Cultivation Techniques

Chen Er was remarkably efficient. When he came over the next day, he brought back news regarding cultivation techniques.

As he went to the garden to pick vegetables to prepare a meal for Shi Yu, he shared the information he had gathered.

“When I listened to the elders' lectures in the sect before, they mentioned a few things about it,” Chen Er said. “And yesterday, I sat in a teahouse for half a day chatting and idling with people, so I managed to learn quite a bit more.”

Shi Yu was mixing talisman ink. Hearing his words, she focused part of her attention to listen closely.

“Most cultivation techniques are recorded on jade slips or ordinary beast hides and paper.” After giving the greens a quick rinse, Chen Er continued, “Let’s start with technique jade slips.

“Aside from mighty experts using secret empowerment techniques to directly imprint a technique’s heritage into a disciple’s soul, the best way to learn a technique is through a technique jade slip...”

From the news Chen Er had gathered, Shi Yu gradually gained a clearer understanding.

Practicing a cultivation technique required matching it with a cultivator’s spiritual meridian attributes, temperament, and disposition. Otherwise, at best, progress would be sluggish; at worst, one might fall into qi deviation. This was the most fundamental requirement.

Second was having the guidance of predecessors. Only with the correct direction could one avoid straying onto the wrong path out of confusion.

And that was precisely where the advantage of technique jade slips lay.

What was recorded within was not merely simple moves or cultivation methods, but also encompassed the practitioner’s personal experiences, thoughts, and the spiritual insights formed through their interaction with heaven and earth.

—It was equivalent to having the insights and experience of a predecessor to guide and correct one's practice.

Because of this, jade slips were naturally the best possible choice for learning cultivation techniques.

For rogue cultivators who lacked masters or elders, if they were fortunate enough to obtain a technique jade slip suited for their cultivation, their path of cultivation would be significantly smoother.

However, as spiritual objects, technique jade slips were by no means easy to create.

Chen Er scratched his head. “The creator needs to expend... what was it... soul force, to infuse their comprehension of the technique into the jade slip to record it.”

Shi Yu nodded slightly.

The most crucial aspect of a cultivation technique—its artistic intent and spiritual essence—could not be expressed in mere words. Only those who had achieved a deep comprehension of the technique could expend their soul force to craft a jade slip.

Unlike spiritual Qi within the body, soul force was exceptionally difficult to recover once consumed.

Therefore, ordinary cultivators would not lightly expend effort to create jade slips. Typically, it was cultivators whose lifespans were near their end, desiring to pass down their lifelong heritage, who would leave jade slips behind.

Even if some technique jade slips were lost or scattered about, they were often hidden in remote mountains, ancient forests, or perilous locations, requiring fated individuals to claim them.

“If that were all, it wouldn’t be so bad, but these jade slips are consumable items,” Chen Er remarked with a sigh. “Once a jade slip is bound to a master or consulted repeatedly, the soul force stored inside gradually dissipates.”

As the soul force drained away, the information recorded within would fade alongside it, until it eventually turned back into a blank jade slip.

“...So despite having so many benefits, they aren't something just anyone can possess.

“Technique jade slips circulating in the outside world are exceedingly rare. Those who possess them generally won't reveal or sell them easily.” Chen Er shook his head and sighed. “On the rare occasion one is put up for sale, the price is far beyond what an ordinary cultivator can afford.”

The price was something she could find a way to deal with; possessing so many auxiliary skills made earning spirit stones far from difficult for her. The crucial question was where she could buy one.

Shi Yu rested her arm on the table, lightly resting her jaw on the back of her hand, and asked, “Then where are jade slips usually put up for sale?”

Recalling the information he had gathered, Chen Er said, “For such rare treasures, even if someone wanted to sell one, they would never dare show their face openly, lest they draw the attention of thieves. Thus, most choose a reputable auction house.

“First, their identity can remain hidden. Auction houses won't leak a client's identity, nor would they do anything dirty like murdering someone to seize their goods. Second, selling through an auction naturally yields far more spirit stones.”

Shi Yu nodded, understanding.

Auction houses...

The Heavenly Tone Lotus she sought was at an auction house, and the chances of finding a cultivation technique would likely be higher at an auction house as well.

And the nearest auction house was the one Manager Jiang had mentioned, located in the main city of Lingtai Prefecture and operated by the Xie Clan.

It seemed she needed to make a trip to the main city as soon as possible before the next major auction held over three months from now. The Heavenly Tone Lotus had to be secured, and while she was there, she could also see if any cultivation techniques were being auctioned.

She only wondered when the spirit beast riot would finally end. If it dragged on, with layers of spirit beasts blocking the roads, her journey might prove quite arduous.

Sorting out her thoughts, she listened as Chen Er continued beside her: “Below jade slips are the far more common transcribed manuscripts.”

Using materials like beast hide, silk, or paper as mediums, techniques simply transcribed by hand possessed none of the advantages of jade slips.

However, their advantage lay in how convenient they were to copy.

In sects or prominent cultivation families with numerous disciples, it was naturally impossible for everyone to have access to jade slips. These handwritten copies and secret manuals came in handy then, and with guidance from teachers and exchanges with fellow disciples, it was not much of a drawback.

Rogue cultivators, on the other hand, rarely had masters. Upon acquiring such a technique, they had to rely mostly on self-study and comprehension. If they practiced incorrectly, they often only realized it after harming themselves—demonstrating just how difficult cultivation was for them.

After finishing his explanation, Chen Er saw that Shi Yu’s expression remained unreadable. He hesitated before speaking up: “Actually... if Young Master wishes to obtain a cultivation technique, there is another way.”

“Oh?” Shi Yu raised her eyes to look at him.

Chen Er said, “You could also join an academy. Academies are like sects in that they also possess a Scripture Pavilion where many ancient texts and cultivation techniques can be consulted.”

This was something Shi Yu had never heard of before, so she asked, “How are academies different from sects?”

“I imagine Young Master dislikes being restricted,” Chen Er smiled and said. “If you join a sect, you must abide by its rules and submit to its restrictions and control. Moreover, unless there are special circumstances, one cannot easily leave a sect.

“As for academies... I only heard about them from others in the teahouse. They said that while inside an academy, you must obey its rules, but there is no forced binding relationship between the academy and its students. After graduating, students can leave the academy and seek their own path.

“Of course, spending a long time in a place naturally fosters affection.”

When a person stayed in one place for a long time, a sense of belonging inevitably developed. This was especially true for rootless, wandering rogue cultivators.

Bound by these emotional ties, the students were not entirely detached from the academy.

Supported by the vast network of its students, the academy could build a large, organized base of supporters. This backing was particularly vital for the academy’s daily operations and reputation.

Shi Yu pondered for a moment, finding herself somewhat intrigued.

Given her disposition, joining a sect would place too many restrictions on her. Furthermore, carrying secret treasures and profound secrets, she was naturally unwilling to do so.

An academy, however, was something worth considering.

However, since she had never heard news of an academy before, such a place likely did not exist in remote regions.

Everything would have to wait until she reached the main city.

Having cleared her thoughts, Shi Yu looked up at Chen Er. “Thank you for taking the trouble to inquire about all this.”

“What is Young Master saying?” Chen Er laughed cheerfully. “How could this be considered trouble? It’s just like when I worked as a waiter in the mortal world—just chatting with people.”

While they talked, the meal was prepared, and Shi Yu invited Chen Er to eat with her.

Before leaving, Chen Er pulled a thin booklet from his coat and handed it to Shi Yu. “Young Master, this is a movement technique issued by the sect.”

Seeing Shi Yu raise an eyebrow at him, he hurriedly waved his hands in explanation, “It’s not a secret sect manual, but a widely circulated movement technique—quite common even among rogue cultivators.”

As a current disciple of the Yuxu Sect, he was bound by sect rules and naturally could not hand over secret sect manuals. Though, as an unappreciated outer disciple, he possessed no secret manuals anyway.

“This movement technique is of a very low grade, merely a most ordinary Tier-1 movement technique, so I was embarrassed to bring it out.” Chen Er smiled sheepishly. “I only thought that since Young Master is searching for cultivation techniques, it might be of some small use...”

Seeing his embarrassment over the low grade of the technique, Shi Yu reached out and took it. “I appreciate the thought.”

Chen Er chuckled softly and then took his leave.

Having just finished her meal and enjoying a moment of leisure with nothing else to attend to, Shi Yu began leafing through the movement technique booklet.