"Furthermore, this sect hereby pledges that any disciple of our Young Sect who ranks among the top one thousand will be granted the privilege to cultivate in our Young Sect's Cold Spirit Spring for one month. In addition to this, each person will receive ten thousand cultivation spirit stones. Now, tell me, do you have confidence!"
"Yes!"
As Liu Feichen finished speaking, the disciples in the square immediately became excited.
Even Lin Chu was slightly surprised by Liu Feichen's methods upon hearing this. Lin Chu was even more aware of the Cold Spirit Spring. Even core disciples did not have the qualification to enter the Cold Spirit Spring.
Among the Young Sect, those who could cultivate in the Cold Spirit Spring were none other than the Ten Hall Masters and elders in important positions.
Legend had it that one day of strenuous cultivation in the Cold Spirit Spring was equivalent to one month of cultivation in the outside world. A full month would be equivalent to three years.
As for cultivation spirit stones, they were even more enticing to Lin Chu. According to the standards of ordinary disciples, they could only receive ten cultivation spirit stones per month. And with ten cultivation spirit stones, Lin Chu's cultivation speed meant he would absorb and exhaust them in less than half a month.
If he could obtain these ten thousand cultivation spirit stones, his cultivation would be worry-free for at least some time in the future. Moreover, cultivation spirit stones could be used to purchase many things, and they were the currency circulated among cultivators.
"Very good. With such confidence, this sect is very satisfied. However, the Anwu Continent respects the strong. Not every disciple of our sect can participate in the ranking competition. According to the preliminary qualifications, disciples who have not reached the late stage of the Nascent Spirit Realm will be ineligible for this grand competition."
"Therefore, for the next two years, do your best to cultivate. The managing elders of each level will now lead you back for the final explanations. Disperse."
Liu Feichen was extremely satisfied with the performance of the Young Sect disciples. He then waved his hand and nodded to several managing elders.
"Let's go." Elder Yang Yun walked to Lin Chu and the other ordinary disciples and waved his hand, saying.
On the square outside the ordinary disciples' training rooms, Lin Chu and Chen Lingang stood facing each other. Behind them stood nearly three thousand disciples.
Elder Yang Yun slowly walked onto the high platform and said, "You all know about the competition two years from now, so I won't repeat it here. Although you are only ordinary disciples and your strength is relatively weak, I believe that with effort over the next two years, this time will be enough for you to cultivate."
"Actually, I hope that everyone of you can participate in this competition. Perhaps many of you think that you cannot enter the top one thousand. However, you can gain a lot during the competition."
"In the future, these things will influence your entire life. Furthermore, observing the battles of others is beneficial. Being able to participate in such a grand competition is, in itself, an honor. Well, from today onwards, everyone will fully prepare for the ranking battle in two years."
"The sect's missions will be reduced accordingly, so that everyone has more time to cultivate. In addition, each person's cultivation spirit stones will be increased by thirty percent. I hope that you will not let down the sect's cultivation of you."
"An increase of thirty percent! Doesn't that mean we can now receive thirteen cultivation spirit stones each month? This news is too good!"
"Didn't you hear the elder? Our ordinary disciples' missions will also be reduced. Compared to cultivation spirit stones, I prefer this news. After all, going out on missions is too tiring."
"With the sect's grand gestures, I'm afraid many of us will see our strength increase."
"I think Lin Chu and Senior Brother Chen Lingang can participate."
"..."
"Alright, everyone go back to cultivate. Lin Chu, Sun Huayang, Chen Desheng, Chen Lingang, Shi Wendong, the five of you stay." Elder Yang Yun waved his hand, instantly suppressing the disciples' excited discussions. He then looked at Lin Chu and Su Jinlong and the others, saying.
Upon hearing this, the disciples all glanced at Lin Chu and the others, bowed to Elder Yang Yuan, and then turned to leave.
"Lin Chu, Chen Lingang, among the ordinary disciples, you five are outstanding in terms of both strength and comprehension. That's why I've asked you to stay. I want to tell you to remember to break through to the late Nascent Spirit Realm and enter the Spiritual Soul Realm within the next year."
As the disciples left, Elder Yang Yun smiled and said to Lin Chu and the others.
"We will certainly not fail the elder's trust." Chen Lingang and the others immediately responded with seriousness.
"Elder Yang Yun, isn't the competition two years from now?" Lin Chu asked.
Elder Yang Yun smiled upon hearing this, "If any of you break through to the Spiritual Soul Realm within a year, you will receive a great opportunity. However, I will keep it a secret for now. When one of you breaks through, I will naturally tell you. Alright, go back and cultivate."
Lin Chu and the others nodded, bowed to Elder Yang Yun, and then turned to leave.
"Senior Brother Lin Chu, I hope that when we meet again in the next year, you will have broken through to the Spiritual Soul Realm. By then, among the ordinary disciples, there will be those who can defeat elite disciples, and even core disciples."
When they reached the fork in the road leading to the ordinary disciples' pavilion area, Shi Wendong turned around and bowed slightly to Lin Chu, saying.
"I hope you will too." Lin Chu nodded upon hearing this.
Shi Wendong had considerable prestige among the ordinary disciples. If he hadn't defeated Qiu Shaoming, he probably wouldn't have been ranked first among the ordinary disciples. Hearing Shi Wendong's words, Lin Chu's fighting spirit was naturally ignited.
"Senior Brother Lin Chu, thank you for your kind words. Farewell." Shi Wendong smiled slightly upon hearing this, nodded to Chen Lingang and the others, and then turned to leave.
Watching Shi Wendong leave, a hint of admiration flashed in Lin Chu's eyes. He then looked at Chen Lingang and Chen Desheng and said, "The talent of you two is actually not weak. Although your innate comprehension is weaker than theirs, that is all innate. I believe that as long as you work hard, it is not impossible to surpass them in the future. Alright, let's go back and cultivate."
Chen Lingang and Chen Desheng both nodded. Compared to Lin Chu, they were indeed not diligent enough. Now that all the disciples in the Young Sect were striving, their hearts were already ignited with this passion.
Upon returning to his room, Lin Chu sat cross-legged on the bed. With a thought, he began to cultivate slowly according to the absorption method taught by Bai Yuwei.
Time passed gradually, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
Boom!
In front of the waterfall at the back of the Young Sect's mountain, with a rumbling sound, a figure shot out rapidly.
"I never expected that the Saint Heaven Thunder Slash would be several times more powerful than the Meteor Saint Slash."
Looking at the destruction around him, Lin Chu couldn't help but show a hint of excitement on his face. Recalling the past month, Lin Chu had almost every day been tempering his physical body and cultivating the Saint Heaven Thunder Slash in front of the mountain waterfall.
From the initial awkwardness to gradually mastering it, the daily cultivation time reached ten hours. Almost the entire day was spent on cultivation.
Although the high-intensity cultivation made Lin Chu physically and mentally exhausted, he felt that it was all worth it upon seeing the power of the Saint Heaven Thunder Slash.
A moment later, the excitement on Lin Chu's face subsided a lot. After pondering for a moment, he became somewhat helpless. After a month of cultivation, Lin Chu felt that his spiritual energy absorption speed clearly could not keep up with his body's consumption.
It was not that his body could not store more spiritual energy, but the absorption method taught by Bai Yuwei seemed to no longer meet his needs.
"It seems I need to find my sister and ask if she has a more advanced absorption method. Otherwise, my current spiritual energy absorption speed will likely hinder my cultivation progress." Lin Chu shook his head, his figure moving rapidly towards the Saintess Peak.
"Young Master Lin, you haven't been to Saintess Peak in a long time." Qing Shuang, at the foot of the Saintess Peak pavilion, stopped her work and said with a smile as she saw Lin Chu approaching.
Lin Chu nodded to Qing Shuang and asked, "Sister Qing Shuang, is Sister Yu Wei there?"
"The Saintess is in seclusion. According to past experience, she should emerge in about half an hour," Qing Shuang replied.
"Then I'll wait for my sister here." Lin Chu nodded slightly, then walked straight to a stone table in the courtyard and sat down.
Seeing this, Qing Shuang turned and left. A moment later, she returned with tea and snacks. Lin Chu nodded in thanks to Qing Shuang and slowly savored them.
"Brother Chu, why do you have time to visit?" Half an hour later, Bai Yuwei's figure slowly appeared in the courtyard and asked, looking at Lin Chu.
"Sister." Seeing Bai Yuwei appear, Lin Chu immediately stood up.
Bai Yuwei nodded and smiled slightly, "Go ahead, is there anything you need your sister's help with this time?"
"Hehe, sister understands me best." Lin Chu chuckled and then said, "Sister, after a month of cultivation, I've gradually felt that my spiritual energy absorption speed has become too slow. It's completely disproportionate to my own consumption. As a result, my cultivation speed has also slowed down considerably."
"I've come this time to ask sister if there's a way to improve the speed of spiritual energy absorption."
"Spiritual energy absorption speed has slowed down?" Bai Yuwei frowned slightly, then her figure moved and appeared in front of Lin Chu. She directly took Lin Chu's hand and injected a stream of spiritual power into it.
Seeing this, Lin Chu naturally knew that Bai Yuwei was examining his body and did not resist, allowing her to examine him.
"The cultivation technique you are practicing seems rather profound. The spiritual power stored in your body is indeed too little. However, after you enter the Spiritual Soul Realm, perhaps there will be some changes." After a moment, Bai Yuwei opened her eyes and pondered slightly before saying.
"Spiritual Soul Realm? Sister, why will there be changes when I reach the Spiritual Soul Realm?" Lin Chu asked, somewhat puzzled.
Bai Yuwei's expression turned serious upon hearing this, "Among cultivators, although their innate aptitude differs, these things can be compensated for as they cultivate."
"The Qi Refining Realm and the Nascent Spirit Realm are merely the thresholds to becoming a cultivator. By the late Nascent Spirit Realm, all cultivators will be preparing to cultivate their souls."
"The spiritual soul is the source of our cultivators' power. Everyone's aptitude is different, and thus the level of their spiritual soul is also different. The higher the level of the spiritual soul, the more abundant one's spiritual power reserves will be. It's like a container for water; the larger it is, the more water it can hold."
Lin Chu seemed to have a realization, and then continued to ask, "Then how many levels are there for spiritual souls?"
"The levels of spiritual souls are divided into five: Azure Spiritual Soul, Crimson Spiritual Soul, Golden Spiritual Soul, Violet Spiritual Soul, and Five-Colored Spiritual Soul. Among them, the stronger a cultivator's innate potential, the higher their spiritual soul level."
"However, on the Anwu Continent, being able to possess a Golden Spiritual Soul is already a rare sight. A Violet Spiritual Soul is even more unheard of," Bai Yuwei explained.
"On the Anwu Continent, there isn't even a Violet Spiritual Soul?" Lin Chu was somewhat surprised.
Then the Five-Colored Spiritual Soul must be an existence that defied the heavens!
Bai Yuwei nodded slightly upon hearing this.
"Sister, what is the level of your spiritual soul?" Lin Chu asked curiously.
"My spiritual soul is a Crimson Spiritual Soul," Bai Yuwei replied.
Lin Chu nodded and pondered for a moment, "Sister, is there a way to improve the level of this spiritual soul?"
"There is no way to improve the level of the spiritual soul. The level of this spiritual soul is innate to every cultivator. It can be said that the level of the spiritual soul determines how far a person can go in the future. Of course, this is not absolute."
"On the Anwu Continent, there was a strong cultivator with only an Azure Spiritual Soul who cultivated to the Spiritual Venerable Realm," Bai Yuwei said, shaking her head.
"Impressive! To cultivate to the Spiritual Venerable Realm with an Azure Spiritual Soul, that requires incredible perseverance!" Lin Chu's eyes flashed with admiration.
Bai Yuwei nodded, "Brother Chu, although your spiritual energy absorption speed is a bit slow now, it should ease up after you reach the Spiritual Soul Realm. As for advanced absorption methods, the Young Sect does not have them yet."
"On the Anwu Continent, absorption methods are divided into five tiers. The absorption methods practiced by Young Sect disciples are only Tier One. As for the elders and core disciples of the Young Sect, they are Tier Two. And the absorption method I taught you is also Tier Two. To obtain more advanced absorption methods, one must be taught by a great divine being."
"Then it seems my current absorption method cannot be improved either," Lin Chu said with a helpless shrug.
Bai Yuwei gave a wry smile, "Although your absorption method cannot meet your own spiritual power consumption, you can use the spiritual energy from cultivation spirit stones. Here, take it. I have two thousand cultivation spirit stones here, which should help you smoothly break through to the intermediate Nascent Spirit Realm. As for your future cultivation, sister will think of a way for you."
"Ah? Sister, if you give me the cultivation spirit stones, what about your cultivation?" Lin Chu shook his head as he looked at the bag Bai Yuwei took out.
Bai Yuwei smiled slightly, "Silly child, these cultivation spirit stones are no longer enough for my current cultivation. Take them, and don't forget, I can still cultivate in the Cold Spirit Spring."
"Alright then. I hope that when I reach the Spiritual Soul Realm, my own spiritual power reserves will be sufficient." Lin Chu finally nodded and then took the bag from Bai Yuwei and put it into his embrace.