"Jade."
"Jade?"
Ancestor Changdao uttered only one word, and Yunze couldn't help but frown, instinctively thinking of the two immortal jades in his embrace!
He was no longer the mortal who had just come into contact with cultivation. He knew that these two immortal jades were by no means ordinary spiritual artifacts.
If nothing else, just the ability to create spiritual roots out of thin air and increase cultivation speed meant they were at least fifth-tier or even higher-tier spiritual artifacts!
If the destruction of the Guiwu Sect was related to these two immortal jades, then...
"Yes, it's jade."
Ancestor Changdao didn't pay attention to Yunze's reaction, but said nervously, "A month ago, I went to the Tangshan Dynasty to learn about your past.
Those two jades... you've already given them to Senior Brother Xiao, right?"
"Mm."
Yunze replied calmly.
Although Ancestor Changdao was alright in his eyes, they had only met a few times.
He would naturally not tell him the truth about the immortal jades.
"Phew... that's good, that's good. I didn't even dare to touch such a hot potato. You handed it over as soon as possible!"
Hearing this, Ancestor Changdao breathed a sigh of relief. His expression didn't seem fake; he was genuinely afraid of the item.
"Sect Master, what exactly is this jade?" Yunze couldn't help but ask curiously.
"I'm not entirely sure what that jade is, but based on the information I've gathered over the years, these two jades are very likely the root cause of the Guiwu Sect's destruction!
The Guiwu Sword Sect has survived to this day, and it's possible that those forces infiltrated it precisely for those two jades."
Ancestor Changdao leaned closer to Yunze and whispered, "As far as I know, there are not only these two jades in the Nine Heavens.
If the Immortal Mansion wants these two jades, it's possible they also possess one or even multiple immortal jades.
Little Yun, I've never seen that thing, nor do I know its specific use, nor where to start investigating.
If you have the opportunity, inquire more within the Immortal Mansion. If someone from the Immortal Mansion discovers this matter, you can use the excuse that you've previously come into contact with immortal jade and want to know more.
Given the hypocritical demeanor of those in the Immortal Mansion, they shouldn't harm you."
"This is what I wanted to ask of you."
That's it?
Yunze nodded without thinking, "Alright! Sect Master, I will do my best to investigate, but the outcome... I can't guarantee it."
"Your intention is enough."
Ancestor Changdao patted Yunze's shoulder with a look of relief. "Alright, there are still two months before the opening of the Heaven-Building Secret Realm. For these two months, I will teach you."
"Are you ready?"
"Mm!"
Yunze nodded again, suddenly looking forward to it.
This was direct guidance from a Nascent Soul stage cultivator! He had to seize this opportunity well!
"Then, let's start with the cultivation techniques."
Ancestor Changdao released his sword domain, casually unbuckled his black sword, and took out twenty-three jade slips containing cultivation techniques from his spatial ring. "Here are the twenty-four basic cultivation techniques passed down by the Guiwu Sword Sect. Among them are five sets of Qi Refining techniques for the five elements, namely the Golden Edge Art, the Wood Evolution Art, the Water Cloud Art, the Fire Burn Art, and the Earth Stone Art.
Each set of Qi Refining techniques has three auxiliary sword arts, totaling twenty cultivation techniques.
The other three cultivation techniques are the Tortoise Martial Art, the Unbound Path, and the Guiyi Sword Eye. Although they are called three cultivation techniques, these three are actually derived from the Guiwu Secret Codex."
"Guiwu Secret Codex?"
Only now did Yunze understand what the twenty-three figures he saw in his mind were practicing.
He had seen the first twenty-one cultivation techniques in the Hall of Cultivation Techniques, but he had never even heard of the latter two.
However, the name Guiwu Secret Codex sounded related to the Guiwu Sect.
"The Guiwu Secret Codex was compiled by that individual. It contains twelve great daos and one hundred and eight recorded cultivation techniques. The sword dao is just one of them," Ancestor Changdao explained patiently. "There are nine sword dao cultivation techniques in total, including the Tortoise Martial Art, the Unbound Path, and the Guiyi Sword Eye. There are also the Nine Heavens Thunder Sword, the Drowning Sword Rain, the World Burning Sword Lotus, the Heaven Sealing Sword Curse, and the Sword Falls to Ruin, as well as a secret technique called 'Wu Gui'.
Of course, with your Qi Refining stage cultivation, you cannot cultivate these latter six cultivation techniques yet. However, the former three can be initiated, and you will have the opportunity to cultivate the latter six in the future."
"Take the Drowning Sword Rain you've seen, for example. This is a Heaven-tier low-grade sword art recorded in the Secret Codex!
Upon initiation, one can summon a pool of sword rain. At minor accomplishment, it can be like the wind and rain destroying a city. After reaching great accomplishment, one can make the rain seal an entire region!
Currently, Senior Sister Mu has cultivated the Drowning Sword Rain to the 'Understanding' realm, and the falling sword rain can seal an entire country!
Back then, that person's cultivation reached the Mahayana stage, and the Drowning Sword Rain was cultivated to the 'Enlightenment' realm. With one sword strike, it could even spread sword rain across the entire Northwest Xuan Tian!"
"I understand the principle, but... Sect Master, do I really need to learn so much?"
After hearing the number of cultivation techniques, Yunze didn't even have the energy to listen to how terrifying the Drowning Sword Rain was. He just thought about how he would feel after learning all these techniques, and his scalp tingled!
When he was in private school, the most unbearable thing was when Mr. Zhang assigned homework every day.
Yunze never expected that after cultivating, he would still have to learn so many things!
"Much?"
Ancestor Changdao retorted, looking confused. "Little Yun, these are all means of survival!
Cultivation spans countless years. Besides improving one's cultivation, it's not just about living a life of pleasure!
If you don't master these cultivation techniques and secret arts, and one day you get into a conflict with someone, and they control the power of the five elements and wield various daos with ease, while you only have spiritual energy but don't know how to use it, wouldn't you be in trouble!"
Yunze nodded silently. What the Sect Master said made sense.
His parents always taught him to learn continuously and that having more skills was never a burden. Learning more things was always good!
"...I understand."
Yunze also understood the Sect Master's good intentions and looked at the twenty-three jade slips containing cultivation techniques, asking, "Then when do we start?"
"Now!"
Ancestor Changdao's expression was solemn. "You have ten days to memorize all these cultivation techniques. After you've memorized them, we'll proceed to the next step!"
"Alright!"
It's just cultivation techniques, right?
He'll just memorize them!
He still had those figures in his mind; he didn't believe he couldn't learn them!
Yunze gritted his teeth, picked up a jade slip, injected spiritual energy into it, and began to memorize it carefully.
Ancestor Changdao watched from the side, a look of relief and a strange smile on his face.
So many years have passed, and it's finally my turn to be a teacher!
I suffered quite a bit when I went through this stage back then, busy memorizing even while eating and sleeping.
Little Yun, since I've been through the rain, then...
Don't blame me for smashing your umbrella!
Memorize them all! As long as you don't die from memorizing, memorize them to death!
...
One day later.
"What did you say?"
Ancestor Changdao was somewhat stunned, looking at Yunze in disbelief. "Say it again?"
"Sect Master, I've really memorized them all."
Yunze looked at Ancestor Changdao with a wry smile. "If you don't believe me, test me."
One day!
Only one day had passed!
Ancestor Changdao looked at Yunze, still unable to believe it.
Twenty-three cultivation techniques, each with at least tens of thousands of characters, totaling over two hundred and thirty thousand characters!
Even a cultivator couldn't completely memorize them in such a short time!
But Yunze wouldn't deceive him on this matter. Could it be... he was born with photographic memory?
"Fine!"
Ancestor Changdao frowned and asked, "Then I'll test you! What do the third and fourth lines of the Guiwu Sword Eye talk about?"
"The meaning of Guiwu is derived from the endless void, where all things return. Those who cultivate the Sword Eye have eyes like the endless void, capable of containing myriad sword techniques in the world. It is a Yellow-tier high-grade cultivation technique.
At the Qi Refining stage, initiation allows one to perceive myriad sword techniques in the world with a single glance; at the Foundation Establishment stage, minor accomplishment allows one to see through myriad sword techniques with a single glance and deduce methods to counter them; at the Core Formation stage, great accomplishment means the Sword Eye is the Sword!"
"What is the second line of the Unbound Path?" Ancestor Changdao continued to ask.
"At the Qi Refining stage, initiation means there is no path beneath the feet, allowing one to fly; at the Foundation Establishment stage, minor accomplishment means there is no path in the eyes, allowing one to travel ten thousand miles in a day; at the Core Formation stage, great accomplishment means there is no path in the heart, allowing one to be thousands of miles away in an instant!"
Ancestor Changdao refused to believe it and asked Yunze several more questions about the cultivation techniques, but Yunze answered them all.
He knew that after he had read through the cultivation techniques once, these words were imprinted next to the figures, exactly the same as recorded in the jade slips!
When Ancestor Changdao asked a question, he only needed to close his eyes to see the answer.
If he couldn't answer these, he might as well smash his head against this stone wall!
Seeing that Ancestor Changdao remained silent after finishing his questions, Yunze curiously asked, "Sect Master, I've memorized all the cultivation techniques. What's the next step? Should I cultivate them?"
Ancestor Changdao paused, then suddenly asked, "...What was the first thing I said when I met you?"
"Ah?"
Yunze was stunned and couldn't recall what he had said. He could only answer truthfully with a wry smile, "Sect Master, how could I possibly remember that? Why are you asking this?"
"It's nothing."
Ancestor Changdao smiled and walked slowly to Yunze, placing his hand on his shoulder!
Instantly!
Yunze felt his heartbeat, breathing, and even his thoughts were locked by a sword intent. His hair stood on end, and he dared not move rashly!
"Little Yun~"
Ancestor Changdao brought his entire face close to Yunze's and asked word by word, "The sword seed... is on you, right?"