Qin Mansion, soft light shining through the lampshade, casting its glow in the room.

"Thud."

Muyun Qin casually placed a package containing silver notes, jewelry, and other valuables into a wardrobe near the bed. Another package was quickly opened on the bed, revealing several pieces of star-patterned steel. "Star-patterned steel, privately hidden by the common people. It is usually considered a great crime, one that involves wiping out entire families. However, given my status, even if this star-patterned steel is discovered, it would be a minor issue."

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Muyun Qin closed his eyes and meditated for a moment.

Within his dantian.

The dantian resembled a sea, with rivers of true essence flowing and surging within it. Suspended within the dantian was a bright silver metallic sphere.

Suddenly, this bright silver metallic sphere slowly unfolded, revealing itself to be a 'metallic strand.' If the bright silver metallic sphere was small, about the size of a pebble, then the unfolded metallic strand was even thinner, resembling a strand of hair.

"Swoosh."

In an instant, this metallic strand flew out of the dantian and traversed through the meridians within the body. It quickly arrived at the fingertip of the right hand through the arm's meridians. With a light sound, it pierced through, leaving behind a tiny hairline wound on the skin. With Muyun Qin's strength, the injury instantly healed.

After flying out from the fingertip, this strand of bright silver hair immediately enlarged, rapidly expanding.

It transformed into a small sword, about three inches long, hovering in front of Muyun Qin.

"My lifebound flying sword." Muyun Qin sat cross-legged, observing the hovering three-inch-long flying sword. "It will take nearly another year for my lifebound flying sword to be fully accomplished. At that time, I won't have to be so cautious when entering and leaving the dantian."

Currently, the lifebound flying sword hasn't truly been refined yet, so it doesn't differentiate between friend and foe within the body. If it were to pierce through the organs, it would cause serious harm. Therefore, during its cultivation within the dantian, it is usually rolled into a 'sword pellet.' If it were stored in the form of a 'sword shape' within the dantian without being fully refined, accidentally injuring the dantian would lead to irreversible regret.

Once the lifebound flying sword is refined, it will become a top-grade treasure, capable of being large or small with terrifying power.

Even if I were to obtain another well-refined flying sword, it still wouldn't compare to my lifebound flying sword. What does 'lifebound flying sword' mean? It refers to nurturing it day and night within the dantian, even integrating one's soul into its cultivation. Accumulated over time, it gradually becomes a part of one's life, possessing naturally terrifying power. If the lifebound flying sword were to be destroyed, it would result in severe injury at best, or even the cessation of my cultivation path.

"Go." Muyun Qin picked up a piece of star-patterned steel weighing approximately ten catties from the side and casually threw it. Instantly, threads of true essence flew out from his fingers, enveloping the star-patterned steel, suspending it beneath the three-inch-long flying sword.

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Buzz~~~

As Muyun Qin manipulated his techniques, a halo appeared on the surface of the three-inch-long flying sword, continuously absorbing the essence from the star-patterned steel below. Tiny specks of light flew out from the star-patterned steel, entering the three-inch flying sword, while the suspended piece of star-patterned steel gradually began to crumble, scattering some debris.

After nearly half an hour, the three-inch flying sword trembled and emitted a sword chant.

"Today will be enough." Muyun Qin reached out his hand, and the star-patterned steel, which had shrunk to the size of a small pebble, flew back into his hand, weighing only about two catties. "Having refined about eight catties of star-patterned steel, at this rate of refinement once a day, I should be able to completely refine all of this star-patterned steel in about ten days, and the foundation of my lifebound flying sword will become even stronger."

"It's not easy to nurture and refine a lifebound flying sword. Even for ordinary cultivators of the Sword Immortal lineage, it would take decades of hard work to successfully nurture their own lifebound flying sword. But with my comprehension of the 'Misty Rain Sword Intent,' the process is ten times faster, and I can achieve great success in just a few years of hard work. Unfortunately, the materials required for nurturing a lifebound flying sword are scarce." Muyun Qin sighed inwardly.

Truly, he had thrown away mountains of gold and silver just for a single flying sword.

"Come." The three-inch flying sword floating in front of him quickly expanded, reaching a length of three feet, resembling an ordinary sword.

He reached out and grasped the divine sword.

Although it hadn't been fully refined yet, it was still unparalleled in sharpness, cutting through ordinary iron and stone like cutting through tofu. However, Muyun Qin couldn't bear to use it casually. If it suffered even the slightest damage, it would be too late for regrets.

"When I received the Sword Immortal inheritance at the age of thirteen, I was filled with joy, but I didn't expect that opening the gates to immortality would be so difficult," Muyun Qin lamented. "If one doesn't reach the gates of immortality before the age of twenty, there is no hope in this lifetime. I only managed to open the gates of immortality when I was almost nineteen."

Cultivation can be divided into three major realms: Postnatal, Innate, and Nascent Soul.

The Postnatal realm can be further divided into twelve layers of Qi refinement, with each layer being more difficult than the previous one.

The Innate realm can be further divided into Virtual Dan Realm, True Dan Realm, and Golden Dan Realm.

As for the Nascent Soul realm? It's already a legend!

The phrase "opening the gates to immortality" refers to breaking through from the ninth layer of Qi refinement to the tenth layer, which involves liquefying true qi and forming true yuan. It marks the beginning of cultivation.

But it also attracts heavenly tribulations.

When attempting to write down the cultivation methods for the tenth layer on ordinary paper, the words would disappear instantly. Even when trying to explain it orally to others, one would stumble over their words and be unable to speak.

And the saying "no hope in this lifetime if one doesn't reach the gates of immortality before the age of twenty" is because before the age of twenty, the body is still growing, filled with boundless vitality, and the meridians are filled with infinite potential. Opening the gates of immortality during this time offers the greatest hope of condensing true yuan. Once past the age of twenty, the body reaches its peak and gradually begins to decline, making it almost impossible to open the gates of immortality.

"I merged with my sword at the age of thirteen and reached the ninth layer of Qi refinement in the same year! It wouldn't be difficult to join some second or third-rate cultivation sects, and opening the gates of immortality should have been easy. But what I obtained was a Sword Immortal inheritance left by the Primordial Golden Dan realm immortal, 'Chen Daoren,' eight hundred years ago." Muyun Qin sighed. "The Sword Immortal inheritance is one of the most top-tier inheritances in the cultivation world, and its difficulty is ten times or even a hundred times greater than ordinary cultivation methods."

"The cultivation world has a saying, 'One sword shatters ten thousand techniques.' This sword refers to the flying sword of a Sword Immortal." Muyun Qin shook his head. "But I only obtained the inheritance without the guidance of a master immortal. The Sword Immortal inheritance is ten times or even a hundred times more difficult than ordinary cultivation methods."

"At the age of fifteen, I left home after obtaining the inheritance, and I have experienced numerous life-and-death battles and even went to the northern border."

"I only managed to open the gates of immortality when I'm almost nineteen."

Muyun Qin sighed at his own journey.

He opened the gates of immortality without the help of a master immortal, relying solely on his own perseverance.

"Hmm? It's getting light outside?" Muyun Qin noticed the faint light outside the window.

"Retreat." Muyun Qin's mind shifted, and the three-inch flying sword turned into a streak of light, returning to his side. He quickly put away his cultivation tools and walked out of the room.

This sword pill, nurtured by soul and true yuan within the body, was carefully preserved.

Muyun Qin stood up and glanced at the remnants of the star-patterned steel that had been refined on the ground. In an instant, his true yuan surged, enveloping the debris on the ground and forming a small ball. With a wave of his hand, the ball of debris fell into a nearby bamboo basket. He picked up the bundle of star-patterned steel on the bed and placed it into his suitcase, hiding both bundles beneath some clothes and leaving a mark of true yuan before closing the suitcase.

He opened the door and stepped outside.

In the chilly morning, the servants of the Qin residence had already begun cleaning and cooking.