Chapter 015 – Qian Hui’s Letter
Translated by: BerrryBunz.
Edited by: Robin and Boost Turtle.
The so-called Ancient Spirit Card was passed on since the ancient times till date. To be able to endure times of annihilation and preserve well, the Martial Spirit on the Spirit Card was definitely pure and full of essence.
The Ancient Spirit Card was just another name for an exquisite ranked Spirit Card.
“The maker of this card was the founder and pioneer of the Heavenly Crane Mountain, and was hailed as Dancer of the Crane, the Crane Spiritual Master.” Old Fart Wei’s eyes were filled with reverence as he recalled.
Tang Tian scratched his head: “Sounds like it is really powerful….”
Yet Ah Mo Li’s eyes glowed: “Wow wow, I have heard of this name before! The Eastern Martial Artists of the ancient times, were all very powerful! I remember it was written on a book, the Crane Spiritual Master swept across the entire Eastern continent that year.”
“You actually know how to read books?” Tang Tian had astonishment splashed across his whole face.
Ah Mo Li was a bit embarrassed: “Once in awhile.”
“Heavenly Crane Mountain is now being ruled by the Crane Sect. The Crane Sect was established by this Crane Spiritual Master which was passed on for generations. However, the current Crane Sect is not comparable to its old glorious days, and has become one of Heaven Road’s normal constellations.” Old Fart Wei shook his head in pity: “I reckon the Crane Sect’s authentic techniques have been destroyed, if not, it wouldn’t be in it’s difficult situation as of today.”
“This Spirit Card here, is a genuine mental cultivation Spirit Card from the Crane Sect, and it has been passed down for many years already.The Crane Sect’s mental cultivation technique was famous for its difficulty in cultivating, This could also be the reason why the Crane Sect still exists today. The mental cultivation then is different from the mental cultivation of ours now. They focused more on continuity, and it is incapable of interchanging between one another. But the mental cultivation of today, is more reliant on the levels, and does not speak of continuity.”
“Then which way is best?” Tang Tian could not help but ask.
“Each has its pros and cons.” Old Fart Wei muttered. “The mental cultivation of the past, from the start to the end of their cultivation, they only cultivated in one art, which was adequate as their arts were stronger. Merely, once any level of the arts was lost, then they cannot cultivate any further.
[Robin: Slight clarification here. Basically, the “old cultivation ways” only used 1 specific technique/manual, but that specific technique would then be split up into different levels. So at the first level of True Power, you’d use the first level of that specific technique, and so on. So if you lost one level of that certain technique, then you’d never be able to proceed past that True Power level, since no other techniques were available]
“Yet now, our Dantian pool has changed to a form of multiple pool ladders, making it easier to mix and cultivate in different types of mental cultivation techniques. In a way, practising like this, our potential will be lowered by a lot. Being at the third level means to cultivate rank three mental cultivation and martial arts, so long as the attributes are the same, you can freely cultivate in it. If it weren’t like this, how could there be martial artists who are so prosperous today. Ancient sects were all about passing on inheritance, and grooming much stronger martial artists. Yet they had to pay a higher price. If it were in the case of ancient sects, maybe Ah Mo Li could be chosen as a disciple, while you, young Tang, would suffer. It would have been difficult for you to even enter a sect.”
The two of them finally saw the light, and continuously nodded their heads.
Although he was accused of not being as gifted as Ah Mo Li, Tang Tian was not bothered by it. He knew he was not as gifted as the housefly cow. He considered himself lucky, in this era, to require only one Spirit Card to start training.
“My understanding of the [Crane-Style Qi Manual] is shallow, all I know is that it prolongs the stamina of the qi in the meridians, which is good for prolonged fights. I think it is suitable for you, as for close quarters combat experts, physical power is very important. The rest of it, you’ll have to figure it out on your own, but I can assure you it is very hard to practise. I unknowingly obtained the [Crane-Style Qi Manual] Spirit Card in the past, and although it is different from this era’s mental cultivation, it is still definitely better than the majority of the other techniques.” Old Fart Wei immediately waved his hands towards them: “Alright, I already said what I know, don’t ask me anymore.”
Ah Mo Li was excited: “Fundamental Tang, quickly go and cultivate! We will fight again when your True Power is at the third level! I will go polish up my powerful moves, and will definitely be able to bring you down!”
Old Fart Wei cut the two of them: “Why are you two still so noisy, go and train. Hey, let me tell you guys, for the sake of you guys not throwing my face during the Star Wind Martial Meet, I have specially prepared some special training for the two of you.”
“Special training?” Tang Tian and Ah Mo LI were instantly attracted by the sound of that.
“Hey, you both will know soon enough.” Old Fart Wei laughed.
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Tang Tian was especially bright and cheerful, not because he received the [Crane-Style Qi Manual], but because he received a letter from Qian Hui.
The letter had slowly travelled through Heaven’s Road, and the envelope looked a bit old from the wear and tear.
Opening the pink envelope, it emitted a light fragrant smell, Qian Hui’s beautiful words were presented to Tang Tian’s eyes. He carefully lifted up the letter like holding a newborn in his palms, and greedily read word after word.
“Big brother Tian: How have you been? I miss you so much. This entire place is thoroughly boring, I don’t like it here, I don’t like the rules nor the people here. Big Brother Tian, I’m waiting for you to come here, and we will secretly leave for Heaven’s Road. I have already started preparing everything for the trip. Hee hee, they all do not know. They do not believe in Big Brother Tian, but I do, Big Brother Tian will definitely be successful. I am a hundred percent certain. Oh yes, Big Bro Tian, I have finally found a few leads on the Bronze Plate. The Cross on the Bronze Plate, is the mark of the Southern Cross Constellation, and if the book is correct, it is highly possible that it is the Southern Cross Constellation’s Star Treasure. It is called the Southern Cross Hardship Plate, and amongst all the Star Treasures, information about it is incredibly sparse.”
Tang Tian became really serious, and read very carefully.
“Southern Cross Constellation is between the Housefly Mountain and Centaur Mountain, and is the smallest mountain there. Until now, Southern Cross Constellation only had one Star Treasure, which is the Southern Cross Hardship Plate. Whatever uses it has, there are no records of it. Big Brother Tian you have to figure them out on your own. From the looks of its name, it should be a Star Treasure that has a relation to training. Those numbers, if I am not wrong, should be related to the Bronze Plate. Big Brother Tian, you have to remember this, you cannot tell others about anything related to the Bronze Plate! It might attract bad guys! The Southern Cross Hardship Plate is a very good lead, it is the only lead and clue up to date regarding the Southern Cross Constellation Star Treasure. We only have to go to the mountain, and will definitely be able to find more clues. I have already started gathering information regarding the Southern Cross Constellation. Big Brother Tian, isn’t Qian Hui really smart, hurry and praise Qian Hui….”
The letter was very long, and from it, he could that that Qian Hui took a long time writing it.
Tang Tian reread the letter a couple of times, word for word. After rereading it, he carefully folded it up and kept it.
Star Treasure, to think this Bronze Plate was a Star Treasure….
Tang Tian looked as calm as always, but his mind was overloaded with the overflowing unbelievable information, and if it were not Qian Hui who told him, he would never have believed it.
Heaven’s Road was full of stars, and slowly, some stars grouped up to form a constellation. According to legends, in every constellation, there would be one unique magical treasure, and it is exactly the Star Treasure.
However, Star Treasures should not be compared to the treasures of big heroes or exceptional martial artists. For example, the Lion King Lei Ang’s Raging Lionheart, even though it was terrifying in his hands, it didn’t mean that it was the Leo Constellation’s Star Treasure. Just like how the Heaven Bow in the hands of the Bow Saint Hou Yi Tian, wasn’t the Sagittarius Constellation’s Number One Treasure.
Every great treasure in the legends, epic poems and books were all far from the real Star Treasures.
Suddenly one day, Tang Tian had found out that the Bronze Plate that had been with him ever since he was young, was actually a Star Treasure. Although it looked sort of ordinary, Tang Tian knew that there was a special implication that came along with it.
Mum…. your passing, exactly how did it happen?
Why did you not tell me…
Tang Tian’s heart was eerily silent, with a hazed look in his eyes.
But very quickly, he woke back up, suddenly a feeling of heroism rose from his heart, the haze from his eyes swept clean, and he clenched his fists tightly again.
Mum, I am not afraid!
No matter how big or how dangerous it is, nothing can stop me!
Your son will not let you lose face.
I will definitely get to the bottom of this!
Do your best, Tang Tian!
Tang Tian raised his right fist towards the sky and swore to his mother, as well as to himself.
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Zhou Peng’s skin was dark due to suntanning, his lips were so dry that they cracked. He was too tired, and could not even lift up his eyelids.
‘Huala’, a pot of ice water poured down his head.
“Zhou Mu, wait for me to become the Patriarch, and then you’re dead!” Zhou Peng gritted his teeth and said.
Without a change of expression on his face, Zhou Mu replied : “Wait until you become the Patriarch then you can talk about it again.”
“I will definitely become the Patriarch! I will kill you! And kill Tang Tian! I will kill whoever stands in my way!” Zhou Peng crazily shouted. Immediately after he finished, without a sign, he took up a piece of star rock and immediately started activating his spirit cultivation arts.
Shortly after, the star rock lost its glow and shattered onto the floor with a bang. There was a thick spread of shattered rocks on the floor, where Zhou Peng had been consuming an astonishing number of star rocks.
An astonishing number of star rocks, when accumulated together, the results would be equally astonishing.
Zhou Peng’s True Power was already the peak of third level, and very quickly, he would be able to rush into the fourth level. With a True Power of the fourth level, comparing to all the schools, he would be a peak expert in the entire Star Wind City.
Zhou Mu still did not show any emotions, and even personally taught Zhou Peng’s lessons multiple times. Zhou Peng knew that this time, it was not just due to a fluke that he obtained this possibility, instead, it was because he managed to manifest a never before seen ferocity.
Zhou Peng’s innate talent and body were considered very good, he also a naturally outstanding affinity with the wood element, and was considered the Zhou Clan’s young generation’s most outstanding member. Sadly he always went overboard in the pursuit of pleasure, becoming undisciplined and out of hand. He was forced to his current predicament in desperation, with nowhere to run, but still managed to improve at a speed that exceeded people’s expectations.
The Zhou Clan were experts in wood element martial arts, and had a deep history with the wood element. On Wu An Star, the Zhou Clan could stand out alone, and could grow on their own, as they were most well known for their series of wood element martial arts.
As soon as he could break into the fourth level, Zhou Peng could start training in the Zhou Clan’s famous martial art [Wooden Heart Rotating Sword].
[Wooden Heart Rotating Sword] was reputable, and could be strangely incorporated with many of Zhou Clan’s rank four martial arts.
Provided that Zhou Peng could practise the [Wooden Heart Rotating Sword], he would become the successor in line for the Patriarch position. Even the Great Clan Elder would definitely not be opposed to him.
However, the [Wooden Heart Rotating Sword] had a high level of difficulty in training, and many disciples who tried practising it, ended up in failure. Of the Zhou Clan disciples who successfully cultivated the art throughout history, all of them achieved great success.
Yet Zhou Peng had great chances of completing [Wooden Heart Rotating Sword].
Seeing Zhou Peng open his eyes, Zhou Mu emotionlessly reported: “We have just received news that Tang Tian has registered for this year’s Star Wind Martial Meet. Patriarch Zhou has registered you too, and it is your only chance of redemption!”
Zhou Peng eyes portrayed out a deep poisonous evil and murderous intent; “He will definitely die! I will personally slay him!”
Once he finished, he turned back and immersed himself in cultivation.