The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]

An ooze, how strange. I doubt my poison will work on something like that. What can I do to help and not get in the way?

Without being able to come up with an answer right away, Li Lang decided to distance himself from the battlefield lest he become a burden. He did so just in time, too, as the ooze started raining down acid in its surroundings, turning into a sprinkler. Jun Ziyan had to maneuver her hair around to intercept it all, and he being out of range saved her the extra effort.

Thankfully, the attack couldn't be sustained for long. It couldn't afford to stay on the offensive when Long Yi started sending waves of Terra Moon Slashes against it. He might have been weaker in terms of cultivation, but the earth element countered the water element. Even if his attacks couldn't easily injure the ooze, it was especially disruptive to any water affinity techniques.

Two against one, the Qi beast held on splendidly well despite the disadvantages. It met the numerous tendrils of hair with its own streams of acids while it swiftly bounced out of the way whenever any dangers neared it. It demonstrated how close it really was to breaking through the major to the next big realm. In fact, it even showed signs of being halfway into the next realm!

Jun Ziyan naturally noticed this too after the battle dragged on.

"We can't let this turn into a battle of attrition. That thing likely has a foot in the Violet Core Realm! Its power hasn't dropped at all since the fight started!"

Foundation Establishment cultivators were already strong. They had a huge sea of Qi to rely on, allowing them to even fly on their own power. However, it was still a far cry from Violet Core cultivators. Those who had formed their core could not only store a higher quantity and quality of Qi, but they also gained the ability to rapidly absorb the ambient energies in their surroundings.

The rate of recovery this afforded them was not on the same scale as the previous realms, where one needed to focus on their cultivation techniques. Just by existing, they could draw in all the Qi in the vicinity, refilling their reserves. This essentially meant they had an unlimited reserve, given the right conditions. It came as no surprise that meant they could do things like fly indefinitely.

In battle, they became inexhaustible juggernauts. No matter how many cultivators of a lower realm ganged up on them, there was no hope of tiring them out.

Hearing Jun Ziyan's warnings, Li Lang couldn't help but frown.

A half-step Violet Core Qi beast? No, that's being too generous. Its output is nowhere near that level. Only its recovery rate is.

Still, Li Lang knew that was a very real threat to them. He began brainstorming ideas to overcome the ooze quickly or ways to inhibit its regeneration.

We must either target its core or hit it with a wide area attack that engulfs its entire body. I can help with my Primordial Star Fire, but I doubt it will do much with our disparity in cultivation level and the water element countering it.

To inhibit its regeneration, we will have to consume all the Qi in its surroundings before it has a chance to. How can I do that?

Recalling all his previous experiences, only one technique came to mind. One of Li Lang's earliest cultivation techniques resolved around sucking in the ambient Qi at startling rates. He had coined the black hole method, but it wasn't exactly a proper technique. It simply abused his imagery of black holes to manipulate Qi in the Energy Gathering Realm.

In the Energy Gathering Realm, the body had a limit to how much Qi it could tolerate drilling into it to expand the mortal's capacity. Too much would incur toxins that Li Lang invented the Clearing Drug to counteract.

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In the Foundation Establishment Realm, this was no longer a problem. The human body had ascended to another level. It was no longer prone to the minute amount of toxins from ambient Qi, but the quality and quantity were no longer enough. Cultivators in this realm needed denser Qi of higher quality, while their slow rate of absorption of the surrounding qi couldn't meet their needs. It was the difference between needing liquid water while they were only able to take in some water vapor. The affinity of the energies in their spiritual sea also played a huge role in accentuating their strengths.

What element would the Black Hole Technique fall under? Gravity? Does such an element even exist in the cultivation world?

Having thought up to that point, Li Lang could no longer resist trying.

The generation cycle of the five elements within him churned the image of a black hole took shape in his mind. He didn't center it on himself this time, as the chaotic blend of Qi wouldn't do his spiritual sea any good. The influence it would bring was more than likely to disrupt the equilibrium his five elements had reached.

Instead, he focused on the location of the ooze Qi beast. He concentrated so intently that he didn't even notice the bright lights of his spiritual sea intensifying. It pulsated with power, shooting streams of Qi into his meridian channels meticulously.

In reality, even the combatants noticed something strange with the flow of Qi around them, but they didn't have the leeway to care, as they were still locked in an intense battle.

Any lapses on the humans' part would incur devastating injuries, but they couldn't relent at all if they didn't want to allow this to turn into a battle of attrition. At the same time, the ooze was also fighting for its survival. It was outnumbered by two enemies who were single-mindedly after its life.

This meant they didn't notice the effects of this anomaly at first. They couldn't be blamed. There weren't any visual cues, and it didn't stay in place.

Only when the ooze decided to sprinkle its acid around the area did they finally notice. The creature's Qi art distorted midair as it was pulled toward an unseen core. Everything affected rapidly picked up pace and twirled around the moving core. This anomaly followed after the ooze, sticking right against its body at times, but it didn't affect anything material.

Unfortunately, brushing the acid against its owner did not cause any harm, but the scene still startled the combatants. Jun Ziyan and Long Yi swiftly took some distance and monitored the situation carefully while the ooze dashed around in erratic motions, trying to lose its tail.

For better or worse, the Qi black hole didn't persist for long. After a few moments, it quietly vanished, releasing its grip on the affected acid. The splash resonated through the fleshy chambers at the same time as a soft thud a distance away.

The humans quickly turned their heads to the sound as it came from Li Lang's direction. They found him fallen on one knee, breathing heavily.

"That was you?" Jun Ziyan cried out before snapping her gaze back at the ooze as the truth dawned on her. "Long Yi, we don't have to worry about it anymore. Attack with everything you have before it regains its bearings!"

The two humans rushed back into the fray, offering the creature no respite.

Regrettably, they were too late. The ooze had recovered from the shock and came to the same conclusion as Jun Ziyan. It realized the previous anomaly came from Li Lang! As it dodged out of the way, it changed targets to the new threat, shooting off several streams of acid at its new mark.

Li Lang barely recovered from his daze in time to once again summon a spiritual black hole before him to use as a shield. He was confused about how he could use a Qi art when he didn't know the intricate details of the technique, but he had no time to dwell on it right now.

The strain of his new technique made his head scream out in pain. It only got worse as the attack clashed against the black hole, contorting the stream of acid into a strange whirlpool of sorts.

The danger didn't stop there as the creature redoubled its efforts, seeing its first attack thwarted. As Jun Ziyan and Long Yi desperately tried to catch up, Li Lang had to fend off the half-step Violet Core monster by himself. Both sides pumped more Qi into their techniques, entangling them into a fierce clash as ambient Qi was violently ripped from the surroundings to fuel the causes on both sides.

Li Lang could feel his spiritual sea straining under the load. In his moment of adversity, time seemed to slow. He looked over at his companions rushing to his aid, but he didn't think they would make it in time.

I have to do something to turn the tide quickly, before I get overwhelmed! But what?

Making use of his slow perception of time, his mind raced as it scanned the area for any way to get out of his predicament.