Chapter 9 - Training (3)

After arriving at the arena, Chen Shenghlei paused, taking in the sight of his brother, Chen Zhen, sparring fiercely with Uncle Cheng.

The fluidity and power in Chen Zhen's movements were undeniable, a far cry from the novice he had once been.

Each clash of their swords echoed with the progress he had made over the past year.

"Brother, you called for me?" Chen Shenghlei asked, his voice resentful yet sincere.

There was a hint of malice and anger but also acknowledgment of his brother's newfound prowess in cultivation.

He could see that the skill level of his elder brother had risen once again.

Clink!

Swoosh!

The sharp clash of swords ceased instantly.

In a blur of motion, Chen Zhen and Uncle Cheng appeared before Chen Shenghlei, their qi-enhanced speed causing the air to ripple.

Shenghlei's heart skipped a beat at their sudden proximity.

"Congratulations on advancing to the third layer of the Qi Condensing Realm, young master,"

Dao Cheng said, his voice was heavy with respect, though his loyalty is more towards Chen Zhen, since he was Zhen's protector, but even so, Dao Cheng couldn't ignore Chen Shenghlei's perseverance.

The younger son's aura had grown firmer and more substantial, a clear indicator of his burgeoning power, but compared to others, he still had a long way to go.

"Indeed, he has matured," Chen Zhen remarked. He could see that Chen Shenghlei's transformation was not just in his cultivation; he had shed much of his excessive fat, although he was still somewhat stocky.

This physical change was a positive sign for his future in cultivation, as a strong and healthy body was essential for progress. "Looks like father had indeed given him some diamond rank art," he thought.

There are four levels of cultivation arts: mortal, earth, heaven, and desolate, with various sub-ranks such as bronze, silver, gold, platinum, diamond, and legendary.

The art Chen Shenghlei was practicing was clearly mortal tier-diamond rank art.

As for the earth, heaven, and desolate grade arts, it's simply impossible for such things to appear in the northern region of the violet domain, whose highest level cultivation is nascent soul, considered as the first step towards the immortality.

"Thank you, Uncle Cheng. Thank you, Brother Zhen. I'll keep working hard, and soon enough, you'll regret underestimating me in the arena… hmph," Chen Shenghlei said, a spark of challenge in his eyes.

Over the past year, he had endured grueling training sessions, often under his brother's harsh methods. Under the guise of teaching self-defense, Chen Zhen had pushed him to the brink, shattering bones and crushing his fragile spirit.

Even so, he didn't harbor any true hatred for his brother.

If anything, he only wanted to beat him like a dog or perhaps make him crawl like an earthworm, but even for that, he still was weak.

"Hahaha! It was for your own good, young master," Dao Cheng said, rubbing his chin awkwardly, his gaze shifting to the distant courtyard wall.

He was careful not to overstep his bounds within the complex dynamics of the Chen family.

"Don't worry, Shenghlei. Today isn't about sparring. Considering your recent breakthrough, I won't push you hard.... I'm here to show and teach you our family's cultivation art. Father has ordered it, so there's no escaping it," Chen Zhen said, his tone mixing authority with a touch of care.

Zhen himself wasn't naturally cruel, but as their family's influence expanded, they drew unwelcome attention from Wolves, prompting subtle shifts in the city lord's behavior.

As an adult, Zhen was well aware of the situation. While his brother had grown some intellect and strength, his strong moral compass risked hindering his progress in the cutthroat world of cultivation.

Thus, Zhen sought for his brother to adapt and thrive in the unforgiving, bloody world they live in.

"Good to hear. Otherwise, I was about to beat your ass," Chen Shenghlei retorted, a confident grin spreading across his face.

"Do you know about the origin of the Thousand Violent Petals, Shenghlei?" Chen Zhen asked.

"The Thousand Violent Petals technique harnesses leaves and petals from the surrounding woods, infusing them with Qi energy. These petals spin rapidly, forming a vortex with edges sharp enough to cut through metal. The quantity and power of these petals depend on the Qi reserves available. When directed, the petals shoot forth with immense speed and precision, piercing through any target, creating a deadly and unstoppable force,"

Chen Shenghlei said, pointing his silver sword through the air to emphasize his point. He turned to his brother, his eyes intense.

"That's all I know, brother. As for the origin of the technique, I don't know and I don't think it matters...."

"In ancient times, it was said that the sect master of the Holy Elixir Sect was ambushed by many demonic cultivators while facing the tribulations of heaven. With all his weapons already destroyed and nothing left to protect himself, he used the power of Thousand Violent Petals. Surrounding trees and flower plants became his weapon. On that day, there was a rain of leaves, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,000 demonic cultivators,"

Chen Zhen said enthusiastically, as this ancient battle was a subject he truly wished to know more about.

However, sadly, after the battle, the only cultivation sacred land in this region, the Holy Elixir sect, perished from the northern region, leaving this place without a sect, and thus, without protection, power and proper cultivation techniques.

"The fortunate aspect is that our father stumbled upon the Mortal Tire, a legendary-grade art, in the early years of his life. Without it, he wouldn't have achieved Foundation Establishment in just 70 years,"

Chen Zhen remarked with emotion, reflecting on their family's legacy.

He continued,

"I hope I awaken the wood element so that I could wield its complete power."

In the cultivation world, aptitude refers to a person's comprehension level and the speed at which they understand principles and various techniques.

A higher aptitude indicates greater comprehension and faster understanding of these concepts.

As for spiritual roots, they are innate qualities inherited from one's genes and are not easily changed.

Modifying spiritual roots typically requires the discovery of at least a desolate-grade Elixir, an exceedingly rare occurrence.

Spiritual roots serve to condense Qi between heaven and earth at a rapid pace.

Cultivatiors with the highest spiritual roots may not even need to cultivate, as the Qi of heaven and earth naturally gravitates towards them.

While aptitude aids in acquiring knowledge, spiritual roots provide the necessary power and energy.

Finally, there's the element. Once someone achieves the Foundation Establishment Realm, they awaken their innate talent.

At this point, their path becomes clear, and they begin mastering arts associated with their awakened element.

For example, if someone awakens the element of fire, they would excel in fire-based arts.

The same principle applies to other elements such as water, ice, wood, wind, void, and other unique energies present in the world.

To achieve great success and consistent advancement in cultivation, individuals must balance these three aspects: aptitude, spiritual roots, and mastery of their awakened element.

Achieving harmony among these elements is crucial for progress in the cultivation, and path of dao.

Of course, if one has a lower grade spiritual root but possesses high-grade aptitude, they still won't be able to achieve much in their life.

Awakening a weaker element, even with higher aptitude and spiritual roots, is akin to wasting one's potential.

If one wants to be called a genius, they have to be born with great luck and awaken higher-grade spiritual roots.

Additionally, they need to be a prodigy with great aptitude. Then, they need even more luck to awaken unique elements.

This is also the reason why there are not many people who achieve success in cultivation, because nurturing a cultivator is akin to using the resources and effort of any mortal country.

At this moment, Chen Zhen stood tall in the arena, his eyes focused, and his breath steady. Nearby, his brother Chen Shenghlei observed with keen interest.

Chen Zhen raised his hand. "Watch closely, brother," he said, his voice tinged with excitement. "I'm about to demonstrate the Thousand Violent Petals technique."

Chen Shenghlei nodded eagerly, his eyes fixed on his brother's every movement.

With a deep inhale, Chen Zhen concentrated his Qi, and soon, a green aura burst forth as if revitalizing the entire courtyard, channeling it into the surrounding foliage.

Slowly, the leaves and petals began to stir as if a violent breeze had brushed against them.

"Remarkable," Chen Shenghlei murmured, awe evident in his voice.

Suddenly, five petals broke away from the swirling mass, hovering in front of Chen Zhen like obedient soldiers awaiting orders.

All these petals were spinning at great speed horizontally, their edges creating a sharp point imbued with qi.

"These are the Thousand Violent Petals," Chen Zhen explained, his gaze fixed on the shimmering petals. "Sadly, now I can only control a handful, but with practice, I'll command thousands."

Soon, he shot forth the leaves at the head of a nearby stone wall, and soon, five burning holes were made in which sunlight was coming forth.

"Did you see this?" Chen Zhen asked proudly, and then he yanked a scripture from his pocket and gave it to Chen Shenghlei. "Take this; you need to understand this on a certain level before you reach adulthood."

Chen Shenghlei, on the other hand, wasn't very happy.

He was already burdened with even more terrifying art that he was learning, but now he had to master this one as well.

Reluctantly, he said, "Alright, I would naturally do so, but where is our father?"

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( End of this Chapter)

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