Chapter Twenty-Eight: News

After completing his task, the next three days passed in a fulfilling blur for Luo Tian. During the day, he could always be found in the Hall of Archives, poring over books—not to select another training technique, but to gather information about this world, cultivation basics, and similar knowledge.

In his two years as a menial servant, Luo Tian had virtually no channels to access the information he desired. Most of the other servants were sons of wealthy mortal families; they lived in luxury, but their horizons were narrow, and their understanding of the world of cultivators was just as limited.

As for the disciples of the four major families in the Divine Sun Sect, most spent their Body Tempering stage on Purple Sun Mountain. Even the Qi Condensation stage disciples needed attendants. The limited spots allotted to servants were quickly filled; the rest were reserved for the four families’ disciples.

At night, Luo Tian focused on his daily cultivation of vital energy and body refinement. Though he no longer found the environment of Purple Sun Mountain particularly advantageous after experiencing the rich vital energy in the cave, cultivation was a matter of persistence. Regardless of the density of vital energy, one must adhere to the prescribed cycles. Otherwise, prolonged neglect would weaken the meridians, diminishing their capabilities.

In cultivation, progress is like rowing against the current: if you don’t advance, you retreat. This is not just an empty saying, but a hard truth.

Luo Tian also became increasingly adept at Tiger Form and Ape Form techniques. The idea of becoming the senior brother to all constantly lingered in his mind, never fading away, while the prospect of countless contribution points made his mouth water.

He knew that haste would only lead to failure. Such ambition would inevitably threaten some inner disciples’ interests, and his cultivation level was not yet high enough to command respect. If he didn’t learn more basic knowledge and made a fool of himself, he could forget about becoming everyone’s senior brother.

However, after three days, Luo Tian found himself deeply intrigued by the cultivation methods of the mid-grade human tier. The lower-grade methods merely taught how to refine the world’s vital energy into personal strength; mid-grade methods increased the number of meridians absorbing vital energy and, more importantly, extracted elements suited to a cultivator’s attributes, subtly transforming them.

Elemental attributes!

Luo Tian was fascinated. Metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, darkness—these are the nine elements of heaven and earth. Every living creature contains these elemental attributes, most commonly all nine in varying degrees.

Some people have one element particularly prominent, while others have a more balanced mix, which generally means lesser talent.

A transmigrator like Senior Brother Luo must surely be a genius among geniuses, blessed with extraordinary aptitude!

Luo Tian clenched his fists, as if grasping his destiny. Once he accumulated a thousand contribution points, he would hurry to the Pill Treasure Pavilion and exchange them for a Clear Vitality Pill to properly examine his own elemental attributes.

Just then, the bell inside his room rang.

Someone was here?

Luo Tian was puzzled. When he went out to look, he found Tang Yue-ran outside, her expression tinged with hesitation, clearly still undecided about something.

What was this girl doing here?

Luo Tian opened the door and invited Tang Yue-ran in. They sat together on the stone bench.

“Would you like something to drink?” Luo Tian asked politely, then, flushing slightly, added, “Actually, I haven’t prepared anything, so there’s nothing to drink. Let’s just talk.”

Tang Yue-ran, initially a bit at a loss, found this amusing and laughed lightly.

“I heard you reached the fourth stage of Qi Condensation?”

“That’s right—how did you know?” Luo Tian felt a surge of pride. He hadn’t expected the news to spread so quickly; it certainly laid a solid foundation for his path to becoming senior brother. Reputation can indeed bring many advantages.

“It’s nothing. It seems Shen Lingfeng is planning to send someone after you,” Tang Yue-ran replied with a sly smile, showing no sign of concern, only mischief. She clearly wanted to see some drama.

Thinking back to their first meeting, Tang Yue-ran had been quite annoyed with him, so even coming to warn him carried a hint of schadenfreude.

“Well, thank you anyway, Tang Junior Sister! But why did you come to deliver this message?”

With the sect’s rules protecting him, Luo Tian wasn’t too worried; cultivators more than two stages higher couldn’t challenge him without risking ridicule and disgrace.

“Of course, I’m thanking Senior Brother Luo for your guidance last time!” Tang Yue-ran said with a touch of resentment. Who knew what treasures this fellow had consumed to reach the fourth stage of Qi Condensation so quickly? Calling it miraculous was an understatement, but it certainly inspired envy.

Still, remembering Luo Tian had spent two years as a servant before breaking through made Tang Yue-ran feel a bit better.

When they parted that day, she’d told him, “Don’t give up.” But thinking back, it seemed too vague; if Luo Tian hadn’t taken it to heart, she’d have no way to repay him.

“Mm.” Luo Tian nodded grandly. “Should I guide you again?”

Tang Yue-ran pondered how best to decline politely.

“The price is negotiable—how about three hundred contribution points per session? Not expensive at all!” Seeing her hesitate, Luo Tian assumed she was short on points and kindly offered his rate.

On second thought, his eagerness made him feel a bit like a broker offering special services.

He really was treating himself like a prize.

Tang Yue-ran rolled her eyes, about to refuse outright, but then reconsidered. Three hundred contribution points wasn’t that much; if it worked, great, and if not, at least it paid for his previous guidance.

Helping her escape the danger of deviation in her practice—if all she paid was a couple of harmless pieces of information, she’d feel guilty. After all, as a disciple of one of the four families, the specifics of body refinement techniques were strictly confidential unless special circumstances allowed.

“Then let’s try it,” Tang Yue-ran decided, then casually mentioned a problem she’d encountered in her cultivation.

“Circulate your vital energy so I can observe,” Luo Tian said seriously.

This Luo Tian could actually be so earnest and proper!

Tang Yue-ran suppressed a smile and followed his instructions.

A faint golden light suffused Tang Yue-ran’s delicate form, and Luo Tian observed the flow of vital energy within her. After a moment, he softly offered his insights.

Tang Yue-ran was genuinely astonished. These issues she’d already consulted her family elders about, so she knew them well, but none of them had been able to spot the intricacies so quickly.

Could it be true, as the new outer disciples claimed, that Luo Tian possessed some unknown ability?

If so, he was definitely worth befriending.

Tang Yue-ran’s gaze flickered with intent.