Guidance

[In the midst of fierce battle, you experienced an epiphany. Inspiration struck, and you used the method of the fourth layer of the Water Essence Art to drive the Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist, producing a strange transformation. You unleashed an attack whose power could contend with an Entry-tier Martial Skill.]

[Your comprehension of the Water Essence Art has slightly improved. Your Water Essence Art proficiency +17.]

[Your comprehension of the Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist has greatly improved. Your Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist proficiency +103.]

[You have successfully fused the fourth layer of the Water Essence Art with the Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist. You have learned a Combination Skill: Collapsing Mountain · Modified.]

Cultivation Method:

Water Essence Art: (Fourth Layer: 28/10000 (+17))

Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist: (Great Accomplishment: 832/1000 (+103))

Ultimate Skills:

Collapsing Mountain · Modified: (???/???)

Deep within Zhang Qingyuan's mind, lines of text appeared on the panel, while changes also occurred within him.

A new category had appeared: Ultimate Skills.

However, Zhang Qingyuan had no mind to pay attention to any of that.

At this moment, he was following behind Headmaster Liu, walking slowly through the deep woods of Chaoyang Peak.

"Qingyuan, it has been nearly two years since you entered the Seventeenth Branch, hasn't it?"

Along the narrow path, Headmaster Liu moved forward at an unhurried pace as he spoke.

"Over these two years, I have not given you much attention. You do not blame This Seat for that, do you?"

Zhang Qingyuan followed behind him, matching his every step.

"I would not dare. The headmaster oversees the Seventeenth Branch, which is already the greatest care one could show a disciple. Without the headmaster's guidance, Qingyuan likely would not have reached his present level."

Those words, came from Zhang Qingyuan's heart.

Although Headmaster Liu had usually directed more guidance and attention toward the Top Students of the branch, he had always fulfilled his duties during the once-every-three-months Lectures, explaining one by one his own cultivation insights from the True Essence Realm and aiding the Cultivation Advancement of the Seventeenth Branch's disciples.

If Headmaster Liu had not often spoken during his past Lectures

of the many difficulties one might encounter while cultivating in the Spirit Essence Realm, as well as matters such as how to break through bottlenecks and increase one's Cultivation Speed, providing Zhang Qingyuan with invaluable points of comparison and reference, Zhang Qingyuan would likely still be struggling in the Mid Spirit Essence Realm even now.

As for whether it was fair or not, the same old saying applied:

they were not his parents, and this world had never been fair to begin with.

Nor was Zhang Qingyuan the only one receiving such unfair treatment; there were many other low- and mid-level branch disciples as well.

That was simply the truth.

Rather than curse the heavens and blame others when faced with unfair treatment, it was better to cultivate diligently until one reached a point where others could "fairly" treat them.

"Qingyuan,"

as though he had heard the calm acceptance in Zhang Qingyuan's words, Headmaster Liu halted, then turned around

and looked Zhang Qingyuan up and down.

"You are quite good!"

That praise

was sincere and heartfelt.

From the time he defeated Yao Ping until now, Zhang Qingyuan had remained neither arrogant nor impatient, keeping his heart steady. He had not grown carried away by the soaring fame from a single battle.

Looking back over his past experiences, his temperament had always been exceptionally steady, his Dao Heart resolute.

A cultivator like this, even if his talent and luck were somewhat inferior, would not fade into obscurity among the masses on the Dao Path ahead.

"You flatter me, Headmaster."

Zhang Qingyuan lowered his head slightly and replied modestly.

"Excessive modesty is arrogance."

Headmaster Liu waved a hand, signaling that there was no need for such formality.

"I recall that you are merely a Collateral Branch descendant of a small family within the Sect's sphere of influence. After joining the Sect, the help you received from your family was negligible."

"To have reached this point today is entirely due to your own steadfast Dao Heart and unremitting efforts."

Zhang Qingyuan felt a little awkward upon hearing this.

Actually, if he had not possessed the Golden Finger that was the Proficiency Panel, which allowed him to regularly see the progress brought about by his diligent cultivation, he probably would not have been able to achieve this much either.

After all, Zhang Qingyuan in his Previous Life had been nothing more than a Salted Fish.

Without being able to see the fruits of his own efforts, it was perfectly normal for him to slack off in cultivation.

Still, although this was related to his Golden Finger, today's achievements were also inseparable from his own hard work.

So Zhang Qingyuan remained fairly composed.

"This Seat sees that the Cultivation Method you practice, the Water Essence Art, has already reached the Fourth Layer, has it not?"

His words were phrased as a question, but Headmaster Liu's tone was certain.

Zhang Qingyuan's expression grew slightly solemn.

He knew

the real purpose of this visit had arrived.

What followed should be Headmaster Liu's personal guidance.

Zhang Qingyuan focused his mind and answered, "Yes, Headmaster."

As expected, Headmaster Liu nodded.

"Very good. Even among the hundred thousand disciples of the entire Outer Sect, there are not many who can cultivate the Water Essence Art to the Fourth Layer."

"Although this Cultivation Method may appear unremarkable in its early stages, merely making one's cultivated Spirit Essence somewhat deeper and richer than that of ordinary cultivators, once it reaches the Fourth Layer, it will bring immense improvement."

"I presume you have already felt the changes the Fourth Layer of the Water Essence Art has brought to the Spirit Essence Inside the Body, so I will not dwell on that."

"What matters most are certain directions that require attention in cultivation. The Water Essence Art is one of the most basic and widely disseminated Cultivation Methods of our Cloud Water Sect. Back when the Founder established the Sect, with his profound vision, he created several advanced Cultivation Methods that pointed directly toward the Great Dao. The Cloud Water Art was one of them, distilled and simplified from it."

Beneath the shade of the trees, Headmaster Liu began to patiently instruct Zhang Qingyuan.

This

was advanced knowledge concerning cultivation after the Fourth Layer of the Water Essence Art. It had never been covered in the usual Lectures, nor was there any need to cover it, because throughout the entire Seventeenth Branch, no one had managed to cultivate the Water Essence Art beyond the Fourth Layer to such an advanced realm.

Headmaster Liu's guidance

allowed Zhang Qingyuan's doubts from after entering the Fourth Layer of the Water Essence Art to suddenly become clear.

Some of the difficult points he had encountered in past cultivation were essentially resolved.

He gained many insights.

[You received guidance from Headmaster Liu regarding the subsequent cultivation of the Cultivation Method Water Essence Art. You were suddenly enlightened. You understood an issue you had previously been unable to figure out. Your Water Essence Art proficiency +7]

[You received guidance from Headmaster Liu and gained some insight. Your Water Essence Art proficiency +2]

[Your Water Essence Art proficiency +1]

Line after line of text

continuously surfaced on the Data Panel in Zhang Qingyuan's mind.

The reason his improvement had been so rapid

was that Headmaster Liu had personally guided him. With the discerning eye of a True Essence Realm master, he could naturally spot at a glance the problems Zhang Qingyuan encountered during cultivation.

The results of this

were entirely different from a Lecture aimed at everyone during the gathering.

Let Alone, after three years of unrelenting effort, through countless repetitions of dull cultivation, Zhang Qingyuan's foundations had long grown incomparably solid.

With a few pointers from Headmaster Liu, his long accumulation burst forth in a single stroke.

His understanding of the Water Essence Art, as well as his proficiency in other Martial Skills, naturally rose at a rapid pace.

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