Chapter 301: Good Practice Method for Learning

The influx of fifty-nine units of soul power instantly caused Xu Qing's entire body to roar. His fifty-nine Dharma Apertures erupted internally, continuously suppressing these souls.

Because there were so many at once, it would take some time to refine them. Xu Qing immediately sat down cross-legged and focused all his energy on absorbing them.

Meanwhile, Seventh Master's gaze swept around, and he pursed his lips.

"Just these small fry," he muttered, "a bit uninteresting."

With a flick of his sleeve, a seemingly ordinary Dharma vessel instantly appeared in mid-air. Its design was somewhat similar to Xu Qing's vessel, though it looked a bit more dilapidated on the outside.

Yet, a strong divine aura flowed powerfully around it.

Meanwhile, Ding Xue was lying on the deck of the Dharma vessel. It was clear that Seventh Master had taken her away earlier, just as Xu Qing had rushed out to confront the old man.

Having just woken up, Ding Xue's face was still blank. When she looked down and saw Seventh Master outside the Dharma vessel, she froze for a moment. "Uncle-in-law!" she exclaimed.

She then saw Xu Qing sitting cross-legged beside Seventh Master. Noticing that Xu Qing's forehead was covered in sweat and invisible flames were continuously rising from his body, Ding Xue's expression became hesitant.

"Uncle-in-law, what happened?"

"Why are you here, and what's wrong with Brother Xu Qing?" Ding Xue blinked. A bad suspicion formed in her mind, and her face instantly flushed.

"No way," she thought. "Could it be that Uncle-in-law has been following us this whole time? Does that mean he saw everything I did?"

Ding Xue's face flushed even deeper. The thought of an elder seeing her in such a spoiled state filled her with embarrassment and annoyance.

Seeing Ding Xue's reaction, Seventh Master chuckled, as he had indeed seen everything clearly.

Hearing Seventh Master's laughter, Ding Xue, her face red, stomped her foot and pouted.

"Uncle-in-law!"

"Didn't see a thing, I saw nothing," Seventh Master coughed. Having no children of his own, he was particularly doting towards his niece.

Amidst his laughter, Seventh Master flicked his sleeve, sweeping Xu Qing directly onto the Dharma vessel. After casually tossing Xu Qing aside, Seventh Master raised his right hand.

He raised it, and a soul bead appeared in his hand. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed Ding Xue looking at Xu Qing with a pained expression.

The expression on her face clearly showed concern for Xu Qing, who had been so casually tossed aside by him.

"He's thick-skinned; he'll be fine," Seventh Master mumbled, feeling a bit annoyed deep down.

"Uncle-in-law, Brother Xu Qing is still young and growing," Ding Xue said, running to Seventh Master's side and tugging his arm playfully. "Can't you be a little gentler with him next time, please? When I get back, I'll tell Auntie lots of good things about you."

Seventh Master looked at Ding Xue, then at Xu Qing, who was still completely oblivious and refining the souls. He let out a long sigh, feeling as if he vaguely understood the daily experience of his eldest disciple.

Shaking his head resignedly, he placed the soul bead he held directly on Ding Xue's forehead and gently tapped it.

"Alright, alright, go cultivate quickly," he said. "This soul bead will help you ignite a flame as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Uncle-in-law!" Ding Xue exclaimed happily. She found a spot near Xu Qing, sat down cross-legged, and closed her eyes to cultivate, her heart full of joy.

Seventh Master turned to look at the two individuals sitting cross-legged. His heart was filled with emotion and sighs. After a moment, he turned back, stood at the bow with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance. He swept his gaze across the surroundings, let out a cold hum, and then controlled the Dharma vessel, which sped forward with a whistle.

After the Dharma vessel had gone far away, the void here twisted, and two blurred figures in golden robes emerged. Sword energy emanated from their bodies with sharp intent, yet their expressions were filled with bitterness.

"This Sect Master of the Seven Blood Eyes is not someone we can contend with," one of them said. "The fact that he didn't act against us this time is likely partly due to the alliance, and partly so that we would report this scene back—it's his warning."

These two were from the Lingyun Sword Sect.

"This Xu Qing is already formidable on his own," the other added, "and with such a background, he'll only become more difficult to handle in the future. Especially after this incident, you'll never know if such a powerful individual is secretly backing him when he appears alone."

The two exchanged glances, shook their heads, and departed.

After they left, several other auras permeated the surrounding void, forming figures. They too were silent, wary of each other, and sighing.

Unlike the previous two, these were not alliance cultivators but rogue cultivators from Yinghuang State. They had come after receiving news that Xu Qing, the two-lamped cultivator from the Eight Sect Alliance, had ventured out, hoping to find an opportunity for plunder.

However, knowing Xu Qing's background, they had merely observed without acting rashly. The subsequent scene had completely terrified them, and their current thoughts mirrored those of the two Lingyun Sword Sect cultivators.

"This is the stance of the Seven Blood Eyes," one murmured. "A warning to all who covet."

"And with the alliance protection the Eight Sect Alliance announced recently, the cost of killing him is simply too high."

"Life Lamps are appealing, but one's life is singular."

Each person pondered, and soon they dispersed. As they departed, rumors about the incident slowly began to spread.

This was the protection Seventh Master had bestowed upon Xu Qing, serving as a warning to all others.

Time passed, and seven days later, at dusk, Xu Qing, who had been sitting cross-legged on the Dharma vessel, opened his eyes.

The moment his eyes opened, sixty Dharma Apertures within his body emitted shocking flames, and thunder-like roars echoed in his mind.

Half of his 120 Dharma Apertures were now suppressing souls. Under this continuous suppression, his cultivation had significantly improved. Even his flames had undergone a change; his Fiendish Flames now carried a wailing essence—the intense resentment generated as the souls were continuously incinerated.

This was the Dark Soul Flame.

The power of this flame contained emotions; once it burned an enemy, it could influence them. In minor cases, it would cause severe emotional fluctuations, while in severe cases, it would inflict soul damage, leading to collapse and fragmentation.

"How do you feel?" Seventh Master, standing at the bow, turned and glanced at Xu Qing, speaking indifferently.

"Thank you, Master!" Xu Qing stood up, clasped his fists, and bowed.

"From now on, you'll be much safer when you venture out," Seventh Master said. "Now, I'll take you to do the second thing, which is also the primary reason for this journey."

This was to impart a Golden Core cultivation method.

Xu Qing's eyes sharpened upon hearing this. "But it's still a bit short; there's no need to rush. I still need to refine this cultivation method a bit," Seventh Master added. After speaking, he glanced at Ding Xue, who was still cultivating nearby, raised his right hand, waved, and added a protective barrier for her before stepping out of the Dharma vessel.

"Follow me," he instructed.

Hearing this, Xu Qing immediately followed, leaving the Dharma vessel with Seventh Master and walking towards the mountains below.

Although this wasn't Mount Taisi Du'e, the area was covered in dense forests, and the dark peaks exuded an eerie aura in the twilight.

From the sky, one could see a sect nestled among the mountains below.

The sect was quite sizable, its mountain gate covering three hilltops. Many disciples could be seen moving between the mountains.

"This is the Sky Spirit Sect; it's not an alliance sect, just a medium-sized one with ordinary strength," Seventh Master explained as he led Xu Qing directly towards it. "But there's a certain cultivation method within this sect that's quite extraordinary."

The next moment, Xu Qing's expression grew somewhat strange. He realized that his Master, leading him, completely ignored the sect's formation defenses and walked directly into the mountain gate. Moreover, every disciple they encountered along the way seemed to be oblivious to their presence, as if they were invisible.

After a quick glance, Seventh Master led Xu Qing directly to the sect's scripture pavilion. The two Golden Core elders guarding it remained completely oblivious, allowing Xu Qing and Seventh Master to walk past them, enter the pavilion, and ascend to the highest floor—a level ordinary disciples could not access.

All restrictive measures within the pavilion were rendered ineffective before Seventh Master; it seemed impossible to detect him at all. Very naturally, Seventh Master picked up the cultivation method jade slips floating in mid-air, examining them one by one as if in his own study.

Xu Qing glanced at Seventh Master but remained silent.

"What are you staring at?" Seventh Master lectured, glaring at Xu Qing. "You need to study seriously. Back then, I went to great lengths to acquire this special study technique specifically for learning."

Xu Qing nodded seriously. He raised his right hand, grabbed a jade slip, and focused on examining it.

And so, master and disciple became completely engrossed in their studies on the top floor of the Sky Spirit Sect's scripture pavilion. Seventh Master was very serious, but Xu Qing was even more so; he became particularly absorbed after discovering several jade slips documenting the flora of Yinghuang State.

Several days later, Seventh Master finished reading all the jade slips, feeling very emotional.

"Not bad, not bad," he mused. "The Sky Spirit Sect indeed has its profound aspects when it comes to spiritual power control. It's just a pity that it falls short in too many other areas."

Xu Qing also nodded, feeling as though he could have learned more. While the botanical knowledge recorded there was extensive, the descriptions lacked precision. Nevertheless, it greatly benefited him, allowing him to grasp more variations of flora.

"The same applies to the medicinal texts here," Xu Qing sighed. "This sect must have had practitioners of the medicinal path many years ago, but unfortunately, few have delved into it since. That's why the botanical texts have so few later annotations or additions." Seventh Master nodded, his eyes showing appreciation.

"Liking to learn, that's a good habit," Seventh Master said. As he spoke, he walked out of the scripture pavilion with Xu Qing, hands behind his back. On the way, Xu Qing hesitated for a moment.

"Master, I truly enjoy acquiring knowledge," Xu Qing began hesitantly. "I wonder if you could teach me this special study technique?" Seventh Master glanced at Xu Qing, his eyes showing even deeper appreciation, and he nodded in satisfaction.

"Your current cultivation level isn't sufficient to master it," Seventh Master replied. "After you reach the Nascent Soul stage, I will impart this special learning method to you."

"Let's go, we'll visit other sects," Seventh Master said. "To create a Golden Core cultivation method specifically for you, I've been researching for a very long time. This time, I've prepared to visit several sects to study their cultivation methods and make adjustments."

"So, my boy, you must live up to these efforts in the future!" Seventh Master said, stepping out of the sect.

Xu Qing nodded emphatically and followed closely, ascending into the air with Seventh Master to return to the Dharma vessel. Once on board, Seventh Master called out to Xu Qing.

"We cultivators must learn but never forget gratitude," Seventh Master said. "You must remember this point. Come, let's bow to this sect as a gesture of returning the favor." With that, he clasped his fists and bowed.

Xu Qing became solemn. He felt that his Master indeed had his own principles in how he acted, so he took this etiquette to heart, clasped his fists, and bowed towards the sect below.

Afterward, they departed.

Their arrival had gone unnoticed, and their departure was silent.

Soon, the Dharma vessel shimmered in the sky and vanished into the horizon. Several days later, it paused outside another sect. Seventh Master, along with Xu Qing, their hearts filled with a shared dedication to learning, disembarked from the Dharma vessel, entered the sect, and headed directly to its scripture pavilion.

They continued their studies.

In this manner, time passed, and the Dharma vessel traveled westward, traversing Mount Taisi Du'e. Along the way, it occasionally stopped, visiting one sect after another.

"The sea of knowledge is boundless, and Fourth, you are truly excellent," Seventh Master praised. "Back then, I took your third senior brother—that uneducated fellow—through this very experience, but he didn't like to learn at all. And your senior disciple brother was the same; when he followed me, he was always eyeing other sects' treasures."

"Still, Fourth, you're the most like me!" Seventh Master declared in the scripture pavilion of the forty-seventh sect they visited, watching Xu Qing engrossed in reading and expressing his sincere admiration.

Xu Qing remained humble and composed.

Upon hearing his Master's words, he put down the jade slip in his hand, thought for a moment, and then spoke softly.

"Master, are there any sects in Yinghuang State that primarily focus on the path of poison?" he asked. "Your disciple would like to go there and study diligently as well."