Volume Two: The Nine Provinces Map Reveals Itself, Entering the Spirit Ruins Chapter 98: They Have Been Discovered

When Chu Shu and the other two arrived outside Taizhuo Peak, the one they saw in meditation was Chen Yu.

“Ah... so there really is someone cultivating here? But what art is he practicing? Why does it look as though his body is coated in a layer of golden light?” asked the little girl, Chu Qian, in puzzlement.

Xia Zhen slightly furrowed her brows as well, having discerned that Chen Yu was no ordinary man. In a low voice, she said, “His method seems somewhat like the Sky-Mending Sun-Bathing Art among the Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Methods, only right now...”

The most astonished of all, however, was undoubtedly Chu Shu. He cried out in disbelief, “Him? How can it be him? This is impossible!”

“Big brother, do you know him?” Chu Qian asked curiously. Even Xia Zhen could not help but look over.

Chu Shu nodded and said, “I did see this person two years ago. Back then, he was not yet a disciple of our Spirit Hollow Sect; it should have been Senior Brother Zhao Ying who brought him in. But afterward I never heard Senior Brother Zhao mention it again, so I had forgotten.”

“Oh... but even so, what is there to be so surprised about?” Chu Qian grew even more curious.

“Given his cultivation at the time, he should not have been able to become an outer sect disciple,” Chu Shu said.

“Why not?” Chu Qian did not understand.

Xia Zhen merely glanced at Chen Yu once before guessing, “Is it because of his age?”

“Yes. Back then, he had already passed the age limit for recruitment into the Spirit Hollow Sect and could only become a servant disciple. Moreover, that year his dantian power was only at the level of five breaths,” Chu Shu said with certainty.

“So you're saying that in just two years, he not only cultivated to nine breaths of dantian power, but even passed the assessment for outer sect disciples?”

“That must be it,” Chu Shu said, equally astonished.

“Heh... how interesting,” Chu Qian said, her curiosity toward Chen Yu growing and growing.

The three of them did not disturb Chen Yu's cultivation. An hour later, the golden light around Chen Yu faded, and he slowly awoke. At that very moment, he frowned, sensing that he was being watched. He did not know whether the visitors were friend or foe, or whether they had discovered something. In any case, he pretended not to notice, slowly rose to his feet, and was about to leave first.

Unexpectedly, just as he stood up, a voice came from behind him.

“Junior brother, please wait.”

Chen Yu froze. He turned around in feigned panic and called out, “Who...?”

“So it really is Junior Brother Chen Yu. I wonder whether Junior Brother still remembers me?” By then, Chu Shu and the other two had also come over.

Chen Yu paused, his brows knitting slightly. Then, as though he had suddenly remembered something, he quickly put on a smile and said, “So it is Brother Chu. Long time no see.”

After that, he looked toward the two women and asked, “May I ask what the two senior sisters are called?”

“I’m Chu Qian, his younger sister,” Chu Qian said with a touch of mischief.

“Xia Zhen,” said the other woman.

Chen Yu cupped his hands and bowed. “Chen Yu greets the two senior sisters.”

“Haha... I truly did not expect this. Only two years have passed, and Chen Yu, you have really become an outer sect disciple of our Spirit Hollow Sect,” Chu Shu said with a laugh.

“Brother Chu flatters me. I only managed it through a bit of luck,” Chen Yu replied with an awkward smile.

“Whether it was luck or whether your strength truly deserved it, the fact remains that now that you are an outer sect disciple, you must not become lax in your cultivation,” Chu Shu said.

“Of course.”

“Hey, Junior Brother Chen Yu, was it? May I ask what you were just cultivating? Why did golden light appear on your body?” Chu Qian asked directly, showing no concern for tact at all.

“I was cultivating the Sky-Mending Sun-Bathing Art,” Chen Yu said after a moment's thought, deciding not to conceal it. After all, with Chu Shu and this woman’s eyes, it would be impossible for them not to see something.

“That doesn't sound right! Senior Sister said the Sky-Mending Sun-Bathing Art has to draw upon the power of the sun in order to be cultivated. But right now it is clearly night,” Chu Qian said with a skeptical look, as though to say, Are you trying to fool me?

Chen Yu gave an awkward smile. “That is true. It's just that I also borrowed another method, which is why such a phenomenon appeared.”

“Oh... then what is it?” Chu Qian asked again, clearly determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Little sister, that is Junior Brother Chen Yu's secret. It isn't very polite to ask like that,” Chu Shu promptly interrupted, showing far more social awareness.

Chu Qian pouted. “I was only asking. Why are you being so serious?”

Chu Shu had no way to handle his younger sister and could only apologize helplessly to Chen Yu. “My sister speaks very bluntly, Junior Brother. I hope you won't laugh at her.”

“Not at all, not at all...” Chen Yu replied with another awkward smile.

“By the way, I just saw that Junior Brother Chen Yu's cultivation is very solid. Are you preparing to break through to the One-Prime Realm?” Chu Shu could not help but ask.

“Brother Chu laughs at me. Junior brother does indeed have that plan.”

“In that case, have you decided what method you will cultivate? Would you like me to recommend one or two?”

Chen Yu smiled calmly. “I have already chosen.”

“Oh... then what will you cultivate?” Chu Qian could not help asking with renewed curiosity.

“I chose the Primordial Scripture.”

“Primordial Scripture?” Chu Qian looked utterly baffled, unable to recall any such classic text. But Chu Shu and Xia Zhen were different; both of them stared at Chen Yu in astonishment.

“The Primordial Scripture... are you sure you said the Primordial Scripture?” Chu Shu asked in surprise.

“Yes.”

“As far as I know, the Primordial Scripture is an incomplete manual, and it only contains texts up to the Four-Emblems Realm. Why would you...” Xia Zhen also asked.

“That is true. The reason I chose it is because it is no weaker than the Supreme Clear Spirit Scripture in the One-Prime Realm. That's all.”

“What about after that?”

Chen Yu said with unruffled confidence, “There is no need to worry too early. When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a road; when the willows darken and the flowers bloom, another village will appear.”

“You...” Chu Shu said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

Xia Zhen said, puzzled, “But the Primordial Scripture is not so easy to comprehend, and it is also incomplete. You really have that much confidence?”

“Junior brother is not talented, but I have already gained a little from it,” Chen Yu said with a composed smile.

Even Chu Shu and Xia Zhen could not help but twitch their mouths at this point. Chen Yu, in that moment, really did seem somewhat deserving of a beating.

After chatting a while longer, Chen Yu took his leave. He thought to himself that since he had already been discovered tonight, he could no longer come again. Fortunately, both the Method of Reversing Creation and the Sky-Mending Sun-Bathing Art had already been successfully cultivated, and it was time to prepare for a breakthrough to the One-Prime Realm.

At the thought of this, Chen Yu's spirits could not help but surge with excitement.

“What do you think of him, Brother Chu?” Xia Zhen asked.

“His strength seems quite good, but this man's way of thinking... I can’t quite keep up,” Chu Shu said awkwardly with a laugh. “How should I put it? He is confident—so confident that he makes one feel he is simply too conceited.”

“Whether he's conceited or not will be proven by whether he can break through to the One-Prime Realm,” Xia Zhen said meaningfully.

“Is that so? I actually think this junior brother is rather interesting. How could he possibly have chosen to cultivate an incomplete manual?” Chu Qian cut in from the side, full of curiosity.