Chapter Eleven: Strengthening Abilities and the Guild’s Priority Training List

Su Yu expended 5.62 million cultivation points and 60 Dao points to elevate the Purple Origin Qi Refining Technique to the thirtieth level, advancing ten levels in one go. He now had 1.3 million cultivation points and 89 Dao points remaining.

Purple Origin Qi Refining Technique, Level 30: Vitality +1200, Mana +2400, Spell Power +1200, Mana Regeneration +6 per second.

“No cultivation points left again,” he muttered.

Yet, feeling the abundant mana surging within him, a smile spread across his face.

Thanks to the golden finger enhancement, his mana was equivalent to that of a level sixty intermediate Qi Refining Technique. For other newcomers at the same level, reaching level thirty would only grant 1,200 mana.

If he had reached level sixty in the intermediate Qi Refining Heart Method, his mana would rival some veterans within their first five years.

Of course, this was only among ordinary players, not those who developed rapidly.

“This guild event is a good chance to show what I can do,” Su Yu resolved firmly. Sitting on his paper crane, he wobbled and flew toward Base No. 3.

Thanks to the guild’s sweeping operations, he leisurely flew a few hours at a hundred meters altitude without encountering any monster attacks, arriving safely at Guild Base No. 3.

The base was established on an island, with one side bordered by cliffs and wide waters below. The guild had constructed a large base on the island, where towering Thunder God Towers lined the shore.

A large harbor stood nearby, docked with over a hundred warships of various sizes.

Among them were eight sixth-rank Giant Wood Divine Ships, twenty-two fifth-rank Furious Whale Boats and Tower Ships, and nearly a hundred fourth-rank Wave Piercing Giant Boats.

Upon arriving, Su Yu first sold off materials gained from monster farming and his treasured artifacts, including the Black Iron Bell, Three Suns Fan, C-rank Fire Talismans, and the Bluefish Sword, earning 41 taels of silver and 268 wen.

As his power grew, his current treasures and flying swords no longer matched his strength and needed upgrading.

Fortunately, flying swords and treasures retained value well; reselling them didn’t cause much loss.

After the base was built, many merchants from Qianyu City opened temporary branches there. Su Yu browsed around and quickly selected a fine treasure.

A fourth-rank exquisite treasure: the Land and Rivers Seal, priced at 3 gold.

Land and Rivers Seal (Fourth-rank Treasure): A premium seal forged from a mixture of red copper crystal and black iron refined gold, adjustable in size.

Attributes: When activated, the seal can strike enemies from up to 1000 meters high, dealing 1500 plus 100% height-based force damage, with a 30% magic damage bonus. Range is 1500 meters, mana consumption is 300 points, and cooldown is 20 seconds.

Skill: Land and Rivers Suppression Seal — can continuously suppress targets whose strength is lower than the seal’s for 1 to 15 seconds, dealing 30% magic damage per second. Suppressed targets cannot move. Mana consumption is 100 points per second.

Activation time: 2 to 5 seconds to summon the treasure, and 2 to 5 seconds to retract it.

Equipment requirements: Qi Refining Heart Method level 30 or above.

Now that his swordsmanship had improved, ordinary treasures were inadequate. Though cumbersome, the Land and Rivers Seal had formidable destructive power, especially effective against certain monsters.

Ideally, he would also have a defensive treasure, but good ones were expensive. He only had 2 gold and 62 taels left after purchase and decided to forgo it, relying instead on a protective aura derived from his Qi Refining Technique.

With preparations complete, he awaited the start of the operation.

Not long after, a pinned message appeared on the guild channel that afternoon:

“The fleet will depart in three hours. All participants, please assemble in advance!”

Opening the message revealed detailed tactics and battle zone divisions. The guild had divided the area into several sectors, allowing members to choose freely. Su Yu...

Before he could decide, a message arrived from the new recruit supervisor, Fu Ping:

“Gather at Pier No. 2 at the harbor.”

He swiftly flew there, finding many newcomers already assembled.

As he arrived, someone waved at him—Zhuang Zhuo, accompanied by several others eyeing him with scrutiny.

The two reunited, and Zhuang introduced:

“These are Shi Ning, Gu Zhiqiu, and Meng Chen, all newcomers from our cohort.”

“Su Yu!” they greeted.

He clasped his fists respectfully, and they returned the gesture.

Zhuang continued:

“We all follow the Gu Refining Path. After the battle, we plan to develop here and establish a Gu Field. Interested in joining us?”

Su Yu’s mind turned swiftly, nodding slightly:

“Sure.”

There’s strength in numbers; the sooner the Gu Pits are set up, the sooner income flows.

Zhuang beamed:

“Great! The five of us will form a partnership, each holding 20% shares. We’ll discuss specifics after the battle.”

“Sounds good.”

The five then gathered, exchanging introductions.

At that moment, most newcomers had assembled. Several supervisors flew over, and one cleared his throat, his voice as if whispered beside their ears. Everyone looked up at the center figure—Lu Yongyuan, the guild’s chief instructor for newcomers—who spoke solemnly:

“The final battle of this guild event is about to commence. In the chaos, it’s hard to oversee everything, so you will stay aboard the warship. No need to make a name for yourselves, do not wander, and avoid disrupting others.”

He glanced at the supervisors beside him:

“Follow your supervisors’ instructions on which warship to guard. No unauthorized wandering.”

After these words, he whispered further instructions to the supervisors before leaping away.

Though a newcomer instructor, he was a high-ranking guild official responsible for more than just this group.

The remaining supervisors conferred quietly for a moment before Fu Ping stepped forward, announcing loudly:

“Everyone who has advanced basic Qi Refining or Sword Techniques beyond level forty, or studies refined-level Qi Refining Heart Methods, please gather to my right.”

At his words, the crowd exchanged looks and murmurs.

Soon, a familiar group of young men and women surged forward—the second generation group seen earlier—marching proudly to the supervisors’ right side.

After a while, five or six more quietly joined, totaling about forty.

Fu Ping scrutinized them briefly, then nodded and kindly said:

“You will head to the 303 Giant Wood Divine Ship.”

The forty-plus bowed and soared into the air, glancing down at the many newcomers waiting on the dock. Most smiled warmly, but a few looked contemptuously, arrogantly, or disdainfully at them.

Su Yu heard whispers nearby:

“What’s with those looks?”

“Damn, they’re just pretending. They only have good backgrounds, no real skill to show off.”

“Exactly, it’s not their own ability…”

Su Yu remained expressionless, unmoved.

After they left, Fu Ping continued:

“Now, those with basic Qi Refining or Sword Techniques above level thirty, or advanced Qi Refining Heart Methods at level twenty or above, please come forward.”

At once, many stepped out—more than the previous group.

“This batch is the true elite,” Zhuang remarked, turning back.

“The first group of second gens rely on parental support for their cultivation, showing little real talent. The second group has limited family backing; those who stand out here have some genuine skill. Historically, over two-thirds of the guild’s mid-level officers come from this group.”

He noticed Su Yu looking back and smiled:

“No need to rush. We’re just starting slower. With effort, the day to shine will come. Right, Brother Su?”

Su Yu nodded seriously:

“You’re right, Brother Zhuang. With hard work, success is certain. But…”

“But what?”

“Ah, no time now. Let’s talk after the event.”

He bowed and stepped forward to join the supervisors on the right.

Behind him, Zhuang, Shi Ning, and others gawked.

“Wow, Brother Su’s impressive!”

Zhuang grinned at Shi Ning and others:

“See? I told you Brother Su was exceptional. I noticed it before…”

Su Yu didn’t hear their conversation as he joined the supervisors. Fu Ping called out three more times, but no one else stepped forth. The supervisors turned their attention to the group, and for a moment, a tangible gaze swept over them.

Fu Ping soon spotted Su Yu in the crowd, surprised briefly before smiling.

He said:

“You’re also heading to the 303 Giant Wood Divine Ship.”

After a few more reminders from Fu Ping, the newcomers took to the air, flying toward the harbor’s waters. Su Yu blended in and soon hovered above a Giant Wood Divine Ship.

The ship’s shield was already raised. After a simple identity verification, they passed through the thick barrier into the ship.

As a main battle vessel, the Giant Wood Divine Ship’s shield boasted a defense value of 100 million. Even against thousands of demon troops, it could endure for a long time—extremely safe and reliable.

They were guided onto the deck, where they saw the earlier forty-plus newcomers, along with a dozen imposing guild elites. Glancing up, Su Yu’s eyes were immediately drawn to a stunning woman.

Her features were exquisitely refined, skin whiter than snow, with flowing hair cascading down her back. She wore a simple white palace dress, accented by moon-white silk ribbons that highlighted her slender curves—a breathtaking figure.

“Such a beautiful woman—who is she among the guild elites?” he wondered.

Among the guild leaders, a handsome middle-aged man beckoned them over. Once they stood still, he smiled and said:

“I am Su Tao, the guild’s Administrative Minister.”

The crowd was momentarily stunned, then a smattering of greetings rose:

“Greetings, Minister Su!”

The man waved off their salutations with a smile and continued:

“To grow strong, any guild or faction needs fresh blood. You are the cream of this year’s newcomers. The guild is willing to invest resources to cultivate you.”

His gaze swept across the gathered and the other forty-plus nearby:

“From now on, the guild will register your names and observe you closely. All your outstanding deeds during the event will be recorded, determining your rank and the level of support you receive.”

“Cultivation starts now. After this event, no matter how much guild contribution you earn, you will receive an additional 100% subsidy.”

“There will be assessments every three months. Those ranking highly will receive extra guild contribution rewards.”

“After one year, a major exam will select the top ten among you to be promoted to guild elite members, granting them an entry exam slot for the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect.”

“Note: Selection criteria will consider overall strength—cultivation, Dao techniques, flying sword treasures, combat skills, and more.”

As he finished, someone shouted:

“I am willing to die for the guild!”

One spoke, and many others echoed, including Su Yu.

Dying for the guild required careful thought, but for now, the rallying cries were loud and strong.

The elites smiled broadly, waving their hands in encouragement.

Five minutes later, personnel officials came to register everyone.

Being on this list meant receiving the guild’s focused training. With good performance and rapid progress, one would attract the attention of the higher-ups and soar through the ranks.

During this time, true elites would gradually emerge.

Newcomers who progressed rapidly thanks to extra resources would fall behind once their family’s support ceased.

“From now on, every three months’ exams must be performed well to win prizes. At the one-year major exam, you must secure an elite spot. Those who do will undoubtedly become core guild members, able to leverage guild resources for rare materials.”

Su Yu was very confident.

“With my talent in swordsmanship, I don’t believe many of these newcomers can surpass me.”

After registration, the elites departed, and the beautiful woman who had captivated Su Yu also disappeared.

He felt a slight pang of regret but quickly dismissed it. He understood that knowing her now served no purpose; their differences in power and status were too vast. Knowing only added worry.

With the elites gone and no supervision, many newcomers gathered in groups to chat, quickly forming circles.

Su Yu showed little interest and instead picked up a booklet distributed earlier.

It was a newcomer manual, specifically for them, richer in content than the one given when they first joined. It included many previously unheard-of topics.

For instance, the distinctions among cultivation sects.

Names and approximate cultivation levels of all guild elites and mid-level officers, the names of several wandering immortals the guild honored, the locations of the three main corps and dozens of independent squads.

Outside the guild, information on other guilds, their territories, and the various factions and sects in the Blue Mountain Archipelago, including mountain gods, water gods, demon territories, and demon caves.

He had been unaware of all this before; it was all contained in this manual.

“Ding!”

A clear bell rang. Everyone looked up to see many guild members swiftly dispersing and taking positions at the other end of the deck.

In groups of four, they climbed to the towering Thunder God Tower bases on the warship. They were to hold these positions and collectively supply mana to the Thunder God Towers.

Additionally, on the massive main battle ship, several high platforms densely inscribed with array runes served as the giant array’s eyes covering the entire ship. Many players would stand on the steps of these platforms during battle, channeling mana into the array eyes below, sustaining the sturdy defensive barrier enveloping the Giant Wood Divine Ship.

It was akin to infusing mana into a defensive treasure.

At that moment, several newcomer supervisors approached, calling out loudly:

“There are several tasks here: supplying mana to the Thunder God Towers and the ship’s array eyes. Post-battle rewards are 20 guild contribution points. Anyone interested?”

The crowd exchanged glances, and some began volunteering.

Su Yu did not. Confident in his strength, he planned to stay within the warship’s barrier to fight alongside others.

The battle was about to begin.