Chapter 14: Senior Sister is Right

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

 

In the cultivation world, 99% of cultivators are at the Qi Refining Stage. Thus, this stage is meticulously divided into nine levels, unlike the later stages which are categorized into early, middle, and late phases. However, in the Dao Seeking Sect, the Qi Refining Stage is just an entry-level threshold, so there’s no need to divide it further. The Sect only recognizes the Qi Refining Stage, without any sub-levels.

 

“Do others also enter the Qi Refining Stage in this way?” Lu Yang was curious, wondering why his progress seemed the slowest.

 

Yun Zhi shook her head, “Your method is the original way of cultivation from ancient times. Ancient people sensed nature, achieved unity with heaven and man, and drew spiritual energy into their bodies, instantly becoming cultivators.”

 

The earliest form of cultivation naturally didn’t require guidance from a senior or any secret techniques. It was all about constant understanding and learning from the body’s responses.

 

“As for the meridians, during your medicinal baths, your meridians were fully opened, allowing the spiritual energy to flow unobstructed. In your state of unity with heaven and man, the energy flows in the pathways most suitable for you, surpassing any level of cultivation technique.”

 

In the cultivation world, techniques are often categorized into five levels: Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, and Immortal. However, for Yun Zhi, there were only two types of techniques – those suitable for oneself and those not.

 

“Every technique, when first created, wasn’t specifically designed for you. There are many techniques suitable for the Sword Spirit Root, and I have a box full of them, but none are suitable for you.”

 

“Starting today, I assign you a long-term task: to create your own technique.”

 

Yun Zhi’s instruction for Lu Yang to create his own technique didn’t mean he had to figure it out alone; she would guide him. Still, the difficulty of this task was evident.

 

Creating techniques was something only the esteemed elders in the cultivation world could achieve.

 

Lu Yang twitched his mouth, “The predecessors who created techniques stood in high positions, having an overarching understanding of various realms. I’ve just entered the Qi Refining Stage, and creating a technique seems a bit too…”

 

Yun Zhi interrupted Lu Yang’s complaints, “Creating a technique isn’t as difficult as you imagine.”

 

“Do you know about the Dao Seeking Sect’s rule that after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, each disciple must complete tasks issued by the mission hall to fulfill their duty to the righteous path?”

 

Lu Yang nodded, having heard about it.

 

Other sects have similar mechanisms, requiring disciples to complete tasks. After all, the sect doesn’t support idlers; contributions to the sect reflect one’s value.

 

But the five great immortal sects are different. They ask their disciples to issue tasks, not for the sect’s benefit, but for the righteous path.

 

“One ordinary task involves going down the mountain to slay demons and ghosts. I don’t like the mortal world’s aura, so I chose another way to complete the task.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“There’s a fixed task in the mission hall to duplicate a technique not recorded by the Dao Seeking Sect, which also counts as completing a task.”

 

“So, Senior Sister, you…” Lu Yang had a bold, almost absurd, idea.

 

“To cope with… complete the task, I created many techniques and lied that I found them in ancient ruins.”

 

“Unfortunately, I was exposed later.”

 

“How were you exposed?” Lu Yang asked.

 

“According to my reports, I had explored every ruin. I didn’t know which ruin to fabricate next.”

 

“So you see, creating a technique isn’t difficult.”

 

Yun Zhi, using her own experience, made a convincing argument.

 

Lu Yang opened his mouth, wanting to say, “Senior Sister, I thought you were honest, but you also lie,” “Senior Sister, your talents are beyond ordinary people,” “Creating techniques for you is different from fabricating techniques for me.”

 

Facing Yun Zhi’s cold gaze, all his thoughts condensed into one sentence.

 

“Senior Sister is right.”

 

“Although you’ve become a cultivator, you’re still far from being a qualified sword cultivator. Take this book.” 

 

Yun Zhi handed over an ancient book, made from the skin of a mystical beast, large, thick, and heavy.

 

“Records of the Monster Realm?” Lu Yang opened the book, feeling an overwhelming aura, with images of various monsters vividly depicted on the pages, almost hearing their roars beside his ear.

 

This book was definitely priceless!

 

Lu Yang pondered. Sword cultivators need sword intent, but how could he cultivate it just after entering the Qi Refining Stage?

 

It’s known that in ancient times, sword cultivators would understand their first sword intent while battling fierce monsters, amidst life-and-death situations, and confronting the ferocious will of these creatures.

 

Thus, the answer for Lu Yang was clear: he needed to visualize the images of monsters, comprehend their ferocious will, extract their essence, and condense the myriad forms of monsters into a singular point to realize his own unique sword intent. This method, though difficult, was particularly suitable for someone with the Sword Spirit Root like him.

 

Lu Yang nodded, understanding Senior Sister’s intentions. He realized that Yun Zhi had great expectations for him.

 

“I understand now,” he said, grasping her meaning.

 

Yun Zhi gave him a glance, unsure what he had understood exactly, and then signaled a puppet to bring another cart of tofu.

 

“If you understand, that’s good.”

 

“To become a sword cultivator, you need precision. Take this Green Edge sword; your next task is to carve tofu into the shapes of monsters using the sword’s tip. You can find the images of the monsters in the book.”

 

Yun Zhi handed him a sword radiating a cold light, engraved with the words “Green Edge” on its hilt.

 

Lu Yang: “…”

 

Tofu again?

 

He couldn’t help but wonder if his dream from the other night wasn’t a nightmare but a premonition, indicating he might become the “Tofu Celestial.”

 

He quickly dismissed this terrifying thought.

 

Taking the Green Edge sword, he first noticed its lightness. It wasn’t that the sword was too light, but rather, it was typically too heavy for cultivators below the third level of Qi Refining to handle. However, Lu Yang, after his water jar training, had grown so strong that he could easily wield it. In fact, he could effortlessly defeat cultivators in the early Qi Refining stages with a single punch.

 

…

 

Perhaps due to stepping into the Qi Refining Stage and his innate talent for the sword path, along with mastering the art of control, Lu Yang found using the Green Edge sword very natural. In just over ten days, he was able to carve monsters out of tofu and even sculpted figures of himself and Yun Zhi, as well as the nine lotus-shaped peaks of the Dao Seeking Sect.

 

After mastering this art, Lu Yang could now excel in the kitchen too, eager to move past eating tofu.

 

Completing this stage, Yun Zhi appeared, encouraged him, and then presented him with a sesame seed.

 

“Sword cultivators also need to train their eyesight. I will throw this sesame seed into the tofu remains, and you need to find it in the shortest time possible.”

 

Lu Yang, overwhelmed, knelt down: “Senior Sister, can we try a different method?”

 

Yun Zhi watched him pleading quietly, her eyes calm and undisturbed.

 

“Oh.”

 

(End of the chapter)