With this question in mind, a thought flashed through Chu Lan's mind, and his figure slipped into the Divine Desolation Pagoda.
Just as he had anticipated, the Spirit-Gathering Array in the North Courtyard had indeed been sucked into the first layer of the Divine Desolation Pagoda.
"This... this is simply amazing!"
A look of great joy crossed Chu Lan's face. "With the spiritual energy inside the Spirit-Gathering Array, it will be more than enough for me to cultivate in the Divine Desolation Pagoda for half a year!"
"Once all the spiritual energy of the Spirit-Gathering Array is fully absorbed, it will be enough to advance to the Body Spirit Realm Third Layer."
Chu Lan immediately sat cross-legged and prepared to begin his cultivation.
The path of martial arts is divided into four minor realms and five major realms.
The first four minor realms are the Body Spirit Realm, Vein Spirit Realm, Earth Spirit Realm, and Heaven Spirit Realm.
The subsequent five major realms are the Martial Spirit Realm, Martial General Realm, Martial Lord Realm, Martial King Realm, and Martial Emperor Realm.
The four minor realms are the foundational realms; for instance, the Body Spirit Realm is meant for forging the physical body and bones.
It absorbs spiritual energy into the body, tempering the bones and flesh from the outside in.
The Vein Spirit Realm is for forging the meridians and expanding them, thereby connecting with earth veins to step into the Earth Spirit Realm, and then communicating with the consciousness of heaven and earth through the linked earth veins to become the Heaven Spirit Realm.
Before officially absorbing spiritual energy, a cultivation technique is required.
A cultivation technique can perfectly channel spiritual energy into the body.
Without a cultivation technique, simply absorbing spiritual energy would result in an eighty percent loss of that energy.
Chu Lan sank his awareness into his Dantian, and the mental formula of the Yellow-tier intermediate cultivation technique, the Cloud Flash Technique, surfaced in his mind.
The Cloud Flash Technique can reduce the loss of spiritual energy to sixty percent.
The cultivation techniques and martial arts of the Jiuxiao Continent are divided into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow, with each grade further subdivided into upper, middle, and lower stages.
Higher-grade cultivation techniques not only increase combat power but also reduce the loss of spiritual energy even further.
Although the Cloud Flash Technique that Chu Lan is currently cultivating is only of the Yellow-tier intermediate grade, in Luoyang City, it already belongs to the highest grade of cultivation techniques.
It is a cultivation technique that only direct descendants of the Chu Family are permitted to cultivate.
As the Cloud Flash Technique operated, the spiritual energy of the Spirit-Gathering Array was absorbed into Chu Lan's body.
He would use this spiritual energy to forge his body and bones.
As time flew by, Chu Lan had already cultivated inside the Divine Desolation Pagoda for half a year.
Yet only half a day had passed in the outside world.
Over the course of this half-year, Chu Lan had completed the forging of the Body Spirit Realm First Layer.
However, Chu Lan discovered a problem: due to the instability of his Dantian, seventy percent of the spiritual energy he absorbed had leaked away.
This was also why it had taken Chu Lan a full half-year to barely reach the Body Spirit Realm First Layer.
"The spiritual energy of the Spirit-Gathering Array has been exhausted."
Chu Lan frowned. "With my current strength, if Chu Beichuan comes back in three days, I still won't have the power to fight back."
"I need more spiritual energy!"
The further he wanted to advance, the more spiritual energy Chu Lan required.
If he wanted to match Chu Beichuan's cultivation level, he would need the spiritual energy of at least ten Spirit-Gathering Arrays.
"As a direct descendant of the Chu Family, I still have a monthly stipend I can collect."
Once he got his stipend, Chu Lan could use the money to buy some medicinal pills.
Although he knew the Chu Family might have cut off his stipend, what belonged to him still had to be taken back.
With a thought, Chu Lan immediately emerged from the Divine Desolation Pagoda, left his room, and walked toward the Chu Family's steward building.
The moment Chu Lan stepped inside, everyone turned to look at him.
Under the gaze of everyone present, he walked toward Chu Yun, who was in charge of the stipends, and said, "I am here to collect my three hundred taels of stipend for this month."
"You want to collect it?"
Chu Yun glanced at Chu Lan and immediately found it laughable. "The Chu Family's stipends are only given to useful people."
"You, Chu Lan, are nothing more than a cripple now. You have no qualification to collect it."
Three hundred taels was no small sum, and Chu Yun naturally intended to pocket it for himself.
"I will say it one more time: hand over the three hundred taels of monthly stipend."
Chu Lan's face sank.
Chu Yun was actually startled by the imposing aura radiating from Chu Lan.
Yet, upon a second thought, Chu Lan was a cripple now; why should he be afraid of him?
"Heh... You want your stipend? Sure, unless you can beat me!"
Chu Yun said with a smug look, "Of course, if you kneel down and call me grandpa, maybe grandpa here will reward you with ten taels."
"Since you are so eager to court death, I'll grant your wish!"
Chu Yun's eyes turned icy cold.
Chu Yun was momentarily stunned, and the surrounding collateral descendants of the Chu Family did not expect Chu Lan to accept the challenge.
"Good grief, has Chu Lan lost his mind?"
"He doesn't have a shred of cultivation left. Even though Chu Yun is only at the Body Spirit Realm First Layer, crushing Chu Lan would be as easy as squashing an ant."
At that moment, Chu Yun waved his hand, signaling the people around to clear some space.
Soon, an open area was cleared.
"Heh... Chu Lan, it's still not too late if you want to take back your words."
Chu Yun crossed his arms and said with a smug expression.
"Take back my words?"
Chu Lan sneered. "I hope you can still be this confident when you are pinned under my feet!"
"Arrogant and ignorant!"
Chu Yun said with a look of disdain and mockery. "Chu Lan, do you still think you are the genius you once were?"
"Against a trash like you now, you wouldn't even last a single move in my hands!"
In an instant, an aura erupted from Chu Yun's body.
The spiritual energy of the Body Spirit Realm First Layer spread outward, and with a push from his lower limbs, he charged straight at Chu Lan.
Chu Lan let out a cold snort. At the exact same realm, Chu Yun was simply no match for him.
Chu Yun's talent was poor, and his combat experience was practically zero.
The moment Chu Yun charged over, Chu Lan sidestepped to evade him, grabbed Chu Yun's arm with his left hand, stepped out with his right foot, and tripped Chu Yun, sending him crashing face-first into the dirt.
Chu Lan's movements were smooth and fluid. Before anyone else could even react, they found Chu Yun sprawled out on the ground.
Astonishment filled the crowd. Wasn't Chu Lan reduced to a cripple?
"Are you convinced?"
Chu Lan stood upright, looking down at Chu Yun.
"Convinced your grandmother's foot!"
Chu Yun shouted furiously, pulled a dagger from his robes, and lunged at Chu Lan.
To be knocked flat on his face by a cripple in front of a crowd made Chu Yun lose all face.
"Incorrigible!"
Chu Lan kicked the dagger out of Chu Yun's hand, and then followed up with another kick that sent the dagger flying right back toward Chu Yun.
The dagger slashed across Chu Yun's neck. Terror flashed in his eyes, and then his entire body fell stiffly backward.
Chu Lan looked at the others. "The three hundred taels—am I going to take it myself, or are you going to hand it over?"
By this time, they had long been frightened by Chu Lan's aura, and they hurriedly pulled out three hundred taels, urging Chu Lan to leave immediately.
When the others went to check on Chu Yun, they discovered that he was already dead.
His face was pale, his lips were purple, and the wound on his neck had even turned black.
"Chu Yun is dead... He died of poison!"