“Qing E Nian Hua Gun” was not an ordinary staff technique – it was compiled by Qinghua Xianzi of the Taiyan Sect. After Qinghua Xianzi finished compiling “Qing E Nian Hua Gun,” she placed this cultivation method on the first floor of the Martial Arts Hall. Over all these years, no newly enrolled disciple had ever discovered this secret manual. It wasn’t because the disciples had poor judgment, but because Qinghua Xianzi had said that this cultivation method was extraordinary and could only be found by those with destiny.
And now, this “Qing E Nian Hua Gun” had been found by that newly enrolled junior sister.
“What kind of person is this Yang Zanxing you mentioned?” After pondering for a while, Xuan Lingzi asked.
“This disciple has inquired. Junior Sister Yang comes from a small city called Yue City in Duzhou. It’s said she accompanied her fiancé to participate in the selection trial. Junior Sister Yang’s fiancé was eliminated, but instead, Junior Sister Yang passed the trial.”
“Oh?” Xuan Lingzi was surprised. “What level has she cultivated to now?”
“The Yuanli Gate during the trial showed she’s at the first level of Foundation Establishment Stage.”
“Early Foundation Establishment Stage?” Xuan Lingzi was somewhat disappointed. “Still rather immature.”
If the lord of Yue City were here and heard these words, he would probably vomit blood from frustration. In Yue City, only Wang Shao could establish his foundation before age eighteen, and he was revered as a genius. It was just that the Taiyan Sect had seen many young talents, so someone like Zanxing wasn’t worth mentioning.
“What does Sixth Martial Uncle think…”
“Since she could find ‘Qing E Nian Hua Gun,’ perhaps there’s something special about her. Let’s wait and see how she performs during the sect assessment.”
“Yes.”
…
Zanxing didn’t know that because of one cultivation method, she had caught the attention of Sixth Martial Uncle Xuan Lingzi. After selecting her cultivation method, she went with Tian Fangfang to attend public classes in the instruction hall.
The current sect master of the Taiyan Sect, Shaoyang Zhenren, had accepted seven disciples in total. The one responsible for teaching public classes was Shaoyang Zhenren’s eldest disciple, Yueguang Daoren.
This name alone made one’s wallet feel cold.
Yueguang Daoren was already eighty years old this year. Wearing a light brown gauze robe with bushy eyebrows and white hair, he truly had the ethereal quality of an immortal. His temperament was also very gentle – when disciples didn’t understand something and asked questions, he would patiently answer. It was just that his speech was extremely slow. In the time it took others to say three sentences, he would just finish one sentence.
Tian Fangfang sat beside Zanxing, whispering to her: “Junior Sister, isn’t it said that immortal cultivators are all skilled in appearance-preserving arts? But looking at this Martial Uncle Yueguang’s face, it’s not that impressive.”
Zanxing: “…”
Martial Uncle Yueguang was still slowly reciting: “The ‘Master Qiu’s Secret Transmission of Great Elixir Direct Pointing’ states: turning light and adjusting breath, the method begins by gathering the mind from the corners of both eyes to one place, gathering it between the two eyes, using the entire body’s spirit and consciousness, completely collecting it in this place. This is what is meant by ‘heaven and earth are generally collected together as one.'”
Zanxing could understand the meaning of each word, but when put together, it sounded like gibberish. The cultivation practice was popular throughout the Duzhou continent, and many cultivators began practicing from childhood, having already learned these theories. Even those who hadn’t received a systematic education but were self-taught, like Tian Fangfang, could understand upon hearing it.
But for a modern person who had grown up bathed in a technological society, it was like a monkey listening to heavenly scriptures.
Completely incomprehensible.
Zanxing’s eyes turned green from listening, and she barely managed to endure until the morning classes ended. Tian Fangfang pulled Zanxing to stand up and said, “Come on, let’s go eat!”
The Taiyan Sect’s accommodation conditions were good, and the meal conditions were also quite nice. New disciples had a separate dining hall with various cuisines and a particularly rich variety.
Zanxing finished getting her food and sat with Tian Fangfang at an empty table to eat. The food tasted very good. While eating, Zanxing said, “I used to think that sect disciples who cultivated wouldn’t need to eat.”
Novels were all written that way – they had to practice grain avoidance.
“Junior Sister, you don’t understand this.” Tian Fangfang grabbed a chicken leg and took a big bite. “The food at the Taiyan Sect – is it ordinary? The fruits, vegetables, meat, and eggs used are all nourished by spiritual energy. Including the tea we drink, eating more of it regularly is beneficial for body tempering. Your body is weak and thin, so eating more will help with breakthroughs.”
Zanxing used her chopsticks to pick out the scallions from her bowl: “Isn’t the sect being too wasteful? Won’t they go bankrupt?”
They didn’t pay accommodation fees or meal fees, yet the Taiyan Sect was supporting so many people for free. What if they had layoffs someday?
“How could that be?” Tian Fangfang looked at her in surprise: “Every year, going to secret realms and competing with other sects, the prizes are extremely generous. They could recruit several hundred more disciples. Besides, sects are the wealthiest – why would you worry about such problems?”
Zanxing stopped talking and silently buried her head in her hands. This was probably the occupational fear of a corporate slave!
After finishing lunch, the new disciples didn’t need to attend classes anymore.
Public classes were all in the morning. Afternoon, new disciples could arrange their free time themselves. With the sect assessment approaching and having just selected cultivation methods from the Martial Arts Hall today, most disciples would find a place to cultivate and study on their own.
During today’s class, Martial Uncle Yueguang had also mentioned that for new disciples’ self-study, it was best to choose places with the most abundant spiritual energy for cultivation. Throughout Gufeng Mountain, the most suitable place for new disciples to cultivate was the Rainbow Platform behind the dormitory buildings.
The Rainbow Platform was located in front of a waterfall in the back mountain behind the dormitories.
Looking from the mountaintop, between the skylight and cloud shadows, a rainbow bridge stretched across the sky above the long forest, making even the sunlight appear magnificent. As soon as she walked into this place, Zanxing felt her body become incredibly light, with spiritual energy surging all around, instantly awakening the Xiaoyuan Pearl.
“This place is great!” Tian Fangfang stretched lazily. “Cultivating in a place like this is so much better than the broken house I used to live in! People in the sect know how to enjoy themselves – look at this scenery!”
Zanxing couldn’t help but sigh as well. Regardless of how the setting and logic were in this book’s world, just considering the natural scenery alone, this trip wasn’t in vain.
Just as she was thinking this, a familiar voice came from behind her: “Oh, you’re here to cultivate too.”
Zanxing turned around to see her wonderful roommate, Duan Xiangrao, arm-in-arm with a young cultivator, looking at her with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
Tian Fangfang, completely oblivious, asked Zanxing: “Is this your friend?”
Zanxing: “Do you think she looks like my friend?”
Duan Xiangrao’s gaze fell on the staff beside Zanxing. She was first startled, then began to smile: “Junior Sister Yang, did you perhaps choose a staff technique?”
New disciples could go to the armory to collect weapons. The weapons’ grades were all average. If the disciples had money and purchased weapons elsewhere with Spirit Stones to bring up the mountain, they could also use those. Of course, Zanxing was very poor, so the iron staff she was using was an ordinary staff issued by the sect to new disciples.
“Yes,” Zanxing asked: “Is there a problem with that?”
“Of course not. Speaking of which, this staff does suit you quite well.” Duan Xiangrao mocked: “However, I thought you would choose silk ribbons or other good-looking weapons.”
The young cultivator beside her heard this and smiled maliciously: “I think the staff is just right. If she chose silk ribbons, wouldn’t that be an ugly person trying to make herself beautiful?”