Chapter 2

### Chapter 2: The Worthless Cultivation Technique

As Hai Tian was about to step into the entrance of the Zhenhai Pavilion, Hai Wuyan, who had been standing at the door, suddenly whispered, "Tian'er, on the fifth shelf of the third row of bookshelves, there is a high-level Yellow Rank cultivation technique."

After saying this, he lifted his head as if nothing had happened.

Hai Tian, however, nodded mysteriously. In theory, the choice of cultivation techniques was entirely up to the individual. Regardless of the rank, once chosen, there was no going back. Yet, Hai Wuyan took a certain risk to tell Hai Tian the best choice, which showed how well he treated him.

"Thank you, Father." A warm current flowed through Hai Tian's heart. In his previous life, he had been an orphan and had never experienced family affection. In this life, coming to the Hai family, he had felt the warmth of family.

Hearing Hai Tian's response, a faint smile appeared on Hai Wuyan's face. "Alright, hurry up and go in. Don't let others take it first."

"Brother Tian! What are you still standing at the door for? Come in quickly, there are so many cultivation techniques here, I'm already dazzled!" Xiaoyu, who had been attracted by the rows of bookshelves inside the Zhenhai Pavilion, wanted to discuss the choice of cultivation techniques with Hai Tian. However, when she turned around, she found that Hai Tian was still at the door, so she called out loudly.

Hai Tian smiled slightly and immediately walked forward. However, he did not go to the third row of bookshelves that Hai Wuyan had pointed out, but rather walked towards Xiaoyu.

A high-level Yellow Rank cultivation technique? This might be quite good for ordinary people, but it had no meaning for him.

In this Soul Sword Continent, people cultivated not magic or martial qi, but swords!

A person's strength mainly depended on their own power. For example, Hai Tian had once been a Sword God, standing at the pinnacle of the entire Soul Sword Continent. However, not everyone had the opportunity to cultivate to the level of a Sword God.

To cultivate to the level of a Sword God, one needed not only excellent talent but also the most important cultivation technique.

After tens of thousands of years of development, people had already brought cultivation to its peak and divided it into many methods. This resulted in the existence of many different levels of cultivation techniques.

People divided cultivation techniques into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow. Each level was further divided into three sub-levels:初级, 中级, and 高级. The high-level Yellow Rank cultivation technique that Hai Wuyan mentioned earlier was the most powerful of the Yellow Rank techniques.

In the entire Soul Sword Continent, Yellow Rank cultivation techniques were the most common, and most cultivators practiced this level of technique. However, the limitations of Yellow Rank techniques were significant, and the cultivation speed was slow. It was almost impossible to cultivate to the level of a Sword God.

Mystic Rank cultivation techniques were relatively rare on the Soul Sword Continent, generally only possessed by larger forces.

Earth Rank cultivation techniques were even rarer, only possessed by superpowers.

As for the final Heaven Rank cultivation techniques, they had not appeared for many years. Whether they existed had become an unsolvable mystery on the Soul Sword Continent.

In the past, Hai Tian had cultivated an intermediate-level Earth Rank cultivation technique, so he did not even consider the low-level Yellow Rank technique that Hai Wuyan mentioned. However, because of Hai Wuyan's concern, he did not directly refuse.

"Brother Tian! Look, there are so many cultivation techniques here. Which one should we choose?" Xiaoyu, excited like a bird just out of its cage, chirped incessantly.

"Xiaoyu, these cultivation techniques are divided by attributes. You should choose one that matches your body's attribute for the best effect," Hai Tian paused, "You are a wind attribute, so it's best to choose a wind-type technique to complement it."

"A wind-type technique?" Xiaoyu's brows furrowed, her gaze wandering over the rows of bookshelves, clearly making a choice in her mind.

Seeing Xiaoyu deep in thought, Hai Tian did not stay by her side but instead wandered around the vast first floor of the Zhenhai Pavilion.

In that short time, he had already discovered that the cultivation techniques on the first floor were all Yellow Rank. There was not a single Mystic Rank technique. Could a family with such a powerful restriction not have a single Mystic Rank technique? Hai Tian did not believe it; it must be hidden elsewhere, perhaps on the second floor.

The other collateral descendants who had entered with them were all excitedly selecting techniques. Among those who had come to choose techniques, only Hai Tian was so relaxed.

Suddenly, a cultivation technique caught Hai Tian's eye.

*The Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique* was the name of this cultivation technique.

Hai Tian's heart immediately began to race, and his breathing became rapid. He extended his trembling right hand and pulled the cultivation technique from the bookshelf: "It can't be real, can it?"

He carefully dusted off the book, and the words *Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique* immediately became clear. Hai Tian's pupils dilated as he repeatedly shouted in his mind: "How is this possible! How is this possible! This is the super cultivation technique of the Nine Heavens Sword God, who once dominated the Soul Sword Continent. How could it appear in a small family like the Hai family?"

The Nine Heavens Sword God was a Sword God from thousands of years ago, known to everyone on the entire Soul Sword Continent. It was said that he had cultivated to the highest level of a Nine-Star Sword God, making him the first Sword God in the history of the Soul Sword Continent!

However, he later mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind his cultivation technique, *The Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique*.

Many people speculated about the disappearance of the Nine Heavens Sword God. Some believed he had surpassed the Nine-Star Sword God and gone to another world, while others thought he had died.

For a time, there were many theories, but regardless of where the Nine Heavens Sword God had gone, the *Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique* he left behind was a treasure that everyone on the Soul Sword Continent desired.

After a series of intense battles, this miraculous cultivation technique, *The Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique*, disappeared. Since then, it had not appeared on the Soul Sword Continent again. Who would have thought it would appear in a small family like the Hai family?

"Phew!" Hai Tian was extremely excited. The *Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique* was a high-level Heaven Rank cultivation technique, far superior to the intermediate-level Earth Rank technique he had cultivated in the past.

However, a question immediately arose: How could the Hai family, which possessed such a treasure, still be a small family after so many years?

With intense curiosity, Hai Tian immediately began to carefully read through it. Soon, he discovered that this *Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique* was an incomplete version. However, even with just the first half, it was possible to cultivate to the level of a Sword Emperor.

The strongest person in the Hai family, Hai Tian's father Hai Wuyan, was only a Five-Star Great Sword Master. How could there be such a large gap?

On the Soul Sword Continent, cultivators were collectively called Sword Practitioners, and Sword Practitioners were divided into ranks. The first rank was Swordman, followed by Sword Master, Great Sword Master, Sword King, Sword Emperor, Sword Ancestor, Sword Venerable, Sword Saint, and Sword God.

Each rank was further divided into one to nine stars.

Hai Tian was puzzled, truly puzzled! The Nine Heavens Sword God had once been famous throughout the Soul Sword Continent. The ancestors of the Hai family could not have been unaware, so why had they not cultivated it?

"Has everyone chosen their cultivation techniques? If you have, bring them to me for registration!" Hai Wuyan's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Hai Tian's thoughts.

For a moment, the collateral descendants who had already chosen their cultivation techniques excitedly walked to the exit, taking out their techniques for Hai Wuyan to register.

"Brother Tian! Brother Tian, have you chosen yours?" Xiaoyu immediately ran over, holding a cultivation technique with a green cover. "Brother Tian, look, this is the *Green Wind Technique* I chose!"

"Good, this is a high-level Yellow Rank technique. Xiaoyu, you have a good eye." Hai Tian sincerely praised her. These cultivation techniques did not indicate their rank, and everything had to be judged by oneself.

However, Xiaoyu unexpectedly lowered her head and timidly said, "Brother Tian, I'll tell you, this is the technique my father told me to choose. He said most of the techniques here are low-level Yellow Rank, with only a few high-level Yellow Rank techniques."

Hearing this, Hai Tian could not help but smile. It seemed that fairness was only on the surface. As direct descendants of the Hai family, they always received better treatment than the collateral descendants.

"Huh? Brother Tian, why did you choose this technique?" When Xiaoyu saw the cultivation technique Hai Tian had chosen, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"What? Can't I choose it?" Hai Tian frowned in confusion.

Xiaoyu shook her head. "Not that. Forget it, I can't explain it clearly, but I think Uncle will definitely stop you from choosing this cultivation technique."

Hai Tian's heart was filled with a big question mark at Xiaoyu's words, but he directly walked towards the door.

The collateral descendants in front of him were all handing their chosen cultivation techniques to Hai Wuyan for registration. Hai Wuyan was constantly commenting, telling them the rank of the cultivation techniques.

Unfortunately, most people chose low-level Yellow Rank techniques, with only two choosing intermediate-level Yellow Rank techniques. This made those two extremely happy.

Soon, it was Hai Tian's turn.

Sure enough, as Xiaoyu had said, when Hai Wuyan saw the cultivation technique Hai Tian had chosen, he immediately jumped up, eyes wide. "Tian'er! Why did you choose this technique?"

"Can't I? Didn't you say we could choose any technique?" Hai Tian looked at Hai Wuyan with a puzzled expression.

Hai Wuyan was very angry that Hai Tian had not followed his advice to choose the high-level Yellow Rank technique. However, with so many people watching, he could not say much and sighed. "Tian'er, I'll give you another chance. Go and choose a different one."

"Father, what's so strange about this technique? Why don't you want me to choose it?"

Hai Wuyan glanced at the stubborn Hai Tian and saw that everyone was looking at him. He sighed helplessly. "Alright, since you want to know, I'll tell you. The *Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique* you chose is a Heaven Rank technique!"

"Heaven Rank technique?" Everyone present exclaimed in shock, many even doubting their ears. Heaven Rank techniques had not appeared for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Hai Tian, who already knew the details of the *Nine Heavens Divine Sword Technique*, was not particularly surprised, which made Hai Wuyan, who had been paying attention to him, slightly surprised.

"But it's also a worthless technique!"