bookbashuk Chapter 9 Intelligence and Cultivation
Chapter 9 Intelligence and Cultivation
Inside the purple bamboo forest.
More than a year has passed since the fire, and the place has long since returned to its original vibrant state.
Zhang Lingyu remained seated on the bluestone, silently recording the intelligence he had gathered that day in his notebook.
[Level 1 Intelligence: A Golden Stone Ape has broken through to the second tier within Redwood Ridge. Please proceed with caution if you attempt to proceed.]
[Level 1 Intelligence: A batch of Frost Moon Powder will be available at the Baibaozhai in Tianyuan Market in three days, priced at 100 spirit stones per bottle. Please go there to purchase if needed.]
[Level 1 Intelligence: In five days, two Qi Refining Level 6 cultivators from the Tranquil Mind Pavilion will be pursuing a Qi Refining Level 6 rogue cultivator in the Bone Forest. If you go there, please proceed with caution.]
[Remaining Intelligence Points: 292]
"What are those Qi Refining cultivators from the Tranquil Mind Pavilion doing here in Yingchuan County?"
Upon seeing this intelligence report, Zhang Lingyu couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.
The State of Zhao was divided into twenty-seven commanderies. Yingchuan Commandery, where he was currently located, was remote and also the smallest in area.
The cultivation forces in the country can be divided into six sects in the Zhao Kingdom. All six sects are Nascent Soul sects, namely Bilang Sect, Yuguang Pavilion, Qingshe Fortress, Xuanguang Sect, Yuehua Palace and Chiyang Mansion.
As for the other Golden Core and Foundation Establishment forces, there are more than a hundred of them, large and small, all of which are affiliated with the Six Sects.
The Zhang family is affiliated with the Jade Light Pavilion, while the Yun and Ming families are affiliated with the Azure Wave Gate and the Green Serpent Fortress, respectively.
As for the rest, they are almost all Qi Refining families, and can only survive by relying on Foundation Establishment families like the Zhang family.
In addition to paying resources to the sect every year, these families also need to contribute when encountering wars between sects or dealing with beast tides.
Of course, the sacrifices are not made in vain. Every five years, a member of the family can be sent to the sect for cultivation. If they die during the recruitment process, they will receive corresponding compensation.
Although these Foundation Establishment forces are affiliated with the Six Sects, they have a considerable degree of autonomy. The Six Sects hardly care about their daily battles and killings, and they are happy to weaken each other's power.
Unless there is a war to exterminate the entire race, they will not intervene.
......
The cultivation environment in the neighboring Yanxing County is much better than that in Yingchuan County. It is also much larger in area, with nearly twenty sects and cultivation families in total.
Jingxin Pavilion is one of the Golden Core sects.
It is common for cultivators to go down the mountain to travel, but very few Qi Refining cultivators dare to cross prefectures for training. If they encounter danger, it will take at least ten days for the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the sect to arrive.
"Who exactly is this person worth their relentless pursuit? Is it a blood feud or someone possessing valuable treasure?"
Zhang Lingyu pondered for a moment, but these matters were irrelevant to him now; his own well-being was the most important thing at the moment.
He has been in Biyue Town for over a year. After a year of cultivation, his foundation has become more and more solid, and he has successively mastered several spells. At this rate, he estimates that he will be able to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining in another six months.
The black python deserves the most credit for this.
After handing it over to the family, they gave him a full three hundred contribution points!
As for the rest, all added together, it amounts to about two hundred contribution points.
He then took some time to return to Qingya Mountain and exchanged most of his contribution points for cultivation pills and a golden sword talisman.
The rest were exchanged for some talisman paper and materials for drawing talismans.
Cultivating immortality requires resources, methods, companions, and a suitable environment. Zhang Lingyu was not talented in refining weapons and pills, and knew nothing about formations, so he could only start practicing from the most basic talismans.
Of course, talismans are also the type that consumes the fewest resources.
Fortunately, his eleventh brother, Zhang Linghui, had started learning the craft earlier than him and was always willing to give him pointers, which saved him from many detours.
Drawing talismans is the most mentally taxing task; even a small mistake can ruin everything.
Zhang Lingyu has no shortage of patience now, and he can now draw the most basic Fireball Talisman, Iron Armor Talisman, and Swift Travel Talisman with a 50% success rate.
......
After memorizing all the information from the day, Zhang Lingyu began to read the book "Gengjin Sword Manual." Ever since Zhang Xinghao handed this sword manual to him, he had been practicing it in the Purple Bamboo Forest every day.
This sword technique is extremely difficult; it took more than half a year just to get the basics down, including the time it took for the other person to teach me from time to time.
However, once you get the hang of it, you'll start to enjoy the benefits.
During a sparring session with Zhang Ling'an, Zhang Lingyu was able to suppress his opponent using this technique. If his opponent hadn't had a backup plan, the outcome would have been uncertain.
"Uncle Thirteen said this sword technique is at least at the third rank! I think it's more than that... it's probably even at the fourth rank."
This "Gengjin Sword Technique" emphasizes breaking through all techniques with a single sword strike. Its sword momentum is extremely fierce, and once it gains the slightest advantage, it will be like a flood bursting its banks, making it very difficult for the enemy to defend against.
If one masters the technique to perfection, one can unleash the Gengjin Sword Qi and use it to injure enemies during combat. This sword qi can also travel through the wounds into the limbs and bones, causing unbearable pain. Even if one wants to remove it, it is quite difficult.
With this sword technique, one can at least devour all delicacies in the world with a single move during the Qi Refining stage.
More importantly, while practicing swordsmanship, Zhang Lingyu vaguely felt that there was more to this technique, and that what he was practicing now was only the introductory form.
He had asked Zhang Xinghao about this, and this Thirteenth Uncle had also noticed it. Of course, the rogue cultivator's cultivation level was only the fifth level of Qi Refining, and the best thing he had was this "Gengjin Sword Manual". He hadn't left any other clues.
"Looks like I'll have to look for it in my daily life, or maybe one day the intelligence system will come up with information about this sword technique?"
Zhang Lingyu stopped thinking about it and immediately focused on practicing swordsmanship.
Nearly two hours later, just as he was about to rest, the jade pendant at his waist suddenly felt slightly hot, which made his heart tighten.
"Uncle Thirteen asked me to come over, but I don't know what happened."
Zhang Lingyu frowned slightly. This jade pendant was their tool for communicating with each other. If needed, they could simply inject magic power into the jade pendant.
The fever is just a temporary thing; if the jade pendant breaks, the situation will be extremely urgent.
Without thinking too much, he used his wind-riding technique to fly towards the town.
......
Zhang Lingyu rushed to the palace in a quarter of an hour. Upon entering, he found Zhang Xinghao chatting and laughing with an old man. Looking around, he realized that Zhang Xinghao was the only person there.
"Phew, looks like nothing serious."
After letting out a slight sigh of relief, he walked towards the two of them with a puzzled look in his eyes.
The old man talking to Zhang Xinghao was Zhang Yuanming, the seventh elder of the Zhang family, with a cultivation level of the seventh level of Qi Refining. He was in charge of escorting spirit rice to Tianyuan Market for sale. The black spirit python was the one that the old man brought back to the family.
"Junior Zhang Lingyu greets Seventh Elder!"
The two had already noticed Zhang Lingyu's arrival. Zhang Yuanming turned his head and glanced at her, his gaze immediately fixed on her. He stroked his beard and exclaimed in admiration, "Little Nineteen, your skills have improved considerably in just one year!"
Although Zhang Lingyu did not break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining this year, in his opinion, he was probably not far off.
That's secondary; the most important thing is that his demeanor is different now, more composed and capable.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xinghao, standing to the side, became even more smug and laughed loudly, "That's right, look who taught you that!"
"Indeed, Uncle Thirteen has taught me everything he knows this year, and I have learned a great deal."
Zhang Lingyu then offered a flattering remark, before asking, "Seventh Grandfather, Thirteenth Uncle, what brings you here?"
"Well, let your thirteenth uncle explain it."
Zhang Yuanming smiled without saying a word, only glancing at Zhang Xinghao beside him. The man's lips curled slightly as he teased:
"Little Nineteen, it's been a year since you came to Biyue Town. This time, the Seventh Elder and the others are escorting the spirit rice to Tianyuan Market. You should go and see the world so you won't be bored."
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