The sensation at his fingertip was warm and peculiar.
The energy flowing into his body was not ordinary Spiritual Energy from heaven and earth.
It was purer, more vibrant with life.
As if it carried the primordial force of sprouting grass and growing things — the very essence of birth and flourishing.
Wherever it flowed.
His meridians eased, his divine soul gently stirred.
It brought with it an indescribable sense of peace and comfort.
"This energy… how strange. It doesn't feel like ordinary Spiritual Energy, and yet it is undeniably a form of power…"
Chen Yang couldn't help but murmur to himself, carefully sensing the subtle changes as those wisps of emerald-green qi drifted through his body.
The White-Robed Youth beside him heard this and smiled faintly, explaining:
"This is Yimu Essence Qi — an exceptional supplementary energy for cultivating wood-element cultivation techniques, and exceedingly rare. Sealed within this jade slip of the Yimu Immortality Art are three strands of pure Yimu Essence Qi. When a cultivator first studies the technique, they aid in attuning to its true essence and accelerate the process of entry."
"Yimu Essence Qi?"
Chen Yang's heart stirred. Connecting it to the origins of this technique, he blurted out:
"Could it be that the founding patriarch, Verdant Wood Immortal, left this behind?"
The White-Robed Youth paused, then gently shook his head:
"Not quite. The original cultivation technique left by Patriarch Verdant Wood has long since vanished — perhaps at the site of his passing, perhaps circulating somewhere in the outside world. What is stored in the Cultivation Technique Pavilion today are all reproductions, re-inscribed by successive Sect Masters or Elders well-versed in such matters, based on surviving records or their own understanding. The Yimu Essence Qi within them was naturally condensed and sealed by those individuals through great effort."
So it was not the original.
Chen Yang understood.
But even so, a cultivation technique that successive Sect Masters had personally inscribed and sealed with essence qi was no ordinary thing.
The White-Robed Youth watched him still clutching the emerald jade slip and smiled, asking:
"Well? Have you decided to choose this one?"
Chen Yang fell into deep hesitation.
His rational mind told him clearly: he should choose the Blazing Annihilation Sword Art.
That sword art was fierce and aggressive, domineering and powerful — a perfect match for the Flying Sword gifted by Silver-Haired Senior Shen Hongmei, and an excellent complement to the formidable physique cultivated through his primary technique, the Nine Revolutions Body Tempering Art.
Once mastered, his combat power would undergo a qualitative leap, giving him far greater confidence in facing future dangers.
Spirit Origin Pills to aid cultivation, the Flying Sword as a weapon, the sword art to unleash its might…
It all seemed so natural and logical — the optimal choice.
And yet…
His gaze refused to leave the emerald jade slip in his hand.
The two characters for "immortality" were like seeds with a magical pull, quietly taking root and sprouting in his heart.
The impact of the White-Robed Youth's earlier words about lifespan had not yet faded.
One hundred and twenty years, three hundred years, five hundred years… these once-vague concepts had become clearer and more enticing than ever before.
What was cultivation for?
Was it merely for fighting and killing?
If one could attain immortality, roaming freely between heaven and earth, witnessing the shifting of mountains and rivers — what a sight that would be?
Moreover, since this technique bore "immortality" in its very name, perhaps it concealed other unexpected wonders…
A greedy thought surfaced:
Could he take both?
But the moment it appeared, he swiftly crushed it.
How precious were the cultivation techniques on the third floor?
The other party had already made an exception to let him choose one — that was already an enormous favor. How could he push for more?
A person must not be too greedy.
He drew a deep breath, as if summoning every ounce of his strength, and finally made his decision.
He gently pushed the dark-gold Blazing Annihilation Sword Art jade slip back toward the White-Robed Youth, and gripped the softly glowing emerald Yimu Immortality Art jade slip with both hands.
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"I choose this one."
His voice was firm. Though a trace of reluctance for the Blazing Annihilation Sword Art lingered in his eyes, what shone through more was the relief of having decided, and an anticipation for the unknown.
A flicker of barely concealed surprise crossed the White-Robed Youth's eyes, which then deepened into a broader smile.
He seemed not to have expected that Chen Yang would ultimately make this choice.
He gave a nod and said nothing more, simply setting the Blazing Annihilation Sword Art jade slip back in its place.
"Let's go."
The youth called out and headed downstairs first.
Chen Yang gripped the jade slip and hurried after him.
They passed the second floor, then the first.
When they reached the entrance of the Cultivation Technique Pavilion.
Chen Yang instinctively moved toward the elderly caretaker still dozing in the rattan chair, intending to ask him to lift the restriction on the jade slip.
The White-Robed Youth grabbed his arm, puzzled:
"What are you doing?"
Chen Yang blinked, answering as a matter of course:
"Asking the senior to remove the restriction on the jade slip, of course? So I can go inside and study the technique. Isn't that the rule?"
He remembered clearly — when they had entered, the old man had explicitly said that the chosen jade slip must be brought to him to have its restriction lifted, and then studied within the pavilion, not to be taken away.
The White-Robed Youth looked as though he had heard something amusing, and said with a suppressed laugh: "You plan to study the Yimu Immortality Art right here?"
"Is that not allowed? Even studying it for a while would be good…" Chen Yang was a little confused.
"Study it for a while?"
The youth shook his head with a smile:
"Do you think a cultivation technique from the third floor is like those basic spell techniques downstairs, where a few hours is enough to grasp the fundamentals? A technique of this depth and profundity cannot be mastered in a day or a night. It requires a calm and focused mind, spending days, months, or even longer, repeatedly sensing and contemplating it before one can even begin to glimpse its inner workings. And furthermore…"
He paused, pointing at the jade slip in Chen Yang's hand:
"The reason the cultivation technique jade slips on the third floor have no ordinary restriction placed on them is not an oversight — it is because they simply do not need to be returned. Once chosen, the jade slip may be taken away. The Five Elements Essence Qi sealed within is the key to your entry. If you were to study it here, would you intend to live in the Cultivation Technique Pavilion for months on end?"
Chen Yang was completely dumbfounded:
"Take… take it away? No need to return it?"
This was entirely different from the rules he had understood!
"Exactly. Come, I'll explain more on the way."
The White-Robed Youth patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the Cultivation Technique Pavilion first.
Chen Yang hurried to follow.
As they passed the elderly caretaker, the old man seemed to sense someone leaving with a jade slip.
His eyelids lifted slightly, his cloudy gaze sweeping toward Chen Yang, his lips beginning to move.
It seemed he was about to speak or intervene.
But just then, the White-Robed Youth walking ahead of Chen Yang turned his head slightly and gave the old man a faint, enigmatic smile.
The old man's movements froze instantly, and the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.
He took a long, deep look at the White-Robed Youth's retreating figure.
Then glanced at the emerald jade slip in Chen Yang's hand.
A flash of extraordinarily complex emotion crossed his face.
Surprise, confusion — and in the end, all of it dissolved into silent acquiescence.
He closed his eyes again.
As if he had seen nothing and nothing had happened, he returned to his feigned slumber and quiet cultivation.
Chen Yang took all of this in, and his uncertainty about the White-Robed Youth's identity deepened further.
After the two had walked some distance from the Cultivation Technique Pavilion, Chen Yang finally couldn't hold back and asked:
"Brother, this… can the jade slip really be taken away? And there's no restriction on it? Aren't you worried that disciples might privately duplicate it or let it circulate outside?"
The White-Robed Youth walked with his hands clasped behind his back, explaining at a leisurely pace:
"Could a cultivation technique worthy of the third floor be so easily duplicated or comprehended? No restriction does not mean no threshold. On the contrary, the threshold is even higher. These cultivation technique jade slips contain no written text — their method of transmission is closer to Mind Transmission. You must use your own divine sense and spiritual energy to carefully attune to the jade slip and forge a connection with the true essence of the technique within. If your comprehension, aptitude, or even fortune falls short, and you have no affinity with the technique, you could study the jade slip for ten years and gain nothing — not even a single character."
He glanced at the Yimu Immortality Art in Chen Yang's hand:
"You may return and attempt cultivation for three days. Within those three days, if you can successfully activate the three strands of Yimu Essence Qi sealed within the jade slip, and following their guidance, complete a full Circulation Cycle within your body, then you will have taken the first step — the technique will have recognized you. After that, you may proceed with your cultivation in due course."
"If… I cannot activate the essence qi to complete the Circulation Cycle?" Chen Yang asked anxiously.
"Then it means your affinity with the Yimu Immortality Art is shallow, and this path is not suited for you."
The White-Robed Youth's tone was calm:
"Should that be the case, you may return the jade slip to the Cultivation Technique Pavilion, and consider this selection forfeited. Afterward, you will still have the opportunity to visit the Cultivation Technique Pavilion again and choose a new technique from the first or second floor. Of course,"
The White-Robed Youth smiled again:
"At that point, you would have to follow the rules — you would not be permitted to go to the third floor again. Today, I have made an exception for you."
Chen Yang felt a surge of gratitude.
And an enormous weight of pressure.
There was only one chance. If he failed to gain entry, he would not only have wasted this opportunity, but also the chance he might have had with the Blazing Annihilation Sword Art.
"Very well. Do your best and immerse yourself in it wholeheartedly. I hope you can truly grasp the wonders of the Yimu Immortality Art."
With those words, the White-Robed Youth quickened his pace slightly and headed off along the mountain forest path ahead.
"Brother! I haven't yet had the honor of learning your name!" Chen Yang called after him urgently.
He wanted to catch up and ask more about the details of cultivation.
But the White-Robed Youth's figure seemed to melt into the misty mountain forest.
In a few flickering moments, he had vanished entirely from sight.
Leaving only Chen Yang standing alone in place, his heart full of questions and anticipation.
He lowered his gaze to the warm emerald jade slip in his hand, hesitated no longer, gripped it tightly, and strode quickly toward his dwelling at the foot of Qingyun Peak.
Back at the small building, he activated the restriction.
Chen Yang went directly to the second floor.
He sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion, cleared his mind of distractions, and immersed his full consciousness within, carefully guiding the spiritual energy and divine sense of his sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm to slowly probe into the Yimu Immortality Art jade slip.
At first.
The interior of the jade slip seemed like a vast, chaotic expanse of emerald green, with nothing remarkable about it.
His spiritual energy and divine sense were like stones cast into a deep sea, receiving no response whatsoever.
But he did not lose heart. Recalling the White-Robed Youth's words, he patiently and repeatedly attempted to communicate, to attune.
Time passed little by little, and the sun outside the window began to tilt westward.
Just as Chen Yang's mind and spirit were beginning to feel the strain of fatigue, suddenly —
At the center of that chaotic emerald expanse, it was as if a seed had been quietly awakened, and a point of light bloomed — impossibly faint, yet of an absolute, brilliant purity!
At the same moment.
The jade slip in his hand gave a faint tremor.
A strand of Yimu Essence Qi — far purer and more concentrated than what he had sensed before — surged forth on its own.
Following the meridians of his arm, it slowly flowed into his body!