Novel Full Chapter 43: High Grade Arts!
Chapter 43: High Grade Arts!
Li Yun didn’t hesitate. He immediately poured his accumulated experience into his Spirit Soul and Comprehension.
—
[Congratulations! Spirit Soul has been upgraded to Orange stage.]
[Congratulations! Comprehension has been upgraded to 2nd Tier.]
—
The moment the notifications flashed before his eyes, a wave of coolness washed over his entire body. His mind grew startlingly clear, sharper than ever before, as if the lingering fog that clouded his thoughts had finally been swept away. Insights that once hovered just beyond reach now seemed simple, almost obvious.
The most dramatic change appeared in his sword mastery. Li Yun could feel it, he was a step closer to touching the true meaning of his sword. Yet, paradoxically, that step also revealed how vast the distance still was. It was like standing at the edge of an endless sea, finally glimpsing the far shore but knowing the journey would be long.
’With 2nd Tier Comprehension, no mortal rank technique should pose a challenge for me anymore,’ Li Yun mused, opening his eyes with a calm glow of confidence.
—
[Player: Li Yun]
– Cultivation: Peak Stage of Marrow Cleansing Realm
– Physique: Primal Chaos Body
– Eye: Nine Tribulations Divine Eye
– Spirit Soul: Orange Soul
– Comprehension: 2nd Tier
– Experience: 200
—
“I’m down to just two hundred EXP…” Li Yun sighed as he studied his status. Shaking his head, he dismissed the panel and rose to his feet.
Leaving his courtyard behind, he made his way to the Li Family’s Treasure Hall.
“Li Yun, you’re here again.” Elder Mu greeted him with a smile. The old man had witnessed Li Yun’s battle against Li Xian and was still deeply impressed. To bring mortal-rank techniques to perfection in a matter of months was something even sect prodigies would find impossible, yet this youth had done it as though it were nothing.
Li Yun cupped his hands and smiled. “Elder Mu, I’ll have to trouble you once more.”
“Go on, choose whatever techniques you like.” Elder Mu waved kindly, his smile lingering.
“Elder Mu, I want high-grade mortal rank techniques,” Li Yun said plainly. There was no reason to hide it. By now, he had already driven every mid-grade mortal rank technique he cultivated to perfection and beyond.
His Blazing Sun Art, a mid-grade mortal rank cultivation method, had been pushed all the way to the ninth layer, the absolute limit of its potential. That alone was a feat few in Azure Wind City could dream of achieving. With that foundation complete, it was finally time for him to step into higher realms of cultivation arts.
To cultivate a cultivation technique all the way to the ninth layer was no less difficult than ascending the heavens. The difficulty far surpassed simply mastering a martial technique to perfection stage of mastery.
Many martial artists, given time and talent, could polish their sword or fist arts to perfection stage. But to grind a cultivation technique through every single layer until it reached utmost peak of 9th later, very few could ever do it.
Most geniuses stalled at the seventh or eighth layer, unable to push further no matter how much effort they poured in. At that point, they would often abandon the technique altogether and switch to a higher-ranked cultivation art.
But because their first cultivation technique had not been fully completed, the second one became shaky. Instead of advancing quickly, they would often get stuck even earlier, mired at the fifth or sixth layer of the higher-rank art.
This left their entire path unstable causing their foundation to become shaky. This often led to slow cultivation progress or no advancement in cultivation at all.
Many of the so-called elders of Azure Wind City suffered exactly this fate. They had cultivated for decades, yet remained mired in the same realm, unable to take another step forward.
Even the patriarchs and elders of the three great families, men and women who had clawed their way into the Xiantian Realm, were trapped. Because their cultivation techniques had only been practiced to the third or fourth layer after they abandoned the low level cultivation techniques to cultivate high level ones, their progress had stagnated for years.
Most had been stuck at the first or second level of the Xiantian Realm for so long that breaking through seemed impossible.
At least cultivating to 7th level of mortal rank cultivation technique was considered good. It wouldn’t allow one to have a shaky foundation when they began cultivating the higher grade mortal rank cultivation techniques.
This was the truth Li Yun had pieced together from the memories of this body’s previous owner. A truth he would never allow himself to repeat.
“High-grade mortal rank techniques?” Elder Mu chuckled knowingly when he heard Li Yun’s request. “I had a feeling you would ask for them. Come, follow me.”
He led Li Yun deeper into the Treasure Hall, climbing up to the second floor, a level normally restricted to the elders of the Li Family. Even stepping foot here was already a rare privilege.
As they walked, Elder Mu spoke, his tone calm yet instructive. “Our Li Family has preserved many middle-grade cultivation techniques and martial arts. But when it comes to high-grade mortal rank techniques, they are so few that they can be counted on one hand.”
At last, they stopped before a modest shelf. Unlike the first floor, where countless manuals filled rows upon rows, here only five slim books rested quietly on the wooden stand. Yet the faint aura they gave off was far heavier than the dozens below.
Li Yun’s eyes swept over the titles carved into their spines: Crimson Flame Scripture, Azure Wind Method, Burning Sky Sword Art, Phantom Gale Steps and Skybreaker Sword Art
“These two are paired,” Elder Mu explained, pointing first at the flame manuals. “The Crimson Flame Scripture and Burning Sky Sword Art belong together. Likewise, the Azure Wind Method and Phantom Gale Steps are a set.”
Li Yun’s heart stirred. ’Azure Wind Method… a wind-element cultivation art. And Phantom Gale Steps… a movement technique.’ His lips curved faintly. He didn’t care much about the method itself, but a movement art was invaluable. In his mind, it was a necessity. A life-saving tool in a world where battles were never certain.
“You may choose only one pair,” Elder Mu cautioned. “Even if you are qualified to practice high-grade mortal arts, having too many will only divide your focus and slow your path. Choose wisely.”
Then he added with a small smile, “Considering your foundation in the Blazing Sun Art, the natural step forward is the Crimson Flame Scripture. Both are flame-element techniques, and their synergy will strengthen your cultivation.”
Li Yun gave a light nod, acknowledging the logic in Elder Mu’s words. Yet his gaze lingered. His heart still longed for the wind-element movement art, and another title pulled at him even more, the last book on the shelf.
His eyes fixed on it.
“What about the Skybreaker Sword Art?” Li Yun asked, curiosity lacing his voice.
“That one…” Elder Mu’s face grew solemn, hesitation flickering in his eyes before he finally shook his head and explained. “Originally, our Li Family only possessed the two pairs of flame and wind-element high-grade mortal techniques. The Skybreaker Sword Art was not one of them. It was brought back to the family by your father, shortly after you were born.”
“My father?” Li Yun’s brows lifted in surprise. Then he slowly nodded, not entirely shocked. His parents had been imperial officials, serving the Crimson Sun Empire for many years. It was natural that they would have come across powerful techniques.
’If only they are still alive…’ A pang of sorrow welled in his chest. They might not have been his parents by blood, but he had inherited Li Yun’s identity and memories, and with it, the same emotions. To him, they were his parents, and their deaths five years ago during the beast tide in the Crimson Sun Empire’s capital still cut deep.
Elder Mu’s voice pulled him back. “The Skybreaker Sword Art is infamous for its difficulty. In all these years, no one in our Li Family has managed to push it even to the Proficient Stage. It demands too much.” He paused, then added, “Still, if you want a copy, it is yours.”
Li Yun nodded firmly. “Then I’ll take the pair of flame-element techniques, the Crimson Flame Scripture and Burning Sky Sword Art, as well as the Skybreaker Sword Art.”
Elder Mu’s lips curved faintly. “A wise choice.”
But Li Yun wasn’t finished. His eyes flickered toward the other shelf. “Elder Mu, I am also curious about the Azure Wind Method and the Phantom Gale Steps. May I at least look at them?”
Elder Mu gave him a long look, his expression deep. “Curiosity on the path of martial arts is a double-edged sword, Li Yun. You must learn when to hold it close and when to let it go.” Still, after a moment, he relented. “Go on, have a look.”
“I understand.” Li Yun inclined his head respectfully, then carefully picked up the Azure Wind Method. The moment his eyes fell on the contents, a spark of excitement flashed in his gaze.
’As I thought… with my upgraded comprehension, I can memorize techniques effortlessly.’
Page after page, he scanned, his mind imprinting every word and diagram with absolute clarity. In minutes, he had committed the entire Azure Wind Method to memory, and did the same with the Phantom Gale Steps.
To Elder Mu, it looked no more than a casual flip-through, a young man’s idle curiosity. Nothing more.
Closing the final book, Li Yun returned it to its place and smiled. “Elder Mu, I am done.”
With that, he turned away from the shelf, concealing the excitement surging in his heart.