Ten Thousand Times Comprehension

"Holy crap! There really is one?!"

Bai Ye's eyes flew wide open.

Disbelief first surged into his pupils, followed at once by wild joy that swallowed him like a tidal wave!

He subconsciously clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, the corners of his mouth rising beyond his control as even his breathing quickened!

"This system... it's dropping the big move right off the bat? A direct lottery draw, with no extra mission?" He could not help letting out a low laugh, his voice brimming with excitement.

"It's a blessing fallen straight from heaven!"

After taking several deep breaths, he forcibly suppressed his churning emotions and willed it into action.

The next moment, a translucent panel visible only to him appeared before his eyes like colored glaze:

[Host: Bai Ye]

[Cultivation: Peak of the Second Level of Meridian Condensation]

[Technique: Azure Cloud Art (Profound Grade Peak, Minor Mastery)]

[Martial Skills: Azure Cloud Palm (Profound Grade Low, Beginner), Flowing Cloud Steps (Yellow Grade High, Minor Mastery)...]

[System Function 1: Ten Thousand Times Comprehension]

['Ten Thousand Times Comprehension': Comprehension is the foundation upon which cultivators perceive Heavenly Law and advance their techniques and Martial Skills. Upon activating this talent, the Host's speed of understanding the truths of the Great Dao, insight into the workings of techniques, and mastery of Martial Skill forms will increase ten thousandfold!]

"Ten Thousand Times Comprehension..." Bai Ye stared at the words on the panel, his eyes shining as if stars had fallen into them. "The name alone is terrifying enough!"

In this world, a cultivator's innate talent was determined by two things: one's bone structure determined cultivation speed and the resilience of one's meridians, while comprehension determined the depth of one's understanding of techniques and Martial Skills.

And now, his comprehension had increased ten thousandfold. Didn't that mean the bottlenecks that had trapped him for years might collapse in the blink of an eye?

Unable to restrain himself any longer, he turned and strode quickly toward the Quiet Chamber deep within the courtyard.

The Quiet Chamber was built from Blue Stone, with simple Spirit Gathering Array patterns carved at its entrance. The door gave a soft creak as he pushed it open.

Inside was even quieter than the courtyard. Thick Cloud Pattern Cushions covered the floor, while a burner of Mind-Calming Incense smoldered in the corner. Its wisps of smoke rose like threads, carrying a cool orchid fragrance that cleared the mind as soon as it entered the lungs.

"Let's see just how miraculous this Ten Thousand Times Comprehension really is." Bai Ye sat cross-legged on a cushion, adjusted himself into the most comfortable posture, and muttered softly.

The next moment, he cast aside all distracting thoughts, held his breath, and began circulating the Azure Cloud Sect's core technique.

As an Inner Disciple, he cultivated the sect's treasured Profound Grade Peak technique—the Azure Cloud Art.

Among the continent's classifications, this technique ranked in the upper-middle tier. Techniques and Martial Skills were divided into six grades: Mortal, Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, and Saint, with each grade further divided into Peak, High, Medium, and Low.

The Azure Cloud Art's greatest wonder was that the inner energy it condensed was as pure as colored glaze. When circulated, it carried a unique clear and ethereal aura—one of the foundations that allowed the Azure Cloud Sect to sit firmly among the Top Ten Sects of Azure State.

But accordingly, the technique was also exceptionally difficult to cultivate. An ordinary person would need three years merely to get started, let alone make further progress afterward.

Bai Ye's comprehension had previously been average. It had taken him five years just to reach the threshold of Minor Mastery. As a result, his inner energy circulated sluggishly, and his cultivation had been stuck at the Peak of the Second Level of Meridian Condensation for nearly half a year, unable to break through no matter what he tried.

Hoo—

He slowly exhaled, his fingers forming the opening hand seal of the Azure Cloud Art...

The instant the technique began to circulate, a faint layer of golden light suddenly spread across his body!

At first, the golden light was like a thin mist, but in the blink of an eye it became dazzling, as though countless tiny stars were flowing over his skin.

Ten Thousand Times Comprehension, activated!

The techniques and Martial Skills of this world were divided into five realms: Beginner, Minor Mastery, Major Mastery, Perfection, and Peak Mastery.

Bai Ye's Azure Cloud Art had previously been stuck at Minor Mastery. Not only had it slowed his cultivation, but it had also faintly limited his realm's upper bound, allowing him to reach at most the Third Level of Meridian Condensation.

Yet at this moment, empowered by Ten Thousand Times Comprehension, the obscure formulas of the Azure Cloud Art in his mind suddenly became incomparably clear. Those routes of inner energy circulation that he had never been able to comprehend now lay before him as distinctly as the lines on his palm!

Ten breaths later.

Hiss!

The inner energy within Bai Ye's body abruptly swelled, its circulation speed suddenly increasing by thirty percent!

Azure Cloud Art, Major Mastery!

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Thirty breaths passed.

It felt as though a clear spring were flowing through his meridians. His inner energy grew ever purer, and every previously sluggish node opened completely!

Azure Cloud Art, Perfection!

Sixty breaths passed.

Bai Ye felt a burst of clarity between his brows, as though he had instantly seen through the essence of the Azure Cloud Art. His inner energy began circulating through his meridians on its own, faintly resonating with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth!

Azure Cloud Art, Peak Mastery!

A muffled boom, like thunder, suddenly exploded above the Quiet Chamber!

Immediately afterward, a golden opening roughly a zhang wide appeared out of thin air!

Seven-colored radiance swirled within the opening, and countless concentrations of spiritual energy so dense they nearly took physical form poured down like sweet rain, enveloping Bai Ye's entire body!

"This... is a Heavenly Dao Boon?!"

Bai Ye was profoundly shaken.

His memories held records of it: when a cultivator trained a cultivation technique or Martial Skill of Profound Grade or higher to the very pinnacle, there was a chance of stirring the Heavenly Dao's awareness and receiving this boon imbued with Heavenly Law!

It could cleanse one's meridians and marrow, improve one's innate constitution, and was an opportunity countless cultivators dreamed of!

Yet in the Azure Cloud Sect's nearly sixty years of history, let alone reaching such a pinnacle, there had been very few disciples who had even cultivated a Profound Grade technique to completion, much less received a Heavenly Dao Boon.

Whenever the sect's elders spoke of it, they could only sigh in regret.

The refined spiritual energy fell upon him, carrying threads of warmth as it seeped into his body through his pores.

Wherever it passed, his somewhat stiff meridians seemed to have been soaked in warm water, becoming supple and broadened.

The impurities that had accumulated due to his mediocre innate constitution were slowly forced from his body by this power, giving off a faint fishy stench.

Ten breaths later.

The golden opening quietly vanished, and the spiritual energy fluctuations above the Quiet Chamber gradually subsided as well.

Bai Ye slowly opened his eyes. A flash of golden light flickered through them before vanishing. He clenched his fist and felt the inner energy within him had become twice as abundant as before, flowing smoothly and effortlessly when circulated.

"Peak of the Third Level of Meridian Condensation..." Feeling the surging power within him, he could not suppress the delight on his face. "In less than half an incense stick's time, I actually broke through a minor realm!"

After sensing himself more carefully, his delight deepened. "This Heavenly Dao Boon... actually improved my innate constitution by at least thirty percent! The sluggishness I felt when circulating my cultivation technique has almost completely disappeared!"

"Ten Thousand Times Comprehension is simply divine!" Bai Ye laughed softly, his chest brimming with irrepressible excitement.

With this comprehension, coupled with the improvement to his innate constitution, he might truly be able to carve out a path to the heavens in this world of fantasy!

One had to know that according to the legends of this world, true peak experts could live for hundreds of thousands of years. Stronger still, some experts could share the same lifespan as heaven and earth!

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his churning emotions, rose, and walked out of the Quiet Chamber. He called out, "Qing He."

Very soon.

A youth dressed in short blue attire hurried over.

He was around fifteen or sixteen, with a short blade hanging at his waist. He was an attendant sent by the Bai Family to serve Bai Ye at close quarters. "What are your orders, Young Master?"

"Go to the Inner Sect Elders' Court and inform Elder Bai Mingyuan," Bai Ye said calmly, though his tone carried unquestionable resolve. "Tell him I'm entering death-seclusion. I will not be participating in this Sect Grand Competition."

Bai Mingyuan was not only an Inner Disciple elder of the Azure Cloud Sect, but also Bai Ye's biological uncle. He had always looked after him the most.

Qing He was startled, his eyes widening. "Young Master? But... but I heard that the sect will award Profound Grade Low Weapons to the top ten in this competition! Those are Profound Grade weapons! So many Inner Disciples would fight until their heads bled just to get one..."

"I'm not going." Bai Ye waved a hand, his tone firm.

With an opportunity like Ten Thousand Times Comprehension before him, seizing the time to cultivate was what truly mattered. A mere Profound Grade Low Weapon would be his for the taking in the future, would it not?

"Yes, this servant will report to Elder Bai at once." Seeing how resolute he was, Qing He did not dare persuade him further. He bowed in acknowledgment, then turned and hurried away.

Bai Ye watched his figure disappear through the courtyard gate, then turned and quickly returned to the Quiet Chamber. He raised a hand and pressed several times against the stone wall.

With a soft hum, the patterns of the Spirit Gathering Array outside the Quiet Chamber lit up, completely sealing the chamber.

He sat back down on the meditation cushion, his gaze becoming incomparably focused.

Time to cultivate in earnest.