Yuan’s Ascension

At dawn the following day, two people arrived at Wu Yuan's private courtyard house.

"Instructor Zhao," Wu Yuan respectfully greeted, then bowed to the slightly frail elder in black robes, "Disciple Wu Yuan pays his respects to Sect Elder Mo."

The sect elder in black robes was Mo Jingchen. His aura was calm, indicating he had recovered significantly from his injuries.

"Wu Yuan, you are already acquainted with Sect Elder Mo?" Zhao Baifan was somewhat surprised.

"We traveled to the sect together," Mo Jingchen chuckled, "I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Wu Yuan. My impression of you was that you were quite talented, but I never imagined you would break the historical record of the Skystride Pavilion set by Ancestor Fang Xia," Mo Jingchen said with a sigh.

"It was merely a fluke," Wu Yuan modestly replied.

"Sect Elder Tian verified it personally, it was no fluke," Mo Jingchen laughed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But don't let success make you complacent."

Wu Yuan nodded, though internally perplexed. Why was this Sect Elder Mo visiting him instead of tending to his injuries?

Zhao Baifan said, "Wu Yuan, the hierarchs have taken notice of you and assigned Sect Elder Mo as your martial skills instructor. When it comes to martial skills, Sect Elder Mo ranks among the top three of all sect elders, and borders on the level of Grandmaster. He is more than capable of teaching you.”

Zhao Baifan continued, "Aren't you going to kowtow to your master?"

"Sect Elder Mo will be instructing me?" Wu Yuan's face was filled with surprise and disbelief, but inwardly his thoughts flew.

Mo Jingchen was indeed highly skilled in combat, far superior to the likes of Chen Tangru and Wang Zhushan. However, his physical constitution had deteriorated with age, making it challenging for him to utilize his secret techniques, which significantly reduced his strength.

Given the same physical constitution, Wu Yuan surmised that he could defeat Chen Tangru in twenty moves. But to defeat Mo Jingchen? It would take at least 50 moves.

But despite acknowledging his skills, Wu Yuan did not think the man was worthy of being his master. It wasn't that he was unwilling to accept a master, but Wu Yuan's pride demanded a show of compelling strength before he could willingly submit.

Whether he sensed Wu Yuan's reluctance or that he was personally unwilling to accept a disciple, Mo Jingchen said, "There is no need for me to be his master. Just call me Instructor Mo. After all, this old body of mine lacks the ability to teach you as a true master would. Once a month, I will provide you with some guidance."

"Instructor Mo," Wu Yuan nodded slightly. This arrangement was the most fitting one.

Mo Jingchen returned the nod. In truth, he was reluctant to come, but was bound by the orders of the hierarchs. Along with Wu Yuan's undeniable talent, he reluctantly made the trip.

"Wu Yuan," Zhao Baifan said. "Apart from informing you about Sect Elder Mo's appointment as your instructor, I am also here to discuss the adjustments to your training plan."

"Oh?" Wu Yuan was intrigued. What adjustments were they going to make?

"Initially, we agreed on an annual allocation of 50,000 contribution points."

"But yesterday, the hierarchs decreed that the sect will grant you a yearly allocation of 100,000 points during your training in the Cloud Martial Hall. Additionally, the sect will supply you with ten additional drops of Ancient Immortal Dew every year." Zhao Baifan explained, "Ancient Immortal Dew is superior to Cloudspring Blood, with fewer side effects. You may review its effects in the outline; it is introduced in detail there. Everything else remains unchanged."

"Many thanks to the hierarchs and the hall master." Wu Yuan respectfully responded, feeling quite moved.

The Cloudstride Sect truly knew how to make grand gestures. 100,000 contribution points was not surprising, but ten drops of Ancient Immortal Dew was quite remarkable. It was a yearly provision, equivalent to spending a million silver taels on him each year, a substantial investment for the Cloudstride Sect.

"Of course, the sect has high expectations of you. In this year's annual competition, seize a spot in the top ten. In next year's competition, claim first place!" Zhao Baifan emphasized, "If you fail to achieve this, the contribution points and the Ancient Immortal Dew will be halved."

"Understood." Wu Yuan nodded.

Were the expectations high? If Wu Yuan truly possessed only this much strength, then the expectations weren't low. However, Wu Yuan would easily defeat the Cloud Heirs if he so desired.

"Wu Yuan, come outside and bring your saber," Mo Jingchen instructed. "I wish to test your current abilities."

"Yes." Wu Yuan retrieved a fifth-grade superior weapon.

The trio made their way to the sprawling 600-square-foot training ground outside. Wu Yuan and Mo Jingchen stood around twenty meters apart. Zhao Baifan didn't interrupt, observing from the sidelines.

"Come, Wu Yuan, attack me with all your strength." Mo Jingchen instructed with a smile.

"All my strength?" Wu Yuan hesitated, eyeing the empty-handed Mo Jingchen.

Did he really mean it?

"There’s no need to worry, given your strength, I can easily restrain you," Mo Jingchen laughed, "Young man, don't underestimate me because I am old."

"Alright, Instructor Mo. Be careful." Wu Yuan stepped forth and swung his saber.

A short moment later, Wu Yuan stepped back, saber in hand. "Instructor Mo, please guide me."

This type of 'all-out fight' was very tiring!

"Do you specialize in quick attacks? In terms of martial skills, even some second-rate Adepts are probably not as competent as you." Though Mo Jingchen already knew Wu Yuan's abilities, he was still surprised after actually crossing blades with the teenager.

"You really are a little monster. However, your movements remind me of an old friend. His saber techniques were just as fast!" Mo Jingchen shook his head, seemingly invoking some less-than-pleasant memories.

He then looked at Wu Yuan, "I will now demonstrate the proper execution of your saber techniques. Watch carefully."

"Mm.” Wu Yuan observed intently.

Half an hour later, Mo Jingchen concluded his instruction, during which Wu Yuan had focused seriously.

"One month from now, I shall return to assess your progress in training," Mo Jingchen declared solemnly. "Do not slack off."

"Thank you for your guidance, Instructor Mo. I won't disappoint you in a month's time," Wu Yuan expressed his eagerness. He then watched as Mo Jingchen and Zhao Baifan vanished from his sight.

How tiring. The smile on Wu Yuan's face faded, and he frowned slightly. It appears I need to reveal my abilities sooner.

Today, I shall visit Gale Crag. Wu Yuan decided on his destination and left the courtyard house.

…

Zhao Baifan and Mo Jingchen departed from the Cloud Martial Hall.

"Sect Elder Mo, how is Wu Yuan?" Zhao Baifan couldn't help asking as they walked.

"A genius!" Mo Jingchen said softly. "His comprehension ability is extraordinary; no wonder he managed to grasp Twofold Power Surge on his own in just a few months. Despite being nearly 100 years old, I have yet to encounter such a prodigious individual."

"What a pity." Mo Jingchen shook his head.

"Why?" Zhao Baifan was startled.

"It's a pity that I am old and lack energy. If I were 30 years younger, I would definitely take him as my disciple." Mo Jingchen laughed. "With proper guidance and sufficient time, he could become a Great Grandmaster renowned across the world. Even if I cannot become a Grandmaster myself, it would be an honor to teach one."

Zhao Baifan was left speechless.

"Little Baifan, rest assured. At my age, the five halls hold no sway over me. Furthermore, Wu Yuan is destined to surpass the confines of any single hall. In due time, he shall lead the entirety of the Cloudstride Sect," Mo Jingchen laughed heartily. "With the benevolence of the hierarchs, I shall dedicate myself to his tutelage."

"Thank you for your efforts, Sect Elder." Zhao Baifan smiled.

…

Having passed the first level of the Skystride Pavilion, Wu Yuan's reputation in the Cloud Martial Hall skyrocketed, and he became the talk of the town for some time.

However, Wu Yuan didn't care much about these matters. While he didn't mind acquainting himself with the disciples of the Cloud Martial Hall, he saw no need to actively forge friendships.

Wu Yuan made appearances at the public lectures in the martial grand hall every three to five days, devoting the rest of his time to training alone.

Apart from setting aside a fixed block of time each day for Strength Training, he mainly practiced in Gale Crag.

His unconventional method of cultivation was soon reported to the upper echelons of the sect. However, after Zhao Baifan and Wu Yuan sparred several times, the sect's upper echelons decided to withdraw their interference once they confirmed Wu Yuan's rapid improvement in both physical constitution and skill.

A genius couldn't be evaluated by common sense.

…

As time passed, news of Wu Yuan breaking Grandmaster Fang Xia's record spread far beyond the borders of Cloudhill. After all, Grandmaster Fang Xia's fame was tremendous. Moreover, the major players of the Jiang Continent and their subdivisions placed great emphasis on any information regarding the Cloudstride Sect.

The Cloudhill branch of the Starcom Consortium was one of its seventeen continent-level branches in the world, granting them access to immense resources.

Within the ninth floor of the main building, an elderly man dressed in grey robes, approximately sixty years old, furrowed his brows as he flipped through a list of names. "Are you certain about this ranking? Wu Yuan is not even fifteen yet. Is it appropriate to place him so high?"

The first page of the name list clearly read: “Preliminary Edition of the Jiang Continent Genius Rankings.”

"Overseer," a middle-aged man dressed in a purple and white patterned robe solemnly said, "At fourteen, this Wu Yuan has completed level one of the Skystride Pavilion, almost a year earlier than Grandmaster Fang Xia."

"So what? He's just a third-rate Adept," the grey-robed elderly man frowned. "Who knows whether he consumed any forbidden substances that overdraft his vitality to boost his physical constitution?"

Cases like this were not uncommon in history. Some young experts possessed the strength of 30,000-40,000 catties at the age of fifteen or sixteen. Yet, even in their twenties, their strength remained stagnant at 30,000-40,000 catties!

"The Cloudstride Sect isn’t made up of fools. We conducted a thorough investigation. They've assigned a Savant expert to personally tutor this Wu Yuan," Director Li solemnly stated. "According to our previous information from Southdream, Wu Yuan is currently a sixth-grade martial artist at best."

"Thus, my conjecture is that he has an extraordinary martial skill level. He might already have mastered Twofold Power Surge." Director Li turned to look at the grey-robed elderly man.

"What?" The grey-robed elder was somewhat incredulous, his gaze flickering.

"Overseer, I understand your thoughts. Elevating Wu Yuan’s rank this suddenly will undoubtedly attract attention from various powers and possibly incite dissatisfaction from the Cloudstride Sect," Director Li said. "However, if the Cloudstride Sect itself isn't concealing this information, we can hardly be blamed."

"Furthermore, Overseer, you must understand that our Starcom Consortium thrives on chaos in the world," Director Li continued. "It has always been our guiding principle."

Be it the Land Rankings or Genius Rankings, was it out of goodwill that the Starcom Consortium invested tremendous efforts into gathering information?

A widely recognized ranking list was meant for the organization's prestige and benefits, and also an effective weapon to provoke the nerves of various powers.

"Very well, we shall publish the rankings according to this list!"

...

As October arrived, various powers around the world, particularly martial artists, fixated their attention on a single matter: the highly anticipated annual 'Land Rankings' was soon to be released!

Similarly, the 'Genius Rankings' compiled by each Starcom branch in the various continents needed to be revised accordingly. As one of the seven continents in the Central Plains, the Jiang Continent naturally had no shortage of individuals eagerly awaiting the Genius Rankings.

When the initial 'Genius Rankings' volumes were distributed to the various branches, they were swiftly snapped up.

"The top rank in the 'Genius Rankings' is unexpectedly not Xu Hui? He has been pushed to second place."

"Wu Yuan?"

"Who is this Wu Yuan? A special recruit of the Cloudstride Sect?"

"Fourteen years old? It’s his first time on the list!"

"The Genius Rankings, Cloudstride's Wu Yuan, number one in the Jiang Continent!" This explosive news swept across the entire Jiang Continent like a whirlwind.