"Right now, you're only a Martial Warrior Seventh Rank, but the Hierarch doesn't know that. He only knows that during the Initiation Baptism, you were a Martial Warrior Fourth Rank. Even so, the Hierarch said you could win. Do you know why?"
Sun Yuan said.
Fang Che frowned. This was the part he found hardest to understand.
The gap between a Martial Warrior Fourth Rank and a Martial Master First Rank was enormous.
What gave Yin Shen Gong the confidence to say I could win? Why was he so sure?
Although he knew my aptitude was good and that I cultivated quickly, there were less than twenty days left.
At the usual pace, how far could I get in twenty days?
Besides, if I improved, did that mean my opponent wouldn't improve as well?"Because I took you as my disciple less than twenty days ago, even counting every day. And the Hierarch knew that when I accepted you, you had only just broken through to Martial Warrior First Rank. When the Hierarch saw you, only half a month had passed, yet you were already a Martial Warrior Fourth Rank."
Sun Yuan continued, "Your cultivation speed is rare beneath heaven. That's the first reason."
"Mm."
"The second is that those few geniuses have all been cultivated for over a year. To the upper echelons of our sects, that's practically no secret. But as for you, until now, apart from me, the Hierarch, and the three Attendants, no one knows about you. In other words, you're hidden in the dark, while they're out in the open. Even if you defeat them, they'll only think that one of the Guardians has produced a genius. The enemy is exposed while we're concealed—that's the second advantage."
"That makes sense."
"The third reason is that when the Hierarch saw you last time, he was astonished by how good your aptitude was. So he and the three Attendants all imparted some things to you. When the Hierarch assigned this mission, he even sighed that when he taught you last time, he had never considered using you against the geniuses of the three sects. Yet somehow, things had come to this point. It was a crooked hit that happened to land true."
"What the Hierarch and the others taught you are all genuine treasures—their ultimate trump cards. Once you master them, fighting above your level won't be difficult. That's the third advantage."
"Understood."
"And there's one final point... The Hierarch believes that everyone's life is filled with opportunities. You appeared at precisely the right time, and right after your arrival, a mission came along that required you to win back our sect's honor. You also have a certain chance of victory. So the Hierarch believes that you may carry destiny with you—or perhaps you're a benefactor sent to our sect. That's why..."
"Ahem, ahem, ahem..."
Fang Che coughed.
He truly hadn't expected Yin Shen Gong, the Hierarch of the One Heart Sect and the Great Devil who had run rampant across the world, to be so superstitious.
It was almost laughable.
He nearly lost control.
But thinking about it, it really wasn't strange.
There had been no need for Yin Shen Gong to personally preside over his Initiation Baptism.
Yet because of the operation here, Yin Shen Gong had come by a twist of fate and presided over it himself.
A Hierarch and four Attendants.
Such a grand Initiation Baptism.
For a disciple as lowly as an ant, with such low cultivation, to join the sect.
That alone was abnormal, as though it carried the flavor of fate.
And after arriving, because of his aptitude, Yin Shen Gong—who had originally not even intended to come—had imparted to Fang Che the swordsmanship by which he had made his name.
The two of them had become bound together.
They had formed a good karmic connection.
Then the operation had failed, he had been mocked, and the sect was about to fall behind the other four sects. By coincidence, there was an opportunity to knock down the opponent, and the person carrying out that opportunity happened to be Fang Che.
It had to be Fang Che.
Before this, Yin Shen Gong had never even considered dealing with the other side's geniuses.
Then Fang Che had simply appeared.
For Yin Shen Gong to come up with this idea of "destiny" and "fortune" was truly... rather appropriate, wasn't it? Thinking of this, Fang Che also arrived at an idea: This is fate!
"These are the three Martial Warrior-tier Azure Spirit Pills the Hierarch has rewarded you with. Taking one Azure Spirit Pill can increase your cultivation by ten years. I'll teach you how to refine its medicinal power later. These are ten Azure Root Grasses, which can assist cultivation. These are three Azure Spirit Flowers; taking them can strengthen your spiritual sense cultivation. And this is a sword personally bestowed by the Hierarch—the White Cloud Continent's headquarters' secret-forged Wind Steel Sword, which has never tasted blood."
"This sword carries the divine essence of wind. When you draw it, it can increase your speed and sharpness. It's rare beneath heaven, so take good care of it."
Fang Che's heart stirred.
His eyes involuntarily grew heated.
In his previous life, Fang Che had also owned a Wind Steel Sword.
But later, when his cultivation became too high for it to withstand the impact of the massive Spiritual Power infusion, it had been destroyed in battle against a powerful enemy.
For martial artists beneath the Emperor-level, however, it was a coveted divine weapon! It increased the speed of one's attacks and their sharpness. Moreover, when the sword was drawn, it gave one the sensation of riding the wind.
The feel was excellent.
"These resources should be just about enough for you to break through to Martial Master."
Sun Yuan spoke tentatively.
Spirit pills and medicines were best, but Fang Che was still three stages away from breaking through to Martial Master: Eighth Rank, Ninth Rank, and Perfection.
He also needed insight into every level, a proper State of Mind, and combat experience.
The medicinal power of spirit pills really could be this abundant, but it also depended on one's aptitude and how much one could absorb. Generally speaking, being able to absorb sixty or seventy percent for one's own use was already excellent.
The rest of the medicinal power would scatter into the air.
"Enough!"
Fang Che did not have so many concerns.
He lacked none of the necessary insights or experience, and his State of Mind was even more transcendent. Beneath the Emperor-level, he was practically without any bottlenecks.
"That girl's aptitude isn't bad. I'm planning to cultivate her."
Fang Che began to scheme. "Master, you don't need to concern yourself with it. I want her to belong to me completely."
Sun Yuan understood at once. He gave a lecherous laugh and said, "You know quite a lot."
Fang Che coughed. The old man had completely misunderstood him.
When I said I wanted her to belong to me completely, that had nothing to do with your lecherous grin.
"From body to soul and spiritual sense, including every step of her improvement—you intend to imprint yourself on all of it, eh?"
Sun Yuan narrowed his eyes and chuckled. "That's a fine plan. She'll be more obedient and easier to use in the future, and even more... enjoyable."
"..."
Fang Che's face was covered in black lines.
You lecherous old pervert! I'm an upright gentleman. I look down on you!
"Your master won't interfere, then. You can personally train her from a young age."
"Uh... Master, I'll also need you to add a note to my sect record: personal maid."
Fang Che's words were extremely crafty.
By adding a note saying that he had a personal maid, he could spare Night Dream the Initiation Baptism and have her exist as his subordinate.
In the future, whether she stayed or left would be entirely up to him and his mood.
It was a clever workaround.
Sun Yuan agreed without the slightest hesitation. As an Attendant, this minor matter did not require anyone's approval. He could handle it himself by adding a single sentence.
"Fine. I'll take care of it. Just focus on preparing for battle."
"Yes."
That very day, Fang Che swallowed an Azure Spirit Pill and took an Azure Spirit Flower, beginning to refine their medicinal power.
Sun Yuan stood guard for him at the door.
Then, all at once, a vortex formed around Fang Che. Countless strands of the world's Spiritual Power came roaring in, endlessly pouring into his body.
Sun Yuan was startled at the very beginning.
What the hell?!
This is a Martial Warrior Seventh Rank's cultivation? I'm really broadening my horizons today.
From the moment the Azure Spirit Pill entered his throat, boundless Spiritual Power began filling his organs and spreading toward every meridian. Even after it entered his intestines and stomach, it continued spreading without end.
Every part of his body was packed with Spiritual Power.
As he circulated the Limitless True Scripture again and again, the Spiritual Power was drawn from his meridians back into his dantian. After completing one heavenly cycle, it became his own strength.
The bottleneck of Martial Warrior Seventh Rank was filled almost instantly.
Then, with the force of a bamboo split down the middle, he broke through it and entered Martial Warrior Eighth Rank. His Spiritual Power gathered anew and circulated again, filling his dantian once more.
With a boom, a new acupoint was blasted open.
He entered Martial Warrior Ninth Rank.
By the time Fang Che had finished absorbing a single Azure Spirit Pill, he had already reached Martial Warrior Ninth Rank Perfection.
His spiritual sense had also grown twice as strong. That was the power of the Azure Spirit Flower.
Fang Che felt incomparably refreshed, his mind crystal clear.
He stood, and the bones throughout his body cracked in a chorus.
He walked out of the room and saw Sun Yuan's stunned face.
"Ninth Rank Perfection?"
"Yes."
Sun Yuan's body trembled. He bared his teeth and forcibly composed himself before saying, "Not bad. It's within my expectations."
He hurriedly turned his head away. "Your master will spar with you to disperse the medicinal power."
"Good!"
By evening.
At midnight.
After finishing the spar, Sun Yuan found an excuse and hurried away.
There was nothing he could do.
After suppressing his cultivation to the same level as his disciple, he had actually been unable to beat him.
That wasn't all. He had secretly raised his cultivation to Martial Master First Rank, only to... get beaten up!
Where could he even go to argue about this?
So he secretly raised it again, this time to Martial Master Third Rank, before he could finally suppress his disciple.
Sun Yuan felt that he had completely lost face.
Although fighting his disciple sometimes gave him the feeling of receiving inspiration while using certain moves, which was a genuine benefit...
That only made Sun Yuan feel even more miserable.
Who exactly is the master, and who's the disciple?
Therefore...
"Cultivate on your own from now on. Your master believes you'll definitely succeed. I'll continue searching for cultivation resources for you."
Barely maintaining his final shred of dignity and the authority of a "master," Sun Yuan left those words behind and fled.
He had originally wanted to instruct Night Dream as well and show off his presence.
But now, he had lost the thought entirely.
Fang Che's guidance was probably better than his own...
"Having a genius disciple really is a kind of... indescribable heartache."
Fang Che spent five days absorbing three Azure Spirit Pills and three Azure Spirit Flowers. As for the Azure Root Grass, he planted it in the courtyard.
It was used to gather Spiritual Power.
Beneath every Azure Root Grass, Fang Che placed two Demon Beast cores.
The Spiritual Power in the entire courtyard grew denser and denser.
Night Dream, Fang Qianyi, and the two maids felt the air grow fresher and their complexions become radiant each day.
Five days later, Fang Che forcibly drove his cultivation to Martial Master Third Rank—Peak.
Fang Qianyi was so delighted that the corners of her mouth nearly split to her ears.
Especially after she sparred with her son, suppressed her cultivation to the same level, and was nevertheless thoroughly beaten...
Fang Qianyi's smile grew even wider.
"A genius! Just as expected of my son!"
His saber and sword skills had become thoroughly practiced.
During these days, Night Dream had been beaten by Fang Che forty or fifty times and cursed at 263 times.
Now, Night Dream was completely bewildered.
Because Fang Che's scolding had made sense.
Every time she was beaten and berated, she would return to her room and think it over carefully, only to feel that Fang Che's way was the correct one.
Following Fang Che's instructions, her combat strength was indeed rising rapidly.
Thus, Night Dream fell into even deeper self-doubt.
Since Fang Che had not made any moves, Night Dream had no intelligence to send back, and everything remained calm.
As for the opponents the One Heart Sect had ordered him to deal with, Fang Che had no intention of exposing them to the Guardians yet.
He had only just received the information. If he exposed them now, he would practically become a target that could be identified without any doubt.
"There's still plenty of time. I'll play with them slowly."
Day after day passed.
Soon, the annual Martial Academy enrollment season arrived in July.
Martial Students from all over began converging on White Cloud Continent.
Southeast White Cloud Martial Academy!
As the saying went:
Forge a hero's spirit, and hold your head high beside White Cloud's edge!
Among the eight top Martial Academies beneath heaven, White Cloud Martial Academy ranked fifth.
It was one of the very finest.
The entire Southeast Path, seven prefectures and fifty-six cities, fell within its enrollment area.
"After you go there, don't forget to contact your cousin. Your cousin is a high-achieving student of White Cloud Martial Academy. With him there, Mother will be at ease."
Fang Qianyi packed his luggage while nagging him without pause.
"I know, Mother."
Fang Che answered repeatedly, "Mother, I've left you five hundred Demon Beast cores and a small bag of Spirit Crystals. Don't go out on missions anymore. Focus on cultivating at home instead. Otherwise, I'll worry about you fighting and killing outside all day, unable to settle your mind."
"But... I have to do something, don't I?"
"I think you should cultivate. If you get injured or something, I'll be unable to settle my mind. I could easily run into trouble at the Martial Academy. I'm young and can't calm my mind yet. After I go there, I won't have holidays and won't be able to come back. What if someone beats me to death or cripples me?"
Fang Che scared her.
Fang Qianyi shuddered with horror and tapped her son twice on the head with her finger, each knock crisp and clear. "Then I'll try my best not to go out."
"Mm-hmm. Just cultivate in my courtyard. I planted the Azure Root Grass Master gave me—it can gather spiritual energy."
Fang Che finally relaxed a little.
As long as Fang Qianyi didn't venture into the remote mountains and dense forests, with her Great Grandmaster cultivation, she was basically invincible in Azure Wave City.
But if she went out... to be honest, an Innate Grandmaster's cultivation really didn't amount to much.
There were countless experts outside. Any random King-level or Emperor-level cultivator could slap her to death.
After frightening Fang Qianyi into staying put, Fang Che began making preparations.
He had plenty of money. The entire Su Family fortune was temporarily "in his safekeeping," and with such financial resources, he was probably second to none even among all the new and senior students of the White Cloud Martial Academy.
The Martial Academy's rules stated that new students were forbidden from being escorted.
They had to set out on their own and make the journey themselves.
"From this day onward, they would no longer be children sheltered beneath their parents' knees, but martial artists of the world."
That was the Martial Academy's rule.
There were various assessments along the way as well.
The assessments awarded points.
With more than one hundred points, one could enroll without an examination. With more than two hundred points, one could enroll for free without an examination.
Those who reached the Martial Academy safely would be ranked according to their points. The top one hundred would then fight in martial contests for the position of "White Cloud Champion."
The next morning.
Fang Che wore black from head to toe, a long robe draped over him. He stood tall and graceful, his waist and back straight.
His accompanying maid, Night Dream, wore a pink dress and stood at his side with her hands hanging down.
The carriage arrived, and four chests were loaded onto it with a series of heavy thuds.
Night Dream reached out and lifted the carriage curtain.
Fang Che's black clothes fluttered as he stepped inside.
Night Dream lowered her head and followed him in.
With a shout from the driver, the sturdy horses raised their hooves and began moving slowly.
Amid Fang Qianyi and Fang Zhenghang's reluctant gazes and earnest reminders, the carriage gradually left the main estate.
The wind suddenly rose, sending a veil of fine dust swirling into the air.
Fang Che's thick brows drew together slightly. Sitting upright, he looked ahead at the broad road stretching into the distance.
His eyes were deep and tranquil, his expression calm, his heart as still as a placid lake and quiet sea.
He knew that, from this moment on, he had truly embarked on his journey.
Thus it went:
With soaring ambition in my breast, I take up my sword and test the southeast; storms gather on the road ahead, yet I raise my head toward the White Cloud summit.
Volume One complete. Volume Two will begin updating at five-thirty this afternoon.
The number of readers following along is still rather low. I'll build up the readership a little first.
Before you continue