King of Creation
Chapter 159 - 157 Walking Your Own Path (First Update)

Chapter 159: Chapter 157 Walking Your Own Path (First Update)

"First, the good news!"

"In one month, it’s the Sect’s grand competition, and this year’s grand competition coincides with a five-year period. Therefore, the rewards for the top three this year are exceptionally generous, especially the reward for first place, which would even make True Disciples envious," Liao Feibai said.

"Competing for the top three?"

"Is that all the ambition you have, aiming only for the top three? Are you living up to Caiyi’s expectations?" Liao Feibai made no effort to cushion his teasing of Ye Zhen.

"Uh... understood, I must strive for first place!"

Ye Zhen was puzzled. What did this have to do with Caiyi?

"What about the bad news?" Ye Zhen asked.

"The bad news is that Qu Zhanqian has made a breakthrough!"

"Two months ago, Qu Zhanqian entered the Universe Stone Forest Secret Realm, and just three days ago, he broke through from the peak of the Spirit Summoning Realm to the Spirit Transformation Realm," Liao Feibai said.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhen was immediately taken aback.

After a moment, he forced a bitter smile and said, "So is this good news or bad news? Qu Zhanqian’s breakthrough into the Spirit Transformation Realm poses a greater threat to me.

But since he has broken into the Spirit Transformation Realm and become a True Disciple, he won’t be able to participate in this year’s Sect’s grand competition."

"Who said he can’t participate in the Sect’s grand competition?"

"Isn’t he a breakthrough to the Spirit Transformation Realm? At Qiyun Sect, True Disciples do not participate in the Sect’s grand competition," Ye Zhen responded, astonished.

Liao Feibai darted a sharp glance at Ye Zhen with his spirited eyes, "Just because he’s broken through to the Spirit Transformation Realm doesn’t mean he will immediately become a True Disciple.

Moreover, up to now, Hong Banjiang has not conducted the ceremony for promoting Qu Zhanqian to True Disciple. Chances are, Hong Banjiang wants Qu Zhanqian to participate in this year’s Sect’s grand competition!"

"A Spirit Transformation Realm martial artist participating in this year’s Sect’s grand competition? Isn’t that bullying the Inner Sect Disciples?"

Caught off guard, Ye Zhen began to smile bitterly, forced to admit, "This really is some terribly bad news."

Ye Zhen didn’t doubt for a second that the delay in Qu Zhanqian’s promotion ceremony was intended for him.

"How about that? That’s bad enough, isn’t it?"

"Bad enough!"

Facing a Spirit Transformation Realm martial artist in combat, the pressure on Ye Zhen was indeed tremendous.

Yet, on Caiyi’s pretty face, there arose a hint of evil Qi, "This Qu Zhanqian is simply too malicious, thinking of bullying Ye Zhen in such a manner.

Forget about him. Once he comes out, I’ll find an excuse and beat Qu Zhanqian into serious injury!"

"That sounds like an excellent plan!"

"No need, no need!" Ye Zhen hastily waved his hands, "Even if Qu Zhanqian has broken through to the Spirit Transformation Realm, it’s not certain that I will lose to him."

"What, are you planning to use your Sword Vein Divine Power in front of everyone? Do you have a death wish?"

"I can assure you, once your Sword Vein Divine Power is exposed, Chu Taiping, the Sect Master of Lishui Sect, will definitely eliminate you at all costs!" Liao Feibai said.

"It’s alright, even if I don’t use the Sword Vein Divine Power, I still have some confidence!" Ye Zhen confidently said.

Upon hearing this, Liao Feibai sighed lightly, "You cannot comprehend the gap between the Spirit Summoning Realm and Spirit Transformation Realm until you’ve reached it."

Seeing Ye Zhen’s persistence, Liao Feibai didn’t try to dissuade him further, "You have one month left, you’d better work hard!"

"Right, your cultivation has already entered the mid-stage of the Spirit Summoning Realm, but the Human-level top techniques are somewhat weak for you. My family’s Ice Spirit Technique, a lower-grade Earth Level Cultivation Technique, would you like to learn it?"

"A lower-grade Earth Level cultivation technique?" Ye Zhen was somewhat startled, "Instructor Liao, doesn’t the sect rule state that even the Sect Elders cannot freely teach Earth Level techniques to disciples?"

Liao Feibai’s expression turned stern, "Do you think the sect rules apply to me? Just tell me, will you learn it or not?"

A grateful look instantly appeared on Ye Zhen’s face. He couldn’t help but admire Liao Feibai’s commitment to him.

Such an act against the sect’s rules, even someone as assertive as Liao Feibai, could not escape a scolding from the Sect Leader.

However, grateful as he was, Ye Zhen still shook his head.

"Instructor Liao, I plan to select a secret manual from the Scripture Storage Tower for cultivation," Ye Zhen said.

When a puzzled look rose on the spirited face of Liao Feibai, Ye Zhen continued.

"I know the cultivation technique you offer is excellent, but I want to carve my own path! I want to choose a cultivation method and martial skills that suit me better from the Scripture Storage Tower."

Liao Feibai was initially startled, his spirited face then bloomed like a peony flower, "Good, well done, worthy of someone who caught my eye. Only at the mid-stage Spirit Summoning Realm and you’ve already grasped this understanding.

Back in the day, it took me until the Spirit Transformation Realm to realize this and I took quite a few detours."

After praising Ye Zhen, Liao Feibai’s expression changed, suddenly throwing a flirtatious look at Caiyi, "Sister Caiyi, seeing how good I’ve been to Ye Zhen, shouldn’t you give me a few more bowls of Ning Shen Liquid?"

Ye Zhen was astonished, this could work too!

In the afternoon, Ye Zhen’s figure appeared at the entrance of the Qiyun Sect’s Scripture Storage Tower.

After showing the Quasi-True Inheritor Jade Token personally gifted by the Sect Leader to the old steward guarding the tower, Ye Zhen stepped onto the fifth floor of the Scripture Storage Tower.

With the radiance bursting from the Quasi-True Inheritor Jade Token in hand, Ye Zhen’s figure passed through the guardian barrier of the tower’s fifth floor and entered the area storing the lower-grade Earth Level secret manuals, which many Inner Sect Disciples yearned for.

Compared to the scale of floors one to three, the fifth floor of the Scripture Storage Tower was much smaller. At a glance, the total number of stored secret manuals was close to a hundred.

The preciousness of the Earth Rank Secret Manual is evident from this.

Perhaps it was by chance that inside the Scripture Storage Tower, there was another person selecting secret manuals.

"Ye Zhen, how did you get in here?"

Fan Chuyu’s face was filled with astonishment.

"The fifth floor of the Scripture Storage Tower is not a place an Inner Sect Disciple like you should be able to enter. Could it be that you sneaked in unauthorized?" Fan Chuyu’s complexion drastically changed.

"What’s your IQ? Do you think sneaking into the Scripture Storage Tower is that easy? If you have the guts, you, as a True Disciple, try sneaking into the sixth floor of the Scripture Storage Tower." Ye Zhen bluntly retorted.

In his astonishment, Fan Chuyu came to understand this point and his face darkened as he shouted at Ye Zhen, "Is this how you speak to a True Disciple Brother, what attitude is that?"

"If you don’t like it, you can leave!"

After his sharp retort, Ye Zhen continued selecting secret manuals on his own.

The Quasi-True Inheritor Jade Token that Sect Leader Guo Qijing granted to Ye Zhen wasn’t given in vain.

Even if Ye Zhen was disrespectful to this True Disciple like Fan Chuyu, wherever the argument went, no one would blame him.

"Bastard, do you think the sect rules are mere decorations? Just like this, if I crippled you right now, the Law Enforcement Elder wouldn’t have a word to say against it!"

Fan Chuyu was so infuriated by Ye Zhen that ever since becoming a True Disciple, who would dare treat him with disrespect!

"Look at this!"

Without turning his head, Ye Zhen showed a jade token to Fan Chuyu.

"The Quasi Inheritor Jade Token?"

Fan Chuyu, who had once held that token for a period, immediately froze, gasping for breath that was neither here nor there, and after a long while, he stomped his foot fiercely and left.

"Hmph, let’s see how long you can stay smug!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhen gently shook his head.

Ever since Ye Zhen completely outclassed Fan Chuyu regarding Caiyi, Fan Chuyu’s behavior, especially in face of Ye Zhen, had become increasingly lacking in the elegance a True Disciple should have.

...

After nearly two hours, Ye Zhen had flipped through all the secret manual summaries on the fifth floor of the Scripture Storage Tower and then began to carefully consider.

The words Ye Zhen said to Liao Feibai this morning were not just spur of the moment but were the result of days of deep thought and reflection.

Even if Liao Feibai hadn’t come this morning, Ye Zhen would still have come to the Scripture Storage Tower to choose the right secret manuals for his cultivation.

The Ice Spirit Technique that Liao Feibai wanted to pass on to Ye Zhen was also available on the fifth floor of the Scripture Storage Tower, priced at one hundred and ten thousand sect contribution points. However, upon reviewing it, Ye Zhen found it unsuitable for him.

The Ice Spirit Technique followed a path of cold and light spirits and because it cultivated attribute spiritual power, although it was powerful, its progression was quite slow.

Furthermore, this type of attribute spiritual power greatly limited the martial skills he could use, requiring corresponding martial skills to exert its power.

If he chose this type of attribute spiritual power early on, it would narrow his future paths considerably.

Most importantly, cultivating the Ice Spirit Technique wouldn’t quickly enhance Ye Zhen’s combat power.

Ye Zhen’s strongest martial skill was the Qiyun Sect’s Sect Guardian Sword Skill, the Wind Cloud Sword Technique, which indeed had formidable power.

However, it had too great a consumption.

If he met an opponent of similar strength, Ye Zhen’s cultivation wouldn’t be able to sustain the Wind Cloud Sword Technique for an entire battle.

This made the Wind Cloud Sword Technique like an ace up his sleeve.

If a couple moves of the Wind Cloud Sword Technique couldn’t subdue the enemy, what awaited Ye Zhen would be defeat.

Thus, the direction of the cultivation technique Ye Zhen needed to choose was clear.

After a brief consideration, Ye Zhen selected a cultivation technique named the Five Transition Nourishing Yuan Technique.

Most low-grade Earth Level techniques, when cultivated to great accomplishment, would master a specific killing move.

For example, the Ice Spirit Technique, when cultivated to great accomplishment, would condense a layer of ice gang around the body, which not only had astonishing defensive power but could also leverage the power of ice to harm the enemy.

Another one named the Ground Fire Heart Sutra, a low-grade Earth Level technique, when cultivated to great accomplishment, could condense a trace of ground fire gang qi, rumored to be impenetrable by any Low Grade Treasure.

However, the Five Transition Nourishing Yuan Technique, when cultivated to great accomplishment, did not have such attack or defense moves.

The only function of the Five Transition Nourishing Yuan Technique was to expand the dantian and increase cultivation.

The Five Transition Nourishing Yuan Technique was divided into five transitions and five stages. If the technique reached the first transition, it would increase the total amount of spiritual power of the practitioner by ten percent under the same cultivation.

If the technique reached the second transition, it would increase by twenty percent.

If the technique reached the third transition, it would increase by forty percent, the fourth transition by sixty percent, and if the cultivation reached the peak of the fifth transition, the practitioner’s total spiritual power could astonishingly double!

And this was exactly what Ye Zhen presently needed most.

If Ye Zhen’s cultivation took another step forward and he cultivated this Five Transition Nourishing Yuan Technique, his internal spiritual power would become extremely robust.

Then, when deploying the Wind Cloud Sword Technique, he wouldn’t be grasping at straws like now, running out of True Essence Spiritual Power after a couple of uses.

Having decided on the cultivation technique best suited for him, what martial skill should he choose? (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote via recommendation tickets, monthly tickets at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)