Chapter 11

Zhaoru Hui, the supervisor, held a high position and wielded great power, so he did not need to put on a show for Chen Hai, a young noble from a clan. However, Zhou Jun would not be negligent towards the Chen clan. After seeing off Zhao Shan and Qian Wenyi, he personally led Chen Hai to the back mountain of the Daoist Academy.

The number of elders, true disciples, and inner disciples who were devoted to cultivation in the Seven Upper Peaks was limited, and they were scattered across various spiritual caves, cliffs, and valleys in the Taowei Mountains. The mountains and fields were quite desolate, and Yao Xing usually just flirted with the maidservants of the various caves. It was only when Chen Hai arrived at the Tie Liu Ridge Daoist Academy that he truly felt the difference.

Although Tie Liu Ridge also had a thousand peaks standing side by side, compared to the Taowei and Helan mountains on either side, its terrain was much gentler, forming a passage between the various counties west of the Yan River in Yan Prefecture and the land of Jin Prefecture.

Since the founding of the Great Yan Empire in Yan Prefecture, Tie Liu Ridge has been a military stronghold on the western border of the empire. Supported by cities such as Mengyi, over a hundred fortresses and strongholds have been built along the large and small passes of Tie Liu Ridge, with a hundred thousand elite troops of the Wuwei Army permanently stationed there to control the border population, cultivate the land, and defend against the invasions of the various tribes of Jin Prefecture.

These hundred thousand elite troops, due to their long-term defense of the Tie Liu Ridge line, are also known as the Tie Liu Grand Camp.

In recent years, due to the rise of the northern demons, which simultaneously threatened the northern borders of Yan Prefecture and Jin Prefecture, the relationship between the Great Yan Empire and the various countries of Jin Prefecture has become more relaxed. The number of merchants and travelers passing through the southern foothills of the Taowei Mountains has gradually increased, making cities like Mengyi increasingly bustling.

The Tie Liu Ridge Daoist Academy, adjacent to the city of Mengyi, is built along the eastern slope of the main peak of Tie Liu Ridge. The Ancestor Hall, Transmission Hall, Heavenly Punishment Hall, and Armory, among other grand buildings, are all located above the halfway point of the mountain.

Between the main peak of the eastern slope and the city of Mengyi, there is a valley about ten miles wide, where the Daoist soldiers live.

The Daoist Academy has over two thousand Daoist soldiers in total, and the pavilions and courtyes are built according to the terrain of the valley, numbering over a thousand. Looking down from the mountain, one can see the myriad lights and bustling streets of Mengyi in the southern part of the mountain, giving Chen Hai a true sense of the human烟火 of this world...

***

Yao Xing, upon entering the Taowei Sect, stayed directly at the Jian Yun Cliff and did not care much about the outer sect Daoist Academy below, nor did he pay much attention to it.

Chen Hai could not find useful information from Yao Xing's fragmented memories, but fortunately, with Zhou Jun's guidance, Chen Hai first registered at the Ancestor Hall, entered the disciple roster of the Tie Liu Ridge Daoist Academy, and received the Blue Sparrow Seal, which represents the identity of a junior Daoist soldier. He also had "Yao Xing" engraved on the small seal, which was numbered "Tie Liu 9527."

The Blue Sparrow Seal is about an inch long and as thick as a thumb, with a vividly carved blue-feathered spirit sparrow on the seal head, which can be worn on the body. After obtaining this small seal, Chen Hai officially became a junior Daoist soldier of Tie Liu Ridge. Once his cultivation reaches a certain level and he successfully cultivates true essence, he will receive the Black Goose Seal and become a reserve officer of the Wuwei Army.

Next, Chen Hai followed Zhou Jun to the Scripture Hall and Armory, where he used the Blue Sparrow Token to receive the initial version of the "Dan Ding Jue" and the "Feng Yun Tui" (Wind and Cloud Leg) scroll, as well as the disciple robes, Daoist soldier armor, and daily living supplies...

Apart from the uniform sky-blue color, the disciple robes and Daoist soldier armor have the pattern of a blue sparrow embroidered on the collar and sleeves, indicating the status of a junior Daoist soldier.

The "Dan Ding Jue" is the fundamental secret cultivation technique of the Taowei Sect, divided into twelve levels. When cultivated to the great accomplishment stage, the body becomes a dan ding, and the essence, qi, true intent, and soul are refined into a dao dan, achieving the supreme cultivation of the Daoist Embryo stage. Even the lowest-level Daoist soldiers can obtain the initial version of the "Dan Ding Jue" from the Scripture Hall.

Although the "Initial Explanation" only involves the basic breathing cultivation method of the first level of the "Dan Ding Jue," it is the starting point for all disciples of the Taowei Sect to lay the foundation for their cultivation. Even Chen Lie started his cultivation from this "Initial Explanation."

However, what suits others may not suit Chen Hai.

The hidden illness of the soul caused by the soul-snatching has made Chen Hai's head feel a constant, needle-like pain, which, although he can endure it, severely interferes with his state of mind, making it difficult for him to enter the state of tranquility required for breathing exercises, let alone the higher-level visualization techniques of the "Dan Ding Jue"...

Of course, Chen Hai dare not openly reveal this reason to others and must do everything to keep it hidden.

Even if he cannot cultivate the "Initial Explanation" of the "Dan Ding Jue," he still has to pretend to cultivate it. What he is more concerned about is finding a cultivation technique suitable for him in the Scripture Hall of Tie Liu Ridge.

When Chen Hai flipped through the list of cultivation techniques that junior Daoist soldiers can practice and saw the description of the "Feng Yun Tui," his eyes lit up, and he immediately recognized it as the cultivation technique he needed.

The list describes the "Feng Yun Tui" as a martial leg technique that embodies the "Wind and Cloud Formless" martial dao essence, extremely powerful and fierce. When cultivated to the highest level, it can generate wind and thunder with each kick.

This is indeed a cultivation technique that can be practiced up to the Enlightenment stage and used to comprehend the martial dao essence. However, the Taowei Sect only has the initial cultivation technique and the first move, the "Wan Jun Hammer Kick," of the "Feng Yun Tui," which is why it is listed in the cultivation techniques for junior Daoist soldiers.

Chen Hai did not care whether the "Feng Yun Tui" was a fragment. What made him even more secretly delighted was that the list mentioned that the "Feng Yun Tui" cultivates the yang qi meridians of the legs, implying that the fragment of the "Feng Yun Tui" might contain many secret martial forms of footwork and steps.

Since Chen Hai had already accidentally started the cultivation of the yang qi meridians of his legs, practicing the corresponding footwork and steps from the "Feng Yun Tui" would undoubtedly be the most suitable.

Thinking about this, Chen Hai felt a faint excitement, secretly sensing that one day he would use his feet to split the sky.

However, according to the rules, Daoist soldiers need to accumulate a certain amount of sect merit or military merit in the Wuwei Army before they can exchange for the initial cultivation technique of the "Feng Yun Tui" from the Scripture Hall. But when Zhou Jun saw Chen Hai's excited and obsessed eyes, he took the initiative to let Chen Hai directly receive the copy.

After all, the value of the "Feng Yun Tui" fragment in the Taowei Sect is not great, and it can be exchanged for with just 20 to 30 points of sect merit. Seeing that Chen Hai really liked it, Zhou Jun decided to do him a favor.

***

Chen Hai could not remain indifferent to Zhou Jun's kindness. After leaving the Scripture Hall, he took out an ancient and simple inkstone from his bag and gave it to Zhou Jun: "This time, my uncle Tie Xin sent me to Tie Liu Ridge for training, and I have no choice. I hope Senior Brother Zhou will take care of me in the future..."

He certainly would not say that he was driven out by Chen Qing. Seeing that Zhou Jun was the highest-ranking purple-clothed Daoist soldier in the Daoist Academy and was trusted by Supervisor Zhao Ruhui, Chen Hai knew that to live freely in Tie Liu Ridge before he had enough strength, he needed to build a good relationship with people like Zhou Jun.

No matter how Zhou Jun tried to refuse, Chen Hai was determined to give him the inkstone.

Zhou Jun's cultivation far exceeded Chen Hai's, but he could not refuse, indicating that he also greatly liked the ancient and simple inkstone.

Yao Xing used to live at the Jian Yun Cliff, where he considered the pens, ink, paper, and inkstones in the cave to be ordinary. However, in the Daoist Academy, giving the inkstone that Chen Lie usually used as a gift was not a light matter.

When Chen Hai left the Jian Yun Cliff, he regretted not being able to take more things with him. Besides the chi dragon paperweight, this inkstone was the most exquisite item he had.

Zhou Jun did not expect the "Feng Yun Tui" fragment to be so important to Chen Hai. He thought that rumors could not be entirely believed. Others said that Yao Xing had a strange personality and was not easy to get along with, but perhaps it was just a misunderstanding.

He did not feel right about accepting such a heavy gift just for doing a favor. When arranging Chen Hai's residence, he had a thought and did not assign Chen Hai to the row houses where junior Daoist soldiers lived. Instead, he led Chen Hai to a dilapidated courtyard on the halfway point of the mountain, removed the seal, and said:

"This courtyard was previously lived in by Senior Brother Chen Qiang. Four years ago, Senior Brother Chen Qiang died unexpectedly while clearing out bandits. Since then, no new disciples have lived here, so it has been empty. Junior Disciple Yao, you can tidy it up and use it as a place for cultivation. I hope you do not mind. Since Senior Uncle Chen sent you to Tie Liu Ridge for training, cultivation should be the priority, so there is no need to distract you with miscellaneous tasks..."

The courtyard is located on the southern slope of Tie Liu Ridge, halfway up the mountain, connected to the valley below by a stone path. There are no other houses around, and the view is wide, even allowing one to see the myriad lights of Mengyi. Behind the courtyard is a cliff about 17 to 18 meters high, and in front is a stone ground, with shallow ditches on both sides filled with rocks and weeds growing among the rocks.

Such an environment, though far from the fairyland-like Jian Yun Cliff, is far beyond what a junior Daoist soldier can enjoy.

Money can make the devil push the millstone. Chen Hai did not expect that the inkstone he took from the Jian Yun Cliff would not only get him a private courtyard but also exempt him from the tedious chores that junior Daoist soldiers must bear.

Chen Hai now wanted to cultivate martial dao techniques as soon as possible to promote the integration of his soul and body, hoping to use every moment for cultivation and naturally hoping to be free from all distractions.