C3 Cultivation Method

Ye Xuan stared at the introduction with astonishment. Such a domineering cultivation method, such an imposing description. Had it not been a gift from his father, he might have suspected someone was playing a prank on him. But since it was his father's legacy, it likely meant no harm to him.

Without delay, he set out to practice this formidable cultivation method. The first step was to switch his current method, a task that proved surprisingly straightforward. In no time at all, Ye Xuan had completed the transition. The vital force derived from the sect's first-level cultivation method was now replaced by the Prismatic Mantra's transformed energy.

Feeling the flow of the Prismatic Mantra's vital force within him, he realized he had truly mastered it. Cultivation methods were ranked from the first to the ninth level, ascending from the most basic to the most advanced. His Prismatic Mantra was currently at the first level.

With the Prismatic Mantra's cultivation complete, Ye Xuan spread his palm open, urging the vital force to gather there. A faint green wisp of energy emerged, flickering and dancing with the breeze, its presence so delicate it looked as though it might snuff out at any moment.

A look of satisfaction spread across Ye Xuan's youthful face as he observed the slender thread of vital force in his palm. From this moment forward, he was a bona fide cultivator.

Sitting on his bed, he attentively felt the changes in his body brought on by the Prismatic Mantra's cultivation. The profound sensation left Ye Xuan utterly captivated, a small, pleased curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

"It appears that the cultivation method itself comes with shadow arts that correspond to its level," Ye Xuan mused with his eyes closed. After a short time, his eyelashes quivered, and he opened his eyes. His hands started to form an unfamiliar gesture, alternating between quick and slow movements, occasionally pausing.

Eventually, Ye Xuan ceased his motions, his hands positioned before his chest in an intricate charm, with strands of pale green vital force wavering unsteadily between them. After maintaining this for a brief period, he stopped, out of breath and drenched in sweat. Following a brief rest on the bed, he regained some vital force and the energy to move again.

"I never anticipated that these shadow arts would deplete my vital force so significantly. In future encounters, I'll need to ensure swift and decisive battles; the longer they drag on, the more the scales of victory tip in favor of my adversary," Ye Xuan mused, his fist propping up his chin in deep contemplation.

Shadow arts, much like cultivation methods, range from the first level to the ninth level, ascending from the lowest to the highest.

Yet, the practice session just now made it clear to Ye Xuan that the power of these accompanying shadow arts likely surpassed those of the same level. Typically, the more potent the shadow arts, the greater the consumption of vital force. A cultivation method of the same level could sustain its corresponding shadow arts only a handful of times, mainly because the lower-grade cultivation methods can store only a limited amount of vital force.

Thus, when facing an enemy whose cultivation method is of a more advanced level, one must unleash their most powerful techniques swiftly to secure victory. In a prolonged battle, those with lower-level cultivation methods would find themselves at a significant disadvantage in both the storage and quality of vital force. If one's strongest technique fails to achieve a favorable outcome, then retreating, as advised in the "36 strategies," becomes the most prudent option.

However, Ye Xuan found some solace in the Prismatic Mantra, which seemed to bridge the gap between his and higher-level cultivation methods to some extent. With the current state of the Prismatic Mantra, even at a first-level cultivation method, Ye Xuan estimated that its intricacies would not fall short when compared to some second-level methods. Moreover, the conversion of vital force and the speed of its absorption from the natural world were beyond what some second-level methods could achieve.

Shifting his focus from the cultivation method, Ye Xuan turned his attention to another blue scroll. The previous scroll had been a pleasant surprise, and he had high hopes that this one, kept alongside it, would not disappoint.

His father had left no message in the Prismatic Mantra, so it must be contained within this blue scroll.

Ever since reading his father's letter, Ye Xuan had been puzzled. Why had his father become so enigmatic? Such magical techniques were invaluable, nearly impossible to acquire at any price. How did his father come to possess them? Recalling his father, who used to hang a gourd at his waist and teach him to read beneath a tree, his face always wearing a kind and gentle smile, and now considering the day's revelations, Ye Xuan's perception of his father grew increasingly mysterious.

His mother had been absent from home since he was very young. When he questioned his father about her whereabouts, his father would gently pat his head and reassure him, "Your mother has gone to take care of some matters. She'll return once she's done." His memories of his mother were vague, but he vividly remembered the delicate green lotus adorning her forehead, which lent her an air of grace. He also recalled the matching green lotus ring on her left ring finger, a ring his father also wore.

With determination, he shook his head, casting aside all distractions. He grasped the blue scroll in his hands and gently unfurled it.

As he opened the scroll, in a remote place shrouded in mist, there stood a quaint green wooden house perched on a cliff. Inside, a woman sat cross-legged on a bed, her cultivation practice evident in her serene posture. Her skin was as smooth as cream, her hands tender and delicate. A small, intricate green lotus adorned her forehead, and on her left ring finger, she wore a ring engraved with a lotus flower.

Her hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, with strands from the back intricately woven together and falling in a single plait. The hair framing her face slid gracefully from the center of her forehead to either side, complementing her delicate cheeks, petite nose, and softly tinted lips. She exuded an effortless elegance, reminiscent of a Banished Immortal, her presence both ethereal and noble. Lifting her gaze, her clear, soulful eyes radiated warmth and affection. Her lips curved into a gentle smile, filled with pleasure and contentment.

"Little one, you've finally grown up..." Her voice, light and airy, floated from her lips.

In the small wooden house—

Ye Xuan was seated cross-legged on the bed, the now-open blue scroll resting between his folded legs. The scroll appeared blank, as all its contents had been transferred into Ye Xuan's mind.

With his eyes closed, Ye Xuan concentrated on the blue light ball within his thoughts. As he absorbed the information from the scroll, the light ball gradually dimmed and eventually vanished.

Ye Xuan's eyelashes fluttered, and his eyelids slowly lifted. From the scroll, he had learned of his mother's fate; she had left to protect him. His clan placed immense importance on the purity of their bloodline, never allowing it to be sullied. Women of their clan were expected to marry within their own people, and outsiders were only deemed worthy through the clan's explicit approval.

If none of these conditions are met...

Upon discovery, those who have returned their kin will face the ultimate punishment. The others will endure excruciating torment, both soul and body wracked with hellish pain, until they finally dissipate into specks of light, vanishing into the ether.