Who Let Him Cultivate?!

“I’ve looked at your mission report. You did quite well using your wisdom to eliminate a Painted Skin Demon.”

Lu Yang was elated by this rare praise from his Eldest Senior Sister. His journey to Taiping Village had indeed been worthwhile.

After giving a brief comment, Yun Zhi’s face turned somber with the implications of the Painted Skin Demon.

“In the past century, with the advent of the Great Era, various dormant forces are showing signs of action and phantoms roam the world. The Great Xia Dynasty may appear calm but it’s unknowingly harboring countless disasters. The dynasty is too proud to seek help from the Five Great Immortal Sects,” Yun Zhi said with a sigh, her words not really intended for Lu Yang.

Lu Yang caught hold of a word in her speech, “The Great Era?”

He had never heard of this term and it was not mentioned in any of his books.

Yun Zhi spoke, her voice seeming distant, “A century ago, the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Strategy Sect walked out from among the dead, spread his blood over the clear river and prophesied something unknown.”

The Heavenly Strategy Sect boasted of their ability to calculate anything, understand everything, and abide by the natural justice and causality. They were the ones who questioned the insurance policy of the Land Money Trade Association.

“The Supreme Elder then publicly declared that the Great Era has come, and will restore the glorious peak of ancient cultivation.”

“Usually, the Five Great Immortal Sects would consider it a good harvest if they could recruit a Single Spirit Root in a batch. But in your batch, there is an Ancient Barbarian Tribe member, three Single Spirit Roots, and an Immortal Body that’s even rarer than a Single Spirit Root. I have heard that other Immortal Sects in the past century have also recruited geniuses comparable to Single Spirit Roots. This gives a glimpse into the glorious Great Era.”

Yun Zhi rarely smiled, but a faint smirk tugged at her lips, seemingly sarcastic, “The so-called glorious Great Era was in fact tumultuous beyond imagination. A chaotic era is a troubled one with various forces and interests intertwined, and demons scheming against each other. Countless innocent lives were lost before a great power in cultivation emerged. The peace and stability of today pales in comparison.”

Lu Yang thought Eldest Senior Sister’s laugh was cold.

Lu Yang had read about the Great Era in books. During the Great Era, might was right and only the victor had the last say. Humanity was merely one of the many factions, not yet the dominant power they are today.

Demons roamed the world and titans clashed. Geniuses swept across the world, cementing their legacy with blood and bones. There was decisive killing, and countless great cultivators became legends and goals for other cultivators. It was enticing, making one wish they were born in that era to showcase their talent.

Only in such troubled times do heroes and exceptional individuals have the opportunity to rise and demonstrate their might.

But seeing his Eldest Senior Sister’s expression, Lu Yang realized that while the Great Era was a blessing for geniuses, it was a living nightmare for common people.

Death was unpredictable and survival was uncertain. Small clashes among the nobles could result in their people becoming slaves and prisoners, enslaved and slaughtered with no security or peace.

The Great Era described in the books was filled with epic upheavals because the authors themselves were high-level cultivators, who yearned for such a scene.

If one viewed the Great Era from the perspective of a common person, the picture would differ completely.

Lu Yang realized that after he became a cultivator, he seemed to have forgotten his past as a mortal.

That shouldn’t be.

Yun Zhi did not dwell on this topic further as it was too early for Lu Yang, “Do you have any other questions?”

“Well, Eldest Senior Sister, do you have any speed travel spells here?”

“Of course, I do. But, what do you need these spells for?”

The Seek Dao Sect and the Land Money Trade Association had an agreement that all traveling expenses of Seek Dao’s disciples would go on the Sect’s tab, therefore, Lu Yang could travel by airship without spending a single Spirit Stone. Why else would he need travel spells?

Scratching his head, Lu Yang shyly replied, “Nothing much, I just want to learn it and save money for our Sect.”

Yun Zhi didn’t doubt him, “Since you are being thoughtful, I, as your Senior Sister, wouldn’t spoil your enthusiasm. You’re only at the Foundation Establishment stage now, so there are not many spells you can use.”

Lu Yang chuckled and rubbed his hands, “Even a few would do.”

“I’ve kept an eye on your cultivation over the past year, and you’ve lived up to your Sword Spirit Root’s name. Here, I can teach you a flying sword spell that would allow you to ride on a flying sword and travel anywhere.”

“I also have a shifting spell that hones your Spiritual Sense and allows it to transfer your body anywhere. Though its speed isn’t as fast as the flying sword spell, it doesn’t consume as much energy and improving Spiritual Sense helps in future battles.”

“There is also the option of Transformation Art. Once mastered, you can turn into a bird and soar freely in the sky.”

“Junior Brother, which one do you choose?” Yun Zhi casually mentioned a few spells for Lu Yang to choose from.

“… Uh, are there any spells that don’t involve flying?”

Yun Zhi, intrigued, looks at Lu Yang’s blushing face, “Oh, why do you want to learn travel spells that don’t involve flying?”

Lu Yang fumbled for words and was unable to answer.

Yun Zhi did not press on, “There are indeed spells that don’t involve flying, but they require a high understanding of the Dao and demand a certain level of magical power. You might be starting a bit early.”

“That’s okay, I’ll give it a try. If it doesn’t workout, then so be it.”

“This spell is called Shrinking Ground Into Inches, it’s very difficult to cultivate. Here are the cultivation incantations. After you memorize them, I will formally teach you.”

Yun Zhi raised her hand and created a spatial rift, from where she took out a golden sheet of paper, neatly covered with elegant handwriting.

Lu Yang carefully accepted the golden paper, clearly valuable. It would be serious if he accidentally tore it.

After Lu Yang left, Yun Zhi closed her eyes and continued her cultivation. As a sinister wind blew in, an ancient and resentful voice echoed in her ears. It was chilling, as though falling into an ice pit.

“My dear disciple, how much longer are you going to keep your master here?”

The voice seemed to come directly from the Nine Nether Hell, spine-chilling and terrifying!

“Your master didn’t guide you many times, yet you’ve reached your current level of cultivation. Your master takes pride in your achievements.”

“An old saying goes, if you are a teacher for a day, you are a father for life. You can’t simply ignore your master’s teachings and imprison him here.”

“The Seek Dao Sect hasn’t had a Sect Leader for ten years. As you exercise the authority of the Sect Leader on behalf of your master, are you not afraid of gossip affecting your bright image as Eldest Senior Sister?”

“You’ve accepted a disciple on your master’s behalf, even if he is a swordsmanship prodigy, it’s not something your master would punish you for.”

“But at least release your master so that he can meet his disciple in person. Real people are here but he only worships the painting of your master, wouldn’t it be a laughing matter if this gets out?”

The voice contained a certain charm, touching the heartstrings, making one unknowingly want to believe it, to break the seal and release the owner of the voice.

Yun Zhi continued her meditation, ignoring it completely.

Seeing Yun Zhi unmoved, the aged voice transformed into a long sigh, disappearing completely as if it had never existed.

Yun Zhi sat in Five Centers Toward Heaven posture, everything as before.