"Smack, smack, smack..."
Forty Thousand Whips tore Xian Junyu's flesh open. Afterward, he was locked away.
This time, he was truly imprisoned, with absolutely no freedom. Xian Junyu had no complaints about it.
Right was right, and wrong was wrong. There was no point in making excuses.
Since he was going to be confined anyway, he could use the time to refine some Spiritual Treasures. They might come in handy someday.
Word spread that Xian Junyu had received Forty Thousand Whips and been confined for over two thousand years. The Jie Sect Disciples only dared discuss it in private.
They didn't dare bring it up openly at all.
Two thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
That year, Tongtian finally released Xian Junyu. Seeing that his disciple possessed considerable talent in the Sword Dao, Tongtian decided to personally teach him swordsmanship.
"You've already got one foot in the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. Looks like you haven't been idle these two thousand years!"
Seeing that Xian Junyu had reached Perfected Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation, Tongtian was very satisfied.
He estimated that the next time his Second Martial Uncle Yuanshi taught the Dao, the first Great Luo Golden Immortal on Mount Kunlun would be born under his sect.
That was right. The cultivation returned by the system over two thousand years had only pushed Xian Junyu to Perfected Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
The cultivation needed for the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm was immense. The cultivation gained from the Jie Sect Disciples was far from enough to push him into that realm.
"Idle? Of course I haven't been idle. It's just that staying in my room all the time has been a little boring..."
Xian Junyu spoke tentatively.
He liked staying at home, but not this kind of staying at home. He had been cooped up in his room for so long, staring at the same decorations every day, that he was about to lose his mind.
"Wasn't I worried you'd go stir-crazy? That's why I brought you out. You've endured two thousand years already. Surely you can handle a few hundred more!"
"Enough. I can't be bothered to argue with you. I see that you have decent talent in the Sword Dao. Starting today, I'll teach you the Upper Clarity Sword Art for one hundred years!"
Without even asking whether Xian Junyu wanted to learn, Tongtian began demonstrating and explaining the techniques.
But as Xian Junyu watched his Master wield the sword, he couldn't summon even the slightest interest.
He admitted that his Master's Sword Dao was indeed formidable. Calling it the best in the Primordial World would not be an exaggeration. But he genuinely had no interest in it.
The system was all about overwhelming cultivation, crushing others with sheer power. If he possessed such high cultivation, why bother cultivating a combat technique?
If he didn't have the Immortal Slaying Sword, he wouldn't even have wanted to learn the Upper Clarity Sword Art before.
Learning divine abilities was better than learning combat techniques.
He had a cultivation-return system and was still cultivating combat techniques? He had to be sick in the head!
And so, Tongtian demonstrated the techniques while Xian Junyu let his mind go blank beside him, letting everything enter one ear and leave the other.
From time to time, he even used little tricks, sleeping with his eyes open.
One hundred years passed.
That day, Tongtian looked at Xian Junyu in the center of the courtyard, waving his sword crookedly. His entire face turned black.
For a full hundred years, he had taught and urged him on. Yet after all that time, this fellow had made no progress whatsoever. His Sword Dao was still just as terrible.
"Enough! Stop! Don't insult my Upper Clarity Sword Dao anymore!" Tongtian shouted.
He truly couldn't stand watching anymore. It was simply too awful.
"Master, why should I stop? I feel like I'm almost ready to enter the doorway!"
Xian Junyu appeared extremely interested on the surface, while secretly rejoicing inside.
Heh, nice try. No one can force me to learn something I don't want to learn. Still, Master really does have patience—he dragged this out with me for a whole century.
Upon hearing this, Tongtian's entire face darkened.
"You're almost ready to enter the doorway? After I taught you for a hundred years, even my Daoist Children have learned it!"
As his voice fell, the Water-Fire Daoist Children also drew their swords and performed a set of sword techniques. They had indeed reached the entry level of the Sword Dao.
The spectators had grasped it, but the one learning it still hadn't. The situation was unbearably awkward.
"My Upper Clarity Sword Dao is indeed supreme, but the truly difficult parts come later. Entering the doorway isn't difficult!"
"I taught you for a hundred years, and even my Daoist Children learned it just by watching. It seems I misjudged you. You don't have any talent in the Sword Dao. Go back and face the wall!"
Tongtian was extremely displeased.
By now, he had seen through it. Xian Junyu was clearly playing him. Someone who could master the Upper Clarity Sword Art through self-study could not possibly lack talent in the Sword Dao.
This little brat simply didn't want to cultivate the Sword Dao with him.
"Oh. Then this disciple will go back and face the wall!"
Hearing that he was being told to go back, Xian Junyu immediately hopped away to face the wall.
Seeing this, Tongtian's face darkened even further.
The Water-Fire Daoist Children watched their Senior Disciple Brother hopping away and immediately covered their eyes.
Senior Disciple Brother, if you don't want to learn swordsmanship, you should at least pretend a little better. Why are you so happy? Are you afraid the Saint Master won't notice...?
"Master, it seems Senior Disciple Brother doesn't want to learn the Sword Dao. Why not just let it go...?" the Water Child asked tentatively.
Tongtian glanced at the Water Child and said helplessly:
"Do you really need to tell me that? I'm not blind. Of course I can see it!"
"I don't know why this brat is so resistant. But he has still learned quite a bit of my Upper Clarity Sword Dao. With diligent practice, reaching mastery won't be a problem!"
As he spoke, Tongtian revealed a faint smile.
Although Xian Junyu was pretending that he couldn't learn it, he had actually absorbed the Upper Clarity Sword Dao through constant exposure.
Anything could be faked, but that faint sword intent could not deceive anyone.
That was right. Xian Junyu had already comprehended the Upper Clarity Sword Dao. He was only pretending not to understand because he feared that Master Tongtian would pester him into taking the path of the Sword Dao.
A full hundred years—a whole hundred years. Even a dog tied up there could probably learn several parts of it, let alone a human.
Even the Water-Fire Daoist Children had learned it by watching. If he still hadn't, he really would be useless.
Knowing that Xian Junyu did not want to learn the Sword Dao, Tongtian stopped forcing him.
Xian Junyu faced the wall for another 590 years. When the 2,690-year confinement period ended, Yuanshi's sermon was about to begin, and Xian Junyu finally emerged.
After arriving at the Daoist Sanctuary, he saw that many Jie Sect Disciples were already waiting for him.
Over two thousand years, the Jie Sect had gained quite a few new faces.
Some of them were seeing the Senior Disciple Brother of the Jie Sect for the first time.
They naturally had to wait for the Senior Disciple Brother of the Jie Sect to lead them to his Second Martial Uncle's Daoist Sanctuary to listen to the sermon. That was the rule.
"Greetings, Senior Disciple Brother!!!"
Everyone clasped their hands and saluted in unison, bowing to Xian Junyu.
It had to be said, having so many Immortals bow before him was quite imposing.
"Junior Brothers and Sisters, there's no need for such ceremony. Three thousand years have passed. Second Martial Uncle Yuanshi, the Saint, is preaching at his Daoist Sanctuary. Everyone, follow me!"
Without saying anything more, Xian Junyu led the Jie Sect Disciples toward the Daoist Sanctuary of his Second Martial Uncle, Yuanshi.
During this sermon, those Junior Brothers and Sisters whose cultivation rose significantly would surely be able to break through into the Taiyi Realm.
Relying on these Junior Brothers and Sisters who reached the Taiyi Realm, the system would certainly push him into the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm as well. He would finally be able to enter the ranks of the truly powerful.
Although he would still be inferior to the Quasi-Saints, possessing Great Luo cultivation would give him enough ability to protect himself while traveling through the Primordial World.
He would soon be able to enter the Great Luo Realm. At that moment, he was more excited and expectant than anyone else.
Before you continue