The New Method

Backed by the Yi Wood Dao Lineage, Rejuvenation Valley was a martial arts holy land of tremendous renown in the mortal world.

As long as Supreme Mystery Mountain stayed out of its affairs, it could be said to have no rival in Desolate Province.

Now that someone had suddenly come up the mountain seeking help, something must have happened.

Li Chengxuan's expression remained calm as he asked, "What happened?"

Hua Mingcheng drew a deep breath and quietly explained.

A month ago, the Heavenly Dao of Southern Edge Continent had manifested, shaking the world.

The Southern Verge Immortal Alliance had naturally been both startled and delighted.

Central Continent had also been deeply shaken.

There was a sect called the Azure Cloud Sect that had struggled to gain a foothold amid the fierce competition on Central Continent. When it heard that the Heavenly Dao had manifested on Southern Edge Continent and Spiritual Qi had surged, it decided to relocate there.

The place it had chosen was Desolate Continent.

Supreme Mystery Mountain belonged to the Southern End Continent Immortal Alliance.

The Azure Cloud Sect had only just arrived and naturally did not dare challenge the Southern End Continent Immortal Alliance, so it had seized Rejuvenation Valley for its sect grounds.

Hua Mingcheng's word was law in the mortal martial world.

But against a mighty dragon crossing the river like the Azure Cloud Sect, he was hopelessly outmatched. He could only slink off to Supreme Mystery Mountain and ask for help.

"Central Continent... the Azure Cloud Sect..."

Li Chengxuan lowered his head and thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind. He continued, "What cultivation levels have those Central Continent cultivators reached?!"

Hua Mingcheng glanced at Li Chengxuan and answered cautiously, "Reporting to you, Immortal Master, the ordinary disciples are all at Qi Refining. But I heard them say that the Azure Cloud Sect has a Foundation Establishment elder holding the fort."

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator holding the fort..."

Surprise crossed Li Chengxuan's face, and he frowned. "Do you know what Dao lineage they follow, and which immortal foundation they have?!"

Hua Mingcheng did have cultivators among his ancestors, so he knew about Dao lineages and immortal foundations. "Reporting to you, Immortal Master, everyone in the Azure Cloud Sect cultivates the New Method."

"So they're New Method cultivators..."

Li Chengxuan nodded slightly and looked at Hua Mingcheng. "Now that a New Method sect has landed on Southern Edge Continent, the Immortal Alliance will naturally deal with it."

"As for where your Rejuvenation Valley lineage goes from here, there's no need to rush into a decision."

"Let's wait and see how the Immortal Alliance responds."

Hua Mingcheng was taken aback and stood there at a loss for words.

Li Chengxuan glanced at Hua Mingcheng, then turned and left.

The contest between the New Method and the Old Method had been decided a thousand years ago.

The Old Method sects could only cling to life on Southern Edge Continent, huddling together for warmth.

The New Method held sway over the other continents and even the four seas.

Now that a New Method sect from Central Continent had entered Southern Edge Continent, the karmic entanglements involved were considerable.

If Supreme Mystery Mountain rashly took the lead, it might well be crushed.

It was best to keep a low profile.

Better to sit tight and wait for the Immortal Alliance to handle it.

A side hall of the Ancestral Master Hall.

Liu Zhijian slowly let out a breath of turbid Qi and opened his eyes.

"This Dripping Water Pierces Stone Meridian-Opening Method is sheer torture!"

Just the first step, condensing that single drop of spiritual water, was extraordinarily difficult.

Spiritual Qi was abundant on Supreme Mystery Mountain.

Unfortunately, Liu Zhijian had a mortal body. Never mind breathing in Spiritual Qi-simply sensing Qi had put him through the wringer.

Only after asking Li Chengxuan for guidance and going to the source of the spiritual stream on the mountain had he barely managed to sense Qi.

After sensing Qi, drawing it into his body was another major problem.

The meridians throughout Liu Zhijian's body were blocked. Even if he forcibly drew Qi in, he still could not store it.

The moment his concentration wavered, the Spiritual Qi scattered.

"It still won't work."

Liu Zhijian looked at the Spiritual Qi that had dispersed into mist again and frowned in thought.

"This Meridian Opening Method draws on the image of dripping water wearing through stone..."

"The image..."

"Then where does the water come from?"

"Is it really formed by forcibly drawing Qi into the body and condensing it?!"

Liu Zhijian was an educated man, and at least understood how condensation worked.

"This Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gathers around my body and can only form clouds and mist, but can't condense into spiritual water."

"What's missing should be something with an extremely low temperature, a key element that can help the mist turn to water."

"But I'm a human, not a cold-blooded animal. Where on my body would there be a place with a low temperature?!"

Liu Zhijian frowned and racked his brains, but still got nowhere.

He had thought he was indulging in a wild fantasy and was ready to give up, when inspiration suddenly struck and he remembered his childhood.

Back then, conditions at his mountain village primary school had been harsh.

There had not even been a fan in summer, and the heat had left him dizzy.

His teacher had always said, "A calm heart naturally keeps you cool," urging the students not to doze off and to pay attention in class.

"A calm heart naturally keeps you cool..."

"Isn't that a bit too mystical?!"

Liu Zhijian shook his head to himself, then suddenly froze.

He was cultivating immortality-why was he worried about something being too mystical?!

Liu Zhijian took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

It was as though he had returned to that hot, noisy mountain village primary school.

Liu Zhijian's breathing grew lighter and lighter.

The battered desks, the mottled walls, the patched clothes, and even the irritating drone of cicadas outside the window grew clearer and clearer.

The surrounding Spiritual Qi gathered toward Liu Zhijian.

Only this time, Liu Zhijian relaxed his mind and did not forcibly draw the Qi into his body.

The cloudlike, misty Spiritual Qi passed through Liu Zhijian's body without obstruction.

At first, nothing changed.

But as Liu Zhijian entered a meditative trance, a pleasant coolness actually arose in the sweltering midsummer of his childhood memories.

At first, the coolness came in the merest wisps.

Slowly, it spread throughout his body.

At last, the wisps of coolness gathered and took shape.

Drip!

A clear, transparent droplet of water slowly fell.

A chill gripped Liu Zhijian's heart, and he opened his eyes.

The Ancestral Master Hall.

Li Chengxuan felt a stir in his mind and looked toward the side hall.

"He grasped the basics of the Meridian Opening Method so quickly."

"As expected of a Child of Fate who bears an auspicious sign and enjoys the Heavenly Dao's favor."

Li Chengxuan only took a brief look before turning his attention elsewhere. He rose and walked outside.

In the General Affairs Hall, Immortal Alliance Steward Xue Yang was drinking tea. When he saw Li Chengxuan appear, he set down his cup, rose, and offered a greeting. "Sect Master Li, I trust you've been well since we last met."

Li Chengxuan nodded, sat down in the main seat, and asked, "What brings you here, Steward Xue?!"

Xue Yang chuckled, then sighed. "Naturally, I'm here because of the Azure Cloud Sect."

Li Chengxuan had expected as much. His expression unchanged, he asked, "How will the Immortal Alliance deal with it?! When will it drive them out?!"

Xue Yang avoided answering and asked instead, "Sect Master Li, do you know about the contest between the New Method and the Old Method back then?"

Li Chengxuan immediately understood the Immortal Alliance's attitude. He nodded slowly and said, "I vaguely remember my master mentioning it years ago. Unfortunately, he spent the years afterward drinking and remained muddleheaded all day, so he never brought it up again."

Xue Yang naturally knew why Old Daoist Wu drank all day: it was simply to ease the pain of the Calamity of Wu Earth.

But now that Old Daoist Wu himself had returned to Central Continent, there was no point in bringing it up.

"The contest between the New Method and the Old Method was a great calamity born of a struggle over the Dao."

"In the end, the New Method won and claimed ninety-nine percent of the blessed lands rich in spiritual essence under heaven."

"We Old Method cultivators were driven to Southern Edge Continent to cling to life."

As Xue Yang spoke of those events, his expression grew wistful. Seeing no reaction from Li Chengxuan, he continued, "In truth, after we lost that struggle over the Dao, the New Method cultivators intended to wipe us Old Method cultivators out to the last."

"Fortunately, a mighty figure who cultivated both the New and Old Methods stepped forward to mediate. Only then did our Old Method sects gain a place to settle and continue our lineages on Southern Edge Continent."

"According to the agreement made back then, Southern Edge Continent was set aside for us Old Method cultivators, and we were not to leave it without cause."

"New Method cultivators were likewise forbidden to enter Southern Edge Continent without cause."

"That's how it has been for a thousand years."

Understanding dawned on Li Chengxuan, and he nodded. "Then why has the Azure Cloud Sect broken the rules now?" he asked softly.

Xue Yang's expression was complicated. "What other reason could there be?"

"The one who sheltered us for a thousand years has fallen!"