In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Lu Wanyuan had skimmed through the manual. He was immediately shaken to the core.
It was a body-tempering technique. His cultivation had always advanced rather slowly, so he'd long wanted a body-tempering method to shore up that weakness.
He hadn't expected to obtain one so easily.
Even more surprising was the technique's extraordinary origins.
The Nine Yang Art actually came from the Heaven Tier Nine Yang Golden Body Art. It was a simplified version.
Cultivation techniques were divided into tiers, from highest to lowest: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow.
Each tier was further divided into four grades, from lowest to highest: low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and supreme-grade.
He still wasn't sure what tier the Minor Five Elements Art he was currently practicing belonged to.
He also suspected it was a simplified version of some other technique, but its power was not to be underestimated.
He guessed it had to be at least a Heaven Tier Cultivation Method. After all, he'd obtained it through an Entry, and Entries were never stingy. They always delivered the real deal.
After all, once he'd started practicing this technique, he'd found it incredibly difficult. It had taken him more than four months just to get started. That showed how hard it was to cultivate. Profound techniques were always abstruse and obscure, demanding time and effort.
Even at the introductory level, though, he could feel how abundant the spiritual energy in his Dantian was. He could at least compare with a Qi Refining Level 5 cultivator.
Compared to the common Qingyun Art he'd practiced at the beginning, it was like heaven and earth!
The Qingyun Art was the introductory technique of the Qingyun Sect, and it only included cultivation methods up to Qi Refining Level Three.
To learn the later methods, one had to go to the Qingyun Sect—in other words, join the sect.
This technique was so common it could hardly be any worse. It was everywhere.
After all, it was merely a basic technique used by the Qingyun Sect to draw in cultivators who had practiced it and persuade them to join.
Such a method was, at most, a Yellow Tier Low-Grade Cultivation Method. It was basically for beginners.
Ordinary Cultivation Families practiced Profound Tier Cultivation Methods, while Foundation Establishment families and sects probably practiced Earth Tier Cultivation Methods.
In general, the stronger the power, the higher the tier of the techniques it practiced. After all, only such forces could protect their methods from being stolen, and high-tier techniques were also immensely powerful.
That was why the great powers were so obsessed with high-tier techniques and guarded them so strictly: they wanted a monopoly, so they could maintain their overwhelming advantage!
After reading it, Lu Wanyuan felt that the return on his 150 Spirit Stones was beyond anything he could have imagined.
He now understood why he'd gotten such a great deal. His methods had been a little less than honorable—he'd taken advantage of someone in a desperate situation.
Lu Wanyuan had never considered himself a gentleman.
Ever since he'd been driven from Green Bamboo Peak, and especially after he'd been ambushed and forced to flee like a fugitive, he'd truly understood how important strength was. He wouldn't hesitate to use any means necessary to gain it.
As long as he could grow stronger and keep himself and his family safe, nothing else mattered. As long as he was alive, there was hope.
Otherwise, he might be killed one day without even knowing how it happened.
Then he put the technique he'd transcribed into his Storage Bag.
With Jiang Yun watching, he naturally put it in the Storage Bag. Even though he had a Storage Ring, he had to keep it hidden.
Jiang Yun watched him put away the technique he'd transcribed. He'd thought Lu Wanyuan would hand over the Control Token now.
But then he saw Lu Wanyuan take several blank sheets of paper from his Storage Bag and pass them to him.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, sorry for the trouble. Could you transcribe the technique once more?"
Lu Wanyuan wore a calm expression as he looked straight at him.
Jiang Yun was stunned. Hadn't he just transcribed it? Why was he being asked to do it again? Was Lu Wanyuan planning to go back on their deal?
But after a moment, he understood.
He smiled and said, "Of course, of course. Fellow Daoist Lu, you're quite cautious. I'll transcribe it again right away. Please wait a little."
With that, he took the blank paper from Lu Wanyuan, spread it across the table, and started transcribing the technique again.
Lu Wanyuan had asked him to copy it a second time because he was afraid Jiang Yun might have planted a trap in the technique.
He was sure he'd catch it by comparing the two copies. If Jiang Yun had really planted a trap, he was bound to slip up between the first and second transcriptions.
After all, Jiang Yun wouldn't have expected him to pull this trick.
If the second copy matched the first, it would prove that the technique hadn't been altered.
Before long, Jiang Yun finished transcribing it and handed the copy to Lu Wanyuan, a smile at the corner of his mouth. "Please check it, Fellow Daoist Lu."
"Mm. Fellow Daoist Jiang, don't take offense. This is a cultivation technique, so I have to be cautious."
Jiang Yun didn't say anything in response. He only nodded slightly.
Lu Wanyuan took the technique, then pulled out the first copy from his Storage Bag and compared the two.
A moment later, he finished checking them. There was nothing amiss; the two copies were exactly the same.
Seeing that, Lu Wanyuan put both techniques away in his Storage Bag. "Fellow Daoist Jiang, you truly keep your word. I'm impressed. Please accept these 20 Spirit Stones as an apology, and don't take offense."
He handed Jiang Yun the 20 Spirit Stones, then passed him the Control Token as well.
When Jiang Yun saw the Spirit Stones, he showed no reaction.
But when Lu Wanyuan really handed him the Control Token, excitement was plain on his face.
It was that little token that had controlled him, making his life worse than death all this time.
He hadn't expected the young man to actually give it to him and set him free!
He snatched it up and carefully examined the incantation. Before long, he recited it. A mysterious radiance fell over him, and the shackle in his mind instantly vanished. The token shattered at once.
With a series of clinks, the fragments fell to the ground.
The crisp sound seemed to herald the birth of a new life. He raised his head and looked up at the vast, boundless sky. He was free now!
Lu Wanyuan stood beside him, watching calmly without saying a word.
The others were the same, though a few looked envious.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Yun turned to look at Lu Wanyuan and said with a faint smile, "Fellow Daoist Lu, aren't you afraid of me?"
"Afraid? What do you mean? Where's that coming from?"
Lu Wanyuan looked at him coldly.
"Haha! You heard the broker introduce me at the Tooth Agency. Though I'm only at Qi Refining Level 5, my strength is comparable to that of a Qi Refining Layer 9 cultivator. Aren't you afraid I'll go back on my word?"
"Oh, I was willing to set you free so readily because I trust my own judgment!"
"Of course, I can't rely on confidence alone to keep myself alive. I have other means to fall back on."
"Besides, in your current state, forget Qi Refining Layer 9—you probably don't even have the strength of someone at Qi Refining Level Three. Staying alive is already an accomplishment!"
"I think you're a clever man, Senior. You wouldn't do anything foolish without being sure you could succeed!"
Lu Wanyuan kept his face composed, looking Jiang Yun in the eye as he spoke slowly, one sentence at a time.
Though he appeared calm on the surface, his mind was already fixed on the Sky Thunder Seed x3 Entry, ready to use it at the first sign of trouble.
"Good! The younger generation is formidable indeed—brave and resourceful!"
Jiang Yun gave him an approving look. After thinking for a moment, he continued, "But I'll warn you about that technique: it won't be easy to master. You'll understand once you start practicing it!"
"How about this? This place is just a small town. When you're ready to leave, come find me in Huangzhou. I'll be waiting for you there!"
With that, Jiang Yun turned and headed toward the edge of the market.
"Thank you for the praise, Senior Jiang. Once I'm ready, I'll certainly venture outside. I'll meet you then. I hope you won't think me a bother!"
Looking at Jiang Yun's retreating figure, Lu Wanyuan called out loudly.
"I'll be waiting!"
A voice drifted back from ahead, and Jiang Yun's figure soon disappeared from view.
After Jiang Yun left, Lu Wanyuan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Facing off at close range against such a high-level cultivator had put him under immense pressure!
Lu Wanyuan turned to Baili Qiuyue and the others beside him.
"All right, hurry back, everyone!"
"Third Brother, make sure all the Forbidden Seals at home are activated to prevent unnecessary trouble. I still need to go to the market and buy some household supplies. I forgot to get them earlier, and with so many people suddenly showing up, we'll need better supplies!"
With that, he ignored the others and headed toward the market!
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