Jiang Man's mindset had not shifted in the slightest.
Not because he was aloof or above it all.
Rather, he was not being groomed by Luo Xuan, nor was he no match for Song Qing.
Therefore, there was nothing to say.
The truth would be revealed through their hands.
Song Qing came from a mountain village, sharing the same background as Jiang Man.
He had no desire to return to his village after concluding his cultivation training.
Yet if he didn't return, he had to find a way to remain in Luoyun City.
With his strength and ranking, how could he outcompete the others?
Staying behind was simply too difficult.
Barring any surprises, his ultimate fate would still be returning to his village.
Once back, trying to leave again would be harder than ascending the blue heavens.
Thus, this opportunity was rare, and he wanted to seize it.
Though those people deemed acting as a personal guard shameful, it was only because they resented that it wasn't them.
"Pardon my offense," Song Qing said as he prepared to strike.
He wanted to give Jiang Man a shock, yet without defeating him instantly.
Jiang Man had only just improved his ranking, and this was his final year; there was definitely no time for him to cultivate the Six Harmonies Palm.
Victory was assured, or so Song Qing thought.
Immediately, he stepped forward, spiritual qi surging in his palm.
A palm thrust straight for Jiang Man's face.
Hidden force surged right after; what appeared to be a single palm was actually three consecutive strikes.
Except the latter two palms were steered toward the flank by him, biding their time to strike.
At that moment, he saw Jiang Man thrust a palm forward as well.
*I've won. Not an ounce of technique—he really has only just started practicing the Six Harmonies Palm.*
*Bang!*
Just as Song Qing was about to follow through with his technique, he suddenly felt a palm hit his abdomen, sending his entire body flying backward.
Caught off guard, he nearly tumbled, only managing to steady himself by executing the Divine Travel Step.
In an instant, he looked at Jiang Man in disbelief.
What had just happened?
Why had he been knocked back after just one exchange?
Jiang Man's strength didn't seem weak at all.
*I was careless.*
After that, he didn't dare be careless in the slightest.
He struck out once more.
This time, he clearly felt his spiritual qi palm prints entirely neutralized.
The fourth layer of the Six Harmonies Palm?
So fast?
Hesitating no further, Song Qing darted forward, knowing he had to close the distance to press his advantage.
Sure enough, under his palm technique, Jiang Man was forced back step by step. *This guy is just someone who relies on brute force without any technique.*
His palm strikes were fierce and fluid like a swimming dragon, unceasing in their assault until Jiang Man seemed hard-pressed to parry. Finally, he spotted an opening—*now is the moment!*
Striking with full force, three palm prints materialized.
At the same time, he saw Jiang Man strike with a palm as well.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Three loud crashes rang out, and his spiritual qi palm prints shattered in response.
Yet the other party still had an additional palm print whistling forward!
The palm print blocked out Song Qing's entire vision.
With a heavy thud, Song Qing tumbled to the ground and rolled several times.
Such a commotion drew the gaze of everyone nearby.
Especially upon seeing that the one who made the move was Jiang Man.
They were somewhat astonished.
Some were even baffled: his cultivation had only just been assessed, so how could he suddenly defeat Song Qing with the Six Harmonies Palm?
Fang Yong's brow furrowed, and he turned to glance at Luo Xuan.
He, too, suspected it was Luo Xuan's doing.
The latter offered no explanation.
Misunderstandings were sometimes advantageous to her as well.
"If nothing is wrong, continue. Everyone, focus," Teacher Fu chimed in.
She looked at Jiang Man with considerable surprise as well.
She knew when Jiang Man had received the Six Harmonies Palm manual.
It had only been a single day, and he was already at the fifth layer?
Or had he cultivated it secretly beforehand?
Technically that wasn't permitted, but if no one had caught him, then officially he hadn't.
So there was no need to dwell on it too much.
"Good match," Jiang Man said with a smile.
"Was I just careless?" Song Qing asked.
Jiang Man shook his head. "I'm just too strong."
Song Qing was silent for a moment before saying, "No wonder Luo Xuan chose you."
Jiang Man: "..."
*My win has nothing to do with her.*
Jiang Man felt helpless inside, but he still offered an explanation.
His ability to win was entirely due to talent and hard work, with not the slightest connection to Luo Xuan.
Yet the other guy simply didn't believe him.
After that came new sparring matches, determining who was stronger among them, which turned into exchanges between those of equal skill.
It was meant to mend one's shortcomings and improve one's mastery in applying the Six Harmonies Palm.
At noon, it was scheduled cultivation.
The little fatty continued to cultivate unceasingly alongside Jiang Man.
He said that although he was currently second from last, the one ranked dead last was neck and neck with him.
Their positions could switch at any time.
He had to work hard alongside Jiang Man.
He absolutely could not end up dead last, or it would be impossible to face his family back home.
Evening.
Jiang Man's Qi and Blood Method successfully reached the sixth layer, and by tonight it would reach the seventh layer.
In the next two days, he would be able to attain the ninth layer.
Thereby beginning to enhance his physical constitution.
Withdrawing his technique, he took a deep breath and left the Sixth Courtyard.
The back courtyard.
In front of Teacher Zhao's quarters.
Jiang Man tapped lightly on the door.
Seeing who it was, Zhao Leming was quite surprised, wondering what Jiang Man had come looking for him for.
Food?
Or perhaps looking for new work chores?
If he had come for the feeding method, that would be quite troublesome.
"Jiang Man, do you have some doubts regarding cultivation?" Zhao Leming invited him in to sit.
Hearing this, Jiang Man shook his head. "Teacher Zhao's guidance has benefited me greatly, so I don't have many problems on that front. It's just that there is one question I wished to ask about."
"What is it?" Zhao Leming asked, quite curious as well.
Jiang Man hesitated slightly before saying, "I've heard that the Yunqian Division possesses a superior-grade Visualization Method."
Zhao Leming looked at the youth before him with some surprise. "You want it?"
"If a better one exists, naturally I wish to learn it," Jiang Man replied truthfully.
"That's easy enough," Zhao Leming said calmly. "Secure a spot this time, and then rank in the top three of the Yunqian Division, and you can obtain this Visualization Method."
Jiang Man fell silent. There wouldn't be enough time.
From mid-August to mid-December was one hundred and twenty days.
Yet he had only one hundred days.
In other words, by late November, he had to successfully cultivate a superior-grade Visualization Method.
"Can't do it?" Zhao Leming asked.
He hadn't actually expected Jiang Man could pull it off anyway.
The gap was simply too vast.
Though his advancement to the Qi-Linking third layer had been swift, advancing further later on would be far harder than before.
One had to cultivate the Qi and Blood Method alongside it.
Once one cultivated it, it demanded a great deal of mental effort and financial resources.
Otherwise, one could not endure the ravenous hunger.
Jiang Man gave a slight nod. "Is there any faster way?"
"How fast?" Zhao Leming asked.
Although Jiang Man was improving fast, Zhao Leming felt the youth was somewhat losing grip on his original resolve.
Acting like this, he was unlikely to go far.
Even if someone was secretly backing him from behind the scenes.
Yet would a backer really support someone who lost their grounded nature just from advancing to the Qi-Linking third layer?
He found it somewhat doubtful.
Hence, his tone remained unchanged.
Perhaps there were other reasons at play.
"Within two months," Jiang Man said.
Hearing this, Zhao Leming looked at Jiang Man with suspicion.
Whether he could obtain the Simplified Visualization Method within two months was already questionable, let alone a superior-grade Visualization Method.
"Which means you don't intend to follow the conventional path?" Zhao Leming asked.
Jiang Man nodded.
Indeed.
After the contest for the spots, it would be meaningless to him.
Because he wouldn't live that long.
His fate would cause him to lose all his cultivation, leading to his failure in securing a spot.
And after that, there would be no future left.
Furthermore, what would happen after losing all his cultivation was completely unknown.
Yet it certainly wouldn't be good.
Otherwise, those bearing such a fate would not have had short lifespans, none meeting a good end.
"If this were in past years, there would basically be no other way, but this year is different," Zhao Leming said, looking at Jiang Man. "In about a month, people from the sect will come to select a number of individuals to conduct cultivation technique trials. Roughly three techniques: a mortal-rank superior grade Qi-Linking Method, a mortal-rank superior grade Qi-Blood Method, and a mortal-rank superior grade Visualization Method. The test subjects can choose one of them. Do you want to try signing up?"
"Can I sign up?" Jiang Man didn't dare agree outright. Could such a windfall really fall into his lap?
"You can. This kind of cultivation technique trial usually has no issues whatsoever. To put it plainly, it's the sect giving away a cultivation technique for free," Zhao Leming said, looking at Jiang Man earnestly. "Therefore, a crowd of people will fight over the spots. I could certainly help, but you must pay a steep price."
Having said that, he looked at Jiang Man and spoke no further.
Jiang Man could sense that his words carried a deeper implication.
Chapter 22