Watching the Mountain

Chapter 208: Chapter 144: Self-Created Cultivation Technique

Inside the Scripture Pavilion on Qing Xuan Peak, Xu Ran sat in a corner. He closed the ancient tome in his hands and let out a long breath, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Regarding the breakthrough from the Purple Mansion Stage to the next Realm, the most widely accepted theory came from Taisu Daoist Venerable, a supreme expert from the Taixu Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects.

Taisu Daoist Venerable believed that for Cultivators in the Purple Mansion Stage who had not comprehended a Mental Realm for Core Formation through Condensing Dao, their practice should focus on quiet meditation and insight.

Those who had comprehended a Mental Realm and were pursuing a Transformation Golden Core, however, could find understanding through combat, achieving Transformation Dao from within it.

A Daoist Venerable was an existence Above Divinity Transformation, and Taisu Daoist Venerable in particular was a grandmaster praised by the entire Cultivation Realm, having taught numerous experts.

After reading Taisu Daoist Venerable’s theory in the ancient tome, Xu Ran felt a bit melancholic. ’Did Taisu Daoist Venerable get it backward?’ he wondered. ’Or maybe the book recorded it incorrectly.’

’Why is it that the path of Golden Core through Transformation Dao requires more combat, while Core Formation through Condensing Dao requires quiet meditation and insight?’

He had comprehended a Mental Realm. According to Taisu Daoist Venerable’s theory, he should naturally engage in more combat to experience the application of his Mental Realm and deepen his understanding...

’Hmm, to put it more simply, it’s about forging my own Dao and Intent together through the crucible of countless battles.’

Xu Ran had always been accustomed to a leisurely and comfortable style of cultivation and gaining insight. Being told to go fight now was, frankly, a bit sudden.

However, aside from the points mentioned above, Taisu Daoist Venerable had also proposed another idea: whether for Core Formation through Condensing Dao or a Transformation Golden Core, the best method was actually to create one’s own Cultivation Technique.

No matter how one cultivated it, another person’s Cultivation Technique would always bear their traces. This wasn’t a major issue in the early stages of cultivation.

In the three Realms of Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, and Purple Mansion, one’s comprehension of the Dao was still shallow. But starting from the Golden Core Stage, one truly began to touch upon the level of the Dao. Everything on the future path of cultivation began at the Golden Core level.

Thus, there was a saying in the Cultivation Realm that true cultivation actually began at the Core Formation Realm.

This couldn’t help but remind Xu Ran of what the Little Witch, Ye Qingxue, had once told him. She said that back then, she couldn’t advance any further to reach the Golden Core Stage. So she simply created her own Cultivation Technique, after which her cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, allowing her to barely catch up to Ye Shan.

’I thought the Little Witch was just showing off back then,’ he mused. ’Turns out it was actually the truth.’

Xu Ran frowned in deep thought. Creating one’s own Cultivation Technique was the most suitable path for a breakthrough. Moreover, a self-created technique would be the most compatible with oneself, and one’s future cultivation speed would be much faster than that of ordinary Cultivators.

The entire Cultivation Realm understood this principle, yet very few people actually did it.

The reason was also very simple: creating a Cultivation Technique was no easy task. Its difficulty far surpassed that of a Cultivator breaking through to the Golden Core Stage.

One’s lifespan could be exhausted before even the beginning of the technique was created.

More importantly, a Cultivation Technique was the very foundation of a person’s practice and could not have any flaws. Even a tiny problem could lead to a lifetime of cultivation being ruined in an instant.

Among the people Xu Ran knew, it seemed only Teacher Qing Xuan and the Little Witch had created their own Cultivation Techniques.

Of course, he couldn’t be sure about Ye Shan and Senior Sister Yue. Senior Sister Yue had always been mysterious. She had fought for the Sect several times, but to this day, no one in the Cultivation Realm could gauge her true depth, and her decision to use the Scattering and Rebuilding technique was even more incomprehensible.

But in Xu Ran’s opinion, any decision Senior Sister Yue made was to be expected. If people could see through her, she wouldn’t be Senior Sister Yue.

Xu Ran had previously set a goal for himself: to merge the Ten Thousand Laws of the world and then create a Great Dao that was uniquely his own.

He had originally planned to start down this path only after his cultivation reached a certain Realm.

But now, after seeing Taisu Daoist Venerable’s theory, he suddenly felt that maybe he could start trying right away.

’I don’t have to start practicing it immediately,’ he thought. ’I can try creating it first, as a way to verify the fruits of my cultivation.’

For the past several centuries, outside of his own cultivation, he had been poring over Cultivation Technique manuals in the Scripture Pavilion, studying but not practicing them, all in preparation for the day he would create his own technique.

To date, while the number of Cultivation Techniques and Magic Techniques he had studied hadn’t reached ten thousand, it was certainly in the thousands. This was only because of the limited collection in the Qing Xuan Sect; otherwise, he would have been able to study even more.

’If I’m going to create my own Cultivation Technique, my theoretical knowledge is definitely sufficient.’

At this thought, an idea struck Xu Ran. ’Since my future path is to smelt the Ten Thousand Laws, maybe I can try to create a very simple "Blank Board Technique".’

’It would have nothing in it, like a foundation. Later, I can add to it as needed.’

’More importantly, creating such a simple Blank Board Technique is obviously much easier and safer than creating a profound one.’

The moment this idea appeared, it grew uncontrollably, and Xu Ran’s heart began to pound with eagerness.

He shot to his feet, left the Scripture Pavilion, and headed toward his Cave Mansion.

’Forget it, I’m overthinking this. I’ll just give it a try.’

*

*

*

Creating a Cultivation Technique was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Even though Xu Ran wanted to create a Blank Board Technique that was simple to the extreme, the process was still incredibly arduous.

A simple technique did not mean it was simple to create. On the contrary, because of its foundational nature, it involved the most fundamental logic of cultivation, which actually made the process extremely difficult.

But Xu Ran didn’t give up. He was very patient. Since he had already made up his mind, he was determined to complete this Cultivation Technique, no matter what.

At the same time, he didn’t want to interrupt his own cultivation for it, especially not the other path Taisu Daoist Venerable had mentioned: comprehending one’s Dao and Mental Realm through combat.

’Fighting life-and-death battles with people in Secret Realms is definitely not for me,’ he decided. ’But sparring should be fine.’

He mentally scanned through the people currently in the Sect who would be suitable and willing to spar with him. His thoughts immediately landed on Zhang Zhentian.

With this idea in mind, he went to Celestial Sea Peak.

"You’re looking for the Supreme Elder, the Evergreen Sword Saint? Which lineage are you from? What is your name and your position in the Sect? What business do you have with the Supreme Elder?"

When Xu Ran heard these words from the attendant on Celestial Sea Peak, his expression grew dazed for a moment. He had almost forgotten that Zhang Zhentian was now a Nascent Soul True Monarch and had naturally become a Supreme Elder of the Sect.

And if he calculated carefully, Zhang Zhentian was nearly five hundred years old now. He had long since become the anchor of the Sect, the very source of its confidence.

’How could I have the audacity to think of asking such a figure to be my sparring partner?’

’Perhaps Zhang Zhentian wouldn’t mind and would be willing to help me, but if others in the Sect found out, what would they think?’

’Even if no one else knew, it would be inexcusable for me to have someone so crucial to the Sect accompany me in my training.’

Thinking of this, Xu Ran looked at the Celestial Sea Peak attendant, who was maintaining a smile. After a moment’s hesitation, he raised his hands slightly in a gesture of respect and said, "My apologies for the intrusion."

After speaking, he slowly turned and was about to walk away when a delighted voice suddenly called out from behind him:

"Senior Brother, what are you doing here? Did you come looking for me?"

Xu Ran turned at the sound of the voice and saw Zhang Zhentian dressed in black martial attire. He was powerfully built, with a heroic and imposing air about him, and a hint of majesty. He was looking at Xu Ran with a pleasantly surprised expression.

Zhang Zhentian had been in the New Domain for a long time. After returning and breaking through to become a Nascent Soul True Monarch, he became the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak and had been stationed in the Sect ever since.

Xu Ran had met him after his spar with Shen Wuchen, but later on, Xu Ran had entered seclusion for a period to break through to the Purple Mansion Stage.

Calculating carefully, sixty or seventy years had passed since they had last seen each other.

Since Zhang Zhentian had already seen him, Xu Ran couldn’t very well just turn and leave. He nodded and said with a gentle smile:

"I came to see you."

Zhang Zhentian was even more delighted to hear this. "Haha, wonderful! For Senior Brother to take the initiative to come see me is truly a joyous occasion! This calls for a celebration! Come, come, Senior Brother, let’s go to my Cave Mansion. Allow me to entertain you properly."

Xu Ran nodded slightly. As he walked toward Zhang Zhentian, he studied him, and after a moment, he asked with a somewhat puzzled expression:

"Have you put on some weight?"

He had felt something was odd just now. It seemed that this time, Zhang Zhentian looked a bit like he did when Xu Ran first attended Teacher Qing Xuan’s class at the Instructor Hall.

He looked a little chubby. Before, he was more burly but had a lean build; with the same frame, he hadn’t looked fat.

But now, he looked noticeably fatter.

Zhang Zhentian’s face stiffened at his words. Then, like a greasy middle-aged man, he reached out and patted his stomach, gave a dry laugh, and denied it, saying:

"Ahaha, Senior Brother, you must be mistaken. It’s probably because we haven’t seen each other in so long. I’m not fat, I’m just more robust."

After speaking, he tilted his head slightly and squinted at the Celestial Sea Peak attendant nearby. The attendant was currently sizing up Xu Ran with a curious expression, seemingly trying to guess who this person was and why he had never heard of the Supreme Elder having such a Senior Brother.

When he heard Xu Ran say that their Supreme Elder had gotten fat, the attendant was instantly dumbfounded, his eyes wide with shock. This was the Evergreen Sword Saint! A man who had walked a path paved with the bones of his enemies to get where he was today! It was said that the enemies he had defeated in the New Domain could be piled into a mountain.

Someone actually dared to say such a great figure was fat?

However, the attendant’s eyes shifted, and he couldn’t help but glance at Zhang Zhentian. A thought suddenly popped into his head: ’He really does seem a bit fatter, doesn’t he?’

But the moment that thought appeared, he saw Zhang Zhentian squinting at him. He flinched and quickly turned his head away, pretending he hadn’t seen anything.

Only then did Zhang Zhentian nod in satisfaction and call out to Xu Ran, "Senior Brother, let’s go."

Xu Ran witnessed this exchange, and it gave him an even clearer sense of Zhang Zhentian’s status and authority.

His every word and action was filled with majesty.

However, he had only taken a few steps when the attendant’s voice came from behind him again, "Greetings, Supreme Elder."

Hearing this, Xu Ran looked back and saw the aloof Shen Wuchen giving a slight nod to the attendant.

Just as Xu Ran saw Shen Wuchen, Shen Wuchen saw him as well.

Then, Shen Wuchen’s eyes went wide, and the aloof expression on his face instantly collapsed.

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