14 Unable to Cultivate

Inside one of the rooms in Secluded Immortal Abode, Su Yin rubbed his glabella.

Not long after he returned from chopping firewood, Chen Yu and Zhao Ruoxu delivered the manuals that he had requested. All in all, the duo gave him more than a hundred copies of techniques and manuals.

'Four Extremities Mantra'

'Purple Air Scorching Technique'

'Five Elements Tactics'

'Six Meridian Scriptures'

The Immortal Guardian Sect's ten thousand years of foundation sure was outstanding. Setting the others aside, there were already nine mystical techniques that reached the Black-Level. In fact, there was even one among them that had reached the peak of Black-Level!

Su Yin studied them for a whole 12 hours.

Then, he was saddened by the realization that…

He was unable to cultivate any of them.

Once he started to circulate the dharmic formulas within the manuals, the acupoints all over his body would automatically close up and refuse to open no matter what!

If he couldn't absorb any spiritual aura into his body, how was he supposed to create true essence and improve his strength?

"My talent is this terrible?" Su Yin wanted to cry.

The protagonists of novels were able to cultivate faster and stronger than the average cultivator even with the trashiest cultivation techniques possible once they came into contact with cultivation techniques.

What exactly was wrong with me?

Innate Dao body? Immortal Bloodline?

It must be fake!

If I continue to be like this, not only would I be unable to come and go freely in the world and become an immortal… the slightest carelessness would probably cause me to be exposed and get beaten to death.

Such an end would be too awful!

"I have to change my situation!" Su Yin's gaze flashed with determination.

Su Yin was truly indignant that he wasn't able to cultivate after witnessing other people go freely where they wished.

"It would be the best if I can find someone whom I can ask questions from and help me resolve my doubts…"

He had studied many different kinds of techniques before, so he should be able to form his own understanding once he read a cultivation manual. But since he had never cultivated before, perhaps the reason why he was unable to cultivate was due to problems in his comprehension.

"Getting Elder Wu Yuan and the others to answer my questions would be the most suitable, but they are aware of my identity!

"If I were to ask them about the basics of cultivation, it would be too embarrassing…

"I should get someone who doesn't know who I am, has their own unique understanding of cultivation techniques, and is also highly talented!"

Pondering in his heart, a figure emerged in his mind.

"That Liu Yiyi was able to have an epiphany after listening to my casual comments, she had a great breakthrough in both cultivation and swordsmanship. This shows that she is extremely talented!

"She could perhaps be considered one of the best in the whole Immortal Guardian Sect!

"Asking her about these things should give me great results…"

A bird could fly high with the phoenix, a person was edified being with the virtuous.

If trash like him with no talent wanted to improve as fast as possible, the only way was to get close to a genius, stay close to the genius and constantly learn from that genius!

Simply put, he planned on rubbing off the other party's luck.

Just like how the fatso, blind man, or even the cripple in those novels were able to improve leaps and bounds and reach their peak as long as they followed the protagonist…

I could use the path that they had taken as a reference.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll go back to that place again, and perhaps I will be able to see her once more! By then, I must not miss the opportunity…" Su Yin breathed a sigh of relief.

Su Yin had thought it through. He was convinced that the other party was unaware of his identity. Otherwise, it would be absolutely impossible for her to put on such a great pretense. She probably has no intention of killing him too.

If she wanted to kill me, then why would she address me as "Senior" and act so courteous towards me?

What happened back then was probably a case of mistaken identity.

Since that was the case, Su Yin planned to make use of it.

Grr! Grr! Grr!

With a solution in mind and his heart feeling relaxed, Su Yin finally noticed his stomach's growling. He directly studied the manuals that the duo had delivered after he was done with chopping some firewood, so he hadn't eaten for more than ten hours now since he woke up.

He was starving.

"I'll make some food!"

Getting up to his feet, Su Yin walked out.

…

Back at the sect, Liu Yiyi was once again assuming the appearance of a male.

She gained a lot in her trip outside of the sect this time. Not only did she gain a whole new understanding of cultivation and swordsmanship, but she also managed to become a disciple of a peerless expert.

"I'll finish teacher's tasks for me first…"

As one of the ten biggest sects of Great Yan Prefecture, the Immortal Guardian Sect had a considerable stock of demonic beasts' meat and the like. As long as one had enough money, they could buy whatever they wanted.

Having purchased some tasty demonic beasts' meat that had an abundance of spiritual aura at an exchange, Liu Yiyi then sighed in relief.

She might have no idea about her teacher's preferences in food, but there was no harm to having more. There ought to be one that her teacher would like among the things that she bought.

Liu Yiyi returned to the Weapon Practice Hall.

She was planning to properly consolidate her cultivation that she had just made a breakthrough in earlier. She also planned on tempering her swordsmanship for today. But the scene before her eyes blurred and she was stopped by someone else once more.

Two youths stopped her in her tracks. One of them was an old acquaintance—Zhou Yuan, who she had just defeated this morning!

"You lost to him?" The youth beside Zhou Yuan looked over with a face full of confusion, he seemed to be in disbelief.

As a disciple, Liu Yi had already cultivated for three years, yet he was only at Class 3 of Gathering Breath Realm. Everyone already considered him as a good-for-nothing! Losing against this loser was a terrible insult.

With an embarrassed look, Zhou Yuan explained. "I have no idea what's wrong with this rascal, he advanced two classes overnight and his swordsmanship also substantially improved. I was defeated because of a moment of carelessness—"

"You've lost, so you've lost! There's no need to look for excuses!"

Cutting off his words, the other youth looked over to Liu Yiyi, indifference was thick in his eyes. "Since you could win against Zhou Yuan, it shows that you are strong. Do you dare compete with me?"

Liu Yiyi frowned.

She recognized this person before her eyes.

He was called Liu Chang and he always had a good relationship with Zhou Yuan. He also joined the sect three years ago, but his status was so much higher than that of the latter. It was rumored that he had the chance to become an Elder's direct disciple.

Disciples were categorized into—ordinary disciples, direct disciples of Elders, and direct disciples of the Sect Leader.

"What if I refuse to?" Liu Yiyi shook her head.

She only wanted to cultivate in peace.

She desired nothing but to take her revenge as soon as possible. She really didn't want to participate in the struggle between disciples.

"The sect encourages battle between disciples. You've injured my friend, so I am here to challenge you. This is as it ought to be! If you're going to reject me, then I will present a letter of challenge and ask the elders to preside over our fight!"

The corners of Liu Chang's mouth curled up.

Cultivation was normally done systematically. This disciple who ranked last was able to defeat even Zhou Yuan overnight? It made Liu Chang curious about this disciple's true capabilities.

Liu Yiyi's eyes narrowed.

Fights between disciples were common. Up to a hundred of them could take place daily at the Immortal Guardian Sect. There were sparring sessions, tournaments, and combat lessons.

But once a letter of challenge was presented, the nature of the battle would change…

The fight would become much more formal. It would also be personally hosted by an Elder.

As a result, fights that were created after a letter of challenge received a lot of attention from other disciples. Furthermore, the battle couldn't end until either one of the two parties was injured.

"All right!"

Liu Yiyi didn't hesitate for too long. She brought out her longsword.

Liu Chang had already placed all of his cards on the table…

If she continued to refuse, her mentality might be damaged as a result.

"How straightforward!" With a chuckle, Liu Chang also unsheathed his longsword.

With a hum, sword energy pervaded the air.

He was indeed a disciple who had the chance of becoming an elder's direct disciple.

His cultivation level was already at Class 6 of the Gathering Breath Realm. His understanding of the Sword Dao was also more advanced than that of Zhou Yuan's.

Of the 36 Stances of the Immortal Guardian, he was at least at the peak of the Fifth Stance!

Knowing that it would be difficult for the other party to let her off if she did not put in all of her strength… the true essence in Liu Yiyi's body burst out, sword energy also shot out from the tip of her sword.

"Class 6 of Gathering Breath?"

Zhou Yuan, who was observing the battle from the sidelines, was wide-eyed stunned by what he saw.

I just fought against this guy yesterday afternoon.

Advancing to Class 5 from Class 3 of the Gathering Breath Realm overnight…

I'll accept that!

It wasn't impossible for someone who has a strong foundation to have a sudden epiphany and make several breakthroughs at once.

But… within about half a day's time… He ascended to Class 5 from Class 6?

How did he do that?

If he truly was this talented, then what was he doing in the past three years?

While he was in shock, the longswords of the two parties in the fight had already come into contact.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Liu Chang's expression gradually grew solemn as his sword clashed against his opponent's

"This isn't the Fifth Stance, but… the Sixth Stance!"

His palms were sweating, this genius disciple no longer had his earlier composure.

Zhou Yuan told him that the other party was only able to win against him because he had been enlightened till the Fifth Stance of the 36 Stances of the Immortal Guardian.

In addition, he used strange unconventional moves that resulted in his victory against Zhou Yuan after he caught Zhou Yuan unaware.

But he wasn't displaying the Fifth Stance of the 36 Stances of the Immortal Guardian right now!

These moves came from the Sixth Stance!

Every move in the 36 Stances of the Immortal Guardian was more difficult than the previous. Even Liu Chang had to spend at least half a year in order to comprehend and smoothly execute the first five stances.

So how could this fellow who had always been the poorest performer among all of the disciples—learn these stances in a day?

Liu Chang gnashed his teeth, he circulated the true essence in his body to the limit.

Swash!

The longsword's sword glow ripped through the air, as if it had broken through the shackles of time and space, it thrust right towards Liu Yiyi's throat.

Liu Chang's actions made it so that the battle was no longer an ordinary sparring session. If Liu Yiyi was unable to block or dodge this move, she would be severely injured, or at worst—die!

Liu Yiyi didn't expect that Liu Chang would be this ruthless. She no longer concealed her strength as she gritted her teeth and unleashed a sword technique that sliced through the air.

Thump!

Before Liu Chang could react, he felt a suppressive force boring down his sword. Pain wracked the web between his thumb and index finger as he successively took more than ten steps backwards in retreat.

Pu!

He spat out a mouthful of blood.

"You've actually grasped… the Seventh Stance?"

Filled with disbelief, Liu Chang's body stiffened.

There was a huge gulf between the Sixth Stance and the Seventh Stance in the 36 Stances of the Immortal Guardian. If one was able to grasp the Seventh Stance before they reached the age of 20-years-old, they are completely qualified to become an elder's direct disciple.

In other words, this Liu Yi that had always been at the bottom of the rankings among the disciples has not only earned a rapid boost in his cultivation, but his understanding of swordsmanship had also exceeded that of his own.

What exactly had happened?

"You've lost!"

Letting out a breath, Liu Yi was filled with agitation.

All this time, Liu Chang had always been an existence that she looked up to and envied.

But to think that after only receiving pointers twice—she would be able to defeat him so easily like this!

Whether it was the teacher in the compound or the youth chopping firewood, their understanding of the Sword Dao was incredibly deep.

They had probably long reached the state of simplifying things and returning to their origin.

Otherwise, it would've been impossible for them to let her have such a big improvement.

"I must work hard, I must live up to such an opportunity!"

Knowing that the opportunity didn't come easily, Liu Yiyi cherished it even more in her heart.

…

While Liu Yiyi was feeling agitated, Yao Zhan who had set off on the Silver-Winged Azure Wyrm from the Wind Thunder Sect had just arrived at the entrance of the Immortal Guardian Sect under the cover of the night.

"Azure Wyrm Senior, let's stop here! If we go any closer, we might touch the other party's sect defense array and be discovered…"

Yao Zhan said.

Hearing his words, the azure dragon with massive wings nodded its head and flew straight to the mountain forest located at the base of the mountain.