This Sword Cultivator is Somewhat Dependable Chapter 5: Becoming a Sword Cultivator

"Yes!" Without any delay, Lu Qingshan selected the Cultivation Technique to learn. His newly gained 40 experience points dropped by 10 in an instant.

"Experience -10, now acquiring [Qi Drawing Technique]!"

A massive stream of information poured straight into Lu Qingshan's mind.

Different from merely picking abilities in games, this influx morphed into deep understanding of the Cultivation Technique as soon as it reached his consciousness.

Ways to detect the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth, methods to pull in Qi, the routes for Spiritual Power to flow inside the body...

Just like undergoing a spiritual transmission, Lu Qingshan fully and perfectly comprehended this Cultivation Technique right away.

At the same time, inside his previously empty Dantian, Lu Qingshan sensed a thin, foggy Spiritual Power once more (+10 Spiritual Power).

"Learning complete! You have fully grasped [Qi Drawing Technique], advancing your Rank to Qi Refinement!"

"Promotion achieved, class selection requirements fulfilled—select one from these six classes as your primary profession: Sword Cultivator, Body Cultivation, Beast Cultivator, Spiritual Cultivator, Dharma Cultivation, Nether Cultivator. Warning: main profession choice is permanent and irreversible!"

"Select Sword Cultivator!"

"Class change complete—you now possess the primary profession [Sword Cultivator]!"

"Acquired professional talent [Specialization]: True mastery demands focus. Sword Cultivators devoted to the Sword Dao cannot switch to secondary professions!"

"Acquired professional talent [Trapped in Formation]: Embracing the formation trap means defying death itself. Sword Cultivator damage output rises by Rank x5%. In trade-off, no Stamina attribute boosts for Sword Cultivators!"

"Acquired professional talent [Sword Technique Affinity] (Primary Level): Sword Cultivators need 10% less experience to learn or level sword techniques, but 10% more for non-sword skills; sword technique damage boosted by 5%!"

——————

Such is the Sword Cultivator, standing out as one of Nine Heavens' most unique classes.

To Sword Cultivators, the entire world revolves around just one sword.

They shun Immortal Cultivation Techniques and other cultivation arts. For them, isn't one clean sword slash enough to solve any issue? No need for extra tricks!

Among Nine Heavens' main professions, Sword Cultivators boast the lowest health pools and frailest defenses.

They alone among the six primary classes get zero Stamina bonuses with each Rank up.

Prior to class change, all players share a standard rate: 1 Stamina = 10 Health Points.

Yet post-class change, every other profession gains an extra point in the Stamina-to-Health ratio per Rank (1 Stamina = 11 Health Points).

For Stamina-focused Body Cultivators, this jumps by 2 points per Rank. It starts small, but skyrockets as Ranks climb higher.

Reach Fifth Rank Void Refinement in Nine Heavens, and Body Cultivators hit 1 Stamina = 20 (10+2×5) Health Points, while Sword Cultivators lag at 1 Stamina = 10 Health Points—a full double gap.

From Void Refining Realm onward, one Body Cultivator Stamina point equals two for Sword Cultivators.

Naturally, to offset their pitiful HP, Sword Cultivators explode with massive attack power.

As an all-or-nothing class swapping durability for burst damage, Sword Cultivators under [Trapped in Formation] deliver Nine Heavens' top DPS. Not even tankiest Body Cultivators survive their relentless sword barrage.

Strengths and flaws scream loud and clear for this class.

In Nine Heavens slang, Sword Cultivator players get called "brutes" or "mad dogs."

Nine Heavens devs once polled for the game's favorite class—Sword Cultivators crushed it with 50% of votes.

Shockingly, in the most-hated-class poll, they dominated again at a whopping 90%.

Players adore the Sword Cultivator class mechanics for their pure "flashiness," in a nutshell. Yet, this same "flashiness" sparks hatred from countless players, frequently frustrating both themselves and their teammates to no end.

With damage that's frail yet bursting at the seams, this duo on one class results in Sword Cultivators pulling ultimate taunt in every fight, forever the top enemy focus—no one allows a Sword Cultivator to unleash damage unchecked.

Sword Cultivators boast a sky-high potential but a dreadfully low baseline. Pros and casuals show a massive skill chasm.

A pro wielding a Sword Cultivator dances unscathed amid enemy hordes, sword instilling terror in gods and mortals, revered as Sword Immortals!

A newbie's Sword Cultivator summons death's chill breeze, a constant shadow, a path to doom with no way back. They charge the field and vanish instantly—absolute demise sans revival, thus named "The Orphans."

Sword Immortal or Orphan alike, Sword Cultivator players relish the exclusive thrills of their chosen road.

What pursuit drives players in games?

Isn't it just chasing that thrill?

...

Switching to Sword Cultivator class brought massive updates to Lu Qingshan's once-barren personal stats panel:

Lu Qingshan (Human Race)

Profession: Sword Cultivator

Cultivation Technique: [Qi Drawing Technique] Lv1 (0/100) —— [Spiritual Power +10]

Rank: Qi Refinement

Experience Points: 30

Free Attribute Points: 0

Personal Attributes: Strength 1, Agility 1, Mana 1, Divine Soul 1, Charm 1, Stamina 1

Health Points: 20/20

Spiritual Power Value: 10/10

Talents: [Innate Swordseed] (Legendary), [Thick-skinned], [Specialist], [Trapped in Formation], [Sword Technique Affinity] (Primary Level)

Skills: [Heavenly Eye Technique]

__________

In a blink, Lu Qingshan leaped from mortal to Qi Refining Cultivator.

To nearby Jie Shi, zero oddities appeared; transformations unfolded in perfect quiet.

As a Qi Refining Cultivator with spiritual power gained, Lu Qingshan now wielded a storage bag.

"What's the precise setup in the Corpse Refining Cave, headcount, and their cultivation realms? Spill every detail," Lu Qingshan probed Jie Shi on Corpse Refining Cave intel, toying with the storage bag plucked from Jie Shi's waist.

Jie Shi observed Lu Qingshan messing with his storage bag, a dark gleam flashing deep in his gaze, yet he replied to Lu Qingshan's queries with full compliance.

Jie Shi's tale revealed the Corpse Refining Cave's vastness far outstripped Lu Qingshan's guesses.

The Corpse Refining Cave lord, [Blood Corpse True Man]—mentor to Jie Shi and Song Qing—was no novice Qi Refining Cultivator as Lu Qingshan figured, but a battle-hardened Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Lu Qingshan's Corpse Pool employed First Grade strengthening corpse fluid since the Corpse Refining Cave held three Corpse Pools altogether.

Two handled First Grade Corpse Puppets—one being Lu Qingshan's—while another forged Second Grade Corpse Puppets.

Second Grade Corpse Puppets match Foundation Establishment Cultivators, refinable solely by Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Grasping the Corpse Refining Cave's layout sparked relief surging in Lu Qingshan's core.

Luckily, [Blood Corpse True Man] was absent; else, fleeing this lair's odds would plummet to zilch.

Qi Refining Cultivators largely count as enhanced mortals; with cunning schemes, mortals might slay them. Foundation Establishment Cultivators, though, stand worlds apart.

Among cultivators, bridging realm divides rivals ascending the heavens. Foundation Establishment Cultivators command far more and mightier skills than Qi Refining Cultivators.

Moreover, [Divine Sense] grants them foe-sensing prowess, letting any Foundation Establishment Cultivator crush a Qi Refining Cultivator in raw might.