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With Han Yi leaving the Seclusion Cave, Tian Ye was able to focus on his cultivation until a few hours later where his cultivation was once again interrupted.
"Tian Ye!" A loud yet childish voice of a boy called out from outside the Seclusion Cave.
His eyes suddenly opened wide, his gaze turning to the direction of the voice that called out.
Looking over at the entrance of the Seclusion Cave, Tian Ye saw three boys with familiar faces, they were Zhao Feng, Sun He, and Yang Wei.
Seeing them visit him, Tian Ye couldn't help but smile happily and without moving, he replied, "Zhao Feng, Sun He, and Yang Wei, what brings you out here?"
Sun He scratched the back of his head and replied on behalf of the three of them, "Just coming to check on you, we haven't seen you in nearly a year. Only Zhao Feng had a brief encounter with you when you were training several months back. Did we disturb you?"
Zhao Feng and Yang Wei nodded, showing that they shared Sun He's sentiment.
Tian Ye shook his head and replied, "Of course not, come in."
"Then, we won't hold back." Sun He replied, walking with Zhao Feng and Yang Wei towards the sitting Tian Ye who hasn't moved an inch from his sitting location.
The three of them sat down near Tian Ye, forming a circle around him.
Taking their seat, Sun He took the initiative to ask, "So? How've you been?"
"Well enough." Tian Ye replied with a grin, "You?"
Sun He also grinned and replied the exact same words, "Well enough."
Looking at each other's eyes, they couldn't help but laugh even if there was nothing funny.
Zhao Feng and Yang Wei also joined in the laughter and the reason was just because. Did a group of friends need a reason to laugh when they were together? Of course not, even they couldn't explain it but somehow, there were those moments when they'd just laugh.
As the laughter died down, Zhao Feng then asked in curiosity, "Tian Ye, my master said 6 months ago that you've reached the 3rd Layer of Qi Refinement Realm and that's not all, you've reached the 3rd Layer with a much harder cultivation technique, that has an element? I remember it being called Burning Heart Technique?"
"Hm…" Tian Ye paused for a bit but soon affirmed, "Yeah, I've reached the 4th Layer a while ago." He then pointed at the hardened blood that dried on the ground, "As you can see, there was a small mishap, but it all went smoothly. I've already thought of a way to not go through such things like vomiting blood again so there's no need to worry."
Hearing that the dry dark stuff on the ground was actually Tian Ye's blood, the three of them were about to worry but were soon relieved by Tian Ye's words that explained instantly without them needing to ask.
It was then Tian Ye's turn to ask, "How about you? How's your cultivation? Did the elders teach you yet how to practice an elemental cultivation technique yet?"
The three of them looked each other in the eye before Yang Wei spoke with a wry smile, "Well… somehow…?"
"Somehow?" Tian Ye tilted his head in confusion as to what made Yang Wei say an unsure answer?
Sun He, who had a way with his words was the one to explain, "Because in the beginning, the elemental cultivation techniques didn't exist in the first place before you created it, the elders didn't take our spiritual qi affinity when they took us as their disciples causing them to now juggle the discipleship. My elemental affinity is wind so, the one guiding me is either the 3rd Elder or the 4th Elder, meanwhile, Yang Wei's affinity is water so the one guiding him is the 2nd Elder, meanwhile Zhao Feng's affinity is earth so it's the 1st Elder who's guiding him."
Hearing about their amusing situation, Tian Ye couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"It's not funny." Sun He said with a slightly annoyed tone because of Tian Ye's laughter meanwhile Tian Ye just waved his hand and said, "Well… it's not that complicated, just let them teach you, what's so wrong about it? We can all be considered one family as disciples of the elders after all."
Zhao Feng nodded in agreement, "That's true but it's a hassle to go to the 1st Elder for cultivation tips then learn martial arts from my master, then go to my house near the Elder's Pavilion that my master prepared for me."
Tian Ye then spread his hands and said in understanding, "Welcome to the life of an adult, it's a hassle."
Zhao Feng then retorted, "You speak as if you're an adult, you're the same age as us. You're not even 10 years old yet."
"We're different." Tian Ye shrugged before replying nonchalantly, "This is my second life."
Hearing Tian Ye's words, their lips couldn't help but twitch.
Seeing their looks of disbelief, as someone who is really a reincarnator, he couldn't help but shake his head, "Hah… No one believes me when I tell the truth."
He then asked in interest, "Oh right, you just mentioned learning martial arts from your masters right? How's that going?"
Zhao Feng was the first one to speak proudly, "I've learned the Second Movement of the Crescent Moon Sword Technique, Half Moon's Descent."
Although he was bragging, he was immediately outshined by Yang Wei's nonchalant words that didn't really care about bragging, only caring about answering Tian Ye's question, "I've learned the Third Movement of the Crescent Moon Sword Technique, Full Moon's Song."
"Yang Wei…" Zhao Feng looked at Yang Wei in dissatisfaction by being outshined but Yang Wei just ignored him.
Meanwhile Sun He also chimed in, "I've learned my master's Shadowless Sword Dance, albeit only the First Stance. The Second Stance and Third Stance… it's still too complicated for me."
"I see…" Tian Ye nodded in understanding before asking again, "How about your cultivations?"
"Peak of 2nd Layer, Earth Element. Early of 3rd Layer, Wind Element. and Peak of 2nd Layer, Water Element." Zhao Feng pointed at himself, then Sun He on the side, then Yang Wei at the front of the circle they formed from sitting.
"Hm…" Tian Ye looked at them meaningfully then clapped his hands to catch their attention and when they all looked over, he asked, "Wanna catch up via sparring?"
Zhao Feng raised his hand energetically "Let's go!" Then continued with a wry smile, "But… you have to hold back. You almost killed me last time and if it wasn't for the help of the 1st Elder, I would have died. I still don't think that I can react to that monstrous reaction speed."
"Of course I'll hold back, I just want to see how to use elemental spiritual qi, I only focused on increasing it via cultivation these days after all, so I don't know its capabilities." Tian Ye assured.
Sun He, who stood up also said, "I'd appreciate it if you hold back for me as well, although I've learned martial arts, I still would just like to increase my cultivation for lifespan then expand my knowledge in the future when I have a lot of lifespan to spare."
Yang Wei who followed said with battle intent despite his quiet tone, ""As for me, don't hold back, Tian Ye."
Feeling Yang Wei's battle intent, Tian Ye was a little taken aback, who would have thought the quiet introverted boy actually had a side like this. He chuckled but agreed. "Let's go."
"Zhao Feng, you know where the fighting stage is, right?"
"Of course, I do. Who do you think I am, Tian Ye? I pass by it when my master brings me to train in the mountains for martial arts."
"Well, since you're already in front, lead the way."
"Leave it to me!"
As they walked over to the fighting stage, a few minutes away, Tian Ye matched Sun He's pace and asked, "Your elemental affinity is wind? How's your spiritual qi? Is it sharper?"
Feeling a little flattered that he was above Tian Ye in terms of knowledge even if it's just for a little while, Sun He couldn't help but feel proud of himself so he enlightened, "Elemental spiritual qi isn't actually that different from Neutral spiritual qi when you try to control it. If you have wind spiritual qi like me, if you want it to be sharper, it'll be. It's the same for Yang Wei and Zhao Feng. If Zhao Feng wants to increase the hardness of an object, it'll be harder, if Yang Wei wants it to be flexible like water, it'll be more flexible."
Hearing Sun He's clear explanation, Tian Ye already got the gist of using elemental spiritual qi. He didn't know whether he was talented or not, but he was confident in his theoretical mind.
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