Volume 2: The Appearance of the Nine Provinces Map, Entering the Spirit Void Sect Chapter 156: Striving Once for All

In the Tasselled Fringe Forest, Chen Yu sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, waiting quietly.

When the moon hung high in the sky, a figure quietly appeared—none other than Chu Yang, the Master of the Firmament Peak. Seeing Chen Yu sitting below, Chu Yang chose not to disturb him, simply watching with a look of keen interest.

Chen Yu pressed his middle finger against the depression on the occipital protuberance at the back of his head, directly above the Yuzhen Acupoint, with his index finger resting upon the back of his middle finger. With a sharp tap of his index finger against the Yuzhen Acupoint, and driven by the circulating vital energy within his body, a fresh impact struck the point with every pulse.

Once, twice, and yet again. It might have been in the blink of an eye, the space of a cup of tea, or the duration of an entire hour. When a crisp sound like a snapping twig echoed from the back of Chen Yu's head, it signified that his seventh divine aperture—the Yuzhen—had finally opened.

With the opening of the divine aperture, the vital energy coursed through his meridians with heightened ferocity, and the speed at which he absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth increased manifold. Furthermore, his consciousness seemed to undergo a profound and monumental enhancement.

The sensation was nothing short of wondrous. He felt as though he could perceive the spiritual essence of all surrounding living beings, sensing the subtle fluctuations of their emotions and more.

Just as Chen Yu attempted to extend his awareness to perceive the surrounding world, his nerves suddenly tightened. He sensed a presence behind him, looming and fading like a scorching sun.

However, Chen Yu quickly steadied his emotions, having already guessed the arrival of Chu Yang.

Rather than hastily rising to his feet, Chen Yu took a moment to swiftly acclimate to his newly surged power. Only then did he bow respectfully to Chu Yang and say, "This disciple Chen Yu pays his respects to Peak Master Chu."

"Ah, marvelous! I never expected you to have already broken through to the First-Tier Seventh Aperture Realm. My judgment of you was not mistaken indeed," Chu Yang said with an approving nod. "Your foundation is profound, and you did not achieve this breakthrough merely in pursuit of speed. Excellent... truly excellent."

"You flatter me, Peak Master," Chen Yu replied, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Are you refining your vital energy using the Method of Mending the Heavens and Bathing in the Sun?" Chu Yang asked, hazarding a guess with a single glance.

Chen Yu was deeply startled, not expecting the master to perceive his cultivation method at a glance. Thus, he made no attempt to conceal it and briefly recounted his cultivation approach. Naturally, he exercised careful discretion regarding what should and should not be revealed.

Chu Yang nodded slightly. "The Method of Mending the Heavens and Bathing in the Sun is not easily practiced, but for someone like you who is still in the First-Tier Realm, it is indeed a most fitting Daoist technique."

Chen Yu nodded in agreement and asked, "I have heard that the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Arts are a compilation of the most fundamental Daoist techniques in the Nine Provinces, and that from both the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Arts and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Techniques, thousands of Daoist principles can be comprehended. I wonder if this is true?"

Chu Yang smiled and replied, "Such a saying does indeed exist. Take our Lingxu Sect's *Supreme Pure Numinous Scripture* for instance; it contains records of this very nature, derived from our sect's founder's comprehension of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Arts."

Pausing for a moment, Chu Yang shifted the topic. "However, attempting to rely purely on the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Arts as a foundation to comprehend supreme mental techniques is exceedingly difficult. Over the course of many millennia—even spanning a hundred thousand years—quite a few people have attempted it, yet every single one has failed. Consequently, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Arts have gradually ceased to be valued by cultivators. After all, they are considered nothing more than a compilation of the most foundational Daoist techniques."

Chen Yu nodded in silence, fully understanding Chu Yang's implication.

Following that, Chen Yu consulted him on several perplexities regarding his cultivation, particularly concerning the Yin-Yang Realm. He inquired in great detail, believing that since his own cultivation was progressing rapidly and a breakthrough to the Yin-Yang Realm was not far off, he needed to make preparations in advance.

Initially, Chen Yu had also wanted to ask about the Outer Sect Grand Competition, but Chu Yang merely smiled and refused to reveal the slightest detail.

"Chen Yu, apply yourself diligently to your cultivation. The deadline of a year is drawing near. Whether you can become my disciple depends entirely on the affinity between us," Chu Yang said with a smile before departing. "I look forward to seeing you shine brilliantly in the upcoming Outer Sect Grand Competition."

"Strive your utmost to break into the top two hundred, and do not squander this magnificent opportunity," Chu Yang added with a smile. In truth, he held no great expectations for Chen Yu reaching the top two hundred. After all, Chen Yu was currently only at the First-Tier Seventh Aperture Realm, and the gap in cultivation was still far too vast. The disciples of the Yin-Yang Realm and the Heaven-Man Realm already exceeded two hundred in number; how could such an opportunity ever fall to him?

Even so, Chu Yang hoped that Chen Yu would not slacken, but instead fight with all his might. In reality, this was also a test of Chen Yu's determination in his cultivation.

Watching Chu Yang's retreating figure vanish from sight, Chen Yu clenched his fists tightly and thought to himself: *I will! How could I possibly let such an opportunity slip away?*

Yet, Chen Yu possessed a degree of self-awareness. Given his current cultivation level, he stood not a single chance. Only by breaking through to the First-Tier Ninth Aperture Realm would he have any hope at all.

However, how could one break through to the First-Tier Ninth Aperture Realm in the mere span of a month? Was that something that could be achieved with empty words?

Chen Yu let out a helpless sigh. Although hope seemed distant, he was not someone who gave up easily. Furthermore, he needed to break through to the Yin-Yang Realm within the next four months. Only by doing so could he qualify to become Chu Yang's disciple.

Earlier, Chu Yang had indeed offered him a few choices: first, the Heart-Refining Cave of the Lingxu Sect; second, the Sword Prison Cliff of the Lingxu Sect.

These two places were usually perilous domains used for punishing errant disciples. A moment of carelessness could result in severe damage to one's Dao heart, making any future progress in cultivation nearly impossible. Yet precisely because of this, they allowed one to experience the ultimate terror between life and death, driving certain disciples to deliberately seek them out to temper themselves and achieve a breakthrough.

Of course, more importantly, cultivating in these two locations required no material cost.

However, Chu Yang had also solemnly warned Chen Yu: if he truly chose to cultivate in these two places given his current level of cultivation, it would be best not to venture too deeply; otherwise, it was likely to backfire and yield losses outweighing the gains.

Because of this, Chen Yu specifically made inquiries about these two perilous places. In the end, Chen Yu reached a decision: he would head to the Heart-Refining Cave to cultivate for a period of time.

When Xiao Gu and Xue Ren heard of this matter, they could not help but come and try to dissuade him.

"Senior Brother Chen Yu, whatever made you think of going to the Heart-Refining Cave?"

"Indeed, Chen Yu! Although I have never experienced the perils of the Heart-Refining Cave myself, I have heard many senior brothers mention it. It is simply not a place where an ordinary person can endure. Haven't quite a few people lost their minds because of it?" Xiao Gu said, his expression changing at the mere mention.

However, Chen Yu's mind was made up. He had already considered everything Xiao Gu and the others were worried about, and believed that as long as he exercised caution, he would be fine. The truth was simply that he had no time left to waste.

"I wish to grow strong as quickly as possible and break through to the Yin-Yang Realm! Only the Heart-Refining Cave can offer me such an opportunity, so I have no other choice."

"But Senior Brother, you are already formidable now. Even Xiao Lan and the others are no match for you. Why must you push yourself so hard?"

Chen Yu offered no explanation. Seeing this, the others had no choice but to let him have his way.