Exchanging Spells

Du Yuanhe said, "I'll give you three months to cultivate. Don't go out this month, and ignore any rumors or provocations outside. In three months, I'll hold your True Disciple Ceremony and make you a True Disciple officially."

Han Yuan said, "But..."

"Don't worry! I've got everything covered! Just cultivate in peace!"

Du Yuanhe patted his shoulder, then soared into the sky.

Han Yuan watched his receding figure, opened his mouth, then forcibly swallowed the words he had wanted to say.

Looking at the "Mirage Turtle Breath Concealment" in his hand, Han Yuan complained, "This clearly looks like a Water Attribute spell. Couldn't you give me a Wood Attribute one? How am I supposed to cultivate a Water Attribute Earth Grade spell?"

He understood his Random Buff Multiplier Golden Finger well enough.

His comprehension was still the same as before. Only by obtaining an item that enhanced comprehension could he alter his own comprehension.

But such items were far too rare. He had never even heard of one before.

Han Yuan opened the Mirage Turtle Breath Concealment Art and read it for a while. The contents were utterly baffling, and he could say with certainty that there was no way he could comprehend it.

Just then, movement came from outside the cave mansion entrance.

Han Yuan looked over and saw a familiar figure.

"Eh? Why is he here?"

Spiritual power flowed into Han Yuan's legs, and he rushed to the cave mansion entrance at great speed.

Separated by the formation, Han Yuan looked at the visitor and asked, "Qin Feng?"

Qin Feng said in delight, "Brother Han, it really is you! A few days ago, I heard that you'd become a True Disciple, so I hurried over to find you. I searched for three days before learning you lived here!"

Han Yuan asked doubtfully, "You came here for?"

"I came to join Brother Han! We lived in the same courtyard for two years, so our relationship has to be better than yours with other people, right? If I work for you, I'll definitely be much more reliable than anyone else, hehe!" Qin Feng hurriedly said.

Han Yuan looked at him, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face. "Forget it, Old Qin. Go back and cultivate properly. This isn't something you should get involved in. There are some things in this Storage Pouch—consider them a gift. Go."

Han Yuan tossed out a Storage Pouch to Qin Feng, then turned and left.

"Hey? Brother! Brother! Brother Han, don't! I can work—I can do anything! Let me follow you! I can even do chores!"

Han Yuan did not turn back, merely waving a hand to signal for him to leave quickly.

Qin Feng stared blankly at Han Yuan's resolutely departing back, then dejectedly lowered his head and arms.

"Sigh, I was too arrogant before!" Qin Feng sighed. Han Yuan's refusal had been within his expectations. Previously, he had never given Han Yuan a second glance, and had even mocked him a few times. It was already magnanimous enough that Han Yuan did not retaliate. It was only natural that he would not accept him.

Clutching the Storage Pouch in his hand, Qin Feng still felt somewhat disappointed.

Behind a large rock not far from Qin Feng, two people watched the entire scene.

"So this is that True Disciple Han? He's so young!"

"It really is Han Yuan from the outer court. I only believe it now, haha. This Qin Feng is only at the Qi Refining Third Layer, yet he wants to become a True Disciple's man. There really is something wrong with his head."

"What a pity. We thought we'd found a tiny crack in Han Yuan's armor."

"What should we do? Should we tell the President?"

"Forget it. Why mention such a trivial matter?"

"True. But we can notify the President that True Disciple Han has come out of seclusion."

"Mentioning it is fine, but it'll probably be meaningless. He refused to meet the President before—his seclusion was really just an excuse."

The two passed news of Han Yuan's appearance to Liu Xinghe.

Upon receiving the news, Liu Xinghe hurried over and arrived at the entrance to Cangming Cave Mansion.

He glanced at the two disciples hiding in the shadows and signaled for them to withdraw.

Then Liu Xinghe came before the cave mansion and called inside, "Liu Xinghe requests an audience with True Disciple Han."

Before long, Chang Chun appeared at the entrance and said apologetically, "Sorry, Senior Brother Liu. Our Estate Master just entered the Cultivation Room and won't be coming out anytime soon. Please come again another time, Senior Brother Liu."

Liu Xinghe's expression darkened slightly. Han Yuan had just appeared at the entrance, and now he was in seclusion?

He clearly did not want to see him.

Liu Xinghe cupped his hands. "Then what unfortunate timing. I'll come again next time!"

"Take care," Chang Chun said.

Liu Xinghe flicked his sleeve and left.

At that moment, Han Yuan truly had entered cultivation within the cave mansion. It could indeed be called unfortunate timing; Chang Chun was not making things up. Of course, even if he had not entered seclusion, Han Yuan still would not have met him. The result would have been the same.

Elsewhere.

After walking some distance, Qin Feng could not resist his curiosity and sent his Spiritual Sense into the Storage Pouch.

Then he froze.

He pulled out a sheet of white paper. Upon seeing what was written on it, his eyes lit up.

He checked the Storage Pouch again and found that it indeed contained the items needed for the task, putting his heart at ease.

Delighted, he headed back.

An hour later, he arrived at the Scripture Repository on Ancient Wood Peak.

A purple-haired old man looked at him strangely. "Which peak are you from? Why have you come to my Ancient Wood Peak to exchange for cultivation arts?"

"I can't?" Qin Feng asked nervously.

"Of course you can. No matter which peak you belong to, you can exchange for cultivation arts at any Scripture Repository. Go on, what do you want?" The purple-haired old man gave him a sidelong look.

"I want to exchange for a Wood Attribute spell to conceal my aura and obscure my cultivation realm, preferably Yellow-grade High-rank. I'd also like to exchange for three Yellow Grade Low-Rank spells: Qi Sword Slash, Constant Temperature Technique, and Soil Cultivation Art!"

Qin Feng stated his requirements.

The purple-haired old man looked at him strangely. "Are you sure you want a Yellow-grade High-rank aura-concealing art? Can you afford it? And one with a Wood Attribute at that? Don't you cultivate a Fire Attribute cultivation art?"

Qin Feng took out a Yellow-grade High-rank spell exchange token. "Elder, I'll use this!"

"Eh?"

The purple-haired old man said in surprise, "Isn't this an Outer Sect Top Ten Exchange Token? It definitely isn't yours. You're exchanging it for—oh, that boy Han Yuan, aren't you?"

Qin Feng looked utterly astonished. "Elder, you know True Disciple Han?"

"Hehe, how could I not know him after he became a True Disciple? He previously exchanged for the Spirit Rain Technique and Azure Spirit Technique here. With these three, he'll have all five of the foundational five-element Spirit Planter spells. Hehe, that boy became a True Disciple, yet he still hasn't forgotten farming. He's quite the character."

Qin Feng smiled awkwardly and did not respond.

"Take out another three hundred Spirit Stones," the purple-haired old man said.

"Yes! Elder, they're all here!"

Qin Feng took three hundred Spirit Stones from the Storage Pouch.

The purple-haired old man accepted the Spirit Stones and token, then got up to retrieve the spell Jade Slips.

Before long, he handed Qin Feng four Jade Slips.

"Don't look at these Jade Slips. They can only be used by one person, and they'll become useless after use."

"This disciple understands!" Qin Feng nodded hurriedly.

"Mm. I chose the Ancient Wood Hidden Qi Art for him. It's a decent Yellow-grade High-rank aura-concealing spell. Tell him to cultivate diligently and strive to comprehend it to completion. If he truly comprehends it to completion, I'll give him a full spell inheritance of the Ancient Wood Nourishing Spirit Art."

"Yes, Elder!"

Qin Feng offered an apology, then withdrew.

The purple-haired old man stroked his chin, a strange light in his eyes. "Will a disciple finally have a chance to comprehend the Ancient Wood Nourishing Spirit Art, simplified from a fragment of the Jianmu Immortal Codex, to completion? Don't disappoint me, Han Yuan!"