Chapter 42: If I don't sleep, how will they sleep?

The next day.Jiang Man immediately went to collect the Simple Visualization Method.

He looked it over and found it vastly different from the Mortal-grade Superior Visualization Method.

Compared to the Waterwood Visualization Method, the Simple Visualization Method was written entirely in plain language, simple and easy to understand, making it very beginner-friendly.

After collecting the visualization method, Jiang Man stopped overthinking it.

Regardless, he was already several days late.

He could explain it away, but suspicions could still arise.

There was nothing to worry about.

The probability of the sect people coming to investigate wasn't high—they never paid much attention to people like them in the first place.

After all, for those lofty major cultivators in the sect.

People like them participating in the experiment were just like poor village boys.

Why would they need excessive attention?

Just do his own thing properly, then leave when the time comes—that should be enough.

In the following days, Jiang Man faced no further obstacles in the Sixth Courtyard.

But Luo Xuan and the others were extremely diligent.

Some worked hard on cultivating spells, while others tried to increase their cultivation realms.

Jiang Man practiced spells during the day and operated his Qi Refinement Method at night to improve his cultivation.

In just a few short days, Jiang Man's Dragon Subduing Method had already reached the ninth layer.

His Torrent Collapse Technique had also reached the fifth layer.

His Green Smoke Prelude was only at the third layer.

He hadn't learned the Basic Sword Technique yet.

His cultivation progress wasn't significant.

The sixth gourd was only one-tenth full.

He needed to purchase enough Qi Condensing Pills to fill the sixth "gourd" with water.

Reaching the seventh layer required improving his physical body, which he probably wouldn't have the chance to do.

But he couldn't give up either.

December first.

Jiang Man was scheduled to guard the main gate today.

However, he was on the night shift, which didn't affect his daytime studies and cultivation.

That night.

Jiang Man was brought to a somewhat illuminated large gate.

The person who brought him was the same guide woman from the Spirit Gathering Hall.

"This is the place. This is the side gate. Outside leads to alleys connecting to the city, while the main road connects to some mountain villages," the guide woman explained seriously. "Usually, some villagers also enter through this gate.

"Young Master Jiang just needs to guard here and prevent unauthorized people from entering.

"Every student has their own identification, so Young Master Jiang needs to check them.

"Of course, some previous guards didn't check.

"They only inspected suspicious people based on experience.

"But if something happens, they might be held accountable."

Hearing this, Jiang Man thanked her for the reminder.

"It's my duty. Then I won't disturb Young Master Jiang any further," she said, leaving Jiang Man a booklet. "These are some precautions. Young Master Jiang can review them when you have time.

"If you want to cultivate, that's also possible. Just stand by the gate to cultivate while making sure someone is present."

Her speech was both polite and respectful.

This was her attitude after learning that Jiang Man had become number one.

Even Manager Miao had to lower her head, so she naturally didn't dare to offend him.

Fortunately, the other party seemed easy to talk to.

Otherwise...

She would have lost quite a bit of Spirit Source.

Jiang Man watched her leave, then surveyed his surroundings.

Although it was a side gate, it wasn't narrow.

There was a pavilion by the gate that served as his resting place.

There was a dim lamp here.

Under the moonlight, Jiang Man could see some mountain ranges in the distance.

There were indeed some lights nearby, emanating from the alleys.

This gate was located at the edge of Lucky Cloud City.

Finding a spot, Jiang Man opened his spell book and began reading.

He decided to practice the Torrent Collapse Technique.

After reviewing Master Fu's teachings, he began operating the spell for cultivation.

The Spell Innate Qi moved accordingly.

Once, twice.

Facing the starlight, Jiang Man's figure never stopped moving.

Some people coming and going felt surprised.

When had a guard ever been so diligent?

But no one paid it much mind.

After midnight.

Jiang Man had practiced sixty-four times.

Torrent Collapse Technique sixth layer.

After that, he continued cultivating.

Until daybreak.

He still hadn't reached the seventh layer.

He needed to cultivate for a while longer.

There was no hurry though.

That night, Jiang Man came again to stand guard.

This time, he started cultivating as soon as he arrived.

Making some students confused.

But they decided not to use this entrance anymore.

Watching a guard work so diligently made them feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Before midnight, Jiang Man's Torrent Collapse Technique reached the eighth layer.

With some effort tomorrow, he could reach the ninth layer.

On the third day at midnight.

As Jiang Man's foot landed, the surrounding ground cracked like tortoiseshell, showing numerous fissures.

Torrent Collapse Technique ninth layer.

Success.

"Now only Green Smoke Prelude remains. This is a good close-combat spell, but reaching the ninth layer will be even more difficult."

"But there are still over ten days left—there's enough time."

Just with these alone, Jiang Man wasn't sure if he could match Luo Xuan and the others.

But there were no other options.

He couldn't afford other spells, so he could only try to improve his cultivation as much as possible.

If he could reach the seventh level of Qi Refinement, everything would be resolved easily.

Thus, Jiang Man made his decision.

But currently, his Spirit Source definitely wasn't sufficient.

He needed to borrow some from Little Fatty.

The leap from the sixth level to the seventh level of Qi Refinement was no small matter.

Just as Jiang Man planned to practice Green Smoke Prelude, he suddenly saw a figure limping along the main road.

This direction...

Should be from the mountains.

Jiang Man watched the person approach.

It was a middle-aged man with dark skin.

He looked to be in his fifties.

Hunched over, appearing quite exhausted.

He looked around and spotted Jiang Man first.

He quickly hurried over.

Jiang Man glanced down at the man's feet—his trousers, covered in mud, were stained with some blood. He had probably been injured on the way here.

The traces of Divine Movement Steps were quite evident.

"Honorable guard, I'm here to look for someone," the other party said with a respectful bow.

"Who are you looking for?" Jiang Man asked curiously.

He had an obligation to notify people inside.

"Fang Yong from the Sixth Courtyard of Azure Cloud Pavilion," the man immediately said.

Hearing this, Jiang Man was somewhat surprised.

It was actually someone looking for Fang Yong.

"What's your relationship to him?" Jiang Man asked.

The man opened his mouth but quickly swallowed what he wanted to say, changing his words: "I'm the steward of his residence, here to deliver his cultivation fee."

"Wasn't the cultivation fee supposed to be submitted back in September?" Jiang Man asked, puzzled.

Hearing this, the man said awkwardly: "The residence was delayed for some time, so it's being delivered late. That... it should still be in time, right?"

Jiang Man recalled August, when Teacher Zhao had asked the Sixth Courtyard to submit their cultivation fees.

Everyone had thought it was him, Jiang Man.

But it was actually Fang Yong?

No wonder—he had already reached an agreement with Teacher Zhao back then.

Why would it be mentioned again?

The other party asked if he was still in time, with some anxiety in his voice.

Jiang Man thought about Fang Yong's current situation and nodded: "There's still time."

Hearing this, the man sighed with relief.

Only then did he have time to deal with the stains on his clothes.

"Please excuse my appearance, honorable guard," the other party said awkwardly.

Jiang Man shook his head.

After that, he notified someone inside to go find Fang Yong.

It was the middle of the night—surely he couldn't be asleep, right?

"No hurry, I can wait until tomorrow," the man immediately said.

Jiang Man shook his head: "It's already too late—I've already notified them."

"But at this hour, he should be sleeping, right?"

"Probably not. He can't sleep."

The middle-aged man looked confused.

But Jiang Man didn't explain.

Ever since he stopped sleeping, how could these second and third placers possibly sleep?

They had long known about him, as a guard, staying awake all night while continuously cultivating.

Who in the Sixth Courtyard had the nerve to sleep?