I Can See Your Combat Power

18 Chapter Fifteen: The Lies of the Clan
Translator: 549690339
Battle Hall’s Scripture Pavilion

The Tang Clan’s scripture pavilion is commissioned from the craft masters of the Ou Clan and constructed beneath the first and second levels of the Martial Hall. Its security level is unparalleled in Xiling.

Over hundreds of years, the opulent families of Xiling have accumulated thousands of martial arts techniques. The warriors who guard the scripture pavilion, being the core of the Tang Clan, must belong to the leader’s lineage and are usually a mixture of a Fierce Realm martial artist and several peak Mortal Realm martial artists.

Most of these guarding elders have retired from their duties in the clan, and when not guarding the Scripture Pavilion, they are in seclusion, practicing to break through to the next realm.

Tang Luo, as a clan member and son of the Battle Hall Sect Head, is familiar with the scripture pavilion. When he was testing the efficacy of the Star Core, he referenced hundreds of cultivation techniques, from the lowest Mortal Rank to the Mystery Rank. In terms of understanding of these skills, he is even comparable to some elderly scholars who have been studying martial techniques for decades.

This time, entering the scripture pavilion, Tang Luo intended to select a new technique for Fang Han.

After a brief few days of contemplation, he had decided to let Fang Han activate the first Star Core. No matter what this well-schemed young man’s purpose was in approaching him, his talent of 1.4 was too tempting for Tang Luo. Among the Tang Clan’s nine training grounds, no one had a higher aptitude than Fang Han.

He also had a plan to win over Fang Han.

“This is the complete version of Star Mystery Technique.” After respectfully saluting the elder guarding the Scripture Pavilion, Tang Luo announced the name of the technique he wished to obtain.

The elder glanced at the teaching permission order in front of him and said indifferently, “This Yellow Rank technique itself is not outstanding, but it is complimented by a killing technique called the Star Innate Blade, which has three moves and is incredibly powerful. So, the contribution required for this Yellow Rank technique is quite substantial, which you don’t have.”

“Of course, I know that, so you see.” Tang Luo, well prepared, placed a few dozens of iron scrolls on the old man’s table, which he had written in advance.

The iron scrolls recorded various martial arts techniques, cultivation tips, and methods to improve flaws – a summary of what Tang Luo had learned from his teaching career over the month. By donating these scrolls back to the Scripture Pavilion in exchange for contribution, he should have more than enough to exchange for the desired techniques.

The old man picked up the scrolls and examined them one by one. He started listlessly, but as time passed, the appreciation in his eyes grew.

Placing the scrolls down, the cold indifference he had initially shown Tang Luo had disappeared, replaced by warmth and expectancy. His age-worn voice rang out, “You researched all of these?”

“Indeed, Elder,” Tang Luo respectfully replied to the old man in front of him. Tang Luo held an immense respect for him, not simply because of his age, but due to the astounding number he represented: 68543. This elder before him was undoubtedly one of the pillars of the Tang Clan.

The old man was called Tang Zhen and despite his disbelief, the kid before him had the ability to pinpoint the flaws within those martial techniques and provide improvements, dramatically increasing their combat utility. Such a talent in practical martial arts research was of great importance to a clan.

“My, how fearsome the younger generation can be.”

Tang Luo admired the vigorous spirit of the young generation and believed it would ensure the continued prosperity of the Tang Clan.

He then walked into the Scripture Pavilion and quickly returned with two iron scrolls which he placed before Tang Luo.

“Here are Star Mystery Technique and Star Innate Blade. It is important to remember – learn broadly and refine deeply. Heavenly Pathway Technique is the foundation of our Tang Clan – don’t mistake the incidental for the fundamental.” Tang Zhen emphasized his words. While he takes pride in a gifted successor, he couldn’t help but remind him that focusing on refining auxiliary techniques might be a waste of time.

Tang Luo picked up the iron books and nodded in understanding, respectfully responding, “Thank you for your guidance, elder. I would like to excuse myself.”

The elder nodded, dispensed the typical elderly advice, but whether or not the younger generation could comprehend it was another matter. Tang Zhen hoped this was one clever boy.

………

Cultivation Ground No. 7

Fang Han’s corner was always quiet and cold as if it did not belong to the rest of the cultivation ground.

The solitary young man preferred his solitude, practicing day and night, hoping to break through to the next realm soon.

To be honest, despite it not being his first time seeing Fang Han’s diligent practice, Tang Luo greatly admired his determination and persistence.

Even if Fang Han’s aptitude was that of an ordinary man, his future accomplishments were immeasurable.

Tang Luo admired the scene before him. Over the past month, he had visited all nine training grounds of the Martial Hall, where he identified some promising young talents whose daily spiritual energy growth could reach 1.1 or even 1.2 in the Mortal Realm.

What disappointed Tang Luo was that many of them did not cherish their gifts. They were casual in their martial arts training and neglectful in their practice of techniques.

During the Mortal Realm, rotating through all 36 points in cultivation is the daily standard, and usually, it would take 4 to 6 minutes to go through one round. Completing 36 rounds would take about three hours.

Except for very few techniques needing to be practiced at sunrise, most cultivators would practice in the evening after dinner.

Tang Luo realized that not everyone was able to sustain this three-hour daily practice.

That number, 36, was the result of countless years of experimentation from martial foresighters. For most martial artists, this number should not be decreased.

However, some trainees think they are clever and choose to go through only 28 or even fewer rounds, leading to a daily improvement of spiritual energy that does not exceed 1, despite a potential for 1.2.

Such promising talent paired with such waste was heart-wrenching.

What was even more agonizing was that some martial artists already at the peak of the Mortal Realm were in a painful accumulation period, because no discernible improvements were felt despite constant practice.

During this accumulation phase, the spiritual energy absorbed through the practice was instead absorbed by the organs, resulting in no visible strength growth.

However, with these eyes capable of seeing spiritual energy, Tang Luo clearly knew that the spiritual energy required to breakthrough was twice as much as the threshold of the peak of the Mortal Realm.

The energy volume at the peak of the Mortal Realm is 999 and to breakthrough to the Transcending Mortal Realm, a staggering 2999 would be required.

In other words, throughout this time as you closet to gain two thousand points of spiritual energy, you will not feel any growth in strength.

Although the amount of Spiritual Energy increased each day, the cultivators themselves were unable to feel it.

When their efforts seemed to yield no immediate return, many cultivators’ spirits would falter.

Among them, the particularly pessimistic would lose hope in martial arts, cease their cultivation, and remain at the peak of the Mortal Realm. They would comfort themselves with words like, “There’s no rush, I will break through eventually.”

“It’s okay, maybe my talent can only take me this far,” they would say to console themselves.

A somewhat more optimistic group of cultivators reasoned that since cultivating techniques were no longer making them stronger, why not take a different approach.

Therefore, they put more effort into practicing martial skills, striving to strengthen themselves through these skills to continuously feel the sensation of becoming stronger. As for cultivation techniques, they would no longer invest themselves diligently in their practice, and their daily cultivation of energy would be greatly compromised.

These two types of people accounted for the vast majority of cultivators.

“Martial arts are just like science,” Tang Luo always believed, so he had an aptitude for discovery, research, and summarizing.

The reason why the disciples of the Tang Clan practiced separately from everyone else at the Cultivation Ground was that within First Cultivation Ground, the mysteries of martial arts would be unreservedly taught to the members of their own Clan.

“As long as you strive persistently for a long enough time, you can definitely break through the realm, it has nothing to do with your talent!”

“If you persistently strive every day, never giving up on martial arts, martial arts will never abandon you!”

“Perhaps your cultivation will not become stronger, but each day, cultivating your energy strengthens your internal organs, helping you undergo metamorphosis.”

No one would share such insights with the children from lowly backgrounds.

If you could understand it, it was because of your own wisdom. If you couldn’t, it was your own foolishness.

The so-called talented children of the Clan were commonly considered superior by the children of the low-born, but Tang Luo saw this as a colossal lie.

The disciples of the Tang Clan at the First Cultivation Ground had no superior talents. Most of them were ordinary people just like himself.

The only thing that might make them seem like prodigies was the demands of the family.

The Martial Hall’s demands on the members of Tang Clan were much more stringent than those for outsiders.

For the adopted orphans, starting to practice martial arts from a young age, the Martial Hall would accept them if they completed the Foundation Building at the age of eleven, and even if they were two years late and didn’t complete it until they were thirteen, the Martial Hall would still take them in.

However, for the children of the Tang Clan, if they couldn’t complete the Foundation Building by the age of ten, they were told to go away, go to the clan school, and become a manager. They were not qualified to enter the Martial Hall.

Tang Peng, the first prodigy of Tang Luo’s generation and the Clan Head’s son, reached the High Mortal Realm at the age of seventeen. He even met some of the standards held by disciples from sects in Zhongzhou. But what was he, really?

He was just an ordinary person with average talent.

What made him reach the High Mortal Realm at seventeen was merely due to the fact that he had started building his foundation at eight and then cultivated diligently for nine straight years.

How unusual was that?

“So, even after changing to a different world, it’s still the same,” Tang Luo mockingly laughed at himself.

Born poor and want to rise? Keep cultivating diligently.

A child of the Clan wishing to stand out? Keep cultivating diligently.

A wealthy family wanting to sustain its prosperity? Keep cultivating diligently.

“This is absolutely tiring,” Tang Luo shook his head. With the world of martial arts now laid bare before him, the ruthless realities behind it were hard to accept.

Tang Luo now somewhat understood why Fang Han wanted to ally himself with him.

Fang Han, a person like him, was not content with merely staying at the peak of the Mortal Realm. Only by associating himself with Tang Luo would he have the opportunity to continue enjoying free cultivation at the Martial Hall. Otherwise, a peak Mortal Realm practitioner like him, in Xiling, would at best be considered a robust thug.

He, Tang Luo, was only thirteen this year, and even if he wanted to leave the clan to establish his own house at the age of eighteen, that still left Fang Han five whole years to break through. Moreover, Tang Luo had an Innate Hollow Body, meaning he might be unable to break through the Mortal Realm for his entire life.

To Fang Han, after Tang Luo leaves the Clan, he will become his greatest reliance. For a lone wolf who doesn’t trust anyone, having a useless ClanHead would provide plenty of room for him to exercise his potential. Moreover, when he needed, he could still rely on the Tang Clan for support.

“They have truly underestimated me,” Tang Luo murmured while watching Fang Han tied to an enormous stone mill, constantly doing pull-ups.

The people who came behind him did not disturb the deeply engaged Fang Han. Although his cultivation had already reached its limit, aside from diligently practicing cultivation techniques every day, he spent all his remaining time practicing martial skills and tempering his body.

“477…478…499…500.”

“Bang!”

With a sound, the millstone smashed down on the ground, dragging down Fang Han who was tethered to it. However, the cultivation ground’s students, already accustomed to its sound, didn’t even spare a glance at this spectacle.

Exhausted, Fang Han fell off the bar, lying on his back. His two sturdy arms hanging limply on both sides of the millstone were still slightly trembling.