Watching the Mountain

Chapter 11: Chapter 8: An Incredibly Familiar Cultivation Method

Ning Caique’s Cultivation Insights were packed with invaluable information, containing many practical little tips.

For example, it explained under what circumstances cultivation was most efficient, and how to maximize one’s training when hitting a bottleneck and unable to advance.

She mentioned this issue multiple times. When she encountered this problem, she would calm her mind and forget about breakthroughs. Instead, she would repeatedly temper herself, starting from the earliest realms. This would improve the quality of her Spiritual Power and the strength of her body. She also used this opportunity to identify and patch up any weaknesses, solidifying her foundation.

There were also various other things, like how to circulate Spiritual Power to increase explosive power, but most of it consisted of insights gained during cultivation—her personal reflections from a lifetime of practice.

She held nothing back, recounting all of her insights for Xu Ran, from the very beginning of her cultivation journey to her breakthrough into Foundation Establishment. He gained a great deal from it.

Within her Cultivation Insights, Xu Ran could also sense an unyielding and tenacious figure.

From some of the tips inside, it was clear that Ning Caique’s cultivation talent wasn’t particularly good.

Forget comparing her to prodigies like Yue Qingyu and Ye Shan; she was likely a bit lacking even when compared to some of the ordinary disciples in the Sect.

She frequently mentioned the situations and feelings of hitting a bottleneck, and from her descriptions, Xu Ran could faintly sense her state of mind back then.

She was like a single-minded little caique: ’If it won’t let me break through, then I’ll just keep hammering away until I smash through this bottleneck, even if I have to beat my head bloody to do it.’

She only broke through to Foundation Establishment when she was nearly sixty, and it took her three full attempts, using three Foundation Establishment Pills, to finally succeed.

Normally, for a disciple of her aptitude, managing to exchange for a single Foundation Establishment Pill would have been considered a great feat, yet she had used three.

Xu Ran didn’t have to think hard to know that Yue Qingyu must have helped her in the process. No wonder she acted that way toward Yue Qingyu.

’If her heart were untroubled, Ning Caique and Yue Qingyu’s interactions would probably be just like they were back in Xu Family Village, where she could wave her little fists with a fierce look on her face.’

’Unfortunately, the path of cultivation is inherently unfair. Not everyone can be like that Seeker, Yue Qingyu, advancing with unstoppable momentum to become a Hundred-Year Golden Core.’

’Most people are like Ning Caique, stumbling along the path and struggling to move forward.’

’One of them is a world-renowned genius, while the other is an ordinary person with mediocre talent. Unless Ning Caique decided to give up on the path of cultivation, she was bound to be the one in debt.’

’But who, after starting to cultivate, could bear to give it all up? At least, Xu Ran knew he couldn’t. Therefore, it was always destined for their relationship to become what it is today.’

Xu Ran sighed emotionally. He set down Ning Caique’s Cultivation Insights and picked up the Divine Technique she had given him, the *Ten Thousand Woods Transformation Spell*.

After he finished reading the contents of the technique, an extremely odd expression appeared on his face.

At that moment, he finally understood why everyone said this technique was easy to learn—that practically anyone could master the basics.

It was the first time in this world he had seen such a Cultivation Technique. The method of practice felt incredibly familiar to him.

There were no profound diagrams or mysterious incantations. Everything was simple, clear, and incredibly detailed. It just told you directly: first do this, then do that, next do this, and finally that. And then, yes, very good, congratulations, you have successfully learned this Divine Technique.

Every step told you exactly what to do. You didn’t need to think at all; you just had to follow the instructions.

This familiar teaching style made Xu Ran feel like he was back in school in his past life. Following the steps, he learned it on his very first try.

Watching the thousands of branches and vines that instantly appeared and began to dance before him, he couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

Even for the Fireball Technique, he had spent three days and dozens of attempts before he barely managed to learn it.

Yet the *Ten Thousand Woods Transformation Spell* was a genuine Divine Technique. Even just the introductory level was a high-grade Magic Technique, capable of control, binding, strangulation, defense, movement, and more.

A single Magic Technique with numerous, infinitely subtle applications.

To have learned such a complex technique in a single go gave him a sense of accomplishment. ’I’m a genius!’ he thought, sighing with emotion. ’So cultivation doesn’t always have to be so profound and mysterious. It can be this simple.’

’If cultivating one’s Cultivation Realm could also be like this, he would have ascended long ago.’

’Sigh, what a pity.’

As for the next stage of use after mastering the basics, it was just as described: basically impossible to practice.

The text for the subsequent stages was just a string of individual characters that were illogical, unrelated, and couldn’t even be formed into words. Just looking at it made him dizzy, let alone trying to cultivate it.

Xu Ran took one look and gave up completely.

In any case, he was already incredibly satisfied with mastering an advanced Magic Technique that was so easy for him to use. He now had a bit more confidence for future fights.

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The discussions sparked by the fight between Xu Ran and Zhang Zhentian didn’t last long. After just a few days, everyone’s attention was drawn to something else.

And the one who knocked Xu Ran off the headlines was none other than Ye Shan, whom he had met once before.

Only a year had passed since the Sect Grand Competition, and Ye Shan’s cultivation and strength had already reached a new level. Yesterday, under the watchful eyes of all, he challenged three True Inheritance disciples and defeated them with a single sword strike.

Such a display of power immediately caused an uproar throughout the Sect.

Before, everyone had called Ye Shan ”the second Yue Qingyu.” After this battle, many believed he might actually surpass Yue Qingyu and, as the successor, be the first to become a Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch in the Profound Pure Sect.

After all, not even the Hundred-Year Golden Core, Yue Qingyu, had a record of defeating three talented True Inheritance disciples of the same realm with such a stunning sword strike when she was in the Purple Mansion Stage.

After this battle, morale throughout the Profound Pure Sect soared. The disciples all held their heads high. The emergence of two peerless prodigies with the potential to reach Divinity Transformation in the same generation had many fantasizing about the day when these two would achieve that realm.

Xu Ran was deeply envious of Ye Shan’s accomplishment. ’I can’t even beat a brat, yet he’s suppressing the top geniuses of our generation to the point they can’t even breathe.’

’Comparisons truly are the thief of joy.’

However, what he didn’t expect was that this same Ye Shan, who had just defeated three True Inheritance disciples with a single sword strike and dazzled the entire Sect, would come looking for him the very next day.

Xu Ran was incredibly surprised to see Ye Shan suddenly appear before him.

As he was still wondering why the other man had come to find him, Ye Shan stared at him, sizing him up from head to toe, before asking with great curiosity:

”Junior Brother Xu, I heard that a few days ago you lost to a little kid who had only just started cultivating. Is that true?”