Yellow-rank high-grade cultivation technique, with a total of seven levels. The Xiantian Technique is no exception. The first three levels are relatively easy; the fourth level is the Minor Achievement stage, the sixth is the Major Achievement stage, and the seventh is the Great Perfection stage.

Only by cultivating to the Great Perfection stage and reaching its peak can one produce Xiantian True Qi and step into the Xiantian realm.

There is a note on the manual: This technique is extremely powerful, far surpassing other yellow-rank high-grade techniques of the same level, but it is extremely difficult to cultivate. Since the founding of our sect, before reaching the Xiantian realm, fewer than three people have managed to cultivate this technique to the Major Achievement stage.

“Xiantian Technique, it will be you!”

Without the slightest hesitation, Edward Grant chose the Xiantian Technique. He was very confident that he could cultivate it to the Great Perfection stage.

“Junior brother, the ‘Xiantian Technique’ is the most difficult to cultivate among all yellow-rank techniques. In the thousand-year history of our sect, only three people have achieved anything with it. For martial artists, before the age of 20 is the golden period for cultivation. Your future achievements can basically be determined by your cultivation at age 20. You’d better look at other techniques instead of wasting your golden years.”

Just as Edward Grant was reading the Xiantian Technique, someone beside him kindly offered this advice.

Edward Grant turned his head and saw a youth about fifteen or sixteen years old, at most a year or two older than himself, with dignified and handsome features that naturally inspired goodwill.

Edward Grant gave a slight smile and said, “Thank you for the reminder, senior brother, but my mind is made up. I will cultivate this Xiantian Technique.”

“Stubborn.” The youth, seeing his advice was unwelcome, shrugged and turned to leave.

Edward Grant paid it no mind and continued reading the Xiantian Technique.

Very soon, Edward Grant memorized the cultivation method of the Xiantian Technique.

Only then did he realize that not only had his comprehension greatly improved, but even his memory had transformed—he was nearly able to remember everything at a glance. After reading it once, he had memorized most of it; after twice, it was deeply impressed in his mind; by the third time, he understood it completely.

After reading it three times, Edward Grant put down the Xiantian Technique and went to the section of manuals on movement techniques.

Not long after, Edward Grant had another manual in his hand—Leopard Shadow Technique.

Leopard Shadow Technique, a yellow-rank high-grade movement technique, is extremely fast, like a cheetah sprinting, with explosive speed in an instant, and also excels at long-distance running.

A cheetah’s speed is extraordinary—it is one of the fastest beasts on land. When it runs, it’s like a shadow flashing by. From the name alone, Leopard Shadow Technique is clearly a movement technique focused on speed.

Edward Grant specialized in close combat and had already learned the yellow-rank mid-grade movement technique, Spirit Snake Step. Now, cultivating a movement technique suited for long-distance running was most appropriate. After some comparison, Edward Grant chose the speed-focused Leopard Shadow Technique.

Before long, Edward Grant had also memorized the Leopard Shadow Technique.

As for the fist and palm technique manuals, Edward Grant ignored them for now and walked toward the sword technique section.

A swordsman’s strength lies first in his own cultivation, and second in his sword techniques.

Especially the cultivation of sword techniques—many powerful swordsmen can defeat martial artists of the same level with their sword skills, and some can even defeat those a level higher.

As for fist and palm techniques, it’s not too late to cultivate them after mastering sword techniques. Besides, Edward Grant had already cultivated the ‘Wild Ox Fist’ to the Major Achievement stage, which was even more powerful than a yellow-rank high-grade fist technique at the Minor Achievement stage—enough for now.

Edward Grant approached the bookshelf where the sword manuals were kept and took the first manual from the shelf, opening it for a look.

Shadowless Sword Technique, Profound-rank sword skill—

“Hm?”

Edward Grant’s eyes widened in surprise. On the first floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion, there should only be yellow-rank manuals. Profound-rank manuals are only found on the second floor, which is reserved for inner sect disciples.

Why?

Why was there a Profound-rank manual on the first floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion?

And!

A Profound-rank manual, yet not a single disciple was reading it—no one paid it any attention.

Edward Grant picked up the “Shadowless Sword Technique,” and several senior brothers nearby glanced at him, their looks akin to city folk eyeing a country bumpkin—“You’ve never seen the world.”

Clearly!

These senior brothers had all looked at the “Shadowless Sword Technique” before, but for some reason, they all scoffed at it.

Edward Grant turned another page of the “Shadowless Sword Technique,” and there he found the answer to his confusion.

On the second page of the manual, it read:

Shadowless Sword Technique, the unique sword skill of ‘One Sword, Certain Death’ Thomas Reed, the number one assassin of the Divine Blade Dynasty a hundred years ago. Thomas Reed was known as ‘One Sword, Certain Death’ and also as the fastest sword. His kills were always with a single strike. The essence of the Shadowless Sword Technique lies in the word ‘speed.’ It must be practiced together with Thomas Reed’s unique mental cultivation method. Our sect obtained the “Shadowless Sword Technique” by chance, but the whereabouts of Thomas Reed’s mental method are unknown. Without Thomas Reed’s unique mental method, the sword moves of the “Shadowless Sword Technique” are, at best, equivalent to a yellow-rank sword skill. Disciples with exceptionally high comprehension may study it in their spare time.

So that’s how it is. The “Shadowless Sword Technique” only has sword moves, but no mental method, so it’s impossible to bring out the true essence of ‘speed’ in the technique.

All Profound-rank and above manuals come with a matching mental method. Only when Xiantian True Qi is circulated according to the mental method can the various powers of Profound-rank martial skills be unleashed, surpassing the limits of ordinary martial arts.