Chapter 81 - 34: A Sword Rises from the Sea of Heart, Slaying Others and Myself

Chapter 81: Chapter 34: A Sword Rises from the Sea of Heart, Slaying Others and Myself

When Xia He spoke of the Daozi Courtyard, her expression became complicated. It was clear the place had left a deep impression on her.

After hearing her account, Jiang Xuan couldn’t help but sigh with emotion—the Daozi Courtyard was truly a gathering of geniuses.

From Xia He, Jiang Xuan learned that in the Daozi Courtyard, there were people born with the Thunder God Body. Far from fearing thunder and lightning, they could directly absorb the power of a Thunder Tribulation to temper themselves and improve their Cultivation.

Others had a Dream Talent, allowing them to adjust the flow of time in their sleep. A single slumber could grant them six times the amount of time for Enlightenment as anyone else. A hundred days of sleep was equivalent to six hundred days and nights, equal to two or three years of bitter cultivation for an ordinary person.

The only catch was that in their dreams, they could only comprehend Cultivation and Technique, not refine Spiritual Qi to raise their Cultivation. Otherwise, there would be no need to compete for first place in the Hundred-Day Exam; it would be handed directly to them.

Beyond that, there were some with Sword Heart Clarity, some born with a protective Spirit Treasure Embryo, some who were Innately close to the Dao, and even those who could commune with the stars.

After bitterly describing these "monsters," Xia He said something that left a deep impression on Jiang Xuan: "In the Daozi Courtyard, if you only have a Celestial Level Spirit Root, you can’t even be associated with the word ’gifted.’ You’d just be called unremarkable. With those monsters standing in the way, forget competing for the top three—we don’t stand a chance of even making the top ten."

"And while a Celestial Level Spirit Root is nothing special in the Daozi Courtyard, the cultivation speed of those who are Innately close to the Dao completely crushes ours. After you account for them, and then the disciples from the great families of the Upper Veins, there really aren’t that many spots left for us to fight over."

"Even just making the top thirty-six will require everything we’ve got!"

"..." The news about the Daozi Courtyard left Jiang Xuan speechless. It made him realize that the Shenxiao Sect was filled with prodigies, and as someone who had yet to fully develop, he had no right to be arrogant.

’I still need to develop.’

The only thing Jiang Xuan was thankful for was that, despite the prodigies and monsters of the Daozi Courtyard, he, with his infinite Profession System, was no ordinary person either.

Xia He, of course, didn’t know the source of Jiang Xuan’s confidence. She mistook the deep emotion on his face for worry and anxiety.

Fearing that Jiang Xuan would be discouraged, she quickly tried to console him, "Don’t feel too much pressure. All we need to do is secure the Four Seasons Valley’s ranking; we don’t have to fight for the top three or top ten. As long as both of us can make it into the top thirty-six, the Valley’s ranking will be mostly secure, and we won’t have to face those top-tier geniuses directly."

"Besides, we’re not fighting alone. Everyone in the Four Seasons Valley will do everything they can to help us improve our Cultivation."

Her words made Meng Yingyue, Wu Shan, Zhou Qing, and the others all smile.

Di Chuan was concise. "It is our duty."

Meng Yingyue’s eyes were warm and gentle. "The Valley of Autumn’s Autumn Fruit Spirit Valley is yours to take from as you please."

Wu Shan added, "The Valley of Summer’s Spirit Melons and Exotic Fruits are also yours for the taking anytime."

Xia He’s words and the others’ promises brought a wide, open smile to Jiang Xuan’s face. "I have a big appetite, so I’ll be relying on all of you a lot from now on."

"It’s no trouble. Besides, having a big appetite is a good thing." It was Wu Shan who said this, and Meng Yingyue and Di Chuan, who were beside him, nodded in deep agreement.

Apparently, in the Cultivation Realm, being able to eat a lot was indeed not a bad thing.

It meant that Jiang Xuan could consume vast quantities of Spiritual Objects and convert the essence of heaven and earth for his own use.

Knowing that Jiang Xuan had such a large appetite, Meng Yingyue, Wu Shan, and the others actually held him in even higher regard.

But the help the Four Seasons Valley offered Jiang Xuan wasn’t limited to edible things like fruits and grains. At that moment, Jiang Xuan brought up another matter with great interest.

"Do I need to switch my Cultivation Technique?"

"That won’t be necessary." Meng Yingyue spoke gently, clearing up his confusion. "For the Hundred-Day Exam, the Sect values fairness above all, and it strictly forbids competing disciples from switching their Cultivation Techniques midway. Besides, while the Cultivation Techniques of our Four Seasons Valley, or even of all the Dharma Veins in the Shenxiao Sect, might be more miraculous, profound, and powerful than the Nine Breath Qi Ingestion Technique..."

"...when it comes to Enlightenment alone, the effects of these many techniques aren’t necessarily superior to it. After all, the Nine Breath Qi Ingestion Technique was a marvelous method created specifically for the path of Enlightenment."

Jiang Xuan could understand this. The Nine Breath Qi Refining Method served as a foundation. It was not only extremely effective but also allowed for a seamless transition when switching Cultivation Techniques. Because of this, most of the Dharma Veins in the Shenxiao Sect didn’t bother to pour more energy into that area. With that time and effort, they would rather focus on how to increase the power and Dao Rhyme of their own Dharma Vein’s Cultivation Techniques.

With less development in that area, the proficiency of their techniques in the path of Enlightenment naturally fell further and further behind the Nine Breath Qi Ingestion Technique.

Jiang Xuan was a little disappointed that he couldn’t immediately try the wonders of the Four Seasons Reincarnation Technique. Seeing this, Meng Yingyue chuckled lightly and said, "Don’t worry about having nothing to practice, Junior Brother. We can’t teach you the Cultivation Technique for now, but you can choose to study one of the Valley’s Techniques, Swordsmanship, or our many exclusive Secret Techniques."

"Normally, for the Vessel-Suppression Secret Techniques of the Twenty-four Solar Terms, even Inner Sect Disciples must spend Sect merits to earn the right to study them. But your situation is special since you’re fighting for the honor of the Four Seasons Valley. If Xia He goes and persuades them a little, we can get you one Secret Technique to study for free." At this, her gentle gaze fell upon Jiang Xuan as she asked softly, "Would you like to learn a Technique, Body Techniques, or Swordsmanship first?"

After she spoke, Di Chuan, his expression as cold as ever, also reminded Jiang Xuan, "With techniques, it’s better to be a master of one than a jack of all trades. Focusing on a single discipline will be good for you."

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I understand." After saying that, Jiang Xuan gave his answer. "Swordsmanship."