Cloud Rain Technique, News

"Although the Minor Cloud Rain Technique could expand its coverage as one's cultivation rose once it was cultivated to perfection, it ultimately only gathered clouds and dropped water. It could not be considered a true Cloud Rain Technique."

Lu Qing had not been able to see it clearly before, but once he entered the Purple Mansion Realm, his Purple Mansion nurtured a Divine Soul, and after undergoing another baptism of enlightenment, when he looked upon the heavens again, what he saw was no longer merely the clouds and rain on the surface, but strands of the natural laws flowing through the workings of heaven and earth.

"The natural laws of heaven and earth are here. Minor Cloud Rain has yet to touch upon laws, but this Cloud Rain Technique is different." Lu Qing held a thundercloud in his palm. The jet-black thundercloud slowly revolved above his hand. Though its appearance was exquisitely small, within it lay traces of something that was no longer merely spiritual energy, but carried an additional, indescribable resonance.

The two great laws of cloud and rain had been stripped of complexity and reduced to simplicity by this technique, providing a shortcut for reaching the natural laws of heaven and earth more quickly. Once Lu Qing began cultivating it, he could not help but sigh that the Great Dao was simple at its core. Such a plainly named Cloud Rain Technique contained the profound principles of cultivation that countless people found impossible to touch. Spending over a hundred contribution points on it was well worth it.

"I wonder just how formidable a divine ability like Call the Wind and Summon the Rain truly is." The more he cultivated, the more reverence he felt. Lu Qing was likewise curious about the scenery at greater heights, but compared to others, he was not quite so impatient. Still, securing the strength to protect himself was essential.

With a thought from Lu Qing, the thundercloud in his hand drifted away along his palm. Soon, an extra layer of thunderclouds suddenly appeared in the clear winter sky at broad daylight.

Thunder rumbled within, yet no flashes of lightning or bolts of thunder could be seen.

It covered roughly the nearby area. Quite a few people looked up at the weather, unable to tell the difference between it and genuine natural conditions.

"It's already deep winter. Is winter thunder coming, or is it going to snow and rain again?"

"Heh, better not let it rain. Rainwater is freezing cold, and it hurts when it pelts your face."

"Hah! Just put up a Spiritual Power barrier. If that won't do, buy an umbrella. You're cultivators, after all."

Beneath the thunderclouds, some looked at the sky and laughed, while other cultivators complained in confusion.

Lu Qing was not about to bring a downpour upon Spirit Terrace County in such frigid winter weather. Though what he summoned was indeed rain, it turned into ice-cold chunks of ice the moment it fell to the ground.

He could alter things for a time, but he could not control every inch of change in the weather and terrain, nor could he freeze it in place forever. After all, he did not yet possess any profound divine abilities.

Once he had cultivated enough, Lu Qing waved his sleeve again. The thunderclouds in the sky swiftly dispersed, revealing the daylight behind them once more.

The sunlight was not warm. Lu Qing stepped over the snow-covered ground without constantly displaying his movement technique, yet he still passed like wind without a trace, leaving scarcely any marks in the snow.

"Second Realm of the Purple Mansion. Cultivation is like climbing a height—one step, one stair, and each stair is higher than the last."

With a wave of Lu Qing's hand, the teapot and teacups on the jade table remained untouched by the heavy snow.

Clear water boiled by itself, while two tea leaves likewise drifted down from the tea tree of their own accord and fell into the open mouth of the teapot. In an instant, a rich fragrance of tea surged forth, driving the chill around them back more than thirty feet with its fragrant warmth.

His token flashed with spiritual light. A message had arrived.

White Crane Boy: "Lu Qing, the Outer Academy Grand Tournament starts in early April. Aren't you planning to register?"

After their last communication, White Crane Boy had learned that Lu Qing's current circumstances were leisurely. Whenever it happened to catch Lu Qing in seclusion, it would leave behind a few messages.

What it wanted to discuss now was the Outer Academy Grand Tournament.

Lu Qing: "My cultivation is too shallow, and I lack the ability. I won't be joining the excitement."

White Crane Boy seemed not to know where he was, but his reply came much faster.

White Crane Boy: "Tsk, tsk, what a pity. The Outer Academy Grand Tournament has always been extremely lively. But I think you're right. You're stationed outside now, and traveling back and forth would be troublesome."

Lu Qing did not find it much of a pity. There were gains and losses. That insider disciple had originally sworn it would be held in the blazing summer, but it was now clearly the season of spring blossoms, with no connection whatsoever to the hot summer.

He did not know whether some change had occurred above, or what considerations lay behind it. In any case, its early arrival had instead completely removed Lu Qing's concerns.

The Purple Mansion Realm was the starting threshold for registration. To enter the Inner Academy, one could currently choose to take a master, enter through the grand tournament, reach Core Formation, or possess a monstrous aptitude—stranger constitutions such as Immortal roots, Dao bones, and divine bodies even more monstrous than Heaven-Grade Aptitude. The paths appeared numerous, but in truth, none could escape the two factors of strength and talent.

Lu Qing was only at the Second Realm of the Purple Mansion, his cultivation far too low. The grand tournament selected the top hundred. Judging by previous years, even the lowest-ranked among them possessed the Eighth Realm of the Purple Mansion, while quite a few near the top had even reached Core Formation. The reason they did not directly enter the Inner Academy was perhaps, first, for fame; second, for ranking rewards; and another possibility was that those without masters might catch the eye of an elder during the tournament and be accepted as personal disciples.

Lu Qing: "There's nothing to regret. Even if I wanted to register, with bad luck I'd be eliminated in the first round."

White Crane Boy: "I knew you wouldn't participate. Heh, but it's nothing. The grand tournament is only a bit livelier. Cultivating in that Spirit Terrace County of yours is far more carefree than where I am..."

Lu Qing chatted with White Crane Boy a while longer about the current news from the Outer Academy. The Outer Academy was too vast; even White Crane Boy could only say that nothing was happening in the Dao Academy at present. After the last Demon-Slaying Mission, another group of disciples had been sent to that region, and a purple-robed elder had taken action. It seemed they intended to turn that area into a secret realm for training, to be used by disciples of the Body Refinement branch.

Lu Qing had not expected that to be the aftermath, but after considering it, he felt that this was the cultivation world after all. Transforming it into a secret realm did not seem particularly difficult.

Of course, after setting down his token, Lu Qing also looked toward the jade slip representing intelligence.

Unlike his own indifferent calm, there was already news inside that quite a few disciples had emerged directly from seclusion because of this announcement.

The number of famous disciples appearing was even greater than during the Demon-Slaying Mission. Lu Qing did not need to think much about it. Merely recalling the streams of escaping light and white light flying across the skies during the Demon-Slaying Mission was enough to tell him what a magnificent sight the mountain gate would become.

After the older disciples appeared, the batch of disciples who had entered last year—including Lu Qing's own group—had nearly lost all their prominence. Only those with the highest aptitude could still contend with some older disciples before the tournament date was confirmed.

But after the tournament was confirmed, many unfamiliar faces appeared in the Outer Academy.

This was the grand tournament, an opportunity to enter the Inner Academy and make one's name. Not a single disciple was easy to deal with. Temperament, combat experience, external equipment, and all manner of other factors would play substantial roles in the tournament.

[What the hell? I thought I'd make the rankings when I emerged from seclusion today. Why are all the people above me Purple Mansion Realm disciples?!]
[What terrible luck. I was near the top before, but now I've fallen off the rankings. My Spirit Stones!]
[Yeah, why can't they make a separate ranking for them? This isn't fair.]
[Another grand tournament... I'm dying of envy. When will I ever reach Foundation Establishment?]
[Stop arguing up there. This happens every grand tournament. Stay calm, stay calm. Just wait until after the tournament to enter the arena again. It'll be better then.]

There were also seasoned disciples offering advice from the experience of those who had been there before.