The Choice of Cultivation Method

Bang bang!

The door to the cave dwelling was knocked on.

Wang Chen, who had been sitting cross-legged on his meditation cushion, came back to himself and hurriedly rose to open the door.

"C-56's allotted time is up."

The one standing at the entrance was the cave dwelling steward. With his nostrils turned skyward, he said to Wang Chen, "You can leave now."

Wang Chen frowned. "Senior, I entered the cave dwelling at the Weishi hour."

He remembered clearly that two days ago, he had moved into this cave dwelling right on the dot at the Weishi hour.

And now it had only just reached the Wushi hour.

He was shorted a full two hours!

"When I tell you to leave, you leave. Why all the nonsense?"

The cave dwelling steward glared, his manner thoroughly overbearing. "Don't we need time to clean the place up?"

Wang Chen glanced at the cave dwelling, which was only a few square meters in size and contained nothing but a meditation cushion.

Then he looked at the cave dwelling manager, whose expression said it was only natural.

And then he left.

Wang Chen did not lose his temper or argue with the other man on principle.

At their root, all human suffering was anger at one's own helplessness.

The current Wang Chen did not yet have the ability to take issue with a steward.

Why humiliate himself for nothing?

But he remembered what the man looked like!

"Hmph!"

The cave dwelling steward curled his lip disdainfully.

He was thoroughly practiced at bullying lowly little cultivators like Wang Chen. It posed not the slightest difficulty.

The hour he had just skimmed off could bring him an extra lower spirit in income.

One lower spirit was not much.

But accumulated over the years, it became quite a considerable sum!

Nor was the cave dwelling steward afraid that Wang Chen would lodge a complaint. He had people above him; otherwise, he would never have gotten such a cushy post.

After leaving the cave dwelling, Wang Chen headed for the Yunyang Sect Outer Sect Main Hall.

Speaking of it, cultivating inside the cave dwelling had felt truly wonderful.

In just half a day, he had broken through his bottleneck and advanced to the fourth layer of Qi Condensation, then spent another day and a half stabilizing his realm.

His cultivation efficiency was several times higher than at home.

Thinking of those disciples born into the families of Purple Mansion cultivators and even Golden Core True Persons, who had cultivated in such an environment from childhood, their starting point was higher than that of ordinary people by who knew how many times.

Even a pig could cultivate into a pig demon there!

But Wang Chen did not complain to the heavens or blame others because of it.

He had the experiences of two lifetimes, as well as the aid of the Cultivation Panel. His future achievements would never fall below those of any genius.

Just wait and see!

The Yunyang Sect Outer Sect Main Hall was located at the center of Yunyang City.

A city within a city.

Under the Main Hall were the War Hall, Discipline Hall, Hall of Inherited Teachings, Merit Affairs Hall, Pill Hall, Artifacts Hall, Spirit Planting Hall...

Hall masters, elders, chief managers, stewards, and disciples of every rank jointly managed the affairs of the Outer Sect.

The greatest dream of many bottom-layer cultivators was to worm their way into one of these halls.

There, they could enjoy more and better sect benefits.

As well as certain privileges.

Wang Chen arrived at the Hall of Inherited Teachings.

He patiently waited in line for half an hour before he was finally able to enter the Library Pavilion.

"Sorry to trouble you, Elder."

Wang Chen respectfully handed his Identity Token to the Elder of Inherited Teachings overseeing the Library Pavilion.

Within this black iron token, which represented his status as an Outer Sect disciple, were stored the one hundred Merit Points that the original owner had painstakingly accumulated over five years.

Merit Points were sect contributions, acquired by completing the various tasks issued by the Merit Affairs Hall.

Or through rewards from the sect.

And the sect contributions the original owner had never touched even a single bit of.

He had been saving them precisely to exchange for a new cultivation method suited to himself after breaking through to the middle Qi Condensation stage.

Wang Chen could be said to be fulfilling one of the original owner's wishes.

"Hmm."

The white-haired Elder of Inherited Teachings accepted the Identity Token and casually brushed a finger across its surface.

"What cultivation method do you wish to exchange for?" he asked.

Wang Chen bowed. "I ask Elder to test this disciple's Bone and Root Attributes."

He also presented the ten Spirit Stones he had prepared in advance.

"Mm."

With a sweep of his sleeve, the Elder of Inherited Teachings made the Spirit Stones in Wang Chen's hand vanish without a trace.

The next moment, a shriveled finger jabbed at his brow.

Wang Chen immediately felt a mighty breath surge in through the space between his brows, coursing through his entire body in an instant.

The Elder of Inherited Teachings withdrew his finger and said expressionlessly, "Low-grade Bone and Root Attributes. Fire as the chief, with metal, wood, water, and earth as ministers."

Bone and Root Attributes possessing all Five Elements were the foundation for entering the Dao, and they came in varying grades.

Wang Chen's Bone and Root Attributes were only at 3 points. Receiving a low-grade evaluation was entirely within expectations.

What mattered was the relative strength of the Five Elements.

Now that the Elder of Inherited Teachings had tested the dominant aspect of Wang Chen's Bone and Root Attributes, Wang Chen knew which cultivation method he should choose.

Wang Chen immediately said, "I ask Elder to recommend a fire-aspect primary cultivation method."

"A fire-aspect cultivation method..."

The Elder of Inherited Teachings revealed a half-smiling expression. "You only have one hundred Merit Points. The only one you can choose is the Blazing Fire Art. If you want a better cultivation method, you'll need at least two hundred Merit Points."

The Blazing Fire Art?

Wang Chen did know of this cultivation method.

He was deeply disappointed—the Blazing Fire Art was hardly any stronger than the Five Elements Technique!

He had to know that what Wang Chen was choosing now was his primary cultivation method, one he would cultivate all the way to high-level Qi Condensation.

If his primary cultivation method was too mediocre, then not only would his cultivation fall a notch behind others of the same realm, but his chances of breaking open his apertures and opening his palace in the future would also be far lower.

Wang Chen was not overly worried about breaking open his apertures, but having such a poor cultivation method was truly frustrating.

His Bone and Root Attributes and comprehension were both very low as well.

Should he wait until he earned more Merit Points before coming back to exchange for one?

"Actually, you have another choice."

Just as Wang Chen was hesitating, the Elder of Inherited Teachings spoke. "Your Five Elements affinity is fairly balanced, and your fire affinity is only marginally stronger. If you are willing to settle down and become a spirit plant farmer, continuing to cultivate the Five Elements Technique is also an excellent choice."

"With one hundred Merit Points, you can exchange for all six of the later layers of the Five Elements Technique."

Wang Chen was speechless.

The Elder of Inherited Teachings had put it tactfully, but his meaning was obvious.

Wang Chen's Bone and Root Attributes were poor, and his Five Elements affinity was utterly ordinary. He had no future to speak of.

Thus, the Five Elements Technique that nobody wanted to cultivate was instead quite suitable for him.

After all, the Five Elements Technique was compatible with nearly all low-level spells, making it a perfect match for a spirit plant farmer.

Seeing Wang Chen remain silent, the Elder of Inherited Teachings grew a little impatient. "Young man, don't reach for the stars while standing on tiptoe. The Five Elements Technique has no simple origins either. It's far stronger than the Blazing Fire Art. Are you exchanging for it or not?"

"I'll exchange for it!"

Wang Chen gritted his teeth and agreed.

The Five Elements Technique it was, then!

He had the Cultivation Panel as a cheat; his cultivation speed was extraordinarily fast, and he could rely on Heavenly Merit and Human Virtue to break through realms and alter his fate.

Breaking open his apertures and opening his palace was no mere dream.

Once he had accumulated enough Merit Points, it would not be too late to exchange for a high-level primary cultivation method.

Though the Five Elements Technique was mediocre, its compatibility was unmatched.

"Hurry up."

The Elder of Inherited Teachings reached out, grabbed a Jade Slip, and tossed it to Wang Chen.

According to the rules of the Hall of Inherited Teachings, cultivation method Jade Slips exchanged by sect disciples could not be taken away and could only be studied on the spot.

Wang Chen accepted the cultivation method Jade Slip and pressed it tightly against his brow.

Then he injected Mana into it.

The Jade Slip immediately bloomed with countless rays of light, and endless information poured into Wang Chen's Sea of Consciousness like a flood.

In the blink of an eye, the cultivation secrets for the fourth through ninth layers of the Five Elements Technique were silently branded into his Divine Soul!—

Here is the first update.

PS: Someone asked about saved chapters. There really aren't any, because this is my first time writing xianxia, and I don't know whether everyone will like this story. If everyone likes it and the results are decent, then I'll definitely save up some chapters before it goes premium.