Cultivation Begins with Skill Points-Chapter 164 Master, I’ve Reached First Grade

"Master."

In the Hundred Herbs Hall, Yin Daoyan was taken aback when he saw the sudden appearance of Zhong Lin, and quickly rose from the lounge chair.

"Disciple... when did you return?" Yin Daoyan asked in surprise.

"Just got back."

Zhong Lin had a beaming smile, deeply missing his master.

After entering the Sword Cauldron Sect at the beginning of the year, Yin Daoyan did not linger long and returned to Tianyang City to oversee the Hundred Herbs Hall. This was why Zhong Lin made a detour instead of heading directly back to the sect and returned to Tianyang City first.

"You brat, returning without giving a heads-up."

Yin Daoyan came forward and gave Zhong Lin a heavy pat on the shoulder, with an undisguisable smile on his face.

"Master, I am now First Grade."

"First Grade is First Grade, what’s there to... wait a minute, did you say which grade?"

Yin Daoyan’s voice suddenly shook, his body slightly stiffened, and he looked at Zhong Lin with disbelief.

Zhong Lin slightly grinned, opened his palm, True Qi surged, and a dark-colored Divine Dragon coiled and roamed above his palm.

The dark dragon was only about three feet in size, with dragon claws, dragon scales, dragon horns, and dragon tail clearly visible. It looked as real as could be, swirling and coiling in the palm with a strong aura emanating from it.

"First Grade."

Zhong Lin reiterated.

Yin Daoyan was dumbfounded, his heart racing.

"True Qi... this is True Qi, you... you actually condensed True Qi and stepped into the First Grade Pure Essence Realm? This... this is impossible!"

Yin Daoyan looked at Zhong Lin as if he had seen a ghost, recalling how he had been stuck in the Meridian Passage Realm for decades without a breakthrough. Yet his disciple, in just over half a year, had already entered the ranks of First Graders, when their last meeting had him in the Third Grade Inner Breath Realm. It made Yin Daoyan feel as if he had lived his life to no avail.

Zhong Lin chuckled, "Your disciple is a genius, naturally not to be judged by common standards, a mere First Grade is easy to grasp."

The tone was full of pride, like a child boasting about a school award at home.

One would expect Yin Daoyan to laugh and scold, but instead, he nodded heavily and lavishly praised, "Not bad, you are indeed a genius, no, a prodigy. Our Sword Cauldron Sect being able to recruit Shi Yunyi is already heaven’s blessing, able to continue the glory for a century. Didn’t expect heaven to favor us again, letting me encounter you. Your aptitude is not weaker than Shi Yunyi’s, no, it far exceeds his, given that you are yet to turn eighteen. This is a great fortune for our Sword Cauldron Sect."

"Master, what kind of person is this Senior Brother Shi Yunyi?" Zhong Lin asked curiously.

Zhong Lin had heard the name Shi Yunyi many times, the Senior Brother of the Sword Cauldron Sect.

He was brought to the sect by Sect Master Yu Jinglei at sixteen, then started to engage in martial arts. He entered the grades within seven days, condensed Qi-Blood to step into the Middle Third Grades within three months, and began Qi Cultivation in the same year, reaching the Upper Third Grades.

Now, not even twenty years old, he is already a First Grade Martial Artist, striving for the Grandmaster Realm above the First Grade, reputed as the sect’s most promising talent to step into the Grandmaster Realm apart from the Sect Master.

Zhong Lin had never met this Senior Brother Shi Yunyi, rumored to have been in closed-door cultivation at Yunding Cliff for two years.

Yin Daoyan, with a hint of reminiscence, said, "Yunyi! He’s a genius, any martial art he learns becomes proficient quickly, with transcendent understanding, especially in Sword Dao. According to the Sect Master, Shi Yunyi has already comprehended the Supreme Sword Skill."

"What is the Supreme Sword Skill?"

Zhong Lin eagerly asked.

"I don’t know." ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Yin Daoyan shook his head in admiration, "I have only heard about such a realm. It is said that if one comprehends it, they can become a deity within the sword, a Sword God."

Zhong Lin raised an eyebrow.

Sword God?

What an arrogant title.

"Let’s not talk about these, Zhong Lin, tell me how you’ve been cultivating, how could your cultivation speed be so fast?"

Zhong Lin did not hide and straightforwardly mentioned the "Silkworm Silk Strength", but kept the "Five Elements Mixed Essence Skill" a secret, considering it was a self-created and unperfected cultivation technique. He managed to cultivate it by forcibly enhancing his comprehension to full level via the System Panel, which might not be the same for others.

"I see, I know about ’Silkworm Silk Strength’, many elders have cultivated this martial art, though the effect is minimal. Didn’t expect you could comprehend it to such a profound level." Yin Daoyan praised.

Zhong Lin smiled and took out a booklet from his bosom, gently saying, "This is my insights on cultivating ’Silkworm Silk Strength’. Master, feel free to take a look if you don’t mind."

Yin Daoyan accepted it casually and scolded with a laugh, "The understanding of the Dao can come earlier or later, and there are areas of expertise in which one can excel, thus a disciple need not be inferior to a master, and a master need not be more virtuous than a disciple. You’ve already surpassed me on the martial path, and how am I to be a pedantic person."

Speaking, he flipped it open to read, and shortly after, his eyes were filled with astonishment, gaining a deeper understanding of his disciple’s aptitude.

"Good stuff, your insights greatly aid my cultivation of the Meridian Passage Scripture and have increased the success rate of unblocking the governor and conception vessels by one percent."

"As long as you’re satisfied, Master."

Yin Daoyan carefully placed the booklet in his bosom, sighing, "Although you’ve cultivated to the First Grade Realm, you must know martial arts is boundless; never slack off, always plan ahead, and return to the sect as soon as possible to seek guidance from the Sect Master on the method to break through First Grade."

"Method?" Zhong Lin asked in confusion, "Isn’t breaking through supposed to rely on the Breakthrough Pill?"

Yin Daoyan chuckled, waved his hand, and said, "Elixirs are only one way to break through. Wouldn’t it be better to self-break through through cultivation? All the sect leaders of our Sword Cauldron Sect who have ever broken into the Grandmaster Realm beyond First Grade have methods of breakthrough. It’s also the foundation of our Sword Cauldron Sect’s prominence among clans, sects, and dynasties."

"I see, thank you, Master, for clearing my doubts."

"You’ve only been cultivating for a short time and thus lack some basic common knowledge of cultivation. When you have free time, don’t just focus on martial arts and the Alchemy Dao; read some autobiographies of predecessors. Know that their cultivation experiences are precious treasures too." Yin Daoyan said with a full smile.

"I will remember, Master."

"Come, sit and have tea, tell me about your travels during this time."

"Alright."

The master and disciple sat cross-legged, and Zhong Lin skillfully prepared the tea, his movements smooth like flowing clouds and water.

"Master, try this. It’s the Ice Mist Tea Mei Haiming gave me, it tastes pretty good."

Zhong Lin handed the brewed tea over, Yin Daoyan brought the cup to his nose, inhaled lightly, his eyes lit up, and he promptly drank it all.

"The taste lingers with a fresh fragrance rising, indeed good tea."

"Glad you like it, Master."

Zhong Lin continued brewing tea while recounting the journey arranged by the Sect Master where he escorted Jiang Yuan back to the Capital City.