Chapter 370

At least for now, cultivating to the Marrow Cleansing Realm inherently requires a great deal of time to grind through.

Although there are indeed elixirs, hoping to trade for Marrow Cleansing Realm elixirs through treasure-hunting is still a waste of time.

The four walked into the dining hall, got their food, and quickly found an empty table to sit at.

After eating for a while, they saw a person rush in flustered, saying excitedly, "Latest news — Li Li Chuyang has just publicly announced that he has broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

The moment those words were spoken, the dining hall, which had been as noisy as a vegetable market, fell so silent one could hear a pin drop; many people stared in wide-eyed shock.

Marrow Cleansing — in just a little over two years, someone among this batch of Denglong disciples has already achieved Marrow Cleansing.

This is the talent of the foremost of the Ten Outstanding — two years to Marrow Cleansing!

In the classification of the martial Dao, Gang Qi and Marrow Cleansing are both realms, but the two are fundamentally different; only once Marrow Cleansing is achieved does one truly enter the Wudaodiantang.

"Effort really is worthless in the face of talent." Zhang Yong felt somewhat disheartened.

He had never indulged himself, devoting nearly all his time to cultivate.

For resources, he had ventured deep into the Yunling Mountains several times to risk his life, yet they had all entered the Ziyang Sect together — his Gang Qi was not yet at full achievement, and someone had already reached Marrow Cleansing.

The gap between them was like a heavenly chasm.

And it was not only he who was disheartened; the once-noisy dining hall now had barely anyone chatting, and after eating they hurried away.

Someone had already achieved Marrow Cleansing, securing a spot as an inner-sect disciple, while many among them were still struggling at the Gang Qi Formation Realm of Qi Refining.

Zhang Yong was actually doing fairly well — although his talent had not reached the Ten Outstanding level, it was the very next tier below.

"Junior Brother Xu achieved Marrow Cleansing long ago; if it got out, it would probably astonish everyone."

Sun Tao glanced at Xu Yang on the sly and found his face utterly calm, his expression tranquil.

Anyone who didn't know the situation would think Xu Yang was putting on airs, but he knew Xu Yang wasn't acting — he simply didn't care.

After all, how could someone inferior to oneself ever draw serious attention?

Two days later, Sun Tao and the other two left the Ziyang Sect and entered the Yunling Mountains.

Xu Yang brought all his contribution points and once again came to the Canggongdian.

"Greetings, Steward Liu!" Xu Yang cupped his hands.

Liu Jinghe said with a smile, "Why aren't you bringing me silver this time?"

Xu Yang said with a smile, "This time this disciple has no questions to consult Steward Liu about, so naturally I don't plan to give any."

"It seems you've already decided which Wu Gong you want to exchange for." Liu Jinghe said.

Xu Yang nodded and took out three hundred contribution points: "This disciple wishes to exchange for the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang."

The contribution points gained from the trip to Liu Qingyuan County had finally let him scrape together enough to exchange for the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang.

The Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang is on the second floor of the Canggongdian; it may not be the strongest martial technique, but it is a paired martial technique with the Fu Yue Xiong Jing, and when the two are combined, there is a certain chance of comprehending a martial Dao image.

Liu Jinghe frowned slightly and said, "Kid, martial techniques are indeed heavy, but cultivation base is the foundation. With so many contribution points, you should use them to exchange for resources, not martial techniques.

This Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang — once you reach the Daolenei Sect, you can learn it without spending contribution points, or you can wait until your Gang Qi is fully achieved and at its peak, when you have more contribution points, then exchange for it.

You have only just achieved full Gang Qi; resources should be used to raise your cultivation base and achieve Marrow Cleansing as soon as possible, not to exchange for martial techniques."

He had not expected that a casual remark from him would lead Xu Yang to actually scrape together so many contribution points to exchange for the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang.

In his view, this was very unwise.

If Xu Yang had backing and lacked for cultivation resources, that would be one thing, but his cultivation base progress was clearly lagging far behind the other Ten Outstanding geniuses; his contribution points should have been used to exchange for elixirs.

It must have been precisely because he had been hoarding contribution points to exchange for the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang that his cultivation base had fallen so far behind the others.

Xu Yang cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks for the reminder, Steward, but this disciple has already decided."

If he had not learned to refine Ju Yuan Pills, his contribution points would naturally have been used to exchange for elixirs.

But since he could now refine Ju Yuan Pills, his contribution points could naturally be used to exchange for martial techniques.

All his martial techniques had already been brought to full achievement, and he had not practiced any martial technique for a long time.

"So long as you've thought it through." Liu Jinghe's tone was no longer as affable as before.

He had a good impression of Xu Yang, and added to that the fact that he was a Ten Outstanding genius, which was why he had kindly offered the reminder.

It would be better if Xu Yang could take it in; if he couldn't, and insisted on putting the cart before the horse, that had nothing to do with him.

Having guarded the Canggongdian for many years, he had seen far too many disciples who couldn't tell what was important — contribution points not used to exchange for elixirs to raise their cultivation, but instead used specifically to exchange for Wu Gong.

Liu Jinghe went with a cold face to fetch the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang and took away Xu Yang's contribution points.

"This disciple takes his leave!" Xu Yang cupped his hands.

He knew Liu Jinghe meant well, but he could hardly tell Liu Jinghe: I can refine Ju Yuan Pills, I don't lack elixirs, and my cultivation base reached Marrow Cleansing long ago.

If he really said that, Liu Jinghe would probably take him for a lunatic.

"Overreaching — how could a martial Dao image be so easy to comprehend!"

Liu Jinghe watched Xu Yang's retreating back with a wave of disappointment, somewhat regretting that he should never have mentioned the matter of martial Dao images to Xu Yang in the first place.

The Fu Yue Xiong Jing plus the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang did indeed carry a certain chance of bringing forth a martial Dao image.

But it was simply as hard as ascending to heaven; over the years, the disciples of the Ziyang Sect who cultivated both the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang and the Fu Yue Xiong Jing simultaneously were not few in number, yet those who comprehended a martial Dao image could be counted on one hand.

Many Haoduonei Sect disciples who cultivated these two Liang Zhong Gong Fa for over a decade still failed to comprehend a martial Dao image.

If those three hundred contribution points had been used to exchange for Xuan Yuan Hua Qi Pills, Xu Yang might well have broken into the top thirty at this year's outer-sect grand competition.

In his view, even if one was determined to comprehend a martial Dao image, one should not be in a rush; wait until entering the inner sect, achieve Marrow Cleansing, and then take one's time to contemplate it — that would not be too late.

……

Xu Yang made his way all the way to the Jing Chang Lian Gong peach grove and took the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang from his bosom.

This secret manual was evidently recorded on the hide of some special exotic beast; it felt very soft to the touch and gave off a strange smell.

Xu Yang opened it and saw that the first page read as follows: this Ci Gong's killing power is extremely strong, possessing the might to crumble mountains and sever peaks; it places high demands on the Rou Shen Yi Jing, and those whose physical bodies have not been sufficiently tempered should cultivate it with caution.

His Rou Shen Yi Jing had already reached the indestructible Vajra state, so he paid no heed to the condition of high physical-body demands.

If even a physical body like his were not qualified to cultivate the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang, then it would not be a martial technique that could be exchanged for merely three hundred contribution points.

Xu Yang turned to the next page and saw a Fu Yue Xiong as tall as a mountain, its eyes like rivers of blood.

He did not know who had drawn this picture, yet he felt a ferocious and violent aura emanating from the Fu Yue Xiong, captivating the soul, as if a faint roar echoed in his ears.

After carefully observing the Fu Yue Xiong's demeanor for a while, Xu Yang turned to the next page.

The next page contained the Xin Fa Kou Jue of the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang, along with its techniques and forms.

"The Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang was created by ancient sages and great powers who observed the Fu Yue Xiong fighting strange beasts. The core of the Zhang Fa is 'force that shakes the mountains, imagery that suppresses the sky.' The cultivation method is divided into four realms: Weiru Sect, Minor Success, Major Success Realm, and Perfection Realm. One must comprehend the divine charm of the Fu Yue Xiong Wang and combine it with the Fu Yue Xiong Jing to achieve Perfection..."

Xu Yang studied while memorizing the Yao Jue of the Zhang Fa.

He discovered a difference between the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang and the Wu Gong he had cultivated before; previously, the Wu Gong he cultivated reached the Major Success Realm as its highest realm.

But the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang had an additional Perfection Realm.

"This Perfection Realm must be the key to the martial Dao imagery."

His previous Wu Gong did not involve martial Dao imagery, nor was it in any way related to Nei Gong and Xin Fa.

However, the Fu Yue Xiong Jing and the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang formed a complete set of Wu Gong, and they also involved martial Dao imagery; this must be the reason for the difference.

He felt even more anticipation for the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang.

There might be Wu Gong stronger than the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang in the Canggongdian, but the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang was absolutely the most suitable for him, after all, he cultivated the Fu Yue Xiong Jing.

【Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang · Weiru Sect (0/200)】

The panel flickered, but he ignored it. Sitting on the large stone, he began his second round of comprehension.

This time, he observed more carefully, no longer swallowing things whole; sometimes he would spend one or two ke on a single page, or close his eyes to ponder and deduce in detail.

When the second round ended, the Fu Yue Xiong Wang Zhang had taken a general shape in his mind. If he had paid attention to his own condition, he would have noticed that even his aura had changed somewhat, becoming more fierce, as if a ferocious bear lay dormant in the peach forest.

After comprehending and deducing once more, Xu Yang realized that relying solely on comprehension and deduction was no longer enough; he truly needed to cultivate.

Putting away the secret manual, he flipped off the large stone.