The Value of 20 Points of Family Background

Lin Heng understood upon hearing this.

So the cultivation system of this world was martial arts.

In Lin Heng's previous life, a family background worth 20 points would have meant being part of the plutocratic elite of one of the world's foremost powers.

But in this world, such a family background only made Lin Heng the Direct Disciple of a sect's Sect Master.

From this, one could infer that this sect possessed martial force capable of crushing all major powers, controlled vast resources and wealth, and was one of the world's most elite factions.

And such strength had clearly been brought about by martial arts.

Seeing the small gave a glimpse of the great. It could be inferred that this world's martial arts cultivation system was extremely powerful; otherwise, it would not have been capable of overwhelming all the major powers.

"Master, what kind of strength does each martial arts Realm possess? What Realm are you at now?"

Lin Heng looked at Xiao Rang and asked curiously.

"A Houtian Martial Artist can fight one against a hundred. A Xiantian Martial Artist can face a thousand alone. A Grandmaster Martial Artist can take a general's head amid ten thousand troops. A Great Grandmaster is a One Man Army."

"Your master is a Great Grandmaster."

Xiao Rang answered Lin Heng's question calmly.

Great Grandmasters stood at the pinnacle of martial arts cultivation. They were also known to the world as Peerless Experts—few and far between beneath the heavens, each one capable of suppressing an entire region.

This also confirmed Lin Heng's guess: this world's martial arts system was immensely powerful.

Meeting Lin Heng's admiring gaze, Xiao Rang smiled. "With Heng'er's talent, as long as you cultivate earnestly, reaching your master's Realm within your lifetime will not be difficult. But if you wish to surpass your master, you will have to put in no small amount of bitter work."

"It is said that above Great Grandmasters lies the Heaven-Human Realm, a Realm that may be called a legend of the Jianghu."

"However, legendary-level Heaven-Human Realm experts have not appeared in the Jianghu for many years. Still, if you cultivate diligently, Heng'er, it is not impossible that you may reach this Realm."

Lin Heng said firmly, "I will work hard."

Even for a better simulation evaluation, he would cultivate diligently.

Xiao Rang nodded. "It is getting late. Heng'er, rest early today. Starting tomorrow, your master will teach you to read and write, laying the foundation for cultivation."

Teaching a child to read and write was something any literate person could do, but Xiao Rang chose to handle it personally.

It would increase the time he spent with his disciple and nurture their master-disciple bond. It would also ensure that no one with ulterior motives led his young disciple's thoughts astray, while allowing him to observe Lin Heng's character.

Though they were all disciples, how much one taught them, and whether to pass down one's closely guarded ultimate arts, were matters that required careful consideration.

Letting someone with a crooked heart wield excessive power was not a good thing.

"Good night, Master."

Lin Heng agreed, then obediently lay down. He watched Xiao Rang leave before closing his eyes to sleep.

His body was indeed very weak at the moment. They had only chatted for a short while, and after using his mind a little, he already felt drowsy.

This state would likely continue for quite some time. That was the price he had paid for allocating his points so extremely.

Still, Lin Heng did not regret his extreme point allocation.

The next day, early in the morning.

Lin Heng had just finished washing up with the Maid's assistance and changed into a fitted Cloud Sword Palace uniform of black cloth patterned with white clouds.

Then he saw Xiao Rang personally bring over a bowl of Azure Green rice porridge. This time, Lin Heng learned that the Azure Green porridge was made from a kind of Spirit Rice called Emerald Rice.

This rice could strengthen one's foundation, nourish one's origin, and build up one's vital energy and blood.

Furthermore, it produced no impurities after being eaten. Its nutrients could be fully absorbed by the body, and long-term consumption aided cultivation.

But this rice was also very expensive. Its fertilizer required large amounts of animal flesh and blood, special ores, and certain rare medicinal ingredients. It also needed constant tending to weed and remove pests. The cost of a single jin of rice was one hundred taels of silver—more than ten thousand times the price of Ordinary rice.

And after Lin Heng became Xiao Rang's disciple, this precious Spirit Rice would become part of his daily diet.

"Your complexion is much better than yesterday's. At this rate, after two and a half years of recuperation, you can formally begin cultivating. That is much faster than the four years I initially expected."

After seeing Lin Heng finish eating, Xiao Rang reached out to take his pulse and observe the changes in his body, then spoke with a smile.

"Come. Before lessons begin, your master will show you around the mountain gate of Cloud Sword Palace."

Xiao Rang crouched down, used a handkerchief to wipe Lin Heng's mouth, then carried him out in the crook of his arm.

Only then did Lin Heng discover that the place where he lived was a palace called Cloud Sword Palace, with Xiao Rang living next door to him.

Beyond the palace was an enormous Training Ground.

On the Training Ground, many Cloud Sword Palace disciples dressed in black uniforms patterned with white clouds practiced swordsmanship under the guidance of the Transmission Elder. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, and every one of them had entered a state of complete focus, forgetting both self and surroundings.

Many other pavilions, towers, gardens, and buildings had also been constructed around the Training Ground.

These structures blended into the mountains and waters, appearing harmonious and natural.

Because the mountain gate was built halfway up a towering mountain, clouds and mist coiled around it, lending the entire place an ethereal, otherworldly air.

"Cloud Sword Palace was founded by Patriarch Ling Yun five hundred and seventy-two years ago, and has developed to this day with the eradication of treachery and evil as its founding creed."

"After the accumulation of many generations, Cloud Sword Palace now has a total of one million seventy-three thousand four hundred and twenty-seven disciples. It is honored by the many Jianghu peers of Lan Continent as a Martial Arts Holy Land."

"Of these many disciples, the vast majority have already completed their training and are stationed throughout the surrounding nations, carrying out the Sect's principles of eradicating treachery and evil. At present, only a little over ten thousand disciples remain at the mountain gate, most of them newly inducted disciples."

"However, quite a few are also True Disciples who cultivate at the mountain gate year-round. All of them possess cultivation at or above the Xiantian Realm, enough to ensure the mountain gate's safety."

Xiao Rang introduced the place as he led Lin Heng around.

As his disciple, even if Lin Heng did not inherit the position of Sect Master in the future, he would at least become an Elder. Therefore, understanding the strength possessed by the sect was essential.

"With so many people, feeding everyone every day must cost a lot of money, right?"

Lin Heng asked.

Xiao Rang smiled. "Cultivation does indeed cost a great deal of money. It is not only food—various pills, weapons, armor, and clothing all cost money as well. Therefore, in order to keep the Sect running, Cloud Sword Palace possesses a great many industries throughout the surrounding nations."

"Furthermore, those nations must regularly pay a tax to Cloud Sword Palace every year. Only then can the Sect's expenses be sustained."

"Heng'er, Cloud Sword Palace's creed is to eradicate treachery and evil. But to eradicate treachery and evil, one must possess strength greater than that of evil people. Only then will they dare not commit evil. You must remember this."

Lin Heng nodded to show that he understood.

Cloud Sword Palace truly possessed terrifying strength. That terror was reflected not only in individual martial prowess, but also in its scale.

With a million disciples, even after excluding those too old to fight, there would still be at least nine hundred thousand combatants.

All of them were Martial Artists. If they formed an army, their strength would be enough to overthrow many dynasties.

Such power was terrifying indeed. No wonder the surrounding nations had to regularly pay taxes to Cloud Sword Palace each year. It also gave Lin Heng a more intuitive understanding of what 20 points of family background were worth.

As the Direct Disciple of the Sect Master of a Martial Arts Holy Land, his status was indeed extraordinarily high. Across the entire Lan Continent, he stood at the very summit.

This also confirmed that his point allocation had been correct. Only with such an identity and background could he cultivate more effectively.

Otherwise, who knew how many years he would have to waste searching for cultivation methods and earning Cultivation Resources.