"Really? Then I must learn!"
Fang Wang's eyes lit up, and he quickly responded. Swordsmanship was his strongest skill, principally because he harbored a dream of wandering the world with his sword, and swords were especially suited to cultivators.
Take the Sword Control Technique as Zhou Xue mentioned; every cultivator learns it, which shows the universality of the sword in the path of cultivation.
Zhou Xue wasted no time and began to teach the sword techniques, with Fang Wang listening intently.
Some time passed.
After Zhou Xue finished, she stared at Fang Wang.
Fang Wang, however, furrowed his brows. He hesitated briefly and said, "There's something off about this sword technique. Although I've never practiced the cultivation sword techniques, all methods share commonalities, let alone all being part of the Sword Dao. I feel that following the method you described to practice these techniques, it won't work."
He hadn't even entered the Heavenly Palace, enough to prove that the sword technique was a fake!
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xue didn't get angry. Instead, admiration appeared in her eyes. She lauded, "Impressive. I can now confirm that, apart from your talent, your comprehension is exceptionally high. No wonder you were able to reach that level with the Sword Control Technique within seven days."
"Since you've already achieved the sixth level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, you should continue your practice. Spells aren't a priority right now. Once you enter Great Abyss Gate, you'll have to engage in arduous cultivation for the first couple of years, focusing primarily on your cultivation realm. The last three levels of the Qi Cultivation Realm are significantly harder than the first six, especially the breakthrough from the ninth level of the Qi Cultivation Realm to the Soul Sculpting Realm. The hardships involved are beyond what you can currently imagine. If you can achieve Spiritual Refinement within five years, then you can choose any spell from Great Abyss Gate."
When Zhou Xue pinpointed Fang Wang's realm, he wasn't surprised. After all, he was the reincarnation of an Immortal Venerable, so it was normal to discern his cultivation level.
Feigning frustration, Fang Wang said, "If I hadn't seen through it, wouldn't I have practiced this sword technique in vain?"
Zhou Xue shook her head slightly and said, "I was just testing you. Your talent and comprehension are indeed extraordinary, but you are still a mortal. Mortals have a limited lifespan. Remember, cultivation is of the utmost importance. Don't rely too much on your strong comprehension and spend most of your time dabbling in minor techniques."
Hearing this, Fang Wang had no choice but to let it go.
He wasn't too disappointed. After all, the Solaris Scripture inherently possessed the Solaris True Fire, which, if applied to his Sword Control Technique and the martial arts he had mastered, was equivalent to the power of spells.
After giving a few more admonitions, Zhou Xue got up and left.
Watching her leave, Fang Wang suddenly became very curious about her cultivation level.
Intuition told him that Zhou Xue had already embarked on the path of cultivation and that her cultivation level was not weak. It seemed that she possessed some method of concealing her presence, rendering him unable to see through it.
As soon as Zhou Xue closed the door, Fang Wang stopped pondering and continued his practice.
Practicing was addictive, especially when effort led to results.
...
Beneath the blue sky, amidst the green mountains, three horse-drawn carriages were making their way forward. Dwarfed by the majestic mountains, they seemed insignificant, indistinguishable from pebbles in the eyes of eagles soaring above.
Fang Wang leaned against the carriage door, holding the reins in his hand, enjoying the scenic beauty along the way.
Thirteen days had not been enough for him to break through to the seventh level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, but his Spiritual Power had increased significantly.
Recalling the reluctance of his parents when they parted, Fang Wang felt a tinge of emotion, yet he was more excited. Not that he was cold-hearted, but he had memories of his past life. Although he was fond of his current life's Fang Residence, he did not feel an inseparable attachment to it.
He had long wished to venture out. However, in this ancient-like world where bandits often roamed outside the cities, he had never left Southern Hills City from childhood to adulthood, so everything on the journey was novel to him.
Zhou Xue emerged from the carriage and sat beside him to enjoy the landscape together.
"How big is this world, and how much of it does Grand Qi occupy?" Fang Wang suddenly asked.
Looking into the distance, Zhou Xue answered, "It's vast, very vast. Grand Qi is just a grain of sand in the Canghai. I heard from a senior that beyond Grand Qi, there even exist dynasties where everyone practices cultivation."
To keep the matter of his rebirth concealed and to establish Zhou Xue's authority, all members of the Fang Family knew that she was guided by some senior cultivator.
"Everyone practicing cultivation? How powerful that must be!" Fang Wang's eyes sparkled with longing.
Zhou Xue chuckled softly and said, "Perhaps Grand Qi will also transform into a Cultivation Dynasty in the future."
Perhaps?
Then, it must be true!
Since there were others in the carriage, Zhou Xue dared not reveal her full knowledge and could only speculate, a point Fang Wang clearly understood.
The Qi Dynasty could transform from a mortal dynasty to a Cultivation Dynasty. No wonder Zhou Xue was willing to support the Fang Residence. Could it be she wanted to establish a foothold in the future Qi Dynasty?
Fang Wang mused silently. Zhou Xue might have another agenda, but he didn't oppose it. After all, it was easy for an Immortal Venerable to support a power. Zhou Xue had not let down the care shown by the Fourth Elder Fang Zhen, showing that she still had some kindness in her heart, at least not the Demonic Cultivator he had imagined.
He was always curious about why Zhou Xue had been reborn. Surely, she couldn't have been reborn suddenly while meditating?
The two of them continued their casual conversation as the sun gradually set.
At dusk, they stopped by a river on the mountain road to rest. Fang Family disciples began to gather firewood to start a fire, and Fang Wang found a place to sit down. He did not need to do such menial tasks, as his duty was to protect his fellow clan members.
Along with Fang Wang and Zhou Xue, there were nine people in total. Among them was Fang Hanyu, who at a young age had achieved the skills of a first-rate expert. All three of them did not need to gather firewood, leaving that to the other six.
Fang Hanyu sat not far away, glancing at Fang Wang from time to time, seemingly hesitating about something.
After struggling for a while, Fang Hanyu gritted his teeth, stood up, and approached Fang Wang.
Fang Wang opened his eyes, looked at him, and smiled, "Han Yu, what's the matter?"
Although Fang Hanyu was two years older than him, Fang Wang had the mind of an adult as soon as he was born, so he would address his peers by their names throughout his childhood, and Fang Hanyu had grown accustomed to it.
After that night, neither of them had the chance to talk. Even after leaving Southern Hills City for three days, Fang Hanyu and Fang Wang merely nodded to each other, never having a conversation.
"Fang Wang, Zhou Xue taught us the basic Qi Gathering Method. After half a month of training, I have barely managed to cultivate some Spiritual Power. Could you teach me the Sword Control Technique? I don't want to bother Zhou Xue..." said Fang Hanyu awkwardly, his gaze flitting away, not daring to look at Fang Wang.
Fang Wang couldn't help but chuckle, stood up, and laughed, "Sure, Han Yu, I have been waiting for you to come to me for a long time. I thought you had forgotten about me. When we were kids, if I told you to lie down, you would lie down. Now that you have grown up, you seem so aloof."
Aloof?
Fang Hanyu couldn't help but smile. He had always been used to Fang Wang using some odd and interesting vocabulary, and he could roughly understand the meaning. With a slightly red face and a hint of embarrassment, he said, "After all, it's been many years since we have seen each other, let's not mention childhood. Like the time you told me to lie down and pretend to be a dog searching for meat buns, that I still remember!"
The two brothers became comfortable with each other and started reminiscing about their childhood.
After a while, seeing that Fang Hanyu had completely relaxed, Fang Wang began to teach the Sword Control Technique.
It is worth mentioning that since they set out, Zhou Xue would spend every night alone in the woods, away from everyone else. Knowing she was reborn, Fang Wang was not worried about her safety.
That's why Zhou Xue was so distant from the other Fang Family Disciples, and it was one of the reasons why Fang Hanyu sought out Fang Wang to train in the Sword Control Technique.
From that night on, Fang Wang tutored Fang Hanyu in the Sword Control Technique every night. It must be said, the lad truly was a genius. In just three days, he was able to make a wooden sword float.
This was no ordinary wooden sword but a special Peach Wood Sword made by the Qingyi Daoist, which could be manipulated by Spiritual Power. Zhou Xue had collected all the Qingyi Daoist's belongings, and upon hearing that Fang Wang was teaching Fang Hanyu the Sword Control Technique, she lent the wooden sword to Fang Hanyu.
"Brother Han Yu is really amazing!"
"I haven't even managed to cultivate Spiritual Power yet, sigh, the difference is huge."
"Hahaha, Han Yu was always a genius, remember what Zhou Xue said? Having a sliver of Spiritual Power within half a year qualifies one to cultivate."
"The more powerful Han Yu is, the more confident we will be when we reach Great Abyss Gate. We'll be able to look out for each other."
Surrounded by his clansmen, Fang Hanyu, who was usually stern, showed a rare smile. He wasn't being smug but was excited about his own achievements. His gaze shifted towards Fang Wang, who was standing on the shore of the lake.
In the early morning, Fang Wang and Zhou Xue stood by the lake, looking at them from afar. The mist on the lake made the landscape seem like a place out of the Mortal Realm and the two standing together appeared as a match made in heaven, ready to ascend to immortality at any moment.
"Fang Hanyu's aptitude is indeed impressive; it's quite a surprise," Zhou Xue commented. In her eyes, these Fang Family Disciples were not her peers. She viewed them more like her descendants, considering she had lived through two lifetimes, making her older than even the longest historical records of the Grand Qi.
Hearing this, Fang Wang looked at Fang Hanyu and thought to himself that in their original fate, Fang Hanyu would die on the night the Fang Residence was destroyed.
Smiling at this thought, Fang Wang was happy for Fang Hanyu.
"How many days' journey is it from Great Abyss Gate?" Fang Wang asked.
He was already capable of flying with a sword, but among his traveling companions were seven other family members, including two young girls who found even half a day's walk tiring, so they had no choice but to travel by horse-drawn carriage.
Zhou Xue looked at the youthful family members and softly answered, "Another three days' travel should get us there."
She paused before continuing, "You should have noticed these past two days that we are encountering villages less and less often. Moving forward, we are more likely to run into evil spirits and Spirit Demons, so be careful on the road."
Evil spirits?
Spirit Demons?
Rather than being tense, Fang Wang became excited.
It was a perfect opportunity to test his Solaris Scripture!
As the sun rose, the Fang Family Disciples, invigorated for a while, began packing up their belongings to continue on their journey.
The mountain roads in the area were rugged, the trees tall, and the flowers and plants dense. The fog made the forests seem magical, and the bumpy journey roused all those who wanted to sleep from their slumber.
By noon, Zhou Xue pulled on the reins and stood up, calling out to those behind her, "Everyone pack your things and get off the carriage; we proceed on foot from here."
Each carriage had three passengers, usually taking turns to sleep, one leading the horses, another keeping watch, and the last one sleeping inside.
Soon enough, all the Fang Family Disciples dismounted. Aside from Fang Wang, Zhou Xue, and Fang Hanyu, the other six were carrying their luggage on their backs, including the two girls.
Fang Wang glanced at Zhou Xue, aware that she possessed the Qingyi Daoist's storage bag, and wondered how large the space inside it was.
According to Zhou Xue, a storage bag, Talisman Paper, and a Flying Sword were the standard accessories for a Cultivator.
Zhou Xue drew Fang Wang's Treasured Sword from his waist and deftly cut all the horses' reins from the three carriages.
"What does this mean?" Fang Hanyu asked in surprise.
Zhou Xue replied, "We are headed to Great Abyss Gate, and it will be difficult to return for several years. Even if we do come back, we won't need the carriages. It's better to set them free now rather than letting them fall prey to the beasts and ghosts of the mountains."
Ghosts and beasts!
Upon hearing this, the faces of the two Fang Residence girls went pale, and the same was true for the four young men.
With a flick of her wrist, Zhou Xue threw the Treasured Sword through the air, accurately sliding it into Fang Wang's scabbard from three yards away, a move that made everyone's eyes pop.
Squinting, Fang Wang's hand slightly trembled as he thought to himself about the strength and speed of Zhou Xue's throw. His curiosity about her current level of cultivation increased.