The fire of an alchemist is similar to the fire of an artifact master.
Alchemists use fire to refine elixirs, while artifact masters use fire to forge weapons.
And in the forging of weapons, both the material and the spirit patterns must be emphasized.
The structure of spirit patterns is incredibly complex and difficult to learn, but currently, it seems Qin Ning... has managed to do it again!
Again...
Ye Yuan Yuan couldn't help but use the word "again" to describe it.
Alchemy, formation arrays, weapon forging—the three most important roles in the world of martial artists—Qin Ning seemed capable of mastering them all.
Qin Ning didn't say much. He gently waved his hand, and the spirit patterns slowly pressed onto the long whip.
In an instant, a faint glow flashed within the long whip.
The Azure Scale Whip had already begun to emit a different kind of light.
"Try it!"
Qin Ning tossed the long whip.
Ye Yuan Yuan took the long whip and swung it out. With a whoosh, the air was whipped with a rustling sound, vaguely as if a flood dragon's aura had just soared into the sky.
"Amazing!"
Ye Yuan Yuan looked at Qin Ning and smiled, her smile like a hundred blooming flowers.
Qin Ning also smiled faintly and said, "Actually, it's best if you wear soft armor when using a long whip. It can also make your figure more graceful, looking even... more alluring!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Ye Yuan Yuan's face flushed crimson, and she remained silent.
"Young Master, aren't you going to practice a bit?" Ye Yuan Yuan asked Qin Ning.
"Me?"
Qin Ning clasped his hands behind his head and said with a laugh, "I also need to practice, but not now. I have to wait a few more days!"
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Qin Hai and the other three returned.
"Half a day fighting spirit beasts, collecting spirit souls, and yet, look at this..."
Qin Hai opened his palm, and a token appeared.
Above the token, a light flashed.
The light transformed into a vertical column of light above the token.
The column of light was about a chi long, but at this moment, only the part as tall as a thumb showed a luminous pattern.
"It can only increase by such a tiny bit!"
Qin Hai was speechless.
Lu Xuan, on the side, also said with a pained expression, "At this rate, to advance another level, it would probably require at least a hundred low-level spirit beasts!"
No wonder the academy elders had said that if one ranked among the top ten and advanced to the ninth level, they could receive a spirit technique and a spirit artifact of their choice from the Spirit Technique Institute and the Spirit Artifact Institute.
Advancing one level was already difficult; to advance to the ninth level... it was truly unimaginable how much harder it would be.
"This time, the academy's assessment isn't primarily for everyone to hunt spirit beasts, but rather for everyone to compete against each other..."
"Think about it, when everyone advances to the second and third levels, and then the high-level cultivators constantly compete with the low-level cultivators, can there be people who reach the ninth level?"
When Qin Ning spoke, the others nodded.
Relying on hunting spirit beasts to advance to the ninth level—don't even think about it.
Even if a few people at the Spirit Sea Realm like them were to hunt spirit beasts here for a month without rest, they still wouldn't be able to do it.
There was only one way, and that was through competition.
"In that case, we must be even more careful!"
Qin Hai gave Qin Ning a deep look.
In the past few days, he had learned a lot at the Heavenly God Academy.
The Heavenly God Academy, from Spirit Disciples to Spirit Apprentices, and then the inner and outer institutes.
Layer upon layer intertwined, with hundreds of thousands of disciples. In this situation, it was inevitable that groups of disciples would form alliances within the academy.
That was also the reason for the many disciple associations and small sects within the academy.
Tian Zi was the leader of the Tian Zi Party, the largest organization in the Tian Shen Academy.
And Ling Tian was favored by Tian Zi, who focused on training him and always kept him by his side.
This was enough to show that Tian Zi highly valued Ling Tian.
And the Tian Zi Party had deep roots within the academy.
Given Chu Ning Shi and Ling Tian's personalities, they would not let Qin Ning off the hook.
They would definitely send people to kill Qin Ning this time.
Qin Ning's cultivation advanced very quickly.
Before long, he had reached the fourth level of the Spirit Sea Realm, which was somewhat unbelievable to others.
But after all, Qin Ning was still only a martial artist at the fourth level of the Spirit Sea Realm.
In this assessment, martial artists from the first to the ninth level would all appear.
"Are you worried about the Tian Zi Party, Second Brother?" Qin Ning said with a smile, "Don't worry, no matter how many people they send, I'll kill them all. It just so happens that I also want to advance to the ninth level, to see if those good items in the Spirit Art Institute and the Spirit Artifact Institute are still there!"
Hearing this, Qin Hai smiled bitterly and shook his head.
His third brother, ever since the incident where his Star Gate was stolen, had always maintained such a calm and confident demeanor.
But time and time again, the things he said, which sounded like boasting, he was able to accomplish one by one.
"Let's continue on our way. For the past few days, the four of us have been continuously slaying first-grade low-level spirit beasts. Now that we've leveled up, we can go deeper to hone ourselves!"
"Alright!"
The six people set off again.
Ye Yuan Yuan was at the sixth level of the Spirit Sea Realm, and Qin Ning was at the fourth level of the Spirit Sea Realm. Even if they wanted to hone themselves, they would at least need to find first-grade mid-level spirit beasts.
First-grade low-level spirit beasts were no longer a threat to these two.
For five consecutive days, the six people were in the mountain range, finding first-grade low-level spirit beasts for Qin Hai and the other three to deal with.
During these battles, Zhang Xiao Shuai successfully broke through to the second level of the Spirit Sea Realm!
Afterward, the six people found a mountain cave, sat down cross-legged, and began to cultivate seriously.
Slowly, Qin Ning said, "These past few days, I've been observing everyone's cultivation process, and I have some observations I'd like to share with you all!"
Hearing this, all four of them nodded.
Qin Ning looked at Lu Xuan and said with a smile, "Lu Xuan, what you cultivate is the first-grade Breaking Step Saber Art, right?"
"Yes!"
Lu Xuan was surprised, and Qin Ning was also surprised.
The Breaking Step Saber Art was a first-grade low-level spirit art. This saber art had formidable power, but very few people in the Bei Ming Empire knew about it.
Unexpectedly, Qin Ning recognized it after a few days of observation.
Qin Ning nodded and continued, "The Breaking Step Saber Art, in fact, the meaning is not in the word 'saber,' but in the word 'step.' Your saber technique is very proficient, but your footwork lacks a bit of flexibility."
"For example, today, when you wielded your saber, you could have killed that Purple Striped Leopard with one strike, but your saber got stuck in the leopard's bones and you couldn't pull it out. This is because there's a problem with your saber technique!"
"Next is the 'step.' For the Breaking Step Saber Art, 'Breaking Step' is the key. Breaking through the limitations in your movement will increase the power of your saber by several levels!"
Qin Ning spoke casually, but Lu Xuan grew more and more astonished as he listened.
Even among master swordsmen, few could offer such insights.
Qin Ning seemed to see right through the Breaking Step Saber Art that Lu Xuan was cultivating.
Qin Ning had only observed his saber art for a few days, yet he could see through everything?
"Thank you, Brother Qin!"
Lu Xuan cupped his hands and said, "Everything Brother Qin mentioned were areas where I was still confused. Thanks to Brother Qin's guidance today, I finally understand!"
"Oh my goodness…"
Zhang Xiaoshuai immediately exclaimed excitedly, "Brother Qin, please give me some feedback too, give me some feedback!"
"No need to rush, one by one!"
Qin Ning looked at the four of them and explained each point individually.
Finally, the four looked at each other, completely bewildered.
Qin Ning's comments were sharp, his gaze incisive, as if he understood all the perplexing difficulties they encountered in their cultivation.
Truly divine!