Chapter 378 - 222: Reporting This Too? (Part 2)

"I’m nine," the boy said, snapping out of his daze. His voice was thick with grievance as fat tears streamed down his face.

He knew he hadn’t succeeded.

He couldn’t move his arm anymore.

"Are you a boy or a girl?"

"A boy."

"It’s not a big deal. No need to cry," Jiang Man said.

"But my parents used up all their savings... I... I’m afraid to go home," the little boy said, wiping away his tears.

"Maybe they won’t blame you?" Jiang Man ventured.

However, his words of comfort were useless.

After a pause, Jiang Man said, "Do you trust me?"

The boy looked at Jiang Man in confusion.

"Right. We’ve only just met, so there’s no reason for you to trust me." Jiang Man took out a book. "This is an Immortal Cultivation Skill. I can give it to you, but there’s one condition."

Upon hearing this, the boy immediately struggled to his knees before Jiang Man. "Master on high..."

"Stop!" Jiang Man cut him off immediately. "Take me as your master? Trying to take advantage of me?"

The boy was puzzled.

"I have just one condition: you must wait until you’re sixteen years old before you open it and begin your Cultivation," Jiang Man stated.

"Why?" The boy was confused. ’Don’t they say the younger you start your Cultivation, the better?’

Jiang Man smiled mysteriously. "Heaven’s secrets must not be revealed. If you open it early, you will lose your immortal destiny forever."

’In truth, he didn’t understand the significance of sixteen either, but that was the age the Yunqian Bureau recruited at.’

’The Immortal Sects had set this rule, and it applied to everyone.’

’There must be a reason for it.’

’He just had to follow suit.’

"I understand," the boy nodded.

Then, Jiang Man gave him two more books.

Three books in total.

The Simple Qi Cultivation Method, the Simple Body Refining Technique, and the Simple Observation Method.

The visualization for the skill was of the Eternal Sun.

"A-All of these are for me?" the boy asked.

Jiang Man nodded. "This is your immortal destiny. Remember to keep them safe. Also, there’s one thing you need to do before you turn sixteen."

The boy immediately grew serious. "Immortal Master, please tell me."

Jiang Man looked at him and said, "Learn to read. You must become fully literate. Study hard."

The boy was stunned. He’d never imagined that the first step to Immortal Cultivation would be learning to read.

But for the sake of his immortal destiny, he nodded firmly and then asked for Jiang Man’s name.

Hearing this, Jiang Man thought for a moment before saying, "My name is Ah Niu."

’Ah Niu, as in, one who tends to oxen.’

’It counts, I guess.’

"I’ll definitely focus on my Cultivation and repay you when I grow up, Immortal Master," the boy said earnestly.

"If you want to cultivate well, then once you pass the Third Layer of the Cultivation Skill, you’ll have to work tirelessly, day and night," Jiang Man said.

Before reaching the Third Layer of the Qi Refining Method, cultivating around the clock is dangerous.

After that, Jiang Man left. The people from the Lingyue Sect would take the boy down the mountain.

As for teaching secret manuals to others, Jiang Man wasn’t concerned. The Simple Skill could be practiced by anyone.

Whether it was within the territories of Dazhi or outside them, the Immortal Sects wouldn’t pursue the matter.

Other skills, however, were a different story.

In truth, one could even learn Top-grade skills, but it would become dangerous if you entered a Sect’s territory.

Eventually, Jiang Man reached the summit.

He discovered most people had managed to make it up, looking as if they’d been training since childhood.

And none of them were particularly young.

Out of more than a hundred people, very few had actually turned back.

The woman in charge looked at Jiang Man, silent for a moment before asking, "What is your Cultivation?"

"Qi Refining Sixth Layer," Jiang Man replied softly.

"Go to the Outer Sect," the woman said slowly. "However, since you’ve come from the Evil Dao, we won’t be providing you with any resources for the time being. Once you’ve made sufficient contributions, you’ll be granted a regular allotment."

Jiang Man nodded. "I understand."

’He was actually quite curious: did the Sects of the Ancient Cultivators use Spiritual Sources or Spirit Stones?’

’Every Spirit Stone is different, making them impossible to standardize. That’s why, during the Great Unification, the Immortal Sects reformed them. They refined the core essence of Spirit Stones into Spiritual Sources. These weren’t a resource for direct Cultivation, but rather a form of currency.’

’Thus, Spiritual Sources had practical value but were difficult to use directly for Cultivation.’

’The Ancient Cultivators, however, likely lacked this technology and probably still used Spirit Stones.’

Afterwards, Jiang Man was led to the Outer Sect.

The Outer Sect was located on a single mountain peak, with the Servants on the outskirts. The Inner Sect resided on the peaks further back.

After receiving his Outer Disciple robes and Token, Jiang Man was told where his quarters were.

It was a courtyard for four people, with each person getting their own room.

Jiang Man wasn’t the least bit dissatisfied with this. At least he could close his door and focus on his Cultivation.

That was enough for him.

When Jiang Man arrived, he found that three people already lived there.

They were all in the courtyard, sizing up the newcomer.

With a single glance, Jiang Man saw their Cultivation: one was at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, and two were at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.

The ones at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer were a portly man and a woman in her late twenties.

The one at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer was much younger, a refined-looking man who appeared to be in his early twenties.

But...

With just one glance, Jiang Man felt something was wrong with their Cultivation.

’They were most likely hiding their Cultivation, just like him.’

’Whose spies were they?’

’Or had he run into the spies the Wuyun Sect had planted previously?’

’Unlikely. From what he’d heard, those agents didn’t have this much freedom.’

"The newcomer from the Evil Dao?" the portly man asked, looking at Jiang Man.

Hearing this, Jiang Man replied, "Now that I’ve joined the Sect, I’m a member of the Sect. Isn’t it a bit insulting to bring up the Evil Dao at a time like this?"

"You’ve certainly got some nerve," the woman beside the man said slowly, her voice tinged with mockery.

For someone at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer to speak like that to a Qi Refining Seventh Layer and two Qi Refining Eighth Layers was indeed bold, and could easily lead to trouble.

But Jiang Man didn’t care.

He looked at the three of them calmly. "I came here to cultivate in peace. I don’t want to cause any trouble, and I certainly don’t want anyone to cause me any."

’The only reason they were so sure he was from the Evil Dao was that they couldn’t see through his Cultivation.’

’He didn’t believe they would dare to make a move.’

’If they wanted to fight, then so be it. The worst that could happen was he’d expose himself and go cultivate in a cell.’