Li Mofan paced two excited steps, then turned his solemn gaze toward Su Yun.
"Disciple, your talent is simply heaven-defying."
"Others rush to advance, establishing their foundations as soon as they reach the ninth layer, afraid of wasting their lifespans."
"But you're different."
"You have an excellent foundation, and your lifespan is more than sufficient."
"Let me give you a word of advice."
"Don't rush to establish your foundation."
"While you're young, your vital energy is vigorous, your soul pure, and your potential limitless. Build up your reserves as much as you can."
"Raise them as high as you possibly can."
"Try to reach the perfect thirteenth layer of Qi Refining before establishing your foundation!"
"The Dao Foundation forged that way will be flawless. Your future path will be broad, with limitless potential!"
Countless geniuses had rushed to establish their foundations, fixed their paths too early, and ultimately remained stuck there for the rest of their lives.
He didn't want his only disciple with a Heavenly Spirit Root to repeat their mistakes.
Su Yun understood and bowed slightly.
"Disciple will remember Master's teachings. I'll strive to reach the utmost perfection in Qi Refining before breaking through to Foundation Establishment."
Seeing that his disciple was obedient and sensible, with a steady mindset and not the least bit restless or arrogant, Li Mofan was even more pleased.
In high spirits, he raised a hand and waved.
A weighty storage pouch flew out and landed in Su Yun's hand.
"There are five hundred middle-grade spirit stones inside."
"Take them and focus on your cultivation in seclusion."
"I've also given you a thousand contribution points. Don't worry about resources; I'll cover everything."
Su Yun took the storage pouch, and his thoughts stirred.
Another fortune had just come his way.
He looked up at once, his gaze resolute, and took the initiative to make a request.
"Master, I have something to ask."
"Go ahead."
"I want to take part in the sect competition two months from now."
"I hope to win a spot and enter the Magneto Secret Realm to train."
At those words, the pleased look on Li Mofan's face faded slightly.
He pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"Su Yun, I know you're gifted."
"But there are only twenty places in the entire sect for the Magneto Secret Realm."
"Everyone competing for them is among the sect's top Qi Refining eighth- and ninth-layer disciples."
"You're only at the fifth layer right now. The gap is too great."
"The sect's rules come first. Even though you're my personal disciple, I can't make an exception and pull strings for you."
He'd meant to protect Su Yun.
The Secret Realm held opportunities, but it was also dangerous.
He didn't want his precious disciple dragged into a fight too early and exposed to peril.
But Su Yun's tone was firm, neither servile nor arrogant.
"Master, there's no need to make an exception for me."
"Nor do you need to pull strings."
"There's still more than a month before the competition."
"I promise I'll break through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining before it begins."
"My Heavenly Spirit Root gives me far denser spiritual power than others at the same level, and I have a solid foundation."
"Even against an established disciple at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, I can still put up a fight."
"I want to win a place in the Secret Realm through my own ability."
Li Mofan fell into thought as he looked at the boy's steady, resolute gaze.
He wanted to keep Su Yun sheltered beneath his wings.
To let him cultivate in peace and grow at a steady pace.
But then he reconsidered.
A greenhouse could never nurture a powerhouse who could hold up the heavens and earth.
Smooth sailing could never forge an invincible Dao Heart.
A cultivator's life was about defying Heaven itself: striding through storms, hacking through brambles, and braving life and death.
Constant protection might look like love, but in truth, it only held someone back.
Too much comfort, too soon, would only snuff out one's edge.
Only by enduring combat, competition, rivalry, and trials
could one truly grow, transform, and soar.
In just a few short breaths, Li Mofan's thoughts cleared.
He nodded firmly.
"Good! That's the spirit!"
"I won't make an exception, show favoritism, or bend the rules."
"If you can reach the top twenty in the sect competition through your own strength,"
"then I'll approve your entry into the Magneto Secret Realm!"
"Thank you, Master!" Su Yun bowed slightly.
"Go."
"Return to your quarters and cultivate in seclusion."
"I'll see how you do in a little over a month."
"Disciple takes his leave."
Su Yun turned and left the main hall with unhurried steps.
Watching the boy's tall, straight back,
Li Mofan's eyes brimmed with anticipation.
He was eager to see
what dazzling brilliance Su Yun would reveal at the sect competition.
After leaving the main hall,
Su Yun didn't return to Cloud Abode to cultivate in seclusion right away.
Instead, he changed direction and headed straight for the sect's Technique Pavilion.
If he wanted to make the most of the Secret Realm, raw strength alone wouldn't be nearly enough.
The Secret Realm was full of opportunities, spirit herbs, and ancient relics.
Whether he could find any of them depended on luck, perception, and treasure-hunting skills.
Ordinary disciples wandered aimlessly through a Secret Realm, taking whatever they happened to find.
Su Yun didn't believe in leaving things to chance.
He wanted to search actively, find treasures precisely, and sweep up every resource the Secret Realm had to offer.
So he needed to learn a treasure-hunting spell.
Treasure-hunting spells weren't combat techniques, nor were they mainstream support techniques.
They were extremely obscure.
There was a practical reason no one cultivated them.
Low-grade treasure-hunting spells were next to useless.
They could only detect crude, shallow resources, over a tiny range and with weak sensitivity—better than nothing, but not by much.
High-grade treasure-hunting spells had an extremely high barrier to entry.
They demanded absurd levels of comprehension, took a very long time to cultivate, and consumed a great deal of time and effort.
A cultivator's lifespan was limited, so cultivation was best spent improving combat strength and breaking through realms.
No one wanted to waste a huge amount of time on an unorthodox spell that didn't directly improve their strength.
Over time,
treasure-hunting spells had become completely obscure, ignored by everyone.
Su Yun entered the Technique Pavilion and went straight up to the third-floor loft.
There were very few people on the third floor.
Bookcases stood in rows all around, densely packed with jade slips containing all kinds of obscure, miscellaneous, and specialized techniques.
The air was quiet, broken only by the faint rustle of a few disciples browsing jade slips.
Su Yun quickly scanned the rows of shelves.
A moment later,
a plain, black jade slip in the innermost corner of a bookshelf caught his eye.
[Myriad Phenomena Spirit-Seeking Technique]
Grade: High-tier unorthodox secret art.
Effects: Senses the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, pinpoints rare natural treasures, remnants of Secret Realm auras, traces left by ancient relics, and hidden mineral veins.
Upon reaching perfection, it can penetrate layers of earth, formations, and shallow restrictions to accurately locate all kinds of hidden treasures.
Su Yun's eyes lit up.
This was it.
This was the all-purpose treasure-hunting technique he needed most.
He picked up the jade slip and read the introductory notes and cultivation instructions.
The very first line was a bold warning.
[This technique is extremely difficult. Those lacking sufficient comprehension must not attempt it, or they will waste contribution points and time for nothing. Forcing your way through it can easily throw your soul into disarray.]
He read on.
The cultivation requirements, difficulty, and bottlenecks were all extreme.
Difficult to begin, difficult to master, and even harder to perfect.
An ordinary genius might spend a year on it and still fail to grasp the basics.
The entire jade slip was devoted to warning off those with mediocre aptitude.
Su Yun skimmed all the notes, completely unconcerned.
For others, it was an insurmountable chasm.
For him, it was as good as nothing.
No matter how difficult a spell was, if others couldn't master it in ten days, he could do it in one.
If one day wasn't enough, he'd take two.
As long as he had enough time, he could rely on Thousandfold Amplification to force his way to perfection.
He glanced at the price in the lower-right corner of the jade slip.
One thousand contribution points.
The price was high enough to deter nine out of ten inner-sect disciples.
But for Su Yun, it was just right.
His Master's reward had included not only spirit stones, but also a thousand contribution points.
It was a perfect fit, without wasting a single point.