Chapter 114: Practicing the Azure Dragon Sutra

Yang Xing followed Lu Shaoyou through the moon gate and into the backyard. Within the courtyard, pavilions and towers were arranged in a picturesque manner, while a small bridge arched gracefully over a murmuring stream. A faint scent of medicinal herbs drifted through the air, refreshing the spirit.

The two walked along a gravel path, bypassed a rockery, and arrived at a spacious area. In the center stood a massive alchemical furnace, its body shimmering with a mysterious light. Huang Zhen, dressed in a long black robe with his hair turned white with age, gently waved a fan to regulate the temperature of the flames while skillfully adding various herbs into the furnace.

He is refining medicine? Yang Xing’s heart stirred. He had not expected that Huang Zhen, who lived in seclusion, had been refining pills in the backyard all this time.

Lu Shaoyou brought Yang Xing before Huang Zhen. "Master, Junior Brother Yang is here."

"Master!" Yang Xing quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

Huang Zhen looked at Yang Xing, scrutinized him carefully, and remarked with approval, "Not bad. You have indeed cultivated the Xuanwu inner energy within your Dantian."

He rarely managed the affairs of the Xuanwu Pavilion, which had led to the overall strength of its disciples being too low, drawing much criticism. Consequently, as the usage rights for Floating Cloud Mountain were set to expire, the Xuanwu Pavilion was the most likely candidate for budget cuts, and even their own interests were at risk of being affected. Now that Yang Xing had broken through to the Dan-Energy realm, it served to bolster the prestige of the Xuanwu Pavilion, easing Huang Zhen’s mind significantly.

Especially since Yang Xing had originally "bought" his way into the Xuanwu Pavilion, Huang Zhen had never imagined that this boy with mediocre talent would reach the Dan-Energy realm. It felt like a windfall, and his mood improved further. Looking at Yang Xing before him, he found the young man much more pleasing to the eye.

Yang Xing cupped his hands and said, "It is all thanks to the guidance of Master and Senior Brother."

Lu Shaoyou stood by quietly, though a hint of favor for Yang Xing sprouted in his heart. After all, he had never actually taught Yang Xing anything.

Huang Zhen stroked his beard and smiled, then produced a red box. "Since you have broken through to the Dan-Energy realm, I shall not be stingy. This is a token of my appreciation; please accept it."

Yang Xing felt a surge of emotion. "Thank you, Master."

Huang Zhen offered a few indifferent words of praise before waving his hand. "Shaoyou, you can explain the other necessary matters to him." Clearly, his focus remained on the furnace before him.

"This disciple will take his leave."

Yang Xing cupped his hands, and he and Lu Shaoyou withdrew.

"When the pill is formed, the dragon and tiger appear; when the tiger and dragon watch, the world is revealed." Huang Zhen sat on a cattail mat, fanning himself as he murmured, "When will this pill be finished?"

...

At the Xuanwu Pavilion, Lu Shaoyou asked with a smile, "Junior Brother Yang, now that you have reached the Dan-Energy realm, you can hold certain positions within the sect. Would you be interested?"

Yang Xing nodded. "I am."

Upon reaching the Dan-Energy realm, one could serve as a deacon within the Four Absolutes Sect, taking on important responsibilities—like Deacon Song Shixiu, who handled patrols, or Uncle Han, who had assessed his aptitude and strength. Not only did these positions provide a salary, but they also offered a supply of medicinal pills. From then on, he would no longer need to pay for his own meals or medicine. Of course, those with sufficient family background or influence could choose not to take a position and instead focus solely on martial arts.

Lu Shaoyou nodded. "Good. I will submit your name, but since positions are currently scarce, you may have to wait a while."

"I have troubled you, Senior Brother!" Yang Xing cupped his hands. "I have a few questions regarding cultivation. I wonder if Senior Brother could clarify them?"

Lu Shaoyou straightened up and said kindly, "Speak freely."

Although as the Chief Senior Brother of the Xuanwu Pavilion he was responsible for all its affairs, he occasionally felt frustrated. Externally, he was the weakest Chief Disciple among the four branches. Internally, Yu Baoquan and Shao Qiuju were polite to his face but dismissive in private. Especially Yu Baoquan, who was intent on reaching the middle stage of the Dan-Energy realm to replace him. At this moment, seeing Yang Xing reach the Dan-Energy realm while remaining so respectful—plus what he had just said in front of Huang Zhen—made Lu Shaoyou’s favor for him grow significantly. This junior brother was sensible!

Yang Xing voiced his confusion: "The deeper the inner energy of a Dan-Energy expert, the more powerful they are. Since that is the case, why not practice multiple cultivation techniques to generate more energy?"

Lu Shaoyou shook his head upon hearing this. "Junior Brother, you are mistaken—gravely mistaken. You have already spent a tremendous amount of time practicing the 'Xuanwu Sutra'; where would you find the time to practice other techniques?"

"It is simply too difficult. If you have the time, talent, and resources, why not master a single technique completely?"

"Beyond the drain on your energy, the inner energy produced by different techniques varies. You are currently practicing the 'Xuanwu Sutra,' which generates Xuanwu inner energy—a form that emphasizes balance and moderation. If you were to introduce energy with aggressive or sharp attributes, it would create strong repulsion. In the best-case scenario, you would suffer heavy injuries and a regression in your cultivation; in the worst, you would suffer Qi deviation, leading to death."

Yang Xing nodded silently.

"However," Lu Shaoyou sighed, "if one could succeed in practicing two techniques simultaneously, the benefits would be unimaginable. Take our Four Absolutes Sect Master, known as 'He Who Holds the Sun and Moon.' It is because he practices both the 'White Tiger Sutra' and the 'Vermilion Bird Sutra' that he possesses two streams of energy, making him rare among his peers."

"But this is truly too difficult. Moreover, the more techniques you practice, the more dangerous it becomes. It is like dancing on the edge of a blade."

Yang Xing cupped his hands. "Thank you for clearing my doubts, Senior Brother."

Lu Shaoyou smiled. "It is a small matter. If there is anything else you do not understand, feel free to ask me anytime."

After a few more words of idle chatter, Yang Xing left the Xuanwu Pavilion and arrived at the third floor of the Four Absolutes Sect's Scripture Library.

The third floor could be considered the core area of the sect, housing the subsequent levels of the 'Xuanwu Sutra' and other techniques, as well as the advanced martial arts collected by the sect. Only those who have reached the Dan-Energy realm and possess an identity token may enter.

"This is the Wang family's 'Immeasurable Joy Body'?" On a shelf of hard-style techniques, Yang Xing discovered a top-tier martial art. It was the core technique of the Prefecture City's Wang family, though it was marked as having only five levels, with the remaining two missing. There were other top-tier techniques as well, but the cost of copying them was daunting—even as a sect disciple, a single top-tier technique required a minimum of fifty thousand taels of silver for the transcription fee. This gave him an idea of the true value of such arts.

Ultimately, Yang Xing transcribed the third level of the 'Xuanwu Sutra' and the first three levels of the 'Azure Dragon Sutra.'

The deacon at the registration desk looked at the techniques in his hand and asked, "You want to transcribe the 'Azure Dragon Sutra'?" The identity token clearly stated that Yang Xing was a disciple of the Xuanwu Pavilion, yet he was requesting the 'Azure Dragon Sutra.'

Yang Xing nodded. "That is correct."

The deacon said nothing more. "That will be seven thousand five hundred taels of silver." He had seen too many disciples like Yang Xing who thought they could practice two techniques at once to increase their power, only for it all to end in futility.

Yang Xing painfully produced the seven thousand five hundred taels; it was almost all of his remaining savings. Once the transcription was finished, he returned home impatiently to begin his practice.