CHAPTER 86: CHAPTER 85: TERRIFYING TALENT (SEEKING INVESTMENT, SEEKING FOLLOWERS)

After giving it some thought, Hong Yuan made a decision.

I must prioritize learning the Cloud Ladder Step, mastering this movement technique that excels in explosive bursts and rushes! I need to ensure I can run faster than my teammates; that initial burst of speed is especially crucial. Although Misty Smoke Fast is good, its explosive advancement isn’t as effective as the Cloud Ladder Step. It’s like how long-distance running and sprinting demand different physical attributes; they have conflicting yet overlapping requirements. But what I need most is to outrun my teammates when a sudden, drastic change occurs—the faster, the better! This places a particularly high demand on explosive power!

CREAK...

Returning to the courtyard, he opened the wooden door, put away his oiled-paper umbrella, entered the training room, and lit the oil lamp.

Under the lamplight, Hong Yuan, seated on the Taoist Mat, seriously delved into studying the secrets of the Cloud Ladder Step.

Outside the window, the wind and snow howled; inside, he buried himself in intensive study.

Hong Yuan listened to the sound of the wind and snow, his gaze fixed on the book in his hands, and his concentration wavered.

In a daze, he felt as if he had returned to those arduous days of studying for the college entrance exams. The most memorable moments from that period were the cold, snowy nights and the scorching hot summers.

[Cloud Ladder Step +20]

[Cloud Ladder Step +20]

Hmm?!

Hong Yuan snapped back to his senses, his attention shifting from the book to the Proficiency Panel.

[Cultivation Technique: Cloud Ladder Step (Entry 40/500)]

GULP...

Hong Yuan’s throat bobbed. He froze for a moment, not even noticing when the manual slipped from his grasp and landed on his knees.

After a while, Hong Yuan looked at the talent section, accepting that he had transformed from a genius into a Heavenly Talent.

[Name: Hong Yuan]

[Talent: 45]

So, this is the cultivation speed of Heavenly Talents. With talent like this, it’s no wonder one can become a Martial Saint, Hong Yuan slowly exhaled a murky breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

Previously, I’d learned about the formidable aspects of those peerless Heavenly Talents from miscellaneous books in the Book Pavilion. Back then, I thought it was nonsense—how could anyone learn cultivation methods from a manual at a glance, understand a technique instantly, deduce a new one, and even extrapolate further principles from it? It seems I, Hong Yuan, was the one with limited insight, unaware of the true power of those monstrous martial artists.

HEH HEH...

Soon, Hong Yuan found himself chuckling, filled with even more drive as he immersed himself in studying the Cloud Ladder Step.

The Proficiency Panel updated frequently, and Hong Yuan was now truly savoring the delightful feeling of being a Martial Arts Heavenly Talent.

This makes martial arts seem not so difficult after all, he thought, completely forgetting how he initially had to fight tooth and nail alongside Yue Yun and Chen Dongsheng just to reach the entry level of the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword.

Without medicinal aid or environmental advantages, Hong Yuan reached the Proficient Realm in just one day and was even half a step from the Mastery Stage.

Absolutely terrifying!

With progress so visibly apparent, Hong Yuan declined all visitors and continued his arduous training. He strove to cultivate the Cloud Ladder Step to the realm of ultimate perfection within half a month, hoping to successfully refine his technique into a Worm!

「Two days later,」

Le Congsheng and Tang Baiwei arrived.

They came bearing seasonal fruits, finding Hong Yuan just a hair’s breadth from reaching the Minor Accomplishment Stage of the Cloud Ladder Step. He had to pause his training to receive his "black gloves."

"Yuan, tomorrow is the final battle of the Sect’s grand competition! Do you want to join us to watch?" Le Congsheng asked excitedly.

Tang Baiwei chimed in from the side, "Yes! Chu Tianjiao and Guan Lan are both incredibly fierce—powerful second-order intermediate Martial Artists. One of them privately defeated Li Jianxiang in a single duel, and the other crushed Xu Haisheng amidst a horde of beasts. Brother Hong, you should come!"

Although Hong Yuan occasionally relaxed with activities like cooking or Painting while cultivating, the mere mention of the realms and epic battles of these two "Newcomer Kings" failed to stir even a flicker of interest in him.

Second-order intermediate? I, Hong Yuan, am about to reach the peak of high second-order, and those two have only just broken through to intermediate second-order. That level? Not even a dog would give it a second glance, not to mention I already have other priorities.

"Sorry, Brother Cong Sheng, Bai Wei, I don’t enjoy fighting. Martial arts competitions are too bloody and not pleasant to watch at all," Hong Yuan declined politely.

Seeing this, Le Congsheng and Tang Baiwei exchanged a glance, their eyes rapidly communicating as only a couple’s can. In the end, however, they couldn’t find a reason to convince Hong Yuan to leave his seclusion.

Hong Yuan always stayed inside his courtyard, hardly ever leaving Phoenix Fire Peak, not behaving like a Martial Artist at all. Le Congsheng and Tang Baiwei even began to wonder if he had contracted some hidden illness.

Out of a sense of camaraderie and a desire to help a friend, the two resolved to repay Hong Yuan’s past kindness by helping him return to what they considered the proper path for a Martial Artist.

But their attempts were futile.

Le Congsheng and Tang Baiwei left.

Hong Yuan watched the couple’s departing figures and suddenly chuckled softly.

To think my act is so convincing they believe it’s real. Emotions... they truly are peculiar things.

「Elsewhere.」

Le Congsheng and Tang Baiwei were whispering to each other, the subject of their conversation being Hong Yuan.

"Brother Sheng, there’s probably nothing wrong with Brother Hong. He’s likely just living the typical lifestyle of disciples from the Refining Equipment Hall," Tang Baiwei mused.

"No, absolutely not. The fellows from the Refining Equipment Hall are all full of vigor and have fiery tempers. Most of them frequent places of entertainment... In any case, it’s impossible for them to just stay cooped up in their courtyards all the time."

Le Congsheng almost blurted out that those guys from the Refining Equipment Hall loved visiting brothels, but he managed to redirect the conversation just in time. He didn’t notice, however, Tang Baiwei giving him a scrutinizing look and snorting softly.

「Meanwhile, in the Talisman Array Hall,」

A few cultivating disciples also had Hong Yuan on their minds; they were close associates of Li Jianxiang’s senior martial brothers.

Inside a cozy little cottage, they were discussing how to deal with Hong Yuan.

"Tomorrow is the final battle of the Sect’s grand competition. Hong Yuan will definitely show up."

"Not necessarily. What if he stays cooped up like before?"

"He’ll appear. You know the duel between Chu Tianjiao and Guan Lan represents the strongest among our peers in the Phoenix Creek Sect. Any disciple with a bit of spirit will come to witness the highest level of achievement by Martial Arts Heavenly Talents."

"Senior Brother Chen is right," another disciple agreed. "But there will be a massive crowd. How will we find Hong Yuan then?"

"I’ll take the east side, Peng will take the west. For the remaining areas, we can hire Ma Hexi and his group to search."

The discussion continued, growing more animated...

The more they talked, the more excited they became, continuously spinning their plans like several large spiders weaving a massive web to ensnare their prey. If Hong Yuan showed up at the Martial Arts Field tomorrow, they would force him to accept their challenge letter.

Others might not know who defeated Li Jianxiang, but these disciples of Elder Li Xiangdong knew very well. They merely pretended ignorance that Hong Yuan was the culprit to save Li Jianxiang some face.

Of course, obeying their master’s orders, they hadn’t spread this information to outsiders, circulating it only among their own martial brothers.

As night fell, shrouding the cottage, the yellow lamplight from within illuminated the room. The occupants let out near-simultaneous, sinister cackles, a truly terrifying sound.

「The next morning,」

The disciples from the Talisman Array Hall mobilized their connections, stationing themselves at various spots around the Martial Arts Field. As soon as Hong Yuan appeared, they would be notified and would immediately swarm him.

Li Jianxiang’s senior martial brothers eagerly awaited Hong Yuan’s appearance. They intended to teach him a harsh lesson and make him understand that disciples of the Talisman Array Hall were not to be trifled with!