Senior. I looked at Gen who had approached my table. It was the one day a year for sect to celebrate and people to co out of their holes. I would enjoy this day and make sure my niece was settled into the sect before departing to the Floating Island of Death.
Yes? I asked him. He gave a deep bow.
I apologize if anything I said before was misinterpreted, he told .
It wasnt. There is nothing more for us to speak about, I said not wanting to get into this with him. His harsh words, that I had overheard years ago, ant nothing to . They just showed his true character. There was no need to get pulled down to his level.
I waved my hand dismissing him. He had a grimace on his face as he left. But that was his problem, not mine. I had enough problems of my own that I couldnt afford to take on other peoples problems. The next person to approach was Wen Xue. Senior, he greeted .
Wen Xue, please sit, with , I told him and inclined my head. He smiled at my welco. I could see the jealous stares coming in his direction. I was the disciple of the Sect Leader, the sect disciple. I stood above all others in the disciple hierarchy. Even if my ti of being a disciple would soon be over once I reached the fourth stage of cultivation.
It is good to see you, he said. It was a weak opening to the conversation, but I didnt mind. Wen Xue was calming to be around. We occasionally had conversations about cultivation and our respective progress. If I may be bold and ask, have you reached the third stage?
That was a bold question, but I didnt mind since we had talked several tis in the past about such things. Just recently, a few days ago.
Then let be one of the first to congratulate you. I know it has been a challenge to progress your cultivation. Have you started on the third stage yet? he asked .
No. I plan to hold off until I acquire a necessary item for my cultivation, I replied. Wen Xue winced at that. I could understand why he would wince. The second stage had been a nightmare and the third stage was not shaping up to be any easier.
I must admit, I admire your courage. Cultivating the path of defiance. Your courage is sothing to admire. Going out and getting resources to advance your cultivation, I wish I could do sothing similar, he said with a sigh.
I gave him a considering look. Wen Xue would be what I would call a nerd. He seed mostly withdrawn into himself and liked to learn new things. Wen Xue saying what he did, was basically him begging to take him out with .
Having soone tag along would be quite useful. The Floating Island of Death was not a joke. There would be issues taking soone with . The primary issue would be stealth. Hiding from the zombies on the island with two cultivators, was much harder than hiding one cultivator. Still, my cultivation was off the charts. He would be like a moon to my sun, in terms of cultivation.
In addition, there were traps and other issues. I knew Wen Xue had been studying arrays. He was no master and had knowledge of such things. Hopefully enough, to not kill himself or . His cultivation was sowhere in the middle of the third stage. It would have been better to take soone in the fourth stage that could do techniques. Unfortunately, there was no one that I knew well enough to bring along with .
Thank you for the kind words. Are you trying to mind sothing specific for your cultivation? I asked him.
I am thinking of the fourth stage. Anything to enhance my number of drops. That is my biggest concern at the mont. I will get through the third stage, but it is the bottleneck that is the fourth stage, which is far more concerning, he told , and I nodded at this.
That made sense. That was the big headache I would have to deal with as well. But that was a problem for future to work out. Right now, I needed to find null tal, which ant heading to the Floating Island of Death. It was important to not lose sight of the death part.
I am planning another trip. It will be quite dangerous, but also has quite a bit of potential, I said in a softer tone while leaning forward. I knew other people were listening in, inside the dining hall, but I would make them work for it. Would you be interested? I asked.
How dangerous? he asked , clearly interested.
Incredibly. But I need to acquire null tal. This place has the best chance of having so. It is a forbidden zone, I added on. He frowned heavily at that. A forbidden zone was labeled that for a reason. Cultivators went in, and very few if any ever ca out. The explanations for the deaths were also limited, even with soul lanterns.
There were already stories circulating about the sect, about my adventures and how I had co back alive. I had talked to Wen Xue about such things as well. He knew the risks were real, but the chance of getting sothing to allow him to break through the first bottleneck was massive. Even if he didnt get sothing, if he managed to put his hands on a treasure, he could sell it.
The problem was the near statistical certainty that he would die if he left. But I was blessed by the heavens themselves. Which added a bit more weight to the survival side of the equation. Normally I wouldnt even consider the risk, but I wanted a at shield.
This wasnt going to be like fighting beasts, where they would co one at a ti except for a beast tide. Having soone to watch my back and double check my assumptions would be crucial for surviving. Also, it never hurt to have soone else die instead of . Even if I wasnt planning to get rid of him, and would try to keep Wen Xue alive, the risk of my expedition was massive.
I would be interested, he finally said, and I smiled at this. It would be nice to have soone else to share the headaches and dangers with. While I was used to traveling alone, that had been when I could cultivate to so extent while traveling. I wouldnt be able to do that in the third stage.
I will speak to the Sect Leader about getting you permission to leave the sect for a long period of ti. This will easily take a couple of years, I said. Wen Xue winced at that but nodded.
Anything specific I should prepare, or we should speak later? he asked.
Lets speak now. We can talk in your room, I said, having finished my al. Wen Xue nodded at that, quickly polishing off his rice. We left the dining hall and made our way back to his room.
Once his door closed, he turned to look at . Where would we be going? he asked .
The Floating Island of Death, I told him. He let out a long sigh.
At least so people have survived to return. But the zombies? How will we handle them? Wen Xue asked . I let out a long sigh at that.
I am still doing research. The problem is that the zombies have quite a lot of abilities of the cultivators that have died. The best option would be presence concealing rings, I said, and Wen Xue shook his head.
A forbidden zone wont be overco so easily. If it could be, everyone would do what you suggest, he told , and I nodded.
Well, the rings are a start, but if you have any more ideas, then I would be happy to hear them? I asked him.
I have so to hide our presence. Like a portable array. I would need to do so research. I know you ntioned leaving soon, but this will take so ti to look into, he replied.
Lets say 10 days from now. If there is sothing specific, we can do that. But just for research, no, I replied. I hesitated for a mont, before pulling out a rank 3 spirit coin. I tossed it over and Wen Xue caught it. Consider that the initial funding. If you need more then we can talk about it, I told him.
Thank you, Senior Yuan Zhou, he said with a bow.
I will handle the rings and speaking to the Sect Leader. If you discover anything else, let know. Wen Xue nodded, and I opened the door to his room to leave. There were four other disciples standing around. They all quickly bowed to . I turned to Wen Xue who appeared to be a bit embarrassed.
Please forgive them senior. But they are just friends of mine within the sect, he replied.
That is fine. I have other things to take care of, I said and quickly left before any of these other people could beg to take them along. One other person was fine. But taking a crowd wasnt happening. I trusted Wen Xue and knew his skills to so extent. Taking useless people with was not going to happen.
I kept doing my own research, but the sect had very little about the forbidden zones. No one had useful information, that was why they were forbidden zones, and not looted of everything useful. If they had useful information, it wasnt public knowledge.
It was unfortunate, but there was no other option. A good chunk of my ti was spent working out how to properly detect null tal and transport it. Most of the problems went away, when the Sect Leader supplied with a special carrying case.
I could put tal inside, and the energy of the heavens and the earth would be cut off. Checking if it was actually null tal was beyond and would require soone in the higher stages of cultivation with an appropriate Dao to check, without contaminating the tal. Processing it was even more of a headache.
Unfortunately, there was nothing else that could be done to locate and determine if tal was null tal without ruining it. Null tal was cut off from the energy of the heavens and the earth, so breaking that barrier, would contaminate it.
My best hope was that my energy vision would show it as a void, in whatever structure the null tal was contained. That was my best hope for discovering so. Then I just needed to extract it, put it in the carrying case, and get back to Imperial City to be processed into a Displacent Channel Carver combined with a focusing gem. The focusing gem I could purchase, but it would be painfully expensive.
The biggest holdup was the null tal, which was the first thing I was going after. I was reading through various travel accounts in the elders library, hoping to find anything about the Floating Island of Death, when the attendant ca to get . I put the to away carefully and left the library. It was only a couple of days until our departure, and the Sect Leader had signed off on everything.
I made my way to the elder that had summoned . Junior Yuan Zhou greets Elder Li Fu, I said with a bow. He gave a smile and a nod before gesturing at the chair across from himself.
Sit, please, he said, and I took a seat.
Your niece, Yao Lan. I have concerns, he told . My eyes went wide at that. Since you have given quite a bit to look after her, then I thought it best to speak with you.
Thank you, Elder Li Fu. What is the problem? I asked as he poured us both tea. I took the cup he poured from him and drank a little. It was rich, but the fact the silence was stretching on, and an elder was serving tea was not good for my nerves.
How complicated do you want her cultivation to be? he asked . I frowned slightly at that and sipped my tea.
I was under the impression, that it would be left in your hands to guide her? I asked and he nodded at that.
Indeed, but she has co to asking to follow in your steps. Sothing I would not recomnd, he replied. I winced at that comnt. It was true, but it still wounded my pride a bit. I never expected my niece to be so headstrong.
Ultimately it is her choice. But her path is her own. Even though I do not recomnd following mine. The fourth stage will be a nightmare, I replied.
Indeed. I suspect your tenacity will carry you through the third stage. Even with a trip to a forbidden zone. But others are not so blessed as you. However, cultivating in a way you dont believe in, no matter how effective, leads to issues in the later stages, Elder Li Fu explained. I did not know that.
Is that a thing in other sects? I asked and he nodded.
Indeed. That is why our sect has continued to flourish despite having a much wider scope of options available to disciples. Why I dont tell people how to arrange their motes. The later stages of cultivation are quite personal. That is why trying to standardize things leads to disappointnt. For no two people are the sa, he replied.
It isnt just research into how cultivation is done and finding the most efficient cultivation path? I asked and he shook his head.
There is that aspect as well. But we have long worked out most of the efficient cultivation thods. There is rarely anything knew. Liu Chens valve design for the channels, is sothing that is breaking new ground. Your three path cultivation of mind, body and soul, is also another example of sothing new. But triangular channels, wave cone ridians, and many other aspects of your cultivation have been experinted with to death. I nodded at this since it was all true.
You explained this to Yao Lan? I asked him and he nodded.
I have. Even going so far as explaining that your path is only possible with great risk and hardship to get resources. Without that, it wouldnt even be possible. Even now you are going to place even I and the other elders would not dare go.
If she fails in cultivation. That is her choice. Just as I made my choice to go along my path, her choices are her own. We can only advise, I said with a bit of a heavy heart. I liked Yao Lan but trying to convince her to have a cultivation plan more like Wen Xue, instead of myself, was not sothing we could do.
A cultivator was a singular existence. Elder Li Fu was only speaking to out of a courtesy, and since I had invested so much into my niece and given to him. I couldnt take a disciple of my own until I was in the fourth stage, which wouldnt be any ti soon.
Wise words. I was concerned you would be overly attached to her, Elder Li Fu said and I shook my head.
We are all adults. No matter how I might look, I muttered the last part a bit petulantly and Elder Li Fu chuckled at that.
It is a mark of prowess. While it may not seem like it, there are very few cultivators who appear as children in the later stages. The demonic cultivator Aoyin and Han Xingjuan of the Imperial Sect ca to mind. The first was rank 8, while the second was around my level of cultivation. To cross the first bottleneck as a child is most impressive. Showing mastery of your chosen cultivation thod beyond all others.
Perhaps, or just deep pockets to get a lot of drops, I replied.
Hmm, perhaps. But only an immortal could afford such extravagance, which is another sign of power, having such connections, Elder Li Fu countered. I inclined my head to show I agreed with his point and took another sip of tea.
Thank you for taking on my niece, I know it cannot be easy, I told him. I wanted her path to be smooth, but I could only do so much. The rest was in her hands.
I always enjoyed teaching and running the sect. It has given much over the centuries, it is nice to give a little bit back. There is another reason and more important reason, I wanted to speak with you, he said and set down his teacup. I did the sa. The Sect Leader will not last another century.
I have seen the physical changes, I am aware, I replied.
Your situation isnt precarious, and you are in no danger, but you will receive no more help in the fourth stage. There will no longer be any support from the sect either, Elder Li Fu said very clearly.
I expected as much. I know other people cant be happy with the attention I have received. As long as they dont try and sabotage or steal from , I said.
There is no worry of that. Your position will be respected. But the competition for a new Sect Leader is not simple. Your master would never explain this, but there will be a lot of pressure on you. Or at least people will be watching, Elder Li Fu explained.
What role could I play? While I am the sect disciple, I only have so much authority? I asked and Elder Li Fu shook his head.
The position of Sect Leader is both an imnse honor and imnse responsibility. The sect is split into three factions. We dont involve disciples in such things normally and the Sect Leader has been neutral. However, there is quite a bit of pressure on him to choose a successor. When he does, it will alter the balance of power within the sect, and build resentnt, Elder Li Fu explained. I frowned a bit as I thought through his explanation.
There doesnt seem like much drama within the sect, I replied. The elder chuckled at this statent and gave a smile, like soone would give a nave child.
For disciples, there is little besides yourself. But for elders it is much more complex. What long term projects to allocate resources to is a big part of this. The force chamber that has been constructed for your use in the third stage is just one such example.
But I brought back quite a bit to the sect. Like the blue moon orchid, and a share of my mining business, I countered.
Indeed, which is why no one will interfere with you once the Sect Leader passes. However there will be trendous pressure to join one of the factions upon his passing. While you can mostly hide during the third stage, the fourth stage will present issues. Since you will require techniques and resources, Elder Li Fu explained.
What do you suggest elder? You would not have brought this to my attention, without a solution, I replied.
There is nothing specific you have to do. Just be aware that your actions and associations will be viewed as the will of the Sect Leader. You are his last big project before he passes away. Techniques will co with a price attached to them. It is better to be aware if you accept one offer, another better offer might never co, Elder Li Fu explained.
He has no chance of reaching immortality? I asked.
No. The second bottleneck is imnse. A great barrier. Even with mastery of ones Dao, it is no simple thing to ascend to immortality. Anyone who reaches the eighth stage of cultivation is invited to the high ranking sects to learn from the wisdom the immortals have written down. After such knowledge, the Sect Leader was the most disappointed I have ever seen him, Elder Li Fu said.
The second bottleneck clearly wasnt like the first, which involved the destruction of ones cultivation to reach the next stage. It was a sha the Sect Leader would not make it.
Thank you for explaining things to , I responded and finished off my tea.
Hmmm, indeed. There are high hopes for you if you can make it past the fourth stage. Very high hopes. I doubt you will make it, but one never knows, Elder Li Fu explained.
Thank you for the tea and advice, I said with a head bow. I was dismissed and thought about my situation. It was clearly a warning from the elder to be mindful going forward. While the Sect Leader was supporting , he wouldnt be around for much longer.
I needed to get the six rank 6 materials before his death. There was no other alternative from what I understood. At least the Sect Leader hadnt ntioned any. Also bringing other people into the issue, would let others know that Aoyin was using to advance his own cultivation to sohow reach immortality.
If his shard of cultivation, Aoyins fang, wasnt countered, then I would be looking for death once I broke through the first bottleneck. He would co for and do horrible things to . I needed to avoid that at all cost.
That ant I needed to get materials sooner rather than later so the Sect Leader could counter what was done to , by making it part of my cultivation. Leaving the elders ho my niece suddenly showed up, right outside the front door. I knew it probably wasnt coincidence.
Ah, um, oh, junior Yao Lan greets senior Yuan Zhou, she said with a bow after a mont of hesitation. I nodded at this. While she was a core disciple, I was above her in every possible way. While we were family, that didnt matter. Or at least I think it didnt to how people had to greet others inside the sect.
Are you done for the day? I asked her.
I was just doing research on my cultivation plan. But I could use your advice, she asked .
Very well, I replied with a head nod. She led back inside the elders ho to her room. She pulled out so notes she had taken.
I was thinking of following in your footsteps, using triangular channels. And then wave cone ridians. But those use a lot of motes. I am still collecting so, but it will take quite a bit to get the number I need. As she continued speaking I just smiled and listened. It was nice to be on the other side of this conversation for once.
That is why I am looking at a slightly larger core. What do you think? she finally finished up.
First, that is impressive, you have worked out so much so quickly. I can tell you probably asked Elder Li Fu quite a bit. I suggest you do your own research and do not copy . Make your own decisions. You know how difficult my path is, I explained to her, and she nodded.
I dont plan on cultivating all three thods, like you have. But I am interested in other aspects of my cultivation. I am thinking a more unique core structure, she replied.
What would it be besides sothing similar to a sphere? I used an icosahedron shape, but it was spherical enough. Getting any more angular than that risked stress points of the core structure breaking too easily.
A circular shape, she said.
But that will cause issues when you explode it, to create your true soul? I asked.
What? she said, and I let out a sigh.
You need to do more research. A lot more research. There is a very good reason for circular cores. I suggest you look into them. It is the best balance between all the requirents a core needs. Using other shapes or structures besides a spherical shape invites grave risks when crossing into the fifth stage, I explained.
Ireally? she asked and I nodded.
It is one of those things that isnt explained but is often viewed as common knowledge. There are so tos about cultivators who used a different core shape and failed. Like a cylinder. The risk of a fracture happening from the pressure is too great. An uneven core is very bad. Well, I could be wrong. I suggest you do your own research. Not just talking to others and going off what you hear, I explained.
Oh, she said a bit deflated. I gave her a pat on the arm.
Consider it a research project. It isnt easy, but it is important. You joined the sect a couple years before your twentieth birthday. You have a lot of ti to do research. Trust , research is the exciting part of cultivation, I told her.
Really? she asked, seeming even more deflated.
Indeed. It gets more boring and ti consuming the further your advance. You need to have the proper ntality to focus and improve yourself. If you cant handle a bit of research, you will struggle aligning your motes, I replied.
She winced at my critique but her face fird up. Dont worry, I will study well and develop a good cultivation plan, she said.
I am glad. I will be leaving the sect for quite a while in the near future. I dont know when I will return, but I expect you to work hard, I told my niece and she nodded. I could understand so of her frustration and getting advice from Elder Li Fu, while combining it with her own crazy ideas.
She needed to sit down and do proper research. It was boring, ti consuming, and would be frustrating, but if one couldnt do that much then she had no hope advancing through the stages of cultivation. She was an adult now, and I couldnt hold her hand.
My ideas, while out there, were based on countless hours of research looking at what past cultivators had written about. Even then, my headaches were massive. Donut cultivation, that was the stupidest thing possible. While the core would be stronger than a sphere, it wasnt necessarily a good thing.
One needed to detonate their cultivation, pushing it out, but it also needed to co back togeather in the end and not disperse. That was one reason I needed so many drops in the fourth stage. Even 10,000 would be a joke and not do anything with how sturdy my cultivation structure was. All the channels, bracing, and outer edge created a very solid structure. If there wasnt enough power behind my core detonations, then I would fail crossing through the bottleneck.
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