To utilize skill points for an upgrade, one must first learn the skill, at least to a basic level. Therefore, as soon as Ding Yun settled down, she immediately took out the basic internal strength cultivation technique she had created based on the previous martial arts manuals.
She began to cultivate it with great seriousness.
As mentioned before, the Health Preservation Breathing Technique, once it reached a certain stage and underwent metamorphosis, was equivalent to the Xiantian (Innately acquired) realm.
The most fundamental characteristic of the Xiantian realm.
Was the unobstructed flow through all the meridians.
Coupled with the fact that the primal energy cultivated by the Health Preservation Breathing Technique was inherently of a higher caliber than internal energy, it only lacked destructive power, serving solely to nourish and strengthen the body's foundation.
Thus, Ding Yun's cultivation proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
She quickly achieved an initial grasp of the technique and rapidly completed both the Minor Heavenly Cycle and the Major Heavenly Cycle. Theoretically speaking, from this point onward, as long as she diligently continued the cycles, she would encounter no bottlenecks whatsoever before reaching the Xiantian realm, progressing unimpeded.
However, Ding Yun did not have the luxury of time for continuous cycles.
After completing a few Major and Minor Heavenly Cycles, she immediately opened her status panel and began pouring skill points into the Basic Internal Strength skill, which had just appeared.
She continued this process until she had used two hundred and nine skill points, upgrading it to level twenty. Only then did she stop.
At this point, behind the Basic Internal Strength skill, new changes and suffixes appeared, similar to the previously acquired Health Preservation Breathing Technique.
[Basic Internal Strength Lv20 (Exceeded limits, grants immunity to all poisons, perfect circulation, golden muscles and jade bones, lifespan extended by three hundred years, internal energy liquefies, forging the foundation for the Great Dao.)]
Furthermore, Ding Yun herself could feel her dantian area. As she continuously added points, an endless stream of internal energy surged forth, washing through her meridians, acupoints, and entire physique, even enhancing her spiritual power.
In essence, her entire being was undergoing a transformation.
Eventually, the internal energy became so abundant that it transitioned from gaseous to liquid form, signifying a qualitative change, akin to the Foundation Establishment stage in cultivation.
After reviewing the new traits listed behind the tag.
Ding Yun became even more convinced that she was indeed undergoing Foundation Establishment:
"Hahahaha, I didn't expect this golden finger to be so effective. Cultivation techniques for martial arts can be pushed into the realm of immortality just by adding points. This is only level twenty; if it reaches level thirty, won't I be able to swallow a golden core and control my own destiny? Oh right, I still have over four hundred skill points left, so I might as well upgrade the Health Preservation Breathing Technique as well.
This was my first cultivation technique; I can't forget my roots!"
After her initial excitement, Ding Yun quickly resumed adding points to the Health Preservation Breathing Technique, also upgrading it to level twenty.
With one hundred and nineteen skill points invested.
The Health Preservation Breathing Technique naturally advanced to Lv20.
[Health Preservation Breathing Technique Lv20 (Exceeded limits, grants traits such as preserving beauty, immortal longevity without leakage, lifespan extended by a thousand years, innate Dao body, absorption of celestial essence, etc.)]
[The traits of Health Preservation Breathing Technique and Basic Internal Strength overlap significantly, and they are of the same level. They can be synthesized. Synthesize now? (Y/N)]
Upon seeing this, Ding Yun naturally chose to synthesize.
Another hundred skill points vanished.
[Sun Swallowing Moon Nourishing Immortality Technique Lv20 (A basic Qi refining and longevity technique, currently at the Foundation Establishment stage, with traits such as immunity to mortal poisons, perfect circulation, golden muscles and jade bones, innate Dao body, eternal youth and spring, celestial lifespan of three thousand years, etc.)]
"My heavens, these effects are too good!
I can live for three thousand years now. Goodness, if that's the case, if I eliminate all the bandit dens and demonic sects in the world, won't I become a Buddha or an immortal?
Looking at the newly appeared skills and traits, Ding Yun was quite surprised. Previously, she had only suspected that her point-adding system had upgraded the Basic Internal Strength into an immortal cultivation technique, but now the panel explicitly told her: you were not mistaken, we can indeed cultivate immortality.
Fortunately, Ding Yun's adaptability was strong.
After a moment of surprise, she no longer dwelled on the matter. She also felt that her current cultivation level should be sufficient. If she had already attained immortality and still couldn't defeat mere martial artists, that would be too much. Therefore, she proceeded to use her remaining skill points to enhance her medical and poison skills.
She also upgraded both of these to level twenty.
[Medical Skill Lv20 (Extraordinary Level, free from all ailments.
Can cure anyone below Foundation Establishment.)]
[Poison Skill Lv20 (Extraordinary Level, no poison is incurable.
All below Foundation Establishment will die!) ]
"What is this? Is it a spear and shield situation? One can cure anyone below Foundation Establishment, and the other kills everyone below Foundation Establishment. If I use them together, will I be half-dead or half-alive?
Forget it, forget it, they are all my own skills.
It shouldn't come to a situation where I have to kill and save simultaneously!"
Although Ding Yun grumbled, her spiritual power was constantly working hard to absorb and digest the newly born knowledge of medical and poison arts in her mind after the upgrades.
It took her a good half-day to essentially accept it all.
Only then did Ding Yun's sense of crisis completely disappear. She finally had the confidence to face this so-called martial world. The very first thing she did was to brazenly find a general store.
She asked them to customize a banner for her.
With the words "Divine Physician Valley's Traveling Medical Mission" written on it.
That's right, she was that audacious. She hadn't dared to do this before because she feared she might not be a match for the mastermind.
And end up getting sliced in half by a blade.
Now, not only had she achieved immortality, but her medical and poison skills had also advanced to an extraordinary realm. Naturally, she had no reason to fear anyone being able to easily kill her. Moreover, compared to actively investigating the culprit herself, it was clearly simpler and more convenient to be ostentatious and lure the culprit into showing themselves.
The banner cloth itself was not technically challenging.
With Ding Yun's verbal urgings, the shopkeeper finished it in less than fifteen minutes, and it was a cash-and-carry transaction.
Then, naturally, Ding Yun, holding the banner.
Began to strut about in the bustling streets.
"Didn't they say Divine Physician Valley was destroyed? How can there still be disciples of Divine Physician Valley appearing? Doesn't she know?"
"That can't be right. That was half a year ago.
Even the least informed should know by now. Besides, haven't several disciples of Divine Physician Valley died recently? The remaining ones have been taken in by the major sects for protection. How could there still be any stragglers?
Could she be an idiot..."
"Could she be a swindler?"
"No way, is a swindler not afraid of dying? I heard there are still people hunting down disciples of Divine Physician Valley. Anyone who claims to be from Divine Physician Valley is basically on the wanted list!"
"Who do you think Divine Physician Valley offended?
Not only was the entire Divine Physician Valley annihilated, but the remaining disciples are being hunted down. This is clearly an act of extermination!"
"Should we warn her then? What if she genuinely doesn't know, or is an idiot? It's a life, after all!"
"Are you not afraid of dying? Don't get yourself implicated by talking to her, and end up getting wiped out with her!"
"It's a real pity about Divine Physician Valley."
Half a year had passed since the annihilation of Divine Physician Valley.
The relevant news had long since spread throughout the land.
The fact that the inheritors of Divine Physician Valley were being hunted down was also common knowledge. Therefore, when Ding Yun wrote "Divine Physician Valley" in front of her medical mission, instead of gaining renown, it caused people to shun her and flee.
They pointed and whispered, murmuring amongst themselves.