The next day.
Jiang Man collected the Simple Visualization Method first thing.
He looked it over. It was worlds apart from a Mortal Grade Superior Visualization Method.
Compared with the Water-Wood Visualization Method, the Simple Visualization Method was practically plain speech from start to finish, easy to understand and easy to get started with.
After collecting the Visualization Method, Jiang Man gave it no further thought.
No matter what, he was already several days late.
It could be explained, but it could also arouse suspicion.
There was nothing worth dwelling on.
The odds of anyone from the sect coming to find him were low. They paid little attention to people like them to begin with.
After all, to those mighty cultivators perched high above in the sect...
People taking part in the experiment like them were no different from poor village boys.
Why would they need to pay them much attention?
They just needed to do their own work and then leave.
In the days that followed, Jiang Man faced no further obstacles in the Sixth Courtyard.
But Luo Xuan and the others worked extremely hard.
Some practiced Spell Arts diligently, while others tried to raise their cultivation realms.
Jiang Man practiced Spell Arts during the day and circulated his Qi Refining Method at night to improve his cultivation.
In just a few days, Jiang Man's Dragon-Suppressing Method had reached the ninth layer.
The Collapsing Flow Technique had also reached the fifth layer.
The Azure Smoke Prelude was only at the third layer.
He had not learned basic swordsmanship.
As for his cultivation, there had been little progress.
The sixth gourd was only a tenth full.
He needed to buy enough Spirit-Gathering Pills to fill the sixth "gourd" with water.
The seventh layer required strengthening his physical body. He probably would not get the chance.
But he could not give up either.
December 1.
Jiang Man was to guard the gate today.
However, he was on the night shift, so it would not interfere with his daytime study and cultivation.
That night.
Jiang Man was brought to a dimly lit gate.
The person who brought him was the woman who had guided him at the Spirit-Gathering Hall before.
"This is the place. This is a side gate. Outside is an alley leading into the city, while the main road connects to some villages in the mountains," the guide said seriously. "People from those villages also come through this gate from time to time.
"You only need to stand guard here and keep unauthorized people out, Young Master Jiang.
"Every student cultivator has identification, so you'll need to check it as well.
"Of course, some of the previous guards didn't check.
"They only relied on experience to inspect suspicious people.
"But if something goes wrong, you may be held accountable."
At that, Jiang Man thanked her for the reminder.
"It's only right. I won't disturb you any longer, Young Master Jiang." As she spoke, she left Jiang Man a booklet. "These are some things to bear in mind. You can look through it when you have time.
"If you want to cultivate, that's fine too. Just cultivate beside the entrance, so long as someone remains here."
She spoke politely and respectfully.
This was her attitude after learning that Jiang Man had taken first place.
Even Steward Miao had to bow his head, so naturally, she dared not offend him.
Fortunately, he seemed easy to talk to.
Otherwise...
She would lose quite a few Spirit Sources.
Jiang Man watched her leave, then surveyed his surroundings.
Though it was a side gate, it was not cramped.
There was a pavilion beside the gate where he could rest.
A faint lamp burned there.
In the moonlight, Jiang Man could see some mountains ahead.
There were indeed lights nearby, shining out from the alley.
This gate stood on the edge of Falling Cloud City.
Finding a spot, Jiang Man opened his Spell Arts book and began reading.
He decided to practice the Collapsing Flow Technique.
After reviewing Teacher Fu's instructions, he began circulating the Spell Art to practice.
His Spell-Art Innate Qi moved with it.
Once, twice.
Beneath the starlight, Jiang Man's figure never stopped moving.
Some people coming and going were surprised to see him.
Since when had a guard become so diligent?
But no one paid it much mind.
After midnight.
Jiang Man had practiced sixty-four times.
The Collapsing Flow Technique reached the sixth layer.
Afterward, he continued practicing.
All the way until dawn.
He still had not reached the seventh layer.
He needed to practice for a while longer.
There was no rush.
That evening, Jiang Man came to stand guard again.
This time, he began practicing as soon as he arrived.
Some student cultivators could not make sense of it.
But they decided not to use this gate anymore.
Seeing a guard work so diligently made them uncomfortable.
Before midnight, Jiang Man's Collapsing Flow Technique reached the eighth layer.
With some hard work tomorrow, he could reach the ninth layer too.
At midnight on the third day.
Jiang Man brought one foot down, and the surrounding ground seemed to split like a turtle's shell, cracks spreading across it.
The Collapsing Flow Technique reached the ninth layer.
He had done it.
Now only the Azure Smoke Prelude remains. It's a good Spell Art for close combat, but getting it to the ninth layer will be even harder.
Still, there are ten or so days left. There's enough time.
With these alone, Jiang Man was unsure whether he could match Luo Xuan and the others.
But there was nothing else he could do.
He could not afford other Spell Arts, so he could only do his best to improve his cultivation.
If he could reach Qi Refining, Seventh Layer, everything would fall into place like a blade splitting bamboo.
With that, Jiang Man made his decision.
But his current Spirit Sources would certainly not be enough.
He would have to borrow some from Little Fatty.
The leap from Qi Refining Sixth Layer to Qi Refining, Seventh Layer was no small one.
But just as Jiang Man was about to practice the Azure Smoke Prelude, he suddenly saw a figure limping toward him along the main road.
That direction...
Should be toward the mountains.
Jiang Man watched the man approach.
He was a dark-skinned, middle-aged man.
He looked to be over fifty.
His back was hunched, and he looked quite exhausted.
He glanced around and spotted Jiang Man right away.
He hurried over.
Jiang Man lowered his gaze to the man's feet. There were bloodstains mixed with the mud on his trousers. He had probably been injured on the way here.
There were clear traces of the Spirit Travel Step.
"Sir Guard, I'm here to find someone." The man bowed respectfully.
"Who are you looking for?" Jiang Man asked curiously.
He did have a duty to notify the people inside.
"Fang Yong of the Azure Cloud Pavilion's Sixth Courtyard," the man said at once.
Jiang Man was a little surprised.
He had actually come looking for Fang Yong.
"What is your relationship to him?" Jiang Man asked.
The man opened his mouth, but quickly swallowed what he had been about to say and changed his answer. "I'm the steward of his household. I'm here to deliver his Cultivation Gold."
"Weren't the Cultivation Gold due in September?" Jiang Man asked, puzzled.
At that, the man said awkwardly, "There were some delays at the household, so I'm late bringing them. Um... it should still be in time, shouldn't it?"
Jiang Man recalled how Mr. Zhao had told the Sixth Courtyard to pay their Cultivation Gold back in August.
Everyone had thought he meant Jiang Man.
But it had actually been Fang Yong?
He had wondered about that. He had already settled things with Mr. Zhao then.
Why would he have brought it up again?
The man sounded a little apprehensive as he asked whether he was still in time.
Jiang Man thought back to Fang Yong's current situation, then nodded. "You're in time."
Only then did the man look as though a heavy burden had been lifted from him.
Now he had time to clean the grime off himself.
"I've made a fool of myself, Sir Guard," he said awkwardly.
Jiang Man shook his head.
Then he notified someone inside and had them go find Fang Yong.
Surely he could not be sleeping this late at night?
"There's no hurry. I can wait until tomorrow," the man said at once.
Jiang Man shook his head. "Too late. I've already sent word."
"He should be asleep at this hour, shouldn't he?"
"Probably not. He can't sleep."
The middle-aged man was puzzled.
But Jiang Man did not explain.
Ever since he had stopped sleeping, could those in second and third place sleep?
They had long since learned that he stayed up all night practicing while working as a guard.
Who in the Sixth Courtyard would have the nerve to sleep?
Before you continue