Dao Equaling the Heavens

"Sanqing Daoist Skill numbers in the millions, and many have been improved or repeated by later generations; however, there are also thousands of top-tier Cultivation Techniques. Given the complex array of skills and some minor sects also necessitating detail, it's impossible for me to explain everything to you one by one."

"I haven't mastered all the techniques of Sanqing Daoist Sect either. How about I just teach you the methods of the Yuqing Sect?"

Yu Hua had no intention of beating around the bush and started explaining as soon as she sat down. Gu Wen naturally had no objections, listening to the expert.

"At the beginning of a Mystical Sect disciple's cultivation, it generally involves outer strength and inner method, among which the mental method is the most crucial. It is the foundation of cultivation. A good cultivation technique can take a cultivator much farther and faster. Such techniques are highly confidential, and this holds true in the Sanqing Taoist Sect as well. However, to the extreme, the Immortal Skill often involves extremely difficult and slow cultivation."

Gu Wen smirked, realizing it wasn't that he was lacking; it was just that the Yuqing Heart Method was hard to cultivate without some tricks. Not to mention whether one could get started, if he followed the original pace, it would take him at least ten years of relentless practice without sleep to reach the First Level.

He asked, "How does the Immortal Skill compare to the cultivation of ordinary mental methods by other cultivators?"

Yu Hua answered, "Qi Cultivation is like drawing Qi into the body to fill a bottle, while Foundation Establishment is akin to creating oceans from land, with every movement harnessing the power of heaven and earth. Solely in terms of combat, defeating an opponent of a higher level becomes easy, and in some cases, defeating opponents two major realms higher is also possible."

Qi Cultivation defeats Golden Core?

It seems the difficulty of Foundation Establishment has its perks.

Gu Wen continued to ask, "The Yuqing Daoji has Nine Levels; does reaching the top mean becoming an Immortal?"

"Nine Levels is just the foundation of becoming an Immortal. It only qualifies one for that," Yu Hua replied and then continued, "Don't aim too high. Having a Sixth Level Daoji already qualifies one to challenge for the rank of True Monarch. Nine Levels make one the top great power of the current age, although most set the Sixth Level as their goal."

"You have better aptitude than most, perhaps you can strive for the Nine Levels."

Gu Wen slightly bowed his head, contemplation flashing in his eyes. He estimated he would reach the Third Level in another month.

If each realm costs ten times the effort of the previous, then Nine Levels are indeed difficult, but at least he had a clear path to follow.

Returning to the point, Yu Hua continued, "The second type is external cultivation, also known as the method for protecting the Dao. Generally, it involves some techniques capable of killing enemies, which could include any of the eighteen types of weaponry, the Five Elements Skill, or the Body Refining Technique."

"The Yuqing Heart Method has a body-refining effect, so there's no need for a Body Refining Technique. I have here a Yuqing Sword Skill and an Xuanming Spear Skill. The former is one of the Ten Sword Skills of the Three Pure Ones, while the latter is just a Qi Cultivation Stage Technique found in the Scripture Pavilion."

"Which one do you want?"

Gu Wen raised his eyebrow and looked at the faintly visible contours of her face through the thin veil, feeling that she was smiling.

The question seemed very straightforward, testing one's resolve; one side was one of the Ten Sword Skills of the Three Pure Ones, the other was a basic Qi Cultivation Technique.

It's a no-brainer to choose the better one over the worse, and the sword technique would obviously be stronger. But thinking with his head, knowing that two such disparate items could be compared meant there had to be something special about them.

Because Gu Wen had a brain, he chose the spear technique.

"I choose the Xuanming Spear."

"Why?"

"Yu Hua, did your master ask you the same question back in the day?"

Yu Hua clearly paused for a moment, tilted her head, and then realized she couldn't use her revered teacher's methods to trick him, feeling a bit disappointed.

Gu Wen was too emotionally stable for her to get a read on him, perhaps related to his circumstances.

She said, "I originally chose the best one for a sect competition among children; I was eliminated in the first round. My talent wasn't enough to grasp the Yuqing Sword Skill in a short time, especially since the competition was only a month away."

"Everyone had just started cultivating not long ago, much like your current situation, still under the suppression of fate,"

Gu Wen understood her point; the Xuanming Spear might not be the best, but it was something he could master quickly.

He bowed respectfully and said, "I have learned a lot, your revered teacher must indeed be a greatly enlightened being."

"You have great determination, my revered teacher would probably like you a lot."

Yu Hua's voice had a happier tone, clearly pleased by his words to the degree that she extended her hand and said, "I'll teach you both techniques. Master the Xuanming Spear first, and consider the Yuqing Sword Skill later."

Sheesh!

Flattery will get you everywhere; even immortals are human after all.

Gu Wen, familiar with the process, took her hand. As before, a cold sensation passed from her palm into his body, but this time he clearly felt a pure Qi entering his meridians, and he seemed able to obstruct it.

The pure Qi entered his brow, and countless pathways formed in his mind.

"The Xuanming Spear" "The Yuqing Sword Skill."

He couldn't understand the latter, but he could grasp the majority of the former with just a fleeting glance, at least understanding the ever-changing moves and the techniques of exerting force.

He opened his eyes. Yu Hua stood up and moved to a more spacious area in the room, saying, "There is still some time left, I can start teaching you the Xuanming Spear."

Gu Wen responded, "But I don't even have a stick here."

"No matter, channel the Qi through the meridians, operate the cultivation and penetrate the mysteries."

He came to Yu Hua's side, and with a light tap of her fingers on his body's acupoints, a stream of clear Qi flowed through his body, driving his body and True Qi.

The moves of the Xuanming Spear were extremely simple and unadorned, consisting merely of thrusting, smashing, lifting, pushing, winding, and dancing. However, each movement was paired with the circulation of True Qi, achieving a power that mortals could not match.

For example, the 'thrust' move, with a jab of Yu Hua's fingertips, could extinguish a candle three steps away; and if used with a large spear, it could penetrate armor as if it were nothing.

Gu Wen had a decent talent in martial arts and, under Yu Hua's meticulous guidance and the special pulling of True Qi through his body, he was able to get the hang of it in just one night. Although he had not fully mastered the Xuanming Spear Skill, at least he knew how to use the spear.

Perhaps with a large spear, the trusted aides of the royal palace might not be his match. This was both a testament to the crushing superiority of his physical condition and recognition of the Daqian's military quality.

Yu Hua felt some perplexity about this. Shouldn't Gu Wen be the kind to learn and understand as soon as he was taught?

Perhaps he was not adept at external cultivation, as some people were exceptionally talented in Qi Cultivation but not so much in other areas.

There has never been a genius proficient in everything, only individuals who excel supremely in one path.

The rooster crowed, and the sky began to brighten with a greyish light.

Yu Hua made her farewell, saying, "Immortal Land holds many opportunities. Though you have lost your chance for immortality, it does not mean there are no new opportunities. However, with many heavenly secrets now chaotic, you should cultivate diligently and wait for the heavenly secrets to clear before making your moves."

"Lastly, there is an existence above a True Monarch in the Zhao family, and he is right here in Bianjing."

With those words, Yu Hua leapt onto the roof and, with a few flashes, merged into the grey surroundings.

Gu Wen watched her departing figure, slowly exhaling the cold air at the tail end of the long night.

A top-notch sword technique, a spear technique no conventional martial art could match.

Such treasures were easily obtained, and he had also gained the favor of an immortal. Gu Wen could feel that his relationship with the immortal had moved beyond that of strangers, noticing a significant change in her attitude towards him, almost treating him as an equal.

Unlike the Zhao family, who treated him as a household servant, Yu Hua treated him as a partner.

This was the great advantage hidden behind the danger of displaying one's talent, and while it was only the talent of Foundation Establishment First Level, he was now at Foundation Establishment Second Level.

That should be sufficient; being half a step ahead makes one a genius, a full step ahead makes one a madman. Advancing to Foundation Establishment Second Level in four days was too frightening; better to hold back a bit.

"Can the Daoji Ninth Level be invincible in this great realm of Daqian?"

He muttered to himself, then turned back into the room and sat cross-legged on the bed.

His Fate Diagram, aligned with the heavens, vibrated slightly. The Yuqing Sword Skill, like a myriad of swords piercing the clouds, filled the sky.

The Heavenly Marrow Fire transformed into rolling celestial flames, engulfing the jade sword, dissolving all obscurity and, like unraveling strands from silk, allowed Gu Wen to understand, grasp, and swing the jade sword.

In an instant, it seemed as if millions of immortal swords were rushing forward like the Yangtze River.

With each breath, he began to understand Swordsmanship at the entry level!

Yuqing Sword Skill at the entry level.

[Heavenly Marrow one year]

Gu Wen slowly opened his eyes and in the originally tranquil Black Water Pond appeared a jade sword, its unmatched sharpness radiating forth.

Entering the Yuqing Sword Skill had granted him a wisp of Sword Intent, yet this wisp of Sword Intent was still too weak to cause any damage,

"Entering took only one year of Heavenly Marrow, it seems much inferior to the mental method, since that's the case, I shall refine it until it's perfect!"

The so-called once-in-a-generation genius represents a combination of talent, effort, and resources that cannot be matched. If he, possessing a Red Dust Immortal Fate Diagram, could still be caught up to, he would not deserve to be called unparalleled!

With no dependencies, what does it matter that he has a slight talent?

He refined the Yuqing Daoji to the Second Level in four days and mastered the Yuqing Sword Skill in just one night, isn't that reasonable?

Heavenly Marrow! Continue refining for me, Daoist!