Dragon Creek · Sword Drawing Technique

Unlike rogue cultivators, who practiced whatever they could get their hands on, any sect with even a little strength had complete sets of cultivation methods and techniques.

Moreover, these matching cultivation methods not only wielded greater power and consumed less energy.

Their core principles and artistic conceptions were all cut from the same cloth.

"This also means that I can first learn the techniques and sword arts that match the Dragon Creek Breathing Art, then comprehend the core mysteries of Dragon Creek Peak's primary cultivation method through those techniques and sword arts, and finally use the branches and leaves to complete the trunk."

—Only Zhong Ming could do such a thing.

In most sects, the primary cultivation method was the root, the stoutest trunk of a great tree, while the accompanying sword arts and techniques were merely its branches and leaves.

Only when the roots and trunk were strong could the branches and leaves flourish in luxuriant abundance.

There was no saying otherwise.

But Zhong Ming was different. Heaven Rewards Diligence—so long as he cultivated, he would gain something.

This also meant:

"I can break convention."

"Whew... I hope there are techniques or sword arts here that are easy to practice and compatible with the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique."

With some anticipation, Zhong Ming headed toward the Dragon Creek Peak Scripture Repository.

There were no mishaps when he entered the tower. After checking Zhong Ming's disciple token, the elder guarding the Scripture Repository let him inside.

However, a warning also reached Zhong Ming's ears.

"You may choose only one, and you may select cultivation methods only from the first floor."

"Thank you for the reminder, Elder. This disciple understands."

After respectfully bowing farewell to the elder, Zhong Ming entered the first floor of the Scripture Repository.

The moment he stepped inside, Zhong Ming discovered that the first-floor Scripture Repository was enormous, with an exceptionally vast collection of cultivation methods.

However, the methods here were all quite low-grade, and most were scattered, miscellaneous techniques.

"Pure Clarity Technique."

"Pure Light Incantation."

"Flame Sword Art."

"Bright Light Sword Art."

"..."

These methods, stuffed with fish eyes to pass for pearls, made Zhong Ming shake his head repeatedly.

Fortunately, the first floor of the Scripture Repository did contain some good things.

The techniques and sword arts compatible with the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique were not too weak.

After searching for a while, Zhong Ming found four related techniques and sword arts. They were:

Among them, the Leaping Wave Dragon Creek Steps drew upon the artistic conception of "the dragon leaping through creek waves, treading upon the billows," while blending the power of the Yu Steps' "three steps, nine traces" with the agile bearing of a Dragon Form. It was both a Footwork Technique and a method for building momentum.

Its deepest core was treading the waves.

Leaping Wave Dragon Creek—each step led to a higher heaven. With every step taken, a cultivator's momentum and magical power would rise another layer like swelling tides.

Minor Accomplishment in this cultivation method required three steps, or three layers of accumulated momentum. Great Accomplishment required nine steps, or nine layers.

"A decent technique. I can practice it later, but for now, it's too cumbersome."

Because it was cumbersome, Zhong Ming also temporarily gave up on Dragon Creek Swordplay.

It was a sword art that balanced offense and defense. It possessed both the flowing turns of water and the imposing might of a dragon.

Sword Like a Flowing Stream, sword momentum like a dragon—those eight words were the general outline of this sword art.

If he learned it, Zhong Ming's offense and defense would both be completed.

Unfortunately, it had too many sword moves, and practicing it even once consumed far too much time. What Zhong Ming lacked most right now was time.

"If I can't unleash it, naturally I can't practice it."

Thinking this, Zhong Ming turned his gaze to the final Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique. It was also the most suitable one for him.

"Sword Drawing Technique—this is a sword art built around the core principle of killing with a single strike."

"It emphasizes using the explosive force of the instant the sword is drawn to launch a surprise attack. This skill does not consider any follow-up attacks after the sword leaves its sheath. What it pursues is one sword brings life, one sword brings death."

Such a sword art was somewhat too extreme in actual combat and was not the best choice.

It was suited for assassins and deathsworn.

But Zhong Ming was not practicing swordsmanship to fight enemies now. He was doing so to explore the true meaning of the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique. Under such circumstances, the Dragon Creek Sword Drawing Technique, with its single move, suited him perfectly.

"It's this one!"

"With only one move, even if I have just seven days, I can grind it up to Stage 3: Mastery! If I'm lucky, Stage 4: Minor Accomplishment won't be impossible either!"

After choosing the cultivation method, Zhong Ming immediately took it outside and registered it with the elder of the Scripture Repository.

Then, rather than use the convenient jade slip, Zhong Ming found a corner, spread open the book containing the Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique, and began reading it carefully.

Naturally, as he read, Zhong Ming activated his special ability, Intent Reading.

"Buzz..."

The instant this ability activated, Zhong Ming's thoughts became intensely focused and extraordinarily nimble.

Reading in this state, Zhong Ming quickly grasped every mystery of the Sword Drawing Technique in his heart.

This reading session also gave Zhong Ming an idea.

"Come to think of it, I have another way to rapidly increase my proficiency in the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique... If I can find cultivation insights related to the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique and study them carefully with the Meaning Comprehension Trait, then through reading alone, I can raise the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique to Stage 2: Proficient, or even Stage 3: Mastery."

This method would indeed be useful, but Zhong Ming felt that the Dragon Creek Sword Drawing Technique would still be faster. Since it had only one move, it was more convenient to cultivate.

"I'll try the Dragon Creek Sword Drawing Technique first. If it doesn't work, I'll come back and read."

Afterward, he did not return directly to his cultivation grounds. Instead, he bought a sheathed Long Sword from a general store in the Dragon Creek Outer Court before heading to the side of the stream.

At this moment, Jiang Yue had already grown somewhat anxious from waiting.

When he saw Zhong Ming arrive, he immediately took Jiang Xiaoyu away from the spring eye and ran toward Zhong Ming.

"Brother Zhong, you're back."

"Mm."

"..."

Jiang Yue's enthusiasm had already exceeded the level of humbling himself to seek worthy talent, making everyone's expressions quite strange.

What happened next shocked everyone even more. Jiang Yue did not cultivate at the spring eye. Instead, he followed Zhong Ming and ran to the mountainside.

"This..."

"What ability does Zhong Ming possess that made Jiang Yue disregard even cultivation just to follow him around?"

The ordinary students could not understand. This overly unusual scene even drew the attention of the two people at the top of the class hierarchy.

The ones curious about this scene were not Xue Yao, but a noble-looking young man and woman.

Seeing that Yi Yunya was quite curious about Zhong Ming, Zhuang Yi raised his brow. "You care a great deal about that Zhong Ming?"

Without denying it, Yi Yunya nodded. "A little. For Jiang Yue to value him so highly, he must have some genuine ability... Aren't you curious?"

"No interest." Zhuang Yi swept a glance over Zhong Ming, his face calm. "Whatever he does has nothing to do with me."

"Besides, he has a Third-grade Spiritual Root and no family background. His future achievements will not be very high, so he is not worth much of my attention."

After saying that, Zhuang Yi closed his eyes and resumed cultivating.

That attitude of remaining undisturbed by outside matters, of firmly believing himself the strongest, made Yi Yunya become... even more wary of Zhuang Yi.

There is only one True Disciple position...

After murmuring that inwardly, Yi Yunya shifted her gaze to Zhong Ming.

After pondering for a moment, she gave an instruction to the person below.

"Youlan, go gather information on Zhong Ming. If he truly has ability, arrange for Zhong Ming and me to meet tomorrow."

"Yes, Miss."

The discussions of outsiders did not affect Zhong Ming in the slightest.

With Jiang Yue in tow, the two arrived at the mountainside.

Looking down from above, Jiang Yue discovered that from this spot, the shape of Dragon Stream Mountain and the course of the creek truly resembled a great dragon.

This gave Jiang Yue even greater confidence in Zhong Ming's words.

The next moment, he sincerely bowed to Zhong Ming.

"Brother Zhong, thank you."

"There's no need for this. We made a trade, and your pills helped me immensely as well."

Those were not mere polite words.

After cultivating all morning, Zhong Ming's meridians had originally ached unbearably. Even after eating a Spirit Rice Meal, the pain had only eased slightly.

But after taking the Earth Marrow Spirit Liquid, the pain in his meridians had completely vanished without a trace.

This had doubled Zhong Ming's available cultivation time out of thin air.

Not to mention that Zhong Ming now had not only medicine to ease meridian fatigue, but also medicine that increased cultivation.

Thinking this, Zhong Ming, feeling time was pressing, said no more. After swallowing an Origin Spirit Pill, he closed his eyes and began cultivating urgently.

"Buzz..."

The Origin Spirit Pill entered his stomach, and Zhong Ming quickly experienced the wonders of cultivating with medicinal pills.

Previously, Zhong Ming had drawn Spiritual Energy from heaven and earth through breathing. Because his Spiritual Root was mediocre, his cultivation method had only just begun, and the Spiritual Energy on Dragon Creek Peak was not especially abundant, the Spiritual Energy he absorbed each time was not much.

But now, the situation was completely different.

The pill, refined from various precious medicinal ingredients through the Dragon-Tiger Harmonization Method, contained an abundant amount of Spiritual Energy, and it was extremely easy for the human body to absorb.

After swallowing one, Zhong Ming felt a ceaseless stream of Spiritual Energy radiating from his abdomen.

Seeing this, he hurriedly circulated the Dragon Creek Breathing Art.

"Breathe in, breathe out..."

As the cultivation method circulated, even the stream dragon-dragon he visualized was no longer illusory this time. Instead, a true Spiritual Energy dragon flowed through his body.

Although this stream dragon still moved with considerable difficulty, and Spiritual Energy constantly leaked away during its circulation.

Because the Origin Spirit Pill continuously released Spiritual Energy, even though seven or eight parts out of ten leaked away midway, the Spiritual Energy Zhong Ming refined into his Qi Sea Acupoint was still extremely abundant.

"This has increased my cultivation efficiency by at least three times compared to normal cultivation."

The ceaseless influx of Spiritual Energy also caused Zhong Ming's Qi Sea Acupoint to gradually gain a faint sense of substance from emptiness.

"When that sensation fully solidifies, I'll be able to break open the Qi Sea and enter early Qi Condensation."

Being able to feel his cultivation steadily growing was naturally a wonderful thing.

However, after the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the effects of the Origin Spirit Pill dissipated.

At the same time, Zhong Ming could feel an uncomfortable sensation lingering in his body.

"If nothing unexpected happens, this is pill toxin... Fortunately, the human body can detoxify itself and will automatically expel the pill toxin."

"But this means I won't be able to cultivate with pills again until tomorrow."

Aside from having to wait until tomorrow to take another pill, Zhong Ming also discovered that excessive Spiritual Energy put heavy pressure on his meridians. This meant that after cultivating for only two hours that afternoon, he could no longer continue.

"..."

"At the beginning, because my meridians are weak, the time I can cultivate each day is far too limited."

After estimating his own condition, Zhong Ming found that because he could not take pills continuously and had too little time to cultivate, at this pace, he had hope of advancing to early Qi Condensation within Eighteen Days—but seven days was impossible no matter what.

"As expected, a Class A evaluation isn't so easy to achieve. But that makes sense. If one could easily be rated Class A, Dragon Creek Peak would not treat Class A disciples so generously."

After sighing over this, Zhong Ming understood something even more clearly.

"Because my meridians are weak, the time I can cultivate each day is extremely limited. If I want to break through to early Qi Condensation within only seven days, I can rely on only one thing—the traits brought by advancing my cultivation method."

"It's time to cultivate you."