Chapter Thirty-Four: The Difficult Mastery of the Golden Light Technique

Many thanks to One Gallop for All for the generous reward—was it a ticket for an update? Hong Yan feels a little joy for that. Thank you again, One Gallop for All, for both the reward and the update ticket.

Within the spirit field, lush greenery abounded. Junior Sister Tang Wan had already planted the spiritual rice, and due to the abundant spiritual energy in the field, the rice was growing splendidly. In just a few days, the seedlings had already sprouted two leaves.

Jiang Yan gazed intently at the spirit field, and information about it surfaced on the transparent interface before him.

Special Structure: Spirit Field
Grade: First Rank
Function: Cultivation of Spiritual Rice
Additional Function: Cultivation of rankless spiritual herbs
Currently planted: Spiritual rice growing well

Seeing the vibrant green expanse and receiving confirmation from the Sect Leader System that the spiritual rice was thriving, Jiang Yan felt his heart lighten. Noticing Uncle Chen working diligently in the fields, he called out, “Uncle Chen, come take a break.”

Uncle Chen, wearing a straw hat under the blazing sun, was tilling the field. At the sect leader’s call, he set down his hoe and quickly walked out of the spirit field, approaching Jiang Yan with utmost respect, his wrinkled face beaming with a wide smile. Bowing, he said, “Greetings, Sect Leader. What brings you to the spirit field today?”

“I've encountered some obstacles in my cultivation, so I came out for a walk. Uncle Chen, how many days has it been since you planted the spiritual rice?” Jiang Yan answered casually, then inquired about the growth of the rice.

Uncle Chen responded to each question in turn. When he mentioned that the rapid growth of the spiritual rice had left the field a tad dry, Jiang Yan casually performed a technique, summoning a rain shower to thoroughly water the field.

Mouth agape in astonishment, Uncle Chen watched as Jiang Yan then asked, “Uncle Chen, would you like to learn the Huashan Sect’s cultivation techniques?”

Uncle Chen’s face froze in disbelief. “S-Sect Leader, you want me to learn the techniques? This old man, I don’t think I’m worthy…”

“If I say you are, then you are. If you’re willing, I’ll naturally pass on a method suitable for you to practice.” Jiang Yan’s words were firm and resolute. As his cultivation deepened, even his tone began to carry the authority of a sect leader.

Overjoyed, Uncle Chen’s face wrinkled further with delight as he knelt and kowtowed repeatedly, expressing gratitude for Jiang Yan’s immense kindness.

Jiang Yan stopped him from further bows, retrieved a low-tier first-grade “Azurewood Method” manual, and handed it to Uncle Chen. He instructed him that if he encountered difficulties in cultivation, he could seek guidance from Lady Tang Wan, and once he had made progress, he could also ask her to teach the technique Jiang Yan had just displayed.

Having received the sect leader’s gift, Uncle Chen thanked him profusely. A lifetime spent in poverty, and now, in his twilight years, he was granted a chance at immortality—how could he not be exhilarated? With no better way to show his gratitude, the old man picked up his hoe and devoted himself to tending the spiritual rice with renewed diligence.

Jiang Yan watched as Uncle Chen resumed hoeing and weeding. Just as he was about to leave, his eyes caught the rhythm of Uncle Chen’s movements. A strange sensation suddenly welled up inside him—an insight into the flow of spiritual power. Sitting down on the spot, Jiang Yan began cultivating the Golden Light Earth Traversal Technique.

A lifetime of labor had made Uncle Chen’s movements natural and fluid, unknowingly aligning with the rhythms of nature. Watching him, Jiang Yan felt the spiritual energy within him stir. The path that had eluded him in his recent attempts at the Golden Light Earth Traversal Technique now appeared before him, winding but clear.

Spiritual energy began to circulate steadily within Jiang Yan. He sat cross-legged on the ground and commenced his cultivation.

The flow of spiritual energy through two meridians in harmony…
Now three meridians in harmony…
Now four meridians…

The cultivation went smoothly without the slightest hindrance, and Jiang Yan quickly mastered several techniques recorded in the Golden Light Earth Traversal manual.

After four cycles through his meridians, Jiang Yan felt his entire body lighten. He floated upward, hovering several meters above the ground. Looking down, he saw Uncle Chen, still wearing his straw hat, gazing up in bewilderment at the spot where Jiang Yan had been sitting.

Jiang Yan’s heart leapt with joy. Inspired by Uncle Chen’s rhythmic hoeing, he had entered a state of sudden enlightenment, successfully coordinating spiritual energy through four meridians and finally mastering the Golden Light Earth Traversal Technique.

“I must have become a beam of golden light now,” Jiang Yan thought as a flash of realization struck him. Suddenly, he felt his body grow heavy and plummeted rapidly toward the ground.

“Sect Leader!” Uncle Chen’s eyes widened like copper bells. Stunned, he watched as the sect leader seemed to vanish in a flash of golden light, only to reappear before him as if nothing had happened.

“Sect Leader, are you alright?” Uncle Chen asked anxiously.

Jiang Yan smiled at him, genuinely touched by the old man’s concern. “I’m fine, Uncle Chen. Just now, while practicing our sect’s technique, I was inspired by your hoeing movements and managed to master the method. It’s all thanks to you.”

Looking puzzled, Uncle Chen replied, “Ah, Sect Leader, if this old man could help you, it must be fortune accumulated over three lifetimes. But can my hoeing really be of help to you? Well then, I’ll hoe even more diligently!”

Jiang Yan hastily stopped the overly zealous Uncle Chen, thinking it would be a shame if the old man threw his back out for the sake of inspiration. “Uncle Chen, from now on, let the sect’s spirit earthworms handle the tilling. You just need to keep an eye on the spiritual rice. The rest of your time, dedicate to cultivating the method I gave you.”

Moved by the sect leader’s concern, Uncle Chen’s face was alight with excitement. However, the mention of these so-called spirit earthworms left him puzzled, and he muttered to himself, “Sect Leader, I’ll do as you say, but… can spirit earthworms really till the fields?”

Jiang Yan paid no heed to Uncle Chen’s mumbling. He turned away, leaving the sect’s rear mountain, and when he was sure he was out of sight, he quietly circulated his spiritual energy. Following the insight gained during his moment of enlightenment, the energy flowed smoothly through his body.

As spiritual energy coursed within, a peculiar lightness spread through Jiang Yan. He felt as if he had become a wisp of wind, floating in midair.

“Spiritual energy flows, body turns to breeze, soaring into the air, traversing the earth without a trace…”

The incantation for the Golden Light Earth Traversal Technique drifted through his mind. Clearly aware of his state, Jiang Yan followed the guidance of the chant and dove headlong into the earth.

In the distance, by the spirit field, Uncle Chen watched as a faint golden light rose from where the sect leader had stood. The golden light dove into the ground, followed by a dazzling burst of radiance—and then, the sect leader vanished without a trace.

…

Transformed into golden light, Jiang Yan raced swiftly underground. Surrounded by utter darkness, he sped past bizarre sights, but his velocity was so great that everything flashed by, unrecognizable.

Bang—

Suddenly, a tremendous force struck his forehead, as if slamming into a thick wall. At once, Jiang Yan reverted from golden light to human form and was ejected from the earth.

“Ah!” Tang Wan’s startled cry rang out nearby as Jiang Yan burst from below.

Jiang Yan’s heart sank. “This is bad. By sheer accident, I’ve ended up in Wan’s and Yunying’s room. How embarrassing…”

“Scoundrel, take this!” Yunying’s crisp voice rang out above him. In his spiritual sense, lying on the ground, Jiang Yan sensed a dark object hurtling toward him.