NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: All-Out Cultivation
The Meng Family Ancestral Estate was bustling as people lined up to receive medicinal pills and treasures.
"So much."
"Are they giving out so many pills?"
The family members receiving the medicinal pills and treasures were all astonished. A woman holding the hand of her seven-year-old daughter, receiving her daughter's monthly cultivation resources, was also shocked: "Previously, my daughter only got three taels of silver and one Qi Blood Pill a month. Now she gets thirty taels of silver and ten Qi Blood Pills? That's one Qi Blood Pill every three days?"
Her daughter was only seven, not very diligent in her cultivation, and was among the most basic resource allocation for the younger generation. Now, the resources had suddenly increased so dramatically.
"Everyone, the patriarch has personally said that from this month onwards, all family members under twenty will receive ten times the previous amount of medicinal pills and silver each month," the family members distributing the resources explained. Word spread quickly, and the entire Meng Family Ancestral Estate was in an uproar.
The younger generation of the family was divided into five levels based on their progress in cultivation.
Like Meng Wenying and Meng Chuan, they were in the top tier and were already being heavily cultivated.
There were also the second tier, third tier...
But now, even the most ordinary young members were receiving thirty taels of silver and ten Qi Blood Pills a month.
"Patriarch, there are over two thousand family members aged between six and twenty. Can the family afford to distribute so much?" an old servant asked with concern. The patriarch Meng Yanping, standing in the distance watching the excited family members领取资源, calmly said, "Don't worry, the family's accumulated wealth can sustain this for ten years."
The old servant was slightly worried.
The income of a divine being's family was astonishing, but so was the expenditure. Now the family was truly pouring all its resources into cultivating this generation, willing to spend whatever it takes for ten years! Hoping to nurture a promising candidate who could become a 'divine being.'
...
Meng's Mansion by Jinghu Lake
Meng Dajiang led a dozen people back to the residence.
"Master," the servants and maids all respectfully greeted.
"Where's the young master?" Meng Dajiang asked.
"The young master is at the training ground," the servants all respectfully replied.
Meng Dajiang frowned, looking up at the sky. The sun was setting, already in the申时: "Is he still practicing the saber at this time?"
He led the group toward the training ground, faintly hearing the sound of saber slicing through the air. He waved his hand and whispered to them to wait, then quietly approached and peeked through a hole in the training ground's courtyard wall. He could see a young boy's figure blurred, completely hidden within the saber light, practicing the Falling Leaf Saber Technique.
"Qian Fang," Meng Dajiang beckoned to a middle-aged man not far away. Qian Fang, an old servant who attended to Meng Chuan, quickly came over.
"I ask you," Meng Dajiang lowered his voice, "how long has Chuan'er been practicing the saber today?"
"Master, the young master started practicing the saber from early morning, and except for meals and a short rest, he hasn't stopped!" Qian Fang quickly replied.
"Practicing for so long?" Meng Dajiang frowned.
"Even after soaking in medicinal bath at night, the young master would practice the saber for an hour in his own courtyard," Qian Fang couldn't help but say. "In recent days, besides eating, sleeping, painting, medicinal bath, and refining his bones... the young master has been practicing the saber for six or seven hours a day."
"In recent days?" Meng Dajiang muttered to himself.
In recent days?
What could have driven his son to practice the saber so intensely?
Ending the engagement?
"Just in recent days!" Qian Fang said, "Before, the young master was in high spirits and even asked me to buy some stories of divine beings. He wasn't practicing so obsessively. I don't know what happened in these few days, and my attempts to persuade him didn't work."
.....
A moment later, at the training ground.
Meng Chuan was immersed in "Falling Leaf Blade."
"Chuan'er," Meng Da Jiang's voice rang out.
"Father," Meng Chuan stopped and saw Meng Da Jiang leading over a dozen people walking in.
Meng Da Jiang smiled and said, "Chuan'er, the clan has decided to invest more resources in your training. So from today onwards, these eight Marrow Washing Realm and three Transfiguration Realm experts will be your training partners."
"Aren't I already training with my guards?" Meng Chuan was a bit surprised.
He originally had eight Marrow Washing Realm guards and two Transfiguration Realm guards who occasionally sparred with him.
"Those are your guards, but these are your dedicated training partners. For example, these eight Marrow Washing Realm experts include those skilled in archery and those skilled in hidden weapons... They will be more helpful to your cultivation," Meng Da Jiang explained. "Moreover, those guards of yours, being guards, can't be expected to frequently accompany you in training, can they?"
Meng Chuan nodded.
Guards are paid for their work and do as much as they are compensated for. Occasionally sparring is fine, but long-term sparring would lead to complaints.
"These three Transfiguration Realm experts need no introduction regarding their help to you. This one..." Meng Da Jiang pointed to a thin man with a mustache, "This is 'Shadow Sword' Wang Chang, a master of the Impervious Realm."
"Senior Wang," Meng Chuan respectfully bowed. Experts of the Impervious Realm were highly respected in Dongning City, and Wang Chang was the vice chief of a local escort agency.
"No need to be so formal, Young Master Meng," Wang Chang smiled.
"From today onwards, six Impervious Realm experts will come to spar with you each month, each spending five days with you, one hour per day," Meng Da Jiang said seriously. "To invite six Impervious Realm experts to spar with you, the clan has paid a significant price. You must take this seriously."
"Yes," Meng Chuan was also somewhat shocked.
Experts of the Impervious Realm were all prominent figures in Dongning City, with valuable time that couldn't be devoted to following Meng Chuan every day. They had their own affairs, and being willing to spend five consecutive days, one hour each day, was already quite generous. The clan had managed to invite six Impervious Realm experts... ensuring Meng Chuan had a Impervious Realm sparring partner every day.
"Chuan'er, a real man's ambition is for the world; why worry about a wife? You must train well and not disappoint the clan's expectations," Meng Da Jiang said before walking out.
Meng Chuan was stunned. What did "why worry about a wife" mean?
What was his father trying to say?
"Father, what do you mean by 'why worry about a wife'?" Meng Chuan called out.
"Just don't overthink things," Meng Da Jiang replied and left the training ground.
"What am I overthinking?" Meng Chuan muttered, then looked at the surrounding training partners with fervent eyes.
The art of the blade was meant for combat.
With training partners, the training effect was much better. Although he had training partners before, how could it compare to now? From Marrow Washing Realm, Transfiguration Realm to Impervious Realm experts, he had them all!
...
From that day on, Meng Chuan began practicing the blade as soon as the sky started to brighten, with training partners in the morning.
In the afternoon and evening, he trained alone, reflecting on the actual combat from the morning.
...
"Falling Leaf Blade," as Meng Chuan's mindset changed and he fully immersed himself, he could feel the unique charm of each of the eighty-one forms of "Falling Leaf Blade," sensing the special beauty in each form, and quickly discovered how to cultivate the secret skill 'Autumn Leaves.'
By practicing the eighty-one forms consecutively, he gradually found that the beauty of the eighty-one forms... could be connected seamlessly.
For example, the first form was the drawing-blade stance, a blade strike that was sharp and fierce. Then transitioning to the second form, 'Whirling Moon,' with its eerie and elusive moves, followed by the third form, 'Cloud Clearing Strike,' which transformed from eerie and elusive to a sudden killing move, then to the fourth form...
One move after another.
Like a boulder rolling down a mountain, it got faster and faster!
The moves connected one after another, like a surging tide, growing more and more intense, unstoppable!
"If the eighty-one forms are truly connected seamlessly, reaching the peak of power, I can naturally perform the secret skill as described in the manual!" Understanding this, Meng Chuan practiced the blade with such fervor.
If the 'beauty' of the eighty-one forms were connected as one, then the trajectory of the blade cutting through 'wind,' each move's trajectory could be connected flawlessly;
The speed changes of the blade technique, forming a rhythm, would be like a natural song of heaven and earth;
The beauty of each move of the blade technique, when connected together, would form a complete painting.
Having faintly touched this level, Meng Chuan became even more eager.
Day after day...
The beauty of Meng Chuan's blade technique connected more perfectly, with fewer and fewer 'flaws.'
The rhythm of the blade technique, with fewer and fewer breaks in rhythm.
The trajectory of the blade, becoming more and more perfect.
The progress was palpable, and Meng Chuan felt himself getting closer and closer to that level.
The trees and plants around the training ground began to turn green, and as March drew near, Meng Chuan continued his training as usual, gradually inching closer to that level, ever closer.
"Huh."
Meng Chuan practiced again, and this time suddenly, the beauty he had pursued for so long merged into his flesh and bones, into his soul. When he performed the blade technique, he naturally reached the state of 'body, mind, and technique' unification. He clearly felt the blade in his hand cutting through the resistance of the wind! His body and the blade became one, moving through the air with the blade, at a terrifying speed.
As Meng Chuan executed the blade technique, in an instant, another Meng Chuan appeared over ten zhang away. Two Meng Chuans existed at the same time.
A faint curved blade light lingered in the air.
The previous 'Meng Chuan' figure then dissipated.
"I... I've comprehended it?" Meng Chuan stood there in a daze.