Chapter 68: This Indeed Deserves Congratulations

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: This Indeed Deserves Congratulations

Inside the bamboo forest, Liu Chen cast a Recovery Technique. Verdant magical light fell upon a bamboo umbrella plant, which was brimming with new life.

The bamboo leaves, which had turned yellow and withered because his Recovery Technique hadn’t been up to par, were now brimming with vitality. Under the control of Liu Chen’s Spiritual Power, some of the Spiritual Veins that had previously seemed just passable began to restructure themselves into a more optimal arrangement.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Liu Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead.

’The effects of the Recovery Technique at the Perfection level are a little different than I imagined, but overall, it’s just as I’d envisioned.’

As of today, Liu Chen finally had a third Magic at the Perfection level. With his Recovery Technique reaching Perfection, his understanding of Spiritual Veins had deepened considerably. He figured his Proficiency in the Withering Skill and Recovery Technique would increase even faster when he practiced them tomorrow.

This would allow these two Magic skills to evolve into his own unique versions faster, freeing up time to practice other Magic. It was a virtuous cycle.

His master and his wife weren’t around today, and Senior Brother Yang wouldn’t be coming to pick up Spiritual Cuisine, so the Bamboo Garden felt even more tranquil.

Fortunately, neither Liu Chen nor his two junior sisters were the types to enjoy a boisterous atmosphere, so they didn’t feel the least bit lonely.

The three of them continued to practice according to their usual routine.

After dinner, Liu Chen practiced the Solid Spirit Technique. This Magic was primarily used to seal the Spiritual Qi within Spiritual Cuisine. It was also normally applied to Spirit Plants to prevent their Spiritual Qi from leaking out, which would diminish their medicinal properties.

Liu Chen rarely went out of his way to practice this Magic, but as he continued to sell Spiritual Cuisine, his Proficiency in it steadily grew. Today, it finally reached the level of Great Success.

[Solid Spirit Technique: Great Success, 0/1000]

The duration of the Solid Spirit Technique increased from one day at Minor Success to three days—a threefold improvement.

Yet Liu Chen wasn’t satisfied. It wasn’t the duration that bothered him, but the technique’s effectiveness at sealing Spiritual Qi. The Solid Spirit Technique only preserved about ninety percent of the Spiritual Qi; once the Spiritual Cuisine’s natural shelf life was surpassed, the Spiritual Qi would still slowly leak out.

This was its greatest drawback in Liu Chen’s eyes. Therefore, his next goal for the Solid Spirit Technique was to find a way to fix this issue, allowing the Spiritual Cuisine to be preserved for even longer.

’Except for the Soul Crossing Technique, which is still at Minor Success, all my other Magic have reached Great Success. Over the next month, I hope to bring them all to Perfection, or even make them my own.’

Before drifting off to sleep, Liu Chen imagined it all with a sense of anticipation. If everything went smoothly, he could start practicing other Magic once the Inner Sect Disciple trial was over.

The Inner Sect Disciple assessment lasted for half a month. This was a rule set by Purple Cloud Valley. The assessment began on the first day of the eighth month, and any disciple who hadn’t passed by the sixteenth would be considered to have failed.

But for some, it didn’t take nearly that long.

On the seventh day of the eighth month, nine days remained until the end of the Inner Sect Disciple assessment.

By the afternoon, the plaza outside the Sect Hall had grown much quieter. Most disciples had their own affairs to attend to and couldn’t spend all their time watching the assessment.

Ironically, the Sect’s upper echelon, usually the smallest group, had become the largest crowd in the plaza.

On the once-empty light screen, a few names had now appeared. In addition to the guaranteed spots for each peak, a handful of Outer Disciples had passed the assessment. Once the assessment concluded, those who had passed would undergo Meridian Passage and become Purple Cloud Valley’s new generation of Inner Sect Disciples.

Only Purple Bamboo Peak’s section of the screen still displayed just the two words ’Liu Chen’, looking quite lonely.

A ripple of Spiritual Power spread out, and the members of Purple Cloud Valley’s upper echelon, who had been resting with their eyes closed, all opened them at once.

A moment later, a figure materialized in the center of the plaza within a pillar of light, signaling that someone had passed the assessment.

"Congratulations, Elder Wang."

Mo Xuan congratulated the Grand Elder of Purple Bamboo Peak, who was standing nearby. The Grand Elder was confused for a moment. Then, as the pillar of light faded, it revealed the somewhat disheveled figure of Yang Haichen.

"This is indeed worthy of congratulations!"

Only then did the Grand Elder of Purple Bamboo Peak understand Mo Xuan’s meaning, and a smile involuntarily spread across his face. He had been on pins and needles for seven days, and now, a great weight was finally lifted from his heart.

"Purple Bamboo Peak, Yang Haichen has passed the assessment!"

Soon, the Steward’s voice echoed across the plaza. The Grand Elder of Purple Bamboo Peak pointed a finger, and Yang Haichen’s name materialized on the light screen under the Purple Bamboo Peak heading. In this way, the Grand Elder announced to his colleagues that Yang Haichen was his own disciple.

"Congratulations, Elder Wang."

Voices of congratulations came from all sides. The Grand Elder of Purple Bamboo Peak responded with a smile, his eyes filled with delight.

"Congratulations on passing the assessment. When the Inner Sect Disciple assessment period is over, each peak will hold an initiation ceremony. You may return and rest now."

The Steward in charge of registration smiled at Yang Haichen. According to the information he’d just recorded, this young man had only joined Purple Bamboo Peak six months ago, and he was already an Inner Sect Disciple. His future was limitless.

Not to mention, he had been taken as a direct disciple by the Grand Elder of Purple Bamboo Peak. At worst, he could land a position as a Steward in the future. The Steward himself, on the other hand, would have to rely on seniority and put in several more years before he could even hope for such a position.

"Thank you, Steward."

Yang Haichen nodded, finally letting out a sigh of relief. He had finally cleared the hurdle of the Inner Sect Disciple assessment. Next, it was time to attempt his breakthrough to the Meridian Passage Realm.

"This was the result of your own efforts."

The Steward shook his head. ’I’m just the one who records the names,’ he thought. ’What is there to thank me for?’

Yang Haichen said nothing more, simply turning and heading toward Purple Bamboo Peak.

"Go back and rest well. In a few days, I will impart the Meridian Passage Technique to you."

Before he had taken more than a few steps, Yang Haichen heard his master’s voice transmission. Instantly, all his fatigue seemed to vanish, and his pace became powerful and firm.

On Purple Bamboo Peak, bamboo shadows danced.

As green light pulsed, thirty-six streams of Sword Qi suddenly solidified. They burst forth like starlight, weaving and crisscrossing like roving dragons before instantly forming a budding cyan lotus suspended in mid-air.

With a three-inch flick of the Bamboo Sword in his hand, the tip trembled, and the cyan lotus began to bloom, layer by layer. Green light rolled from the edges of its petals like dewdrops.

When the flower was about seventy percent bloomed, the blade of his sword suddenly dipped. In that instant, the lotus petals withered and scattered. It looked like a beautiful shower of blossoms, but each fading sliver of light concealed a soul-reaping lethality.

From the withered heart of the lotus, a few points of cold starlight bloomed. Myriad cyan afterimages, wrapped in a gale, swirled into a curtain of meteors. It was a move as graceful as a beautiful woman plucking a flower, yet it instantly pulverized every fallen leaf within a hundred-foot radius.

Liu Chen sheathed the three-foot sword behind his back. As his Cyan Lotus Demon-Slaying Sword Upper Chapter reached Perfection, he finally seemed to understand the meaning behind the "Demon-Slaying" part of its name. It wasn’t that the technique had a special suppressive effect on Demons. Rather, in the face of this Swordsmanship, any and all evil would be utterly vanquished—a truth dictated by its sheer power.

[Cyan Lotus Demon-Slaying Sword Upper Level Proficiency +200]

[Cyan Lotus Demon-Slaying Sword Upper Chapter: Perfection, 200/10,000]

’Two hundred Proficiency for a single run-through. If I practice it twice a day, it looks like I can make even more progress before the Inner Sect Disciple trial.’

Liu Chen put his Bamboo Sword into his Storage Ring and headed straight back to the Bamboo Garden. After using a Purification Technique to clean himself, he felt completely refreshed.

"Junior Brother Liu, I’m back."

Senior Brother Yang’s voice called out from outside the bamboo forest. Liu Chen, who was just stepping out of his bamboo house, broke into a smile. ’I never expected today to bring double happiness,’ he thought.