I kept adding more and more nodes to the technique, trying to refine every process down to precision.
Eventually, I hit the ceiling—exactly one hundred nodes. That was my limit.
My cultivation base could only sustain a hundred active nodes at once before the Qi flow began to destabilize. It was fine; even with this, I hadn't yet reached the limit of what was possible within those hundred nodes.
Just as I was about to test the upgraded version of my Air Slash, I felt a faint disturbance in the air.
I turned.
A low growl echoed through the clearing.
A hound stood at the edge of my training ground, its body faintly shimmering with Qi. The thin threads of spiritual energy coiled around its form like mist — a sign that it wasn't an ordinary beast, but a Spirit Beast.
Spirit Beasts were creatures that evolved from common beasts after beginning to absorb Qi.
Their cultivation, however, progressed far slower than humans; without intelligence or comprehension of the fundamentals, their advancement depended solely on instinct.
Their strength was divided by stars and percentages.
A one-star beast equaled a Qi Condensation cultivator, two-star matched Foundation Establishment, and so on. Within those stars, percentages indicated minor realms — for example, a one-star beast at 40% would rival a mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator.
The beast before me exuded the pressure of an eighty-percent, one-star Spirit Beast—a level just below mine.
A suitable target to test my new creation.
Without hesitation, I took a stance.
My Qi surged, and the nodes activated in perfect harmony.
"Execute," I whispered.
Ten layers of dark aura formed in an instant, each spinning around my sword like rippling shadows.
Then—
Boom!
The air tore apart as all ten slashes erupted simultaneously. The impact was so fast that even I, who had created the technique, barely perceived the sequence of collisions before the hound was torn to shreds.
I exhaled softly and reviewed the structure of the technique in my mind.
It was composed of exactly one hundred nodes:
50 nodes for Qi Gathering,
10 nodes to form ten layers of Dark Aura,
5 nodes to divide and balance their strength,
5 nodes to initiate the first push.
But that wasn't where the true power came from.
After the initial push, each layer split into three distinct slashes using another 10 nodes, totaling thirty separate attacks. Then, with another 10 nodes, each of those slashes was redirected in three different directions, covering a radius of fifty meters. Finally, the last 10 nodes recalled them back to their origin point—compressing their kinetic force into a devastating rebound strike.
It was a technique built for area control and counter-attack. Against a fast or evasive opponent, it left no room for escape. The hound had survived the first wave, but when the slashes returned… its body couldn't endure the force.
If I had been the target, I wasn't confident I could defend without a dedicated defensive technique.
A rustle came from behind.
Gu Xue appeared, drawn by the commotion.
"What happened?" she asked, scanning the shattered ground.
"I was testing my technique," I replied evenly. "A Spirit Beast wandered in. It attacked, so I killed it."
"I see… were you hurt?" she asked, her eyes searching for injuries.
"No. The beast never even reached me."
She tilted her head slightly. "Was your technique that powerful?"
I nodded. "It exceeded expectations."
Curious, she asked me to explain, and I described the node structure in detail. As I spoke, her expression grew increasingly astonished.
"You… created a technique this advanced on your own?"
Her voice was low, almost disbelief.
"So," she said after a pause, "what's the name of your new technique?"
I thought for a moment and smiled faintly.
"Datas v1."
"...What?" She blinked, utterly confused.
"It's short for Dark Aura Triple Air Slash, version one."
"..."
She stared blankly for a few seconds before letting out a small sigh. "Your naming sense is… unique."
Before I could reply, her gaze shifted to the ground.
"Hey, look. There's a beast core."
Following her finger, I saw it—a small, orb-like crystal pulsing faintly with Qi resting beside the beast's remains.
When a Spirit Beast dies, a portion of its accumulated Qi condenses into a beast core.
Only half of its stored Qi can be refined by a cultivator, but even fifty percent of a beast at eighty percent of one-star was considerable. Enough, perhaps, to push me into the next realm.
Gu Xue picked up the core and offered it to me. "You killed it. It's yours—it might help you reach Foundation Establishment."
I took it, nodded, and sat cross-legged.
The refined Qi within the core flowed smoothly into my meridians, resonating with my dantian. My breathing steadied as the bottleneck loosened.
Twenty minutes later—
A dull pulse echoed from within.
My Qi expanded, solidifying in structure.
Foundation Establishment Realm.