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Lin Xuan then began learning the second technique, the Ice Needles spell!
Although it was only a mid-grade technique, it was rather special. Its power can even be compared to some of the high-grade techniques that only Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators can practice.
In the world of cultivation, techniques were split into three grades. Ignoring low-grade techniques, how can one distinguish between mid and high-grade techniques?
Power?
Correct, but that was not all. In fact, the main criteria in determining them were that the techniques cultivators at the Spirit Condensation Stage can practice are mid-grade, and techniques that require the Foundation Establishment Stage were high-grade techniques.
Generally, high-rank techniques have higher requirements, so naturally, their power was greater. But there were exceptions to everything, among the mid-grade techniques, the most special technique was the Ice Needles spell.
Spirit Condensation Stage cultivators could practice it, but the Ice Needles spell’s power was no weaker than some high-rank techniques. Because of this, some of the elder generations even argued that this technique should be classified as a high-rank technique.
But for whatever reason, that proposal was not passed, and the Ice Needles spell in the Encyclopedia of Techniques was still listed as mid-grade, then, of course, Ice Needles would be the most powerful of the mid-rank techniques.
Some people even called the Ice Needles Spell the “false high-grade technique”.
It could be practiced at the Spirit Condensation Stage, and could even rival high-grade techniques. When first hearing about this, the Ice Needles spell would have a great attraction, lower-level disciples would all want to practice it. But in reality, this was not the case. There was no such miracle in the world, however much one paid, that would be how much one could gain. Although the power of the Ice Needles spell was the highest in the mid-grade techniques, its difficulty of practicing was also notorious.
It did not require that much Spiritual Qi to use, but for successful practice, it required one to have a very strong Spiritual Sense. Because the so-called Ice Needles spell was, in fact, using Spiritual Qi to condense the moisture in the air into hundreds of icicles, each one hard as steel, which can then be used to harm the enemy.
Each needle might be small, but simultaneously controlling hundreds of them required so much Spiritual Sense that was hard to imagine, so it was very difficult to use.
For the past thousands of years, an uncountable number of low-level disciples at the Spirit Condensation Stage have attempted to learn this technique, but in the end, very few were able to succeed. Before the Foundation Foundation Stage, learning the Ice Needle spell required a lot of tenacity.
Lin Xuan’s notes were very detailed, not only did they record the practice methods of the Ice Needles spell, but they also had the above information from the lecturer.
Even with the difficult task ahead of him, Lin Xuan was not afraid. Even if you couldn’t say anything else, you could say this about Lin Xuan: With regards to perseverance, Lin Xuan was extremely self-confident, only those with the cultivation of at least Foundation Establishment would dare step foot into the Heart Refinement Road, but he still weathered their torturous illusions.
Lin Xuan was envious of the power of the Ice Needles. Once he learned it, his power would only increase by leaps and bounds and would in no way decrease.
Lin Xuan started to strive hard in practice, but it was much harder than he imagined. The first few days, there was very little progress. Even though his Spiritual Sense was much greater than the peers of his level, and allowed the practice of the Ice Needles spell, he still suffered due to the difficulty.
For others, to accomplish a task or to learn a technique, failing once or twice was normal; failing thrice or four times was also tolerable, but to fail seven or eight times or even more would certainly dishearten them, and they would choose to give up.
It couldn’t be said that they have no patience, this could only be considered to being human. But Lin Xuan was different, he had a firm and indomitable mentality. Like in the beginning, when he did not have the purification ability and clearly knew how difficult it was for a mortal to step on the path of cultivation, he still persevered under the taunts and the jeers.
Even when trying to break into the second layer of Spirit Condensation, Lin Xuan failed tens of times, but he still kept cultivating without complaints or regrets.
Therefore, in the previous days of practicing Ice Needles, even though he made not the slightest progress, forget being discouraged, Lin Xuan wasn’t even irritated and kept on consistently practicing.
The lecturer was very clear, even though for thousands of years, Spirit Condensation Stage disciples who have successfully learned the Ice Needles spell were rare, but there were still some successes. If others can do it, why can’t I?
With this kind of “not-giving-up-until-I reached-my-goal” mindset, Lin Xuan continued to practice hard, failing over and over again. But the more he failed, the harder he tried, until finally, after two months, he made some small advancements.
Compared to learning the Spirit Shield, which only took three days, it seemed like the time it took to grasp Ice Needles was very long. But that was not the case. According to the records, not to mention Spirit Condensation disciples, even the experts in the Foundation Establishment stage, to grasp the Ice Needles spell, it would take almost two months. So Lin Xuan’s speed was already very stunning.
The reason he had such success was due to his diligence, his character of never giving up, but it was also because he used many Purifying Essence Pills daily.
Nine pills a day, one of which was a mid-grade pill. With such strong medicinal power, it not only improved his cultivation, but there were also many other benefits to practicing techniques. Therefore, Lin Xuan was able to, in a relatively short period, grasp the Ice Needles spell, which was not surprising at all.
As the strongest mid-grade technique, Ice Needles was also very well known. The day he grasped it, Lin Xuan went again to that mystic canyon that only he knows, to quietly test its power.
He first selected a big piece of stone weighing over 500 kilograms as the target of his attacks. Lin Xuan then started to circulate his spiritual power and held out his right hand. With a stabbing sound, in the lingering mist about his palm, hundreds of crystal clear ice needles formed.
With a wave of his hand, the ice needles flew towards the boulder like lightning. In the cold light, the hard boulder was full of holes much like a sieve.
Lin Xuan nodded, satisfied, then using a low-grade Body Strengthening technique, pushed the boulder down a cliff. Although this canyon was very hidden, and even if someone did find it, they would not know it was Lin Xuan who left the holes in the stone with his Ice Needles spell. But he was always careful when doing things, as long as being flawless was possible, then he would, so pushing the boulder down the cliff was to make himself safer.
After doing all this, Lin Xuan started to evaluate his Ice Needles spell. To be honest, according to the lecturer’s description, being able to manipulate one hundred needles was only a small achievement. At the highest level of proficiency in the technique, it is said that one can blot out the sky and cover the earth with a thousand needles, it was almost unblockable.
Although fascinating, Lin Xuan was not that kind of unrealistic person. With the cultivation of Spirit Condensation, it was impossible to achieve perfection in the Ice Needles spell. But with the one hundred ice needles that he could control, its power was still comparable to some high-grade techniques.
One must have the drive to improve, but one cannot be too ambitious. The current level had already achieved his goal.
Translated by: James1kd2
Edited by: UnderTheMoon