A nameless Small World, Ethereal Sect, Ethereal Peak Territory, Central Continent
A young man was standing over a tall mountain with his eyes covered with eye masks. He possessed bow in his hand, and 20 arrows in his quiver. Few miles away, there are 20 birds, with small bell tied in their legs.
The young man aimed at those birds and shot his 20 arrows consequently back to back, and out of 20 arrows, 10 pierced the neck of the bird, 5 pierced their body, 3 pierced the head, 1 grazed through it and 1 missed.
Ming Chuan glanced at the young man and smiled. "Hao-er, you have improved a lot. Your aim and accuracy has improved in the last few years. Not just that, even your range has increased."
Li Gang removed his eye cover and bowed towards him. "It's all thanks to you, Hall Master. I learnt a lot in last few years."
Ming Chuan nodded with satisfaction. He said deeply. "Sect Master wants to meet you. It is about time that you should spread your wings even further. I have taught you everything that should be taught to you. If you want to go beyond, you have to practice the methods I provided to you and work hard as you have been doing."
Li Gang nodded.
They left the small world, and soon went towards one of the mountain. This is where the Sect Leader of Ethereal Sect reside.
As soon as they entered, they saw Su Zun was sitting over a large chess board. He was glancing at it's positions.
Su Zun noticed their arrival and said lightly. "Hao-er, come! Sit over here."
Ming Chuan also sat nearby. He is a trusted companion of Su Zun, and so, Su Zun doesn't mind Ming Chuan listening to their conversation.
Su Zun waved his hand and the entire Go Chess board became empty. He then glanced at Li Gang and said lightly. "Let's have a game. I also want to talk to you about some things."
Li Gang nodded.
It was a 500 by 500 chess board. They were sitting together, and Li Gang was playing with Black pieces. Usually, they give Komi to white players in the current world as they are at disadvantage. However, in this game, Li Gang was playing with black pieces, and Su Zun with white without Komi. He is essentially at disadvantage here.
Li Gang played his first move and said. "What do you want to talk to me, Master."
Su Zun also made his move and said lightly. "Your name is not Zhang Hao, but Li Gang. I don't know why you hid your name in the first place, but I think between master and student, there shouldn't be any secret."
Li Gang wasn't surprised. He knows those in Rank 8s are very shrewd and he should be aware. He continued the game and didn't speak. Though he was slightly baffled at him figuring out his real name.
Su Zun continued. "Even though I didn't teach in last few years, I have seen your hard work. In my experience, I have seen countless geniuses. I have seen countless hard workers. But you are have gone one step beyond them. In reality, you don't possess talent in any field, whether it is Archery, or Cultivation or even Alchemy and Forgery."
"What brought you this far is your Perseverance. Even a hard-working person can never persevere this far. Your hard work defied the talent itself and let you broke your own limit."
Li Gang made another move and let him continue.
Su Zun said. "Tell me one thing. You have already found a way to improve your qualification, haven't you?"
Ming Chuan was shocked at this question. He knows how difficult it is to improve one's qualification. Even he isn't aware of any such methods. He had also suspected, but he never came to such conclusion because of how unrealistic this hypothesis was.
Li Gang nodded. "So, you noticed already. You are right, I have long found the way to improve qualification."
Su Zun nodded. "You worked so hard in every aspect except for your cultivation. I don't believe you gave up on it, so I guessed it might be possible that you already found a way to improve your qualification. You think it is waste of time cultivating and so you focus in other areas while you can't improve your cultivation."
Su Zun continued. "Can you tell me what method you found? I can help you if it is possible."
Li Gang glanced at him with his deep eyes and he answered lightly. "Soul Matching pill, engraving an artificial formation on the soul and creating an artificial Spiritual Imprint, virginity of Natural Enchantment body."
Li Gang doesn't mind sharing this secret. He knows they are at his side, at least for now. They can help him succeed faster, saving a lot of his time.
Su Zun frowned. 'Soul Matching pill? It's a Rank 8 ancient pill whose recipe has long been lost. Even the materials needed to refine it has gone extinct. Creating Artificial Formation needs him to be Rank 8 Formation Master at least. Additionally, he also needs to know the exact formula to create it. Natural Enchantment body only appears once in a thousand years. There hasn't been a single one appeared since last 500 years.'
He glanced at Li Gang replied. "Are you aware that none of these methods feasible?"
Li Gang frowned. "Why? As long as I find the materials for Soul Matching Pill, I can ask someone to refine it."
Su Zun replied calmly. "Soul Matching Pill's recipe has long been lost. Even if you have it's recipe, the materials needed to refine it has gone extinct."
Li Gang was surprised. This was a heavy blow to him since he thought of searching for it's materials. Even though he got lots of knowledge from books, Wang Xueyao and Lin Fan, he is still ignorant when it comes to Divine Spirit World.
He calmed down and asked again. "What about the formation?"
Su Zun replied deeply. "The highest Formation Master in this world currently is Rank 7 peak!"
Li Gang was surprised. He never expected the difficulty to improve his talent would be so much. In fact, he has other methods too, but he doesn't want to accept them for some reasons.
Su Zun saw Li Gang's hesitation and said. "It appears you have another method, but you don't want to use them."
Li Gang nodded.
Su Zun glanced at him and suddenly shifted the topic. "You have been working hard all this while. You have such a great perseverance, what do you truly want to achieve?"
Ming Chuan was surprise at sudden shift of topic, but he immediately calmed down. He understood what Su Zun wants to do. 'Hao-er has been cultivating diligently, but despite having methods to improve his qualification, he doesn't want to use them. By reminding him of his goal, he might motivate him enough to use those methods.'
Li Gang murmured. 'What do I truly want to achieve?'
In fact, he himself is not aware why he has been working so hard all this while. He often have a demotivating urge to give up everything and live a casual life.
Su Zun felt disappointed at his response, and at the same time kind of peculiar. What can give a person so much perseverance. How can he have such a strong will, when he doesn't even have a goal!
He glanced at him and said with a deep voice. "A life without a goal is a journey without a destination. Goals give our existence a purpose, guiding our actions and giving meaning to our endeavors."
Su Zun looked at Li Gang and sighed. "A person always have an ambition hidden in them. They are often clueless about them especially when the don't want to accept them. Accept yourself Li Gang."
He continued. "Browse your memory, and think what you hate most! May be it will allow you to know what you truly want. The thing you hate most may relate you with what you want most! You are smart person."
Li Gang thought about his life and also browsed through his previous life. 'What I hate most huh!'
He thought about various incidents in his life. The situation when he was insulted, the situation when he was poor, the situation when people looked down on him, but none of them made him angry even a bit. He didn't hate any of these situations enough.
He is not thinking about this life at all. He knows, this life is nothing but a mask he has put on himself in order to adapt to this dangerous world. His true self can only be recognized from who he was before.
Su Zun made his move and asked. "So, what is it that you hate most?"
Li Gang replied. "What....... I........ hate.......... most.......... is loosing!"
As he said that, he placed another black piece on the board. Even though they were talking to each other, they were playing with a near instant speed. The positions on the board has already become very complex and it is difficult to tell who will be victorious.
Ming Chuan was shocked at the move. 'How is that possible, he was already being suppressed by Su Zun from all sides. This was the only move that could allow him to survive in this game. To think he would found it in such a situation!'
Su Zun was equally surprised but he has a smile of victor on his face. "So, what is it that you truly wish? What is your goal in your life?"
Li Gang gave a deep smile at Su Zun and made a move and said lightly. "I want DOMINATION!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Few hours later
Ming Chuan glanced at the board lightly and said to Su Zun. "What do you think Sect Leader? I am still surprised that he lost after making that move."
Su Zun's eyes were deep and he said lightly. "I am not sure, it could be he lost deliberately. But it is also possible he missed the 50 move follow up line. His every move were near perfect. I was forced to play the best move every time or it would have been difficult to win this game."
Ming Chuan nodded. "You only won by one point!"
Su Zun spoke with him for few minutes before letting him leave.
Su Zun also left to a certain place. It was completely dark, and a huge statue was present in the front.
He knelt in front of the statue and informed. "As per your instructions, I have helped him realize his goals. If he was a Wandering Tiger before, then he is a fierce predator now. He will improve at an even faster rate."
A corporeal voice sounded. "You did well, according to my calculations, he would leave Ethereal Sect very soon."
After few minutes, Su Zun left the area and sighed. 'I don't know why they are so much interested in him. He has no talent, and even the methods he knows can't allow him to improve his qualifications.'
He glanced at the Spiritual Bottle in his hands and had a satisfied expression. "Anyways, this time the harvest is good."