Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1351 - 722: Advancement

"Everything is clear now! No wonder the White Emperor Sect is acting so desperately!" Great Cultivator Lou remarked with a heavy expression. He had just received the latest reports from the West Yan Continent via the Long-distance Flying Boat's ultra-long-range communication array.

Reflecting on the White Emperor Sect’s sudden alliance with the Yuqing Sect and their aggressive strike against Master Teng, it was obvious that Master Shi Dong’s death was the catalyst for all of this.

He thought back to the sword strike Master Shi Dong had received from him. He had poured his fury into the Flame Sword Intent, triggered the Power Storage Secret Method, and utilized the Three Sword Pact to catch Master Shi Dong off guard, successfully inflicting a severe wound with that single blow.

However, that injury should not have been fatal; even without the aid of Spirit Pills, a decade of rest should have been enough for a full recovery.

"It appears an assassin took Shi Dong’s life, and the White Emperor Sect is pinning the blame on us!" He wasn't particularly shocked by this turn of events. Had the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion found themselves in a similar predicament, they would have pointed the finger at their rivals as well.

If they failed to take action, the sect's prestige would suffer, and the morale of their other great cultivators would be crushed.

The same intelligence Great Cultivator Lou received was being distributed among other elite sword cultivators, though the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion had actually obtained the news first.

Rather than clarifying to the White Emperor Sect that their own sword cultivators weren't responsible for Master Shi Dong’s demise, the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion maintained a silent, suggestive posture.

This represented their most significant victory in a long history of conflict. In wars between superpowers, the death of a great cultivator is an extremely rare event, and claiming such a feat would only serve to further magnify the renown of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion.

As a core member of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion, Li Yuanba also saw the report flash across his Identity Jade Disc.

He gave it a cursory look before losing interest.

His attention was focused on communicating with his original body, Li Shiming. On the other side, Li Shiming had finally finished the refinement of the upgraded 'Traceless Illusion Sword.'

The 'Traceless Illusion Sword' stood as Li Shiming’s crowning achievement in the art of artifact refining. However, it had yet to face the trial of an Artifact Tribulation; its success would only be confirmed once it survived that heavenly test.

Great Cultivator Luo Pei ended his meditation, leaving the 'Heavenly Human Dao' hall within the Grotto Heaven to return to the temporary residence on the small island. He didn't seek out a new location, choosing instead to hover silently in the air above the isle.

Remaining within the chamber of the 'Heavenly Human Dao' hall, Li Shiming etched the final rune onto the 'Traceless Illusion Sword.' Once finished, he sent the weapon out of the Grotto Heaven, where it descended into the waiting hands of Great Cultivator Luo Pei.

Having been enhanced with the top-tier fourth-grade 'Colorless Strange Gold,' the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' maintained its signature invisibility due to the unique properties of the metal.

However, the original runic structure of the sword had been completely overhauled by Li Shiming.

Drawing from the experience gained while refining 'Ten Thousand Sword Peak,' and considering the sword was now a blend of two premier fourth-grade materials, its durability far surpassed standard items. This allowed Li Shiming to carve a significantly higher number of runes onto the blade.

Furthermore, his structural improvements allowed the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' to hold a quantity of runes that theoretically exceeded its physical capacity.

Every original rune had been wiped clean during the upgrade. Li Shiming's first step was to engrave four billion sturdy runes onto the blade. He used a specific distribution pattern that reinforced every millimeter of the sword, ensuring it could withstand the pressure of additional inscriptions.

These four billion sturdy runes created a sturdy formation. This was an original design developed by Li Shiming through the combined processing power of the IBMz15 and his own vast knowledge of formations. It wasn't a technique known to the outside world, so he had simply given it a functional name.

Despite the simple name, the sturdy formation was incredibly complex. Arranging four billion runes onto the limited surface area of the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' while leaving room for more was a monumental task.

The design phase for the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' alone had occupied several months of his time, and the years spent accumulating the necessary knowledge were beyond counting.

With the foundation of four billion sturdy runes in place, he then added ten billion sharp runes. This was the absolute limit the sword could endure, even with its reinforced structure.

As the final sharp rune was set, he felt a premonition that a single additional rune would cause the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' to shatter instantly.

Fortunately, since the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' was his Lifebound Flying Sword and had been tempered within his Gold Thunder Nascent Soul, he could sense its internal state with perfect clarity. This connection gave him the precision needed to finish the work.

Now, carrying ten billion sharp runes and four billion sturdy runes, the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' was revealed to the world.

The world itself seemed to push back against the weapon with a powerful repulsive force. The sword had surpassed the natural laws of this realm and, by all rights, should not exist.

An Artifact Tribulation formed immediately—a cosmic trial for any object that defies the natural order. Survival would mean the object is reshaped to exist within the realm's laws; failure would mean total destruction.

Great Cultivator Luo Pei did not wish to interfere with the process, so he cast the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' toward the surface of the nearby sea.

If a great cultivator were to involve themselves in the trial, the 'Traceless Illusion Sword' would be forced to endure an Artifact Tribulation scaled to the power level of a Great Cultivator.