
Following the cycles of Lan Xiaohui’s Sword Domain, while the volume of water that feeds into the pool remains the same, the rate at which the water flows changes dramatically. It slows down for half a minute, and then rapidly accelerates for another half a minute.
A wayward thought from my sentient core — about me being the only one without a Sword Domain — raises a question in my mind that I disregard at first.
What if my Inner World is my Sword Law?
It seems absurd at first and I discard the thought, but the more I consider its implications, the more I find it plausible. Perhaps it is not the Inner World itself that is my Sword Law, but the ability to separate spaces.
Thresholds, liminality, internal spaces, perhaps even the effects of [Fractured Sword].
Is it really a coincidence that I appeared in this place, where these effects are common and recorded in Ancient Sword Graveyards, or that my natural inclination is toward methods that possess these effects?
If this were true, then it would theoretically be possible for Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan to even cultivate Qi or their Physique within my Inner World. I almost discard this concept based solely on that, but when I consider the time Lan Xiaohui spent under the [Icy Sword Waterfall] and recognize that she did show some physical changes because of her experience, I am no longer so certain that this theory is wrong. Did her Physique — however slightly — change because of her deepening comprehension of the sword, or because her physical existence can be affected even within my Inner World?
Then what about death? They have died countless times in my Inner World, yet remain alive outside it.
There are a few theories that could reconcile these discrepancies, but all of them require experimental data and, more likely, a higher realm of Sword Law comprehension which I won’t obtain until the Dao Palace Formation realm — which I don’t even know how far away I am from.
Ultimately, not possessing a Sword Law does not bother me. The advantages it offers in cultivation and combat are not enough for me to consider myself unfortunate for not having it. To begin with, my contribution in combat is fairly simple and straightforward, and when it comes to cultivation, I doubt it could compete with the [World Eater] method, or significantly improve that method.
On the other hand, with my [Avarice] and [Tyranny] traits, there is no telling how a Sword Domain would express itself in the world, and what kind of disasters it could lead to.
As the hours pass, I notice several important changes in their bodies. As the Qi circulates, a rather small speck of gold forms inside their dantians, simultaneously. This speck of gold increases in size the longer they cultivate and absorb the compressed Qi, until it reaches a volume where it occupies one third of their dantian.
At this stage, the dantian begins to shrink, exposing the pillars of their Foundations.
It is surprising, but, in hindsight, not unexpected that Wu Yulan has a total of thirteen pillars in her dantian. After all, when Lan Xiaohui and I formed the extra set of pillars, we obtained the Sword Law. Wu Yulan also possesses the Sword Law, so it stands to reason that she also has more than nine pillars.
However, both Wu Yulan and Lan Xiaohui are surprised at this, and for the first time in several hours, their gazes meet with a warmth of mutually increasing affection.
At this time, a pulse of cold emits from Wu Yulan, and the gold speck in her dantian mixes with the Qi in her vessel, and her life essence, and begins to flow like a liquid through her internal system.
A moment later, the same happens to Lan Xiaohui, but instead of a pulse of cold, an arc of lightning crawls over her form, rising upward until it reaches the top of her head, and then forms a halo of gold above her head that pulses into existence once before disappearing.
They have reached the breakthrough point.