The Science of Cultivation
Chapter 302: Kan Wuji’s Inheritance

Li Lang watched as the Radiant Wing Sect disciples climbed step by step up the stairs that the Thousand Change Sea Breath had led them to. Due to the pyramid shape of the structure, the steps were wide near the bottom and narrowed as they ascended.

Everyone was on guard as they knew this was likely where the final tests were, near the core of whatever inheritance was left behind by Kan Wuji. That was why they weren’t surprised when several Qi arts of various elements ambushed them. With multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators all invoking various flashy moves to defend themselves, Li Lang got to enjoy the front row seats.

Many of the Radiant Wing Sect disciples used similar mantras, forming barriers of wind, but Mu Hanyue caught his attention the most. The bright wall of light she summoned not only made it hard to look at, but also acted like a physical obstacle. Sharp arrows of stone and ice bounced uselessly off it. It was a scene Li Lang had not expected out of the light attribute at all.

Based on what he knew, he would’ve predicted the light barrier to burn away at any attacks like a fire element barrier would. It was quite stimulating for him to observe light acting as a physical barrier.

I wonder if it’s the technique that has altered the properties of light or if it’s the light attribute qi they practice that is special.

As the righteous cultivators climbed higher, the intensity of the attacks grew. It was still manageable for the most part, but it didn’t prevent Li Lang from furrowing his brows.

Several of his allies occasionally stiffened in place, some for only a split second, while others were locked in place several times longer. If this were a scene of mortal braving the dangers of a heavily trapped tomb, then there wouldn’t be anything amiss. However, the people in question were all experts in the Foundation Establishment Realm. They weren’t the type of people who would be disoriented or distracted that easily, just from a constant onslaught of attacks.

After all, those who had such a flaw would never have survived until now and achieved their first major breakthrough.

Li Lang naturally knew the freezes were probably not the fault of any of the orthodox cultivators. The reason he was frowning was that it showed the theme, for these tests remained split between illusions and defense.

The experts with him had already spoken about how unusual that was. Violet Core Realm experts were decisive people. The norm was to pass on their most treasured technique, with the tests related to this legacy. What he was seeing before him painted an entirely different picture.

For a moment, he hesitated whether this meant there were two techniques waiting for them, but he quickly shook off that thought. Traditions and face were too important to orthodox cultivators. Few strayed from the well-trodden paths lest they be mistaken for one of the mavericks. If Kan Wuji truly left behind two techniques, then it was more likely that he was actually a demonic deviator.

Bringing his attention back to his allies, he found that while the tests grew more intense the further they went up, the Qi arts consistently shot out from the edge of the stairs. With his good allies taking the vanguard role, he was able to note down which particular type of attacks came from which direction. This gave him all the time in the world to prepare before jumping into the fray.

Li Lang did just that.

As expected of disciples from a major sect, they didn’t disappoint and soon made it to the top. By the time Li Lang reached the summit, he found his allies gathered around a hole with brooding expressions.

“Good work. What did you guys find?” he asked as he walked up to their interim leader, Mu Hanyue.

“Likely the entrance to the core of this inheritance. There’s a powerful formation around this place. This entrance is open for all of us to see, but the formation is shielding it from our senses. It’s likely that we won’t be able to jump out if we enter, as well.”

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“We’ve come so far following the heavenly water. You guys want to quit now?”

“That’s—because of everything we’ve seen so far. We’re not sure if this is really an inheritance left behind by a senior of the orthodox path anymore.”

“Hmm, you’re not wrong that this place is giving mixed signals, but from what I could sense of the heavenly water, it didn’t seem to have belonged to a demonic cultivator. If it had been with its master long enough to stay so attached, its Qi should have assimilated with him, and it is of the orthodox path for sure.”

The young woman took a moment to backtrack toward the edge of the pyramid, looking down at her companions below, who stayed behind to guard Thousand Change Sea Breath.

“You’re right. Fine. We’ll continue. Did you perhaps want to take the lead this time, though?”

“No, thank you. I’m just a guest here. Doesn’t your sect want to keep the majority of what we find here? It’ll be easier for you to claim rights to the loot if your group is in charge the entire time.”

“Does that mean you have no interest in this inheritance?” the woman skeptically asked.

“I’m interested, of course. But I’ll be satisfied with a fair share of what I can get without overexerting myself. I plan to read through any texts you find, at the very least, but your sect can keep them.”

What was left unsaid was Li Lang’s interest in any heavenly materials and pills. However, gaining huge quantities of those materials wasn’t the priority. It would be more beneficial long-term for him and Star Gem Academy to obtain recipes and seeds instead. The only exception would be Core Formation Pills, but that’s something all parties always wanted more of.

“Grr, fine,” the Radiant Wing Sect leader brushed a hand at Li Lang in resignation before turning to her peers. “I’m heading down.”

Without giving a chance to her fellow disciples to reply, she leaped down into the hole. Everyone watched with bated breath, wondering if the formation had cut her off from the rest of them when her voice clearly resounded from below. A moment later, her figure leaped back up.

“Doesn’t seem like it traps us in. It should be safe down there. It’s just a study or a small library of sorts.”

Having seen their leader brave into the unknown, none of the cultivators complained before they all jumped down together. Li Lang leisurely followed suit, letting them do the heavy lifting.

The group swiftly spread around the spacious room filled with bookshelves. There was a spiral staircase in the center that led up to a mezzanine, where even more books were kept.

It didn’t take long for the cultivators to realize the room had no doors connecting it elsewhere, so their investigation turned to the various bookshelves for hidden passageways.

As they searched, Li Lang’s eyes sparkled as he dove into all the texts in the room. He found all the books around him to be variations of the Absolute Dome Art technique or journals about the technique from previous users.

The various chapters here were even more advanced than the few he had obtained so far. Instead of just adapting the technique against a certain type of attack, it went even further. It explored various ways to shape the dome around the user, allowing it to be used as an offensive Qi art as well as a defensive one. There were even some variations that spread it thin around the practitioner to detect stealthy foes.

Is every single part of this library about this technique? If it is, it’s amazing that someone kept so many details on a single topic.

Li Lang didn’t get to lose himself in the texts for long, as one of the Radiant Wing Sect disciples soon made a discovery.

“Over here!”

All the cultivators quickly assembled to the call. They gathered right below the spiral staircase, where a woman with short hair was pointing at a small hatch in the ground. Mu Hanyue knelt down beside her to inspect the findings.

“Sister Hanyue, there’s no use,” the woman warned her leader. ”It won’t budge, no matter how hard I try. It shouldn’t be surprising, considering this was made by a Violet Core elder. As the texts say, we’ll have to satisfy his requirements to proceed.”

Her words prompted everyone to take a closer look at the hatch. Etched in the corner of it were some words.

“To obtain my inheritance, you must first learn its true form.”

“I guess that means we’ll have to find the correct variation of the Absolute Dome Art that the senior saw the most potential in. We’re going to need to do some serious reading,” Li Lang declared with undisguised excitement in his voice.

“Seriously? Are you sure about that?” Mu Hanyue asked.

“Yep. I checked the texts while you were all busy. Every single one of the ones I saw was on the Absolute Dome Art. For those of you who haven’t learned it yet, it may be time to do so.”

Even though the Radiant Wing Sect disciples had the discipline not to sigh, they all still exhaled deeply in unison upon hearing Li Lang’s words.