Cultivation Techniques Have Neither Good nor Evil

"What about that Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art?" Old Man Tang broke the silence.

Lu Ye hurriedly took the Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art from his Storage Bag and handed it to Old Man Tang.

Old Man Tang accepted it and flipped through it once, nodding slightly. "A very common Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique. When cultivated to completion, it can open 27 Apertures."

Lu Ye could understand the 27 Apertures Old Man Tang mentioned. When he had studied the Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art earlier, he had discovered this: if cultivated to completion, this technique could open a total of twenty-seven apertures.

But he did not understand what Old Man Tang meant by Yellow-tier, so he immediately voiced his doubts.

Old Man Tang explained, "The human body has 360 Spiritual Apertures, corresponding to the meaning of a Major Heavenly Circulation. The cultivation techniques of the Nine Provinces Cultivation World are as numerous as the hairs of an ox, and different techniques can open different numbers of Spiritual Apertures. Based on how many Spiritual Apertures they can open, cultivation techniques are divided into grades: Heaven, Earth, Profound, Yellow Four Grades. Only Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques can open 360 Apertures. Earth-grade techniques can only open 180 Apertures, and below those are Profound-grade techniques that open eighty-one apertures..." He tapped the Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art in his hand. "The lowest grade is this kind of Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique, which opens only twenty-seven apertures. There are also the most of these techniques."

After hearing Old Man Tang's explanation, Lu Ye finally understood.

So the Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art was merely the most worthless cultivation technique in the Nine Provinces. No wonder Steward Yang could carry it around with him.

Fortunately, he had not treated this thing as some great treasure. Otherwise, he would truly have made a laughingstock of himself.

"Different grades of cultivation techniques do not merely determine how many Spiritual Apertures a cultivator can ultimately open. They also create vast disparities in strength between cultivators of the same realm. At the same time, their future prospects will differ as well."

"The higher the grade of technique a cultivator practices, the stronger they are and the broader their future prospects?" Lu Ye asked.

"Precisely." Old Man Tang nodded. "Do you know why?"

"I ask Sect Master to enlighten me." Lu Ye humbly sought instruction.

Old Man Tang sorted out his thoughts slightly, seemingly considering how to explain it more clearly to Lu Ye. It had been many years since he had discussed such matters with anyone. After a moment, he asked, "Do you know how cultivation realms are divided?"

"Spirit Stream, Cloud River, True Lake, and Divine Sea—the four great realms," Lu Ye answered. Yu Xiaodie had told him this.

"Then what is Spirit Stream?"

Recalling what Yu Xiaodie had told him before, Lu Ye answered, "Open enough Spiritual Apertures, let one's Spiritual Power flow through and circulate among them, forming a heavenly circulation that flows like a stream—then one enters the Spirit Stream Realm."

"Exactly!" Old Man Tang stroked his beard. "Then how many Spiritual Apertures count as enough?"

"This..." Lu Ye was at a loss for an answer.

Old Man Tang smiled faintly and tapped the Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art in his hand. "If one cultivates this technique, opening nine apertures is enough to reach Spirit Stream First Layer. Eighteen apertures is Tier Two, and twenty-seven is Tier Three."

Lu Ye immediately sensed something was wrong. "Doesn't Spirit Stream have nine tiers?"

"A Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique can only be cultivated to Spirit Stream Tier Three, which is why its grade is the lowest. If one cultivates a Profound-grade technique, one can reach Spirit Stream Tier Six. As for an Earth-grade technique, it can reach Spirit Stream Tier Nine. And if one cultivates a Heaven-grade technique..."

"Twelve tiers?" Lu Ye looked astonished. He had never heard of a Spirit Stream Twelve-Tier Realm.

Old Man Tang smiled and shook his head. "Still nine tiers."

Lu Ye was puzzled. "Why is that?"

Old Man Tang explained, "Because when cultivating different techniques, the number of Spiritual Apertures corresponding to the same realm is different. This Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art requires only nine apertures to achieve Spirit Stream First Layer. But if one cultivates a Heaven-Grade Cultivation Technique, one must open eighteen apertures to reach that realm. A cultivator practicing an Earth-grade technique reaches Spirit Stream Tier Nine upon opening 180 Apertures, but a cultivator practicing a Heaven-Grade Cultivation Technique who opens 180 Apertures is only at Spirit Stream Tier Six."

Lu Ye vaguely began to understand. "Old Man Tang, do you mean that the higher the grade of technique one cultivates, the more Spiritual Apertures one must open to reach the same realm?"

"Correct."

"Then a cultivator's realm alone cannot be used as the basis for judging their strength?"

A Spirit Stream Tier Nine cultivator practicing an Earth-grade technique had only opened 180 Apertures. If they encountered a Spirit Stream Tier Seven cultivator practicing a Heaven-Grade Cultivation Technique, they would certainly be no match, because the other person had opened more than 180 Apertures.

Lu Ye immediately understood what Old Man Tang had meant earlier. If that was the case, then different grades of cultivation techniques could result in enormous differences in strength at the same realm, and even affect one's future prospects.

"Sect Master, since Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques are so good, why doesn't everyone cultivate them? What is the point of Earth-, Profound-, and Yellow-tier techniques existing? Could it be that Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques are difficult to obtain?"

Old Man Tang smiled. "Although Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques are not easy to acquire, even Rogue Cultivators have a chance to obtain them if they possess sufficient perseverance. The reason not everyone cultivates Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques is that every cultivator has their own limit—the limit to how many Spiritual Apertures they can open!"

"The limit to opening Spiritual Apertures?"

"At the beginning of cultivation, opening apertures is difficult. But as the number of one's Spiritual Apertures increases and one's cultivation rises, opening apertures gradually becomes easier. Eventually, one reaches a limit. Once that limit is reached, it becomes exceedingly difficult for a cultivator to open more Spiritual Apertures. What use is even the finest technique if it lies before you? For a cultivator whose personal limit is 180 Apertures, cultivating a Heaven-Grade Cultivation Technique is meaningless. Thus, cultivation must be undertaken according to one's capabilities."

"So that's how it is." Lu Ye understood.

"Moreover, at the start of cultivation, it is actually better to cultivate a Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique."

"Because it is simpler?"

"Correct. A Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique requires only nine apertures to reach Spirit Stream First Layer, while a Heaven-Grade Cultivation Technique requires eighteen. If Spiritual Power is allowed to flow through one's Spiritual Apertures early, achieving the Spirit Stream Realm sooner, then one's cultivation efficiency can improve sooner as well. Therefore, in the Cultivation World, whether they are Rogue Cultivators with no one to rely on or disciples born into renowned great sects, almost all begin their cultivation with Yellow-tier Cultivation Techniques. Once they cultivate the Yellow-tier technique to completion, they can switch to another technique just the same."

In truth, Old Man Tang had not said everything regarding switching cultivation techniques.

Only Rogue Cultivators without much foundation, or disciples from insignificant small families, would begin cultivation with Yellow-tier Cultivation Techniques.

Although switching techniques did not carry any major hidden dangers, it was troublesome nonetheless. Those with even a little background would choose Profound- or Earth-grade techniques, because whether Yellow-, Profound-, or Earth-grade, Spirit Stream First Layer required opening nine apertures—there was no difference.

Only after cultivators had opened their Spiritual Apertures to their utmost limit would they switch to Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques if necessary. Those without the ability could only attempt a breakthrough.

But considering that Lu Ye had only a one-leaf aptitude, Old Man Tang felt that he likely would not open many Spiritual Apertures in his life. A Yellow-tier Cultivation Technique would be more than enough for him.

Naturally, Old Man Tang did not say such things aloud, nor did he look down on Lu Ye because of it. As the Sect Master of a sect, he carefully instructed Lu Ye, his Registered Disciple, without the slightest impatience.

"As for your earlier concern that this technique might be an evil art..." Old Man Tang raised his eyelids and looked solemnly at Lu Ye. "Remember this: cultivation techniques have neither good nor evil; people are divided into good and evil. No matter what cultivation technique it is, it is merely a tool for cultivation. What truly determines good and evil is the nature of one's heart. There is no shortage of evil-hearted people within the Vast Sky Alliance, nor are there few people of noble character within Myriad Demon Ridge."

"This disciple will remember." Lu Ye replied respectfully.