Cultivation Methods

The morning mist still lingered over Crimson Firmament Mountain.

Li Xuan sat cross-legged beneath the old plum tree in the courtyard, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Morning dew gathered on his brows, trembling faintly with each slow breath.

Three days. This was already his third day since entering the Inner Sect.

The Nine Revolutions Returning Yang Pill had been seventy percent absorbed. His broken ribs had completely healed, and the torn flesh had grown a layer of pale-red new skin.

Only the Killing Intent of the Wolf Soul lingering in his meridians still throbbed faintly, like tiny shards of ice lodged in his flesh.

[Status: Lightly Injured]

[Body: 51.8→52.3]

Within three days, he had diligently circulated his energy through thirty-six cycles, yet his physique had risen by only about half a percent.

Part of that was certainly because of his injuries, but more importantly, although the spiritual energy here was dense, there was no battlefield Killing Intent for him to absorb.

The Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique was like a famished beast trapped in a cage—unable to advance or retreat.

"Bing-Seven, Li Xuan, are you there?"

Someone knocked on the courtyard gate, and a clear young voice rang out.

Li Xuan opened his eyes. "Come in."

A green-robed youth entered through the door. He was sixteen or seventeen, with delicate features, and an outer disciple's wooden plaque hanging from his waist.

He carried a lacquered tray. On it were two plates of vegetarian dishes, a bowl of polished rice, and a pot of clear tea.

"Senior Brother, your breakfast." The youth placed the tray on the stone table, stole a glance at Li Xuan, then quickly lowered his eyes.

"You are?"

"D-disciple Zhou Ning, an outer disciple servant. I'm responsible for delivering breakfast to the East Courtyard." Zhou Ning paused, then lowered his voice. "Senior Brother... the steward asked me to pass along a message."

Li Xuan lifted the teacup but did not drink.

"Speak."

"At the third quarter of the Chen hour today, report to the Contribution Hall. New Inner Disciples must collect their monthly allowance, choose a cultivation method, and register their mission preferences." Zhou Ning finished hurriedly, bowed, and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Zhou Ning stopped.

Li Xuan took three pieces of silver he had brought back from Iron Wall City from his sleeve and set them beside the lacquered tray.

Zhou Ning froze, then waved his hands repeatedly. "Senior Brother, you mustn't. I'm only—"

"Take them."

His voice was flat, yet left no room for refusal.

Zhou Ning bit his lip, but eventually accepted the silver. He bowed deeply and left the courtyard.

Silence returned to the courtyard.

Li Xuan looked at the plain, coarse food on the tray, finished it in three breaths, and rose to change clothes.

The Contribution Hall stood halfway up the western side of Crimson Firmament Peak. Built against the cliff, it was a three-story pavilion with green tiles and white walls.

By the time Li Xuan arrived, five people were already standing before the hall.

Three men and two women, all dressed in Moon White Robes, with an uncolored Cloud Pattern embroidered at each cuff.

This was the mark of those who had newly entered the Inner Sect. Only after earning a certain amount of Contribution Points could the Cloud Pattern be dyed crimson.

The five people displayed different expressions when they saw him approach.

At their head stood a thick-browed young man with a sturdy build and a heavy saber without a sheath on his back. The saber's spine was a full three fingers thick.

"You're Li Xuan?" the thick-browed youth asked, his voice booming like a bell.

"That's me." Li Xuan frowned slightly at his words.

"I heard you endured the Heaven Ascending Steps all the way to the top and defeated Zhao Yuanchen in three moves?"

"Just luck."

"I hate the words 'just luck' the most." The thick-browed youth snorted. "If you can win, then you can win. If you can't, then you can't. Name's Shi Yong. I'm a new Inner Disciple too, same as you."

"If there's a mission later, we can team up and watch each other's backs. How about it?"

Li Xuan glanced at him but made no commitment.

Shi Yong did not mind. He continued on his own, "Your injuries healed?"

"Not completely."

"Then hurry up and recover. There'll be work needing someone who can fight in a few days." He paused, as if adding a polite afterthought. "If you come, I can split some Contribution Points with you."

"What mission?"

"Don't know." Shi Yong bared his teeth. "But it definitely won't be easy work. The Inner Sect doesn't keep idlers. They give you food, lodging, and cultivation methods, but there's a price to pay."

Just as his voice fell, a middle-aged steward stepped out of the hall. His face was stiff and severe, and he held a register in his hand.

"Six new Inner Disciples. All present." His gaze swept over everyone. "Upon entering the Inner Sect, there are three things you must know during your first month."

"First, the monthly allowance. Every Inner Disciple may receive three low-grade spirit stones, five Qi Gathering Pills, and ten portions of Body Tempering Powder each month. Those with meritorious contributions will receive more."

He raised a hand, and disciples behind him brought out six wooden trays.

Li Xuan accepted one. The tray sank slightly in his hand.

He looked down. There were three spirit stones inside, each about the size of a pigeon's egg and warm to the touch.

Five pills were sealed in wax pellets, giving off no scent. Ten portions of Body Tempering Powder were tightly wrapped in oiled paper.

"Second, cultivation methods. Inner Disciples may freely choose one Yellow-tier low-grade cultivation method. Higher-grade methods must be exchanged with Contribution Points."

The steward pointed toward the western side of the hall. "The first floor of the Cultivation Method Pavilion contains seventy-two Yellow-tier low-grade methods and nineteen Yellow-tier mid-grade methods. With this token, you may enter and choose for the time it takes one incense stick to burn."

"Third, and most importantly, missions. Within one month of entering the sect, every new disciple must complete at least one sect mission and accumulate Contribution Points. Mission rank is determined by cultivation level, meritorious service, and elder recommendations." The steward paused. "Without a valid reason for delaying, next month's allowance will be halved."

The group exchanged glances.

Shi Yong cursed under his breath. "I knew it."

The steward acted as though he had heard nothing. He opened the register. "Li Xuan."

"Present."

"An elder has ordered that you may choose one cultivation method first, without waiting in line." The steward lifted his eyes, his gaze calm. "But the mission deadline remains unchanged. You must complete one sect mission within thirty days."

Li Xuan nodded. "Understood."

"Enter the pavilion."

The first floor of the Cultivation Method Pavilion occupied a square area ten zhang across.

Black sandalwood shelves stood against all four walls. Bamboo slips, beast hides, and silk manuscripts rested upon them, each accompanied by a small plaque written in ink with the method's name, grade, and required Contribution Points.

Li Xuan began from the eastern side, slowly scanning the shelves.

Green Wood Health Cultivation Method, Yellow-tier low grade, wood attribute. Cultivates enduring qi and blood, with miraculous effects for healing injuries. Required Contribution: one hundred and twenty points.

Stone Splitting Fist, Yellow-tier low grade, a fierce and forceful style. Its fist force could shatter stone. Required Contribution: eighty points.

Flowing Cloud Steps, Yellow-tier mid grade, a movement technique. Movement like flowing clouds. Required Contribution: three hundred points.

Crimson Flame Saber Technique, Yellow-tier low grade, fire attribute. The saber emerged like a flame. Required Contribution: one hundred and fifty points.

Li Xuan stopped in the northern corner.

Only seven or eight beast-hide scrolls were sparsely arranged on the shelf, all obscure methods no one cared about.

The scroll at the very back had curled edges, and the layer of dust on it was thicker than on the others.

The small plaque read:

Mountain Suppressing Art

Grade: Yellow-tier mid grade

Special Trait: An earth-attribute body-tempering method. It forged the sinews and bones into solidity and thickened the qi and blood, with exceptional defensive ability.

Required Contribution: two hundred and eighty points.

Li Xuan took down the beast hide and unfolded it.

The opening eight characters read:

Suppressing a mountain, unmoving and unshaken.

The sections that followed detailed the routes of circulating qi, the sequence of tempering the bones, and the methods of standing meditation.

Li Xuan read all the way to the third page, where his fingertip stopped on a line of text:

--Once this method was mastered, one's qi and blood would be twice as vigorous as with ordinary methods. The lower body would be rooted like a stake, adept at dispersing heavy blows, and one's defensive ability would be supreme among those of the same rank.

His gaze lingered on that line.

Supreme in defense among those of the same rank.

He continued turning the pages.

At the end of the scroll, his fingertip touched several lines of small writing.

The ink varied in age, and the handwriting was different each time.

They were notes left by borrowers over the years:

"Practiced for three years without even reaching the threshold."

"Practiced for five years with only shallow results. Switched to the Green Wood Method. Regrettable!"

Another entry was written in messy strokes, as though its author had been forcing himself to write through irritation:

"After half a year, physique increased by only half a percent. Too slow. Abandoned."

Farther down, someone had written faintly with a dried-up brush:

"With patience for this, what can't be accomplished?"

No one answered.

Li Xuan stared at those four characters, his fingertip pressing against the page, motionless for a long while.

He thought of the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique.

How fast that method was.

On the battlefield, killing one person hardened his bones by a fraction; killing ten condensed his astral qi by one portion.

From initial mastery to perfection, he had needed less than half a month.

But that speed had been bought with his life.

What if there was no Killing Intent?

What if there was no battlefield, no slaughter, and no endless dead souls for him to devour?

He had spent five days recovering in the East Courtyard, circulating his energy through thirty-six cycles every day, yet the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique had not advanced in the slightest.

This technique, supreme in killing and assault, was like a famished beast trapped in a cage once removed from slaughter. It possessed fangs and claws, but had no food to devour.

And his injuries had not fully healed.

The Killing Intent of the Wolf Soul still remained in his meridians, like scattered shards of ice, causing a dull ache day after day.

He needed a cultivation method he could practice in everyday life.

As for whether he could endure the loneliness?

The steward's voice suddenly came from behind him. "This cultivation method progresses too slowly. Most newcomers can't afford to spend the time. You'd be better off choosing Stone Splitting Fist or the Green Wood Method. You'd see results within half a year."

Li Xuan did not respond.

He flipped the beast hide back to the third page and looked once more at that line:

Supreme in defense among those of the same rank.

"I'll take it."

The steward looked up at him, then stopped trying to persuade him.

He only said, "Make a copy over there yourself. Once you're finished, return the original to the shelf. Don't lose it."

Li Xuan nodded.

When he walked out of the Cultivation Method Pavilion, morning light slanted down from the corner of the eaves.

Shi Yong was still outside.

He leaned against the wall with his arms folded, his heavy saber planted on the ground, as though he had been waiting for someone.

When he saw Li Xuan emerge, he raised his chin.

Li Xuan walked past him without slowing.