Chapter 73: Three Years
Winter passed, spring arrived, and time flowed like water, three years had slipped by in the blink of an eye.
In the far east, tens of millions of li from the Wraith Sect, stood a colossal imperial city. Spanning several hundred li, it was a place of unparalleled prosperity, a magnificent sprawl of sacred buildings.
Surprisingly, the most grand and expansive structure within this city was not the imperial palace, but a sword sect located in the city's eastern quarter. This sect's pavilions, towers, and vast palaces rivaled each other in splendor.
To walk from the sect's main entrance to its rear compound, one would have to gallop on horseback along its central avenue for half a day.
This sect was divided into the Outer Sword Court and the Inner Sword Pavilion, and it was renowned across the realm as a sanctuary for sword cultivators. Known in the mortal world as the Ten Step Court, it was one of the four great sects of the Barren Moon Continent.
At this moment, within a grand palace of the Ten Step Court, three individuals were seated in discussion.
A middle-aged swordsman in green robes, a young monk, and an elderly Taoist in purple, each radiated a subtle yet powerful aura. All three were Core Formation cultivators.
At the head sat the green-robed swordsman, around forty years of age, with a square face, sharp brows, and an air of righteousness. A faint sword aura flickered about him, he had already reached the late stage of the Core Formation realm. His eyes slowly swept over the other two.
"To think that it would be Master Yiye and Immortal Hanglin visiting this humble court, it truly is a pleasant surprise," he said with a chuckle.
The young monk brought his palms together and gave a respectful nod.
"Yiye of the Pure Land Sect greets Sword King Xiaquan."
His features were serene like still water, with delicate brows and pure eyes. Dressed in a blue kasaya, he possessed a Core Formation mid-stage cultivation. Yet seated there, he emitted no spiritual fluctuations at all, resembling nothing more than an ordinary temple monk, peaceful and humble.
The elderly Taoist gave a one-handed salute.
"Sword King Xiaquan, the fact that your court's Inner Pavilion would send you personally speaks volumes of the importance they place on this matter. As for the Grand Profound Sect, I have been sent to assist both the Ten Step Court and the Pure Land Sect. Whatever instructions you have, I shall comply to the fullest."
The old Taoist was gaunt and thin, his smooth silver-white hair tied in a high knot atop his head. His complexion was ruddy, his beady eyes shone with cunning light, and he too was a late-stage Core Formation cultivator.
Upon hearing this, Master Yiye gave a slight nod and softly chanted a Buddhist verse, his modesty clear.
The green-robed swordsman of the Ten Step Court smiled faintly, inwardly thinking:
"The Grand Profound Sect sent you here to fish for benefits. That crafty glint in your eyes, who can't see through it?
A so-called righteous Daoist sect with no trace of integrity or pride… All that talk of 'assistance' and 'full cooperation', I suppose you just want us to take the blame should anything go awry."
Though this thought brewed in his heart, Sword King Xiaquan merely chuckled aloud.
"My sect treats the Inner and Outer Divisions as one, without distinction of status. I came simply because the others were preoccupied.
"Immortal Hanglin, your words are far too humble. This meeting of ours, sanctioned by the three sects, is clearly of great import.
"Next year marks the fifteenth-year harvest cycle of the secret realm. Yet the Wraith Sect has always seized the upper hand through their sinister poison arts. They monopolize nearly half the resources and cause grievous losses among our Foundation Establishment elites."
At this, the old Taoist's expression grew solemn.
"Sword King Xiaquan is absolutely right. The Wraith Sect, relying on their twisted techniques, shows no mercy to us. Many elite disciples of the Ten Step Court and the Pure Land Sect, raised with such care, have perished at their hands.
"As for my Grand Profound Sect, our techniques favor open contests and purifying battles. Yet four or five out of every ten disciples fall into their traps, it's a grievous toll. Their methods are truly contemptible."
The scholar-swordsman inwardly sneered:
"And your Grand Profound Sect is so righteous? As if we swordsmen or the Pure Land monks are truly 'noble.' In the cultivation world, who still believes in that farce of being paragons of virtue?"
Master Yiye clasped his hands together solemnly.
"Amitabha. Defending the Way and vanquishing evil is the duty of all Buddhists."
Sword King Xiaquan nodded with a calm smile.
"Then in this remaining year, we should proceed thus…"
As he spoke, his lips moved, yet not a sound could be heard. Within the heavily warded rear compound of the Ten Step Court, he had employed a sound-sealing transmission technique.
The monk and the Taoist followed suit, communicating through silent spiritual sound transmission.
…
Li Yan opened his eyes from cultivation, and twin rays of light shot forth.
In these past three years, he had cultivated diligently day and night, and his progress had been astonishing, he had reached the seventh level of Qi Condensation. This was thanks, in large part to the unique qualities of the Guishui True Scripture.
The sect's generous support also greatly benefited him. Compared to outer disciples of the same stage, he received five more low-grade spirit stones each month, along with two bottles of Spirit-Raising Pill, both immensely helpful.
Spirit stones needed no explanation. After casting spells, he would quickly absorb the stones' essence to replenish his spiritual power, greatly reducing meditation recovery time.
Time was the most precious resource for cultivators. Before Foundation Establishment, one's lifespan differed little from a mortal's, every moment counted.
As for the Spirit-Raising Pill, he took one before each practice session of the Guishui True Scripture. The resulting circulation would purify his spiritual energy far more efficiently. Where once he needed two full cycles, now one would suffice, significantly boosting his training speed.
In terms of spells, his Fireball and Wind Blade Techniques had reached late minor achievement. His Flowing Sand Technique was at major achievement, while Raincloud, along with newer spells like Wind Bind and Flight, were at mid minor achievement.
As for the twelve fractured poisons, he had mastered each individual element and could now combine three or four with ease.
After concluding his cultivation, Li Yan remained seated, legs crossed, and turned his divine sense inward.
Within his dantian's purple mansion, five spirit energy vats had grown five to six times larger than they were three years ago. Three of them, water, wood, and fire, were now filled with swirling spiritual mist, half-transformed toward liquid.
Once they fully liquefied, it would mark the day of his Foundation Establishment.
The remaining two cauldrons, for earth and metal, remained empty. Still, he had now reached the mid-seventh level of Qi Condensation.
Gazing at the mist within the vats, Li Yan's heart stirred, and he activated his five-element spiritual force. The energies within the three filled cauldrons began to cycle, restraining and generating one another, slowly flowing into the empty earth and metal cauldrons.
This infusion was not the natural filling that occurred with cultivation. It was a forced process.
Moments later, Li Yan's aura dropped from mid-seventh level back to early-sixth level of Qi Condensation. This was the Guishui True Scripture's method for concealing cultivation.
This concealment wasn't a crude balancing of elemental forces, such methods could be easily seen through by high-level cultivators. The Guishui True Scripture used the interplay of restraining forces to mask one's true level, revealing only what the user wished to show.
Li Yan was quite satisfied with the result.
He was never one to seek the limelight.
Although he had the support of sect resources, given his mixed spiritual roots, breaking through to the fourth level in three years was already his limit, any further would arouse suspicion.
If not for the fear that too much concealment would expose flaws to that chubby Master of his, he would've preferred to suppress his cultivation to appear only at the early stage of the fifth level of Qi Condensation.
Over the years, Li Yan occasionally attended meetings at the Main Hall of Little Bamboo Peak. After all, the number of disciples coming and going on that peak could be counted on one hand.
The first time he tried concealing his cultivation to attend, not even the Eldest Senior Brother in the late Foundation Establishment stage reacted. Only that chubby Master gave Li Yan a glance and remarked,
"Your mana foundation is quite solid, much deeper than others at the same stage."
That comment gave Li Yan a faint sense that his concealment technique had been seen through. Yet, after repeated tests, he felt confident that when exerting himself fully, he could deceive cultivators one major realm above him without issue.
However, if the opponent was two major realms higher, unless he suppressed his concealment power carefully, he would risk overcompensating, ultimately exposing himself instead.
As for Nascent Soul stage ancestors, given his current cultivation strength, he estimated there wasn't the slightest chance of deceiving one.
Still, even in a powerful sect like the Wraith Sect, Nascent Soul elders were rare and might not appear for centuries. Who would bother paying attention to a lowly disciple like him?
Gazing at the spiritual fluctuations surrounding his body, Li Yan was quite satisfied. He then released his divine sense, which instantly pierced through the walls of his cultivation chamber, reached the courtyard walls, and even probed slightly into the protective formation.
Over the years, in addition to refining cultivation techniques and immortal spells, Li Yan had poured intense effort into studying the Fractured Poison Body. He carefully researched the effects of the twelve fractured poisons, enduring excruciating splitting headaches daily while using his divine sense to stimulate the poison body fragments.
As a result, several of the twelve poisons now showed signs of fragmenting. He estimated that within a few more months, he could separate additional poison fragments.
This torment brought him another benefit, his divine sense had grown comparable to a cultivator at the peak of the tenth level of Qi Condensation, capable of reaching 30 to 40 zhang from his body.
The protective formation of the Bamboo Courtyard could no longer repel his divine sense, which now could infiltrate about a foot into the formation. He had studied many texts to gauge his divine sense's strength.
Retracting his divine sense, Li Yan rose, straightened his robes, and stepped outside.
Yesterday, his identity token had transmitted a message:
"All disciples on the peak are to gather at the Main Hall tomorrow morning!"
By now, Li Yan had learned that having too few people on a peak also had its disadvantages. When sect matters arose, the other four peaks could simply send part of their main disciples and delegate the rest of the tasks afterward.
But Little Bamboo Peak, with so few members, often required the attendance of all disciples unless someone was in critical seclusion.
Li Yan, despite not yet reaching Foundation Establishment, still had to observe sect matters without active involvement.
Today, however, he had a matter he needed to consult his senior brothers about, he was running out of spirit stones.
Despite the sect allocating him some resources over the years, they still didn't consider him a highly talented disciple and thus didn't invest in him heavily.
With his cultivation advancing, the monthly stipend of eight spirit stones and two bottles of Spirit-Raising Pills could no longer meet his needs. The pills barely lasted half a month, and the spirit stones were always used up sparingly.
Of course, even without these, the dense spiritual energy of Little Bamboo Peak combined with the power of the Guishui True Scripture allowed for smooth cultivation. But once one grew used to a certain pace of progress, slowing down felt unbearable.
Thus, Li Yan had to consider new sources for spirit stones. With them, he could not only cultivate more rapidly but also afford to buy more Spirit-Raising Pills.
If he simply waited passively, he'd need to reach the tenth level of Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment.
At the tenth level, the sect would increase his resource allotment to aid with forming a Foundation; and once in the Foundation Establishment stage, he would automatically receive resources matching that level.
Hence, Li Yan had no choice but to take matters into his own hands. He also realized that most ordinary disciples had long been striving to earn their cultivation resources, unlike himself who had been cared for by the sect.
Walking along the path to the Main Hall, he mulled over these thoughts. His mind wandered to the figure of a tall, slender girl who would always appear on the night of the full moon at year's end, seated quietly at the edge of the platform.
Although no words of agreement had ever passed between them, the one who arrived first would always wait under the vast full moon, and the other would eventually appear to sit beside them.
They would chat idly, more like speaking to themselves. Until dawn, after which they each departed.
Zhao Min never spoke of her own affairs. Most of the time, it was Li Yan talking while she simply listened...
As he recalled these moments, a gentle smile spread across his face. Before long, he had arrived at the Main Hall and stepped in confidently.
"Junior Brother! Haha, long time no see! Looks like your cultivation's gotten even deeper, must've reached the sixth level of Qi Condensation, right?"
The cheerful voice rang out the moment he entered.
Li Yan smiled slightly. The speaker was, of course, none other than his seventh senior brother, Lin Daqiao, with whom he'd always gotten along well.
Li Yan glanced around the room. Ten people were already present, seven men and three women. His Master and Mistress had yet to arrive.
Seven were seated while three were moving about, pouring tea and chatting casually, the atmosphere relaxed and familiar.
Li Yan recognized them all. The seven seated included five senior brothers and two beautiful senior sisters.
His Eldest Senior Brother, Li Wuyi, remained as handsome and sunny as ever, smiling gently at him. The aura surrounding him had grown more refined, he had reached the Pseudo Core stage, just a step away from condensing a True Dan.
Seated next to him was a burly man like a black bear, grinning widely at Li Yan, Second Senior Brother Wei Chituo.
Seeing that expression, Li Yan couldn't help but feel a twinge of helplessness. He dreaded encountering this senior brother who was already a late Foundation Establishment cultivator but would always either challenge him to sparring matches or enthusiastically smack him on the back with hands that were as thick as bear paws.
Each time left Li Yan grimacing in pain, sucking in cold breaths. Yet he couldn't dodge him, and any sparring only ended with him getting thrashed.
Still, he'd heard that this Second Senior Brother, along with Fourth Senior Sister and Fifth Senior Brother, had advanced significantly in cultivation and had recently joined the Inner Sect.
(Chapter End)