Chapter 14: Big Senior Sister, You Are Right
Most cultivators were at the Qi Training Stage. As such, cultivators adopted the practice of dividing this stage into nine levels, while the more advanced cultivation stages were classified into three classes: basic, intermediate, and advanced.
Only the Dao-Seeking Sect was different. The Qi Training Stage was merely an entry-level threshold for disciples. Why bother separating the most basic step into smaller levels?
Lu Yang was curious. “Do others also draw qi into their body like this?” If everyone trained like this, why is my progress the slowest?
Yun Zhi shook her head. “This is the original cultivation method by the ancient forebears. Connecting with nature, they achieved the harmonious state of heaven and man as one, drawing qi into their body and swiftly becoming cultivators.”
The earliest cultivation naturally required neither guidance from a senior nor secret manuals. It was all about constant enlightenment and trial and error with their bodies.
She continued, “As for your meridians, they had been fully opened during your medicinal baths, and now spirit energy runs freely. Under the state of heaven and man as one, the spirit energy will flow through your body according to your feelings. This path of qi flow will be best suited for you, surpassing any other cultivation techniques.”
The cultivation world liked to split the cultivation techniques into five ranks: Yellow, Black, Earth, Heaven, Immortal. However, Yun Zhi only recognized two types of techniques—techniques that were suitable for oneself and techniques not suitable for oneself.
“None of the existing cultivation techniques were designed for you at their creation. There are many cultivation techniques that are suitable for a Sword Spirit Root. In fact, I have a whole box with me, but they’re all not suitable for you.
"From today onward, I will be assigning you a long-term task—create your own cultivation technique.”
When Yun Zhi spoke of creating one’s own technique, she hadn’t meant for Lu Yang to figure it out alone. She intended to guide him by his side. Even then, the challenges within were apparent. Creating cultivation techniques was something only the elders in the cultivation world were capable of doing.
Lu Yang’s mouth twitched. “The seniors who create cultivation techniques are of such high positions. They have the knowledge of all cultivation stages at their fingertips. That’s how they are qualified to create cultivation techniques. As for me, I’m just a novice who just drew qi into my body, isn’t that too…”
Yun Zhi cut Lu Yang off before he could complain further. “Creating cultivation techniques isn’t as hard as you think.
“Did you know that the Dao-Seeking Sect has a rule that after every disciple reaches the Foundation Establishment Stage, they must complete missions issued by the Great Mission Hall to fulfill their obligations as part of the righteous path?”
Lu Yang nodded. He had heard about it.
Other sects had similar systems, requiring their disciples to complete missions. After all, sects were not places for idlers. Only by contributing to the sect could one demonstrate their value.
However, the Five Great Immortal Sects were different. They requested that disciples issue missions not for contributing to the sect but rather the righteous path. Having the Five Great Immortal Sects as the leader of the righteous path was not just for show.
“Most missions require people to go down the mountain to exterminate demons and devils, exorcise ghosts, and more. I don’t like the feeling of the mundane world, so I chose another method to finish the missions.”
"What was it?"
“There is a fixed task in the Great Mission Hall—introduce a new cultivation technique that doesn’t exist in the Dao-Seeking Sect’s records. That also counts as completing a mission.”
“Then Big Senior Sister, you…” Lu Yang had a bold and seemingly ridiculous thought.
Yun Zhi continued, "So to deal with…I mean, complete the mission, I created many cultivation techniques myself and lied to them that I found them in ancient cave ruins.
"Unfortunately, I got caught later."
“How did that happen?” asked Lu Yang.
“Because according to my reports, I had already explored all the ancient cave ruins. I didn’t know how to make up the next location. See, creating cultivation techniques isn't difficult." Yun Zhi presented her argument “logically” and “convincingly.”
Lu Yang opened his mouth, wanting to say, "Big Senior Sister, I thought you were an honest person; I didn’t expect you to lie too" or "Big Senior Sister, we ordinary folks can’t compare to your peerless talent" or "What you call creating techniques is what I call making up techniques."
Faced with Yun Zhi's cold gaze, everything Lu Yang wanted to say was condensed into one sentence: “You are right, Big Senior Sister.”
"You may have become a cultivator now, but you're still far from becoming a qualified sword cultivator. Take this book."
Yun Zhi handed him an ancient book made from the hide of some unknown demon beast. It was large, thick, and heavy.
"Accounts of the Demon Region?" Lu Yang opened the book and was assaulted by a wave of baleful aura. All kinds of demon beasts seemed to leap off the pages, and he could vaguely hear their roars in his ears.
This ancient book is absolutely priceless!
Lu Yang pondered. Sword cultivators need sword intent. I’ve just arrived at the Qi Training Stage. How do I cultivate sword intent?
He had heard that ancient sword cultivators had been enlightened and developed their first sword intent in the moment between life and death during battles with demon beasts.
The answer was now clear. He needed to observe demon beasts, comprehend their ferocity, and encapsulate his enlightenment from experiences with a myriad of demon beasts to discover his own unique sword intent. Although this method was difficult, it was suitable for someone with a Sword Spirit Root like himself.
It also shows Big Senior Sister's high expectations for me.
"I’ve understood everything." Lu Yang nodded.
Yun Zhi glanced at Lu Yang, unsure of what he had just understood. Nonetheless, she waved her hand, and the puppet brought over another cart of tofu.
"As long as you understand.
“Becoming a sword cultivator requires the word 'precise.' Hold this Qingfeng[1] Sword properly. Then use the sharp end to carve the tofu into the design of demon beasts. All the demon beasts’ appearances are documented inside the book.” From her storage space, Yun Zhi took out a gleaming sword with the characters "Qingfeng" engraved on the hilt.
Lu Yang was speechless.
Tofu again?
Could it be that the dream I had last night wasn't a nightmare but a prophetic dream, hinting that my future Daoist title would be "Tofu Heavenly Sovereign?”
Damn it, I can't have such thoughts.
Lu Yang quickly banished the dreadful thought from his mind.
He took the Qingfeng sword, and his first impression was how light it felt.
Actually, it wasn't that the Qingfeng sword was too light. On the contrary, it was too heavy for cultivators in the first three levels of the Qi Training Stage. They wouldn’t even be able to lift it.
But Lu Yang was different. After his training with the water vats, his strength had grown beyond his own imagination. To say it proudly, he didn't need any techniques. A simple punch from him could easily defeat a cultivator at the first three levels of the Qi Training Stage.
Perhaps because he had entered the Qi Training stage, his talent in swordsmanship began to show. Combined with his newly acquired ability to “lift light as if heavy,” Lu Yang used the Qingfeng sword with ease.
In just over ten days, Lu Yang was able to carve demon beast shapes out of tofu, as well as figures of himself and Yun Zhi. He could even carve the nine lotus-shaped mountain peaks of the Dao-Seeking Sect.
Following in the footsteps of folk performers, Lu Yang had learned a new skill, which he could also showcase in the kitchen.
However, he had no choice but to speed up; he simply couldn't eat any more tofu.
After completing this phase, Yun Zhi appeared and offered him some encouragement. Then, she took out a single white sesame seed. "Sword cultivators also need to train their eyesight. Now, I'll throw this sesame seed into the tofu dregs. You need to find it within the shortest time possible."
Lu Yang fell to his knees with a thud and implored, "Big Senior Sister, can we try a different method?!"
Yun Zhi looked at Lu Yang placidly, her eyes unwavering.
"Oh, okay."
1. It translates literally to something like “cyan edge” ☜
Rakumon's ThoughtsThe sky is "black?"
You'd probably have come across multiple variations of "Yellow, Black, Earth, Heaven," which is a popular way of dividing power levels in novels.
However, the simplest way of understanding this phrase is apparently that the ancient people described the sky as cyan-black and the earth to be yellow.
And why is the sky "black?" Interestingly, the character 玄 (xuán) used here can mean the color black or mysterious. It seems that the ancient people were alluding to how unfathomable the sky and heaven was. Connecting this to the phrase that comes after, it may also be referring to the unknown and vast cosmos out there. It's pretty amazing how they possessed such a worldview despite not knowing about space back then.
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