Master of Science and Technology - Chapter 40

Translator: Darling | Editor: Darling

“Sun Li,” Wang Lianshan called out one of his students. He neared the table and gave him the two objects on the table, saying: “This trip into the Closed Realm, you are appointed as leader. Take these two items.”

Yes, Master, but this…….” Sun Li’s skill was truly on par with Zhao Hao’s, making for a good substitute. However, he was unaware of the operations of these two objects. The fireworks may be easier to use, but what could he do about this storage space?

Wang Lianshan did not explain further, only leaving one direction: “After you enter the Closed Realm and near the marking on this map, release the signal and you will understand.”

Sun Li and his fellow classmates were confused but afraid to ask more. Seeing as Wang Lianshan had no further command, the students bowed and left, clearing away in no time.

In the room, as soon as his students had left, Wang Lianshan sat there in silence, thinking. After some time, he stood up and looked toward the Jin Guang Sect base, muttering: “I just don’t know if the past arrangement can still work. If it is successful, we will no longer need to work to please the Jin Guang Sect.”

Jin Guang Sect and Wu Zhu Sect had always been in partnership to oppress the Yu Qing Sect but also were divided in importance. And Jin Guang Sect had always reigned superior. The greatest reason for this was their support. No one knew who this backer was, but it had to be a top Sect, maybe even the top Sect.

Otherwise, solely based on the two Sect’s ability, not even the Yu Qing Sect of today, not mentioning the Yu Qing Sect of the past, could be suppressed by the two of them.

And Wu Zhu Sect had always been asking Jin Guang Sect for help in referral to a similar backer. But, how could Jin Guang Sect make for themselves an equal opponent? A support was also a type of resource. How could they freely give up such a thing? So, they had always been hooking Wu Zhu Sect, never really giving them any real help.

The Wu Zhu Sect had always been aware of these types of situations. However, having already boarded this ship, wanting to leave would offend the Jin Guang Sect. Thus, they could only plot in the background. This pair’s relationship was like having the same appearance but different thoughts, or sharing the same bed but having different dreams. Each one had their own secrets and plots.

Even in the Yu Qing Sect, there was no serenity that night.

No matter if it was Jin Dasheng or his Sect’s students, they had all avenged themselves that day. For many years, Yu Qing Sect’s people had never really lived in peace. More importantly, this experience had let them find hope.

It was just a simple competition that didn’t amount to much. Even if they earned four extra places, there was still not much gained. The most important thing was, through this competition, the skill of the Yu Qing students had been recognized. This also meant that their training in the Void Realm had taken effect.

Jin Dasheng was sure that, as long as the Void Realm existed, even if he could not ask for Yu Qing Sect to return to its former glory, at least he could raise its rank among its similarly placed Sects.

It was not that Jin Dasheng was cowardly and afraid of greater works. It was just that, to raise a Sect, one could not solely rely on the skill of individual students. Through the help of the Void Realm, those in the Refining State and Foundation State had strengthened. Those in the Gold Core State had also gained in skill. Even Elder Mo reigned superior over his fellow Yuan Yin Grandmasters.

But to go further up?

Without a Spirit Master to hold its place, even if Yu Qing had the most powerful individuals in every state, it would still only hold as a C-level Sect. Why was Qing Yue Sword Sect a B-level? It was not just because they were a Sword Sect. Nor was it because they had two more Yuan Yin Grandmasters than Yu Qing. The real reason was that they had a mysterious Great Elder who was a Spirit Master. 

If there was a day when one could prove that Qing Yue Sword Sect’s Spirit Master had passed, then they could no longer count as a B-level Sect, even if they had the skill equal to the other B-levels.

Do not look at the difference between the Yuan Yin and Spirit States and note that they are only a step in distance. To take this step was no easy task. From the Foundation State up, working to every new state was not something that could be solved by purely gaining cultivation. Resources were a starting point, and talent was essential. But the deciding factor was fate.

Fate. Even if it was unpredictable, no one could undermine its importance. Like Qi Qianjun. He had great talent and elite training from the Yu Qing Sect. But, because of an “accident”, almost lost his path in cultivation. This was fate. But, Ye Zan came. And, in his quest to find talents, was introduced to Qi Qianjun. Afterward, he proceeded to doctor his wounds. This was also fate. 

The reason for Mo Ru’s hold in the Yuan Yin state was one: due to his restrictions in talent, and two: because fate had not arrived. If fate really arrived, regardless of your talent or lack of resources, it would reign superior. If it couldn’t solve those problems, then it would not be worthy of the name “fate”. Like, how there were people that unexpectedly found a cultivation site that provided whatever they needed. As soon as they returned from cultivation, they had already become a power worthy of the admiration of many. Fate was just so unrestricted by logic.

Because of this, however optimistic Jin Dasheng was, and however much he thought that Yu Qing’s future was well, he still could not dream of Yu Qing’s unbounded rise.

A day passed, and it was finally the time for the opening of the Closed Realm.

The door to the Closed Realm was a lake. However, to say it was a lake was a bit of an exaggeration. It was really just a pond. It had a depth of just three or five meters, with a circumference of twenty to thirty meters. There were no fish or shrimp at its bottom. One could say that it was a body of dead water (still water), but, in three hundred years, it’s water level had remained unchanged. 

If a cultivator above the Refining State jumped into the lake, then the lake would remain as it was. It would act as any ordinary lake, with the exception of having clearer water. Only those with a cultivation lesser than the Refining State could, at the right timing, jump into the lake and be pulled to the Closed Realm. In actuality, the only reason this Closed Realm had been discovered by the Five Sects was that many ordinary humans had gone missing near this site.

The Five Sects all hurried to the sides of the lake. There was no interaction or small talk, just calm silence as all awaited the opening of the Closed Realm. However, the students of Jin Guang Sect and Wu Zhu Sect seemed to be a bit more energized than they had been yesterday. It looked like Luo and Wang had spent a lot of energy on them.

At noon, the lake’s surface suddenly broke into layers of ripples. It was very light as if a wind had just blown past. Or, as if a single leaf had fallen onto the surface of the water, breaking the water into barely noticeable waves.

“The Closed Realm had opened. We can enter now.” Luo Miao spoke and turned to the nearby Yu Qing Sect, loudly proclaiming: “Yesterday, the Yu Qing students performed most impressively. I was taken in awe and respect. Today, let’s let the Yu Qing students first enter.”

To enter the Closed Realm, a sequence also had to be determined. They couldn’t just jump in as one big group. However, the first to enter the Closed Realm, this was no good thing. Ten years had passed. No one knew what would be waiting on the other side. Actually, Yu Qing Sect had always been the first to enter, acting as a punching bag or cannon fodder for the other Sects. 

Hearing this, Jin Dasheng coldly laughed, saying: “How Senior Luo says this. Have my Sect’s students not always been the first to enter?”