Considering Which Cultivation Technique to Practice in the Future?

(Note: The author is self-taught. If there are any mistakes, readers are welcome to point them out.)

"These cultivation techniques are indeed quite good. Our world has no cultivation techniques. Humans basically rely on cultivating their martial souls, Soul Power, or combat techniques.

Some Titled Douluo from human sects also cultivate things like formations. Their martial souls can evolve into formations. I once heard of a sect called something Sword Sect. Back then, I went to the human world to gather intelligence and learn the current details of the human world.

That was when I heard of this sect. Their martial souls could release formations, which were quite powerful. They counted as high-level martial souls, though they were still far from top-tier or super martial souls."

The human sect Di Tian was referring to at that moment should have been the Wind Sword Sect, one of the later Seven Great Sects.

"Formations? They are indeed quite interesting. But honestly, the humans of this world all rely on martial souls. Martial Soul Fusion Skills, formations—they all rely on martial souls. They have no innovative combat techniques of their own. If they rely entirely on martial souls, then anyone who awakens a mutated martial soul or a useless martial soul is finished."

Medicine Elder was merely voicing his own opinion. After all, the Dou Qi Continent relied on cultivating Battle Qi rather than martial souls. As long as one possessed cultivation talent and ability, one could become powerful.

But Douluo Continent relied entirely on martial souls. All combat techniques and sect formations relied on martial souls. If one awakened a useless martial soul, then one was finished.

Even Self-Created Soul Skills relied on martial souls.

For example, Feng Xiaotian's Self-Created Soul Skill relied on his martial soul.

If Feng Xiaotian did not have his martial soul, he would have no way of using that Self-Created Soul Skill.

It could be said that on Douluo Continent, all strength depended on martial souls.

That was far too distorted.

"The ones I gave you are simple and easy to understand, Yellow Tier cultivation techniques. They should be somewhat helpful in improving your strength."

Medicine Elder truly had many cultivation techniques in his storage ring. After all, he had once led a faction and needed to teach disciples, so he naturally carried many cultivation techniques and combat techniques.

"Little Phoenix, which of these two cultivation techniques do you plan to practice in the future?"

Medicine Elder had changed cultivation techniques back then.

The cultivation technique Medicine Elder practiced was the Foundation Establishment stage—Fire Building Technique + Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique.

The Fire Building Technique was the standard Foundation Establishment cultivation technique for direct descendants of the Yao Clan. Medicine Elder had studied it within the clan from childhood, strengthening his sensitivity to alchemy and soul perception.

Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique (core Foundation Establishment cultivation): Because Medicine Elder's family had fallen from power and been marginalized, they no longer had sufficient resources to support the advancement of the Fire Building Technique.

Yao Chen had instead switched to this Yellow Tier cultivation technique, which consumed no resources but was extremely difficult to practice. He had forced his way through it with his own talent, laying down Battle Qi, physical, and soul foundations far beyond those of ordinary people—foundations that later became crucial to his becoming a ninth-grade alchemist and a Dou Sheng.

It could be said that one of these two cultivation techniques could be practiced fairly easily. Not extremely easily, but it was still easier to master.

However, advancing it required heavenly treasures or a large quantity of medicinal pills. That was why Medicine Elder had ultimately been forced to switch to the Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique.

There was no helping it. Among the eight ancient clans, those with outstanding strength basically qualified to practice higher-level cultivation techniques or receive better resources.

Those without talent or ability were basically trash, mere expendable materials.

Medicine Elder's status in the Yao Clan had been that of an abandoned pawn. He did not have much strength.

"..." The Phoenix King began to think. On the Dou Qi Continent, the Burning Mantra was basically not very useful. Or rather, the Dou Qi Continent did not have so many special flames, or perhaps it simply had no Heavenly Flames at all.

There might be some special flames, but they probably were not as powerful as Heavenly Flames. In that case, there was little point in cultivating that technique.

So at this moment, he could only choose a better cultivation technique.

The Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique was indeed very powerful. Medicine Elder had basically improved his strength through cultivating it.

It was one of the three basic cultivation techniques the Yao Clan made available to outsiders, a Yellow Tier cultivation technique.

Its characteristic was that it did not require the consumption of a great deal of cultivation resources. It did not rely on medicinal pills or Heavenly Flame assistance.

However, it was extremely difficult to cultivate and progressed slowly. Every step was exceptionally arduous.

Yet every breakthrough directly raised one's Battle Qi or Dou Zhe level by three stars. The leap in level was great, and the foundation was solid.

It could be said that cultivating this technique was truly good. The farther one progressed, the sturdier one's foundation became. Once one broke through the difficulty of fighting above one's level, one could also deal with enemies effectively.

But the problem was that the related series of the original Battle Through the Heavens had also stated that this cultivation technique was extremely difficult!

Its progress was extremely slow: although it was a Yellow Tier cultivation technique, it was much harder to practice than ordinary Yellow Tier or Mystical Tier techniques, and it placed considerable demands on one's temperament and understanding of flame control.

Its breakthroughs were special: precisely because it was difficult to practice, it built a good foundation. Every breakthrough directly raised one by three stars, rather than the star-by-star growth of ordinary cultivation techniques.

Its resource requirements were low: it did not rely on Heavenly Flames or precious medicinal pills, relying purely on one's own insight and arduous cultivation—this was also why it was "difficult."

The other technique was the Fire Building Technique.

It was not difficult to practice and could be cultivated smoothly. It was much easier to get started with than the "Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique."

However, every breakthrough consumed an enormous amount of resources—it required large quantities of heavenly treasures or medicinal pills to advance, otherwise one would get stuck. Its essence was "burning money for efficiency."

Aptitude and attribute requirements.

It required a fire attribute, preferably dual fire-and-wood attributes. Most Yao Clan disciples were naturally suited to it, and it provided a noticeable boost to affinity for alchemy.

For outsiders without a fire attribute or with weak soul perception, its effects would be greatly reduced, and they would receive almost none of the boost to alchemy talent.

It did not require a special bloodline. Those outside the Yao Clan could also practice it if they possessed a fire attribute; they simply lacked the Yao Clan's advantage in soul perception.

Simply put, the Fire Building Technique had a low threshold but required "money to sustain it," while the Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique required no money but demanded "endurance." Yao Chen had chosen to switch to the Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique back then only because his family was poor.

Although the Douluo Continent where Gu Yuena was, or rather the plane where the Lake of Life was located, was not as high-level as the Dou Qi Continent, the Phoenix King did not currently lack resources.

With Gu Yuena and the others around, the Phoenix King could still cultivate the Fire Building Technique.

But this cultivation technique consumed too many resources. With that many resources, they could completely nurture even more outstanding talents.

Moreover, the Fire Building Technique's foundation was not as solid as that of the Three-Flower Fire Gathering Technique.

A large part of why Medicine Elder became so formidable later was because he had cultivated this solid technique and built such a firm foundation. Even when he was left with only a soul state and his combat power had weakened, he could still fight a Dou Zong on equal terms.

Just as the Phoenix King was still considering it, Medicine Elder said, "Of course, there is another cultivation technique, but it is very difficult. You need to think carefully." Medicine Elder turned his head as he spoke. Naturally, the Phoenix King knew that Medicine Elder had other cultivation techniques. As the greatest alchemist of the Central Plains Continent, he surely possessed many powerful cultivation techniques as collectibles.