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墨書 Inktalez
Human Sacrifice
It had only been a month since I entered the Water Storage Room, and now I wanted to challenge an Outer Sect Disciple. This had never happened in the history of the Azure Cloud Sect.
Anyone who entered the Water Storage Room was deemed useless. Perhaps after ten or twenty years of cultivation, one might get lucky during the drawing and face a New Disciple who had just started out. If they won, they could enter the Outer Sect.
However, the odds of that happening were slim. Moreover, even if one managed to win and enter the Outer Sect, they would still be considered a bottom-tier waste, bullied by others. It was far better to reign supreme in the Water Storage Room.
Just like Huang Laohu, who could make everyone in the Water Storage Room hand over a Qi Gathering Pill to him. He certainly received more than he would have in the Outer Sect.
“Are you sure you want to challenge the Outer Sect?” the Thin Steward asked incredulously.
I ignored his question and gave a few instructions to the Three Sons and Zhu Cong before heading down the mountain.
The Manager of the Water Storage Room had the authority to leave the mountain on their own. Although I couldn't leave the sect at this moment, I could still wander around in the Outer Sect.
As I passed by the Treasure Pavilion, I noticed that the Training Arena behind it was filled with young disciples. Some were meditating and cultivating their Qi, while others practiced their punches and swordplay.
There were many Outer Sect Disciples, most of whom were focused on cultivation. Therefore, they rarely interacted with others, and most did not recognize me. However, my Daoist Robe was slightly different from those worn by Outer Sect Disciples. A few people glanced at me sideways and shouted, “Get lost! There are no empty bottles or scrap paper here; go look somewhere else.”
I didn’t even glance at them as I walked toward the sign next to the Treasure Pavilion. I found out where the Outer Sect Scripture Repository was located and made my way through the Training Arena toward it.
“Hey, look at him ignoring us; seems like he has some character,” one young disciple remarked. “I’ll teach him a lesson.”
The others laughed heartily and said, “He’s just here to see if there are any discarded items. With that Daoist Robe, he’s either from the dung pit or from the Water Storage Room. What a mess!”
“Don’t worry; I won’t let him get past me,” that disciple said with a smug grin as he stepped in front of me. “Hey there, big brother! Where did you come from?”
“Water Storage Room,” I said in a low voice.
“Where are you going?” the young man asked again.
“Scripture Repository,” I replied.
“What are you going to do at the Scripture Repository?” The young man's face lit up with a grin, and those behind him laughed uproariously.
“I’m going to pick up trash and collect scrap. Any more questions?” I said with a serious expression.
The young man burst into laughter and said, “You seem quite unwilling to accept me!”
“What makes you think there’s anything about you that I should accept?” I countered.
He chuckled and reached for my shoulder, but I leaned away slightly to dodge his move. He nearly lost his balance, clearly having tried to make a sudden attack but ended up missing.
“Hey, my junior brother, are you even capable?” someone nearby mocked him.
Ignoring them, I continued walking toward the Scripture Repository. The young man shouted angrily for me to stop. When I didn’t respond, he yelled again, threatening me, and swung a punch at the back of my head.
I tilted my head to the side. With a swift kick backward, he let out a cry as he clutched his groin. I slapped him across the face, sending him flying backward, and without looking back, I quickly left the Training Arena.
Upon reaching the entrance of the Scripture Repository, I was greeted by a scruffy-looking Old Taoist with disheveled hair. He glanced at me and then scratched himself absentmindedly.
I stepped forward and bowed politely, asking, “Elder, may I borrow a book from the Scripture Repository?”
The Scruffy Old Daoist asked, "You are not from the Outer Sect, are you?"
I replied, "No. I am the Manager of the Water Storage Room."
The Scruffy Old Daoist said, "If you are not an Outer Sect Disciple, you can only look, not borrow."
I responded, "Looking is fine."
The Scruffy Old Daoist nodded and gestured for me to enter. Just as I stepped into the Scripture Repository, he added, "Wait a moment."
"What instructions do you have, Senior?" I asked.
The Scruffy Old Daoist inquired, "What books do you want to read?"
I answered, "Taoist Classics, Essence of Daoist Techniques, and books on practical Cultivation Methods."
The Scruffy Old Daoist remarked, "There are some on the first floor. By the looks of you, are you planning to challenge the Outer Sect?"
"Indeed," I admitted. "I have only practiced the Entry-Level Realm techniques of the Azure Cloud Sect. In a fight, I can only use some basic moves, so I came here to borrow a martial arts manual at the last minute."
Upon hearing this, the Scruffy Old Daoist snorted and said, "From your appearance, your Dao Qi fluctuations indicate you're at the early stage of Entry-Level Realm. The newcomers from two months ago are at least at the mid-stage of Entry-Level Realm now. Are you looking for death? If you challenge the Outer Sect and get killed, no one will seek justice for you."
Although I was surprised by the Scruffy Old Daoist's words—realizing that all disciples who entered the Outer Sect in just two months were at least at mid-stage Entry-Level Realm—I secretly breathed a sigh of relief because he had not seen through my true strength.
Anyone capable of guarding the Scripture Repository must be no ordinary person. It is said that to enter the Inner Sect from the Outer Sect, one must at least be at the late stage of Purple Qi Coming from the East Realm. Therefore, this old Daoist guarding the Scripture Repository must possess strength beyond that realm.
During this period of seclusion, I not only practiced the Entry-Level Realm Cultivation Method of the Azure Cloud Sect, but also focused on the core Cultivation Method of Qingliang Temple. Previously, I had noticed that the core Cultivation Method of Qingliang Temple and Zhang Jianzi's Martial Dao Classic had similar applications. Qingliang Mountain was once a place where Laozi preached, so I speculated that the core Cultivation Method of Qingliang Temple was essentially the prologue to the Martial Dao Classic.
After consuming a large number of Qi Gathering Pills and successfully cultivating the Entry-Level Realm Cultivation Method of the Azure Cloud Sect, I found that I could understand the previously obscure prologue of the Martial Dao Classic without any guidance. This Martial Dao Classic has the ability to conceal a person's true strength, making it impossible for even the most skilled practitioners to discern it. As stated in the prologue, "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name." Once one comprehends the Martial Dao Classic, it becomes an instinctual understanding that transcends verbal expression. Its true power lies not in its techniques but in the understanding of the Dao, allowing one to draw parallels across various disciplines.
On the surface, the Martial Dao Classic appears to be an unparalleled martial art. The prologue even includes a technique for rebounding an opponent's attack. However, what it truly conceals is something far more extraordinary: it enables one to grasp any form of Daoist Arts without a teacher.
I was unsure if Zhang Jianzi had experienced something similar or if Mr. Chang had as well. Yet, I felt deep down that the Martial Dao Classic had chosen me, granting me this ability, and this was merely its prologue—essentially just a fragment of what it truly encompasses. The complete Martial Dao Classic resided with Zhang Jianzi, which I had yet to see.
At present, I only possessed two mental methods from the Entry-Level Realm and lacked any Daoist Arts or martial techniques. Thus, I thought to visit the Scripture Repository—to both validate my assumptions and prepare for the upcoming challenges.
To my surprise, I managed to challenge my Dao Qi fluctuations to an extremely subtle intensity. The Scruffy Old Daoist truly could not perceive my real strength, which confirmed that my hypothesis was half correct.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior. I will certainly remember your words," I respectfully addressed the Scruffy Old Daoist.
He sighed and waved me inside.
After hesitating for a moment, I turned back and asked, "Since entering the Entrance to the Dao, no one has explained to me about the power divisions within Daoist Sects or the realms of Daoist cultivation. I don't even know how to distinguish between Daoist Arts and martial techniques. Could you enlighten me on this matter?"
The Scruffy Old Daoist looked at me with a strange expression and replied, "You didn't learn anything before joining the Daoist Sect?"
I responded, "In reply to your question, no one guided me at all, nor did I read any related texts. A guide brought me into the Daoist Sect when I was just beginning body refinement, but I got separated due to being pursued by enemies."
The Scruffy Old Daoist said, "As for power divisions within the Daoist Sect, aside from the sects of the Five Great Supremes, they are generally quite similar. To put it bluntly, our Azure Cloud Sect is barely considered the foremost sect under the Five Great Supremes. The sects associated with them are usually family legacies while our Azure Cloud Sect follows a master-disciple tradition, which makes it fairer in some ways. We have more disciples than most other sects, ensuring that true talent does not go unnoticed."
"And what about realm divisions?" I inquired.
"Within the Daoist Sect, the power hierarchy is divided into Nine Major Realms. Currently, you need to know that you are in the Entry-Level Realm. Next is the Purple Qi Eastward Boundary, followed by the Foundation Establishment Realm. Below the Foundation Establishment Realm lies the Outer Sect, while those above can enter the Inner Sect. You don't need to concern yourself with the other realms. Among the Nine Major Realms, every level, except for the last two, differs in strength by a factor of ten. However, due to differences in talent, cultivation methods, and wisdom, one cannot measure everything solely by cultivation level in real combat; but that is a rarity."
"What about the distinction between Daoist Arts and martial arts?" I asked.
"The distinction between Daoist Arts and martial arts was quite clear long ago," the Scruffy Old Daoist replied. "Everyone knows that when Daoist Arts are cultivated to a high level, one can take a person's head from miles away, which martial arts cannot achieve. The Qi Gong Internal Energy in martial arts is actually akin to Dao Qi, but it has significant limitations. Thus, as the Daoist Sect gradually developed, martial arts fell into decline; no one wanted to learn it anymore. Generally, those who learned martial arts would inevitably turn to Daoism. In terms of inheritance, pure Daoist Arts have practically vanished. Truly powerful cultivation methods have merged both practices. The Dao cultivates Qi while martial arts cultivate the body; only when both the physical body and Dao Qi are strong can one be considered a true powerhouse. Otherwise, no matter how formidable one's Daoist Arts are, if one is caught off guard and shot down, it becomes a joke. However, Daoist masters possess strong premonitions of danger and usually avoid peril."
The Scruffy Old Daoist's words reminded me of the feeling I had when someone was watching me from behind and also of my recent experiences where I felt intense panic whenever my life was in danger.
But I was not a Daoist master; I suspected that perhaps it was due to the warning from the Book of Life and Death within me.
"Thank you for your explanation, senior," I said as I bowed to the old Daoist.
"I see that your physique isn't particularly strong," he said. "It would be better for you to learn a cultivation method focused on agility; it will help you run during fights. What is your Five Elements Attribute?"
"Senior," I replied, "after entering the Entrance to the Dao, I was thrown into the Water Storage Room without even registering my name; no one tested my Five Elements Attribute."
The Scruffy Old Daoist shook his head and sighed. "Ah, with such mediocre talent, it's natural that you aren't given much attention. This Daoist World is indeed one that values appearances. You seem like a decent kid; you're polite and earnest. Let me advise you: give up on challenging the Outer Sect for now. Steadily practice your Qi for three to five years until you reach the Late Stage of Qi Entry Realm before attempting to challenge an Outer Sect Disciple again. During this time, you can also practice a cultivation method suited for yourself to increase your chances of success. The disciples of the Outer Sect are no pushovers; every month there are casualties in their competitions."
"I appreciate your good intentions, senior," I acknowledged respectfully before stepping into the Azure Cloud Sect's Scripture Repository.
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