Chapter 172: Chapter 114: Entry Level of the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique
Xiao Mingqian led Jiang Che to a pavilion.
"Junior Brother Jiang, have you brought any silver coins?" Xiao Mingqian asked.
"I did." Jiang Che hurriedly pulled out his money pouch.
"The tuition is one hundred taels of gold a year," Xiao Mingqian explained.
’So expensive?!’ Jiang Che was stunned.
After half a year of closed-door cultivation, he had spent most of his money, leaving him with only about one hundred and twenty taels.
After paying the tuition, he would only have twenty taels of gold left.
’It’s fine. I can earn it all back later...’ Jiang Che comforted himself.
He then took out a one-hundred-tael gold note from his money pouch and handed it over.
"Alright, Junior Brother Jiang, please wait a moment." Xiao Mingqian took the money and went inside.
Before long, he came out holding a pile of things.
"Here is your Inner Courtyard Disciple Identity Token, the first layer of the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique, the manual of Sect precepts, and your Disciple’s Robe."
Jiang Che hurriedly took them.
’So this is the starter pack for a major sect...’
The sting of having spent one hundred taels of gold eased slightly.
After all, he had received quite a few things, especially the True Skill, the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique.
Out in the world, you could never buy this for one hundred taels of gold!
"With the Inner Courtyard Disciple Identity Token, not only can you move about the Sect unimpeded and use the dining hall, but you can also use the Practice Rooms and the Scripture Pavilion, accept missions, and so on."
Xiao Mingqian began to explain each item.
"Next is the manual of Sect precepts. It’s best if you familiarize yourself with it, Junior Brother Jiang, lest you accidentally violate the precepts and suffer punishment."
"Understood." Jiang Che nodded, deciding to study it carefully when he got back.
Although strength was paramount on the path of cultivation, being familiar with the rules could also offer a degree of protection.
"As for the first layer of the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique, it will be enough for you to break through to the Bone Forging Realm. This first layer of the Cultivation Technique is free, but each subsequent layer will cost five hundred taels of gold," said Xiao Mingqian.
’Five hundred taels?!’ Jiang Che was once again shocked by the price.
Noticing the look in Jiang Che’s eyes, Xiao Mingqian explained:
"You don’t need to worry, Junior Brother Jiang. Once you break through to Bone Forging, you’ll be able to take on higher-tier Sect missions. Some of them are long-term, and the annual stipend alone is worth more than five hundred taels of gold. You’ll also be gifted many other Cultivation Resources, so money won’t be an issue."
Jiang Che nodded. It seemed the earning power of a High-Tier Martial Artist was far beyond what he had imagined.
But on second thought, in this world where the Martial Dao reigned supreme, the ceiling for one’s power was incredibly high.
Personal strength could indeed decide the outcome of many things.
Therefore, the stronger you were, the more resources you could claim and distribute.
In a way, it wasn’t that the strong earned so much.
It was just that ordinary people were allotted too little.
He had been stuck in Lin Yuan City for so long that his horizons were too narrow, making him think this sum of money was huge.
"By the way, Senior Brother, how many layers does the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique have in total?" Jiang Che asked.
"It has a total of nine layers. At its peak, you can cultivate to the Seventh Layer of True Master Realm," Xiao Mingqian explained.
"The Seventh Layer of True Master Realm? Senior Brother, how many layers does the True Master Realm have in total? And what about True Mastery?" Jiang Che asked.
"You even know about True Mastery?" Xiao Mingqian was slightly surprised.
"The True Master Realm has thirteen layers. Once you’ve perfected all thirteen, that is True Mastery. True Mastery itself is divided into four Great Realms. As for what’s beyond True Mastery, it’s said there are other Realms, but that’s just the stuff of legend."
"Then... after one masters the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique, what happens then?" Jiang Che asked with a frown.
’If I can only cultivate to the Seventh Layer, how will I ever reach True Mastery?’
"Mastered it? Junior Brother, ignorance truly makes one fearless! Do you have any idea? Even our Headmaster hasn’t mastered all nine layers yet!" Xiao Mingqian said, shaking his head.
"This..." Jiang Che was stunned.
He’d heard from Luo Kun that Headmaster Xu Qingshan’s Root Bone was of the absolute highest grade.
’A genius like that has been cultivating for at least sixty years and still hasn’t mastered the Ninth Layer of the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Technique?’
"Do you know how many True Mastery Level Great Daoists there are in all of Great Chu?" Xiao Mingqian asked.
"How many?"
Xiao Mingqian held up three fingers.
"Only three have been confirmed. As for whether there are any other reclusive masters, no one knows."
Jiang Che gasped.
He finally understood just how difficult it was to reach True Mastery.
"Although the Cangyun Sect is one of the three great sects in Cangzhou, across the whole of the Great Chu, we’re considered second-rate. Our Sect’s Cultivation Techniques can’t lead to True Mastery. Of course, it’s said the technique of Cangzhou’s number one sect, the Taiyuan Sect, can lead to True Mastery. But aside from their founding ancestor, who passed on long ago, they haven’t produced a single True Mastery Level Great Daoist in the five hundred years since their founding," Xiao Mingqian said, shaking his head.
’The path of cultivation is this arduous...’ Jiang Che sighed to himself.
"Junior Brother, just breaking through to become a True Master is an incredible achievement! Of all the Inner Courtyard Disciples in our sect’s history, not even one in a hundred manages to break through to the True Master Realm! The ones who do eventually become Elders or the Headmaster. The strongest among our current generation of disciples is only at the Late Stage of Refining Organ. As for True Mastery... that’s the domain of heavenly Immortals, not something people like us should even be thinking about," Xiao Mingqian admonished.
"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother!" Jiang Che knew he had been aiming too high. Thinking about True Mastery right after breaking through to Force Integration was like wanting to become the richest person in the world right after graduating and starting your first job. He was really getting ahead of himself!
"Oh, right. You should pack your things and move into the Inner Courtyard Disciple dorms," Xiao Mingqian said suddenly.
"Move to the Inner Courtyard? But the lease on the house I’m renting hasn’t expired yet, and I don’t have many Silver Coins left..." Jiang Che said, startled.
"Don’t worry. Rent in the Inner Courtyard is included in your tuition; there’s no extra cost. Of course, if you want to live somewhere nicer, that will cost you money. Moving into the Inner Courtyard will make getting around on a daily basis more convenient. As for the place you’re renting, just take your Inner Courtyard Disciple Identity Token over there, and they’ll refund you the remainder of your rent," said Xiao Mingqian.
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