Chapter 156: First-Grade Divine Weapon (2)
"Do you feel it? The world knows that our Cloudstride Sect's Moontide Sword has dominated the Jiang Continent for 100 years." The Rain Hierarch sighed, "In reality, for over 100 years, two first-grade divine weapons have always existed within our sect: the Moontide Sword, and the Sunfury Saber!"
Two? He stared at the saber in The Rain Hierarch's hand. The aura emitted by the saber was in no way inferior to that of the Moontide Sword. It was definitely not something a second-grade divine weapon could compare to.
"From the moment Grandmaster Fang Xia acquired this Sunfury Saber, it has never been revealed to the world." The Rain Hierarch murmured, "Compared to the Moontide Sword, it’s much more domineering, not something the average person can wield. Hence, almost all of the sect's successive hierarchs have chosen to wield the Moontide Sword."
Wu Yuan nodded in agreement. Indeed, through his soul sense, he could clearly distinguish that the Moontide Sword was more restrained, while this Sunfury Saber was as wild as a volcano.
"For the past several decades, the Sunfury Saber has always been The Sword Hierarch’s accompanying weapon." The Rain Hierarch sheathed the battle saber and looked at Wu Yuan, "From this day forward, it is yours."
"Mine?" Wu Yuan's pupils constricted, his gaze involuntarily darting to The Sword Hierarch. This was The Sword Hierarch's treasure.
"Don't look at me. The sect's heirloom treasure ought to be wielded by the most suitable individual." The Sword Hierarch, who hadn't spoken until now, exuded an otherworldly aura as he explained calmly, "And that individual is you. I've kept it by my side for nearly three decades, never once unsheathing it."
Wu Yuan didn't have any response to that. As far as he knew, The Sword Hierarch hadn't left the mountain in 30 years, so he had no need for the saber.
"Take it." The Rain Hierarch gestured.
Whoosh! The Sunfury Saber flew towards Wu Yuan, who instinctively caught it and examined it with great care. Excitement flickered in his eyes.
For martial artists, secret techniques were their greatest obsession, followed closely by divine weapons. A powerful divine weapon could greatly enhance a martial artist's strength. How could Wu Yuan, who had a fondness for sabers, not yearn for a top-tier divine saber?
What a powerful saber intent. An average first-rate Adept may not be able to withstand it if their soul is weak. If one remains in the presence of a first-grade divine weapon for too long, it might even injure the soul. Wu Yuan's breath hitched subtly as he felt the searing heat in his palm.
He now thoroughly understood that just like the difference between a Land Ranker and a Savant expert was like heaven and earth, so too was the difference between a first-grade and a second-grade divine weapon. Compared to the Sunfury Saber, the Drizzle Sword was no better than scrap metal!
As The Sword Hierarch and The Rain Hierarch observed Wu Yuan handle the Sunfury Saber without any fear of its saber intent, they exchanged a knowing glance. Any previous doubts they harbored completely vanished.
The Sword Hierarch nodded subtly.
"Wu Yuan, don't let us down," The Rain Hierarch said softly. "You are the first Heavens Heir to inherit a divine weapon right after induction."
"Disciple understands. Thank you, Hierarchs," Wu Yuan responded with a slight nod.
He realized he had momentarily lost his composure, and the hierarchs now had full confirmation of his identity. But still, everything was left unsaid.
"Wu Yuan, this is our sect's sole qi refining technique, known as the 'Five Elements Cycle.' It is widely practiced across the world. I now pass it to you," The Rain Hierarch waved her hand once more and a thick book flew towards Wu Yuan.
Wu Yuan's eyes lit up as he caught it. Qi refining? The methods he had learned so far only taught him how to unlock the 108 acupoints and enhance his perception of spiritual qi with his soul sense. But how to convert the qi? How to connect the acupoints? How to open up the qi sea in his dantian? These were only taught in qi refining manuals!
The material of this book isn’t as impressive as that of the 'Majestic Earth and Oceans'. However, Wu Yuan understood.
As per The Rain Hierarch's words, this was not the original manual, and the technique itself must have been widely disseminated.
"Wu Yuan, when you reach the limit of the human body and your soul grows progressively stronger, you may attempt to practice qi refining," The Sword Hierarch softly stated, "Those sacred martial sects may possess more powerful qi refining techniques, but the 'Five Elements Cycle' is widely regarded as the safest andq least prone to side effects."
"Typically, all martial artists, upon reaching their human limits, would first attempt to practice the 'Five Elements Cycle.' Once they become true qi refiners and understand their attributes, they will then switch to a cultivation method more suitable for themselves," The Sword Hierarch quietly added.
"Attributes?" A flicker of confusion crossed Wu Yuan's eyes. What did that mean?
"Haha, there's no harm in telling you," Sword Hierarch chuckled.
"The spiritual qi is not a chaotic mix of spiritual energy, but instead finely divided into many types. And the human body, nourished by the world, does not have absolutely balanced attributes," Sword Hierarch explained calmly.
"When your martial skill reaches the Unity level in the future, and you begin to perceive the Dao of heaven and earth, you will come to understand the various types of heaven and earth's powers."
"In the vast world, the five most common types of heaven and earth's powers are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. There are also some relatively rare powers."
"As for our human bodies, we as martial artists can absorb all heaven and earth's powers. But once you become a qi refiner, your energy source will originate from qi, and you will specialize in cultivating a type of heaven and earth's power according to your personal characteristics. After all, it is too difficult to control all the heaven and earth's powers simultaneously. A jack of all trades is a master of none," Sword Hierarch said lightly. "All of these will be explained in the qi refining method. You can take your time to read and comprehend it in the future."
"Thank you for your guidance, Sword Hierarch," Wu Yuan said earnestly.
He didn't need any guidance on how to reach the limits of the human body. But to break past those limits and become a qi refiner? If there were seniors to guide him, he would be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort. The Sword Hierarch’s words helped Wu Yuan lay the framework of how he should proceed.
"Wu Yuan, the third treasure we grant you is a storage artifact." The Rain Hierarch waved her hand, and a silver ring flew towards Wu Yuan.
"Drip some blood on it, and it will recognize you as its master," The Rain Hierarch explained.
Of course, Wu Yuan was already aware. After following her instructions, Wu Yuan sensed a faint connection between himself and the silver ring. Once worn, the ring could magically expand and contract to fit his finger perfectly. It didn't hinder his movements in combat, and wouldn't fall off.
What a huge space! As a current owner of a storage artifact, he manipulated it expertly. The moment the storage space opened up, Wu Yuan was shocked.
It was roughly ten cubic meters of space, the size of a small room, and more than three times bigger than the storage artifact he got from slaying Jin Rensu. Inside the storage artifact, all sorts of items were neatly arranged: a myriad of jars and bottles, stacks of books nearly reaching a person's height, and a huge stash of throwing knives!
"Wu Yuan, within the storage artifact, you will find 1000 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew and 2000 drops of Cloudspring Blood." The Rain Hierarch began, "Six books contain the sect’s knowledge of Grandmasters, qi refiners, and immortal relics. They are the essence of what the Cloudstride Sect has accumulated over hundreds of years, with records of places like the Xin Continent, Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm, and the various isles in the South Ocean."
"Seven other books contain the collective intelligence gathered by generations of our sect's ancestors during their travels across the world. There are also eleven books that provide a brief introduction to the world's various powers, the culture and customs of different regions, and their geographical landscapes. After reading these books, you should gain a thorough understanding of the world."
The Rain Hierarch continued, "There are 300 throwing knives, 100 of which are third-grade divine weapons that can potentially threaten a Grandmaster. The other 200 are fourth-grade superior weapons, suitable for everyday use. All knives are unmarked, ensuring that no one will recognize them."
"This, is the most the sect can offer you in terms of support." The Rain Hierarch sighed softly, "How far you can go in the future depends entirely on your own efforts."
The Sword Hierarch glanced at Wu Yuan.
As Wu Yuan sensed the treasures within the storage artifact, he stood stock-still. The intentions of the two Hierarchs were now clear. A first-grade divine weapon, qi consumption method, qi refining method, intelligence, ample natural treasures, and throwing knives that would preserve his anonymity. One could say that, from now till the point he entered the Heavenly Rankings, everything Wu Yuan needed for his cultivation had been provided.
He remained silent for a long time.
"Wu Yuan thanks the two Hierarchs." Wu Yuan bowed respectfully, his voice solemn, "Wu Yuan will never let the sect down in this lifetime."
What more could he ask for?
The Sword Hierarch and The Rain Hierarch exchanged glances, both revealing a hint of a smile.
"Wu Yuan, since you are part of the sect and have the talent, the sect will naturally spare no effort in nurturing you." The Rain Hierarch said with a slight smile "There's no need to feel indebted to the sect. Once you make it to the Heavenly Rankings, the sect will take pride in you."
Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
"Wu Yuan, remember I mentioned that you are to embark on a field trial?" The Rain Hierarch asked.
"I remember." Wu Yuan nodded.
"Your field trial is to venture out into the world! Until you become a Heavenly Ranker, you must never return to Cloudhill, not even if the sect encounters a great catastrophe!" The Rain Hierarch's tone was grave.
Wu Yuan's pupils contracted.
Just now, he was still somewhat puzzled. Even if the sect wanted to nurture him intensively, why provide him with so many natural treasures at once? 1000 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew, 2000 drops of Cloudspring Blood. Converted into silver taels, it was probably worth 200 million. Moreover, such a vast amount of natural treasures could not be bought with mere silver. For the Cloudstride Sect, it was probably an accumulation of wealth over many years. So, it turns out that they wanted him to leave the mountain.
"Hierarch!" Wu Yuan opened his mouth to speak.
"Wu Yuan." The Rain Hierarch cut him off, her voice calm yet resolute, "We are not doing this to drive you away, but for your own safety. You are far too talented. So talented that it makes various factions in the world wary. Once the true extent of your talent is exposed, they will stop at nothing to kill you, especially Great Jin."
"War is on the horizon. Your presence or absence will not alter the course of events unless you become a Heavenly Ranker," The Rain Hierarch explained.
Wu Yuan fell silent.
Indeed, his strength might rival that of a Great Grandmaster, but how many experts resided in Great Jin? And then there were the Heavenly Rankers, the elites who overlooked the world from their lofty positions. Not to mention the million-strong army that threatened to march eastward.
His strength, as formidable as it was, still fell short in the face of the impending storm brought by Great Jin.
"Moreover, with your skill level, it would be pointless for you to remain on Cloudhill any longer," The Sword Hierarch suddenly spoke from the side. "Travel the world, behold its manifold wonders, and experience the hustle and bustle of life. Only then can you find your way faster, perhaps even achieving true Harmony of Man and Nature. Once you reach that point, you will be aligned with the Dao. The Dao is inherent in the world. If you confine yourself to Cloudhill, your advancement will invariably stagnate," The Sword Hierarch's voice was ethereal, like an enlightened sage.
"But Hierarch," Wu Yuan said, a hint of confusion in his voice. "Didn’t you also stay on the mountain for 30 years?"
"At the age of 30, The Sword Hierarch left the mountain and traveled the seven continents of the Central Plains. At 50, he became a Grandmaster," The Rain Hierarch said softly. "After becoming a Grandmaster, he spent ten years traversing the far reaches of the north, traveling west to the Xi Continent and the Huang Continent, and south to the Xin Continent, only then returning to meditate in the sect for thirty years."
"Only by first experiencing the world, can one then transcend it. Only after traversing the world and seeing all its wonders, can one find their most suitable path forward," The Rain Hierarch laughed. "I believe you can sense that the Sword Hierarch's level of comprehension is superior to mine. Listen to him, he's right!"
Wu Yuan nodded gently.
Throughout the world, The Rain Hierarch’s swordsmanship was lauded, while the Land Rankings placed the Sword Hierarch at a low rank. But from his perception, The Sword Hierarch seemed to have reached a far more profound level.
"Sword Hierarch, have you truly attained Unity of the Harmony of Man and Nature?" Wu Yuan suddenly asked.
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