Before the Mid Qi Refining Stage, all cultivation was for the sake of tempering the fleshly body. This was the foundation of the Path of the Dao. If one's body cultivation was poor, the amount of spiritual power it could bear would also be limited.
During the Probationary Disciple period, the instructors in every study hall would admonish them to place their focus on cultivation itself, rather than pursuing unorthodox side paths and various magical arts. Only by successfully stepping into the Mid Qi Refining Stage could one divide their attention to focus on magical arts and excel in combat.
Furthermore, those who failed to reach the Mid Qi Refining Stage within five years would be kept on as Menial Laborers. This type of cultivator would find it difficult to advance in the future, so they too would cultivate more magical arts to increase their own capabilities.
To assist the Official Disciples in their cultivation, the Sect had several man-made Danger Zones where disciples could practice their magical arts. If one could ascend the leaderboards in these Danger Zones and leave their name, there were even rewards to be had. The place Zhao Chun was heading to was one such place, the Threefold Stone Forest.
This place was located southeast of the Secluded Valley. It was transformed from the halberd magical artifact of the First Generation Sect Master. Within it were three layers of mountain and river barriers, and inside, the boulders were shaped like pillars, like fans, in all sorts of forms.
The True Spirit Sect had also set up an Illusion Array here. Whenever a disciple entered, Monkey Shadows would appear and attack. Therefore, some people also named it "Monkey Pass."
With its rugged terrain and elusive Monkey Shadows, the Threefold Stone Forest had become a training ground for movement techniques and offensive arts. Zhao Chun was seeking only the opportunity for her body to move as her will desired, so she naturally chose this place.
Upon first entering the Danger Zone, it was as if she had left the Secluded Valley, with no trace of the True Spirit Sect's marvelous mountain and water scenery to be seen. A dense gray fog shrouded everything in layers, and the several mountain crags seemed to shift from far to near in an instant.
The entrance was quite small, appearing no bigger than a square inch from afar. A small, suspended pavilion jutted out from a steep precipice, which was where the gatekeeper resided. Beside the small pavilion, on a cliff that rose straight from the ground, the four characters for "Slaughter Run" and "Forest Piercing" were daubed in red brushstrokes.
Beneath each large character were two columns of smaller characters. Zhao Chun looked up, finding it quite interesting. This gatehouse was built so high and perilous that if one's movement technique was uncultivated, it would be truly difficult to get up.
She feared that this entrance alone barred many people from even getting inside. She used her Swift-Walk Step and Snake-Form Step in tandem, and within a few breaths, she had shot up. The Menial Laborer guarding the pavilion had been momentarily lost in thought, and he had no idea what had just flown in.
It was just a flash before his eyes, roughly the size of a tiny dark shadow. Only when the dark shadow came to a stop did he see clearly that it was a person. She was thin and small, and dressed plainly.
He had no idea where this child had come from. After "flying" in, Zhao Chun realized the small pavilion was indeed very small, even somewhat crowded inside. Aside from her, there was no one else, giving it an exceptionally cold and desolate feel.
"Are you the only one here?"
The male disciple guarding the gate came back to his senses and nodded, his expression wooden.
"Are you here for the trial? Hand over your identity token, and pay a fee of twenty Essence Stones."
Twenty?
Zhao Chun clicked her tongue slightly. That price really was expensive. She handed over her token and asked, "Does no one usually come here?"
The male disciple took it and had a look. Whoa, she was from the Inner Sect! Hearing her question, he suddenly opened up as if a floodgate had been released, rambling on, "People do come, just not many.
I heard from the senior brothers who used to be on duty here that in the old days, many people came. But now it seems there's a new place to go, so fewer people come here. Even for those who do come, when they hear it costs twenty Essence Stones, they curse us guards for overcharging and run off.
I mean, for us people who just do the work, what right do we have to set the price? We don't get any extra benefits, but we still get cursed out." Zhao Chun also felt it was a bit expensive.
Seeing the male disciple's bitter expression, she found it amusing.
"It is indeed expensive. An ordinary Outer Sect Disciple only gets sixty a month. Even if they scrimp and save, they can't come here many times."
"Expensive it may be, but we're fair to all!" he said, as if she had stepped on his tail, and he began to boast like a mortal merchant, "This was transformed from the Founding Master's own magical artifact, and even the formation was set by a Founding Elder. The number of Essence Stones invested in its maintenance every year is in the tens of thousands. Charging twenty is just a drop in the bucket. How could it not be worth it to trade this for a chance at a great fortune?"
Zhao Chun's mind was as clear as a mirror. A great fortune could be had, but it had to be built upon dozens or even hundreds or thousands of training sessions. At twenty each time, a careful calculation would reveal it to be an enormous expense.
Most Outer Sect Disciples, unless they had a fortuitous encounter, would absolutely be unable to bear such a cost.
"What do you mean by this new place you mentioned?"
This was what Zhao Chun was curious about. At first, the male disciple was evasive and unwilling to speak clearly, afraid she would turn around and leave. Only after Zhao Chun repeatedly assured him that she was indeed here for Monkey Pass today did he finally explain.
Among the thousands of disciples in the Outer Sect, each had their own strengths. There were those who excelled in cultivating techniques, and those who excelled in movement techniques and combat.
The disciples who had a specialty in a certain area would use their skills to make a profit, opening special lecture halls, collecting tuition, and teaching others the secrets of magical arts. Zhao Chun nodded as she listened. It felt a bit like the tutoring classes of her previous life.
But cultivating this way was no different from following another person's path. Blindly following would ultimately mean living in another's shadow. All kinds of magical arts ultimately had to be used by oneself.
If one did not achieve a breakthrough through their own feelings and perceptions, how could they command them as they wished?
"If this continues long-term, the disciples will just be following the book everywhere, and it will be difficult for them to innovate. Does the Sect not step in to manage this?"
The male disciple sighed.
"In the past, it seems... perhaps they did manage it? But it's become more and more popular over the last twenty years, and I haven't seen the Sect express any opinions..."
Zhao Chun frowned and remained silent for a long time. There were some things about the True Spirit Sect that truly puzzled her. A moment later, she took out twenty Essence Stones.
"Record one attempt for me first. I'll calculate the rest after I've given it a try."
"Eh! Alright!"
The male disciple hurriedly took them, smiling happily.
"You're quite clear-headed, knowing what's good for your cultivation."
After his smile, he went on to talk about some miscellaneous matters regarding Monkey Pass. For example, the three barriers separated two long passes, each ten li long. The terrain in the first pass was slightly gentler, suitable for Mid Qi Refining Stage disciples to train.
The other was much more dangerous, and it was recommended to enter only at the Late Stage of Qi Refinement. And the two boards on the side, "Slaughter Run" and "Forest Piercing," referred to two different trial methods.
In the ten-li long pass, one could travel through at high speed, and the shortest time would be recorded, allowing one to enter the "Forest Piercing" board. Taking the time of one incense stick as a measure, the one who killed the most Monkey Shadows would have their kill count recorded, allowing them to enter the "Slaughter Run" board.
The two boards each had a separate column for Mid and Late Qi Refining Stage disciples, and they were not calculated together. Speaking of this, the male disciple leaned in closer.
"Each board has a hundred people. From eleventh to one-hundredth place, the reward is five hundred Essence Stones. For tenth place, it's a thousand. And for every rank higher, it increases by another thousand!"
That was truly a generous sum. If one could take the top spot, it would be ten thousand Essence Stones, which was undoubtedly a huge fortune for a Qi Refining Stage disciple. Zhao Chun saw the cunning look in the male disciple's eyes and asked, "I'm afraid it's not that simple, is it?"
"That's also true."
He chuckled sheepishly.
"This board has been running since the sect's founding, for over two thousand years now. Genius disciples from every generation have almost completely filled the list. It's extremely difficult for those who come later to get on it. Some who refused to accept it tried their luck, but most of them just came to give away their Essence Stones for nothing. Over time, fewer and fewer people dared to try."
His eyes widened as he said tentatively, "But your movement technique is so swift, you can surely get on the board. If you can't do it once, just try a few more times. Once you're on, you'll have made your money back!"
Zhao Chun was momentarily speechless. She wasn't here to earn money. This was a critical period for her to break through to the next realm; coming to Monkey Pass for her own purpose was more important.
(End of this chapter)