Visualization Method Minor Mastery, Sutra Lecture Hall

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

Zhu Yu sat cross-legged on his bed, flipping through Records of the Heavenly Dao Sect, when his heart suddenly stirred. Coming back to himself, a vast amount of cultivation knowledge concerning the Basic Visualization Method emerged from the depths of his mind out of nowhere.

In those memories—

Day after day, he meditated through dull repetition. While condensing Soul Particles, he continuously fine-tuned his methods for visualizing the Three-Ring Pattern. There were successes and failures along the way, but with each attempt, the Three-Ring Pattern became simpler and more efficient.

Following an indistinct flash of insight, Zhu Yu immersed himself in meditation.

Within his consciousness space, his intent transformed into a brush tip. With a single point, he naturally outlined the outer ring. Then, as though he had broken through some kind of shackle, the inexplicable resistance diminished by more than half. His strokes seemed blessed by the gods, and the two intersecting inner rings took shape in an instant.

Unlike its former stiffness, the Three-Ring Pattern now carried a trace of liveliness. It trembled faintly as if about to leap from the page, and its speed of absorbing soul power had clearly increased considerably.

When it transformed into pale golden motes and vanished into the boundless Divine Sea—

Zhu Yu's mind returned, and he summoned the panel.

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["Basic Visualization Diagram" Proficient → Minor Mastery "1/1000", derived trait: Spirit Condensing "improves the efficiency of condensing soul power, making it easier to enter meditation"]

"Spirit Condensing..."

After his initial surprise, Zhu Yu silently tested it out. His expression promptly became even more delighted.

Previously, condensing a single Soul Particle through meditation required three hours. Now that the Basic Visualization Method had reached Minor Mastery and granted him the derived trait Spirit Condensing, condensing a Soul Particle took only one hour. His cultivation time had been greatly shortened.

"Next, I need to find disciples who are rich but have terrible comprehension..."

Dismissing the panel, Zhu Yu thought for a moment before rising from the bed. He put on the black robe distributed by the Sect and carefully inspected himself. Only after confirming that very little skin was exposed did he head for the door.

After leaving the room—

A quiet path came into view.

The Earth Cavern did not have stones embedded within it that emitted sunlight like those in the rooms. Instead, all sorts of vegetation that glimmered with faint fluorescent light had been planted there. Black stone houses shaped like coffins stood hidden behind them, lending the place a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

Zhu Yu did not find this strange.

Although this was the residential area for newly admitted disciples, quite a few Qi Refining cultivators who were short on funds had shamelessly refused to move out.

To Qi Refining cultivators, mortals like them, who had yet to achieve Qi Refining, were simply too young and too fragile. They could not even withstand the naturally emitted aura of such cultivators.

If a mortal stayed beside a Qi Refining cultivator, the Basic Visualization Diagram permanently formed in the cultivator's Divine Sea would naturally draw in the mortal's soul power, while Spiritual Power radiated into their flesh.

Over time—

The mortal's soul would wither, their Blood Qi would dry up, and they would die.

The glowing plants cultivated in the Earth Cavern and the black robe Zhu Yu wore were both meant to absorb and isolate the aura of Qi Refining cultivators.

At that thought, Zhu Yu subconsciously tightened his robe. He looked around, then slowly stepped onto the path.

The newly admitted disciples' area was not large, spanning less than a few miles.

As he walked, he found that most were newly admitted disciples like himself, tightly wrapped in black robes. Whenever they happened upon a Qi Refining cultivator without a black robe, they avoided him from afar as though encountering the plague god, waiting for him to leave before continuing on.

"Acting this wantonly—aren't they afraid that newly admitted disciples will come looking for trouble after advancing to Qi Refining?"

Hiding behind a glowing plant, Zhu Yu watched the burly man in the distance swagger away with his upper body bare. Then he looked at the black-robed figures hiding everywhere, just like himself, and silently shook his head.

After the man left, Zhu Yu returned to the path and quickened his pace considerably.

He passed through several winding paths.

Half an hour later—

A three-story Stone Pagoda surrounded by a profusion of colorful plants came into view.

"Sutra Lecture Hall."

Because the Earth Cavern lay underground, day and night were distinguished by twelve star-like Moon Stones embedded in the vault overhead. A full moon signified day, while a crescent moon signified night; time was determined by the number of full and crescent moons, as well as the brightness of their light.

At the moment, six full moons hung overhead. Five shone brightly, while one was slightly dimmer.

By the standards of Zhu Yu's previous life, it was a little past five in the morning, not yet six.

Upon entering within a hundred meters of the Stone Pagoda—

A stream of unfamiliar information silently entered Zhu Yu's mind. It recorded the many lecturers teaching at the Sutra Lecture Hall that day, along with their classroom locations.

The courses truly were all "basic."

With a sweep of his gaze, he saw mostly things like Basic Visualization Method, Detailed Explanation of Basic Human Body Heaven and Earth Meridian, Basic Spell Construction and Spiritual Object Details, Basic corpse Repair/Maintenance Guidelines, Detailed Explanation of Basic Cultivation...

Zhu Yu examined them carefully, and his heart filled with delight.

The Sutra Lecture Hall offered the most classes on the Basic Visualization Method, as well as Detailed Explanation of Basic Human Body Heaven and Earth Meridian and Basic Spell Construction and Spiritual Object Details.

And the more often a course was taught, the more customers there were for that category.

When the sixth full moon became complete—

Black-robed figures began appearing outside the Stone Pagoda, either alone or in groups of three or five. Once they learned the course information, a buzz of hushed voices immediately erupted.

"Senior Brother Ma actually has a class today. I heard he's already advanced to Late Qi Refining. His fire arts are like a fire god incarnate—fierce beyond compare. One Contribution Point for fifteen minutes is simply too worthwhile!"

"Heh... Senior Brother Ma is impressive, sure, but teaching is different. Senior Brother Wu has immersed himself in the Basic Visualization Method... for decades. When it comes to lectures and instruction, Senior Brother Wu is still the one to choose..."

"Senior Brother Li, he's only..."

The crowd discussed in low voices as they entered the Stone Pagoda one after another.

Zhu Yu watched from the side. In such a short time, dozens of people had entered the Stone Pagoda. While delighted, he could not help feeling somewhat sour.

"Are the locals all this wealthy...?"

Unlike disciples like them, who had been picked up from the outer regions by guiding cultivators—

Most of these people were descendants of lineage cultivators who survived by relying on the Heavenly Dao Sect, or children of Rogue Cultivators who made their living by opening markets within the Heavenly Dao Sect. Compared to Zhu Yu and the others, who had nothing to their names, they already possessed some resources for cultivation before even entering the path.

"I'm going to earn their Contribution Points and Spirit Stones!"

Zhu Yu thought fiercely. Then he stood nearby, observing the people entering and leaving the Stone Pagoda while pondering how he should sell his Basic Visualization Method lessons.

It would be best not to make a big fuss.

If one of the lecturers spotted him and thought he was stealing business, they might not dare kill him, but even a little "fellow disciples' friendly exchange" would be more than enough for him to suffer.

As he thought this, half an hour passed in a flash.

Perhaps they had some savings but not enough to spend the entire day in the Sutra Lecture Hall. Groups of two and three emerged from the Stone Pagoda, whispering excitedly to each other.

"Senior Brother Wu truly deserves his decades immersed in the Basic Visualization Method. His explanations were incredibly detailed. When I go back this time, I'll definitely gain some insight."

"How much of the Detailed Explanation of Basic Human Body Heaven and Earth Meridian did you understand? Senior Brother Bai explained it in great detail, but I always feel as if I understood it and yet didn't..."

"Ah, becoming a Spirit Planter is far too difficult. Constructing the Little Cloud-Rain Technique actually requires 'Cloud Demon Blood' and 'Spirit Spring Stone Powder'... Neither is something I could obtain..."

"Senior Brother Lu explained the Marrow-Washing Method in great detail. Next time..."

"..."

Voices continuously poured into Zhu Yu's ears—some joyful, some complaining. He listened for a while. Seeing people disperse in twos and threes, he hesitated briefly before walking straight toward a black-robed figure with a broad back.

There was no other reason. Only this person was loudly proclaiming how much he had gained, how his family had prepared a huge barrel of Meditation Fluid for him, how effective it was, and how he was just waiting for the Basic Visualization Method to break through Proficient so he could refine it and so on...

To Zhu Yu—

What else could that be but a fat sheep ripe for the slaughter?

Liang Kuan walked with the swagger of a man who recognized neither kin nor king, though the corner of his eye kept glancing behind him. When he saw a skinny black-robed figure hurrying after him, delight immediately welled up in his heart.

"Someone's finally interested in Meditation Fluid!"

"Se... Senior Brother, I'm here to help you enter the path!" Zhu Yu beamed and raised a hand. "Senior Brother, please wait!"