10,000x Cultivation: I Gain Power by Adopting Training Acolytes

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the cave dwelling on the Ninth Peak of the Spirit Immortal Sect, Zhang Yun glided across the floor with faint cyan spiritual energy swirling around his feet. Each step carried an elusive, mystical rhythm.

"The ​Green Origin Step​ is quite impressive," Zhang Yun murmured with satisfaction as he came to a halt after practicing the movement technique for nearly half an hour.

Over the past three days, he hadn't been idle. He'd briefly trained with several High-tier techniques obtained from the Worldly Techniques Pavilion, and this agility-focused movement art had become his favorite. With this skill, his ability to evade attacks and escape danger had skyrocketed.

"Is the Ninth Elder present?!"

A booming voice suddenly echoed across the Ninth Peak, interrupting Zhang Yun's thoughts.

Frowning, Zhang Yun stepped out of the cave to find a long-haired man in green robes hovering arrogantly above the peak on a flying sword. He recognized the intruder—Mu Sheng, the sect master's second disciple.

"Get down here!" Zhang Yun barked, his expression darkening at the disrespectful display.

Mu Sheng sneered, tilting his chin upward. "Ninth Elder, I've come on my master's orders to—"

"I said get down!" Zhang Yun's voice turned glacial as he cut him off.

Mu Sheng's lips curled mockingly. "Ninth Elder, you should—"

"Did I stutter?!" Zhang Yun roared. With a flick of his wrist, a flying sword shot from his storage ring, streaking toward Mu Sheng with lethal intent.

Clang!

Mu Sheng hastily drew his sword to block the strike, his face twisting in outrage. "How dare you attack me, Ninth Elder?!"

"GET DOWN!" Zhang Yun bellowed, his palm slamming downward.

The flying sword erupted with a surge of spiritual energy, blasting Mu Sheng off his sword. The sect master's disciple tumbled through the air before crashing unceremoniously onto a tree branch at the peak's edge.

"Zhang Yun, you—" Mu Sheng sputtered, his robes dusty and face flushed with rage.

Whoosh!

Before he could finish, Zhang Yun materialized beside him, gripping his shoulder like an iron vise.

Thud!

Mu Sheng was slammed face-first into the ground, eating dirt.

"Does no one teach you manners?" Zhang Yun dusted his sleeves coolly. "Unless it's an emergency, disciples are forbidden from shouting across elder peaks or flying over them. Or did your master neglect that lesson?"

Mu Sheng scrambled to his feet, spitting out soil. "You're dead, Zhang Yun!"

Channeling his peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, he threw a punch infused with explosive spiritual energy.

Crack!

Zhang Yun caught the fist effortlessly.

"DIE!" Mu Sheng screamed, pouring more energy into his strike. But his spiritual force crashed against an immovable wall—Zhang Yun didn't budge an inch.

"You…?" Mu Sheng's eyes widened in disbelief. How can a mere Foundation Establishment Stage Three cultivator block my full power?

"Agh!"

Before he could process this, his fist crumpled under Zhang Yun's crushing grip. Bones snapped like dry twigs.

"Release me!" Mu Sheng howled, face contorted in pain.

Snap!

Zhang Yun twisted the mangled hand ruthlessly before kicking Mu Sheng's abdomen, sending him skidding across the ground. "Consider this leniency. Next time, I'll cripple you."

Mu Sheng collided with a boulder, his body screaming in protest. "I'll report this to the sect master!" he wheezed.

"By all means," Zhang Yun retorted icily. "Be sure to mention how you violated sect protocols by shouting across my peak, flew over it without permission, and then assaulted an elder. I'll corroborate every detail."

Mu Sheng nearly vomited blood from sheer fury. Those were my lines!

Ignoring his sputtering, Zhang Yun crossed his arms. "You mentioned the sect master's orders. Speak."

Mu Sheng glared venomously but stayed silent.

Zhang Yun shrugged and beckoned to Xu Ming, who'd emerged from the cave wide-eyed. "Disciple, come here."

Xu Ming hurried over.

"Step on him twice," Zhang Yun ordered, pointing at the crumpled Mu Sheng.

"Wh-what?" Xu Ming blinked.

"He disrupted our cultivation. Don't worry—he won't retaliate while I'm here."

"Understood, Master!"

"Zhang Yun!" Mu Sheng roared as Xu Ming approached. "You've gone too far!"

Xu Ming hesitated, foot hovering.

"Wait, disciple." Zhang Yun waved him off mockingly. "Our guest finally remembers his mission. Well, Mu Sheng?"

Gritting his teeth, Mu Sheng spat out, "The sect master summons you to his peak. Urgently."

"The sect master?" Zhang Yun's eyes lit up. Is he sending more spirit stones?

"Return to your training," he told Xu Ming before turning to Mu Sheng. "Lead the way."

"You​ want ​me​ to guide you?!" Mu Sheng spluttered.

"Unless you'd prefer I drag you there by your broken hand."

Mu Sheng cursed internally but summoned his sword with his uninjured left hand. Zhang Yun followed on his own blade.

When they reached the sect master's peak, Mu Sheng landed respectfully at the mountain path's base—a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance.

"How… disciplined," Zhang Yun remarked drily, noting the sudden adherence to protocol.

Mu Sheng's eye twitched.

As they ascended, anguished cries erupted from the training plaza halfway up the peak:

"Elder Wu, please! I'll do better!"

"Useless! Even handling simple tasks, you fail. You're expelled—return to your mortal village!"

A chubby young disciple kowtowed desperately before a cold-faced elder.

Zhang Yun's steps slowed, his gaze narrowing at the scene.