Lü Zhong's expression flickered as he stared at the Cultivation Technique in his hands.
This *Qingyang Jade Profound Technique*... just from the name, he knew it was a Cultivation Technique from the Qingyang Sect.
In that case, the charred corpse he had fished out was very likely a Qingyang Sect disciple killed by a Demon Cultivator.
In Qingliu Ruins, there was a well-known taboo: one must never secretly practice Qingyang Sect Cultivation Techniques. All Loose Cultivators who did so met a grim end, taken away by Qingyang Sect Law Enforcement Cultivators, never to be heard from again.
Lü Zhong didn't dare take the risk. After all, if he secretly practiced the Qingyang Jade Profound Technique, it would leave visible traces.
If someone reported him then, it would all be over.
'In that case, I can't let any of these items see the light of day. Otherwise, it would be too easy to attract the Qingyang Sect's attention. Having the items confiscated would be a minor issue, but if I'm mistaken for an accomplice of the Demon Cultivator, then...'
At this thought, Lü Zhong sighed. He decided to hide the Storage Bag for now and wait until the heat died down.
After chugging a few mouthfuls of cool water, he calmed down a bit. He felt the seven Spirit Stones in his pocket, unable to resist taking one out to examine it carefully in his palm.
Spirit Stones, as the name implied, were Crystal Stones containing Spiritual Qi. According to the accepted theory in the Cultivation Realm, they were formed when Spiritual Qi precipitated into naturally occurring Crystal Stones, often appearing in the form of mineral veins.
Based on the amount of Spiritual Qi they contained, Spirit Stones were divided into four grades, from Lower Grade to Top Grade.
According to the conventions of the Cultivation Realm, the term "Spirit Stone" usually referred to Lower-grade spirit stones. Only for Middle Grade and above would the grade prefix be explicitly added.
For cultivators, Spirit Stones were a stable and reliable source of Spiritual Qi, often used as an energy source.
As they were natural minerals, Spirit Stones were not suitable for direct absorption. The standard method was to convert them using a Spirit Gathering Array. Only the Pure Spiritual Energy produced by this conversion was suitable for a cultivator to refine and use.
In an emergency, they could be used for rapid recovery, but one would have to undergo arduous cultivation afterward to expel the impurities absorbed into the body to avoid any negative impact on future cultivation.
In the dim little cabin, the Spirit Stone in Lü Zhong's hand was emitting a faint glow.
'Hmm, how should I spend this money? Rent is due soon, so one Spirit Stone is untouchable. I need to set aside another one for next month... I can't stop my Talisman Making practice, so I need to buy at least one ream of Talisman Paper to keep practicing... That leaves me with four Spirit Stones. I could buy a Basic Cultivation Technique with that.'
At the thought of a Basic Cultivation Technique, his eyes lit up.
'That's it! I'll use them to buy a Basic Cultivation Technique!'
Without further thought, Lü Zhong immediately pushed open the door and headed for the Magic Technique Pavilion.
Today was not a market day in the Ruins Market, so no cultivators were entering or leaving the Magic Technique Pavilion.
When Lü Zhong stepped inside, he found that the usual snobbish Receptionist was gone. In his place was a middle-aged man with a green-tinged beard, dressed in an apricot-colored long robe. The man had a scholarly air about him, and his cultivation was at the Mid-stage Qi Refining.
It seemed he was taking inventory.
Hearing someone enter, the middle-aged man put down the ledger in his hands, looked up, and said with a gentle smile, "I am Qin Qingshu, the Steward of the Magic Technique Pavilion. May I ask if our esteemed guest is here to purchase a Magic Technique, or to select a suitable Cultivation Technique?"
Without hesitation, Lü Zhong cupped his hands and replied, "I'll have to trouble Steward Qin to help me select a Basic Cultivation Technique."
"Hmm, no problem. Might I ask about your Spirit Root?" Qin Qingshu asked with a nod.
The choice of a Cultivation Technique was a delicate matter. The right choice would yield twice the results with half the effort, while the wrong one would mean half the results for twice the effort.
And no matter what, the prerequisite was that it had to match the cultivator's own Spirit Root attributes.
Otherwise, even someone with a Celestial Spirit Root would accomplish nothing in their cultivation.
After learning about Lü Zhong's Four Spirit Roots, Qin Qingshu gently rubbed his temples and closed his eyes in thought. After a long while, he clapped his hands and said, "I have thought of a few Cultivation Techniques that would suit you, fellow Daoist. Please wait a moment while I go and retrieve them."
He was gone for the better part of a quarter-hour.
When Qin Qingshu returned, he was holding a stack of books.
"Alright, here they are!" Qin Qingshu placed the thick stack of Basic Cultivation Techniques on the counter, then looked at Lü Zhong. "Fellow Daoist, you're likely unfamiliar with these techniques. How about I introduce them to you?"
Lü Zhong felt it was quite necessary. After all, he was a Loose Cultivator with no master to guide him.
Although the Magic Technique Pavilion mostly sold common, run-of-the-mill Cultivation Techniques, that was no reason to choose one at random.
Thinking of this, he nodded.
Qin Qingshu saw this, smiled faintly, and picked up one of the Basic Cultivation Techniques.
"*Little Four Symbols Technique, Qi Refining Chapter*. A rare Four-attribute Skill, priced at one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones."
"Although you lack the Gold Spirit Root, fellow Daoist, it is not impossible to cultivate this. Once mastered, this technique can produce Four Symbols True Qi. Each attribute of True Qi has its own wondrous uses. The Green Dragon True Qi is of the Wood Element and can nourish the body. The White Tiger True Qi is of the Gold element and governs slaughter; infusing it into a Magical Artifact is greatly beneficial in combat. The Vermilion Bird True Qi is of the Fire element and provides a certain boost when casting Fire Magic. As for the Black Tortoise True Qi, it is also incredibly profound and will make a Defensive Magical Artifact much sturdier when imbued with it."
Seeing that Lü Zhong said nothing, Steward Qin put down the *Little Four Symbols Technique* and picked up another Basic Cultivation Technique.
"*Water and Wood Sword Mantra, Qi Refining Chapter*. A dual-attribute Cultivation Technique, priced at one hundred Spirit Stones."
"This is a Sword Dao Technique. Merely reaching the entry level can greatly increase your strength, but the subsequent cultivation process is extremely difficult; only those with a will as firm as a rock can succeed. The good news is that after mastering the Third Layer, you can emit Sword Aura to injure your enemies. Although the power of the Sword Aura depends on your specific cultivation level, it's still a fine technique."
Hearing this introduction, Lü Zhong felt a stir of interest, but he decided to hear the rest before making a choice.
Meanwhile, Steward Qin picked up another Basic Cultivation Technique.
"*Artifact Fusion Technique*. A non-attribute Cultivation Technique, priced at five hundred Spirit Stones."
"As the name suggests, this is a Cultivation Technique for fusing Magical Artifacts into one's own body to enhance strength. The more Magical Artifacts you fuse, the stronger the Cultivator becomes, eventually reaching a state of being unrivaled in the Qi Refining Stage. However, the drawbacks are also quite obvious. First, it's expensive. Second, this technique only has a Qi Refining Chapter, with no follow-up."
As if he knew Lü Zhong wouldn't choose the *Artifact Fusion Technique*, Steward Qin picked up the last Basic Cultivation Technique.
"*Water and Fire Cyan Wood Technique, Qi Refining Chapter*. A Three-attribute Skill, priced at two hundred and fifty Spirit Stones."
"Water and fire blend together to nurture cyan wood. Those who master this technique can imbue their Spiritual Power with a trace of the cyan wood characteristic. This characteristic has both pros and cons. The benefit is that it nourishes the cultivator, increasing their cultivation speed. It also makes their Wood Magic stronger and allows their Wood Attribute Magical Artifacts to unleash greater power. The drawback is that when choosing a Cultivation Technique for the next stage, you will be locked into choosing a Wood Attribute Cultivation Technique."
Having finished his introductions, Steward Qin said no more, quietly waiting for Lü Zhong to make his choice.
For his part, Lü Zhong breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Steward Qin's explanations.
Perhaps because they were all common techniques, and only the Qi Refining Chapters were available, the prices of these Basic Cultivation Techniques were not high.
As for Lü Zhong, he couldn't afford the *Water and Fire Cyan Wood Technique*, so that was the first one he eliminated.
The same went for the *Artifact Fusion Technique*. A single glance told him it was meant for the wealthy, unsuitable for a Little Independent Cultivator like him, so it could also be ruled out.
That left the *Little Four Symbols Technique* and the *Water and Wood Sword Mantra*. Choosing between these two Cultivation Techniques was a bit more difficult.
The Four Symbols True Qi had endless wonderful uses, but unfortunately, Lü Zhong lacked Gold in his Five Elements. Although Steward Qin said he could still cultivate it, he would probably have to use some kind of workaround. The Sword Aura from the Water and Wood Sword Mantra seemed nice, but it was a Sword Dao Technique that was easy to learn but difficult to master.
After a moment of hesitation, Lü Zhong made a difficult decision.
"I choose the Water and Wood Sword Mantra!"
"Oh? Your choice is quite surprising, fellow Daoist!"
Steward Qin had thought Lü Zhong would choose the *Little Four Symbols Technique*, but he never expected him to go with the *Water and Wood Sword Mantra* instead.
Thinking about the recent appearance of Demon Cultivators, he suddenly felt that this might be a good choice after all.
Glancing at Lü Zhong, who wasn't wearing a Dharma Robe, Steward Qin asked, "Will you be buying the whole chapter?"
"No! I'll buy it in parts. Just the first three layers for now." Lü Zhong had already inquired about this. The Basic Cultivation Techniques at the Magic Technique Pavilion could be bought in installments, and buying just the first three layers was very cheap—only a few Spirit Stones.
"Alright. The price for the first three layers of the technique is three Spirit Stones." Steward Qin was concise. A sale was a sale, and there was no reason to refuse the business.
After paying the Spirit Stones, Lü Zhong got what he wanted: the first three layers of the *Water and Wood Sword Mantra, Qi Refining Chapter*.
"I should remind you, don't spread the Cultivation Technique to others. Otherwise... you know the consequences." Steward Qin, who was gathering the other technique manuals, warned without looking up.
Lü Zhong's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and he quickly nodded. "I know."
"Hmm. Would you like to pick out a Magic Skill for self-defense? The Pavilion just received a new shipment of some excellent ones." Steward Qin made his routine recommendation. Usually, customers who could afford a Basic Cultivation Technique would also want to buy a Low-tier Spell for protection.
And Low-tier Spells were indeed cheap.