The Science of Cultivation [Xianxia]

A few weeks passed after Jian Beiyun had reported back to his superiors, but nothing happened. There was no movement. He was told that the grand ancestor had been informed, and that was the end of it. No further instructions or news.

This strange reaction wasn’t an isolated incident. From conversing with the members of the other organizations, they all received similar responses. It was as if the highest-level cultivators within the Luminescent Domain had unanimously decided to ignore the issue.

Left with no choice, Jian Beiyun could only helplessly stare out at the pocket realm every day, hoping for the best.

Eventually, the incident had been pushed to the back of most people’s minds. All the members of the younger generation who came out of the pocket realm had nothing to add. Everything inside remained normal. Several organizations had even left, as all their disciples had returned.

While that meant the place quieted down, there was one that didn’t. The betting table Jian Beiyun had set up remained lively every day. More and more cultivators placed a bet as the days passed. There were even more that were waiting for there to be fewer people remaining within the pocket realm. They waited for the number of contestants to go down from the three-digit to the two-digit ballpark.

Like this, months passed.

An entire year after Jian Beiyun’s report, an important incident took place that shook every cultivator in the vicinity. They couldn’t be blamed, as several powerful figures from various organizations had arrived together.

A group of eight Spirit Divide cultivators had appeared!

They each varied in appearance. Some took the form of a young child, while others, an old man with hunched backs. There were quite a few who even had scales instead of skin, making them look like beasts rather than humans.

Their auras were restrained, but every cultivator present could instinctively feel the level of threat each of them posed. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say every single one of these Spirit Divide cultivators could take on everyone else present by themselves.

At the forefront of this group was an old man. Despite his age, he had well-defined muscles and strong features.

Jian Beiyun immediately stepped forward and respectfully greeted him.

“Master, you have personally come?”

“That’s right. On the ancestor’s instructions.”

“Understood. I look forward to your guidance,” Jian Beiyun bowed.

“Remain on standby. We are simply here to observe for now.”

“Very well…”

Hearing the esteemed elder’s words, everyone on the first floor of the teahouse began to disband. That included the eminent Spirit Divide experts, who dispersed into their own respective organizations.

Instead of returning to their own encampment as well, Jian Beiyun proceeded to guide his master up to the second floor. They sat down inside a private room and he began brewing tea like a model disciple would.

“What’s the matter, Beiyun? How many times have I told you not to bottle things up? Speak when something troubles you. If you continue to ignore my teachings, you’ll only have yourself to blame when cultivation deviations befall you.”

“I apologize,” he lowered his head. “It’s just that this incident is too strange. Master, you and the esteemed ancestors ignored us for a whole year and then suddenly showed up. I’m just feeling unsure if I would be overstepping if I pressed for answers.”

“Uncertainty creates stress, but there are matters that would stress you even further if you knew about them. Ignorance is bliss. Alas, you will one day assume a position where you will have to shoulder these woes. I chose you as the head disciple for a reason. I have no intention of hiding these matters from you. This is a burden you will have to learn how to carry.”

“I thank you for your consideration, Master. I will do my best to live up to your expectations.”

The old man nodded as his young disciple poured him tea. He waited until he had a chance to take a sip before continuing.

“After your report, the ancestor paused their closed-door cultivation and personally went out to investigate.”

“What?! The ancestor himself?”

“Beiyun, you should know that matters that may involve Celestials in the Heaven Link realm are not to be taken lightly. Our ancestor knows that, and so do all the other Spirit Divide cultivators. That’s why they immediately mobilized to search for news from the mainland.”

“Right. I’m not questioning the ancestor’s decision. I know if there really is such an expert, they must be from the mainland. But even if one needs to be at least in the Spirit Divide realm to cross the cloud seas, it doesn’t mean all the ancestors had to be mobilized. Couldn’t you have gone yourself, Master?”

“I tried convincing him, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. It wasn’t for nothing, though. People like our ancestors who have been around for such a long time naturally have their connections. We were able to swiftly secure reliable intel.”

“And the results?”

“No movement at all. None of the human factions on the mainland observed any Celestials leaving the mainland.”

Jian Beiyun was visibly taken aback at the news.

“There’s no way someone on Violet Isle broke through without anyone noticing. Does that mean it’s someone from the hundred races?”

“Nothing can be confirmed. The most favored theory is a newly ascended Spirit Divide expert. That’s why we’re here.”

“Hmm, we’ve thoroughly swept the area and found no signs of that. We should’ve been able to detect a newly ascended Spirit Divide cultivator.”

“Maybe, if they were the sole person there. Are you able to confidently say the same if they hid themselves among the large crowd that came here after?”

“That…makes no sense. Why would they do that? Even if they hid among the disciples, they shouldn’t be able to enter the pocket realm with their bone age.”

“Beiyun, never assume what we know as absolute. Things are always changing and new information is discovered every day. They may have discovered a way into the pocket realm that we don’t know of. I’ve also investigated the background of each person who had entered the realm, but the others want to know all those who still remained inside when the event happened, so they can probe further.”

“Of course, Master. I have a list of names right here.”

“Oh, it’ is a rare sight to see you so organized without being told. Good, good, good. You’ve improved, Beiyun.”

Jian Beiyun could only politely clasp his fist in salute toward his master as he kept quiet. There was no way he would explain how the list was compiled for gambling. It was something he would keep quiet about unless directly asked.

“You two, we should prepare to leave the realm soon,” Li Lang declared.

“What? I thought we could stay for as long as we liked?”

“We can, but that would be detrimental to us. I’ve spoken to Blue, one of the artifact spirits of this place. She told me we could resume our trials at a later time. We need to leave here before we draw too much attention to ourselves. The last thing I need is someone discovering the fact that I obtained this place.”

Having obtained the pocket realm didn’t mean Li Lang could now isolate himself for all of time. He still needed to be part of society in order to obtain resources and knowledge.

Blue had told him that it was impossible for the current him to overturn the rules of the pocket realm. That meant he could only obtain the rewards after passing the relevant trials. Despite being the owner, he would have to play by the existing rules. However, he didn’t have a time limit and could make his attempts at a later date.

“I thought you couldn’t move this place yet?”

“Correct. We can come back for it later. It’s not like it’ll be going anywhere.”

“B-boss,” Wei Ping interjected. “Can we h-hold off for a little while longer first?”

It only took an instant for Li Lang to realize why Wei Ping made such a request. He was extremely close to breaking through his bottleneck. Having access to the martial trial was a huge boon.

“Hmm, I don’t want us to be the last ones out and draw attention, but maybe I can have everyone else remain longer, then?”

Wei Ping wasn’t the only one close to breaking through. Practically everyone who remained was in a similar situation. Li Lang himself could retain the connection with his Qi at a small distance, if only for a split second. Both Sima Xue and Liang Po were now at the peak of Energy Gathering.

Li Lang also wanted to stay longer as he was close to completing his research on his newly devised Qi poison. At the same time, he knew there were many materials awaiting him out in the real world, so he had reluctantly listened to the logical side of himself. Now that Wei Ping was also begging for more time, he easily relented.

Unbeknownst to the young cultivators, it was their decision to prolong their stay that caused a commotion outside.

Three years after the opening of the pocket realm, over two dozen people still remained inside.

Four years after the opening, that number remained unchanged.

To put into perspective, in the previous decade, the person who came in eighth place for staying in the pocket realm for the longest only remained inside for three years.

This caused everyone outside to panic. One strange phenomenon came after the other. Some feared the disciples inside had met an untimely end. Yet, they were powerless to do anything. No one could enter inside.

It was only five years since the opening of the pocket realm that their hopes were reignited. Several figures could be seen emerging from The Great Trial of Water Crest!