Chapter 39: Invitation
Awakening? Unlocking the upper dantian lobe? Wu Yuan was stunned to hear these terms!
In his previous life, even at the peak of his mental acuity, he had only vaguely sensed the presence of the upper dantian lobe, yet he couldn't unlock it. He was certain that he had not managed to open the upper dantian lobe of his current body.
"Haha, Wu Yuan, it's perfectly natural that you find this puzzling," Gao Yu laughed, " You see, the act of opening the upper dantian lobe cannot be detected."
"It cannot be detected?" Wu Yuan wore an expression of confusion.
"Yes, the three dantian lobes are very mysterious. The lower dantian lobe is somewhat easier to comprehend, with it being the most tangible one. All Land Rankers have opened it, and they are capable of examining the lower dantian lobe of others," Gao Yu explained. "But the middle dantian lobe? Even the Land Rankers themselves face difficulty unlocking it, let alone perceiving the changes in others."
Wu Yuan gave a subtle nod. The middle dantian lobe, the location of the qi sea, involved the mysteries of qi circulation and 108 acupoints. Its mysteries transcended the limits of the human body, shrouding it in profound complexity. In his previous life, Wu Yuan had barely managed to open it.
"How did our predecessors confirm the existence of the upper dantian lobe?" Wu Yuan cleverly played the role of an awed teenager.
A trace of respect entered Gao Yu's expression as he answered, "It was the Heavenly Rankers who authenticated its existence. Land Rankers are individuals who have reached the boundaries of human capabilities."
"Breaking these boundaries leads to the realm of the Heavenly Rankings!"
"The ways of Heavenly Rankers transcend our mortal world and defy imagination. They are aptly called land deities. Rumor has it that they haven't merely unlocked the lower and middle dantian lobes, but even the upper dantian lobes!" Gao Yu solemnly stated, "Of course, this remains a legend, and I cannot verify this."
"Unlocking the upper dantian lobe?" Wu Yuan showed an expression of longing. In reality, Wu Yuan's heart was going through a tumultuous upheaval. He knew that he was just a step away from that level in his previous life. Perhaps, it was equivalent to the so-called Heavenly Rankers in the Middle Land.
Gao Yu amusedly tempered his hopes, "Haha, don't set your sights too high. Land Rankers indeed exist and common folk might chance upon them, but encountering a Heavenly Ranker remains a myth in the mortal world. Many first-rate Adepts and Savant experts might never have the fortune of encountering a Heavenly Ranker in their lifetime."
"Disciple understands," Wu Yuan nodded continuously, presenting a picture of humility.
"I cannot verify whether you have unlocked your upper dantian lobe. Even Land Rankers won't be able to." Gao Yu looked at Wu Yuan, "However, judging from your rate of improvement, it should be the case."
"Because of this, your martial skills will rapidly improve, and this will impact your middle dantian lobe and lower dantian lobe, causing your physical constitution to undergo a sharp improvement."
"So that's how it is." Wu Yuan pretended to gain an understanding of himself.
Awakening? Wu Yuan knew that no such thing happened. However, since Gao Yu had helped him come up with such an excellent excuse, it would be a waste of his efforts not to use it.
Gao Yu fixed his gaze on Wu Yuan and declared, "Unlocking your upper dantian lobe sets you apart as one in a billion. I've conversed with Instructor Huan, who wholeheartedly attests to your diligence in cultivation. My expectations for you are exceptionally high. The Cloud Martial Hall, you have heard of it, right?"
Wu Yuan nodded. District, village, and town martial academies functioned as elementary institutions, welcoming children of appropriate age to pursue cultivation until they automatically graduated at the age of ten.
Conversely, the municipal martial academy and the county martial academy represented intermediate institutions, with the latter being far more exclusive and selecting disciples with stronger potential.
As for the Southdream Martial Academy, it was the only one of its kind in the province. It was a tertiary martial academy, and very few disciples were accepted, at most 2000 a year. What was the population of the entire Southdream Province? More than twenty million!
As for the Cloud Martial Hall? That was the most prestigious martial academy within the jurisdiction of the Cloudstride Sect, accepting only one disciple per county each year. The Cloud Martial Hall scarcely enrolled more than a hundred disciples in any given year. Any candidate who gained admission was unquestionably a martial prodigy.
Take for example Liu Ruyan. She might have employed several tricks during her matches, but her strength was above average amongst the seventh-grade martial novices, while only fifteen years old. There was a high probability she would become a martial virtuoso before eighteen, and would most likely become an Adept in her twenties. Even the prospect of achieving second-rate Adept status was within her grasp. As for a first-rate adept? That would depend on Liu Ruyan's subsequent fate and level of effort.
"The Cloud Martial Hall only accepts disciples under the age of sixteen, and over 90% of them eventually become Adepts. But that shouldn't be your goal," Gao Yu gazed at Wu Yuan. "Your goal should at least be to become a Cloud Heir. Or better yet, to become a Heavens Heir!"
"A Cloud Heir? A Heavens Heir?" Wu Yuan was puzzled. He had never heard of them.
"Wu Yuan," Huan Xinyan stepped in to provide some clarity, "The Cloud Martial Hall may admit a select few disciples, but each of them enjoys up to a decade of training within its walls. With the accumulation of disciples over the years, there are consistently more than 500 disciples in the Cloud Martial Hall every year."
"The Cloudstride Sect operates under a fair principle: the strong rise and the weak fall. Competition within the Cloud Martial Hall is fierce. Your strength determines the cultivation resources you receive. The ten most outstanding disciples earn the prestigious title of Cloud Heirs."
"These Cloud Heirs represent the elite among the younger generation of the Cloudstride Sect and are always limited to a total of ten," Huan Xinyan explained.
Wu Yuan nodded slightly. So, these so-called Cloud Heirs were similar to the Top Ten Outstanding Young Martial Artists of his previous life?
"How strong are the Cloud Heirs?" Wu Yuan 'couldn't contain his curiosity'.
Gao Yu and Huan Xinyan exchanged glances. They were hoping for Wu Yuan to show interest. Geniuses were naturally competitive, especially within their peer group.
Gao Yu smiled and responded, "Cloud Heirs must not exceed the age of 26. Generally, they are second-rate Adepts, and the Cloud Heir currently in first place is also the number one genius of the Cloudstride Sect, Xu Hui. At 24 years old, he is already a first-rate Adept!"
Wu Yuan, feigning astonishment, reacted on cue, "Xu Hui? A 24-year-old first-rate Adept?" Meanwhile, he quietly wondered how many of his saber strikes the other party could withstand. Three moves? Five moves? However, Wu Yuan knew that becoming a first-rate Adept at 24 was already a remarkable feat.
"As for the Heavens Heirs, there are no fixed prerequisites, but the criteria are even more stringent. The last time the Cloudstride Sect conferred the title of Heavens Heir was 30 years ago,” Gao Yu chuckled, “When you become a Cloud Heir in the future, you will naturally understand its requirements."
"Me? A Cloud Heir in the future?" Wu Yuan looked taken aback.
"Mm. Wu Yuan," Gao Yu gazed at him earnestly, "On behalf of the Cloudstride Sect, I hereby invite you to train in the Cloud Martial Hall and, after officially joining the sect, to become a part of the Finance Hall."
"I can guarantee, on behalf of the sect's Finance Hall, that the resources you receive during your time in the Cloud Martial Hall will be on par with those provided to any Cloud Heir."
"Furthermore, when you eventually ascend to the position of Cloud Heir, the Finance Hall will exert every effort to aid you in achieving the coveted title of Heavens Heir."
"In the future, you definitely have the potential to become the master of the Finance Hall, and even contend for the role of sect leader, with hopes of becoming a Land Ranker." Gao Yu slowly said.
As Huan Xinyan listened by the side, she was completely stunned. She could tell that her Senior Brother thought extremely highly of Wu Yuan. He could become a sect leader? A Land Ranker? Wasn't it a tad exaggerated? In her view, no matter how talented Wu Yuan was, he was still only a fourteen-year-old boy.
"Really?" Wu Yuan appeared shocked, revealing a well-timed look of yearning. He knew that the talent he displayed had successfully captivated the attention of Gao Yu, a first-rate Adept.
"Senior Gao Yu." Wu Yuan suppressed his ‘excitement’ and spoke in a low voice, "What is the Finance Hall? How does it differ from the Cloud Martial Hall?”
"The Cloudstride Sect territory is vast and comprises numerous personnel. It is divided into six halls internally," Gao Yu chuckled, "Apart from the Cloud Martial Hall which is only responsible for nurturing disciples, the other five halls each have specific responsibilities."
"Among these five sect halls, the Finance Hall holds authority over the sect's finances and construction duties."
"In terms of support for your cultivation, I represent the Finance Hall, which stands as the foremost hall among the sect's five," Gao Yu expressed with a touch of pride. "Wu Yuan, should you decide to join us in the future, you will gain direct access to the sect's most coveted training resources and the best auxiliary training environments."
Wu Yuan blinked. He was starting to understand. This so-called Finance Hall was essentially a fusion of the Human Federation's Finance Department, the Interstellar Engineering Department, the Interstellar Aviation Department, and many other departments.
"Wu Yuan, I too am a disciple of the Finance Hall," Huan Xinyan added.
Both of them fixed Wu Yuan with a hopeful look.
The question weighed on Wu Yuan's mind – should he accept?
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