Daosheng Sect, Yinhe Peak.
Zhang Yuhe awoke from his cultivation.
"Alas, the speed of cultivation after the transformation of the spirit really is slowing down," he sighed.
At this point, a full year had passed since the opening of Yufantian. Zhang Yuhe had also spent hundreds of years cultivating at Daosheng Sect.
Two years for Jindan, ten years for Yuanying, and fifty years to break through to the realm of transformation of the spirit.
Zhang Yuhe's progress had been remarkably fast, almost as if he were riding a rocket.
However, after entering the transformation of the spirit, his cultivation speed began to slow considerably.
It took him fifty years to reach the late stage of the transformation of the spirit, and he was still a little short of perfection.
The transformation of the spirit was a crucial stage in a cultivator's progression, and it was also one of the most difficult levels to reach. Even within Daosheng Sect, there were only slightly over a hundred disciples at the transformation of the spirit among the three thousand inner sect disciples, with the majority still in the Yuanying stage.
Once an inner disciple broke through to the transformation of the spirit and entered the realm of refining the void, they would automatically leave their status as a disciple and become an elder of the sect.
Over these hundred years, Zhang Yuhe had never left Yinhe Peak, remaining focused solely on his cultivation in the pavilion.
The attention other disciples once paid to him had long since faded. After all, who would pay attention to someone who hadn't appeared for hundreds of years?
If his name hadn't been listed in the registration records of the inner disciples of Daosheng, other disciples might have assumed he was gone.
When Zhang Yuhe first entered the sect, he was only at the Qi Refining level. If he had not made any breakthroughs, a hundred years would have passed, and death from old age would have been a real possibility.
"It's time for a change of scenery," Zhang Yuhe said to himself.
He stood up and added, "I wonder what kind of magical powers I can exchange for with my current merit points?"
Taking out his identity jade tag, he checked his merit balance. It was worth 100 points.
The merit system for inner disciples was somewhat unique, as they didn't need to complete tasks to earn merit.
For most inner disciples, merit was earned simply through time spent in the sect. When on guard duty, they received two merit points per year. When not on guard duty, they earned one point per year.
To earn more merit points, disciples had to seize opportunities, such as suppressing unrest, eliminating demons, or completing special tasks assigned by the elders.
However, Yufantian had been peaceful for a long time, and there had been few opportunities to earn merit. Everyone was vying for the few chances that came up. Without enough strength, one couldn't even get a turn.
Zhang Yuhe had spent hundreds of years in Daosheng Sect, doing nothing but cultivating, so he had accumulated only 100 merit points.
He wasn't sure what kind of magical powers could be exchanged for 100 merit points.
"Let me check out the library," he decided.
Zhang Yuhe walked out of the pavilion and transformed into a streak of light. Within moments, he appeared in front of the library doors.
The speed of a cultivator was no small matter.
If he were on Blue Star, Zhang Yuhe could travel anywhere within minutes at this speed.
"Senior Brother Zhang!"
He quickly turned around upon hearing his name called.
"Junior Brother Cheng? You've entered the inner gate as well?" Zhang Yuhe asked as he recognized the person calling him.
It was Cheng Xujing, the deacon disciple who had helped him with the entry formalities when he first arrived.
Cheng Xujing, now dressed in purple robes and radiating the aura of the Nascent Soul Realm, looked at Zhang Yuhe with surprise.
"Yes," Cheng Xujing replied, still in shock.
When Zhang Yuhe had entered the sect, he had been at the Qi Refining stage. Now, however, Cheng Xujing couldn't discern his cultivation level at all.
"Could his cultivation be higher than mine?" Cheng Xujing silently wondered. "That's impossible. It's completely unheard of for someone to go from Qi Refining to surpass Yuanying in just a hundred years. Maybe he learned some magical powers to conceal his cultivation."
Cheng Xujing held back his curiosity. It would be inappropriate to inquire directly about such matters.
"Senior Brother Zhang, are you here to exchange for skills or magical powers?" Cheng Xujing asked politely.
"Yes," Zhang Yuhe nodded. "I've been practicing in the sect for many years without learning any magical powers. I'll be taking on a post soon, and I need to learn some to accompany me."
Cheng Xujing was somewhat speechless. "You can't just cram at the last minute like this. You remember to learn magical powers only now? What have you been doing all this time?"
It was too late to learn now. Mastering any ordinary magical power took several years, and more advanced ones required decades, if not longer.
Still, Cheng Xujing assumed Zhang Yuhe's cultivation level was at most the Golden Core Realm, or possibly just Foundation Establishment Realm. He was likely being assigned to a peaceful post, where magical powers were of little consequence.
"You should choose carefully," Cheng Xujing advised. "Merit points are hard to come by, so be cautious about how you spend them."
Zhang Yuhe nodded in agreement.
The main reason for this caution was that merit points were hard to earn, and once spent, they couldn't be easily replenished. If he chose the wrong magical power, he might have to wait many years before being able to exchange for another one.
"Junior Brother Cheng," Zhang Yuhe asked thoughtfully, "do you have any suggestions for magical powers I could learn?"
Cheng Xujing pondered for a moment before responding. "The stronger the magical power, the better. It mainly depends on your needs and the nature of your practice. Magical powers that align with your cultivation are not only easier to comprehend, but they also tend to be more effective."
"Of course, it also depends on how much merit you're willing to spend," he added.
Zhang Yuhe thought this over. There was no need to worry about matching magical powers with his practice—the eight systems of Hunyuan Tianjing were versatile and inclusive.
As for ease of comprehension? He wasn't concerned. Zhang Yuhe had a natural talent for understanding new knowledge almost instantly.
What he really needed to consider was what kind of magical power he required.
Currently, as a late-stage cultivator in the God of Transformation realm, he only possessed one magical power: the Hunyuan Sword Formation, which worked in conjunction with his magic weapon. Aside from that, he knew only some basic spells.
It was a far cry from what was appropriate for his status.
Zhang Yuhe thought carefully. First and foremost, he needed an escape magical power—speed was essential.
Although his current speed was impressive, it was relative to those weaker than him. Against cultivators of the same realm, his speed would be insufficient.
In his mind, if he could outrun someone, it meant he could at least escape if he couldn't defeat them.
Therefore, a magical power related to speed was a must.
"Junior Brother Cheng," Zhang Yuhe began, "I have 100 merit points now. I want to exchange them for a speed-enhancing ability. If there's any merit left, I'll consider other options."
Cheng Xujing thought for a moment before answering. "With 100 merit points, you could exchange them for two earth-level magical powers, or five mid-grade earth-level ones. Don't even consider lower grades."
"For speed," he continued, "if you want flexibility, I'd suggest the Dragon Step, an earth-level technique. It's a very agile ability."
Flexibility? Zhang Yuhe dismissed the idea. He didn't need to be nimble; he needed to be fast and strong.
"How about pure speed?" Zhang Yuhe asked. "Do you have any suggestions for that?"
"The fastest escape technique in the sect is the Tianhuang Feixian Technique, a low-grade heavenly-level technique. It's incredibly fast, but it costs 100 merit points to exchange. If you go for this, you won't be able to exchange for any other magical powers. Additionally, as a heavenly-level technique, it's very difficult to comprehend."
Cheng Xujing added, "There are also two high-grade earth-level escape techniques in the Sutra Building: Sky Breaking Flash and Cloud Escape. Each costs 50 merit points. There are many other mid-grade earth-level techniques available as well."
"I see," Zhang Yuhe said. "Thank you for your advice, Junior Brother. I will carefully consider my options."
As Zhang Yuhe stood deep in thought, Cheng Xujing bowed and left.