Divine Repository

The sun had set, and stars glittered across the sky.

After finishing his sword practice, Li Ziye had left the Li residence and had yet to return.

In the rear courtyard of the Li residence, Zhang Lata took a sip of wine, gazed at the lake ahead, and asked casually, "You didn't follow him. Aren't you afraid those bandits will slaughter the boy?"

"If he can't even handle those bandits, there's no need for him to keep learning the sword," Qin Enuo replied.

"Their leader is a genuine martial artist. He may have only opened his first divine repository, but he's still beyond what the boy can handle right now," Zhang Lata reminded her.

"It's fine."

Qin Enuo said calmly, "I never asked him to clash head-on with those bandits. Even if he's unlucky enough to run into their leader, he can run if he can't win. The mountain terrain is complicated. There's always a way to survive."

"Heh. You really are a cold, heartless master."

Zhang Lata gave this indifferent reply, then went on drinking without another word.

If she, his master, didn't care, he cared even less.

Living was luck, dying was fate. It all depended on whether the boy had enough fortune and a hardy enough life.

In the Qilian Mountains, the bright moon shone overhead. The mountain forest, which should have been quiet, was bustling instead.

Under cover of night, a young figure fled desperately while ten or twenty bandits chased him for all they were worth, throwing the quiet forest into a chickens-flying, dogs-leaping uproar.

Li Ziye's luck really wasn't very good.

He had only intended to use the darkness to find a few patrolling bandits to practice on. Instead, he had accidentally alerted their leader.

More troublesome still, perhaps because Qin Enuo had stolen the blood ginseng herb king, the bandit leader had been seething with nowhere to vent his anger. Upon seeing Li Ziye, he had personally led his men in pursuit like a madman.

And so the entire mountain forest had come alive.

"Search! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find that brat for me!"

After chasing him for who knew how long, the bandit leader stared into the empty forest ahead and roared furiously.

"Yes, chief!"

Behind him, over twenty bandits scattered, searching everywhere with torches in hand.

In the darkness, Li Ziye hid among the weeds, looking at the dark mass of bandits all around him, his head swelling to twice its size.

How am I supposed to fight this? One against a whole mob?

Besides, their leader was a martial artist who had opened a divine repository.

Li Ziye tightened his grip on his sword and carefully retreated through the darkness, away from the bandit leader.

I can't beat that bastard yet. Better avoid him if I can.

Once I've opened my divine repository, I'll settle the score.

After retreating a hundred-odd zhang, Li Ziye saw two bandits close at hand. He abruptly sprang into motion and charged straight at them.

Swish!

Azure Frost left its sheath, a cascade of cold light dazzling the eyes. Before the two bandits could even react, blood spurted from their throats, staining the night red.

"He's over there!"

In the distance, the bandit leader noticed and flew into a rage. "After him!"

"Bastard, this young master won't be keeping you company. Farewell!"

A hundred zhang away, Li Ziye raised his hand, gave him the middle finger, then turned and ran for his life.

An hour later, a bedraggled young figure darted out of the mountain forest, vaulted onto his horse, and rode off.

The night was enchanting. By the time Li Ziye returned to Yuzhou City, dawn was near.

The instant the city gates opened, Li Ziye entered and rode back to the Li residence.

The servants were already accustomed to seeing their young master return in a disheveled state.

Several pretty young maids even cast Li Ziye flirtatious glances, shy and coy, seeming to refuse while inviting him closer.

"When your young master has time, I'll come discuss life with you."

Li Ziye grinned, returning the young maids' flirtatious glances, then hurried back to the rear courtyard.

Beside the lake in the rear courtyard, Zhang Lata had yet to come claim his spot, and Qin Enuo was still washing up in her room.

So Li Ziye immediately claimed the best spot beside the lake, sat cross-legged, and began practicing the internal method of the Flying Immortal Art.

Old Qin had said dawn and dusk were the best times to practice the Flying Immortal Art. With his talent so poor, he would fall even further behind those geniuses if he didn't work hard.

At that thought, waves of sorrow rose in Li Ziye's heart.

I'm Heaven's own son, all right? Why is my presence so weak? Look at those Divine Sons and Buddha Children. What resounding reputations! The world's four great heavenly prodigies—even the title sounds impressive.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Eyes closed, Li Ziye gritted his teeth as he circulated the Flying Immortal Art's internal method.

Just then, the door of a nearby room creaked open. Qin Enuo stepped out and saw Li Ziye cultivating by the lake, feeling a little gratified.

At least he's diligent. Whatever else, diligence can make up for shortcomings. With less talent, he can only work harder.

But before that thought had settled, Qin Enuo suddenly shuddered, shock appearing on her face.

Something's wrong!

At that moment, Zhang Lata shoved open the door of the neighboring room. His gaze fell on the figure beside the lake, and surprise flashed through his eyes.

"Qin Enuo, didn't you tell him he has to keep his mind calm while cultivating and mustn't let any emotions intrude?" Zhang Lata asked gravely.

"I thought he knew."

Qin Enuo's expression darkened as she spoke. This was common knowledge in martial arts, so she hadn't given it any thought.

"This is trouble."

Zhang Lata clenched his fists. "Let's hope the boy has a hardy life and doesn't suffer Qi deviation."

Beside the lake, Li Ziye circulated the Flying Immortal Art while stewing in indignation, his anger blazing.

He had no idea that behind him, Qin Enuo and Zhang Lata were nearly running in anxious circles.

Time passed little by little. Qin Enuo's and Zhang Lata's palms had begun to sweat with tension, afraid Li Ziye would cripple himself just as he began cultivating.

If that happened, it would be a colossal joke. Two sword immortals teaching a disciple to cultivate, only to turn him into an idiot in less than ten days. If word spread, it truly would be the greatest joke the Nine Provinces had seen in a thousand years.

"Something's not right."

An hour later, Zhang Lata looked at Li Ziye, who was still cultivating with his eyes closed beside the lake, and frowned. "Why hasn't anything happened?"

By rights, if someone cultivated without a calm mind, even if they didn't suffer Qi deviation, they should at least cough up a mouthful of blood for good measure.

The present situation was simply too strange, too quiet.

"Should we wake him?" Zhang Lata suggested.

"No."

Qin Enuo shook her head, her expression grave. "Forcing him awake could have even worse consequences. Let's wait a little longer."

Zhang Lata nodded and patiently continued waiting.

In the east, the morning sun slowly rose. The first rays of dawn spilled over the land, dispelling the night's chill.

As the two watched, waves suddenly rose without wind along the lakeshore, centered on Li Ziye, and towering billows surged across the water.

At the sight, both Qin Enuo and Zhang Lata trembled, shock appearing on their faces.

Impossible!

Hum!

At that moment, the divine repository in Li Ziye's chest thundered as though a thousand layers of lightning were racing within it. All around him, endless Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surged toward him, pouring ceaselessly into his divine repository.

The astonishing sight shook even the two knowledgeable sword immortals. Neither could explain what was happening before them.

"Has... hasn't this boy only cleared one meridian?"

Zhang Lata opened his mouth and managed with difficulty, "What's going on?"

"I don't know either."

Qin Enuo suppressed the turmoil in her heart and murmured somewhat dazedly, "Perhaps we were all wrong. No, I should say everyone over the past thousand years was wrong."

"You mean...?"

Zhang Lata shuddered, seeming to understand something. "The Flying Immortal Formula requires a different cultivation method from every other art in the world? Everyone who tried practicing it over the past thousand years got it wrong, while this boy stumbled onto the correct method by accident?"

"That's the only explanation."

Qin Enuo said calmly, "Otherwise, with his martial aptitude, there's no way he could have opened his first divine treasure so quickly."

"We'll find out once he wakes up and we ask him."

Zhang Lata looked at the youth ahead and clicked his tongue. "This boy's luck is incredible. He even managed to stumble onto something like this."

While they spoke, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi continued pouring into Li Ziye beside the lake. The divine repository in his chest erupted with dazzling radiance, its thunderous rumbling unceasing, like a world within a mustard seed, with lightning raging and vast seas churning.

An hour later, Li Ziye's eyes abruptly opened, his gaze like lightning, brilliant light flickering within. Surging True Qi poured from the divine repository in his chest and rapidly spread outward in every direction.

Dust and sand flew, ripples spread across the water, and his astonishing presence drew the eye.

"So this is what it means to be a martial artist?"

Li Ziye looked at his hands, excitement flashing in his eyes.

I can do it! I really can!

He felt as though he could take on three Huo Liners now.

"Boy, what are you daydreaming about? You're practically drooling."

Zhang Lata looked at the gleam in Li Ziye's eyes and asked.

Li Ziye came back to his senses, hurriedly wiped the corner of his mouth, and chuckled. "I just opened my divine repository. I'm a little excited."

"How did you do it?"

Qin Enuo walked over and asked.

"Do what?"

Li Ziye asked in confusion.

"By my original calculations, even with Sword Maniac and me teaching you together, and with the Li residence's endless heavenly materials and earthly treasures, helping you open your first divine treasure should have taken at least ten days. If things went poorly, even six months or a year of practice wouldn't have been out of the question."

Qin Enuo said calmly, "Tell me, what were you thinking about while practicing the Flying Immortal Formula just now?"

"Thinking about?"

Li Ziye froze, then rubbed his nose and replied a little sheepishly, "I was thinking, why does someone as outstanding as me have no martial talent, while those Divine Sons and Buddha Children get to be so impressive? It made me angry!"

Qin Enuo and Zhang Lata exchanged a glance, then nodded. That should be the reason.

When practicing the Flying Immortal Formula, the stronger the emotional fluctuations, the faster cultivation might progress. A calm mind, on the contrary, hindered the circulation of True Qi.

"Perhaps strong emotional fluctuations accelerate the circulation of blood Qi, and the Flying Immortal Formula's True Qi can use the flow of blood Qi through the meridians to circulate faster," Qin Enuo said, voicing her conjecture.

"Well, I'll be damned."

After hearing this, Zhang Lata felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly. "I've practiced martial arts for most of my life, yet today a junior has broadened my horizons."

Qin Enuo also sighed softly. It wasn't just Sword Maniac; she was no exception. Or rather, everyone over the past thousand years had been the same. Trapped in rigid ways of thinking, none had ever thought to change.

Beside them, Li Ziye listened and grinned. Although he didn't quite understand what these two big shots were saying, he had grasped one thing.

I'm freaking awesome!

Maybe after another six months or a year of practice, I really can take on three Huo Liners!

"Let's exchange a few moves!"

Carried away by excitement, Li Ziye looked at Qin Enuo and Zhang Lata and spoke.

Qin Enuo froze, and Zhang Lata was stunned too.

Has this boy gone mad?

"Sword Maniac."

Qin Enuo soon recovered and said calmly, "You do it. Don't cripple him."

"I'll try."

Zhang Lata replied with a smile that never reached his eyes and swept his right hand. An ancient sword immediately flew out of his room.

The sword remained sheathed, Sword Qi flickering faintly around it.

The next instant, the sword moved. Sword Qi crisscrossed the entire courtyard, and waves swept backward thirty zhang into the air.

Holy shit! At the sight, Li Ziye's pupils contracted sharply. He turned and ran.

But it was already too late.

Boom!

After a tremendous crash, Zhang Lata withdrew his sword, and the waves fell back into the lake.

A human-shaped dent appeared in the rear courtyard wall. Li Ziye had been slammed bodily into it, his hair disheveled and his face filthy, looking utterly bedraggled.