Qualification

Chen Lin possessed a Four-element Spirit Root of gold, wood, water, and fire; aside from Earth Attribute spells that required a medium, he could directly cultivate all the others.

It might seem that having more spirit root types was advantageous, but in reality, more roots meant greater impurity, making cultivation slower—those with a single spirit root were the true darlings of heaven.

He flipped through the books page by page.

They recorded only six of the most basic spells, with the only slightly advanced one being the Wind Control Technique, barely considered a flight spell—this was also the main reason he had chosen this spellbook.

There were many types of flight spells, but few could be cultivated at Qi Refining Mid-stage; this one was the most suitable.

After reading for a while, Chen Lin decided on the spells he would learn first.

The first was the Object Manipulation Technique.

This was a must-learn; without it, he couldn't control magical tools.

He couldn't just hold a magical tool in his hand and use it like an ordinary weapon, could he!

The second was naturally the Wind Control Technique.

In truth, the simplest way to fly was by controlling an object to ride on, but flying-type magical tools were extremely expensive, and he couldn't afford them.

As for scenes of sword flight covering a thousand miles in an instant, that required a life-bound Magic Treasure, something even further beyond his reach.

Pushing aside stray thoughts, he began to delve into the spells.

Three days later.

Chen Lin's face was purple like an eggplant, his eyes bulging as if they might pop out, his legs planted in a horse stance, and he pointed one hand from a distance at the short sword on the table, as if straining with constipation.

The short sword trembled incessantly like it was having a seizure.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make the sword leave the tabletop.

Chen Lin slumped to the ground in utter dejection, staring blankly at the short sword as a wave of powerlessness washed over him.

This scene was far too different from what he had imagined!

In his mind, spells were just tricks for using spiritual power—once he understood the principles, he should naturally be able to use them.

But reality was that after three whole days of relentless practice, he couldn't even make the short sword fly, let alone manipulate it to fight an enemy.

Suppressing the urge to give up, Chen Lin threw himself back into cultivation.

Several more days passed.

Chen Lin watched the Carefree Sword wobble in a small, crooked circle before clattering to the ground with a thud, and the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

This was just a basic Object Manipulation Technique; under normal circumstances, it should take a few days to get the hang of it.

For someone with exceptional talent, it might even come naturally.

But for him, cultivation was this difficult.

At this rate, reaching the level of moving it as easily as his own arm would probably take a month—how could he, who was desperate to escape this place, endure that?

Though unwilling, he temporarily stopped practicing the Object Manipulation Technique and switched to the Wind Control Technique.

A few days later.

Chen Lin pushed open the door and stepped out, his face dark and gloomy.

He took a breath of the long-missed fresh air, which dispelled some of the stifling feeling in his chest.

The Wind Control Technique was even harder than the Object Manipulation Technique; after days of practice, he still hadn't grasped the key points.

If even the lowest-level spell took this long, wouldn't learning advanced spells take years?

If that were the case, he'd waste most of his time on spells, leaving no time for cultivation.

Standing outside the door for a while, Chen Lin pondered how to solve the problem.

He felt that this situation was likely due to his mindset not having shifted—the scientific system of his past life was completely different from the cultivation system here, and his ingrained thinking was interfering with his understanding of cultivation principles.

But he had no good way to fix it; this was the downside of having no Master.

Chen Lin thought about finding someone to discuss it with, but the other residents in the courtyard were all at Early Qi Refining Stage and hadn't yet reached the point of learning spells, so he had to drop the idea.

"If it really comes down to it, I'll have to spend some spirit stones to hire someone to explain things to me."

Muttering to himself, Chen Lin locked the door and left the courtyard.

Along the way, he found a secluded spot, changed his clothes, and put on a Disguise Mask he had never used before.

With a transformation, he became a pale-skinned young man.

Of course, this kind of disguise wasn't particularly remarkable; anyone with sharp eyes could tell at a glance that he was disguised.

But that didn't matter.

Many people wore disguises, and everyone was used to it—the goal wasn't to impersonate anyone, just to conceal one's identity.

Water Moon Pavilion.

Standing at the entrance, he looked at the flowing, glowing characters on the signboard for a moment, then weighed his money pouch before slowly walking inside.

"May I ask, Fellow Daoist, are you here to inquire about information or to seek answers to questions?"

The shop was rather quiet, and as soon as he entered, a pleasant-faced middle-aged woman approached him.

"I'd like to ask about some spell cultivation questions—is that alright?"

Chen Lin asked with some uncertainty.

He had only heard that this shop could explain cultivation knowledge to rogue cultivators, but had never come before.

"Of course. May I ask which spell you'd like to consult about?"

The woman was brimming with confidence.

"Oh, it's the Object Manipulation Technique."

Seeing her demeanor, Chen Lin felt reassured and spoke up.

The woman was visibly taken aback, then said in an uncertain tone, "If I heard correctly, Fellow Daoist just said the Object Manipulation Technique?"

"Ah, yes. Is there a problem?"

Chen Lin looked at her with confusion, wondering if this act was meant to exaggerate the difficulty and jack up the consultation fee.

But he soon realized he was wrong. Her face darkened, and she said coldly, "What's there to explain about an Object Manipulation Technique? Are you here to cause trouble, Fellow Daoist?"

Hearing this, Chen Lin quickly explained, "Fellow Daoist misunderstands. I've just broken through to Qi Refining Mid-stage and am encountering spells for the first time, but I can't master it no matter what. That's why I came to seek help."

With that, he gave a slight bow.

The woman's expression softened a little. She stared at Chen Lin with interest for a moment.

Then she let out a chuckle.

"So that's the case. I was overthinking it. The Object Manipulation Technique is just a low-level spell. As long as you practice earnestly, there's no way you can't learn it. How long have you been at it?"

"About ten days."

Chen Lin answered truthfully.

"Ah!"

The woman paused, then looked Chen Lin up and down again, leaving him baffled.

"Ten days and you still haven't mastered the Object Manipulation Technique? Forgive my bluntness, but I suspect your breakthrough to Qi Refining Mid-stage wasn't achieved through normal cultivation, was it?"

Before Chen Lin could answer, her demeanor shifted abruptly. She glanced sideways with a sneer and said, "Just a mere Object Manipulation Technique—This Immortal Fairy learned it in a single day back then, and you've taken ten days. Hah!"

Chen Lin's face darkened.

She might as well have called him trash outright.

Seeing Chen Lin silent, the woman knew her guess was right. She pondered for a moment, then raised two fingers.

"Two methods. Consultation fee: ten Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

Since he had come, Chen Lin was prepared to spend. He silently took out ten Low-grade Spirit Stones and placed them on the table.

The woman quickly pocketed them, then said, "First, use an Enlightenment Pill. The medicinal power of a single pill is enough for you to learn this spell. Second, buy a Skill Transmission Jade Slip, which can also let you master it quickly. But finding a Skill Transmission Jade Slip that records such a low-level spell as the Object Manipulation Technique is no easy task."

She paused, then continued, "If Fellow Daoist prefers the second option, this shop can provide that service. Not just the Object Manipulation Technique, but other spells too. The price is absolutely fair and honest!"

Chen Lin's eyes lit up.

He had truly overlooked the Skill Transmission Jade Slip method.