Twenty Years of Bitter Cultivation

Just like that, Yun Qingyao began teaching Lu Ren at close quarters.

At night, Yun Qingyao slept on Lu Ren's bed, while Lu Ren could only sleep on the floor.

At dawn, when the sky had only just begun to lighten, Yun Qingyao would pull Lu Ren up to train.

At mealtimes, Yun Qingyao would go with Lu Ren to the Dining Hall in the novice area, drawing crowds of disciples to watch.

"Why is Her Highness the Saintess always with Lu Ren?"

"I heard Her Highness the Saintess is teaching Lu Ren swordsmanship, planning to show it off during the exchange matches among the newly initiated disciples!"

"Lu Ren has a Scrap Bloodline. Even if he has opened one Spiritual Aperture, how could he possibly cultivate swordsmanship?"

Many novice disciples found it unbelievable.

"Lu Ren, did you hear that? None of them believes you can cultivate it. You must work hard!"

Yun Qingyao said solemnly.

"Master, I'll work hard!"

Lu Ren nodded.

Naturally, Lu Ren would not slack off in the slightest. The Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill was, after all, a Human Tier High-grade Martial Skill.

If he had relied on himself to cultivate it, with his talent, he had no idea how long it would take just to get started—perhaps he would never manage it at all. Now that Yun Qingyao was teaching him, the threshold for cultivation had been lowered considerably.

After Yun Qingyao taught him at close quarters for three days, Lu Ren finally learned it. He could barely execute the three forms of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill, though his movements were extremely awkward.

Seeing this, Yun Qingyao felt somewhat guilty.

She had known that a Scrap Bloodline was poor, but she had never imagined it could be this poor.

With talent this terrible, being able to persist in practicing a martial skill for a month already counted as working very hard. If it had been her, with such dreadful talent, she probably would have given up long ago.

"Perhaps I shouldn't force him to cultivate. With talent this poor, even someone like Ancient Emperor Tuoshe might not be able to cultivate it, right?"

Yun Qingyao secretly sighed.

Yun Qingyao simply had Lu Ren give up on cultivating the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill and practice the simpler basic sword techniques instead: chopping, slashing, thrusting, and lifting!

She had been brimming with confidence, believing that with her Seventh-grade Bloodline, even if Lu Ren's talent was poor, he could still learn the sword techniques she had created.

But she had underestimated Lu Ren's Scrap Bloodline too greatly.

Now, she could only have Lu Ren cram at the eleventh hour and practice the basic sword techniques.

In this exchange between the newly initiated disciples of the two great sects, their Qingyun Sect no longer had any chance of winning. They could only rely on Lu Ren, with his Scrap Bloodline, to salvage a little face.

For a Scrap Bloodline to cultivate basic sword techniques would still be astonishing.

After four days, under Yun Qingyao's supervision, Lu Ren finally mastered the basic sword techniques. His chopping, slashing, thrusting, and lifting all carried considerable force.

"Lu Ren, the Fire Spirit Sword will be in your care. No matter where your path of cultivation leads, you will always be my disciple. Rest well today, and tomorrow, do your best. Just display your basic swordsmanship!"

Yun Qingyao lightly patted Lu Ren's shoulder a few times, then left directly.

Watching his master's retreating figure, Lu Ren's lips curled slightly upward. "Master, tomorrow, I'll become your pride!"

Since Yun Qingyao did not believe he had opened seven Spiritual Apertures, then he would wait for tomorrow's exchange matches among the novice disciples. When the time came, he would stun everyone with a single brilliant feat.

After returning to his dormitory, Lu Ren slipped into the Nameless Treasure Pagoda.

The Spirit Rice in the pagoda could sustain twenty years of his cultivation.

"Master cares about me so much. No matter what, tomorrow I have to defeat that disciple with a Sixth-grade Bloodline!"

Lu Ren's gaze sharpened as he clenched his fists tightly.

However, his opponent had a Sixth-grade Bloodline while he possessed a Scrap Bloodline. Even if he cultivated three Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills to perfection, he might not necessarily be a match for that opponent.

He had witnessed Qin Yu's strength. She too was a genius with a Sixth-grade Bloodline, and with his current strength, he was far from being Qin Yu's match.

"Over these twenty years, I must learn the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill!"

Holding the Fire Spirit Sword, Lu Ren began again with the basic sword techniques.

Chop, slash, thrust, lift!

Lu Ren practiced for an entire year, drilling nothing but chopping, slashing, thrusting, and lifting!

Now, when Lu Ren wielded his sword, his momentum was imposing, and every strike could unleash astonishing force.

Whoosh!

Lu Ren slashed his sword at a huge boulder before him. The boulder split in two like tofu.

He had practiced the four basic sword moves to the point of consummate mastery, even breaking free of their constraints.

"Time to cultivate the first form of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill: Traces in Motion!"

The scene of Yun Qingyao teaching him at close quarters surfaced in Lu Ren's mind, and he began wielding his longsword.

At first, Lu Ren's movements were still obscure and clumsy. Yet compared to before, his swordsmanship flowed much more smoothly, without the slightest obstruction, carrying the satisfying ease of water naturally reaching its channel.

Lu Ren began his bitter cultivation.

Seven years passed in the blink of an eye.

Lu Ren's sword grew faster and faster, his movements free and unrestrained. Suddenly, his longsword flashed. The sword light moved as nimbly as a serpent, then he thrust forward, piercing a hole through the huge boulder before him.

Lu Ren sheathed his sword and stood still, delight appearing on his face.

In seven years, he had actually cultivated the first form of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill.

One had to know that this sword skill was enough to rival a Human Tier High-grade Martial Skill. Given his talent, he should not have been able to cultivate it.

Lu Ren had even been prepared to spend ten years cultivating the first form.

"Perhaps it's because Master taught me at close quarters!"

Lu Ren took a deep breath and continued to cultivate the second form, "Unscattered."

With every swing of his sword, Lu Ren gradually went from awkwardness to familiarity.

Twelve years passed.

The sword light Lu Ren swung forth resembled drifting clouds in the sky. It swiftly contracted, condensed into a single point, and shot out in a piercing strike.

After a huge boulder before him was punched through with a hole, it suddenly exploded, turning into chunks of shattered stone that scattered in every direction.

"I actually cultivated the second form too!"

Joy appeared on Lu Ren's face.

Twenty years of bitter cultivation had allowed him to cultivate two forms of the Celestial Phenomenon Sword Skill, far exceeding Lu Ren's expectations.

After leaving the Pagoda Space, Lu Ren went to the Dining Hall for dinner.

"Tomorrow, the Imperial Dao Sect will bring three newly initiated disciples to our Qingyun Sect for exchange matches. I heard they recruited a genius with a Sixth-grade Bloodline who opened seven Spiritual Apertures in just a month and a half!"

"Among our batch of newly initiated disciples, Yang Rong and Zhao Yi have the strongest talent, yet they've only opened six Spiritual Apertures so far!"

"We're going to lose this exchange again!"

Amid their idle chatter, many disciples wore gloomy expressions.

A sect's development needed geniuses to drive it forward. In recent years, Qingyun Sect had not had a single disciple take first place in any major competition. Naturally, the great Lineages would send their clansmen to the other three great sects instead.

Over these years, Qingyun Sect had only recruited one disciple with a Sixth-grade Bloodline, Qin Yu. The other three great sects, however, could recruit one or two disciples with Sixth-grade Bloodlines nearly every year.

Lu Ren heard everything clearly from the side. After finishing his meal, he had just prepared to rise when a hand pressed him back down.

Lu Ren looked up and saw a youth of about seventeen. His expression was cold and severe, his features carved as if by a blade, sharply defined. A man and a woman stood beside him.

Before Lu Ren could speak, the youth cut him off. "I'm Zhao Yi. You should remember me!"

Lu Ren nodded. "I know you. A genius with a Fifth-grade Bloodline. What do you want with me?"

Zhao Yi sized Lu Ren up. Only after a long while did he say, "I'm only here to give you a warning: stay away from Her Highness the Saintess. If possible, take the initiative to dissolve your master-disciple relationship with Her Highness the Saintess!"