Three Cultivation Techniques!

Before long, the two arrived at the Scripture Pavilion.

Zhang Qing glanced at the elderly guard by the entrance.

He sat behind a wooden counter, his face covered in wrinkles, looking as if he had one foot in the grave.

Chuan Jia; 3600/3600!

His pupils contracted slightly.

This was the strongest person Zhang Qing had seen so far.

Waning Moon Realm!

(Glimmer: 100–999, Candlelight: 1000–1999, Starflash: 2000–2999, Waning Moon: 3000–3999. These were the standard calculations. Geniuses and major figures could break past these limits.)

The Chuan Family truly had deep foundations.

Even the guard of the Scripture Pavilion was in the Waning Moon Realm.

Sure enough.

Any family ranked near the top in a city was no ordinary force.

He had not noticed it during his last visit.

"Elder Jia, we've come to choose a few Cultivation Techniques!"

Chuan Fa said with a bow.

The old man did not even raise his head. He merely moved a finger slightly.

"Quickly!"

Chuan Fa turned and said quietly to Zhang Qing.

Zhang Qing swiftly took out thirty Silver Coins and placed them on the wooden counter.

Then,

Chuan Fa pulled Zhang Qing into the Low-grade Glimmering Realm Cultivation Technique section.

"Under normal circumstances, the ones guarding the Scripture Pavilion are all elders of the Chuan Family," Chuan Fa introduced in a low voice.

"They are extremely strong. Once they grow old, they take on work like this that does not drain their energy."

Zhang Qing nodded.

Then he immediately began selecting Cultivation Techniques.

A core Cultivation Technique was the wellspring and foundation—the root of one's realm.

Other Cultivation Techniques, meanwhile, were what supported one's combat strength.

Otherwise, even if you reached the Candlelight Realm, you could still easily be crushed by a high-level Glimmering Realm cultivator.

Zhang Qing needed a saber technique for offense!

A movement technique to improve evasion, agility, and speed!

And a body-tempering art to increase defense!

These three were essential.

After looking around,

Zhang Qing picked up a saber technique first.

Sky-Opening Slash!

What an awesome name.

He opened it and took a look.

It was powerful, but consumed an enormous amount of stamina and was unsuitable for prolonged combat!

Very good.

He would learn it!

At the Glimmering Realm, the Kaiyuan Art boosted endurance.

In his hands, this saber technique would definitely be formidable.

He continued flipping through it.

Unfortunately,

after a few hundred words, the pages became blank.

That was because special medicine was needed to reveal the full contents.

Otherwise, people with exceptional memories could memorize and take away vast numbers of Cultivation Techniques.

Having chosen his saber technique, he moved on to a movement technique.

Chuan Shattering Steps!

A movement technique unique to the Chuan Family.

After all, they were Ratfolk and had accomplishments in movement techniques. Chuan Shattering Steps was a Low-grade Glimmer Cultivation Technique, but in practicality, it nearly rivaled Mid-grade Glimmer movement techniques.

Among all races, only the Monkeyfolk could compare to the Ratfolk in movement techniques.

Finally,

he needed a body-tempering art for defense.

This was the most difficult type, and theoretically the one that consumed the most resources.

It required medicinal baths and the aid of all kinds of herbs.

But Zhang Qing could use Attribute Points to level it up.

This was the preferential treatment the Dark Realm granted to the human race of Blue Star.

After all,

with such high difficulty, without preferential treatment, the human race of Blue Star would never rise.

In the end, Zhang Qing chose Ox-Barbarian Strength!

It was a body-tempering art that increased defense while also adding some strength.

It was considered a decent body-tempering art.

"You picked three at once. Can you memorize them all?" Chuan Fa asked curiously.

"I paid for them. Of course I have to memorize them!" Zhang Qing said with a smile.

Then,

he brought the three Cultivation Techniques to the wooden counter by the entrance.

"Sir, sorry to trouble you!"

Zhang Qing said to the old man.

The old man still did not look up. He took out some medicine and sprayed it over the Cultivation Techniques.

When Zhang Qing picked them up again, the complete contents had appeared.

First,

there was the saber technique, Sky-Opening Slash!

It was a fierce and forceful saber technique.

As long as one learned to control the warm current within the body, it was not difficult to learn.

A moment later,

Congratulations, you have comprehended the Cultivation Technique: Low-grade Glimmer Sky-Opening Slash (Beginner)!

Congratulations, you have comprehended the Cultivation Technique Kaiyuan Art. Proficiency +1!

It worked!

A low-grade Glimmer Cultivation Technique was easy to learn at the Beginner level.

However,

Zhang Qing secretly said in his heart,

"Add points!"

Time to establish my persona as a martial arts genius.

His Attribute Points dropped from seven to six!

Congratulations, your Sky-Opening Slash proficiency has increased: Low-grade Glimmer Sky-Opening Slash; 1/1000 EXP (Proficient)!

In an instant,

a massive amount of insight into the saber technique flooded Zhang Qing's mind.

Without long periods of contemplation and practice, such insights would have been impossible to grasp.

But with the support of Attribute Points,

Zhang Qing directly made them his own!

For a moment, a faint trace of sharpness spread from Zhang Qing's body.

The old man's brow twitched slightly, deepening the furrows on his face.

"Sorry to trouble you, sir. I'm done with this one!"

Zhang Qing said as he returned the original manual to the wooden counter and picked up another.

This one was a movement technique!

Zhang Qing read while making slight movements to practice it.

Very soon,

a voice sounded.

Congratulations, you have comprehended the Cultivation Technique: Low-grade Glimmer Chuan Shattering Steps (Beginner)!

Congratulations, you have comprehended the Cultivation Technique Chuan Shattering Steps. Proficiency +1!

Done.

Add points!

His Attribute Points dropped from six to five!

Congratulations, your Chuan Shattering Steps proficiency has increased: Low-grade Glimmer Chuan Shattering Steps; 1/1000 EXP (Proficient)!

Likewise,

a vast amount of movement technique experience and skill became Zhang Qing's own.

Adding points was something the natives of the Dark Realm could never understand!

"Sorry to trouble you, sir!"

Zhang Qing once again placed the original Chuan Shattering Steps manual back.

He was about to take the final Ox-Barbarian Strength manual.

But suddenly,

the old man spoke.

"What is your name?"

Zhang Qing looked up, an "astonished" expression appearing on his face.

"This lowly one... this lowly one is called Zhang Qing!"

Heh heh.

Old man, have you ever seen a martial arts genius?

I refuse to believe you can hold back!

"Zhang Qing? Your aptitude is not bad!"

After saying that, the old man lowered his head again.

Zhang Qing picked up Ox-Barbarian Strength.

He quickly memorized it.

This body-tempering Cultivation Technique was different from the others.

To reach the Beginner level, medicinal herbs were needed to assist with a medicinal bath.

He would memorize it first.

A few moments later,

Zhang Qing had memorized it. He put down the manual, cupped his hands in salute, and left.

On the way back,

Chuan Fa's attitude became even more enthusiastic.

He even...

subtly brought up the matter of name-substitution money.

It seemed that Elder Chuan Jia asking Zhang Qing's name had indeed been useful!

Back in his room,

Zhang Qing began practicing Ox-Barbarian Strength.

Although he needed a medicinal bath to reach the Beginner level, he still had to learn the basic stances.

At the Scripture Pavilion,

Chuan Jia tapped his fingers against the wooden counter.

Tap, tap, tap.

A figure entered and dropped to one knee.

"Greetings, Vice Hall Master!"

Chuan Jia still did not raise his head. As he studied the book in his hand, he said,

"Among the guards, there is a human named Zhang Qing. Investigate his background and history."

"If there are no problems, recruit him into the First-grade Hall!"

"Yes!"

The figure replied.

"Oh, and send him a set of the beginner-level medicinal herbs for Ox-Barbarian Strength. That little fellow has good aptitude."

"Understood. If Vice Hall Master has no further orders, then I shall take my leave."

"Go!"

The figure withdrew.

After that.

A batch of medicinal bath ingredients was delivered to Zhang Qing's room.