The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]

Once Li Lang had exhausted his means of investigating spiritual roots, he set his sights on where he could produce results in the short term.

With the artifact spirits of the pocket realm on his side, he was bound to obtain what he desired. Still, there were rules in place, and he still had to pass the trial in order to be rewarded by the realm.

Li Lang’s next round in the martial trial wasn’t something easy for him. He had previously stopped due to the risks as he was asked to hunt Steel Sparrows. They were Qi beasts with strength comparable to a peak sixth-stage Energy Gatherer.

Not only did the sparrows travel in numbers, they also were aerial creatures that flew fast. They weren’t something Li Lang could easily defeat. He simply didn’t have the means to pin them down within his repertoire.

Combat was never Li Lang’s strong suit, so he went to consult people who were. From their previous conversations, he knew others wouldn’t be able to directly help him during the trial. The trials monitored everyone constantly, so they would know if the challenger had gotten outside help. There had been rumors that those who tried all immediately failed their test, with their accomplices losing trial points as well.

However, that didn’t mean Li Lang couldn’t consult with others prior to the test. In fact, his companions even brainstormed a plan together with him.

“Have any of you faced those Steel Sparrows before?”

“Nope,” Long Yi shook his head, “and I wouldn’t want to. I’ve seen a few others try to when I was outside, and let’s just say they didn’t have the greatest time. Even if they were stronger, they could hardly stop those birds from fleeing. Only those in the advanced stage of Energy Gathering with their fancy Skyswords could hope to catch up to them.”

Li Lang frowned. He knew very well the advantages brought by air superiority and speed. It allowed them to choose their battles, retreating when their foes were too strong or hunting down the weaker opponents.

Only those in the Foundation Establishment could fly without relying on tools. Even if he had a Skysword, it would require him to break past his bottleneck, stepping into the upper stages of Energy Gathering for him to control it.

Perhaps this is one of those trials that is encouraging me to break through to complete it. No wonder everyone else feels so pressured to advance their cultivation. After all, most of them are only doing combat trials…

“So, no ideas on how to face them?”

Long Yi shook his head, causing Li Lang to turn his attention toward the others at the table, but none met his gaze. They all believed it wasn’t an issue some advice could solve.

“Umm, I have a few Qi arts that you could try.” Huang Si broke the silence. “You don’t have any strong ranged attacking capabilities, right?”

Hearing his words, the others joined in.

“If it’s techniques, I have quite a few!” Sima Xue joyfully added.

“Xue, you can’t be sharing your sect’s techniques with outsiders. Huang Si is talking about techniques he acquired through his own means.”

The boy in question nodded to affirm Tang Yulian’s words.

With that new criteria, the three began going through the various techniques they could share. Hailing from powerful organizations, the two girls each had a space ring, so texts kept materializing at their table as they perused through them.

“You guys…” Li Lang interrupted them. “I don’t think learning a ranged attack would do it. I mean many other cultivators who had to deal with these sparrows still failed right? It’s hard to believe none of them had powerful ranged attacks.”

Long Yi nodded in response. It put a damper on three genius’ Qi art searches.

While everyone began to contemplate other ideas, one particular person at the table had a hesitant look on his face. When Li Lang scanned across the table, he didn’t fail to notice it.

“Wei Ping, did you have an idea? It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just say it for everyone to hear and maybe we can improve on it together..”

“Boss, I h-have hunted for birds before, b-back when I didn’t have enough to e-eat. I’m n-not sure if it’s the same, but I used to u-use traps. However, I don’t t-think we have anything that would w-work against Qi beasts.”

“Traps, you say. So like mundane hunting, but against targets empowered with Qi.”

Too bad I don’t have any steel wires or something to capture them. I doubt regular rope would work against Qi beasts.

“There are traps designed against Qi beasts, you know?” Sima Xue said. “Neither our Nightmoon Valley nor Yulian’s Eternal Wave Sect are versed in it, but the Myriad Bones Pavilion are famed for them. They’re the premier supplier of Qi beasts for a reason.”

“Myriad Bones Pavilion…? The one that Liang Po was from,” Li Lang cautiously asked. “I heard they were few in numbers, yet they are the major supplier of Qi beasts?”

“Yeah. They’re an economic powerhouse that has a good relationship with most organizations within the Luminescent Domain. Liang Po is a young disciple, so he may not have the greatest reputation yet, but his organization is trusted.”

Li Lang took a moment to internalize the new information. He had known the power behind Liang Po wasn’t simple the moment he had met him. Many had gossiped about how he had whimsically chosen to participate in The Orchid Covenant’s annual competition when he hailed from a powerful organization himself. Now that he learned how the Myriad Bones Pavilion was a small but well-connected group, it made a lot more sense.

“That means I should try talking to him then…”

“Can’t really help you there. I haven’t really spoken with him before,” Sima Xue said apologetically.

The others at the table were no different. At the end of the day, Li Lang knew it was a request he had to make himself anyway, so he mentally prepared himself.

“B-boss, do you want us to g-go with you?”

“Yeah, there’s no telling what that guy would do,” Long Yi added.

“It’s fine. I’ll go talk to him myself. Bringing you guys along will just make it seem like we’re pressuring him to accept. I’d rather not complicate things.”

Seeing how Li Lang had decided on his next course of action, Sima Xue suddenly clapped her hands.

“Ah, I can ask around my juniors to find him for you. It’s the least I could do.”

“I’ll ask around the others from the Bloodwave Conclave as well. I couldn’t gather them last time for your tests, but they should at least be able to share his whereabouts.”

With that, Li Lang soon learned of Liang Po’s location. It appeared he had just recently been spotted returning to the mountain, so the timing was perfect.

Surprisingly, his location wasn’t in one of the many personal rooms. Li Lang had presumed he would be lying in bed all day due to his previous experiences with him. The man always seemed to be tired and unmotivated most of the time.

Instead, he was in a very public place. Liang Po was located within the grand hall, where everyone initially arrived upon entering The Great Trial of Water Crest. It was the central hub between all the trials. An open space with tall ceilings, decorated with red lacquer paint.

There were many pillars supporting the large room. Above, there were also numerous ridge beams above, connecting the pillars in supporting the ceiling.

It was up on one of these ridge beams that Li Lang found Liang Po. He had simply been lying there on his side, supporting his head with one hand. He was observing the people below without a care in the world.

With the ridge beam being over five meters in the air, Li Lang was forced to climb up a pillar to reach him.

I regret not learning a movement technique that allows me to leap up into the air.

It took a while, and it looked uncouth, but Li Lang managed to make it up there. The young cultivator from the Myriad Bones Guild had long noticed Li Lang before he had started climbing. When Li Lang arrived, he simply looked at him, amused.

“You again. Did you need me for something? I’ve said all I can about the martial intent already.”

“Sorry to bother you, and it’s not about your martial intent. I wanted to ask you if you had hunting nets that would work against Qi beasts around my level.”

“Oh, here to borrow items? I never had much need for tools ever since I learned martial intent, but I do have something that may work. You’re after birds of some sort, right? They usually aren’t that large.”

At his words, a neatly folded net appeared in his hands. He dangled them and hummed to himself.

“Perfect. Do you think I could borrow it? I’ll return it within a few days.”

“Hmm, what’s in it for me? To be honest, I’d rather watch you struggle. It’d be more interesting. After all, the height of ingenuity comes from adversity.”

“...I can maybe help you with the technique you’re currently learning. My cultivation may not compare to yours, but I have a knack for figuring out cultivation techniques. I’ve been helping a few dozen others, so you ask them if you don’t believe me.”

Li Lang didn’t pass up an opportunity to peek into what technique the famed genius received. He had been devastated when the artifact spirits declined to share the techniques of everyone within the realm. Previously, they only acquiesced to share the texts of those who consented to his research offer. If he wanted to learn what Liang Po received from the trials, he would also need his approval.

“Haha, there’s no need for that. I’m used to relying on myself.”

“Then…is there anything you want?”

“Don’t worry. I won’t make it hard for you. I’ll let you borrow this net if you promise to do something for me.”

“May I hear what that entails first?”

“Nothing unreasonable, just delivering a letter for me.”

“Then why would you need my help?” Li Lang shot back skeptically. “There’re many people you could ask or hire.”

“If only. Few are willing to venture out of the Luminescent Domain for such small errands but you’re different. You’re from Yellow Qilin province, right? It’d be simple for you to visit the adjacent province of Vermillion Dragon.”

Li Lang sucked in his breath at the request. He didn’t know if he should even ask about the contents of the letter. It could be correspondence with a spy or something. The last thing he needed was to be captured and accused of being a demonic cultivator again.

“That…”

Li Lang couldn’t decide if he should accept or not.