The Enlightenment System

Cloud Sea Sect, Hundred Herb Valley.

In a courtyard in the valley.

Chen Xuan sat at a table with an old man.

"Junior Brother Chen, from now on, I'll leave Hundred Herb Valley in your hands."

The old man looked at Chen Xuan as he spoke, his tone full of delight.

"Senior Brother, why are you in such a hurry?"

"Junior Brother, you don't understand. You're still young, but I have little time left to live. Rather than stay in Hundred Herb Valley and wait to die, I'd rather go home and enjoy myself one last time."

The old man smiled as he spoke.

With that, the old man took out several books and handed them to Chen Xuan.

"Junior Brother, I know it's a bit unfair to you that I'm retiring and returning home now. These are some of the insights I've gained from cultivating over the years. Take them."

"Th-this... thank you, Senior Brother."

Chen Xuan didn't refuse. He accepted the books.

He did need them.

He had only passed the sect's examination three days ago, then been assigned to Hundred Herb Valley.

Originally, Senior Brother Li had been the only one guarding Hundred Herb Valley. He'd wanted to retire and return home for a long time, but the valley couldn't be left unattended, so the sect had never agreed.

Then Chen Xuan arrived.

Senior Brother Li had packed his luggage overnight and waited three days. As soon as the sect approved his request, he came to bid Chen Xuan farewell.

Being assigned to this remote area was already miserable enough.

Now, it was about to be left with only him. If he ran into trouble while cultivating, he wouldn't even have anyone to ask.

Chen Xuan felt rather helpless.

But what could he do? His talent was mediocre, so he'd been assigned to Hundred Herb Valley.

"Junior Brother, I'm off. Don't see me out."

Senior Brother Li rose to his feet.

As he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something and looked back at Chen Xuan. "Junior Brother, have you heard about the Floating Cloud Trial?"

Chen Xuan looked bewildered. "Senior Brother, what's the Floating Cloud Trial?"

Senior Brother Li explained, "It's a trial prepared for newly inducted disciples. It'll take place three months from now. Before it begins, the sect will send someone to notify you.

"The trial is meant to check whether the new disciples have been cultivating diligently since joining the sect. It's also an opportunity for you newcomers to gain some good fortune.

"At the time, you'll enter the Floating Cloud Secret Realm. A batch of tokens will have been placed there in advance, and your task will be to compete for them. Your final ranking will be based on how many tokens you obtain.

"If you achieve a good result, the sect will grant you generous rewards. Even if your result is only average, you can exchange the tokens you collect for Contribution Points.

"If you can't get a single token... then you'll truly get nothing at all.

"Anyway... Junior Brother, make good preparations. When the time comes, find a few tokens, then find somewhere to hide and stay there until the trial ends. That way, you'll at least be able to exchange them for some Contribution Points.

"Remember, don't get too greedy. I was too greedy back then and kept searching for tokens. Before the trial had even ended, I ran into other disciples.

"In the end, I was defeated without even being able to fight back, and they snatched every token I'd collected. All that effort, for nothing."

The old man reminisced about the past with a rueful sigh.

Chen Xuan cupped his hands and thanked him. "Thank you for your advice, Senior Brother."

"All right, Junior Brother. That's the last thing I had to tell you. I'll be on my way."

The old man cupped his hands in return.

Then he strode toward the exit, taking out his flying artifact as he went. The moment he stepped outside, he mounted it and shot away from Hundred Herb Valley in a streak of light.

It was clear that Senior Brother Li was truly in a hurry to retire and return home.

Inside the room, Chen Xuan watched him leave.

He looked around. It seemed that he would be the only one in Hundred Herb Valley for a long time to come.

Senior Brother Li had said he'd guarded the valley alone for decades.

Well, alone it was. At least things would be quiet. Time to cultivate!

The Floating Cloud Trial was a good chance to obtain cultivation resources. He had to seize the opportunity.

He couldn't be too greedy. He'd find a few tokens and then leave.

Thinking this, Chen Xuan stood up and returned to his room to continue cultivating.

He'd been in the sect for three days. His talent really was mediocre, and he still hadn't successfully drawn qi into his body. But he was close—probably just a day or two away.

Back in his room, Chen Xuan began cultivating the Flowing Cloud Technique.

This technique was the introductory cultivation method the Cloud Sea Sect specifically taught its disciples.

Although it was only an introductory technique, it could be cultivated all the way to the Dao Foundation Realm.

The Dao Foundation Realm was the third stage on this world's path of cultivation.

One's spiritual power solidified, one's strength became unfathomable, and one's lifespan could reach five hundred years.

Chen Xuan sat cross-legged on his bed. Spiritual energy gathered around him, swirling for a long while before finally pouring into his body.

As he successfully drew qi into his body, a ding rang out in Chen Xuan's mind.

[Enlightenment System bound successfully!]

Hmm?

A system!?

Chen Xuan's eyes lit up.

[This system can enlighten the cultivation techniques or Dao Techniques the host cultivates, granting them intelligence.]

[Generating status panel...]

[Host: Chen Xuan]

[Realm: Qi Gathering, First Level]

[Spirit Awakening Points: 5]

[Cultivation Technique: Flowing Cloud Technique (Not Enlightened)]

[Dao Techniques: None]

The system's status panel was concise.

Its function was easy to understand, too. He just didn't know what use a cultivation technique or Dao Technique would have if it gained intelligence.

Still... it was a system. It should be pretty useful, right?

There was one more thing.

Spirit Awakening Points were probably used to grant cultivation techniques or Dao Techniques intelligence, right?

Then how could he get more Spirit Awakening Points?

A question rose in Chen Xuan's mind.

[At this stage, Spirit Awakening Points can only be obtained by breaking through in cultivation. You will receive one Spirit Awakening Point for each major realm breakthrough.]

"Uh... just one point for an entire major realm?

"That's stingy... Oh well, it's better than nothing. At least I started with five Spirit Awakening Points.

"Besides, the system said Spirit Awakening Points can only be obtained through cultivation breakthroughs at this stage. Maybe it'll add more ways to get them later."

Chen Xuan thought to himself.

Then, without giving it any more thought, he decided to test the system.

After fiddling with it a bit, he found how to use a Spirit Awakening Point and used one on the Flowing Cloud Technique.

[Your cultivation technique, "Flowing Cloud Technique," is deeply dissatisfied with your cultivation.]

[Why is there only a wisp of spiritual energy? Does having a single wisp of spiritual energy even make you a cultivator?]

[Even a wild dog on the roadside could cultivate better than you.]

Chen Xuan: "..."

Chen Xuan stared in disbelief. Seriously, man... Was granting you intelligence just so you could mock me?

What do you mean even a wild dog would cultivate better than me?

I just started cultivating three days ago and only just drew qi into my body. Of course I'm weak!

I gave you intelligence so you could insult me?

[I decide my own fate, not Heaven!]

[Since you're so useless, I'll just become a sovereign myself!]

[Your cultivation technique, "Flowing Cloud Technique," has begun cultivating.]

Chen Xuan had just been about to argue with the Flowing Cloud Technique when he saw it begin cultivating on its own.

He could genuinely feel the spiritual energy in his body steadily increasing.

Well, what more was there to say?

Big brother, you're awesome. You were right to scold me. I'm the useless one!

Chen Xuan could barely keep the smile off his face.

Next, Chen Xuan began testing something.

He wanted to see whether the technique's autonomous cultivation would interfere with his doing other things.

He took out one of the two Dao Techniques he'd received upon entering the sect: Flowing Cloud Myriad Forms.

This was a top-tier Dao Technique.

Dao Techniques were divided into five grades: low, medium, high, top, and supreme.

The Cloud Sea Sect had an extremely deep foundation and was one of the top sects in the Azure Cloud Realm.

It was said that the Cloud Sea Sect's legacy came from the Upper Realm.

ps: The Human Dao Domain has fifteen realms.

Lower Five Realms: Qi Gathering, Spirit Sea, Dao Foundation, Purple Mansion, Nascent Soul (highest in the Small Thousand World)

Middle Five Realms: Dharma Aspect, Grotto Heaven, Profound Mastery, Life and Death, Nirvana (highest in the Middle Thousand World)

Upper Five Realms: Sub-Sage, Sage, Great Sage, Quasi-Emperor, Great Emperor (highest in the Great Thousand World)