Ye Chu entered a meditative trance. Three days and three nights passed, and the murals shifted and changed unpredictably. The three of them also observed Ye Chu for three days and three nights. Watching the increasingly ethereal aura surrounding him, they could not help but nod and say, “This disciple possesses extraordinary talent. He is a piece of uncut jade!”
After the third day, Ye Chu finally awoke from his meditation. As he opened his eyes, his gaze fell upon the murals, and the ethereal aura from before vanished. At the same time, the pagoda once again resumed its majestic and imposing presence.
Wang Peng had long been stunned. He stared blankly at Ye Chu and the murals, his mouth wide open, unable to utter a single word.
Ye Chu gently exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling that this meditation had been immensely beneficial. Not only had he acquired the Supreme Technique of Venerable Instant Wind, but his own spiritual essence had also improved dramatically.
“Senior Brother Ye Chu, you have not actually obtained the secrets within, have you!” Wang Peng said, gazing intently at Ye Chu.
Ye Chu glanced at Wang Peng, smiled without speaking, and stepped forward into the tower.
“Damn it! Could he really have obtained it? Is he trying to defy the heavens?” Wang Peng almost jumped up. Watching Ye Chu walk into the tower, he hurriedly followed.
The three figures in the void watched Ye Chu’s retreating figure and said, “We thought he might obtain the spirit of the Supreme Weapon. It seems he can only acquire the technique. He lacks the power to obtain the weapon spirit.”
“That makes sense! The Tian Xiao Pavilion has studied this pagoda for countless years without managing to extract anything from it. If he could actually obtain it, we would truly be so ashamed we might as well hang ourselves.”
“A Supreme Weapon spirit can only be perceived by those destined for it. However, his acquisition of the Supreme Technique should make it somewhat easier for him than it was for us.”
“Regardless, we must get our hands on this Supreme Weapon. If we can control it, the status of the Tian Xiao Pavilion will be as solid as Mount Tai.”
The leading elder shook his head and said, “Arrange for someone to look after this disciple and nurture him properly. In the future, the Tian Xiao Pavilion may change because of him. As for the Supreme Weapon, we will study it slowly. If we obtain it, that is best. If not, we must not force it. The Tian Xiao Pavilion already possesses a Supreme Weapon. That alone is enough to deter petty criminals.”
…
Ye Chu naturally did not know that he had attracted others attention. Stepping onto the first floor of the tower, he saw countless books, each detailing the cultivation of the Sha Ling arts.
This collection of books excited Ye Chu. Without anyone to guide him into the path, these books alone were enough to lead him into the world of Sha Ling practitioners.
Ye Chu looked at the array of books. Instead of seeking out the precious and profound volumes, he chose to begin with the most basic and elementary texts.
Seeing Ye Chu reading even the most basic introductions to Sha Ling practitioners left Wang Peng puzzled. He thought to himself that even non practitioners would understand the most fundamental concepts. Ye Chu was a King realm cultivator. Was it really necessary for him to read these things?
Wang Peng had reminded Ye Chu, but Ye Chu merely smiled and continued his own way, starting from the very basics.
Ye Chu read at a rapid pace. He already understood most of the foundational material, so he flipped through book after book, memorising the knowledge within.
Beside Ye Chu, Wang Peng naturally selected the profound and precious books to read. He often frowned deeply, scratched his head and ears, and felt immensely excited.
Being able to enter this place even once was a rare opportunity. If he did not grasp this chance properly, he would truly be inviting heavenly retribution.
Each day, Wang Peng chose the most precious and advanced Sha Ling art books to read, while Ye Chu continued to start from the basics. Only after finishing the foundational texts did he slowly move on to other materials.
Yet every book he read was one that Wang Peng would have scoffed at.
And so, Ye Chu remained there for a full month. During this month, he did not cultivate, nor did he do anything else. He simply read books, every single day.
Although Wang Peng longed to be inside this place, reading for a continuous month made him restless too. Yet as long as Ye Chu did not leave, he could not leave either.
Over the course of the month, Ye Chu read an uncountable number of books. However, many remained in the most elementary sections. As for the advanced volumes, Ye Chu had not read a single one. He had only skimmed one or two intermediate texts.
“He must be out of his mind. Spending a whole month in here just reading that rubbish!”
Only the three observers focusing on Ye Chu nodded privately. “This disciple has determination. Spending a month studying these fundamentals likely means he has memorised them all thoroughly by now.”
“Indeed! With his talent, there is absolutely no need for him to do this. Even if he did not fully understand the basics, he could have forced his way through with his own strength and talent. Spending a month meticulously studying the foundation is quite surprising to us.”
“Most young people are impetuous. To possess such concentration is commendable. Back in our day, were we not unable to resist the temptation of those advanced books?”
“…”
By meticulously studying the foundations of the Sha Ling arts, Ye Chu gained a general understanding of them. Of course, by using the theoretical framework of the Sha Ling arts, he also secretly verified what he had already learned, benefiting immensely.
“Senior Brother! You have not left for a whole month. Even though there are Qing Yuan pills and other supplies to consume, staying inside indefinitely like this is not a sustainable solution,” Wang Peng said. “Why do we not leave first and return next time?”
Ye Chu glanced at Wang Peng and smiled. “If you wish to leave, then go ahead first.”
“But if you do not leave, Senior Brother, I…” Wang Peng pulled a bitter face.
“It does not matter. You may leave on your own. Next time I come, I will bring you along. I will not make things difficult for you because of this,” Ye Chu replied.
“Thank you, Senior Brother!” Wang Peng was thrilled. Although this was an excellent place, he did not wish to stay inside every single day. Furthermore, after studying here for over a month, many concepts had suddenly become clear to him. He now intended to leave and cultivate properly to break through his bottlenecks.
After watching Wang Peng run out, Ye Chu smiled, shifted his gaze to the intermediate books, and began studying them.
Ye Chu was not overly greedy. The Old Madman had once taught him that when cultivating, one must first lay a solid foundation. Nothing was more important than this. Therefore, back on Wuxin Peak, the Old Madman and the others had only passed on foundational knowledge and some common martial techniques to Ye Chu. The most they had ever taught him was basic theory.
The cultivation theory of Sha Ling practitioners was completely different from that of martial artists. Ye Chu was unwilling to spoil things by rushing ahead, which was why he spent so much time studying the basics.
Ye Chu believed that only by clearly understanding what Sha Ling practitioners truly were could he cultivate more effectively.
He had understood this point ever since his time on Wuxin Peak. When he first arrived at the mountain, he had spent a year studying foundational martial cultivation texts. Only after that did his cultivation advance by leaps and bounds, and he encountered very few bottlenecks.
“Once the foundation is thoroughly comprehended, reading the intermediate books becomes much simpler. I can understand them completely. In fact, it takes far less time.” Ye Chu flipped through an intermediate book in a short period, a smile appearing on his lips. With his thoroughly memorised foundational knowledge, reading the intermediate texts was surprisingly smooth and completely unobstructed.
Ye Chu went through book after book, much like he had with the foundational texts. His speed was terrifyingly fast!