The first thing Ren recognized as he watched the disciples of the illusion division was the way they acted. Most disciples walked around holding a book or scroll in their hands, not even gazing at those passing by.

The five of them were thus not greeted by every single Cultivator they encountered, but instead the opposite was the case. None of them even really looked at them a second time or showed some kind of subservience like those of the body division did. Every single one they passed gave off the air of a scholar who was only interested in their own business.

It was an honest relief to Ren, not having to bother with people who treat their group like the saviours of the sect. Looking at Zhi Mu also revealed that he was of a similar mind with Ren, his spirit rolling around in a relaxed manner compared to the tenseness that accompanied the older boy throughout the first part of their journey.

It was not only the disciples of the illusion division that gave Ren pause though, the atmosphere in general was heavier, solemn almost.

Seemingly endless corridors, the eerie light of formations and constant assault from illusions trying to enter their system, which were ripped to shreds as soon as they came in contact with Ren's spirit, and solid stone wherever one looked, made for an oppressive environment, in Ren's opinion.

"Say, Brother Junan, where are we going first?" Xin Jing asked nonchalantly as they crossed another corner.

Shen Junan nodded in her direction as if to say that he had thought about it extensively since they entered the division.

"I thought about first visiting the different competitive training formations deeper inside. On the way, I can show you where my rooms are." He said, his voice slightly unsure and waiting for them to give their input.

"That sounds fine, Brother Junan. You are the one who knows what would be worthwhile more than us, after all you are a disciple of the illusion division. We wouldn't even know where to begin our search." Han Ting encouraged him.

But Ren thought of something else. "Competitive training formations, what is that supposed to mean, Brother Junan?" He asked, quizzically.

"That, my dear Brother Ren, should remain a secret till you all try them out."

Shen Junan smiled at him mysteriously, but seeing Ren's unsatisfied expression, he added on.

"It should be fun for all of you, Brother Ren, no need to be impatient."

They soon walked ever deeper into the burrows of the division, coming across multiple intersections and labyrinth like paths with only sparse hints to direct them, though Shen Junan and Zhi Mu looked and felt both quite confident to Ren.

Steps echoing on the tiled ground, even though Ren and the others tried not to make any sound while walking, they finally stopped before a door of metallic sheen with a concentric swirling pattern engraved on it.

"All right, everyone, this here is my room. It isn't all that impressive, but It should still be big enough for the five of us to sleep in after we explored the division." Shen Junan said, scratching his head in apparent embarrassment.

Opening it revealed multiple rooms of similar size to those of Adept Xiao Ai.

Like the rest of the division so far it was outfitted with mostly muted colours that greeted them, with greys, dark blue, green and black the most prominent.

Stolen novel; please report.

Similar to Darkhaven's office, there were a multitude of books stacked neatly together, clinging to most walls seamlessly, and giving the residence a cramped appearance despite its orderliness.

"Well, it certainly looks like a scholar's cave in here, Brother Junan." Xin Jing said after they looked around for a bit, making the boy in question look slightly affronted.

"I will have you know, Sister Jing, that it is not a 'scholar's cave' as you so eloquently put it, but rather simply my residence and the place where I do my research." He replied, crossing his arms.

"But it is in a cave, and you are doing 'research', ergo it is a scholar's cave." Xin Jing said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Shen Junan realized that she was only making fun of him and simply ignored her comment, making the girl pout cutely and continue exploring.

Soon after she saw an old wooden desk with multiple complicated cultivation diagrams, drawn on paper, lying on it, that piqued her curiosity.

Pointing at it, she asked Shen Junan. "What are those for, Brother Junan?"

She looked through a few of the papers and diagrams. "All of these don't really make any sense to me. The patterns are all too dissimilar and complicated compared to any arts I have seen." She said, scrunching up her nose.

Not only Junan but the others looked at the diagrams, putting frowns on both Zhi Mu's and Han Ting's face, while Ren didn't get it.

'Weren't they just some incomplete art diagrams?' Was what he thought.

Shen Junan simply sighed while adjusting his glasses. "I already told you, Sister Jing, I am conducting research. Specifically, it is research into the inner workings of cultivation manuals and the effects on the human body, in the hopes of finding a solution for my problem. Did you already forget?" The boy said with a raised eyebrow, putting Xin Jing on the spot.

"Of course I didn't! These are just so complicated, and I couldn't get them at all." She defended herself.

Ren once again didn't see how they were so complicated.

'Isn't the Heart Of The Lonely Sword at least as complicated?' He thought in confusion, but chose not to speak up, maybe he just couldn't see it, they certainly had more experience in this area than him.

"Yeah, I guess so. It's not even a good thing that they are complicated or anything, as you said, an art has to be relatively simple in its early stages, and that goes double for a cultivation art. If you have a nice theoretical art that nobody can learn the first stage of, since it is too complex, you only have an incomplete art that could, at most, be useful to those who are already at higher levels, but more likely is simply obsolete." The boy explained with a sigh, and continued to describe his troubles to them.

"Ideally, a cultivation art that is learned after one already practised another one initially should use mostly the same parts of your circulatory system regarding spirit, both to give you a smoother transition and to not hurt oneself. That is also the reason why people scarcely completely change their cultivation art should they already have advanced to higher realms. Now, taking this into consideration, what would the logical step be to advance one's cultivation art in the desired direction?" Shen Junan asked them like it was obvious. And it truly was.

Xin Jing immediately jumped on the opportunity, and gave her thoughts. "If the cultivation art is then not exactly what you desired, or can not provide what you need, and a complete change is not possible, small changes and additions would have to be made on the original art, and as soon as possible! But to change a cultivation art as you wish..., Brother Junan, you already said that you would do it, but I thought you meant it more like inventing a separate art that could help you walk further."

Xin Jing looked conflicted as she glanced between Shen Junan and his research till another question came to her mind. "How are you even going to test these out, Brother Junan? I mean, even if you come upon a theoretical improvement, how would you know that it worked? You can't just try to do it yourself, can you?" She asked him, with concern lacing her every word.

Shen Junan had a pained expression on his face at her pointing it out to him. Grandmasters would be able to feel their bodies with far greater sensitivity and could thus adjust their arts minutely to suit them better, but what Shen Junan planned was going far beyond the adjustments of a regular Grandmaster, and this realization was what troubled Xin Jing, Zhi Mu and Han Ting, though the two of them didn't say it.

"I will just have to cross that bridge when I get to it, Sister Jing. Don't look so sad now, it doesn't suit you, and these concerns are still matters of the future, for when I am already a Master trying to reach the next stage. Let's get going now, I think we dwelled on my dreary problems for long enough." The boy said, and with a spin stepped towards the door and motioned for them to follow him.

Xin Jing looked like she still wanted to argue further, but as the boy didn't want to continue, she let it rest, for now.