Cultivating the Nine-Turn Profound Art

Sun Zhiyun took the cultivation manual, flipped through it, and nodded. "All right, I'll take it."

She looked at Li Yao, her expression complicated. "Yao'er, you've grown up. You know how to think of the family now."

Li Yao grinned. "Mom, don't worry. I'll work hard at cultivating from now on. I won't embarrass you."

Sun Zhiyun smiled and tucked the manual into her robe. Then she turned to Li Zhiyun. "Let's go back to the border. Father's still waiting for us."

Li Zhiyun grunted in agreement. Without another word, he turned and headed out.

Sun Zhiyun followed him. At the doorway, she glanced back at Li Yao. Her lips moved as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing and left.

The two passed through the main gate and rose into the air, vanishing into the night in an instant.

Li Yao stood at the hall entrance, watching them disappear. His heart felt a little hollow.

His parents in this world treated him so well.

"Young Master, you should get some rest too," Li Wenbin said, walking over to pat his shoulder.

"Yeah. You should turn in early too, Uncle Bin."

Li Yao yawned and headed for his room.

He went inside, shut the door, and flopped onto the bed, still thinking about everything that had happened that day.

A broken engagement, a face-slapping, a system, cultivation techniques... I really have become the standard protagonist.

"System," he called silently.

"Ding. Host, I'm here."

"Is that Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique, the Nine-Turn Profound Art, the highest level there is?"

"Yes, Host. Heaven-Rank Cultivation Techniques are the highest-level techniques currently known in this world."

Li Yao frowned. "In this world? Does that mean there's something higher?"

The system fell silent for a few seconds before replying, "Host, when your Background Value reaches one million, you can unlock higher-level cultivation techniques—and other things besides."

Li Yao's eyes lit up.

"Seriously? A million? I've only got seventy thousand. I'm nowhere close."

"Host can accumulate it gradually. For now, I recommend cultivating the technique you already have to increase your strength. You can switch techniques later, so there is no need to worry about being unable to cultivate a higher-level technique when one becomes available."

Li Yao thought it over. The system was right. There was no point looking that far ahead. He needed to focus on what was in front of him.

Cultivation techniques were divided into low, middle, high, Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven Ranks.

The first three were as common as dirt. Ever since the Spiritual Energy Revival a century ago, the government had coordinated the distribution of low-, middle-, and high-rank techniques to schools across the country.

Yellow-Rank techniques, on the other hand, were generally held by families and factions with some power. In a word, they were "monopolized."

Li Yao currently cultivated the Heart-Concentration Art, a Profound-Rank Cultivation Technique passed down by the Li Family. Li Fuhai had been the one to find it.

The Li Family's core members all cultivated the Heart-Concentration Art. Only its strongest fighters, such as Li Fuhai and Li Zhiyun, cultivated Li Fuhai's Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique, Phantom Sea Waves.

As for everyone else, some cultivated second-rate Yellow-Rank techniques, while others were still using low-, middle-, or high-rank ones.

"What am I waiting for? I'm switching!" Li Yao sprang up from the bed. "System, transfer the technique to me."

"Ding. Host, do you confirm that you wish to cultivate the Nine-Turn Profound Art?"

"Yes, yes. Hurry up," Li Yao said impatiently.

"Ding. Technique transfer commencing." The moment the voice faded, a flood of information surged into Li Yao's mind, packed with cultivation formulas and circulation routes.

"Holy Chovy, there's so much?" His head felt swollen, but he quickly adjusted.

The information was crystal clear, as though it had been in his mind all along.

"All right, System. I've got it."

"Ding. Host has mastered the Nine-Turn Profound Art. I recommend beginning cultivation immediately."

Li Yao nodded, sat cross-legged on the bed, and closed his eyes. Following the technique's formulas, he began circulating the energy within him.

It felt awkward at first, but he soon found the rhythm.

He could feel the meridians in his body slowly being remade. Places that had once been blocked were opening up.

A warm current traveled through his body, starting at his Dantian and flowing slowly along his meridians. Each acupoint it passed seemed to awaken, giving off a faint glow. Whoa, this feels... Li Yao could not help marveling. This feels amazing.

He continued circulating the technique. The warm current grew stronger and stronger, until it gathered in his Dantian like a miniature sun, radiating gentle light.

Ding. Host's cultivation progress: 1%.

"Whoa, only one percent?" Li Yao opened his eyes in disbelief. "It feels like I've been at this for ages, and I'm only at one percent?"

"The Nine-Turn Profound Art is a Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique and is difficult to cultivate. I recommend that Host continue cultivating to increase your strength."

Li Yao pursed his lips, but there was nothing he could do. He was the one who had chosen a Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique.

He felt the power inside him. It was only one percent, but the difference was already obvious.

Back when he cultivated the Heart-Concentration Art, he could go ten days or half a month without sensing any progress. Now, after such a short time, he could already feel considerably more power in his body. How strong will I be when I reach one hundred percent? Li Yao felt delighted just thinking about it.

He decided to strike while the iron was hot and keep cultivating.

"System, I'm going to practice a while longer."

"Very well, Host. I recommend cultivating for at least four hours each day to improve efficiency."

Li Yao nodded, closed his eyes again, and sat cross-legged as he circulated the technique.

This time, everything flowed much more smoothly. The formulas felt etched into his mind. Without even thinking about them, his energy followed the prescribed routes on its own.

He felt his meridians widening bit by bit, while the power in his Dantian slowly grew.

Time slipped by. Li Yao became so absorbed in cultivation that he forgot all about it.

Meanwhile, above the clouds.

"He is Yao'er," Sun Zhiyun said suddenly. Her voice was soft, but Li Zhiyun heard her clearly.

Li Zhiyun's flow of Spiritual Qi faltered for a moment. Then he turned to look at her.

Sun Zhiyun nodded again. "I examined him. There's nothing wrong with his soul. He's Yao'er."

Li Zhiyun was silent for a few seconds before he spoke. "He is. I examined him too and found nothing amiss."

Sun Zhiyun sighed. "But Father said he had a feeling something would happen to Yao'er."

Li Zhiyun frowned. "Father's feelings have always been accurate. Last time he said something would happen at the border, and it did. If he says something will happen to Yao'er this time, it can't have come from nowhere."

Sun Zhiyun turned to him. "Then what do we do?"

"Let's return to the border and tell Father." Li Zhiyun paused. "As for Yao'er, we'll have Li Wenbin keep a closer eye on him."

Sun Zhiyun murmured her agreement and said no more.