Success in a Day
Qingzhou Academy was home to the largest library collection in all of Qingzhou.
After the written exam, Ye Wentian and Ye Futian returned to their dorm to cultivate. Sometime in the afternoon, the two brothers arrived at the academy library.
They only had access to the first floor of the library. On this floor were books and scrolls containing the most basic of martial art exercises, battle strategies, and simple divination spells. These books were perfect for outer sect disciples in the Awakening Plane.
The second floor of the library was only accessible to official disciples and outer sect disciples who ranked during the Spring or Fall Quarter Examinations. It was every sorcerer's dream to be able to view all these powerful spell books.
However, the second level of the library was not the reason why the two were here today. They had begun properly cultivating. Aside from the Freedom Meditation, they had not done any martial art exercises, nor had they practiced any spells. Tomorrow's exam might require them to participate in a battle. If they showed up tomorrow with mediocre fighting skills, it would be a huge embarrassment. They could not let that happen; after all, they had ranked first and third on the written exam. Many people were waiting for them to make a fool out of themselves.
The library was split in half, with a martial arts section and a divination arts section. Ye Wentian and Ye Futian made their way toward the martial arts section.
The sixth level of Awakening was a point of division. Before the Invincible Plane, martial and divination art cultivators had essentially trained in the same way. The difference was that one used Worldly Essence to enhance the body in order to break through the different planes and the other used Elemental Spiritual Qi. The planes were all the same until the division of the Invincible Plane.
When martial art cultivators were able to understand the artistic conception of the exercises, they could break into the Mystery Plane. Sorcerers, however, had to seek out hidden Elemental Spiritual Qi using their abilities to perceive these energies. They had to create harmony between these new energies and the Spiritual Qi they had previously collected in the Collection Plane. Then, and only then, were sorcerers able to break past the Invincible Plane.
Therefore, Qingzhou Academy had a requirement to become an official disciple. If you could make it into the Mystery Plane before your eighteenth birthday, you had the advantage of joining the school of your choice. Or if you were like Yu Sheng, capable of cultivating in both martial and divination arts, you could pursue both.
Even though there weren't many people in the library, there was still a fair amount of attention on Ye Futian and Ye Wentian. Their results from the written exam put them in the spotlight but in conjunction with the smile Ye Futian got from Hua Jieyu, the amount of attention these ex-losers got was through the roof.
Rumor had it that they were stuck on the Collection Plane, so why were they here picking out books on martial arts exercises? Everyone was asking themselves this question as they observed Ye Wentian and Ye Futian quietly.
"I'll go look at some books on my own." Ye Wentian said
"Alright see you later." Ye Futian replied as they went their separate ways
After separating from his brother, Ye Wentian walked around and found an exercise that enabled the user to have more flexible bones and joints. The book interested him greatly, he took it down from the shelf as he begun reading it in a quiet corner of the library
The book is called The Supple Bone manual, it isn't very thick and only contained three major stages of mastery namely The Flexible stage, The Gentle stage and the Supple Stage with each stage providing a certain amount of flexibility and control over the bones and joints in the human body
At the flexible stage, one's bones would become as flexible as rubber enabling them to have control over 33% of the bones in the body. At the gentle stage, the user is able to become as soft and gentle as water whilst having control over 66% of bones. Finally, at the supple stage, the user would be able to have perfect control over their bones allowing them to bend in ways that are unheard of and shift bones all around the body or mend broken bones
Each stage of the manual also increased bone strength by a small margin allowing for not only greater evasion but greater defensive abilities
Ye Wentian immersed himself in the book and blended in with the background as if he didn't exist
"This manual is quiet good, I didn't think such a technique could be found on the first floor in such a tiny part of the continent..." Ye Wentian thought
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Ye Futian who had just spoken to his fiance and Murong Qing, took his two books to be registered then left the library along with Ye Wentian who heard the gossip and finally moved from his spot. The library was overtaken by a wave of gossip. People mostly whispered about the two books he had taken out, the Release of the Dragon Power and Martial Divination. How ridiculous was that?
Feng Qingxue quietly listened on. She had nothing to say. Even though Ye Futian had smiled at her, she still felt an invisible line separating them. He did as she asked and kept his distance from her but Feng Qingxue did not know why there was discomfort in her heart.
...
"The Release of the Dragon Power and Martial Divination," Yu Sheng was surprised upon seeing the two books. He looked at Ye Futian. "Are you cultivating in both arts and starting with martial arts?"
"Yeah, Mandate Sorcerers are called sorcerers because we're innately gifted with the elements. However, Mandate Sorcerers are also extremely suited for the cultivation of the martial arts. Naturally, I can't put Heaven's gift to waste!" Ye Futian nodded and continued, "As for my reason for starting in the martial arts, that's because at my level the sorcery I can cultivate is still not powerful enough. It's all the basics. I can't unleash my full potential as a sorcerer yet."
"Then what about Martial Divination?" Yu Sheng was very curious.
"It's better to be prepared for everything." Ye Futian gave him a mysterious smile. "Besides, cultivation of Martial Divination is super easy, it won't take up much of my time."
"Hey let me read the two books once you're done I found a pretty interesting book you might wanna take a look at. As for Yu Sheng... With such a burly body would there be a need to practice?"
"..."
Pfft. Ye Futian couldn't hold back his laughter as he looked at Yu Sheng's sour face
"Alright, I'll be done soon then we can swap." Ye Futian replied
Ye Futian spoke again, "That fox probably has no interest in the debate as usual and will not participate. If she doesn't then I will try to get ranked first in the Fall Quarter Examinations overall."
"Guess I'll have to get second place since your fox isn't participating." Ye Wentian added in
"Okay." Yu Sheng nodded, if this was what Ye Futian wanted, then this was what he was going to do. He had already gotten on the List of Excellence; if he was able to stand out above everyone tomorrow, then he could definitely get first place for the entire exam.
"I'm going to cultivate," said Ye Futian
...
After cultivating in the two arts, Ye Futian and Yu Sheng spoke briefly before Ye Wentian arrived and said as he took out the Supple Bone manual "Since you're done let's swap now."
"Alright here." Ye Futian replied as he took out the two books and exchanged