Chapter 6: If I Take All the Clothes

The matter of qualifications was something Jiang Man was hearing about for the first time.Previously, he truly had no qualifications whatsoever; he couldn't even perform Draw Qi into Body, so why bother asking about such things.

However, times were different now.

He absolutely had to get this qualification.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to pass the requirements of the Peerless Prodigy Fate later.

According to what Old Yellow Ox said, Lucky Cloud City's foundation couldn't support the subsequent demands of the Prodigy Fate.

Curious, Jiang Man looked at Fang Yong and asked, "What level of strength is needed to have the qualification?"

Fang Yong looked at Jiang Man with a cold sneer.

He did not answer the question.

Jiang Man wasn't discouraged and asked another question: "Young Master Fang is so impressive, what level has your Qi Refinement Method reached?"

This time, the other party answered very readily: "Seventh layer. Before December, I will reach the eighth layer. Do you think you have any hope?"

Jiang Man said he wanted to give it a try.

Fang Yong didn't care, but just told him to be mindful of what words could be said and what couldn't.

The meaning was that what he saw in the stables shouldn't be spoken about.

It would affect his image in the eyes of everyone in the sixth small courtyard.

After that, Jiang Man also quickly left.

Returning to the thatched hut, he still needed to feed the several horses in the stables.

He also needed to take them out for runs and brush their fur.

After finishing these tasks, Jiang Man finally prepared lunch for himself.

In his memory, these past two years had almost always been like this.

He hadn't been anywhere else.

After eating, Jiang Man found Old Yellow Ox who was grazing: "Senior, did that Immortal Maiden take any action against you?"

"You should first think about whether you've completed today's one hundred repetitions or not," the old ox said grumpily, continuing to graze by itself.

Jiang Man said with a smile, "One hundred repetitions is still quite easy, but there's something I need your help with, Senior."

Hearing this, Old Yellow Ox slightly raised its head to look at Jiang Man: "You want me to teach you cultivation? That won't work. The third floor and six pavilions of Cloud Front Division are the strictest."

"No," Jiang Man said truthfully. "I wanted to ask how to raise a Flame-Treading Spiritual Steed to resolve its Weak Period."

Seeing Old Yellow Ox's confusion, Jiang Man truthfully explained today's events.

"Using this method to exchange for one year's Cultivation Fee?" Old Yellow Ox was somewhat surprised.

Jiang Man nodded.

Old Yellow Ox chuckled lightly: "Do you know how much you're losing out?"

Jiang Man shook his head: "I don't know, but being able to continue staying means I can at least temporarily preserve my life."

If he left Azure Cloud Pavilion, he definitely wouldn't come to a good end.

After going out, even basic food and clothing would be problems, let alone continuing cultivation.

Wanting cultivation resources would be as difficult as climbing to heaven.

Furthermore, the third floor and six pavilions of Cloud Front Division were all guarded.

Those who entered enjoyed some level of protection.

The people here had more privileges than those outside; after all, the situation wasn't settled yet, and perhaps a dark horse would emerge.

After going out, the future was almost set in stone; it would be extremely difficult to escape poverty, and naturally, there was no protection—one would have to face the bloody reality of life.

So, while the rearing method might be priceless, right now, what was most valuable was buying his stability for the coming period.

Perhaps trading with others could get him more resources.

But compared to Zhao Leming, they were even less trustworthy.

The main issue was that he didn't have the qualification for a fair trade.

The weak were destined to suffer losses.

Old Yellow Ox didn't say much more; whether it was a loss or not was just a casual remark.

Afterwards, it told Jiang Man the method.

The method was divided into two parts.

The first part could resolve one Weak Period.

The second part resolved additional Weak Periods.

Some spiritual steeds had two Weak Periods.

Hence the second part existed.

Jiang Man only copied the first part; not only that, he also had Old Yellow Ox deliberately make the latter part obscure and mysterious.

Ensuring ordinary people couldn't understand it and would need to consult literature to figure it out.

Only then did Jiang Man breathe a sigh of relief.

Looking at the rearing method, Jiang Man was quite curious, wondering if this method was worthy of being recorded.

Immediately, he communicated with the Heavenly Mirror Hundred Books.

The book quickly flipped through its pages, finally stopping on the last page.

Jiang Man: "......"

What kind of thing could this book actually record?

Jiang Man felt he needed to find some ancient artifacts or consecrated divine objects.

But Lucky Cloud City didn't have anything particularly famous.

He should still join a sect, go to a better environment, and come into contact with more powerful people.

Otherwise...

The requirements of the Fate couldn't be obtained, and the Heavenly Mirror Hundred Books would be utterly useless.

Afterwards, Jiang Man planned to cultivate, but suddenly looked curiously at Old Yellow Ox: "Senior, what should a Peerless Prodigy actually be like?"

"Haven't seen one." After pausing, Old Yellow Ox looked at Jiang Man and said, "You're not going to tell me it should be someone like you, are you?"

"Senior just never learns his lesson," Jiang Man replied with a laugh.

He then began cultivating the Qi Refinement Method.

Continuing to increase the level of the Qi Refinement Method.

For the rest of the afternoon, Jiang Man didn't do anything else.

He just focused wholeheartedly on cultivation.

After thirty-two repetitions.

Qi Refinement Method, sixth layer.

Late at night.

After sixty-four repetitions.

Qi Refinement Method, seventh layer.

In one day, he caught up to Fang Yong.

But it was only catching up in the Qi Refinement Method; his actual cultivation was still worlds apart.

After reaching the seventh layer of the Qi Refinement Method, a faint halo would appear around the body.

This was the spiritual energy glow.

It could be concealed after getting familiar with it.

But Old Yellow Ox still saw it.

In just a few days, it had made him doubt life several times.

"Seventh layer of the Simple Qi Refining Method already?" Old Yellow Ox looked at Jiang Man and asked.

Regarding this, Jiang Man didn't hide it either, nodding: "It is indeed the seventh layer."

"Did you cultivate secretly before?" Old Yellow Ox tried to see something from Jiang Man's expression.

Jiang Man looked at the other and smiled without speaking.

"How on earth did you do it?" Old Yellow Ox couldn't understand.

"Perhaps it was getting married," Jiang Man answered offhandedly.

Old Yellow Ox: "..."

Suddenly, Jiang Man thought of something and asked curiously: "Senior, back then in the back mountain, if I had taken all the clothes I saw, what would have happened?"

Old Yellow Ox was stunned, looking at Jiang Man in surprise: "You... are quite greedy."

Jiang Man gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject: "Didn't Senior say you've never seen a Peerless Prodigy? Now Senior has seen one, hasn't he? It's all due to natural talent."

Old Yellow Ox: "......."

Although somewhat unbelieving, it truly was shocked.

"I hope your talent can successfully meet the requirements of the Prodigy Fate," Old Yellow Ox said gloomily.

"Even this isn't enough?" Jiang Man was somewhat puzzled.

Hearing this, Old Yellow Ox smiled without speaking, saying: "You'll find out later."

Let's play the riddle game together.

Jiang Man didn't mind and went to rest.

Today's one hundred repetitions were already finished.

His body was still weak now, so he needed to rest at night.

The next day.

Jiang Man came to the sixth small courtyard of Azure Cloud Pavilion.

This time, he once again saw Fang Yong with the same group as before.

"What Weak Period? Last time, it was out of respect for Young Master Fang that we let that matter drop," the short man shook his head and sighed. "But Young Master Fang has a close relationship with that person, and we've developed a slight rift with him. To avoid putting Young Master Fang in a difficult position, we should interact less."

Saying this, the short man led his people away.

No matter how Fang Yong tried to explain, it was useless.

Even when he said he had no friendship whatsoever with Jiang Man, it had no effect.

As the short man left, he passed by Jiang Man, glanced at him casually, a trace of mockery at the corner of his mouth.

He probably intended to wait and watch the show.

But it wasn't obviously displayed; to outsiders, it looked like a polite smile.

As soon as the others left, Fang Yong looked at Jiang Man with a gaze full of resentment.

Blaming him for why he didn't admit fault back then.

At that moment, a man walked over and said somewhat enviously: "Young Master Fang, was Young Master Yang looking for you to hang out again just now?"

Hearing this, Fang Yong withdrew the resentful gaze he directed at Jiang Man, replacing it with a smile as he looked at the newcomer: "Can't really say that, just a simple exchange about some rather private matters."

The newcomer was both admiring and envious.

Someone like that was completely in a different class from them; there was simply no possibility of interaction.

Jiang Man: "......"

He was going to be targeted by Fang Yong.

But the instigator was that Young Master Yang.

He didn't know if it was a momentary whim or a deliberate targeting.

The former was manageable, but the latter would be more troublesome.

He hadn't even officially started improving his cultivation yet; being targeted would affect his progress.