Aren liked the library.
It was quiet. Warm. Smelled faintly of ink and paper. And most importantly, no one there yelled about sword forms or exploded training dummies next to him.
After reaching Level 2 in just two months, he decided to take it slow again. No rush. He didn't need to sweat qi through his pores like half the outer sect was doing.
So, for the next few weeks, Aren returned to the library almost every afternoon.
Not to pick a new technique—he was perfectly happy with his Lion Fish Art—but to read.
He devoured notes left behind by past disciples, especially the cultivation logs from retired elders and failed geniuses. Most were dull, but occasionally, a line jumped out and smacked his brain.
One such gem:
> "A cultivation technique is like a boat. Where it takes you depends on where it was built, what it's made of, and whether the river matches the boat."
That made Aren pause.
He looked down at his own notes and jotted,
"Mine is a lion fish canoe. Small, light, floats well. Not meant for storms."
That thought stuck with him.
---
It was during one of these long reading sessions that Aren came across a scroll titled:
"Perfection and Beyond: Understanding the Foundations of Techniques"
It wasn't locked or restricted—just dusty and forgotten. But its content lit up his brain like thunder in a clear sky.
It explained what Aren had only vaguely guessed.
Every technique, no matter how brilliant or awful, had a limit—a point where it had been refined as much as its creator could manage.
In the sect, techniques were officially ranked:
Yellow Rank – Basic arts, suitable for outer disciples
Earth Rank – Intermediate-level techniques taught to inner disciples
Heaven Rank – Rare, powerful, often sect-defining techniques that touched on profound Dao principles
Each rank was further divided into Low, Mid, and High tiers.
Aren's current art—the Lion Fish Art—was a Low Yellow Rank technique. Created by a pill-forming elder who once studied lion fish by the sea and attempted to mimic their graceful venom-based defense.
"Great for survival," the scroll said, "but it was still based on a spirit beast barely stronger than a rabbit."
And therein lay the problem.
> "Even if one reaches perfection in a Yellow Rank art based on a low creature, the ceiling is shallow. It's like growing wings on a turtle—you'll fly, but never far."
Still, the scroll didn't discourage low-rank cultivation.
In fact, it stated the opposite.
> "Low-ranked techniques are easier to master. And once mastered, they can break their limits—what scholars call a Limit Break—and be transformed into Optimum Techniques, which may rival Earth or even Heaven rank methods in specific aspects."
> "To achieve Limit Break, one must reach Perfection. And to reach Perfection, one must grasp the intention behind the technique."
Aren closed the scroll, eyes thoughtful.
---
He sat by the lake for days, pondering.
What was the "intention" behind the Lion Fish Art?
He revisited his notes:
It teaches defensive breathing
It creates venomous backlash
It mimics the lion fish's posture and threat response
It emphasizes stillness, calm, deterrence
Two clear paths lay before him:
1. Become the lion fish – Study it deeply, move like it, even develop Fish Intent, a rare spiritual phenomenon akin to Sword Intent.
2. Become himself – Discard the lion fish mimicry. Use the technique as a foundation, then modify it to reflect his intent, his breathing, his way.
Aren stared at the water and squinted at a passing fish.
"Nah," he decided. "I'm not living my life trying to become seafood."
---
The next month passed in stillness, experimentation, and lots of quiet breathing.
Bit by bit, Aren removed the lion fish elements from the technique.
He stripped away the venomous rebound. Removed the tail-flick imagery. Replaced the ripple-patterned breathing with a smoother, more centered flow that didn't imitate anything—just felt right.
One night, as he sat cross-legged in his room, the shift came.
> Ding!
You have modified "Lion Fish Art" beyond recognition.
New Technique Created: [Unnamed Qi Art]
Properties: Pure Qi Circulation | Flow-Type | No Combat Function | High Stability
Matching Rate: 100%
Aren opened his eyes and exhaled slowly.
He felt… light.
Like his breathing had reached the bottom of the sea and returned to the sky.
Gone was the defensive venom. Gone was the reactive posturing. What remained was a smooth, stable cultivation rhythm entirely his own.
Qi flowed like a lazy tide through his meridians, soaking into every corner of his body with ease.
But something nagged at him.
The technique—though efficient—felt incomplete.
It cultivated Qi, yes. But it lacked power. Lacked direction.
Like a river with no destination.
Aren scribbled in his notebook:
> "Technique works. Fast. 100% match. But... hollow?"
"Need to add something. But what?"
He didn't know. So he kept cultivating.
And the results spoke for themselves.
---
By year's end, Aren had reached Level 6 Qi Cultivation Realm.
Not quite enough for inner disciple status—but enough to remain an outer disciple permanently.
At the evaluation ceremony, the elders gave nods of approval as his dantian output was tested.
He received a blue sect token—marking his official status—and new privileges, including access to the second floor of the outer sect library.
It was like stepping into a treasure trove.
Here, Upper Yellow Techniques were stored—just a tier below the Earth Rank arts used by inner disciples.
Disciples were allowed to select three techniques: one for cultivation, one for combat, and one for movement.
Aren didn't hesitate.
He activated his system and scanned the floating manuals, looking for the highest compatibility.
The first choice lit up quickly:
> Five-Element Lotus Art
Cultivation Method – Upper Yellow
Compatibility: 86%
Description: Harmonizes minor elemental roots, encourages internal balance and energy bloom through dantian formation resembling a lotus.
He grabbed it.
For combat, he browsed through sword, fist, palm, and even whip techniques—until one surprised him.
> Great Club Form – Compatibility: 82%
Description: Brutal, wide-arc style focused on disruption and area damage. Not subtle. Not elegant. Very effective.
And finally, for movement:
> Ox Charge Art – Compatibility: 85%
Description: Momentum-based footwork that builds acceleration and turns short bursts into devastating rushes.
Aren blinked at the three scrolls in his hands.
"A five-element lotus, a giant club, and an ox charge…"
He walked back to his room, opened the door, and set the scrolls on the table.
Then stared at them.
Something about the combination gave him pause.
He glanced at his reflection in the water basin—thin shoulders, sleepy eyes, messy hair—and imagined himself wielding a massive club while charging like a raging bull.
"…Am I becoming a juggernaut?"
He tilted his head.
"Should I focus on body-tempering instead?"
---
The next day, he returned to the library with one goal: explore body cultivation.
The system's affinity display lit up again.
Most external arts—steel skin, stone bones, ox breath, thunder fist—ranged from 50–65%. Respectable, but not amazing.
Until he found one:
> Iron Ox Body Refinement Art
Compatibility: 92%
Description: Strengthens muscle and bone density through controlled exertion and breath compression. Grants high endurance and slow, stable strength gains.
"Oh?" Aren raised an eyebrow. "You again, ox."
He reached for the scroll but—
> Error: Insufficient Sect Points.
You require 300 sect points to unlock this technique.
Aren sighed and let the scroll float back to the shelf.
"Well. Guess we wait."
He turned and walked out of the library, hands behind his head, the image of an ox still burning in the back of his mind.