Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 376 Summoning (Part 1)

Nine-Bend Courtyard, Lecture Square.

Zhong Yunxiu sat cross-legged on the futon above, closing her eyes to rest.

Standing beside her was Senior Sister Zhong Han, who was smiling and greeting the junior brothers and sisters below.

Several people had arrived at the square early on.

By the time Han Yi arrived, nearly half of the thirty prayer cushions had already been used.

He didn't mind, first bowing to Zhong Han, then finding an acquaintance and sitting down next to him.

"Brother Han, how have you been lately?" Sun Zheng turned his head and asked in a low voice.

"Not bad. Just like always, eating, resting, and practicing martial arts." Han Yi smiled. "How have you been lately, Brother Sun?"

"Difficult, difficult, difficult!" Sun Zheng sighed. "Me... I still haven't even grasped the third level of true skill... The difference in aptitude between people is just too great..."

Fang Chengqi and Yang Wei, who had only been practicing for a few months before the New Year, are said to have already entered the Jin stage and are now striving towards the third level of mastery. These two truly deserve to be called geniuses with exceptional talent, aptitude, and qi; they are younger than me and have only been practicing for a short time, yet their progress far surpasses ours…

Before I entered this world, I even considered myself quite talented. Compared to these two, I'm several years older, yet I'm still stuck on the second level. I'm practically no different from a complete idiot.

Sun Zheng and Han Yi were in the same batch of disciples who entered the Nine-Bend Academy, and it had been about a year since then.

"Brother Sun, why belittle yourself so much? You must know that life is unpredictable. We martial artists should have a broad mind and focus on the future," Han Yi comforted him. "Besides, the academy requires breaking through to the fourth level within three years. There's still plenty of time; there's no need to rush. Moreover, the cultivation of the second level is all about perseverance. The key is to disperse the vital energy within the body and evenly convert it into true internal energy, distributing it throughout the body in this cycle. That's all. With the remaining two years, Brother Sun, breaking through to the fourth level will be a piece of cake."

After all, he had already broken through to the second level, and his various techniques and key experiences were all well-reasoned and logically sound.

Upon hearing this, Sun Zheng was stunned for a moment, and the way he looked at Han Yi changed.

"Brother Han, from what you're saying, it seems you've already come into contact with the third level of the secret manual?"

Han Yi nodded: "That's right. Of the first four levels of true skill, only the third level is the key, especially the mastery stage of the third level, which is the most difficult."

He didn't hide his progress, after all, Dean Zhong Yunxiu and Senior Sister Zhong Han were aware of his cultivation level. Besides, there was no need to.

Compared to Fang Chengqi, who broke through to the third level of true skill in three months, he only reached the third level after a year, which can only be considered as above average.

He had long understood that in today's world, hiding his cultivation level would do him no good; only by demonstrating his genius could he gain more resources and support.

This isn't a novel; the more talented you are, the more setbacks you'll face.

In reality, the more talented, gifted, and faster a disciple is in cultivation, the more preferential treatment they receive.

Disciples and sects are inherently complementary.

“The third level of true skill…” Sun Zheng paused for a moment, “So, Brother Han has lost his skill?”

The reason he's stuck on the second level is because he doesn't have enough Yuan Blood to allocate.

"There's no other way..." Han Yi's face was heavy, with a hint of helplessness. "You have to give up something to gain something. If we outsiders want to advance further, we have no choice but to harden our hearts and make a clean break." Han Yi knew about Sun Zheng's situation. He seemed to be the son of the leader of a small sect, but that small sect was destroyed in the struggle.

Left with no other choice, Sun Zheng fled in haste to Jingtian Manor to learn martial arts, hoping to avenge his family.

Like Han Yi, Sun Zheng was a disciple who had traveled a long way to become an apprentice. However, Sun Zheng was much wealthier than Han Yi.

Furthermore, since they were disciples from the same batch, they were quite close to each other and discussed many issues.

The two had previously discussed for some time whether or not they should disperse their internal energy.

"What courage!" Sun Zheng exclaimed. "If I had Brother Han's decisiveness back then, I wouldn't be so conflicted now..."

Now, his progress in cultivating the second level of his true skill has reached a deep stage, and his vital essence and the secondary cultivation method have become intertwined. If he were to disperse his skill, he would likely lose the vital essence allocated to his true skill as well. This would mean that everything would have to start from scratch, and all his efforts during this period would be in vain.

"Brother Han, do you regret it?" Sun Zheng was unwilling to talk about his own affairs. "We martial arts masters will inevitably damage our physical foundation once our skills are dissipated, and it will be difficult for us to reach the Grandmaster level in this lifetime."

"Regret?" Han Yi glanced at him. "Just like before, I still believe in living in the present. We can deal with the future later, but if there is no present, nothing we say will make a difference."

"Haha, what a great saying, 'Live in the moment.' That's a good one, I, Lao Xiao, like it!" A tall, strong, and resolute-looking man walked over.

The person who arrived was none other than Xiao Zhong, the second-ranked member of the Nine-Bend Academy in terms of strength and status, second only to Senior Sister Zhong Han.

"Senior Brother Xiao." Han Yi and Sun Zheng stood up and greeted him with a cupped hand.

"You are Han Yi?" Xiao Zhong asked directly without even looking at Sun Zheng.

"Not bad." Han Yi nodded. "You were chosen to sponsor Plum Blossom Pavilion before, right?" Xiao Zhong suddenly asked, "I heard that Plum Blossom Pavilion got into trouble with the Mad Lion Gang. Did you handle it?"

"Senior brother is well-informed," Han Yi nodded.

"Is it really you?" Xiao Zhong asked in surprise. "That Mad Lion Lin Zhenwei was a genuine Three Strength Martial Master. How could Junior Brother Han single-handedly take on a group of skilled fighters and wipe out a Three Strength Martial Master?"

Han Yi paused for a moment: "Senior brother, Lin Zhenwei is a three-level martial arts master, while my true skills have only just entered the third level. What qualifications do I have to challenge a group of people?"

This matter wasn't handled by me alone; there are other hidden circumstances. However, it involves the affairs of the Plum Blossom Pavilion family, so it needs to be kept confidential.

"If it's inconvenient, then forget it." Xiao Zhong approached, patted Han Yi on the shoulder, and said in a friendly tone, "No matter what, even if you didn't accomplish it all by yourself, being able to successfully surround and defeat three martial arts masters with only one martial arts master is still a skill of yours."

"Senior brother, you flatter me. I was just lucky," Han Yi smiled. "Not bad, not bad. He's a good prospect." Xiao Zhong shook his head and strode away, not glancing at Sun Zheng once in the entire process.

"Brother Han, you are indeed very lucky. You actually managed to gain the favor of Senior Brother Xiao." Sun Zheng only dared to step forward and talk to Han Yi after Xiao Zhong left.

"What good is valuing it?" Han Yi shook his head. "People still have to rely on themselves."

“Brother Han, you are mistaken,” Sun Zheng argued. “You are unaware that Senior Brother Xiao Zhong comes from a family of military officers; three generations of his family have served in the Imperial Guard, and his elder brothers hold important positions. Maintaining a good relationship with him will at least ensure a good future when we have no choice but to leave the Inner Court…”