chsdbacks Chapter 236: The Culture and Experiences of the Taihu Lake Region
Chapter 236: The Culture and Experiences of the Taihu Lake Region
The surrounding passengers were divided in their expressions. Some looked at these young talents with envy, while some older cultivators shook their heads in dismay, lamenting their youthful arrogance. Others were disdainful but dared not show it due to their cultivation level.
The flying boat pierced through the clouds and fog, heading east steadily forward.
The journey from Black Crow City to Penglai Immortal City is extremely long, and the route is winding. Even if this high-level passenger airship flies without stopping, it will still take a considerable amount of time.
Zhang Ping had been meditating in seclusion in his room for a month, and he felt like his whole body was about to rust. The weather was nice that day, so he opened the door and went out onto the deck for some fresh air.
The moment I pushed open the deck cabin door, a cool breeze rushed in, carrying with it the faint fragrance of osmanthus.
Zhang Ping was stunned for a moment before he realized that, without him noticing, the summer heat had quietly faded away and autumn had arrived.
For cultivators, time flies by. Sometimes, after a period of seclusion and meditation, when they open their eyes again, spring has turned to autumn, and a year or two has passed.
He had only taken a few steps forward when he saw a familiar figure by the railing.
"Sister Squid is out for some fresh air too?" Zhang Ping asked with a smile, moving closer. Having traveled together for over two months, the two had become quite familiar with each other, and their way of addressing each other had become much more casual.
"Hmm." Squid nodded casually, but his gaze didn't leave the center of the deck. "Come out and see if we can pick out a few good prospects and recruit them into the Flying Pavilion."
Zhang Ping followed her gaze and immediately understood.
A large open space was set up in the center of the deck, surrounded by defensive formations. Inside the formations, a young male and female cultivator were sparring back and forth, their moves agile and their spiritual energy circulation extremely skillful.
The group of young men and women I had seen on the deck earlier were gathered around the formation, occasionally pointing and commenting on the area.
"Most of these people are scions of prominent families from various parts of the Taihu region, and they are all the most talented young members of their clans," Mo Yu casually explained. "Nine times out of ten, they are gathered together to go to the Penglai region for training."
In this land of Luoxia Marshland where chivalrous culture flourishes, the Taihu Lake region also has its own established rules for training.
Whether they are disciples of sects or scions of noble families, most of them will choose to go out and train once they reach the Divine Integration Realm. Although the three major sects have their own exclusive training realms, the number of places is limited, and not every disciple can enter. Therefore, sect disciples often travel and train outside.
The purpose of training is nothing more than to broaden one's horizons and hone one's skills and combat abilities.
The chosen paths generally fall into two categories. One is to travel to the border regions where humans and other races meet, or to dangerous and perilous places teeming with monsters, and to quickly improve one's strength through real combat.
However, this road is extremely dangerous. The alien races never show mercy. Every year, at least eighty or one hundred geniuses die on the border of the merfolk. The monster area is even more dangerous. Some monsters are extremely intelligent and will even set traps to ambush and kill human cultivators who come to train.
In comparison, the second option is much safer: head to the Penglai region, where sects abound and independent cultivators gather.
Nine out of ten cultivators who go out to train will come here. Talented individuals from all over gather together and inevitably exchange skills and compete with each other. Over time, this has become a tacit rule throughout the entire Taihu Lake region.
For these scions of noble families, their cultivation techniques and magical artifacts, while impressive, were still inferior to those of the disciples from the three major sects. Venturing into the perilous lands of demonic beasts was far too dangerous, making the Penglai region undoubtedly the best choice.
Moreover, going to Penglai has another major advantage. As long as you can make a name for yourself among the various prodigies, many sects will extend olive branches to you. If you can join a good sect, your future path will naturally be much smoother.
In just a few words, Cuttlefish explained the intricacies of the matter clearly. Zhang Ping listened with great interest; these unspoken rules hidden within the cultivator community were things he had never encountered in any of the ancient texts he had previously searched through.
"So, Sister Squid is here to poach talent ahead of schedule?" Zhang Ping joked with a smile.
"Hmm." Squid nodded, then couldn't help but turn to look at Zhang Ping, a strange look in its eyes.
Come to think of it, this young man in front of her is someone she failed to recruit.
Zhang Ping didn't notice the gaze that Mo Yu was casting; his entire attention was fixed on the fighting arena in front of him.
He watched with extreme concentration.
His fingertips unconsciously traced the cold railing of the ship, his gaze following two figures crossing paths on the field, his eyelashes barely blinking.
This world is too vast, and the methods of cultivation and combat are ever-changing. It's always good to observe other people's actual battles and understand the details of different approaches.
After all, what is recorded in ancient books is ultimately dead. They may only describe the surface, or they may hide crucial variations and backup plans. It is far less real than seeing each move broken down with your own eyes.
"These people's methods are indeed much more ruthless than those of ordinary rogue cultivators," Zhang Ping thought to himself.
On the field, a man and a woman, one wielding a sword, faced off against the other wielding a gun.
The shockwaves generated by the clash were all blocked by the protective formation, but they still caused the transparent light screen to ripple in circles. The residual wind swept along the ship's side, making Zhang Ping's cheeks feel slightly tight.
Based solely on the frequency of the ripples, he could roughly deduce the destructive power of each attack from the two people inside. Both were at the Divine Integration Realm, far stronger than the cultivators he had encountered at Dragon Breath Lake.
They haven't reached the point where they can kill enemies beyond their level, but as early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, many of them could probably overcome one or two minor levels to fight against ordinary rogue cultivators.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, the outcome of the match was already decided.
The spear tip pointed diagonally at the ground, the last spark of life sliding down the shaft and extinguishing instantly upon hitting the deck. Li Yu flicked his wrist, and the twelve-foot-long spear slid cleanly and swiftly behind his back, the movement utterly decisive and without the slightest hesitation.
A few fine beads of sweat clung to her forehead, but her face showed no arrogance. She simply clasped her hands slightly in a fist salute to the man opposite her.
"Fellow Daoist Li, you flatter me."
The man opposite him was kneeling on the ground, his hand holding the sword was still trembling slightly, and his knuckles were white from gripping it so tightly.
He gritted his teeth, not daring to look up at the onlookers. He quickly bowed to Li Yu, then turned and left without even turning back to pick up the sword tassel that had fallen to the ground. The wind rustling through his clothes revealed his disheveled state.
His appearance caused many people around him to lower their heads and chuckle to themselves.
The squid beside him frowned without any attempt to hide it, and said bluntly, "These family scions are passable in terms of cultivation and combat skills, but their character is far from up to par."
Zhang Ping nodded in agreement.
Those who can't afford to lose won't go very far.
At that moment, Xiang Chunyuan stepped forward, clapping his hands and laughing loudly, "Sister Li Yu, what excellent marksmanship! You've truly broadened our horizons!"
"You flatter me, brother. My marksmanship is still far from perfect." Although Li Yu was a woman, she was very composed. Faced with the compliments from everyone present, she showed no pride on her face, but instead became even more humble.
The two are cousins, and their way of addressing each other is much more intimate than that of ordinary people.
Li Yu's character made many people overlook her ordinary appearance and look at her with more genuine respect.