Emei Has a Worthy Successor

The setting sun fell like a drop of molten gold into the depths of the sea of clouds. The layered peaks shed the harshness of daylight, their outlines stained an almost translucent reddish-brown by the evening glow.

Before the bamboo courtyard, as Miejue continued her explanation, Gu Shaoan had already come to understand the foundations of martial artists' cultivation.

Finally, Miejue also explained the changes that occurred once a martial artist's cultivation reached a certain level.

Martial artists first cultivated by opening their own meridians, allowing their internal energy to flow freely. The more meridians they opened, the faster their internal energy circulated and the more of it they could accumulate.

Once internal energy reached a certain level, it would transform and return to the Innate Realm, becoming True Qi that could be projected outward to injure enemies from a distance.

A step further, True Qi would liquefy and transform into True Essence.

Thereafter, True Essence would gather into Gang Qi. So long as the Gang Qi remained unbroken, enemies would find it difficult to harm them.

Those capable of transforming True Essence into Gang Qi and using it against their enemies were already among the foremost experts in the martial world.

Beyond that lay the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man.

Yet for several centuries, no one had been heard of entering that realm.

Miejue herself had only returned to the Innate Realm a few years ago, allowing her internal energy to transform into True Qi.

But with Miejue's talent, she would likely find it difficult in this lifetime to make her True Qi transform further and liquefy.

This was no different from the settings in Gu Shaoan's game.

At that moment, Miejue spoke again.

"The six major realms I just mentioned are merely obvious markers that appear once a martial artist's internal cultivation reaches a certain level. Yet there are far too many factors that determine a martial artist's strength. The depth of one's cultivation, one's mastery of martial arts, and even one's weapon can all determine one's strength."

"In a life-and-death battle, one's temperament, reactions in the moment, and even the surrounding environment can affect the outcome."

"Over the years, I have seen too many cases where martial artists with deeper cultivation were still killed by those whose cultivation was inferior to theirs."

"There are some special martial arts in the martial world, such as the Blade Drawing Technique. Cultivating this martial art does not require powerful internal cultivation; what it requires is persistent training day after day, year after year. Once cultivated to a profound level, the flash of the blade when drawn is as fast as lightning. Even a martial artist who has returned to the Innate Realm and condensed True Qi would have their throat slit before they had time to react."

"Therefore, unless your cultivation has reached unfathomable heights, you must never underestimate anyone while traveling outside. Even an inconspicuous beggar by the roadside cannot be underestimated. Only by remaining vigilant at all times can you be safer."

Listening to Miejue's earnest instruction, Gu Shaoan nodded. "This disciple will remember it well."

Gu Shaoan understood everything Miejue had said.

In the martial world, the true danger had never been the enemies in plain sight, but the dangers hidden in the dark.

Seeing Gu Shaoan's solemn expression and knowing that he had taken her words to heart, Miejue glanced at the sky. "It is getting late. For the next few days, come to this bamboo courtyard after every meal. I will personally teach you how to cultivate."

"Thank you, Master."

Gu Shaoan nodded in reply, then turned and left under Miejue's gaze.

Watching Gu Shaoan head toward his bamboo dwelling, Miejue nodded in satisfaction.

She was growing ever more pleased with this disciple of hers.

"Emei has a worthy successor."

After the servants cleared away the bowls and plates from the meal, Gu Shaoan returned to his bamboo dwelling and once again mobilized the internal energy within his body.

As his internal energy circulated through his meridians once more, the discomfort he had felt while cultivating that afternoon was gone.

With that, Gu Shaoan sat down cross-legged again and guided his internal energy according to the Emei Nine Yangs Technique.

Only after an Incense Stick did discomfort return to his meridians.

As Gu Shaoan stopped cultivating, a notification appeared before him.

[Meditated and cultivated for an Incense Stick. Achievement Points +5.]

Gu Shaoan glanced at the notification, and a thought crossed his mind.

[Emei Nine Yangs Technique First Layer (Beginner Level): Proficiency: 58/100.]

I wonder how long it will take to bring the First Layer of the Emei Nine Yangs Technique to Complete Mastery?

Internal Cultivation Methods differed from Martial Skills.

Depending on the cultivator's degree of mastery, Martial Skills were divided into five levels: Beginner Level, Initial Glimpse, Entering the Hall, Mastery, and Perfect Mastery.

Internal Cultivation Methods, on the other hand, were divided into four levels: Beginner Level, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, and Complete Mastery.

The level of an Internal Cultivation Method would not directly raise a martial artist's cultivation, but it could deepen their power, increase the strength of their internal energy, and enhance its special effects.

Take the Emei Nine Yangs Technique Gu Shaoan was cultivating now. Once it reached Beginner Level, the source of his internal energy would double, naturally making his internal energy far more profound.

At the same time, abundant internal energy could more easily open the acupoints and meridians within the body, allowing one's cultivation to advance to higher realms.

A towering building rose from the ground. The deeper and more solid one's internal energy, the steadier one's foundation.

Therefore, the higher a martial artist's mastery of an Internal Cultivation Method, the greater the benefits.

Unfortunately, although Gu Shaoan's "Anointing" was also effective for cultivating Internal Cultivation Methods, the accumulation of internal energy could not be faked. It could only be built up bit by bit.

Unless he could draw something good from the Achievement Points lottery later on, even Gu Shaoan could only cultivate step by step.

"What a pity the premium currency feature had not been added back then. Otherwise, I could have made an ability involving premium currency, robbed the rich to aid the poor a few times, and quickly raised my strength."

Thinking of the items in the premium currency shop from the design, Gu Shaoan's heart ached so badly that he could barely breathe.

After a moment, Gu Shaoan dispelled the frustration in his heart and checked the Achievement Points he had accumulated over the past few days.

[Current Achievement Points: 101.]

"Looks like I'll still have to find a solution through the Achievement Points lottery."

Since it was a game setting, the methods and amounts for obtaining Achievement Points naturally varied.

The Achievement Points earned through martial arts cultivation were considered few.

This was clear from the fact that becoming Miejue's disciple had directly earned him one thousand Achievement Points.

Gu Shaoan had only just joined the Emei Sect, and his strength was insufficient. Naturally, he could not descend the mountain and involve himself in the struggles of those great figures and experts.

Unable to descend the mountain, there were extremely few methods available to quickly obtain a large number of Achievement Points, but it was not as though there were none.

Having made up his mind, Gu Shaoan stood, picked up the wooden sword Zhou Zhiruo had given him a few days ago, and walked into the courtyard outside.

However, Gu Shaoan's bamboo courtyard was not particularly large. After considering it, he took the wooden sword to the open space outside the bamboo courtyard.

The moonlight was bright and clear, casting a veil of soft radiance over the entire back mountain.

Standing beneath that moonlight, one did not feel darkness in the slightest. Instead, it possessed a hazy beauty absent during the day.

Planting his feet, Gu Shaoan closed his eyes and focused. After reviewing the Willow Catkin Sword Technique, he smoothly raised the wooden sword in his hand.

As the long sword moved, a buzzing sound like bees in flight rang out as the wooden sword cut through the air.

As the wooden sword danced, Gu Shaoan's internal energy slowly emerged from his Dantian and began circulating through his body according to the mental method of the Willow Catkin Sword Technique.

Yet the circulation of his internal energy was extremely slow.

But as time passed, the flow of internal energy gradually became smoother.

As the internal energy passed through specific meridians and acupoints, stimulated by its flow, the sword moves in Gu Shaoan's hand gradually began to change.