Defects and Advantages

1,864 words

Chapter 218: Defects and Advantages

At this point, Senior Brother Ma paused, a look of regret appearing on his face. He then continued:

"But unfortunately, this sword art has an unbearable defect once you cultivate it to a deeper level. Starting from the fourth layer, when you use the Azure Origin Sword Art to absorb and refine Heaven and Earth spiritual qi, a strange dissipating phenomenon occurs every few days. A portion of the magical power you painstakingly refined in the preceding days will inexplicably dissipate on its own. It truly leaves one baffled!"

"At the fourth layer of the sword art, the rate of loss isn't too terrifying. Only about one-tenth of the newly cultivated magical power will dissipate. With a bit of extra effort, an ordinary cultivator can make it up. But if you push into the fifth or sixth layers, the loss of spiritual power becomes horrifying. With each layer, the loss increases by one-tenth of the newly cultivated power. That means the fifth layer loses two-tenths, and the sixth loses three-tenths. At that rate, who would dare to cultivate the Azure Origin Sword Art?"

"Furthermore, the highest any disciple in our sect has ever cultivated this sword art is the sixth layer. Beyond the sixth layer requires Core Formation stage cultivation. But seeing that even by the sixth layer, nearly a third of your spiritual power is already lost, which of those high and mighty elders would dare to take such a bizarre risk? What if the layers beyond the seventh continue to increase the loss? Wouldn't they have been utterly cheated?"

"You have to understand, at the Core Formation stage, every single layer of progress is incredibly difficult. And this Azure Origin Sword Art is exceptionally hard to cultivate. Having them spend ten or even decades of time to take such a risk and do something this foolish? Who would do it? Besides, this sword art is not only incomplete, it's not some transcendent immortal method. There simply isn't enough motivation for them to take such a perilous path."

"However, the sword light technique of this art is indeed very practical. It would be a pity to just give it up entirely. So, some only cultivate the first three layers of the Azure Origin Sword Art, using it purely as a supplementary method. This way, they don't have to fear the qi dissipation, and they can still use the sword light technique. Of course, even just to cultivate the sword light technique, it takes these disciples four or five years of solitary training."

Han Li was dumbfounded by the old man's lengthy explanation. When he finally came to his senses, he felt a wave of bitterness in his gut.

Oh, come on. He had already reached the fourth layer! According to this, if he continued to cultivate the Azure Origin Sword Art, a full tenth of the magical power he refined would just vanish for no reason. And it would only get worse with each layer.

How was he supposed to cultivate like this?

But since the truth was so clear, nothing would make him foolish enough to continue cultivating this sword art. His training in the Azure Origin Sword Art would end right here.

No sooner had Han Li made this resolution than the old man's next words caught his attention, surprising him a little.

"Despite this defect, the Azure Origin Sword Art does have its unique strengths. Otherwise, it wouldn't have become a sect's legacy technique back then," the old man said, smacking his lips suddenly with a hint of emotion.

"I've heard it said that while this sword art is incredibly slow to cultivate, each completed layer has the miraculous effect of expanding the meridians and deepening the dantian. A cultivator who has trained in this art will have a deeper reserve of magical power than their peers at the same stage."

"As for exactly how much deeper? That depends on how many layers of the sword art have been cultivated."

"According to the accounts of the only senior disciple in our sect's history who managed to reach the sixth layer, by the time he reached the late Foundation Establishment stage with a perfected sixth-layer sword art, his magical power was nearly a third greater than that of other cultivators. This surplus of power was almost exactly equal to the proportion lost by cultivating the Azure Origin Sword Art. Such a coincidence cannot be overlooked; the sword art truly has some profound mysteries within it."

The old man seemed to have studied the Azure Origin Sword Art quite thoroughly, and the more he spoke, the more excited he became. By the end, he was nearly spitting as he gestured wildly. Han Li had to quickly bring up another topic to steer the conversation away from the sword art, finally getting Senior Brother Ma to calm down.

For Han Li, no matter what other marvels the sword art possessed, he would not be cultivating it.

His talent was poor enough as it was. To deliberately cultivate this incomplete technique, notorious for its abysmal speed, would mean he had no hope of ever forming a core—unless his mind had turned to mush.

Even with normal cultivation techniques, Han Li estimated that if he could find a few more alchemy formulas, there might be a glimmer of a chance, however slim, to form a core in this lifetime.

After chatting with the old man for a while longer, Han Li took his leave.

Now that he had established his Foundation, he naturally could no longer watch over the herb garden for him. So he returned to his thatched cottage, packed a few things, and departed.

By now, the sky was fully bright, the perfect time for him to go to the Assembly Hall and take care of his affairs.

The excitement of having just established his Foundation had not yet faded from Han Li's heart. His only thought now was to get the formalities done and immediately find a place to open his own cave dwelling.

He had been looking forward to this for a long time! Once he had his own territory, he wouldn't have to do everything in secret. He could do whatever he wanted in his own place, openly and freely.

The more Han Li thought about it, the more excited he became. Without realizing it, he flew his magical tool all the way to the Assembly Hall.

The two young disciples guarding the main gate clearly did not recognize Han Li, but they could see at a glance that he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Naturally, they did not dare to slight him just because of his youth.

So, the two of them stepped forward in unison, bowing respectfully.

"Greetings, Senior Uncle! Is there anything this disciple can help you with?"

"Senior Uncle?"

Hearing this, Han Li found it a little funny. A year ago, if he had met these two, he would have had to call them 'Senior Brother'! Now, having established his Foundation, his status had shot up, and he was suddenly an elder. It was a bit hard to get used to.

Still, seeing people around his own age bow and address him with respect felt… not bad.

"Is Sect Leader Zhong available? I have some business to discuss with him," Han Li said with an air of authority.

The two Qi Condensation disciples exchanged a glance at his words. The one on the right replied,

"The Sect Leader has gone to the Hundred Mechanisms Hall on business, but he should be back soon. Perhaps Senior Uncle would like to wait a moment in the reception hall?"

Han Li frowned slightly, but quickly returned to a neutral expression. "Fine. I'll wait a bit then."

"Very well. Right this way, Senior Uncle!"

The other disciple, quick-witted, stepped back two paces and began to lead the way.

Han Li followed him through the main hall, where he was led into a moderately sized parlor. The room was not only clean and tidy, but the walls were also adorned with a few paintings and calligraphy scrolls, giving it a cultured and scholarly air.

"Senior Uncle, please rest here for a moment. As soon as the Sect Leader returns, this disciple will immediately inform him," the young man said, expertly brewing a pot of fragrant tea for Han Li before withdrawing.

Han Li watched the young man's retreating figure, then nodded, but also shook his head.

He nodded because he was very impressed by the young man's demeanor and actions—flawless and clearly the result of specialized training.

He shook his head because he felt a pang of pity for these low-level disciples.

A cultivator, instead of diligently cultivating in seclusion, had to work like a mortal servant, standing guard and serving tea. It was truly a lamentable state.

Thinking back, if he hadn't bribed the old man surnamed Ye with a Foundation Establishment Pill back then, his own situation probably wouldn't have been much better than this young man's. He would have had to bow and scrape, or perhaps even be worse off.

As Han Li sipped his tea in the parlor, lost in thought, the Grand Sect Leader Zhong soon returned.

When he heard from the gatekeeping disciples that a young Foundation Establishment cultivator was looking for him, he was a little surprised. From their description, the man was a stranger to him, and he couldn't match the description to any of the several hundred Foundation Establishment disciples.

Twenty-five or twenty-six, with dark skin and ordinary features. Who could this be? Zhong Lingdao thought, with three parts surprise and two parts curiosity, as he hurried to the parlor where Han Li was waiting.

As he entered the room, he saw a middle-aged man in the robes of Yellow Maple Valley, his back to the door, staring intently at a painting on the wall.

Apparently, the Sect Leader's entrance had made some noise, because the man immediately turned around and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Sect Leader! Your junior disciple, Han Li, pays his respects!"

"Han Li?"

The name sounded familiar, like he had heard it before. He took a closer look at the man's face. It seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't for the life of him remember who he was. A wave of embarrassment washed over him, and a trace of awkwardness showed on his face.

"Well, well, Brother Han! Please, have a seat, no need to be so formal! As the Sect Leader, I have many things to attend to. Pardon my lateness, Brother Han, I hope you don't mind!"

Zhong Lingdao, an old fox who had weathered countless storms, deftly defused the awkwardness with a few vague, polite remarks.

Han Li was not surprised that the Sect Leader didn't recognize him.

After all, the last time Han Li had seen him was five years ago. Back then, he was just a low-grade Qi Condensation disciple. There was no reason for someone like the Sect Leader to remember him or harbor any deep impression.

If the Sect Leader had actually recognized him at first glance, Han Li would have been the one to be shocked.

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Mortal Stream's Biggest Trap: A Tempting Power You Must Refuse

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The "Fake" Power Economy: This chapter brilliantly deconstructs the concept of a "superior" technique. The Azure Origin Sword Art offers a genuine, tangible advantage (deeper magical reserves), but it's tied to a fatal flaw (qi dissipation). This reinforces the Mortal Stream's core tenet: nothing is free. Every advantage in this world comes with a hidden cost, and the wise cultivator is the one who can accurately calculate whether the benefit outweighs the price. Han Li's instant decision to abandon the art is the textbook correct response for a "mortal" cultivator.
Face and Social Heirarchy: Han Li's interaction with the Sect Leader is a perfect illustration of the social dynamics in a cultivation sect. Five years ago, Han Li was invisible. Now, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he is at least someone the Sect Leader must acknowledge. Zhong Lingdao, a master of political face, deftly covers his failure to recognize Han Li with a polite, vague greeting. This isn't about personal memory; it's about the institutional respect demanded by Han Li's new cultivation rank. The respect isn't for "Han Li the person," but for "Han Li, the Foundation Establishment elder."

Chapter Overview

Welcome back, fellow cultivators, to another deep dive into the mortal-stream grind. This chapter is a masterclass in what I like to call the "quiet victory" phase. The explosive, life-or-death battles are over; Han Li has successfully established his foundation. Now comes the far less glamorous but equally important part of the journey: logistics and knowledge gathering. In this chapter, our favorite pragmatic protagonist learns a hard truth about his new sword art and learns how the sect's power structure works when you're no longer at the bottom. Get ready for tea, bureaucratic paperwork, and a lecture that might save your life—or just ruin your cultivation plan.

Key Plot Points

Senior Brother Ma delivers a crucial exposition dump about the Azure Origin Sword Art. He reveals the art's crippling defect: starting from the fourth layer, newly cultivated magical power will periodically dissipate. It begins at a 10% loss at the fourth layer and increases by 10% with each subsequent layer, reaching a 30% loss at the sixth. This structural flaw makes it a death sentence for anyone trying to pursue it as their primary cultivation method, especially at the Core Formation stage where time and effort are incredibly precious.

However, the art isn't without merit. Ma explains that for every layer completed, it expands the cultivator's meridians and deepens their dantian, granting them a reserve of magical power one-third greater than their peers at the same stage. The amount of this bonus power is almost an exact mirror of the percentage lost during cultivation, creating a fascinating and somewhat mysterious balance.

Han Li processes this information with his usual cold pragmatism. Upon hearing the defect, he immediately decides to abandon the art. The promise of a deeper reserve is not worth the crippling loss of progress, especially for someone with his poor talent. He dismisses any further temptation and focuses on his next steps: securing a cave dwelling.

The second half of the chapter is a classic "newly empowered" social scene. Han Li goes to the Assembly Hall and is addressed as "Senior Uncle" by Qi Condensation disciples. He enjoys the novel feeling of respect but also reflects on the precariousness of life for lower-tier disciples, realizing how close he came to a similar fate. He meets the Sect Leader, Zhong Lingdao, who doesn't recognize him at all, a moment Han Li accepts with calm understanding, recognizing his former insignificance in the sect's eyes.

Reading Guide

This chapter is a masterclass in "show, don't tell" for the xianxia genre. It doesn't just hand Han Li a power-up; it presents him with a complex puzzle of risk versus reward. The real victory here isn't learning about the art—it's Han Li's discipline in walking away from a tempting but flawed prize. This is the essence of the mortal stream protagonist: he doesn't gamble on long shots. Pay close attention to how the chapter contrasts the emotional excitement of his new status (being called "Senior Uncle") with the cold, rational analysis that governs his long-term planning. Han Li is learning the game, and he's learning it well. This chapter also serves as crucial setup, teasing a technique that will become incredibly important later, not as his primary path, but as a secret weapon he can exploit from the shadows.