To Seek the Way, First Forge Courage

"Give you high-grade Cultivation Manuals? This old man does not have that ability. The strongest cultivation method I possess is merely Human-tier Low Grade, scarcely any better than the Cultivation Manuals on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

"Besides, this old man has no right to pass Cultivation Manuals on to you. You know the Qi Yun Sect's rules well enough—privately bestowing the sect's Cultivation Manuals means having one's cultivation crippled and being expelled from the sect."

Steward Zhao seemed able to see straight through Ye Zhen's thoughts, making the latter blush with embarrassment. A flicker of disappointment passed through Ye Zhen's eyes. He had thought Steward Zhao might give him a somewhat higher-grade Cultivation Manual, but it seemed he had been overthinking it. Besides, the sect rules stood right there.

The Cultivation Manuals passed down through the ages on the True Profound Continent were divided into four grades and twelve ranks: Heaven, Earth, Human, and Mortal, with each grade further divided into three ranks.

The Blood Qi Art and Bear King Mountain Shoulder Fist that the Qi Yun Sect passed down to Menial Disciples were both Mortal-tier Low Grade Cultivation Manuals. The Qi Yun Sect's Scripture Depository had five floors, and the grades of the Cultivation Manuals collected on each floor differed accordingly.

The first floor mostly held Mortal-tier Cultivation Manuals, ranging from Mortal-tier Low Grade to Mortal-tier High Grade. The second floor naturally contained Human-tier Cultivation Manuals, while the third and fourth floors contained Earth Grade and Heaven Grade Cultivation Manuals respectively. As for the fifth floor of the Scripture Depository, it was said that only Qi Yun Sect's Sect Master, Guo Qijing, was qualified to enter.

Under normal circumstances, the highest-grade cultivation methods Outer Disciples could learn were merely Mortal-tier High Grade. Human-tier Cultivation Manuals could only be studied after one became an Inner Disciple.

On rare occasions, an Outer Disciple who rendered great service to the sect could also receive a Human-tier Cultivation Manual as a reward from the sect.

"However, while this old man cannot pass a Cultivation Manual on to you, I can give you an opportunity to obtain a somewhat better one." Seeing Ye Zhen's disappointed expression, Steward Zhao shifted the subject.

Ye Zhen's expression abruptly changed from disappointment to delighted surprise. Steward Zhao continued, "But do not celebrate too early. This old man is merely pointing out a path for you. Whether you can succeed will depend entirely on your own fortune."

"Please enlighten me, Steward Zhao!"

"Heh. Ye Zhen, in our Qi Yun Sect, only Inner Disciples are qualified to take a master individually. Though Outer Disciples have also entered the sect, their numbers are too great, so they generally can only choose cultivation methods from the sect and cultivate on their own.

"Still, the sect does not entirely neglect Outer Disciples. Ten Sect Instructors have been assigned to guide the Outer Disciples living on East Arrival Peak. You should know about this, yes?"

Ye Zhen nodded at this.

"Then, Ye Zhen, do you know what duties these ten Sect Instructors perform on East Arrival Peak?"

"Steward Liu said that whenever Outer Disciples have doubts in cultivation, they can seek guidance from the Sect Instructors." Ye Zhen answered, somewhat puzzled.

"Then what role do you think these ten Sect Instructors can play?"

"They should be something like teachers, shouldn't they?"

Hearing Ye Zhen's reply, Steward Zhao spun around like a whirlwind. "Something like teachers? Then tell me—among you newly promoted Outer Disciples, which one has treated the Sect Instructors as teachers?

"Before those newly promoted Outer Disciples chose their Cultivation Manuals, did any of them consult the Sect Instructors about what type of cultivation method suited them?"

Ye Zhen's eyes suddenly brightened, as though he had grasped something.

"In truth, it is not only your batch of newly promoted Outer Disciples. In recent years, nearly all Outer Disciples have treated the ten Sect Instructors of East Arrival Peak as mere decorations.

"As a result, the posts of Sect Instructor, once prestigious and fiercely sought after, have gradually become idle positions for those cast aside. This has also caused the number of outstanding talents among the Outer Disciples to dwindle ever further."

Having said this much, Steward Zhao spoke to Ye Zhen with profound meaning. "You must know that Sect Instructors are among the few people in the sect permitted to impart cultivation methods. Ye Zhen, do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand!" Ye Zhen nodded repeatedly. Steward Zhao had made it this clear; if he still did not understand, there was something wrong with his head.

"It is good that you understand. However, Sect Instructors have great freedom in how they offer guidance. Whether you can gain any benefit will depend on your own ability and fortune."

"I understand. Many thanks for your guidance, Steward Zhao!" Ye Zhen bowed in thanks.

"Then are you satisfied with this gift from this old man?" Steward Zhao asked with a smile.

"Satisfied, very satisfied!" Ye Zhen nodded eagerly.

"Then why are you still standing here? Go."

Just as Ye Zhen was about to turn and leave, he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked Steward Zhao, "Steward Zhao, my brother Sha Fei is still on Hundred Pine Peak. May I often come to Hundred Pine Peak to visit him in the future?"

"Of course. You are welcome on Hundred Pine Peak—I could not welcome you fast enough," Steward Zhao said.

At that, Ye Zhen secretly let out a breath of relief. Visiting Sha Fei was only one reason for asking. The main reason was the Marrow Spirit Liquid in the Cliff Secret Cave behind Hundred Pine Peak.

Though the Marrow Spirit Liquid could be collected every few days, if Ye Zhen came too frequently, it would inevitably arouse suspicion. Now, he had found himself an excuse to visit Hundred Pine Peak often in the future.

After clasping his hands in thanks, Ye Zhen strode out. But just before he left, Steward Zhao's voice rang out again.

"Ye Zhen, as far as this old man knows, among the ten instructors currently on East Arrival Peak, Instructor Liao Feibai is honest and kind, skilled at teaching, and broadly learned. She especially enjoys guiding Outer Disciples who came from Menial Disciple backgrounds. You may try going to Instructor Liao first," Steward Zhao said.

"Many thanks, Steward Zhao. I will remember it!"

Not long after Ye Zhen left, Steward Zhao's gaze suddenly grew distant. "Feibai, I have sent the person you were looking for to you. As for the rest, that will depend on the fate between you two..."

On his way back, Ye Zhen constantly mulled over Steward Zhao's words. The more he thought about them, the more excited he became.

Sect Instructors—were they not simply teachers by another name, changed only because they had too many disciples to guide? And now that so many Outer Disciples ignored the Sect Instructors, if he went to see them, would his chances of being viewed differently not be very high?

Back when Ye Zhen had still been a Menial Disciple, he had suffered greatly from having no one to guide him while cultivating the Blood Qi Art and Bear King Mountain Shoulder Formula issued by the sect. He had taken many winding paths.

Now, even if his luck proved poor and the Sect Instructors did not view him differently, Steward Zhao had still pointed him toward a clear path.

Moreover, Steward Zhao's final suggestion that he seek out Instructor Liao Feibai must have carried some meaning. Instructor Liao Feibai should be one of the better, more capable instructors among the ten.

However, it was already late, and after a full day of running about, he was drenched in foul sweat. Ye Zhen did not rush to find Instructor Liao immediately. He planned to rest for a night, tidy himself up properly, bathe and change clothes, then seek out Instructor Liao.

The next day, Ye Zhen, refreshed and brimming with heroic vigor, headed toward the summit of East Arrival Peak.

Because Sect Instructors held fairly high status on East Arrival Peak, the ten Sect Instructors and the East Arrival Peak stewards all lived at the peak's tranquil summit.

Upon reaching the summit of East Arrival Peak, Ye Zhen found himself at a loss. Ten instructors' courtyards stood in a row, yet he did not know which one belonged to Instructor Liao Feibai.

What troubled Ye Zhen even more was that the area where the instructors lived was utterly deserted. Just as Steward Zhao had said, Sect Instructors seemed not to be valued by the Outer Disciples. At this moment, he could not even find anyone to ask.

Just as he was fretting, a figure flashed at the foot of the mountain. A round, rotund figure leaped swiftly toward the summit, moving with an agility that someone of such a fat build should not possibly possess.

By the time the man arrived nearby and Ye Zhen recognized him, he had already flashed before Ye Zhen with a broad grin and slapped a hand down on him.

"Ha, Junior Brother Ye! Why are you standing here early in the morning with such a miserable face?" Jin Yuanbao asked with a smile, his plump face squeezing his eyes into two narrow slits.

"I have some questions about cultivation and came to seek guidance from Instructor Liao, but I do not know which courtyard Instructor Liao lives in," Ye Zhen said.

"Instructor Liao?" A trace of surprise appeared on Jin Yuanbao's fat face. "Why did you think of seeking... Instructor Liao?"

"I heard from a friend that Instructor Liao is honest and kind, skilled at teaching, so I came specifically to seek her guidance," Ye Zhen said.

"Instructor Liao is honest and kind? Skilled at teaching?" Jin Yuanbao's large mouth abruptly split into a grin. Then he glanced somewhat fearfully toward a rather dilapidated courtyard at the far left. "That courtyard with the messiest entrance is Instructor Liao's. Brother, I have something to ask Instructor He about, so I'll be going first!"

With that, Jin Yuanbao moved, rolling away toward another instructor's residence like a speeding ball of flesh.

"The most dilapidated courtyard?"

Ye Zhen noticed that the other nine instructors' courtyards all looked rather clean and neat from the entrance, without a blade of grass in sight. Only the courtyard Jin Yuanbao had indicated, Instructor Liao's courtyard, was overgrown with weeds and truly dilapidated.

Dilapidated though it was, Ye Zhen still went in. After all, Steward Zhao had recommended it. If it truly did not work out, he could still try visiting the other instructors.

Stepping through the weeds, Ye Zhen crossed the courtyard and entered the instructor's hall.

The instructor's hall was even more disorderly than the weed-filled courtyard. Tattered clothes, broken swords, snapped wood, and scrap metal lay scattered everywhere. Yet the most eye-catching object was a stone stele standing in the middle of the hall, with only half of it remaining.

"To seek the Way, first forge courage!"

At first glance, the seven large characters were crisscrossed with grooves and utterly chaotic. But with another look, an air of silver hooks and iron strokes, fierce and chilling, seemed to emerge from them, making Ye Zhen not dare stare directly.

"May I ask whether Instructor Liao is here? Disciple Ye Zhen has come specifically to seek guidance!"

Whoosh!

Before Ye Zhen's words had even faded, an icy-blue sword gleam suddenly shot out from within the hall, slashing down at his head!