Chapter 35: The Goal of the Young Generation

In the bedroom, Zhang Yunlu sat cross-legged on the bed, a dish of roasted spirit beans resting on the nightstand beside her.

She held the book "Ziyuan Guan Qi Fa" given by Zhenjun Zihuan, slowly flipping through it, occasionally tossing a bean into her mouth.

The "Ziyuan Guan Qi Fa" was an introductory technique of the Zhenjun Zihuan lineage of the Taishang Dao Sect; though merely introductory, it was not weak.

Upon cultivation, its marvels were boundless: it could reveal one's own deficiencies, anticipate an opponent's moves, and at advanced levels, sense hidden dangers in the void.

But because the book contained many professional terms not taught in school, she occasionally had to search their meanings on the Spirit Web.

After reading it three or four times in succession, she finally grasped the general idea.

She closed the book and set it aside, rubbing her temples.

Huh~ She exhaled slowly, got off the bed, and stretched her body.

Are all cultivation methods for spell cultivators this complicated?

She still felt sword techniques suited her better.

She opened her hand, and a long sword appeared in her grasp—three feet three inches in length, ice-blue, crystal-clear as if carved from crystal, radiating a faint chill.

Instantly, the temperature in the bedroom seemed to drop several degrees.

It was a high-grade magical artifact, one of the prizes she won for ranking first in the combat trial.

Though the other prizes were also excellent, she preferred this one most.

She infused a trace of spiritual energy into it; the blade glowed faintly, and the sword beams it produced carried a touch of ice attribute.

If she had had this sword during the combat trial, could she have defeated Xiao Fan?

Zhang Yunlu simulated the scenario in her mind, but ultimately felt her chances were slim—pseudo-Foundation Establishment was still Foundation Establishment; the mere art of spirit-object control alone was hard to counter.

If only a pseudo-Foundation Establishment phantom appeared in the trial for her to test against, she thought, as she rummaged through the nightstand drawer, pulled out the jade box, and took out the red jade necklace to wear around her neck.

Since combat trials forbade the use of artifacts that enhanced combat power, and she couldn't determine whether this red jade necklace counted as one, she had simply left it at home.

She picked up the sword and stepped out of the bedroom.

Zhang Xiu was sitting on the living room sofa, seemingly lost in thought; he turned his head only upon hearing the sound.

"Xiao Lu, you… tried it?"

"Not yet. The 'Ziyuan Guan Qi Fa' is a bit complex—I doubt I can achieve any effect anytime soon."

As for the more important reason, her sword technique was taught by Xu Xing; to cultivate another method, she ought to inform him first.

"Mm, since it's a cultivation method given by a He Dao elder, caution is indeed warranted." Zhang Xiu felt more at ease. "Then what are you doing now?"

"I'm going to test this sword." Zhang Yunlu spun a sword flourish.

After staring at the "Ziyuan Guan Qi Fa" until her head ached, she desperately needed to practice swordplay to relax.

Besides, this was her new sword!

Even when buying new clothes, you try them on first.

"Don't go too far, and don't practice too long."

"Don't worry, I'll just be upstairs."

She still planned to go to the rooftop—this midday sun was so strong, she didn't believe anyone would go up there.

When the sun weakened, she'd find an excuse to go out.

…………

At three in the afternoon, Chi Jiuyu tossed and turned in bed.

She had found a small program on the Spirit Web that could recover deleted chat logs.

But recovery took time, so she left it running in the background and continued scrolling through various posts.

【Why does the Hehuan Sect still have the most applicants every year, despite being looked down upon by practitioners of other paths?】

【Regarding the disappearance of the Holy Emperor Abyss, I have six theories…】

She clicked open one—and the post's content was merely…

Future Sect Master of the Xiang Jianzong: "Asshole!"

Scrolling further, Chi Jiuyu soon spotted a post that filled her with rage.

【Within a century, the Xiang Jianzong will be utterly surpassed by the Taishang Dao Sect】, poster—Quietly Cultivating Xiao Zhao.

The post analyzed from every angle why the Taishang Dao Sect surpassed the Xiang Jianzong.

"Bullshit!"

Chi Jiuyu sat up straight, her fingers blurring on the phone screen as she typed a long reply—then… 【You currently lack permission to comment on this post.】

Switch accounts!

No good.

Switch again! Still no good.

Fuck! All three of her accounts were blacklisted!

Furious, Chi Jiuyu flopped backward, kicking her long legs wildly at the empty air.

Bastard, don't let me run into you at the next Xian Sect Grand Competition! Just as she prepared to post a retort, a notification popped up: her chat logs had been fully restored.

"Jiuyu, come down quickly."

Xu Xing's voice suddenly echoed beside her ear, making her jump—her phone slipped and smashed into her eye.

Fortunately, she was a Nascent Soul cultivator; the pain meant nothing to her.

She snatched the phone off her face: "Coming, Master Uncle!"

Could Master Uncle have noticed she was recovering chat logs?

…………

"Since he gave you the 'Ziyuan Guan Qi Fa,' practicing it won't hurt."

Opposite Xu Xing sat Zhang Yunlu; between them on the table lay the bound yellow-cover book given by Zhenjun Zihuan.

He didn't open it; this technique had existed before he went into seclusion. It might have been refined, but the core was still the same set of things.

"If I practice this, there won't be anything inappropriate about it, will there?"

"No, this is just an introductory method. Quite a few people know it—even within the Xiang Jianzong, plenty of people practice it."

The techniques and divine abilities among the Gedaxian Sect actually circulated freely between one another.

Other sects would also borrow from some of the Xiang Jianzong's methods.

In fact, many years ago, he had even passed on some of the divine abilities and techniques he himself had created—and the result was that a whole batch of people died practicing them.

A few lucky survivors who did master them threw their cultivation around like a badge of authority, and he killed every last one of them with his own hands.

"But if he offers you a more advanced fundamental technique, you can refuse outright—just say you're a disciple of the Xiang Jianzong."

Divine abilities, spell arts—none of it really matters.

What truly distinguishes a cultivator's profession is the fundamental technique they cultivate.

Under his guidance, Zhang Yunlu's entire foundation had been prepared for a sword cultivator; switching to a spell cultivator now would be far too wasteful.

"Martial Uncle! What did you call me down here for!" Chi Jiuyu stepped in wearing flip-flops. "Oh, isn't this the first-place winner from that school's spell-combat test this morning?"

"I remember your name is Zhang Yunlu, right?"

Chi Jiuyu, entirely on familiar terms, walked over and sat down beside Zhang Yunlu, then picked up the copy of *Zi Yuan Guan Qi Method* from the table.

"Isn't this from those idiots at the Taishang Dao Sect—!"

She stopped herself just in time. In front of her martial uncle, with an outsider present, she still had to mind her image.

"You've crossed swords with people of this lineage," Xu Xing asked.

"Yep! I ran into them during the round of sixteen at the last Xian Sect Grand Competition. They were pretty tough—actually took several of my sword strikes head-on!"

Zhang Yunlu sized her up for a moment: "You're Chi Jiuyu?!"

Chi Jiuyu raised an eyebrow.

"You know me?"

"Of course I know you!" Zhang Yunlu's voice carried a hint of excitement.

The Orthodox Alliance had once compiled a ranking list, dedicated to cultivators under the age of twenty-five.

Chi Jiuyu was ranked second on it.

She had once, at the Golden Core Stage, single-handedly wiped out all the alien creatures on an entire planet—an exploit that even made the news on television.

Across two consecutive Xian Sect Grand Competitions, she took first place in her realm each time, earning her the reputation of the most gifted person in a thousand years.

She was the target chased by the vast majority of young cultivators.

But now that she'd actually met her in person… why did it feel so strange.

Begging for favorites, begging for follow-up reads!! (End of chapter)