Choosing Spells

He Song gave Ping'er a slight nod and stated his needs.

After drawing qi into the body and reaching the Qi Refining First Layer, cultivators were still at their weakest stage.

The spiritual power within their bodies was too scant, and they had no spells to protect themselves. At this point, a cultivator could very well capsize in a gutter when facing even a mortal martial artist.

Therefore, after reaching the Qi Refining First Layer, cultivators would generally choose a few basic spells as quickly as possible for protection and other purposes.

He Song had not known this before.

But after Wei Fan's guidance, he had also come to understand the importance of basic spells to himself.

That was why he had come to the Spirit Skill Pavilion, intending to learn several basic spells.

He also wanted to browse the books in the Spirit Skill Pavilion that recorded common knowledge of the cultivation world.

So that his understanding of the cultivation world would no longer be so lacking.

"Basic spells? Fellow Daoist He, please come with me." Upon hearing this, Ping'er's eyes shifted, and she quickly led He Song toward the other side.

Before an unoccupied desk.

A cup of hot tea was poured before He Song.

After waiting for a moment, Ping'er returned to He Song with a tray in hand.

More than a dozen Jade Slips lay quietly upon the tray, presented quite impressively.

Setting down the tray in her hands, Ping'er picked up one of the Jade Slips and began her introduction.

"This is the Spiritual Eye Technique. It allows you to inspect the cultivation of others at any time, preventing you from provoking powerful people."

"This is the Fireball Technique. It condenses fireballs to kill enemies, and its power is far from ordinary."

"This is the Sound Transmission Technique, the preferred choice for Qi Refining stage cultivators communicating with friends across great distances. A flying crane bearing a message travels extremely quickly and is basically impossible to intercept. If it is intercepted, the information within will self-destruct, making it exceedingly secure."

"This is the Light Body Technique. It can increase your travel speed and is essential for long journeys and fleeing for your life."

"This is the Conceal Breath Art. It can restrain your aura, making you no different from a stubborn rock, and people will generally not notice you."

"This is—"

As Ping'er introduced them one by one, He Song's gaze grew profound.

These things.

He wanted them all!

These spells truly were essential spells for every cultivator.

But before coming to the Spirit Skill Pavilion, Wei Fan had specifically reminded He Song that three spells were mandatory choices. As for the other basic spells, he could purchase them later when he had ample Spirit Stones.

Three mandatory spells.

One was the Spiritual Eye Technique.

One was the Sound Transmission Technique.

One was the Conceal Breath Art.

With the Spiritual Eye Technique, one glance was enough to learn another person's cultivation, preventing oneself from provoking a powerful enemy. Since the Spiritual Eye Technique could only detect cultivation and could not uncover other information, it would not disgust others the way a divine sense sweep would.

The Spiritual Eye Technique differed from a divine sense scan. It was like the Qi Observation Technique—it could only see the level of another's cultivation and would not offend them.

But a divine sense scan... was like reaching out with your hand to feel someone up. Who would want to suddenly be groped all over by a stranger?

Thus, in the cultivation world, everyone was accustomed to people using the Spiritual Eye Technique and would not mind it, but scanning another person with divine sense was a great taboo.

After exchanging auras with a friend, the Sound Transmission Technique only required one to release a paper crane or flying bird to contact the other party with this spell. It was the preferred spell for Qi Refining stage cultivators communicating across great distances.

Of course, if the other party was within a defensive formation or had activated the Conceal Breath Art to hide their aura, the Sound Transmission Technique would be unable to find them and would only remain where their aura had vanished.

Exchanging auras with a friend was like the two of them adding each other as friends. One could merely use that trace of aura to contact the other.

There was no need to worry about that trace of aura being used to track someone.

If one possessed a special spell that changed one's aura, the Sound Transmission Technique would fail.

At the same time, once a Sound Transmission Technique was intercepted, the information it carried would instantly self-destruct, and the person who cast it would also know.

The Conceal Breath Art was a method of restraining one's aura so that others could not detect one's presence, the best possible choice for avoiding calamities and misfortune.

Of course, the Conceal Breath Art could only block perception. If someone saw you with their naked eyes, they could still see that you were there.

The Conceal Breath Art merely restrained one's aura; it was not an invisibility spell.

Therefore, after casting the Conceal Breath Art, if one did not want to be discovered, it was best to hide and avoid being seen.

And when using the Spiritual Eye Technique to observe someone who had activated the Conceal Breath Art, the Spiritual Eye Technique would likewise be unable to see that person's cultivation.

When the other party was not using the Conceal Breath Art, a single sweep with the Spiritual Eye Technique would reveal their cultivation.

"Each of these spells costs only ten Spirit Stones. Which ones does Fellow Daoist He need?"

After introducing every spell on the tray, Ping'er looked at He Song and asked softly.

Every spell sold by the Spirit Skill Pavilion was carried in a Jade Slip. There would be no cases of being unable to cultivate it, nor of missing words or pages.

After purchasing one, all one had to do was press the Jade Slip to one's forehead to receive every secret and essential point of the spell in full.

Moreover, there were also the insights and experiences of previous cultivators regarding these spells.

They were enough to let someone learning the spell for the first time avoid many detours.

With such thorough service, the price naturally could not be cheap.

But rather than search the Stall Area outside for those inexpensive handwritten copies, He Song would much rather buy the original, genuine versions from the Spirit Skill Pavilion.

For no other reason.

He was simply afraid of getting cheated.

A handwritten copy being impossible to cultivate was a minor matter. But if he cultivated it only to go astray midway through, then the fun would be immense.

Still, the price of ten Spirit Stones per spell made He Song's heart ache slightly.

His previous self had spent only one Spirit Stone to buy the Thick Earth Technique, which could be cultivated all the way to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

Yet buying a single spell now required ten Spirit Stones.

He had only a little over thirty Spirit Stones on him in total, meaning he could learn at most three spells.

That meant that after learning the three essential basic spells for cultivators, he would have only a few Spirit Stones left.

Just barely enough to feed himself this year.

This...

So cultivation techniques were worthless even to dogs, while spells were absurdly expensive, huh?

The hesitation in He Song's heart quickly vanished.

"I need the Spiritual Eye Technique, the Conceal Breath Art, and the Sound Transmission Technique. Many thanks, Fellow Daoist."

Nodding to Ping'er, He Song drew thirty Spirit Stones from his sleeve and casually handed them to her.

Accepting the Spirit Stones He Song handed over.

Ping'er selected three Jade Slips from the tray and gave them to He Song.

"Just press the Jade Slips against your forehead."

Her gentle voice sounded once more.

He Song said nothing further. He took the Jade Slips, picked one at random, and pressed it to his forehead.

The next instant.

All information regarding the Conceal Breath Art was firmly branded into He Song's memory.

Almost in an instant, He Song completely understood how to cultivate the Conceal Breath Art, as well as every effect it would have after cultivation was complete.

After doing the same with the remaining two Jade Slips and learning all three basic spells, He Song finally opened his eyes.

It had to be said.

Learning spells through Jade Slips truly worked remarkably well.

Having just learned three basic spells, He Song did not feel the slightest fatigue. Instead, he felt invigorated, and the memories in his mind concerning those three basic spells seemed to have sunk even deeper.

"If Fellow Daoist He needs anything else, feel free to call for me. Books concerning common cultivation knowledge are all placed on the bookshelves over there. Fellow Daoist He may browse them at will. I have some matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave first."

Leaving behind those words, Ping'er's figure drifted away.

Qi Refining First Layer cultivation, the clothing of an Immortal Market staff member, and purchasing only three basic spells.

Such obvious traits had already given Ping'er some understanding of He Song.

Based on her experience receiving customers in the past, He Song would likely browse some books on common knowledge in the Spirit Skill Pavilion next and would not leave so soon.

Perhaps over the next few days, He Song would come to the Spirit Skill Pavilion every day.

But he would not buy any more spells.

Naturally, there was no need for her to remain at his side to receive him.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ping'er."

He Song cupped his hands toward the departing Ping'er and suppressed his urge to immediately return home and practice the three spells.

Walking over to a nearby bookshelf, He Song casually picked up a book and began reading in silence.

"Plant Record," "Ore Record," "Demonic Beast Atlas," "Cultivator Realm Classification," "Surrounding Forces of the Thick Earth Sect."

As He Song's gaze swept over book after book, he gained a general understanding of the cultivation world he inhabited.

He Song was currently within the territory of the Thick Earth Sect, a Golden Core Sect.

The Thick Earth Sect governed four Immortal Cities.

Each Immortal City in turn governed three or four Immortal Markets.

And He Song was currently in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, which fell under Qingyuan Immortal City, one of the four Immortal Cities.

A Foundation Establishment disciple of the Thick Earth Sect was stationed within the Immortal Market, so safety was assured.

Beyond that, four other Golden Core Sects were distributed around the Thick Earth Sect.

The four great sects were the Golden Sword Sect, the Pure Yin Sect, the Qionghua Sect, and the Seven Star Sect.

The Golden Sword Sect, Pure Yin Sect, and Qionghua Sect were located to the east, west, and south, and were all righteous Dao sects.

The Seven Star Sect lay north of the Thick Earth Sect and was a Devil Dao Sect.