章 13: Bone Strengthening Art!

While the merchant is delivering his purchase to his private courtyard, he himself went to pay a visit to the rumored protected Knowledge Pagoda belonged to the Seven Star Sect.

Separated into seven different floors, the Knowledge Pagoda was the place to keep all the heritage martial arts and numerous information related to the Ping An Continent here.

Holding the identity plate of the Ninth Direct Disciple of the Headmaster and also the Seven Star Order Plate, Zhang Wu Ji was allowed to enter the Knowledge Pagoda without any obstruction from all the elders standing on guard.

In fact, he was even allowed to take the manuals out from the pagoda for the reason of revising them directly in his place, but a limit of only two is allowed each time. This was the most the headmaster can fight for him, as the Elders guarding the Knowledge Pagoda did possess a higher status in compared to the others, standing in the same position as their headmaster.

It was said that if any of the elders guarding the pagoda requested to overtook the position of a headmaster, their request will be granted without any rejection, even from the headmaster himself. The reason for this is actually very simple.

All the elders standing guard here are the most important pillars of the Seven Star Sect, who was given the absolute right even above the headmaster himself. They are not only a guard but the most loyal and trusted elder of the sect that will never leave the sect to their demise no matter what happened.

In total, they were seven Pagoda Elders, with the seventh Floor Pagoda Elder being the oldest among them. He was also the strongest cultivator in the whole Seven Star Sect, with the cultivation of the 64th Stage of Inner Qi Lord, two-stage higher than the headmaster Liang Tian.

After paying his respect, Zhang Wu Ji was only allowed to enter the first floor of the Knowledge pagoda because of his limited amount of cultivation. In the eyes of the seven Pagoda Elders, his cultivation was something even if a pig can cry it will not help.

"32 Strands of Inner Qi? Not even an Inner Qi Fighter? Liang Tian, you were too much of a disgrace to step so low just to take in a disciple of this level." this was the sentence came in all seven Pagoda Elder's mind.

He took two hours just to explore and read one complete shelf filled with books. Among all of them on the first shelf, he found two books that leave the best impression on him.

Bone Strengthening Art

Usage 1: Allow the user to have +2 points in defense

Usage 2: Strengthen the user with 0.4 Strands of Inner Qi for every 72 hours.

Durability: 1/1

Lone Star Sword Art

Usage 1: allow the user to use Lone Star Sword Strike in their Beginner (3), Intermediate (13), and Advance (37)

Usage 2: allow each swing of the sword to carry an air blade.

Durability: 1/1

"I will bring this two-manual home first. For the earlier stage, I will see if the copied manual will be able to provide me with their similar abilities." unexpectedly, he wasn't here to look for a cultivation manual that can help him in a various manner, but he was, in fact, searching for manual with lesser words written inside them!

If this kind of manner is known by the seven Pagoda Elders, he will be skinned and deboned before the elders throw him into a cage with dogs to feast on him! This was the first time they will be met with such an attitude when visiting the Knowledge Pagoda!

After an inspection, the First Floor Pagoda Elder allowed him to return with the two books, with the time limit of return not longer than a week. Happily, he left the Knowledge Pagoda while leaving the elders puzzled with his attitude.

"The brat took the Bone Strengthening Art and Lone Star Sword Art as his earlier studies," he reported to the other six Pagoda Elders in their private hall below the Knowledge Pagoda. This was also the location the treasure of Seven Star Sect, the Art of Counting Seven Stars is kept.

"This two manual is the weakest and also most basic among all the others. Did he choose them because of their easier to understand and cultivated records?" the Second Floor Pagoda Elder asked.

"Maybe, but based on his current cultivation strength, it will be a miracle if he can understand the first part of the Lone Star Sword Art." the First Floor Pagoda Elder replied.

"Anyhow, we will continue to monitor his progress, order the Knowledge Restriction Force to monitor his activities within the sect." the Sixth Floor Pagoda Elder speaks, but as he finished his sentence, two silhouettes vanished from the room.

They were the rumored private forces belonged to the Knowledge Pagoda's Seven Elders forces. Each of them was only tasked with one duty, control the leakage of the Seven Star Sect martial arts to outsiders!

Before he returned to his own private courtyard, Zhang Wu Ji paid a visit to the office where they were keeping and providing all the writing materials to the disciples requiring them. Taking advantages of the position of a Master Senior, he ordered them to provide him with a stack of paper of all qualities to his courtyard, and also hand him the manual of Paper production for a read.

Although they were not a precious knowledge and can be easily obtained in any of the bookstores, Zhang Wu Ji's action still puzzles them when he insists to read the book no matter what.

When he returned to his courtyard, the first thing he saw is a half tidied plot of land handled by Tang Yuan alone. In this prospect, he wasn't a match against Tang Yuan, who have over ten times of experience in handling the soil and plantations to promote their growth.

Since the helper had gone to rest and cultivates, Zhang Wu Ji can only silently enters his reading room and starts reading the Bone Strengthening Art first. Although he understands that without reading the manual he will still obtain their effects, this manual didn't belong to him in the first place.

It will be pointless for him to upgrade this book for the possibility to obtain two strands of Inner Qi before he returned the book to the Knowledge Pagoda. Even if the profit of the upgrade is good, it was still not a viable solution for him to handle his needs.

Without further ado, he started, from writing them in a sentence first and tried all different methods to upgrade and enhance the writing capability. It took not too long for him to realize one thing. No matter how he writes the words down, each letter of them will cost him one strand of Inner Qi to write, and another one strand to upgrade the sentence.

But the differences are not too significant until he finished a total of 5 sentences with 26 words in total. After upgrading them, the sentence did not carry too many differences compared to the original version, but certain letters did change or transformed into a different meaning.

Such words like Gather, Collect, Condense, and Create, were soon differ from their original version. But because it was only 26 words in five sentences, it still cannot prove their differences compared to the original manual in his hand.

First Page of Bone Strengthening Art +5

Accuracy: 7%

Durability: 1/1

Special: This paper can only be burn through furnace flame

It was something to say about its percentage of accuracy, but the special ability the paper does have causes him to become speechless for a moment. But because the 26 letters are barely covering a single page, he decides to just copy them for now, without utilizing any Inner Qi in his writing.

Taking sleep in between of his rewriting works, it took him a night of rest to complete one and a half pages of the 32 pages thick manual. At this moment, the complete page of the Bone Strengthening Art become 9.5%, while their second page is in their 6.6% accuracy. In his estimation, if each pages accuracy can reach 10%, it should be good enough for him to present this modified version to his master to review.

"Nothing was there to be shame about!" this was what inside of his mind. So what if he's not a cultivator yet? Does it take a cultivator to rewrite and rephrase a manual to bring out their might further? The answer is a "No" for sure. It took somebody with a hand to rewrite a manual, be it a cultivator or not, that was not important at all.

As it was already morning, he will have to show his face in the plot of empty land behind is courtyard for the sake of a proper appearance. If he was similar to the other seniors that boss the disciple around while enjoying themselves, were they even worth the title of senior at the first place? This was what motivates him to act as a proper example, even if he was just being described as despicable yesterday on the wall.

"Those who understand will not speak, but those who don't will speak too loud." this was his quote used to describe the people that only know how to look at the shallow appearance, and speak like they understand.

When he reaches to the places that start to look like a farm now, he was greeted in person by his helper Tang Yuan the moment his silhouette appeared in the vicinity. Being the person hired on a whim, Tang Yuan cares about his attitude well, although they were just for the sake of a few Qi Sensing Pill. Such an attitude is commendable to Zhang Wu Ji's eyes, while they walked across the newly built but still dry irrigation system.

The part of the land on the bottom left was plowed and ready for the planting of Yin Ling Fruit Seeds, and inside of the Tool Room, Zhang Wu Ji already saw the little pouch with seeds inside. There were at least 200 seeds within, but none of them were upgradable at this moment because of his lack of cultivation strength.

But in return, he was able to upgrade the bag of liquid fertilizers, the watering can, and the pruning tool.

Liquid Plant Fertilizer +5

Usage: Increase the quality of fruits grown when using the fertilizer frequently

Durability: 1/1

Special: increase effectiveness by 1% when used on Plant that bore fruits

Pig Iron Watering Can +5

Amount of Water: 5.2 liters

Durability: 27/27

Special: Increase the growth of plants watered by 5%, last long until the plant withers of maturity

Pruning Scissor +5

Usage: trim away dead and overgrown branches when needed

Durability: 17/17

Special: waste created by the tool will turn into wax. Wax collectible.

After the inspection was over, Zhang Wu Ji left Tang Yuan to continue with his task, while he left the farm and went into the Blacksmithing Room to start inspecting all the material he purchased from the merchant. Except the fifty mineral stones, there were ten more different items nicely placed on the shelf, with the exception of the Formation Plate was nicely wrapped and left on the working table.

"I wonder what is the Formation Plate and it's usage." being a person recently migrated to this world, he's a frog in the well about this matter. But it wasn't something to be blamed, because even the former Zhang Wu Ji and after reading all the books in the Zhang's Library, he did not found any recordings related to a formation profession at all.

Therefore, obtaining this piece of Formation Plate were something very valuable for him.

With a touch, the status of the formation plate came out, where it shocks him for the first time to practically seen such an item.

[Energy Gathering Spiritual Formation Plate]

-Usage 1: Increase the Qi Energy gathers in the 3 meters vicinity by 17%

-Usage 2: Using Ingot of higher purity will repair the Formation Plate.

-Usage 3: Through the conversion of Qi Sensing Pill, it allows the plate to convert them into Qi Accumulating Pill with the ratio of 50 to 1.

-Usage 4: Unknown

-Durability: 13/13

-Special 1: Can only be used when it recognized its new owner through a blood contract

-Special 2: Can only be activated by owner alone

This piece of treasure is too amazing! But why would the merchant give this out just because he charges me slight extra from the merchandise? Did he not understand the amazingness of this formation plate?" Zhang Wu Ji was surprised with the gift the merchant gave him.

Of course, he did not know that because of the lack of the status reading ability he possesses, the normal cultivator like them are not able to distinguish the treasure they were holding in their hand. Furthermore, the formation plate in his hand now can only be activated personally after the blood contract is made, thus it was impossible for the merchant to understand it's usage at all.

"Perhaps I can try to upgrade the formation plate instead? Upgrade!" his hunger to see an additional ability to overcome his fear, and let him tried to upgrade the treasure in his hand.

"..."

It was an attempt with no reactions at all.

"Aargh! I'm too weak!" he laments his incapable ability, what's good to him if the item wasn't able to be upgraded? But at the same time, he forgets that for those people without his ability to upgrade, they were using the normal item that wasn't lucky enough to receive his upgrade!

Alone, he stays at the Blacksmithing Room to prepares the fifty mineral stones that were rich with Sentient Iron and Crystal Iron. It did not take too long for him to prepares them now, but when it came to the part to refine their purity even further, it becomes less difficult compared to before.

As he grows stronger, the number of the attempt he can upgrade also increase significantly. When he found out that as long he managed to get a minimum 4 hours of rest when he exhausts his total Strands of Inner Qi, they will replenish altogether the moment he awakes. This was a great bonus when it came to the number of upgrade attempts he can use each time he rests for four hours.

With greater strength came greater responsibility. On the morning of his third day, he was summoned by his master to gathers in the Reflecting Pagoda. Although it wasn't visited by others frequently because it was a building belonged solely to the sect headmaster, this Reflecting Pagoda did not fail to carry its fame of being the second most important building within the Seven Star Sect.

Today, the nine of them was summoned to attend a private lesson conducted by the headmaster himself. It was said that being a disciple of an Inner Qi Lord was an honor that can be carried into the grave and gave a promised wealth to over three generations.

But for the Lord of Seven Swords, Liang Tian himself, this simple class he conducts once every week weren't too important at all because, at the end of the day, the cultivation of his disciple is still heavily depending on their understanding and effort. His classes were merely a shortcut to allow them to understand things further in a much well-guided way, and not bam on the wall until they found out themselves.

When all nine disciples are here from his summon, the class starts.

Today, the topic their master cover touches the part of comprehending the meaning brought by the manual. It was a coincidence that their master took the Bone Strengthening Art as the manual of his choice to be comprehended. For some of his senior in their 7th Stage of Inner Qi Fighter Tier, a complete comprehension on the manual and learning it within a day or two was an easy task, but to grab its essence hidden deep within the art is difficult.

The quote of "Ten years below the stage, only ten minutes on the stage" reflected perfectly on this topic because understanding varies from shallow to deep. Mastering differs from thorough to completion. A simple martial art will be destructive if it was used by a cultivator, and a cultivating art will become worthless if it was used by a normal peasant.

The deepness of his teaching is still quite profound, although his teaching was only focused solely on using the Bone Strengthening Art as the example. When he decipher the quality of his master rephrase and interpretation on the art, his quality of work is even better. This let him understand the amazing ability of his upgrading skill, and how can it contributes to the Seven Star Sect.

"But wait..." he thought about his intention for a moment. After calculating the amount of his Inner Qi now, they just turned into 34 at this morning.

He continues to be dazed by his own thought until his master finally caught him daydreaming while in his class. His strictness is already well known among the eight previous disciples, but it was unknown to the ninth! While the other senior brother and sisters of his are smiling, their master throws a brush at his forehead with a little strength from his cultivation!

"Fiush!" the brush flew across the air until his forehead, but it was blocked by a layer of Golden Protection shield. While still remaining in his daydream, Zhang Wu Ji did not lose his awareness of his surrounding and defended against the flying brush while still in his deep thought.

His master was impressed, with the other eight disciples. Facing their master and daydream? None of them dare. Defending their master's attack? Impossible. Continue to daydream even after what happened? Even if they were Liang Tian's son, none of them will dare to do such a thing in the class!

"He was still in his dream for god sake!" the eighth that was pummelled by him a few days ago shouted. The shout wakes Zhang Wu Ji from his thought, and let this youth look at his master face directly.

"Come, share what did you catch in your daze." he smiled and walked over to the side of the youth. Before he takes a seat on the empty spots on the chairs, he added.

"I'm going to pummel you like how you pummel your eighth big brother a few days back if you actually tell me your mind went to the brothel when I'm teaching the class."

"Master..." Zhang Wu Ji turn speechless when he listened to his master's warning! Why would his master mention such a thing if it wasn't because of the former Zhang Wu Ji's special act!!!

"Senior sister and brothers, Junior Zhang Wu Ji did use his opportunity to bring home the Bone Strengthening Art to practice two days ago, but unfortunately, his cultivation did not manage to have any improvement even after he tried to learn the Martial Art."

"As for the reason, it was a luck that master's class today touches the topic, and even use the Bone Strengthening Art as the example. This further answers my questions related to the earlier pages of the Martial Art and allows me to have an inner comprehension for a moment there." he took his own version of Bone Strengthening Art to be compared with his master's copy before he allows the other senior brother and sisters to read them.

Although it was only one and a half pages long, their differences between the three copy are huge! What's more, Zhang Wu Ji's version actually works better in their initial stage, and it was easily used by the eight seniors and his master to try their effectiveness.

"Good! Good! To see that although ninth's cultivation is too shallow, his mastery over Comprehension of Martial Arts is actually so much higher, even might be better than the master himself!" Liang Tian did not keep his praises as he knows it should be given to this youth for his small achievement barely after holding the book for two days.

"Thank you master for your praises, but Wu Ji does not worth them yet!" he thanked his master before he rejected them.

"Why would you say so?" Headmaster Liang Tian was puzzled with his out of ordinary reply, but the next sentence came from his disciple made up his mind on ease.

"Because this disciple is yet to achieve his complete comprehension on this Bone Strengthening Art! If a bucket of half-filled water is treated as a full bucket, then where does the motivation to complete them properly will go? Master! Please allow Wu Ji to complete this challenge before he accepts master's praise!"

Unexpected by all of them inside of the small classroom, Zhang Wu Ji stated he wishes to completely comprehend the Bone Strengthening Art before he took his master's praise. When his statement came into their ears, all of them agreed, both master and his seniors. Yet, Liang Tian still hesitates slightly, but still decides to ask.

"The Bone Strengthening Art is just a lowest class Martial Art compared to others stored within the Knowledge Pagoda, why not try something better instead?" he understands the eagerness to complete the challenge, but when it was taken to compare, a person who spends ten years in a weak Martial Art are still weaker than one with strong Martial Art, even if the stronger one's comprehension wasn't as deep as the former.

"Master, Wu Ji believe that all Martial Art is equal. Stronger may seems better, but it represents my unstable foundation when they were taken to a test. Wu Ji thinks, the foundation in martial arts lies on how deep is your understanding on the trash, before you actually know what is a gem means." his explanations toward his own understanding received an agreement from all of them, making even the eight seniors decided to support him in any way he needs.

Seeing the sight unveiled to him, Liang Tian is satisfied. It does take a disciple to motivates the relationship between them to grow. What his disciple needs is not a strong cultivation, but a strong bond! A strong master-disciple bond will overcome the might from the father, and a strong bond between disciples will promote their growth! In this world, what is stronger than the word of Bonding?

"Great! This is what your master, me, wanted to see! I did not imagine that it was achieved by such a simple matter that none of us actually think about it! Little Ninth, go ahead and do that. Do not afraid if you fail, because if this means that the brotherhood between the nine of you are strengthened, this will be the best gift even you all give to me." Liang Tian said and took a rest on the lazy chair placed not too far from them.

"Thank you, Master!" the nine of them left the class since it was over, but deep inside the heart of each of them, a kindling of flame name brotherhood has lit.