"Sigh, it seems there really are no more Spirit Stones."
Liu Yi gazed at the cave he had been excavating for three consecutive months; the rock walls were covered in pits and hollows.
He had only managed to dig up twelve Low-Grade Spirit Stones in the first month, and now there wasn't even a shadow of a Spirit Stone to be found.
With a helpless sigh, he turned and left, no longer digging.
Over the past three months, he had consumed 80 Low-Grade Spirit Stones for cultivation, and his cultivation level had successfully risen to the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining.
Liu Yi felt that as long as he broke through to the Thirteenth Level of Qi Refining, he could attempt to charge into the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The Foundation Establishment Realm grants a lifespan of 300 years; if he could break through, he would gain an additional 150 years of life.
This would give him ample time to realize his plan of pulling those Cultivators and powerful nobles down from their high horses.
Of course, as his cultivation broke through to the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining, his control over the space-time realm reached 5.6%, and his deduction computing power doubled.
At the same time, to perfect his technique, he used 33 Mountain Bandits as test subjects; the Sun Swallowing Art had now been updated to Version 80.
Although it could be cultivated, the energy produced by the technique was far too violent.
Therefore, he planned to find more villains to serve as test subjects to continue polishing this technique.
During this period, Liu Yi also attempted to refine an energy storage device, which had yielded some preliminary results.
Using the Artifact Refining techniques he learned from the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion, and after his own deductions, the energy storage device he refined was already capable of absorbing and storing solar energy, but a new problem followed.
This stored solar energy was too violent and could not be converted into gentle energy for cultivation at all.
He would have to continue experimenting and improving it in the future.
He intended to convert this violent solar energy into gentle, controllable energy by improving the Formations.
Additionally, he had refined a cheat brain, but the results were unsatisfactory.
This cheat brain was refined using Artifact Refining techniques to mimic a CPU.
While it could enhance deduction computing power, it consumed a massive amount of spiritual energy during operation.
For Liu Yi, who was focused on breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and cherished every bit of spiritual energy, using it was a losing bargain; it was better to perform the deductions himself.
He could only find time to continue improving it later.
Liu Yi walked out of the cave, preparing to return to his room to pack the remaining 52 Spirit Stones and some valuables before leaving the mountain stronghold.
Suddenly, a voice drifted from afar: "Listen up, Mountain Bandits inside! Come out and surrender immediately! Otherwise, when we, the black and white twin swords, fight our way in, you won't even have a chance to surrender!"
Hearing this, Liu Yi's eyebrows twitched slightly. He hadn't expected anyone to come and play the hero. A look of curiosity appeared on his face as he stepped out of the stronghold.
He saw a man and a woman standing on the mountain path; the man was dressed in black and looked heroic, while the woman was in white with a beautiful appearance.
The two of them held a black and a white sword respectively, staring warily toward the stronghold.
"The Mountain Bandits here have already been dealt with. You can leave now," Liu Yi said as he walked out, explaining to the two with a smile.
"Hmph, how could it be such a coincidence? I think you are a mountain bandit trying to trick us into leaving!"
The woman in white, Su Yaoguang, snorted coldly, her face full of suspicion. She turned to her companion and said, "Senior Brother, let's take him down first!"
"Alright, Junior Sister, let me do it." The man in black, Ye Xuanxiao, nodded and drew his sword to stab at Liu Yi. His sword technique was sharp, and his Sword Qi soared to the heavens.
Liu Yi's expression instantly darkened. He had originally just wanted them to leave, but he hadn't expected them to be so unreasonable.
In a flash, he flicked his finger, precisely striking the sword three inches from the tip as a powerful spiritual energy erupted.
With a 'clang,' the black sword flew out of his hand. In the next second, Ye Xuanxiao's throat was gripped by a hand like an iron vice, lifting him into the air.
Although Ye Xuanxiao had a cultivation at the Early Stage of the Innate Realm, he was simply not worth mentioning before the current Liu Yi.
"Villain, release my Senior Brother immediately!"
Su Yaoguang shouted angrily, quickly drawing her white sword and rushing toward Liu Yi with Killing Intent.
Before the sword even arrived, the cold Sword Qi had already plowed a half-foot deep furrow into the ground.
Liu Yi snorted coldly. Holding Ye Xuanxiao like a little chick, he tapped his toes on the ground and appeared behind Su Yaoguang like a ghost.
Before she could react, Liu Yi's fingers moved like lightning, lightly tapping the back of her neck.
Su Yaoguang's eyes rolled back, the white sword in her hand fell with a clang, and her entire body slumped softly to the ground.
Liu Yi slightly loosened his grip on Ye Xuanxiao's neck and said with a faint smile, "Both of your lives are now in my hands. Tell me, what will you give in exchange for your lives?"
Ye Xuanxiao's face turned red, filled with helplessness. He never expected to fall into this person's hands today.
After thinking for a moment, he looked up and said, "A few days ago, I obtained a roll of animal hide that records a Cultivation Technique. It is very profound. Can it be used to exchange for our lives?"
"Oh?" Liu Yi had only been teasing him casually, but he hadn't expected an unexpected harvest. "Where is it? Let me see. If you aren't lying, I'll let you go."
"It's in my robe," Ye Xuanxiao's eyes lit up as he answered quickly.
Liu Yi reached into Ye Xuanxiao's robe and pulled out the animal hide. Upon opening it, his eyes instantly brightened.
This was actually an Immortal Cultivation Technique for cultivating the Primordial Spirit! One must know that such techniques are extremely rare in the Cultivation World; even the Tianqi Sect might not have a technique for cultivating the Primordial Spirit.
With this technique, he could enhance his Primordial Spirit and speed up his control over the space-time realm, thereby increasing his deduction computing power.
He was secretly delighted. He hadn't expected these two reckless fools to take the initiative to deliver such a great gift.
Thank you for nature's bounty!
Liu Yi released Ye Xuanxiao and said with a smile, "Don't be so reckless in the future. If it were someone else, they might not be as easy to talk to as me. The Mountain Bandits in this stronghold have been dealt with by me. You may go."
Ye Xuanxiao hurriedly cupped his hands in a respectful salute, "Thank you for your mercy, Senior!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up the unconscious Su Yaoguang, gathered the black and white twin swords from the ground, and hurried down the mountain.
Liu Yi tucked away the animal hide, returned to the stronghold, and packed his belongings properly.
Then, carrying his bundle, he left the stronghold and headed toward Liu Family Village.
In the blink of an eye, a year passed, and Liu Yi finally returned to his hometown in this life, Liu Family Village.
During this year, he practiced tirelessly, raising his cultivation to the Peak of the Thirteenth Level of Qi Refining, only one step away from Foundation Establishment.
He also successfully cultivated the Primordial Spirit technique recorded on the animal hide, the Soul Shifting and Spirit Refining Great Method. Now, his control over the space-time realm had reached 8%.
His deduction ability was also about 20 times stronger than when he first awakened his past life memories.
Along the way, Liu Yi continuously sought out Mountain Bandits, highwaymen, and other villains to serve as test subjects, constantly polishing the Sun Swallowing Art.
Now, the Sun Swallowing Art had been updated to Version 140 and was capable of safely and efficiently utilizing solar energy for cultivation.
He planned to pay his respects to his parents in Liu Family Village before starting to Cultivate the Five Elements Qi Refining Art 4.0, which integrated the Sun Swallowing Art.
Once he finished cultivating this set of techniques, he would prepare to charge into the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Because he only had two years of lifespan left; if he didn't break through, he would truly have to rest in peace in the ground.
Furthermore, his energy storage device had iterated to Version 20. Although it hadn't completely solved the problem of violent energy, it could now be used for cultivation with some difficulty.
The cheat brain had also iterated to Version 15, not only significantly increasing deduction computing power but also drastically reducing energy consumption.