Investigation of Things and Extension of Knowledge

The sky had not yet fully brightened, and the morning fog had yet to disperse, but the area before the outer disciples' quarters was already packed with people—some carrying gifts, some holding boxes, others shouting names—creating a noisy, chaotic crush.

The few at the front were dressed quite respectably. The moment they saw that Shen Qingzhou's door was still closed, they stopped from afar, scarcely daring to breathe. Only after sounds came from within did they all bow together, calling him Junior Brother Shen over and over in a lively chorus.

Shen Qingzhou threw on his clothes and pulled open the door. The disciples outside held up lacquered boxes; before they had even reached him, their waists had already bent low.

"Um, Junior Brother Shen, it's just a little something. Please don't look down on it."

Inside the box were two passable low-grade spirit stones and a small jar of Essence-Nourishing Pills. He did not refuse and simply accepted them.

Who said reputation could not put food on the table?

Right now, he had neither resources nor backing, and he was completely in the dark about the workings of the sect's seventy-two peaks. Rather than putting on airs, he might as well ride this wind and seize every benefit he could get his hands on.

That entire morning, his door never got a moment's peace.

Shen Qingzhou accepted every gift on the list. After all, this was how the world and its favors worked.

"Senior Brother, could I trouble you to give me a little guidance? Among our sect's seventy-two peaks, which ones have the thickest family coffers?"

He asked as if casually. Most of those who had come bearing gifts were willing to say a few extra words. After all, being able to speak with a genius was something that brought honor to one's face when mentioned outside.

"Sword-Coming Peak goes without saying. It's the number one peak of our Qi Refining Sect, and it has produced the most sword cultivators throughout the generations. The sect's prestige is basically upheld by them. Heavenly Craft Peak comes second. They specialize in artifact refining, and their coffers are the fullest; the elders of every generation have held plenty of good things in their hands. As for Cinnabar Glow Peak, they mainly refine pills, though their relationship with Sword-Coming Peak has never been too friendly..."

Hearing this, Shen Qingzhou followed the thread and asked another question.

"Then what do the peaks usually fight over? Disciples, or something else?"

The man glanced at him, seemingly thinking it was a good question, and immediately perked up.

"Junior Brother, since you just arrived, you may not know this. The foundation of our sect's cultivation lies in Qi Seeds. These Qi Seeds belong to the lineages of the Twenty-Eight Lodges. Sword-Coming Peak follows the metal-element sword Dao, and it has basically claimed all the Qi Seeds of the White Tiger Seven Lodges. Blackwater Peak follows the water element, corresponding to the Black Tortoise Seven Lodges."

Shen Qingzhou committed all those words to memory, then casually asked another question.

"I heard Sword-Coming Peak itself isn't a single solid slab of iron?"

The man froze for a moment, then lowered his voice.

"That's right. In recent years, Elder Li's faction has indeed held the greatest momentum in Sword-Coming Peak. The allocation of several high-grade Qi Seeds among the White Tiger Seven Lodges practically all has to pass through his hands. There are also several old elders on the peak...

But most of them drift like idle clouds and wild cranes and do not involve themselves much in such matters. Especially Cloudveil True Person—his seniority is extremely high, but the old master has not managed affairs for many years."

Shen Qingzhou quietly stored those words away.

For the sake of his future cultivation and obtaining resources, he had to learn much more.

The interests and stakes involved here truly needed to be weighed with utmost care...

Near noon, several more groups arrived.

The first to come was from Sword-Coming Peak. Their leader introduced himself as Zhou Huan, a registered disciple under Elder Li. His face carried a hint of reserved pride, though his words were quite pleasing.

"Junior Brother, for you to comprehend Tidal Sword Intent means you were born a seedling of the sword Dao. There is absolutely no reason for you to end up elsewhere."

Before his words had even faded, more people arrived outside.

This time it was a disciple from Blackwater Peak. He was rather refined-looking, dressed in a water-blue long robe, with a smiling face.

"Junior Brother Shen, enter our Blackwater Peak and inherit our water arts. Only by laying a solid foundation can you travel farther in the future."

The two groups ran straight into each other. They exchanged looks, and neither was willing to yield.

Zhou Huan gave a cold laugh.

"If a sword cultivator does not go to Sword-Coming Peak, wouldn't people laugh their teeth out if word got around?"

The Blackwater Peak disciple did not get angry and replied unhurriedly.

"The Tidal Sword Canon was originally a water-element sword art. The root of the water element lies in our Blackwater Peak. Has Senior Brother Zhou forgotten that?"

The two traded barbs back and forth. Shen Qingzhou merely said he needed further consideration, then sent both groups away.

He knew perfectly well that such an ambiguous attitude could not delay matters for long.

In the afternoon, another knock came from outside. This time, it was Zhao Heng.

He was the fellow who had taken third place in the competition and had once lost to the original owner of this body. Still, from what Shen Qingzhou remembered, his character was not bad.

Shen Qingzhou opened the door and saw Zhao Heng standing outside alone, holding a brocade box, his face drawn tight.

He held out the brocade box.

"Junior Brother Shen, thank you for your guidance before. I, Zhao, am not the sort who cannot tell good from bad. If I owe someone a favor, I cannot even sleep peacefully. This is a jade slip containing secret insights passed down by our Zhao Family. Consider it repayment for your gift. From now on, the two of us are even."

Shen Qingzhou accepted the box and opened it for a look. Inside lay a warm, lustrous jade slip.

This was truly no light gift.

Shen Qingzhou tucked the jade slip into his sleeve and replied politely.

"Then many thanks. Oh, right—how much do you know about the rules of the Qi-Gathering Ceremony?"

Zhao Heng thought for a while before speaking carefully.

"Our sect has a Twenty-Eight Lodges Qi Repository, and each Qi Seed has its own nature."

"This is also the natural advantage of our sect's disciples. We do not have to painstakingly learn Qi-gathering methods, nor do we have to be like those Rogue Cultivators, fighting until our heads are smashed and blood flows just for a low-grade Qi Seed."

Shen Qingzhou's brows stirred slightly.

"On the day of the ceremony, disciples enter in batches. Each batch contains dozens of Qi Seeds, with genuine and false, strong and weak all mixed together. Within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, disciples must choose the one that best suits their own Dao Path."

"Then... won't the elders offer a few pointers?"

Zhao Heng's tone was utterly certain.

"Absolutely not. This is a traditional sect examination. To put it plainly, if you cannot even see your own Dao clearly or make a judgment, then you do not deserve the best resources."

"Mm."

Shen Qingzhou nodded approvingly and did not interrupt.

Seeing that he understood, Zhao Heng continued, "There is one more thing you must remember: choosing a high-grade one is not necessarily a good thing. You must act according to your own capacity. Qi Seeds are divided into nine grades. The higher the grade, the stronger its Dao resonance, and the greater the requirements for compatibility with a cultivator's own foundation."

"So... you wear underwear according to the size of your ass," Shen Qingzhou summarized.

Zhao Heng looked at him, then burst into laughter.

"Exactly. That's the logic."

"Junior Brother Shen, your Tidal Sword Intent is a water-element sword Dao. By rights, you should choose a water-element Qi Seed. But the problem is that Sword-Coming Peak's repository has very few water-element Qi Seeds."

"No matter which peak you choose, you will have to make a trade-off in compatibility."

Shen Qingzhou fell silent for a while, then suddenly asked,

"What about Lu Chen? What does he plan to choose?"

Zhao Heng snorted coldly.

"His Sinking Mountain Sword Intent follows the path of earth's heaviness and solidity. He does not need to choose at all. Most likely, it will be Wèi Earth."

After saying this, he gave Shen Qingzhou a deeply meaningful look.

"Anyway, I've said what needed saying. As for which road you take, I trust you know it in your heart."

Watching his departing figure, Shen Qingzhou felt that although the man's spirit was high, his character was not bad. He was someone worth drawing to his side.

He suddenly recalled something and hurriedly chased out to call Zhao Heng back.

"By the way, Senior Brother Zhao, is it true that in Sword-Coming Peak, one can only become Elder Li's disciple?"

Hearing this, Zhao Heng turned back. He paused in surprise before speaking.

"The relationships involved are somewhat complicated. Although Sword-Coming Peak belongs under the White Tiger metal element, there are also separate Dao lineages within the metal element.

"Elder Li follows the Lou Metal Lineage, emphasizing one sword breaking ten thousand arts. But the White Tiger Seven Lodges contain more than just Lou Metal. Cloudveil True Person follows the Ginseng Water Ape Dao Lineage. It is likewise founded on metal, yet uses water as its application—metal gives birth to water, water moistens metal. It is entirely different from the Lou Metal path of charging forward without hesitation."

He paused, then continued.

"Your Tidal Sword Intent secretly accords with water resonance and is naturally close to the Ginseng Water Dao Lineage..."

Shen Qingzhou nodded and said nothing more.

After Zhao Heng left, he closed the door and carefully went over all the information he had gathered today in his mind.

He had to seriously consider which mountain he should join and under which master he should study.

It was not impossible to refrain from taking a master entirely, but obtaining resources and cultivation methods later would become far too difficult.

"Cultivate my own Dao and become half a Rogue Cultivator?"

After a brief consideration, Shen Qingzhou shook his head and rejected the idea.

For one thing, it differed too greatly from the original owner's personality. There was simply no explaining it.

For another, although the panel could improve his comprehension, it could not conjure cultivation manuals out of thin air.

As the saying went, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice. With empty hands, he would ultimately still need the sect's assistance.

Besides, ordinary people who wanted to enter the inner sect did not even get the chance to choose.

"Three days left..."

Shen Qingzhou's fingertips paused.

In these few short days, there was truly only so much he could do.

At present, other than grinding proficiency to the death and placing all his hopes on the Profession Panel, there was no other way.

"Panel, please pull through!"

Having settled his thoughts, he picked up his brush again, and time slipped by bit by bit.

When he finished copying the Tidal Sword Canon, his proficiency increased by ten points. His Scripture Master level had also reached the maximum for a Sutra-Copying Boy, and his profession level finally broke through.

[Proficiency +10]

[Proficiency +10]

...

[Profession Advancement!]

Shen Qingzhou's hand gripping the brush abruptly stopped.

"What is this..."

A cool awareness rippled out from the depths of his mind, as though a pair of invisible eyes were slowly opening within his divine sense.

He stared straight at the sword canon in his hand. Those black ink characters no longer seemed to be mere words.

Behind every stroke and every line, a faint layer of light seemed to shimmer.

His Scripture Master level had become Azure Satchel Scholar, and he had also comprehended a profession ability called Investigation of Things.

[Investigation of Things: Perceive the essential Dao resonance of objects, enhancing the ability to distinguish differences.]

Wasn't this basically an appraisal skill?

It was simply an ability that struck from a higher dimension.

Shen Qingzhou took a deep breath, and a glint of light appeared in his eyes.

"According to the original owner's previous test, I seem to have the destiny of Kan Water... In that case, I only need to choose a Qi Seed best suited to Kan Water when the time comes."

"And at this Qi-Gathering Ceremony, one must distinguish the true from the false and the superior from the inferior among Qi Seeds, then pick the one most compatible with one's Dao Path. Isn't this precisely where Investigation of Things comes into play?"