255 Fishing in the Daming Lake (1/2)
Chapter 255: Fishing in the Daming Lake
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
The lush valley seemed like a foreign land, isolated from the rest of the world. The lake reflected tall snow-capped peaks. Though a bitingly cold blizzard was raging atop the Tianqi Mountain outside, it remained warm inside the valley. It made the place feel even stranger.
Ning Que and Mo Shanshan didn't find anything that looked like geothermal hot springs, so they only chalk up the anomaly to the tactical array. They couldn't help their shock when they thought of how a great tactical array was able to alter the season. They became even more certain that the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine, hidden away for decades, must be inside the lake before them.
As was said by Prince Long Qing, It hadn't been the time for the Front Gate to open and actually they didn't know when it would open. They just knew when it opened, it would be anomalies, so presently what they could do was nothing but wait and get well prepared.
Ning Que went to sit at a big stone beside the lake, looking at the strange small fish without scales swimming in the clear water. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, ”How to break the realm?”
The question was straight yet stupid. No Grand Cultivators in the world could answer it because during the boundless process of cultivation, what people saw and perceived were different, so there was no simple answer!
If a question like this could be answered, then the Headmaster of Academy would be the most suitable person to answer it. Wouldn't that mean his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of the Second Floor of the Academy would have already broken through their realms numerous times?
Ning Que was quite clear that obstacles would inevitably appear one after another in his cultivation, so he had been peacefully awaiting their arrival. However, he had been stuck at the Seethrough State for several months without seeing any progress. Now that he had a bet with Prince Long Qing, the time limit also gave him another form of pressure, prompting him to ask the question.
Mo Shanshan looked at him and softly answered, ”Only you can answer such a question.”
Ning Que reached his hand into the cool lake water, startling away a few fish. After a moment of pondering, he said, ”I thought willingness was the most important. To break through the realm, first you must have the will or it'll be even more difficult. The second was confidence. You must believe you can break through the realm.”
When it came to cultivation, his experience was somewhat unusual. Thanks to the Vermilion Bird umbrella and the precious pill from the Unknown Place, he had somehow advanced from the Initial State straight to the Perception State. He then progressed to the No Doubts State, jumping over the most difficult challenging period of deciphering reality from illusion. But in the summer, he once observed the rain and came to understand Talisman Taoism, thus he had some experience.
Being at the threshold of the Seethrough State, he had a strong desire for a breakthrough. The heavy pressure coming from Prince Long Qing and the time limit turned into motivation for him. How could he still bother remaining his calm?
However, looking at the fish swimming freely in the clear water that he startled earlier, he knew very well what he lacked the most at the moment.
Earlier, he had promised Mo Shanshan that he wouldn't be defeated. In their following conversation about the Daming Lake, he also appeared to be confident. But that wasn't true confidence. How could he muster up the confidence in front of an excellent West-Hill disciple who had been in the Knowing Destiny State for many years?
Further, breaking into a realm was an enigmatic matter. It was capricious, just like the blizzards in the Wilderness that came and went as they pleased. They could carry snowflakes with them with a gust of wind even on sunny days, or not appear even on the most bitingly cold days.
Mo Shanshan walked up to the stone and followed his line of sight to look at the lake, ”You're not confident?”
”I always thought myself to be a talent and that there wasn't anything I couldn't learn. Even when I found out I don't have the talent for cultivation, I still believe myself to be smarter than others. You know, last year I was still thinking how could I hack a person at the Seethrough State to death using three blades.”
Ning Que looked at her and earnestly said, ”Later when I started cultivating, everything went smooth and remained the way when I started practicing the Talisman Taoism. My master and many others all believed me to be a talent but my confidence had been weakened for I've now met many real cultivating talents. That includes you.”
Mo Shanshan's eyelashes fluttered. She didn't know what to say.
People like his Eldest Brother and Second Brother were the true cultivating geniuses! His same-age peer, Chen Pipi, who had entered the Knowing Destiny State was the true genius. The Tao Addict, Ye Hongyu, was nothing compared to them! Prince Long Qing was nothing at all! So was he!
”We haven't even mentioned the Unknown Places. When I think of how many World Wayfarers coming from that place are Grand Cultivators at the Knowing Destiny State, my entire body feels uncomfortable. I feel like there's no meaning to this at all.”
Mo Shanshan lifted her head and earnestly asked, ”Then how can I help you boost your confidence?”
Ning Que replied seriously, ”I need praise.”
Even if her face grew several more inches, there was no way for her to compliment him face-to-face. But this allowed her to confirm that he knew nothing, so she decided to use another way to help him.
She looked at Ning Que and sighed, ”Do you know how many Unknown Places there are in this world?”
Ning Que wiped off the water on his hand and said mockingly,”How can I know them when they're called Unknown Places?”
She shook her head, ”The Unknown Places are actually one abbey, one temple, and one gate... and the Second Floor. The abbey is the Zhishou Abbey, the temple is the Xuankong Temple, and the gate is the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine. The Second Floor is naturally the Second Floor of Academy.”