image [https://i.ibb.co.com/DQPfKJ0/Stats.webp]

As the screen popped out in his vision, Ji Wuye sat cross-legged on the hardwood floor. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the tiled roof, casting an ethereal glow on his chiseled features.

Currently, Ji Wuye's crimson eyes, burning with an intense inner fire, narrowed as he studied the extensive list of his skills. A slight crease formed between his brows as he contemplated the immense Qi consumption of manifesting and using the Sword Aura. 'A +30 increase, yet it still greedily drains my Qi to dry...'

With over a hundred Qi stat points—more than twice that of a typical fifth-realm martial artist—he still found that using or manifesting the Sword Aura drained all of his Qi reserves in the Lower Dantian alarmingly quickly.

'No wonder they rarely use it,' he mused.

However, despite the insane Qi consumption of Sword Aura, the stern expression melted away. Full lips curved into a satisfied smile, crinkling the corners of his eyes.

He raised his head, allowing the moonlight filtering through the gaps in the bamboo tiles of the roof to wash over his features. "Fifth realm... Sword Aura..."

His crimson eyes squinted into a genuine smile, the corners crinkling as his cheeks raised, and his lips parted slightly to reveal a flash of white teeth.

A warmth bloomed in his chest as he basked in the accomplishment he had once thought impossible. He never imagined he would reach the rarefied fifth realm in his entire life.

Just thinking back to his previous timeline, memories of enviously watching other martial artist effortlessly manifest dazzling Sword Auras washed over him, reminding him of how desperately he had yearned to achieve the same.

This recollection made a soft, almost giddy giggle escape his lips.

"Ha... HAAHAH!" The giggles rapidly transitioned into a loud, deep-bellied laugh of pure satisfaction that echoed through the vast, dark living quarter.

HAHAHA!

The rumbling sound reverberated off the wooden walls and tiled roof as Ji Wuye threw his head back, uncaring if Ye Yujin or her bodyguards heard his unrestrained mirth, or if his laughter awakened any sleeping disciples or disrupted something important.

At that moment...

"HAHAHA!" Ji Wuye threw his head back, unleashing a hearty laugh that seemed to ripple through his very soul.

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It was the first time he had experienced such unbridled mirth, a profound sense of contentment washing over him in waves.

His long white hair danced wildly, swaying with each tremor that wracked his frame.

The sound of his unrestrained laughter echoed through the chamber, punctuated by the occasional flutter of wings as startled birds took flight from the surrounding bamboo grove.

For nearly a hundred breaths, Ji Wuye surrendered himself to this cathartic release, savoring the euphoric feeling until he finally began to regain his composure.

Gasping for air, his chiseled chest rose and fell in rhythm, a wide grin still plastered across his features as pearly white teeth gleamed between parted lips.

'It's time to reveal now,' he thought, though his smile gradually faded as he turned his gaze back toward the illuminated status screen, scrutinizing the extensive list once more.

After methodically sorting through the array of skills, Ji Wuye gave an approving nod toward Deflecting Blows and Feline Reflexes – both recently elevated to Grade D.

His brow furrowed slightly as his crimson eyes settled on the Healing Art Primer, the progress of this external art seeming to stagnate due to his physique rivaling that of a seventh-realm martial artist.

He rarely sustained injuries himself, which made it harder to increase the proficiency of this external art, along with his inability to channel the healing properties outward.

Even when he tried to meditate and circulate his Qi using this exernal art… 'The increase is negligible.' He dismissed any notion of further advancement for the time being.

Ji Wuye's focus then shifted to the Cloudsoaring Steps skill, leaving him pensive once more. 'Let's add it to the list for training,' he concluded inwardly.

Of late, his practice regimen had fallen by the wayside—not only due to the looming threat of attack but also because he was focused on gathering knowledge and understanding regarding the Sword Aura.

Now that one task was complete, he was left with the remaining threat from Kunlun, for which he had developed a new plan.

'As for Pressure Form Perfection Style and Slash Breaker...' A derisive snort escaped his lips, the corner of his mouth quirking upward in a wry smirk.

Those particular skills demanded an active target, yet the vast disparity between his prowess and any potential opponents often precluded their implementation.

Either the opportunities arose too infrequently or, caught up in the heat of combat, he simply neglected to call upon them.

The duality of his current standing was evident—it took some time, but he realized that he was too overpowered, which ultimately led to...

'It just feels like a waste of energy and time to use them,' Ji Wuye muttered inwardly.

However, from this point forward, he tried to make a concerted effort to increase the proficiency of Pressure Form Perfection Style and Slash Breaker.

Now...he had nearly examined each skill that carried him thus far, leaving only...

His gaze fell upon Quick Adaptation, the skill stubbornly lingering at a E-rank despite being frequently triggered – both in the throes of combat and mundane situations alike. A slight frown creased his brow. 'This is really hard.'

Rubbing his fingers together in contemplation, Ji Wuye racked his brain for ways to prompt an advancement. A few potential avenues surfaced: 'Either I accept Miss Ye's request or actively hunt for Dungeons...'

Accepting Ye Yujin's proposal was never part of his plans. As for scouring the land for Dungeons, that would necessitate extensive travel across the expansive Jianghu. 'No, that's too dangerous for now; there are still many upcoming events.'

He shook his head adamantly, immediately dismissing the notion of such a perilous undertaking. The risks, of course, did not apply to him but instead to his Senior Sisters. There was no sense in repeating the same calamitous mistakes from his previous timeline.

Perhaps later he could leave them all, once those extremely dangerous events had passed. 'But not right now.'

Thus, only one viable option remained. 'Though it's not in my plan, Gansu is on the route to the capital city of Western Xia.'

His path would inevitably lead him to that very destination, for it was undoubtedly where the upcoming yearly competition would held.

Another strategy materialized, one that could potentially kill two birds with one stone. He could accept a sect mission subjugating the increasingly prevalent bandit scourge Qinghai due to the more commoners gaining access to martial arts and skills from the Tower.

While quelling those threats would be a time-consuming endeavor, it presented an opportunity to accumulate contribution points toward accepted as an Official Disciple.

However, obvious downsides gave him pause...

'The time spent searching for bandits, traveling to the location, and who knows if defeating those bandits would be enough to upgrade the Quick Adaptation skill,' Ji Wuye pondered inwardly.

It was an agonizingly difficult choice to make. But then, his crimson pupils contracted sharply as a crucial fact resurfaced in his mind. 'No, there is actually another option...'