Chapter 1

In the midst of the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Standing quietly, Yang Xiao looked at the young people gathered in the square. At this moment, his slightly immature face was filled with excitement.

He was originally an ordinary young man from Earth, but never expected that one day, he would accidentally possess a portal to another world. With just a gentle push, he found himself in the familiar world of "Gu Jian Qi Tan," not only as a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy but also as an outer disciple of Tianyong City.

Cultivating immortality and seeking the Dao was something that any ordinary person would dream of, and Yang Xiao was no exception. Today was the day his dream would come true!

Not far away, a white-robed elder rode a sword through the clouds and arrived in an instant.

"Pay respects to the Transmission Elder!"

Together with the other young people, Yang Xiao hurriedly knelt down and paid his respects to the elder.

"Rise," the elder said casually. Instantly, an invisible force lifted all the kneeling young people into the air.

Seeing such divine power, the excitement on the young people's faces grew even more intense.

"Alright, no more idle talk. Since you have been accepted as outer disciples of Tianyong City, it shows that you have some potential. From today, I will teach you the most basic cultivation method of Tianyong City, the Star Essence Technique."

The elder waved his sleeve and said indifferently, "As they say, the Dao of immortality is predestined and cannot be forced. Within three months, if you can cultivate the Star Essence Technique to the Lesser Success stage, you can officially become inner disciples of Tianyong City and be assigned to the elders. If not, it means you have no affinity, and you will have to decide whether to stay or leave."

With a wave of his hand, streams of light flashed and entered the minds of the young people. They were slightly stunned, but soon, a scripture appeared in their minds.

The Star Essence Technique is the foundation of all cultivation in the world of Gu Jian. To put it bluntly, it is the most basic method of gathering and cultivating spiritual energy, and it is not particularly profound or complex. It is divided into three stages: Initial, Lesser Success, and Greater Success. After fully mastering it, one has the chance to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and learn the art of sword riding, thus becoming a true cultivator!

With a flash of sword light, the elder broke through the air and left. As the Transmission Elder, he was responsible for teaching the techniques of Tianyong City. Now that his task was complete, he had no intention of lingering or guiding the outer disciples.

Soon, inner disciples came to lead the young people to their respective courtyards. For the first three months, outer disciples only needed to focus on cultivation. If they failed to become inner disciples after three months, they would have to perform miscellaneous tasks.

Having received the cultivation method, the young people eagerly began to practice. Yang Xiao was no exception. After sitting cross-legged in his room, he prepared to start his cultivation.

The human body has 360 acupoints corresponding to the stars in the sky. Cultivators use this as a foundation to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, which can transform their bodies and achieve immortality.

The Star Essence is the root of one's spiritual potential. Although it can vary greatly, it is the foundation of cultivation. Initially, it can determine one's potential, and later, it can grant incredible powers.

After crossing over, Yang Xiao felt a significant improvement in his potential and intelligence. Following the method, he quickly developed a sense of qi. In just one night, he completed the Initial stage of the Star Essence Technique. Instantly, the Heavenly Gate on his head opened, and a fierce black dragon rose into the air, circling and dancing.

"My Star Essence is a black dragon? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Yang Xiao was startled, but then he couldn't help feeling proud: "I reached the Initial stage in just one night. Could I be one in ten thousand, a rare talent in cultivation?"

However, despite his pride, he decided to remain low-key and continue to focus on his cultivation. He knew that the world of Gu Jian was dangerous, and he could easily become cannon fodder if he wasn't careful.

After a month, his cultivation advanced, and he reached the Lesser Success stage of the Star Essence Technique.

It was then that he learned during a meal that among the young people who entered at the same time, only one named Ling Duan had reached the Lesser Success stage like him. The others were still struggling at the Initial stage. Unlike Yang Xiao, who remained low-key, Ling Duan chose a high-profile approach and quickly became a celebrated genius, receiving much praise and admiration.

Ling Duan, a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, was easily swayed by the attention. He became the center of attention and walked with a sense of superiority.

Yang Xiao observed all this and smiled faintly. He continued to focus on his cultivation, becoming a solitary figure.

Day and night, he practiced diligently, and he could clearly feel his cultivation growing stronger. His true qi became more robust, and his body grew taller and more slender. In just three months, he reached a height of about 1.7 meters, with a lean and graceful physique.

After a heavy rain, Yang Xiao made another breakthrough, reaching the Greater Success stage of the Star Essence Technique. Unlike before, when he was cautious about showing off, now he dared not, as his progress was much faster than that of his peers. Before he could determine whether this would bring him attention or make him a target, he decided to remain low-key.

Especially among his peers, Ling Duan, the most talented, had only just reached the peak of the Lesser Success stage.

Ling Duan took ten days to reach the Initial stage, a month to reach the Lesser Success stage, and three months to reach the peak of the Lesser Success stage. He claimed this was a rare and superior talent, and even the sect leader, Han Su Zhen, praised him and wanted to take him as a disciple!

This information made the other young people envious and jealous.

"Did you hear? Today, the Sword Master, Ziyin Zhenren, personally went down the mountain to take a young man named Ling Yue as his personal disciple, and the sect leader publicly announced that he would focus on his cultivation!"

"Wow! To have the Sword Master personally go down the mountain and take him as a disciple, and to be focused on for cultivation!"

"Heaven! This Ling Yue must be incredibly lucky! Ziyin Zhenren is a true sword immortal!"

"If only I could have such an opportunity..."

The young people were amazed and envious, but Ling Duan said disdainfully, "Don't dream. Do you know that Ling Yue has superior talent, a first-class genius? He will likely break through to the Foundation Establishment stage soon and become a true cultivator. Can you do that?"

Yang Xiao's eyebrows raised at this. He had always thought that standing out would bring trouble, but he never expected that geniuses would be treated so well, making him consider whether he should reveal his cultivation and enjoy the benefits of being a genius.

Ling Duan glanced at Yang Xiao, who, unlike the other young people, had never flattered him and rarely interacted with them. He always practiced quietly, somewhat independent.

If it were before, Ling Duan wouldn't have minded, but now, with his high self-esteem, he felt a bit annoyed by Yang Xiao's coldness.

Yang Xiao, having lived two lives, noticed Ling Duan's dissatisfaction but didn't consider him a rival and thus paid no attention.

After the meal, he returned to his room as usual. Today, he would try to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and then enjoy the benefits of being a genius!

Absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and practicing the Star Essence Technique, he smoothly reached the Greater Success stage with almost no obstacles. He only needed to obtain the subsequent cultivation method to advance further and enter the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, before he could celebrate his achievement, a mysterious force suddenly emerged from deep within him, causing his body to tremble. A simple stone door appeared before him, and before he could react, he was sucked into the stone door.

Damn! I can't help but leak my awesomeness!

Yang Xiao cursed inwardly. He felt the light in front of him change, and suddenly, a stream of information flooded his mind:

"Three-month stay limit reached, the portal to another world is open. 'Jade Sword Immortal Legend,' entry time: five months before Li Yingjun obtains the Ziyi Sword. Stay time: six months. Note: After crossing three worlds, the traveler must complete the tasks assigned by the portal. Please use the resources of the portal wisely to enhance your own strength."

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