Chapter 243: Captain Bai Emerges from Seclusion

The cultivation shortcut for 《Xuanwu Art》 had indeed been of tremendous help to Wangchuan, greatly shortening his training cycle.

What would originally have required at least four months of arduous practice to reach the realm of “Practice Makes Perfect” had, after he accidentally discovered the underwater cultivation method, been compressed to less than two months.

“Not bad.”

“Saving two months is the equivalent of playing two extra months in 《spirit realm》 compared to ordinary players.”

A smile appeared on Wangchuan’s face.

He had been in the game for over half a year now.

Yet with his current strength, he was no inferior to those Land-Clearing Team members who had been playing 《spirit realm》 for more than a year. He had truly caught up.

Looking at the martial arts listed on his Status Panel, Wangchuan muttered to himself:

“Next, I can either focus fully on cultivating Third-Rank martial arts, stacking attributes, and push toward Third Rank… or I can raise 《Archery》 and 《Five-Finger Rapid Shot》 together.”

His 《Archery》 experience had already reached Integration 4300/5000; 《Five-Finger Rapid Shot》 had reached Entry-Level Mastery 1091/2000. As long as he hunted beasts at the Quasi-Martial Artist level or above, breaking through would grant him a considerable number of attribute points while also enhancing his ranged combat power.

Just then, Bai Yuhui’s voice sounded from outside:

“Helm Leader!”

A moment later, Bai Yuhui walked in, his face brimming with excitement.

“Helm Leader, you are here? My sister has emerged from seclusion.”

Wangchuan was briefly stunned.

It had been more than forty days since Bai Jingtang left Hejiang Town. Counting the time, she had been in seclusion at the Qingcheng Sect cultivating Fifth-Rank martial arts for quite some time. It was about time she came out.

“Captain Bai has emerged from seclusion? That is excellent news! Has she returned to the Prefectural Government?”

Wangchuan smiled.

With Bai Jingtang stationed at the Prefectural Government, even the Sanjiang Branch Helm would feel much safer. There would be no need to worry about the Beggar Sect’s sub-branch stirring up trouble again.

“She is already on the way.”

Bai Yuhui grinned.

“My sister specifically asked me to pass along a message. She said you should cultivate 《Xuanwu Art》 as early as possible and raise its realm as much as you can while you are still a Second-Rank Martial Artist.”

“Hmm?”

Wangchuan looked puzzled.

“Why does she say that?”

“My sister said that last time she was at our branch helm, she heard that you carefully calculated the time required to complete one Major Heavenly Cycle. She deliberately paid attention to how long one cycle took for her as well.”

Bai Yuhui explained seriously:

“In the end, my sister found that she also needed thirty cycles to gain one experience point. But each Major Heavenly Cycle took her sixteen minutes!”

“Sixteen minutes?”

Wangchuan had been extremely sensitive to the timing of one Major Heavenly Cycle while cultivating 《Xuanwu Art》 recently.

“I remember that when I first started, one Major Heavenly Cycle only took fifteen minutes.”

“Exactly.”

Bai Yuhui continued, “At first, my sister thought it was simply a slight difference between internal cultivation methods and did not think much of it… But after she broke through to Fourth Rank, she discovered that the time required to circulate her internal cultivation method had increased again! One cycle now takes eighteen minutes.”

At those words, Wangchuan’s heart trembled violently.

“How could that be?!”

He blurted out, unable to contain himself:

“How could advancing in rank increase the difficulty of cultivating an internal method?”

“My sister also found it strange at first. But after breaking through to Fourth Rank, she focused primarily on Fifth-Rank martial arts. Only recently did she recall this issue… After looking into it carefully, she discovered that the meridians of a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist seem to expand, which actually causes a slight slowdown in the circulation speed of inner breath.”

Bai Yuhui’s expression grew solemn.

“My sister specifically consulted other studio players. It has now been confirmed! When cultivating internal methods, the lower a martial artist’s rank, the faster one Major Heavenly Cycle circulates. On the contrary, as rank increases, the difficulty of cultivation gradually rises.”

“And within the same rank, the higher the realm of the internal method, the faster one cycle runs.”

“…So that is how it is.”

Wangchuan muttered in disbelief.

Though difficult to comprehend, since Bai Jingtang had verified it from multiple sources, it was unlikely to be wrong.

Now that he thought back…

After 《Xuanwu Art》 broke through to “Practice Makes Perfect,” the circulation speed did seem to improve slightly.

It was just that he had been too exhilarated at the time to pay attention.

At that thought, he almost wanted to log off immediately to verify it.

At that moment, Bai Yuhui changed the subject.

“Helm Leader!”

“In these past two months, I have raised nine Second-Rank martial arts to ‘Practice Makes Perfect.’ My Strength is now 40, Agility 40, and Stamina 38. Once I cultivate 《Iron Shirt》 to ‘Practice Makes Perfect,’ I will officially break through to become a Second-Rank Martial Artist.”

“Heh.”

Wangchuan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“So fast… Congratulations!”

But when he remembered that this fellow’s elder female cousin was Bai Jingtang, and that Captain Bai personally guided him through various cultivation shortcuts—and that he lacked neither money nor resources—two months did not seem particularly fast.

“Hehe.”

Bai Yuhui scratched his head awkwardly.

“My sister’s intention is that once I break through to Second Rank, I hope you can help me obtain access to the Caobang Armory Manual Vault to cultivate 《Xuanwu Art》. The earlier one cultivates an internal method, the better.”

“Do not worry. Leaving aside that this is Captain Bai’s suggestion—even based on our friendship, I will help you obtain 《Xuanwu Art》. Rest assured.”

Wangchuan patted Bai Yuhui on the shoulder and agreed readily.

“Many thanks, Senior Brother!”

Overjoyed by Wangchuan’s promise, Bai Yuhui clasped his fists in thanks and took his leave.

A thoughtful look appeared in Wangchuan’s eyes.

“A Second-Rank Martial Artist cultivates internal methods at the fastest speed…”

“If that is truly the case, I must consider raising 《Xuanwu Art》 to an even higher realm while I am still at Second Rank.”

He logged off.

Quickly, he began verifying the time required to complete one Major Heavenly Cycle of 《Xuanwu Art》…

After about half a day of testing, the circulation time gradually shortened from six minutes to five minutes, then stabilized completely.

Wangchuan’s eyes lit up with delight.

“Five minutes per Major Heavenly Cycle. Thirty cycles equal 150 minutes—eight experience points per day.”

“To break through to ‘Entry-Level Mastery,’ I would need sixty-four days of closed-door cultivation!”

A pained expression flickered across his face.

Although advancing the realm of an internal method brought tremendous benefits, seclusion training was truly grueling.

“From ‘Entry-Level Mastery’ to ‘Integration’ requires 2000 experience points. That would mean 250 days of closed-door cultivation—more than half a year…”

“All right.”

“I will aim to raise 《Xuanwu Art》 to ‘Entry-Level Mastery.’”

“But before that, I should raise the Third-Rank lightness skill 《Water Strider》 and the Third-Rank body-protection technique 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 to ‘Practice Makes Perfect.’ Then push 《Archery》 and 《Five-Finger Rapid Shot》 to breakthrough as well. At the very least, I need the strength to contend against Third-Rank Martial Artists.”

After pondering for a while, his eyes gradually gleamed, as though he had glimpsed a clear cultivation path within 《spirit realm》.

He murmured to himself:

“Last time, the purge of the Snake Den failed. There are still many venomous snakes inside…”

“The Snake Elder is dead. The group is leaderless.”

“Blackwind Stronghold stands empty…”

“Now is the perfect time to restart the plan to ‘Purge the Snake Den.’”