CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 1: SECRET TECHNIQUE OF THE HIDDEN DRAGON

Celestial Essence Ancient Country has a total of nine domains, and the Ancient Domain is one of them.

Within the Ancient Domain lies Hidden Dragon City and Hidden Dragon Academy, known as the cradle of Immortal Officials.

Cultivators emerging from here mostly become Immortal Officials, gaining the blessing of dragon fortune, and hence paving a smooth path on their immortal journey.

In the center of Dragon City, at a corner of the academy, quietly stands an ancient-style pavilion, based on blue stone, structured of red wood, with flying eaves and magnificent corners, resembling a phoenix ready to soar, elegant and dignified.

At this moment, the pavilion is suffused with immortal light, accompanied by ripples of space, as a teacher in white attire teleports in with a young cultivator and his pet beast.

"Welcome to Hidden Dragon Academy." The teacher steps out a few paces, looks up at the blue sky and white clouds, and says, "I heard the Beast Taming Sect is currently under isolation, but that has nothing to do with you, a Qi Cultivation disciple. Now that you’ve arrived at the academy, focus on learning first."

The cultivator named Cao, working at the academy, guided Lin Jing from the Great Wilderness to Hidden Dragon Academy, kindly advising him not to let matters of the sect affect his mindset.

Upon hearing this, Lin Jing showed a bitter smile, originally thinking that way... Who knew the isolation of the Beast Taming Sect also involved the mutation of the Demon Suppression Tower!

How the Demon Suppression Tower loosened, others may not know, but surely he and the Pine Leaf Mouse do!

Feeling a bit guilty, Lin Jing thought if he couldn’t make a mark at Hidden Dragon Academy, it wouldn’t justify the spatial artifact and a hundred thousand Spirit Stones given by the Sect Leader before parting!

"Thank you, Elder Cao." Lin Jing and Pine Leaf Mouse bowed, and though the Dragon Koi didn’t know anything, since it followed Lin Jing, it also bore this burden together.

"Elder Cao, when can I learn the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique?"

Although the Dragon Koi inexplicably bore a burden, its biggest opportunity lay in studying at Hidden Dragon Academy!

Thus, this burden wouldn’t hinder its growth.

Cao Zhiwei looked back at the Dragon Koi trapped in the monk’s staff and smiled slightly, "You are well-prepared, eager to cultivate a Dragon Blood demon beast with the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique, huh?"

"Yes! At that time, you said the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique of the academy was the best secret technique for cultivating Dragon Blood demon beasts throughout the continent."

"Indeed." Cao Zhiwei nodded.

He stood in the pavilion with hands on his back, gazing into the distance, "Every few years, the academy recruits students externally; normally, only those passing the examination have a chance to enter the academy."

"However, this applies to most cultivators. Being chosen by the Grotto Heaven shows you possess certain fortune; therefore, Hidden Dragon Academy personally invited you."

"Besides you, other cultivators who entered the Grotto Heaven with you were also invited by the academy, responding earlier and having already entered Hidden Dragon Academy."

"As ’special recruitment students,’ not only do you bypass examinations, but you also receive the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique upon entering the academy!"

Lin Jing didn’t expect the Wenyu Scholar, Female Alchemist from Pill Furnace Sect, and Sword Cultivator from Celestial Sword Sect, who entered the Grotto Heaven with him at that time, had long arrived at the academy.

So, it seems he does have acquaintances in the academy!

However, these acquaintances might hate him...

Lin Jing didn’t mind this; he was happy that the conditions for acquiring the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique were so straightforward!

"But don’t be too glad," Cao Zhiwei said warmly, "Exemption from examination is a privilege, but not acquiring the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique. Every successful student entering the academy immediately receives the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique."

"That’s because the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique... is the prerequisite for listening to lectures by various masters at the academy!"

"Students at the academy must first learn the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique before they are eligible to attend lectures!"

Then, Cao Zhiwei took out a stone seal and held it in his hand for Lin Jing to see. Upon the stone seal was a coiled young dragon, extraordinary in nature.

"This is the Hidden Dragon Seal; imprinting it on yourself grants you the opportunity to learn the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique."

"Do you know what the core of practicing the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique is?" Cao Zhiwei asked Lin Jing, the Pine Leaf Mouse, and the Dragon Koi.

Without waiting for their reply, he continued, "It’s not Spiritual Qi, or the foundation of cultivation. It’s prestige, reputation!"

"Squeak???"

Prestige, reputation?

The Pine Leaf Mouse immediately peeked out in curiosity, wondering what it meant.

"Simply put, the more renowned you are in Hidden Dragon Academy, Hidden Dragon City, Ancient Domain, Celestial Essence Ancient Country, and the Cultivation Realm, the deeper your mastery of the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique!"

"Isn’t it an amazing secret technique?"

"Yes!" Lin Jing nodded, worthy of a technique derived from True Dragon Secret Technique, his Longevity Body loved such special methods that didn’t require his own cultivation.

However... to gain fame, he has to accomplish things, which poses a bit of a problem as he’s known to be a straightforward person.

"Elder, so you’re saying I need to first establish some reputation to access the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique and qualify to attend lectures at the academy."

"Indeed." Cao Zhiwei replied, "Next, I will imprint the Hidden Dragon Seal on you; it’s the seed of the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique. Once your reputation reaches a certain level, the imprint will start to glimmer, and when the glow spreads entirely across the imprint, it means the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique has officially been initiated."

"After this, various wonders of the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique will emerge in your mind, including the secret technique for cultivating Dragon Blood demon beasts you desire!"

"Moreover, right after initiation, the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique will manifest into a phantom fortune dragon within the cultivator’s body based on their cultivation level, reputation, and fortune."

"The initially formed fortune dragon comes in white, blue, purple, and gold colors! The further back the color, the stronger your dragon fortune!"

"This color is determined by your reputation, cultivation, with lower cultivation and higher reputation generally leading to a later color."

"Within the academy, the teachers usually set lecture thresholds based on the color of the fortune dragon."

"For instance, Elder Meng, who practices Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, only allows students with golden fortune dragon to attend his lectures."

"Additionally, some Foundation Establishment methods and Core Formation methods within the academy, although theoretically available for students to peruse for free, require students to achieve a certain level in the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique!"

"Thus, the proficiency in the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique is crucial for learning many things at Hidden Dragon Academy."

Elder Cao smiled slightly, looking at Lin Jing and the others, "You have gained confidence in your skills from your training in the Great Wilderness."

"Although the academy doesn’t teach combat techniques, the simplest way to gain prestige is to ruthlessly tread on the geniuses of other sects and heavily publicize it, using others as stepping stones to enhance your Hidden Dragon Secret Technique!"

"Known as... Dragon Fortune Acquisition!"

"This is the most direct method for you academy students."

"But, should you be careless, you might become someone else’s stepping stone, causing your reputation to plummet, with your Hidden Dragon Secret Technique regressing instead of progressing! How to enhance your Hidden Dragon Secret Technique is up to your own choices."

"By the way, also..."

He said, "The academy doesn’t prepare grottos for students to cultivate in; although there are places for practice, students need to rent them using Spirit Stones."

"Do you need it?"

Lin Jing: ???

What?

No cultivation grotto even?

Lin Jing was slightly stunned.

This isn’t even as good as the Beast Taming Sect is it!

Suddenly Lin Jing realized why Sect Leader Xu gave him an extra hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Without Spirit Stones, he might not even qualify to reside within the academy.

Thinking about the three-month arduous cultivation during which he used quite a lot of Spirit Stones, Lin Jing felt heartache.

"Elder, there’s no special treatment for special recruitment students regarding accommodation fees?" Waiving it wouldn’t be too much, right!