Book 5: Chapter 9 – Cultivating in secret for half a year
Yu Jing Qiu had thought that Xue Ying was already dead. However, the truth was now in front of her. He had not died, but had already become a Transcendent. He would now be undergoing his Transcendent Battle of Life and Death in half a year.
She had always held some special feelings towards Xue Ying. The moment when she was in absolute despair, that figure of a black-robed youth protecting her from the collapsing stone slate and giving her a sense of safety, was something that she could not forget. But she was an extremely powerful and intelligent mage, not a lovestruck child. She had not fallen head over heels in love with Xue Ying due to that event. Yet Xue Ying had long ago left a deep brand in her heart.
“You said Dong Bo Xue Ying? He did not die?” Yu Jing Qiu immediately clarified, “Did you hear wrongly?”
“Dead? He didn’t die.” The young maiden replied in a voice full of confusion.
“Is it Dong Bo Xue Ying from the Tranquil Sun Province?” Yu Jing Qiu asked again. She was afraid it might be another person with the same name! However, the accolade of being the youngest Transcendent in the past thousand years, according to logic, it was quite impossible for the world to give birth to two extreme geniuses at the same time.
“That’s right, he’s from Tranquil Sun Province. I’ve heard that he had escaped from the Black-Wind Abyss a month or so ago.” The young maiden said, “He is just 28 this year! Uwahh uwahh, he’s even younger than you, master!”
“You… this girl…”
Hearing that, Yu Jing Qiu knew in her heart that it was indeed the Dong Bo Xue Ying she was acquainted with.
“I’ll go out for a moment.” Yu Jing Qiu stood up.
“Do you want us to accompany you, master?” The young maiden hurriedly asked. Her master would usually spend her time studying the spell matrices and rarely went out. Only when she was faced with some bottleneck would she occasionally go out to accept some tempering missions with decreased difficulty. As for the others – those Legend ranking knights would usually loved going to taverns and restaurants for merry drinking sessions.
“No need.”
Randomly selecting and putting on a cloak, Yu Jing Qiu left the mansion by herself. Within a few moments, she reached a tavern that was relatively crowded. Ordering a fruity wine, she sat at a corner listening to what the others say.
Those people in the tavern were either chatting with one another, resting after a dangerous mission, talking about some native creatures from some Transcendent World, or gossiping about Xue Ying!
“This Dong Bo Xue Ying is very formidable. He is the youngest Transcendent in the past thousand years. I believe that in this upcoming Transcendent Battle of Life and Death, at the very least, he should be able to complete six rounds!”
“He is indeed formidable. This year, he is just 28! How amazing!”“I feel that even if he wins just three rounds, it would be quite a good achievement.”
“Three rounds? Isn’t that too few?”
“This is something you would never know. Dong Bo Xue Ying is the youngest Transcendent in the past thousand years. What do you think that represents? It means that he has too little experience in combat! Or that he has too little time spent on cultivating.” An old man reeking of booze shouted, “By spending such little time on cultivating, I’m afraid that his achievement on the comprehension of Myriad Existences would be quite shallow! As for those old rankers who were stuck at the Legend rank for long periods of time, usually, they would be within the top ten ranking in the Dragon Mountain Book. I bet the top three old rankers would have a much more formidable comprehension and experiences as compared to Dong Bo Yue Ying.”
“What this drunkard said does indeed make sense.”
“Dong Bo Xue Ying might have had some sort of miraculous encounter that gave him the opportunity to break through! His comprehension of the realms and fighting experiences aren’t that great. Even the famous battle that he underwent before was just a single battle with Xiang Pang Yun! From what I’ve heard, Xiang Pang Yun is merely in the top 500 rankings of the Dragon Mountain Book.”
These Legend rankers continued gossiping.
Usually, those who could become Transcendents were ranked within the top 50 in the Dragon Mountain Book, with some even in the top 30!
Perishing together after a battle with Xiang Pang Yun, a person within the top 500 ranks, was not someone noteworthy towards these Legend rankers. It was only because he was 22 that year that made him such a devilish genius.
As for the Transcendent Battle of Life and Death, it was something that did not take into account how young one was! The most important factor was still your combat power! Thus, being young could instead bring disadvantages to oneself. As for those hundred plus old men, it might be better for them to exert themselves after gaining more experiences!
‘They look down upon Dong Bo Xue Ying far too much.’ Yu Jing Qiu felt some fury in her heart as she listened while drinking the fruity wine, ‘When the time comes, Dong Bo Xue Ying will definitely dumbfound them!’
In her heart, she was standing entirely on Xue Ying’s side.
However, her own reasoning did tell her… these Legend rankers’ suspicions had some logic in it. That time when Xue Ying and she first met, that Demonic Emissary was merely an ordinary Legend ranker. Thereafter, Xiang Pang Yun whom he had killed was ranked at around the top 500 ranking!
Very quickly, Yu Jing Qiu finished her fruity wine and left the place.
Her main purpose of coming here was to verify the information. Right now, she was certain that Xue Ying was still alive and would be undergoing his Transcendent Battle of Life and Death soon!
“Half a year later.”
‘I’ll be able to see Xue Ying by then.’ Yu Jing Qiu was secretly looking forward to that moment.
******
Sitting at the back gardens in his own mansion, Xue Ying was eating some snacks while controlling the World Energy in attempting to assemble the First Heaven Magic Dragon Divine Seal.
Hua.
Numerous threads immediately assembled into a three-dimensional sigil suspended in front of him. This scene shocked the two maidservants waiting on him. However, being maidservants, they were still relatively obedient and did not dare to exclaim and disturb their master.
“There’s still many mistakes. Again.” Xue Ying operated with a single thought once again. Numerous threads began assembling into a three-dimensional sigil.
He continued attempting it again and again.
A few days ago, as he was frustrated over the matter whilst drinking in the tavern with Devil Blade Knight Peng Shan, he spoke of his problem in assembling the secret technique’s First Heaven Divine Seal. At that time, the Devil Blade Knight Peng Shan was surprised momentarily, before laughing, “You’ve already understood the structure of the Divine Seal? In that case, just follow what the secret technique said – ‘assembling with a single thought’. Go attempt to memorise it with one thought for many times and you will eventually get it!”
“Stuff like Divine Seals are created by Deities. As long as you understand the Profound Mystery behind its structure, try to make it again and again and you will eventually succeed! However, if you have no idea about the profoundness behind it, then attempting to assemble it blindly will be useless.” Devil Blade Knight Peng Shan’s advice enlightened Xue Ying.
As a result, Xue Ying decided to start assembling it!
Assembling for a thousand times, for ten thousand times … the majority of his time every single day would be spent on assembling the Divine Seal with a single thought!
Since Xue Ying understood the underlying Profound Mystery, he could feel where the problems lay when he repeatedly assembled a little more than ten thousand threads into a three-dimensional sigil with a single thought. He need not compare thread by thread with the model since those threads where the problem lay did not conform to the ‘Profound Mystery of the Flame of Myriad Existences’, and instead, felt awkward.
It was precisely because he knew the Profound Mystery behind the sigil that gave him a knack of knowing which threads conform to the rules behind the Profound Mystery.
“It’s still not right.”
After attempting the sigil several thousand times, a clear picture was already forming within his mind.
Assembling the three-dimensional sigil slowly became something he could do instinctively.
First, he would try to understand thoroughly. Next, he would practice until he mastered it. Finally, he would assemble it until it becomes an instinctive move for him! Only then would he be able to assemble a Divine Seal with a single thought!
Omm!
Finally, during an afternoon, a single thought by Xue Ying propelled the surrounding World Energy into a little more than ten thousand threads which assembled immediately into a three-dimensional sigil. This was a perfect sigil of the Magic Dragon Divine Seal.
“Finally succeeded!” Looking at the suspended Magic Dragon Divine Seal in front of him, Xue Ying felt elated. He continued with his practice thereafter in forming the Magic Dragon Divine Seals again.
Sigil by Sigil…
He would occasionally fail.
After continously assembling again and again, there was a period of time about the length taken for tea to brew, where the assembled Magic Dragon Divine Seals continuously formed without any errors. The action of assembling the Magic Dragon Divine Seal had fully incorporated itself into his instinct!
Without waiting, Xue Ying went straight into the cultivation chamber.
Taking out a smooth gray Origin Stone, he absorbed the primitive World Energy stored within, using this energy to assemble the Magic Dragon Divine Seals that would assimilate into his muscles, bones, heart, blood, and every other areas within his body… slowly, a subtle transformation began to happen in his body.
Every part of his body, from inside to outside, assimilated the Magic Dragon Divine Seals. Every part underwent a subtle transformation.
When every single part of his body strengthened, his entire physique would indubitably become much stronger, and his power would increase by twenty percent! This augmentation included an increase in his speed, toughness, restoration rate, and many other areas.
After close to ten hours, he finally finished in transforming his body.
“First Heaven of Magic Dragon Force completed.” Xue Ying was exhilarated. He immediately opened the ‘Magic Dragon Force’ manual to look ahead at the Second Heaven of the Magic Dragon Divine Seal.
Omm!
A little more than twenty thousand threads assembled into a three-dimensional sigil that was suspended above the book.
Xue Ying began observing and studying it.
“How complex.” The more he studied, the more he realised how extremely difficult it was.
……
After studying the Second Heaven of Magic Dragon Divine Seal for five days, Xue Ying vaguely understood that his own comprehension on the Profound Mystery behind Fire of Myriad Existences was not up to standard. Wanting to fully comprehend the Profound Mystery behind the Second Heaven was not a task he could complete within half a year! Without understanding it, there would be less hope of ‘assembling with a single thought’. Every time he tried in assembling, it would come out a disaster.
“I’ll temporarily give up on this.”
‘The Magic Dragon Divine Seal is a Deity’s understanding towards Profound Mystery behind the Flames of Myriad Existences’ subtle uses.’ Xue Ying thought, ‘I should try incorporating some ingenious uses of subtlety of the Profound Mystery behind Fire and Water of Myriad Existences into my spear techniques!’
Spear techniques were extremely mysterious.
If one said that the Divine Seal could utilise a ‘sigil’ to represent itself, spear techniques during a battle would be something that could not be easily represented at all! Even when some senior Transcendents created his own spear techniques, it was entirely due to his own experiences and his own path. Should one read these senior Transcendent’s techniques when they were young and malleable, they would be easily pulled by the allure into taking an easy road.
The path of any Transcendent must be taken step by step in a firm manner, experiencing everything by themselves! Only after condensing their own ‘True Meaning’ with a firm foundation should they refer to other senior Transcendents’ spear techniques or sword techniques, or such weaponry techniques. This would ensure their own resolution was not shaken. Within history, there were even cases of experts who condensed their own ‘True meaning’, yet were misled to taking a fork-road by their seniors.
After all, these senior Transcendents would not be able to directly represent their own comprehension. Instead, whenever they displayed their spear techniques or sword techniques, through looking at them… one could only scratch the surface of the techniques.
Because of this scratching of the surface, it might even caused one to walk the wrong road. By then, it would be too late for regrets!
Thus, one must be fully rely on oneself in tempering and comprehending through experimenting. Even when one went down the wrong road, he would still be able to correct that mistake easily!