Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 995: Chapter 991: Merit

Huang Daochu blinked, looking bewildered.

Leng Tieya clasped his fists and said with a smile, ”Thank you, Senior Brother Huang!”

Huang Daochu asked, ”Thank me for what?”

”Senior Brother Huang’s golden words!” Leng Tieya sighed, ”Clearing the clouds to see the morning sun.”

Huang Daochu’s eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, ”You think I’m right?”

”At least for me right now, incredibly right!” Leng Tieya said with a smile, ”If not for what you said, I wouldn’t have broken through so quickly.”

He discovered the common point in the cultivation of the Great Sky Demon and Venerable, which is enlightenment.

At this level, arduous cultivation isn’t as effective.

On the basis of arduous cultivation, one must spark spirit light and comprehend the mysteries of the world and Heaven and Earth.

What is comprehended must resonate with oneself to leverage the power of Heaven and Earth to advance one’s realm.

Huang Daochu’s words sparked his spirit light, leading to realizations and effortlessly stepping into the Eighth Grade.

If he didn’t have this kind of enlightenment and spirit light spark, breaking through to the Eighth Grade would take at least ten years, possibly a hundred, even several hundred.

No wonder the Inner Palace is so quiet, with few numbers, and not even present, scattered without a trace.

They must have gone searching for inspiration and sparked spirit light.

Huang Daochu was overjoyed instantly, ”Good, I always said they were astray, and you, Junior Brother, prove my words are the great path!”

Leng Tieya said with a smile, ”Senior Brother Huang, I dare not say this is the great path.”

Huang Daochu frowned, ”Why?”

”The heart transforms with the realm, does the current Senior Brother Huang think the same as Senior Brother Huang twenty years ago?”

”Naturally different!”

”Then what about our Great Sky Demon path? The Ninth Grade and the Eighth Grade may not be equivalent, and the Third Grade and the Ninth Grade are likely even more different.”

”...The heart transforms with the realm... The heart transforms with the realm...” Huang Daochu murmured, once again sinking into deep thought.

Seeing him like this, Leng Tieya didn’t disturb him, feeling refreshed as he headed towards the easternmost palace.

In the entire Inner Palace, there was only this one palace.

Under the bright sunshine, this palace built of purple wood was solemn and heavy.

Like a giant beast crouching, ready to leap out and soar into the clouds at any time.

Super Sense couldn’t penetrate the purple wood hall, unable to see the inside, making him increasingly curious.

He was no longer concerned about the Heavenly Transmigration Technique being discovered.

Even if it’s discovered, with Breaking Sky, he can escape.

So, he moved forward calmly, arriving beneath the nine-step staircase of the hall, looking up.

The hall’s flying eaves drooped low, long and curved, like an eagle’s wings spreading and hanging.

Above the plaque were the big characters ”Nine Abyss.”

As he stared at these characters, the more he looked, the deeper the meaning, unable to extricate himself.

...

Inside the hall, a handsome middle-aged man sat upright in front of an elegant desk, looking through documents.

Beside him stood an elderly man, hair and brows all white, hunched over.

The elder occasionally took documents and placed them in a pile beside him, then handed another to the handsome middle-aged man.

He softly said, ”Little Leng has been standing outside for an hour now.”

”He’s quite insightful...” The handsome middle-aged Zhou Jiangming said nonchalantly.

As the Inner Palace Chief, he had witnessed too many Great Sky Demons.

No one who accomplished becoming a Great Sky Demon lacked insight.

Achieving Great Sky Demon requires an opportunity, a spark of spirit light, instantaneous understanding leading to realm leap.

This leap is a leap of life; without insight, even when opportunity arrives, it can’t be grasped.

Great Sky Demons have good insight, but there are differences in levels.

These two big characters ”Nine Abyss” contain Supreme Heavenly Demon’s enlightenment about heaven.

But outside was a layer of aura that obscured perception, preventing those around from sensing its uniqueness.

To sense the extraordinary on it requires reliance solely on the original script of the calligraphy, needing extreme sensitivity.

To comprehend for an entire hour, to immerse for an hour, shows extraordinary insight.

The elder, hair and brows all white, smiled and said, ”Our Great Heavenly Demon Palace has welcomed a remarkable individual, congratulations to the Chief.”

”Insight is good, but it’s not everything,” Zhou Jiangming said, ”It also depends on opportunity and luck.”

”This little Leng has extremely good luck,” the elder laughed.

Zhou Jiangming nodded slightly.

Being able to seize the Breaking Space Demon Device, and in the realm of the Sky Demon, his luck is extraordinary.

”It’s a pity he just entered the palace,” the elder had a look of regret.

If he had entered the Great Heavenly Demon Palace from childhood, he’d be a direct disciple.

These disciples typically have a stronger sense of belonging and loyalty to the Great Heavenly Demon Palace.

Sky Demons who join midway are slightly less, and like Leng Tieya, who becomes a Great Sky Demon first, there are even fewer.

For these disciples, the palace doesn’t hold great expectations for loyalty, rather mutual cooperation to meet respective needs.

The Great Heavenly Demon Palace enhances strength while gaining their martial arts cultivation experience and wisdom.

These disciples who joined later benefit cultivation, but must also do certain things for the Great Heavenly Demon Palace.

The Great Heavenly Demon Palace has relaxed requirements for these disciples but doesn’t appoint them to important positions.

These important places are still entrusted to direct disciples.

The Great Heavenly Demon Palace possesses vast intelligence and industries.

These industries and intelligence require management, usually only handled by direct disciples of the Great Heavenly Demon Palace.

Non-direct disciples can only contribute to earn merit, not manage.

Zhou Jiangming said calmly, ”His character seems decent.”

The elder nodded promptly.

For those whose character doesn’t meet standard, the Great Heavenly Demon Palace often refuses them.

No matter the gifts, they don’t suffice.

Giftedness without character can end up nurturing a threat that could turn on itself.

Leng Tieya sighed deeply, awoke from the Illusion Realm.

When he looked at the two characters ”Nine Abyss” again, the previous shock was gone.

Yet he still felt endless flavor, endless aftertaste, worthy of repeated view.

”Come in,” Zhou Jiangming’s voice rang.

Leng Tieya perked up, stepped across the threshold, entering the hall.

Zhou Jiangming put down the document, looked at Leng Tieya, ”Settled in? What’s the matter?”

”Chief, I want to take a look at the Inner Palace’s Martial Arts Secrets and Secret Records.”

Zhou Jiangming said, ”In the Wanxiang Hall of the Outer Palace, go see then.”

”Entering Wanxiang Hall doesn’t require merit, right?” Leng Tieya asked.

”Treasure and Spirit Pills are limited, can’t be given to every disciple, thus allocated through merit,” Zhou Jiangming shook his head, ”These Secret Manuals and Secret Records don’t have such necessity.”

Leng Tieya smiled.

That sounds rather generous.

Zhou Jiangming said, ”Inner Palace disciple merit isn’t easy to obtain, you should be prepared.”

Leng Tieya asked, ”How to obtain merit then?”

”The palace will have big operations you can participate in or suppress disturbances at certain places, long-term stationing.”

”For instance, this time eliminating Ghost Bone Sect is an opportunity.”

”How much merit?”

”If everything goes smoothly and the Outer Palace disciples don’t suffer losses, there’s one thousand merit, and two months of cultivation in the Demon Abyss.”

”Already taken by two brothers, I suppose.”

”If you join, you’ll also earn one thousand merit and two months of cultivation in the Demon Abyss.”

”Chief, my cultivation is shallow, unable to ensure the safety of Inner Palace disciples, it’d be a mistake instead.”

”Hm, that’s up to you.” Zhou Jiangming nodded, ”There are many ways to earn merit, such as finding Demon Artifacts, entering Grotto Heaven, clearing harm from Human Race or Demon Clan, all yielding substantial merit, you can choose freely.”

Leng Tieya raised an eyebrow, ”Clearing harm from Human Race or Demon Clan?”

”These are detrimental to our Demon World with no benefits, clearing them is great merit, but often too dangerous, few take them,” Zhou Jiangming said, ”You are weak in cultivation now, better not take these.”

Leng Tieya clasped fists, said goodbye and left.

Straight to the Outer Palace.

But he didn’t go to Wanxiang Hall, instead went to find Song Lianshuang to see how Song Lianshuang was doing.