Winning Over (Seeking Collection)

'So that's how it is. Foundational spells can't just be cultivated randomly; they need to be combined with the goal of forming Divine Abilities.'

'The permutations and combinations, the crucial sequences, these are the secrets not to be passed down outside of Daoist sects.'

'If a rogue cultivator without any inheritance doesn't understand the profound mysteries within and fills all seventeen spell slots, only to find they can't combine a single Divine Ability, that would be a total disaster. They'd likely have to cripple their magic and start over, with no hope of further advancement.'

'Beyond that, the grade of the Divine Abilities cultivated, and how many Divine Abilities can be formed, are the biggest reasons for the difference in combat power among those in the Divine Ability Realm.'

'Ordinary inheritances allow for the combination of one Divine Ability, and a low-grade one at that.

'High-grade inheritances allow for the refinement of three to four Divine Abilities, each one astonishingly powerful.

'The gap in strength this represents is truly terrifying.'

Zhong Shenxiu pondered inwardly, feeling he had benefited greatly.

'Indeed... posing as a Divine Ability expert was the right move. This kind of top-secret information would never normally be told to Su Daozhi. He'd be walking into a dead end without even realizing it.'

He mused inwardly, observing the three cultivators in the Gang Sha Realm present. Linghe seemed thoughtful but confident, clearly unafraid of this situation, as they had the backing of the Cloud Mirror Sect's Daoist Magic, with hopes of reaching Divine Ability and even Yuan Dan realms.

Sword Wielder Lu didn't seem overly afraid either; perhaps his inheritance had already provided some explanation.

Old Crow, however, was genuinely stunned, clearly having never been told this before.

And he had already cultivated to the stage of swallowing eight Yang, having traveled more than halfway through the Gang Sha Realm. It could be said his path was nearly set.

As for crippling his cultivation to start anew, that was the worst possible option. Not to mention whether he'd have the opportunity, time, or even the inheritance Daoist Secret...

Simply crippling his current Daoist Magic could cause fundamental damage to the body. After all, those streams of Gang Qi and Sha Qi had long been refined into his very being.

"Senior, save me! Senior, save me!"

Old Crow's paper crow form cried out incessantly, begging repeatedly.

"Too late, too late."

The White Bone Scholar shook his head slowly with a detached expression. "Your foundation is set. Unless you cripple everything and switch to cultivating my White Bone Dao Method, how can I save you? Even if you were willing, I might not be willing to take you as a disciple."

Old Crow was filled with despair.

The Flying Phoenix Nun glanced at the silent Zhong Shenxiu and suddenly said, "It's not that there's no hope. While your inheritance is crude and lacks the method to combine Divine Abilities, it doesn't mean your current spells are useless... If you can find a Divine Ability that happens to match your existing Yin Sha Spell, and then specifically refine Yang Gang Spells, even if you can only form one low-grade Divine Ability, you can still enter the Divine Ability Realm. However..."

Zhong Shenxiu shook his head, understanding the unspoken part of her statement.

How secret were a cultivator's fundamental techniques? Would Old Crow be willing to reveal them?

Furthermore, finding a suitable Divine Ability method was also a major problem.

Unless Old Crow was a disciple of a major Daoist sect. The larger the sect, the more spells and Divine Abilities they collected, and the more likely they were to compensate for deficiencies.

But if he came from such a major sect, he wouldn't have fallen to this point.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior. Thank you for your guidance."

Old Crow was overwhelmed with gratitude, and also filled with regret.

His path was largely set, and he feared true Divine Ability was out of reach. If he had heard these words when he was younger, he would never have ended up like this.

No matter how powerful his paper-folding and paper-cutting techniques were, allowing him to dominate the Gang Sha Realm, what was the point?

Without reaching the Divine Ability realm, a cultivator's lifespan barely changed. When their time came, they would still turn to dust.

"Little Swordsman, what brings you here?"

The White Bone Scholar said with a smile, then looked at the swordsman Lu, clearly intending to clear the area.

Divine Ability experts naturally possessed pride. Even Linghe, with their sect's backing, wasn't highly regarded, let alone rogue cultivators.

Normally, they wouldn't even bother attending the Black Mountain Gathering, preferring to focus solely on their cultivation.

It was only because of Zhong Shenxiu's appearance that things had become so lively.

"I also have a request. I wish to ask a senior to help me go to Poison Dragon Cave and hunt forty-nine poisonous pythons!"

Sword Wielder Lu spoke, surprisingly not asking for Geng Jin Sha Qi. Perhaps he had already obtained it?

"The pythons in Poison Dragon Cave are a special breed, and Venerable Poison Dragon is there as well. That person is also a Divine Ability expert and wields a Poison Dragon Sword; they are not to be trifled with."

Flying Phoenix asked with interest, "Little Swordsman, do you want to hunt the poisonous pythons for cultivation or for artifact refining? And what price are you willing to pay?"

"How about a piece of Thousand Year Cold Iron?"

Sword Wielder Lu didn't shy away either, replying, "This is an excellent material for refining flying swords. If you help me hunt the poisonous pythons, you likely won't provoke Venerable Poison Dragon."

"We'll discuss it later! You can go now."

The White Bone Scholar waved his hand as if shooing away a fly.

Sword Wielder Lu's body stiffened, then he fell silent and stood up to leave.

"Heh heh, I thought he was a true sword cultivator. A foolish man's anger leads to bloodshed." The White Bone Scholar shook his head and sighed.

"Extreme rigidity breaks easily. I, however, think highly of this person. If he could truly obtain a sword cultivation manual, his future would be limitless," Flying Phoenix said with a smile, gesturing towards Old Crow.

No matter how unwilling Old Crow was, he could only stand up and take his leave.

"Young Master Shenxiu, shall the three of us discuss this privately?"

The White Bone Scholar said with a grin, not paying the nearby Linghe Daoist any mind.

"I…"

The Linghe Daoist was anxious. This senior hasn't answered my question yet…

"Apologies, I've always been accustomed to freedom and dislike being bound by sect rules…"

Zhong Shenxiu waved his hand.

If he could exchange some items for inheritances, that would be excellent, but joining the Cloud Mirror Sect for that purpose and getting dragged into their conflicts was not ideal.

What he had gained today was already very satisfying, and he wouldn't be afraid of being tricked in the future.

As for cultivation inheritances? With his strength in the Divine Ability realm, he could always seize them by force, or even kill someone and search their soul to obtain them.

"Junior bids farewell."

The Linghe Daoist also had his pride. The same thought echoed in his mind: When I reach the Divine Ability realm too, I'll make sure you know my power.

However, he was powerless to resist at the moment and also left.

Seeing this, Flying Phoenix released a magical artifact, which resembled a brocade handkerchief. It emitted colorful light, transforming into a screen that enveloped the three of them.

"Under this Five Cloud Brocade of Heavenly Flowers, we can speak freely without fear of being overheard," Flying Phoenix said with a giggle.

"Your methods, Fairy, are indeed marvelous," the White Bone Scholar said, clapping his hands and laughing heartily.

"I wonder what important matter requires such caution from both of you?" Zhong Shenxiu asked, looking at the scene without any guilt.

"What could concern us Divine Ability realm cultivators so much, if not how to form a Yuan Dan?" the Flying Phoenix Nun replied.

"Oh?"

Zhong Shenxiu's eyes narrowed slightly, as if emitting a sharp glint.

In reality, as a fourth-tier professional, even if he obtained a heavenly treasure that could aid in forming a Yuan Dan, he wouldn't be able to advance to the fifth tier.

His system was completely different!

"Have you heard of True Lord Dragon Tiger, fellow Daoist?"

The White Bone Scholar offered a hint.

"That rogue cultivator, the foremost expert, who is only one step away from forming a Yuan Dan? Of course, I've heard of him," Zhong Shenxiu nodded.

"This matter concerns him. The opportunities within are definitely enough for us to share. You're not the first person we've sought out, fellow Daoist," the White Bone Scholar laughed heartily.

"So, you two are in cahoots." Zhong Shenxiu suddenly understood. "What are the details?"

"Let's not delve too deeply into details for now. We should discuss other trades,"

The Flying Phoenix Nun said, "For example, the inheritance you require… Hehe, I assure you, it won't disappoint."