“All right, I promise you I will personally pass on the Dharma-Iaksana Knack to Xiaoya.”

Shangguan Li agreed without hesitation.

Usually, he didn’t pay much attention to the apprentice school. He hadn’t expected that it actually hid such two pieces of jades. If the incident hadn’t gone significant today, he was afraid that both of them would remain concealed.

Shen Fang and Shen Xiaoya, if either of them stood out after the training, then it would be a big win for the Blue Wolf Sect.

...

Walking out of the pavilion with Xiaoyu, Shen Fang looked at the distant mountains and clouds and slowly let out a breath.

Since the gift of Spiritual Force was awakened, he had finally settled Xiaoya's incident.

But now, his situation was not promising.

Outside the Sect, he had to face the hostilities of the empire; inside the Sect, he had to bear the hatred from the First Elder. The only tip for his self-protection lay in his value to be exploited.

The tests for Formal Disciples would be held one month later.

The Martial Arts Convention of the Empire would be held three months later.

In these two tests, the more impressive and sensational he performed, the safer he and Xiaoya would be.

And how much he could improve this month was crucial to him.

“Where are you going?”

Xiaoyu wrinkled her nose. As the maid of the Sect Leader, she was somewhat unpleased with receiving a whole month's orders from Shen Fang, an Apprentice Disciple.

“To the Inheritance Cliff.” Shen Fang said.

“You are going to the Inheritance Cliff? Shen Fang, you are overextending yourself.”

Xiaoyu's disdainful look suddenly became obvious. She raised her brows and showed a trace of tease on her beautiful cheeks.

“The Cultivation Method on the Inheritance Cliff is indeed powerful. However, it is very difficult to perceive. Many gifted disciples could only perceive a smattering of it in six months or one year. Actually, I recommend the Gravity Grotto which is more beneficial to you.”

“No, I’m going to the Inheritance Cliff.” Shen Fang insisted.

Xiaoyu strongly disapproved, “Shen Fang, you only have one month. Do you want to waste it all here? I’m telling you, it does you no good to be so starry-eyed.”

Shen Fang’s face darkened, “Do I need your advice?”

“What...”

Xiaoyu was peeved.

"Show me the way. Just follow my orders this month." Shen Fang slightly pricked his brows.

Xiaoyu gritted her teeth and stamped her feet hatefully. She turned around and hummed, “No one will stop you from courting death. If you’d like to go there, follow me.”

They walked along the mountain road to the back hill.

The Blue Wolf Sect was built along the Spiritual Vein. The terrain of the mountains was complex and interlocked. The further they went toward the back hill, the closer they approached the soul of the Spiritual Vein, the more intense the Spiritual Qi became in the mountain. When they went into the mountain permeated with the light fog of Spiritual Qi, they could sniff fragrance and sweet in every breath.

Several greeting pines took their roots on the cliff.

Walking past the cliff was a large col. It was like a huge nest which was set among the mountains.

In the col, a dozen of teenagers were cultivating. They sat, stood, or practiced in pairs. The meditators breathed deeply and slowly. And those practicing in pairs waved sword light like furious thunderbolts.

Seeing Xiaoyu and Shen Fang coming in, everyone stopped their cultivation and inquiringly turned their heads to look towards them.

“That’s Shen Fang from the apprentice school who went around killing just now. It’s rumored that the Sect Leader takes much count of him.”

“Humph, he was lucky enough to seize an opportunity.”

"It seems nothing special about him."

“Definitely, he has much better than this. I think he has gained such big fame with grandstanding.”

...

Deprecating discussions came in presumptuously.

Those teenagers all had unmistakable arrogance on their faces and showed provocative intent in their eyes. They were gesticulating to Shen Fang’s direction.

Shen Fang frowned slightly.

"Shen Fang, pass across this col, we'll reach the cave where the Inheritance Cliff is located."

Xiaoyu introduced to Shen Fang, and then lowered her voice solemnly,

"These people are all close disciples of the Sect Leader. They are chosen talents by the Sect Leader himself and enjoy a better treatment than the Formal Disciples. Every one of them is very tough. Shen Fang, I warn you not to mess with them. Otherwise, I can't help you."

“So, they are the so-called Close Disciples?”

Shen Fang looked over at them. He knew the Sect Leader Shangguan Li had exerted his utmost efforts to recruit a bunch of promising talents.

“Well, you see that man in Vintage Rhino Hunter’s Armor. His name is Long Zhixi. Our Leader fought with the leader of the Flowing Cloud Sect just for him.”

“Oh, that's the man.”

Shen Fang looked over to the direction of Xiaoyu’s pouted mouth.

That young man Long Zhixi stood alone on a hill stone. He slightly held his long knife forward and stood still when a ray of mountain light cast on him on the other side. He could feel the man was nourishing his vital energy and blood, and the body of that man was full of astonishing explosive force.

In order to recruit him, our Sect Leader fought ferociously with the leader of the Flowing Cloud Sect. This disciple himself was a legend.

Long Zhixi sensed their stares and turned his head. Long Zhixi squinted, and his eyes fixed on Shen Fang when a man next to him whispered a few words in his ear... He put down his knife and walked toward Shen Fang's direction with a little short of provocation.

“Shen Fang, don’t mess with him, follow me quickly.”

Xiaoyu sensed trouble as she knew those geniuses were all eccentric and excessively cocky. Shen Fang stirred up such a storm in the Sect and made the Sect Leader directly dealt with the matter. These geniuses would not be convinced.

If Long Zhixi fought with Shen Fang, it would put my commissioned task in jeopardy.

Before Long Zhixi came over, Xiaoyu hurriedly dragged Shen Fang, detoured to the back of the col, and avoided these people.

Walking past the col, they saw an ancient cave house in front of a cliff. She pushed open two heavy doors and led Shen Fang in.

The cave, floated with mist, was a little cold and shady. A rough stone cliff erected at the bottom.

“This is the Inheritance Cliff.”

Xiaoyu pouted slightly and hummed,

“Remember, you only have one month. No matter how much you perceive, you need to come out by then. You care about yourself within this period of time.”

Xiaoyu flipped her long hair with a turn and walked out of the cave by swinging her hip.

...

“This is the rumored Inheritance Cliff!”

Shen Fang, a little ardent, turned to the front of the cliff. He saw three deep Sword Marks lying on the jagged cliff.

These Sword Marks were left top-down and emitted boundless swordsmanship. From these Sword Marks, he could imagine how domineering this predecessor was when performing the swordplay. The swordsmanship of this predecessor could somehow shock the heaven and earth.

It was rumored that these Sword Marks were left by a master-hand in ancient times. If one could perceive a smattering of it after speculation for some time, he would make great progress of his swordsmanship.

However, up to now, no one had fully perceived it.

“I don't know how much I can perceive within a month.”

Shen Fang thought.