"What about the *Jinchan Xiaoyao Jue*?" Elder Tang broke the silence.
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Lu Ye hurriedly took the *Jinchan Xiaoyao Jue* from his storage bag and handed it to Elder Tang.
Elder Tang took it, flipped through it, and nodded slightly: "It's a very common Yellow-grade cultivation technique. When cultivated to perfection, it can open twenty-seven acupoints."
Lu Ye could understand the twenty-seven acupoints Elder Tang mentioned. He had discovered this when he studied the *Jinchan Xiaoyao Jue* before. If this technique is cultivated completely, it can open a total of twenty-seven acupoints.
However, he was a bit confused about the Yellow grade, and immediately asked about his doubts.
Elder Tang explained: "The human body has 360 acupoints, corresponding to the Great Zhou Tian. In the Nine States cultivation world, there are countless cultivation techniques. Different techniques can open different numbers of acupoints. Based on the number of acupoints that can be opened, the techniques are divided into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Mystery, and Yellow. Only Heaven-grade techniques can open 360 acupoints, Earth-grade techniques can open 180 acupoints, and below that, Mystery-grade techniques can open 81 acupoints... This *Jinchan Xiaoyao Jue* is the lowest grade, which can only open twenty-seven acupoints. This type of technique is the most common."
Hearing Elder Tang's explanation, Lu Ye suddenly understood.
Originally, the *Jinchan Xiaoyao Jue* was the worst technique in the Nine States, no wonder Manager Yang carried it with him.
Fortunately, he didn't treat this thing as a treasure, otherwise, it would have been a laughingstock.
"The difference in cultivation techniques not only determines the number of acupoints a cultivator can open but also results in significant differences in strength among cultivators at the same realm. Additionally, the future prospects of cultivators are also different."
"Do cultivators with higher-grade techniques have greater strength and broader prospects?" Lu Ye asked.
"Exactly." Elder Tang nodded, "Do you know why?"
"I hope the Sect Leader can enlighten me." Lu Ye humbly asked.
Elder Tang slightly organized his thoughts, as if considering how to explain it more clearly to Lu Ye. He hadn't talked about these things for many years. After a moment, he asked: "Do you know the cultivation realms?"
"Spirit Stream, Cloud River, True Lake, and Divine Sea, the four major realms." Lu Ye answered, which Yu Xiaodie had told him.
"Then what is Spirit Stream?"
Lu Ye recalled what Yu Xiaodie had said before and answered: "Opening enough acupoints to allow one's spiritual energy to flow through these acupoints, forming a complete cycle, like a stream, is called the Spirit Stream realm."
"Exactly!" Elder Tang stroked his beard, "How many acupoints are considered enough?"
"This..." Lu Ye was at a loss to answer.
Elder Tang smiled slightly and pointed to the *Jinchan Xiaoyao Jue* in his hand: "If you cultivate this technique, opening nine acupoints can achieve the first level of the Spirit Stream realm, eighteen acupoints for the second level, and twenty-seven for the third level."
Lu Ye immediately noticed something was wrong: "Isn't the Spirit Stream realm divided into nine levels?"
"Yellow-grade techniques can only cultivate up to the third level of the Spirit Stream realm, so their grade is the lowest. If you cultivate a Mystery-grade technique, you can reach the sixth level of the Spirit Stream realm. As for Earth-grade techniques, you can reach the ninth level. If you cultivate a Heaven-grade technique..."
"Twelve levels?" Lu Ye was surprised; he had never heard of a twelve-level Spirit Stream realm.
Elder Tang smiled and shook his head: "Still nine levels."
Lu Ye was puzzled: "Why is that?"
Elder Tang explained: "Because different cultivation techniques correspond to different numbers of acupoints at the same realm. The *Jinchan Xiaoyao Jue* only requires opening nine acupoints to achieve the first level of the Spirit Stream realm, but if you cultivate a Heaven-grade technique, you need to open eighteen acupoints to reach this realm. Cultivators of Earth-grade techniques who open 180 acupoints are at the ninth level of the Spirit Stream realm, but cultivators of Heaven-grade techniques who open 180 acupoints are only at the sixth level."
Lu Ye vaguely understood: "Elder Tang means that the higher the grade of the cultivation technique, the more acupoints are needed to reach the same realm?"
"Exactly."
"Then, the cultivation level of cultivators cannot be used as a basis for judging their strength?"
A cultivator of an Earth-grade technique at the ninth level of the Spirit Stream realm has only opened 180 acupoints. If they encounter a cultivator of a Heaven-grade technique at the seventh level of the Spirit Stream realm, they would not be a match, because the latter has opened more than 180 acupoints.
Lu Ye suddenly understood what Elder Tang meant before. If this is the case, then the difference in cultivation techniques can result in significant differences in strength and future prospects at the same realm.
"Sect Leader, if Heaven-grade techniques are so good, why doesn't everyone cultivate them? What is the significance of the existence of Earth, Mystery, and Yellow-grade techniques? Is it because Heaven-grade techniques are hard to obtain?"
Elder Tang smiled and said: "Although Heaven-grade techniques are not easy to obtain, with enough determination, even a wandering cultivator has a chance to get them. The reason why not everyone cultivates Heaven-grade techniques is that each cultivator has their own limit, the limit of opening acupoints!"
"The limit of opening acupoints?"
"At the beginning of cultivation, opening acupoints is difficult, but as the number of acupoints increases and the cultivation level improves, opening acupoints becomes relatively easier. Eventually, a limit is reached. Once this limit is reached, it becomes very difficult for a cultivator to open more acupoints. Even if a better technique is available, what can be done? For a cultivator whose limit is 180 acupoints, cultivating a Heaven-grade technique is meaningless, so cultivation should be done within one's limits."
"I see." Lu Ye understood.
"Moreover, at the beginning of cultivation, it is actually better to cultivate Yellow-grade techniques."
"Because they are simpler?"
"Exactly. Yellow-grade techniques require opening nine acupoints to achieve the first level of the Spirit Stream realm, but if you cultivate a Heaven-grade technique, you need to open eighteen acupoints. Achieving the Spirit Stream realm early by allowing spiritual energy to flow through the acupoints can improve the efficiency of cultivation. Therefore, in the cultivation world, whether it's wandering cultivators without support or disciples from prestigious sects, they basically start with Yellow-grade techniques. Once they have cultivated Yellow-grade techniques to perfection, they can switch to other techniques."
Actually, Elder Tang didn't fully explain the matter of switching techniques.
Only wandering cultivators without much foundation or disciples from minor families start with Yellow-grade techniques.
Switching techniques doesn't have significant hidden dangers, but it is somewhat troublesome. Those with some background usually choose Mystery or Earth-grade techniques, because whether it's Yellow, Mystery, or Earth-grade techniques, the requirement for the first level of the Spirit Stream realm is to open nine acupoints, with no difference.
Only when a cultivator has opened their acupoints to the limit and there is a need, will they switch to a Heaven-grade technique. Those without the ability can only try to break through.
However, considering Lu Ye's limited talent, he probably won't open many acupoints in his lifetime, and a Yellow-grade technique is sufficient for him.
Of course, Elder Tang didn't say this, nor did he look down on Lu Ye. As the Sect Leader, he patiently taught Lu Ye, without any impatience.
"As for your concern that this technique might be an evil technique..." Elder Tang raised his eyelids and looked at Lu Ye solemnly, "Remember, techniques have no inherent good or evil, only people have good and evil. No matter what technique, it is just a tool for cultivation. What truly determines good and evil is a person's nature. There are many evil-natured people in the Vast Heaven Alliance, and there are many virtuous people in the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge."
"Disciple will remember." Lu Ye said respectfully.