"No wonder Hong Bao knew a Human-tier Low Grade martial skill."
After seeing off Steward Liu and Guan Peak, Ye Zhen finally understood why Hong Bao, an Outer Disciple, knew a Human-tier Low Grade martial skill and could even fight his True Essence, tempered by the Mirage Dragon Pearl, to a standstill.
All of it was because of a special reward Qi Yun Sect granted to Outer Disciples who fought their way into the top three of the Earth Ranking.
As long as an Outer Disciple of Qi Yun Sect could enter the top three of the Earth Ranking, they would qualify to enter the second floor of the Scripture Depository. This was the special reward the sect gave to the top three of the Earth Ranking.
Under normal circumstances, only Inner Disciples were qualified to set foot on the second floor of the Scripture Depository. This was tantamount to granting the top three of the Earth Ranking treatment akin to that of Inner Disciples.
That also explained why Hong Bao had been able to match Ye Zhen evenly in their head-on clash.
After all, Ye Zhen cultivated the Human-tier Low Grade Essence Blood Origin Body Art. The True Essence it condensed was inherently purer than that condensed by a Mortal-tier High Grade cultivation art.
Moreover, Ye Zhen had the Mirage Dragon Pearl helping him condense his True Essence, making it incomparably refined. If Hong Bao had cultivated a Mortal-tier High Grade art, then even if his cultivation were one minor realm higher than Ye Zhen's, he could not possibly have fought Ye Zhen to a draw in a direct collision.
But if the cultivation art Hong Bao practiced was of the same grade as Ye Zhen's, while his cultivation was one minor realm higher, then he could indeed fight Ye Zhen evenly.
Compared to his earlier harvest of massive wealth, this reward surprised Ye Zhen even more.
Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Zhen headed straight for the Scripture Depository.
Just moments ago, while fighting Hong Bao, he had been lamenting that he knew too few martial skills to deal with powerful enemies. Now, he had obtained the qualification to enter the second floor of the Scripture Depository.
It also gave the large number of Sect Contribution Points Ye Zhen had just obtained a place to be spent.
Cultivation resources only counted as cultivation resources once they were used. If they were hoarded away unused, they were worth less than a copper coin.
The Scripture Depository was as crowded as ever. Ye Zhen waited in line for quite a while before it was finally his turn. He hurriedly handed over his Identity Jade Token. "Sir Deacon, please..."
"You haven't entered the Scripture Depository to choose manuals yet, have you? Hurry along, hurry along. It's not as though you're new here." The Old Deacon guarding the Scripture Depository had long been acquainted with Ye Zhen. Seeing Ye Zhen come directly to him, he gave him a reminder.
"No, Sir Deacon. I wish to enter the second floor of the Scripture Depository, so I ask you to grant me authorization." The second floor of Qi Yun Sect's Scripture Depository had been reinforced by the sect's formation masters. A spiritual power screen guarded the entrance, and Inner Disciples' green jade tokens served as passes.
However, Ye Zhen was an Outer Disciple, and his Identity Jade Token was only a white jade token. To enter the second floor, he required authorization from a Sect Deacon. Ye Zhen knew this as well, thanks to Steward Liu of Guan Peak's guidance.
"You're still an Outer Disciple, aren't you? The second floor—is it somewhere you can enter just because you wish to..."
Before he could finish, the Old Deacon suddenly took Ye Zhen's Identity Jade Token and inspected it carefully. He was instantly startled. "The one who defeated Hong Bao today and charged into the top three of the Earth Ranking was you?"
Ye Zhen smiled and nodded.
"Who would have thought it? Who would have thought it? This old man vaguely remembers that four months ago, when you had just become an Outer Disciple, you chose the rather difficult Snake-Wandering Steps. You even refused advice. This old man thought you were another self-important fellow. Yet you have made a name for yourself with one astonishing feat. This old man misjudged you."
Spiritual Light surged from his hand, and the Old Deacon layered Ye Zhen's Identity Jade Token with an inexplicable glow. "All right, go up to the second floor."
"Thank you, Sir Deacon!"
After Ye Zhen left, the several dozen Outer Disciples lined up behind him—especially those who had heard the Old Deacon's sigh—were all filled with complicated emotions.
Look at Ye Zhen. In just four months after becoming an Outer Disciple, he had surged onto the Earth Ranking in one stroke, even reaching second place. Then look at themselves. They had been Outer Disciples for one or two years and still had not broken into the Earth Ranking.
When people were compared to people, it truly made one unable to go on living.
The second floor of Qi Yun Sect's Scripture Depository was far smaller than the first. With a single glance, Ye Zhen saw that it held only one or two thousand books. Compared with the tens of thousands of books on the first floor, it had several times fewer. Apart from the fact that higher-grade cultivation arts were increasingly scarce, the second floor stored only Human-tier Low Grade Cultivation Manuals.
Qi Yun Sect's Scripture Depository had six floors in total. The third floor stored Human-tier Mid Grade Cultivation Manuals, the fourth held Human-tier High Grade Cultivation Manuals, the fifth contained exceptionally precious Low-grade Earth-tier Cultivation Manuals, while the highest sixth floor stored the sect's legacy cultivation arts.
With the experience of his previous visits, Ye Zhen began searching carefully through the Scripture Depository.
The Essence Blood Origin Body Art Ye Zhen currently cultivated was itself a Human-tier Low Grade cultivation art, so he had no need to choose another cultivation art. Still, he flipped through several for a while, gaining a general understanding of the characteristics of other arts.
The Essence Blood Origin Body Art Ye Zhen cultivated was also kept on the second floor of the Scripture Depository.
Ye Zhen focused on martial skills and movement techniques.
Because of the Phantom Snake King within the Mirage Dragon Pearl First Layer Space, Ye Zhen learned snake-related martial skills and movement techniques extremely quickly. Both Snake-Wandering Steps and Spirit Snake Vein-Cutting Hand had easily reached the pinnacle of perfection.
Thus, Ye Zhen's original plan was to find a snake-related martial skill on the second floor of the Scripture Depository. That way, he could master it in a short time.
Yet after searching for a while, Ye Zhen was somewhat disappointed.
There were indeed snake-related Human-tier Low Grade martial skills stored on the second floor, such as Spirit Snake Swordplay and Myriad Snake Poison Palm. But after examining them closely, Ye Zhen discovered that although these Human-tier Low Grade martial skills bore the word "snake," much of the time they merely borrowed a trace of its artistic conception.
Human-tier Low Grade martial skills were already somewhat profound. They no longer focused on beast forms and their spirit as Mortal-tier martial skills did.
For example, Spirit Snake Swordplay was merely strange and unpredictable like a snake's attack when unleashed. At its foundation, it was still swordplay.
The Phantom Snake King existing within the Mirage Dragon Pearl's First Layer Space would provide almost negligible help in cultivating Spirit Snake Swordplay. In that case, there was little point in choosing it.
He could neither use the Phantom Snake King's power to quickly cultivate it to success nor coordinate it with his Snake-Wandering Steps and Spirit Snake Vein-Cutting Hand.
After considering the matter, Ye Zhen decided to continue practicing fist arts or palm arts. That way, the Snake-Wandering Steps and Spirit Snake Vein-Cutting Hand he had cultivated could continue displaying their power.
After all, Ye Zhen's Snake-Wandering Steps and Spirit Snake Vein-Cutting Hand had reached the pinnacle of perfection. Even when used against Human-tier Low Grade martial skills, they would not be at any disadvantage.
After sorting through them all, Ye Zhen first selected five fist arts suitable for him to cultivate and capable of coordinating with Snake-Wandering Steps. In the end, he chose one fist art—Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist!
Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist emphasized speed and possessed extremely strong explosive force. Once cultivated successfully, each punch carried the sound of thunder, capable of confusing opponents. Upon reaching minor success, punches became as swift as lightning. Upon reaching major success, lightning flashed from every punch, like a bolt of thunder flashing past in an instant. Its strength lay in speed.
Its sole requirement was an exceptionally high degree of True Essence refinement. The more condensed one's True Essence, the greater the power of Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist.
Another reason Ye Zhen chose Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist was that it had excellent compatibility. It could coordinate with both his Snake-Wandering Steps and Spirit Snake Vein-Cutting Hand.
As his punch flashed like lightning, Ye Zhen could add a Spirit Snake Vein-Cutting Hand strike. Just thinking about its power was enough to give enemies a headache.
As for movement techniques, this time Ye Zhen honestly chose one that specialized in speed—Wind God Steps.
Wind God Steps purely emphasized speed. If cultivated to major success, its speed would be comparable to that of a Mortal-tier Mid Grade movement technique.
"Ye Zhen, the Wind God Steps you chose are quite good. They complement the strengths and weaknesses of the Snake-Wandering Steps you cultivated before. Quite good indeed." At the entrance to the Scripture Depository, the Old Deacon once again offered Ye Zhen guidance.
"But this Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist is not very suitable for you. Your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds within four months, so it is difficult to say that your True Essence is sufficiently pure. Yet if one's True Essence is not pure enough, this Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist has practically no power at all, much less the ability to produce thunder and lightning.
"If one's True Essence is pure, its power can soar explosively. But then again, if one's True Essence is condensed enough, any martial skill used will not be weak."
At this point, the Old Deacon revealed a thoughtful expression. "As far as this old man knows, few have cultivated Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist over the years. The occasional ones who chose it were also persuaded by this old man to give it up. You would do best to choose another manual!"
"I won't change it. Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist it is," Ye Zhen said.
"You..."
Just as the Old Deacon wanted to say something more, he suddenly recalled the several times he had previously advised Ye Zhen. With a sudden bitter smile, he said no more and went straight into the inner room to fetch the two manuals for Ye Zhen.
Perhaps it was everyone's common habit: whenever they obtained a new treasure, they always had to examine it first. Now that Ye Zhen had obtained new manuals, he naturally wanted to take a look first.
Perhaps Ye Zhen flipped through it too hastily, or perhaps the manual had been stored for too long. When Ye Zhen opened it, a yellowed page unexpectedly fell out from Thunder Leopard Lightning Fist.
Ye Zhen hurriedly bent down to pick it up. Damaging sect manuals was punishable.
But when he picked up the yellowed loose page, the first line at its beginning stunned Ye Zhen—Tu Fangye leaves these words for one fated to find them!
Who was Tu Fangye?
After blanking out for a moment, Ye Zhen remembered just who this Tu Fangye was.
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