Scripture of Days Past

Chu Qiguang wanted to ask more questions about cultivating the Sumeru Strength Scripture, but Zhong Shan’e was clearly of the opinion that they had already wasted enough time on idle chatter, so he began instructing Chu Qiguang and Jiang Longyu in their cultivation.

As before, Zhong Shan’e encouraged them to prioritize advancing their cultivation bases instead of distracting themselves by pursuing too many martial arts techniques.

Even though Chu Qiguang was already at the fifth state, he still benefited immensely from hearing the cultivation experiences and insights of a Dao Comprehension-state martial god. His greatest takeaway from the lesson was a technique known as the Blood Activation Technique.

The Blood Activation Technique was a martial arts technique invented by Zhong Shan’e that allowed the cultivator to stimulate the circulation of their qi and blood circulation and tap into their latent potential.

During regular cultivation, the Blood Activation Technique could accelerate one’s progress in refining their qi and blood. In battle, the Blood Activation Technique allowed one to unleash more explosive power from their qi and blood.

The only downside was that the Blood Activation Technique was extremely difficult to cultivate as it involved the entire circulatory system and the secrets of latent potential. Any mishap during its cultivation could rupture blood vessels, resulting in severe injuries or even permanent disabilities.

However, Zhong Shan’e was confident that with Chu Qiguang and Jiang Longyu’s aptitude for martial arts, cultivation of the Blood Activation Technique wouldn’t be too dangerous for them.

”There are a total of four levels to the Blood Activation Technique,” Zhong Shan’e explained. ”The first level can increase the power of your qi and blood twofold, and for those with exceptional aptitude, mastery of the first level should be achievable within a month. The second level can increase the power of your qi and blood threefold, and even with superb aptitude, it’ll likely take ten months to master.

”The third and fourth levels can increase the power of your qi and blood fourfold and fivefold, respectively, but mastery of the third level is most likely only achievable after three years of arduous cultivation, while the fourth level will take over ten years to master. However, even if you only master the first level of the Blood Activation Technique, you’ll still enjoy tremendous long-term benefits, so don’t give up simply because you find it too difficult.”

”Who currently holds the record for mastering all four levels in the shortest time, Head Instructor?” Jiang Longyu asked, clearly intending to break the record.

”That would be me, of course,” Zhong Shan’e replied with a smile. ”I cultivated the Blood Activation Technique while inventing it, the entire process took me around a year.”

Jiang Longyu was extremely proud, but not to the point of delusion. He knew that he couldn’t compete with a Dao Comprehension-state martial artist like Zhong Shan’e, so he asked, ”Who was the second-fastest then?”

”That would be one of the other Dao Comprehension-state cultivators of the Demon Vanquishing Department,” Zhong Shan’e replied.

”Who’s the fastest below the Dao Comprehension state?” Jiang Longyu asked, refusing to relent.

”That would be Thousand-Man Commander Bai Lingxuan,” Zhong Shan’e replied. ”It took him ten days to master the first level, a month to master the second, a year to master the third, and he’s still yet to master the fourth level.”

”I’m definitely going to be faster than him!” Jiang Longyu declared, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.

Zhong Shan’e merely smiled and offered no response.

He had neglected to mention that Bai Lingxuan was a fifth-state Dao artist. In order to reach the third level of the Blood Activation Technique, he had taken pills every day and cultivated tirelessly without sleep for a year, a month, and ten days.

To this day, his record remained unbroken among everyone below the Dao Comprehension state in the Demon Vanquishing Department.

Chu Qiguang and Jiang Longyu were both exceptional prodigies, but in Zhong Shan’e’s eyes, Bai Lingxuan’s record would be extremely difficult to beat.

For an entire afternoon, Chu Qiguang and Jiang Longyu worked on the Blood Activation Technique but made very little progress.

It really is just as difficult as the head instructor made it out to be. I’ll have to work extra hard on it when I get back, Jiang Longyu thought.

In contrast, Chu Qiguang was ready to give up.

I’m not going to waste my time on this if it’s going to be this difficult! I’d be much better off reading in the archive building and trying get a few boons instead.

Over the next few days, Chu Qiguang really wanted to return to Hidden Fiend Village to check on the fiends there, as well as Yi Shuang, Han Ying, and the undying divine general. However, the entire Jade Face Mountain was still on high alert following the recent attack, so he decided it was best to remain patient.

He returned to his normal daily routine of studying and cultivating. At the same time, he tried to gather information about the Sumeru Strength Scripture to see if it would help him in his cultivation of the Sumeru King Scripture.

Aside from Zhong Shan’e, he could also turn to Yang Ling and Li Jian for guidance, and he continued searching for scriptures related to the Vajra Monastery in the archive building.

He had also begun taking the pills he had received as rewards for his performance in the half-yearly examination.

On the first day, he applied the Lion Tiger Transformation Ointment to strengthen his skeletal structure. On the second day, he took the Ultimate Qi Replenishment Pills to enhance his qi and blood. On the third day, he applied the Myriad Beast Divinity Ointment to sharpen his reactions and reflexes.

The medicinal power of these three precious pills continued to work within his body long after he had taken them, providing a slow and steady stream of benefits.

A ninth tentacle was already beginning to take shape in his shadow. By his estimate, it would fully emerge in about a month, once he had completely absorbed the medicinal power of the three pills.

***

”I asked a friend from the Hunter Hand Faction, and he told me that an immense foundation in physical cultivation is required to cultivate the Sumeru Strength Scripture. Otherwise, it’ll be impossible to master,” Yang Ling revealed. ”Furthermore, this physical foundation can’t be developed through just any cultivation art.

”Through many years of trial and error, the Hunter Hand Faction discovered that the Vajra Laws, the Primordial High Zenith Qigong, and the Steel Tendon Iron Bone arts are the three most effective cultivation arts for building the physical foundation required to cultivate the Sumeru Strength Scripture.

”With each of those three cultivation arts you master, you’ll gradually increase your chances of successfully cultivating the Sumeru Strength Scripture. The problem is that progress is extremely difficult in all three of them, and if you try to pursue all three at once, they’ll also conflict and interfere with one another, making things even more difficult...”

***

”I just received a reply from my friend in Shu Province,” Li Jian began. ”According to him, certain special pills are indeed required to cultivate the Sumeru Strength Scripture. The main ingredients for these pills can all be found in the snowy mountains of Shu Province, where the Vajra Monastery once stood. However, the Hunter Hand Faction currently has a monopoly on all those medicinal ingredients, so it won’t be easy for you to get your hands on them.”

***

Inside the archive building, Lin Lan had prepared a large stack of books for Chu Qiguang.

”Brother Chu, I’ve brought you all the books in the archive building related to the Vajra Monastery,” she said.