Black Ridge Observation Book

Jade Heaven Market.

This market lay atop a jade-green lake, formed from more than a dozen great boats. It drifted ceaselessly, trading along the waterways.

The last time Fang Qing had been at Floating Boat Market, he had inquired about several markets near Ba Commandery. He was thoroughly familiar with the situation.

This time, he used the Disguise Technique to turn himself into a sinister-looking middle-aged man, imitated the mana fluctuations of the Breath-Nourishing Dao, and arrived at Jade Heaven Market.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

Sure enough, the cultivators on guard no longer gave him the same trouble they had when he was a mortal. One of them directly cupped his hands in salute. "Fellow Daoist, you look quite unfamiliar. Are you a Rogue Cultivator?"

"Indeed. I wish to purchase cultivation methods for the younger generation of my household."

Fang Qing's voice carried a faint rasp.

"Cultivation methods? There are quite a few books on the book boat... If Fellow Daoist can wait, there will also be an exchange gathering among cultivators tonight. Quite a few cultivation methods should make their way out."

The boat guard chuckled. "Then I wish Fellow Daoist every success in fulfilling your desire."

Fang Qing nodded. Rather than heading straight for the book boat, he first wandered around several other boats.

"Mm... This place also mainly relies on barter."

"I thought it would be like Jade Island of the Qi Refinement Way, where spirit stones were mined and used as a general equivalent? Could it be... the spiritual resources here are already this scarce? Or is Jade Island simply too rich in produce?"

After making a circuit, he found that the local cultivators truly were poor. Even an ordinary magical artifact could serve as a "treasure that steadied the boat," while all manner of spiritual resources were exceedingly scarce.

Pills and talismans were even worse—not only were there few of them, but the varieties were fewer still.

The most precious item was a strand of fifth-tier high-grade Yin Corpse Qi. At a glance, this True Qi was clearly no righteous commodity, yet its asking price was outrageously high. That boat also held the greatest number of powerful cultivators. Even a casual sweep of their gazes made Fang Qing feel thorns pricking his back.

"What a godforsaken place."

He grumbled and headed to the book boat.

"Welcome, Fellow Daoist, to the Nine Rivers Water Pavilion. What book would you like to purchase?"

A beautiful married woman with skin like congealed cream, a jade-green hairpin in her hair, and a scholarly air about her face came forward to greet him. Smiling charmingly, she spoke.

"I am choosing a Winnowing Basket Water cultivation method for the younger members of my household..."

Fang Qing answered openly.

He now possessed Earthspring Tempered Essence. With only a Winnowing Basket Water cultivation method missing, he could attempt to enter the Dao through Qi Ingestion and become a Breath-Nourishing Dao cultivator.

This Winnowing Basket Water cultivation method was not particularly rare, but Old Blind Man at Floating Boat Market had not had one. Moreover, he had claimed that even if he did, after Fang Qing had paid one Autumn-Killing Bladefish for fate-reading, answering doubts, and a Qi Gathering Method, Fang Qing absolutely could not have afforded it.

"A Winnowing Basket Water cultivation method?"

The beautiful woman considered it, then replied, "Our Water Pavilion has only one such collection. It is called the Black Ridge Observation Book, and its Dao Foundation is Longlasting Sweet Rain..."

"Only one?" Fang Qing's brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed.

Though he had no choice, he had the Dao-Born Pearl. It was not a major problem.

"Entering the Dao through Qi Ingestion is a momentous matter of choosing one's Dao Path, so naturally one must consider it carefully..." The beautiful woman seemed to understand this deeply. "Once a lineage is chosen, it cannot be changed... Even the first breath of True Qi determines the quality of one's future mana. If one's Dao Foundation is impure, purifying it later is harder than climbing to heaven..."

"Unlike the Qi Refinement Way, where one can pay a certain price to switch cultivation methods, the Breath-Nourishing Dao is actually this demanding?"

Fang Qing was somewhat surprised. Oh, so I can switch whenever I want? Then it's fine.

"Our Water Pavilion also has several incomplete Winnowing Basket Water cultivation methods... Fellow Daoist may look through them as well. But without sufficient fortune, if you cannot find the later portions, I fear you will be trapped in the Breath-Nourishing Realm for your entire life..."

The beautiful woman spoke sincerely.

"I would like to look through them first."

After pondering for a while, Fang Qing revealed a hesitant expression.

"Of course... Every book in our Water Pavilion bears restrictions. You may only read the first three pages, Fellow Daoist, but you may browse them freely... Then come to me to purchase their unsealing."

The beautiful woman smiled faintly, sat down in a rattan chair on her own, and began sipping tea while reading.

Expressionless, Fang Qing walked to a pile of books and swept his gaze across them.

Sword Inquiry Book, Reflections on Hou Tao Slaying the Flood Dragon, Plain Questions, Geography of Ba Commandery, Scripture of Complete Fate, Essentials of Immortality, Plum Blossom Divination...

"Mm? There are even geography books and miscellaneous records? They should not cost much. I can buy them to broaden my knowledge and literary refinement..."

"Most of the cultivation methods are incomplete. Few can truly be cultivated to the Dao Foundation Realm... Judging from their openings, none have Purple Mansion Chapters. That is normal... How could a tiny market like this possibly sell Purple Mansion cultivation methods?"

"If I did not have the Dao-Born Pearl, purchasing this sort of inferior cultivation method would likely condemn me to the Breath-Nourishing Realm for life. Even if I luckily forged a Dao Foundation, I would still be unable to glimpse the Purple Mansion... What a miserable fate!"

"Mm?"

He first looked through several incomplete Winnowing Basket Water cultivation methods and confirmed that they were exactly as the beautiful woman had said. Then, by chance, he came to a bookshelf.

On that bookshelf were Qi-Gathering Formulas, one after another!

"Earthspring Tempered Essence, Cold Pool Crane Qi, Heavenly Wind Descends into Mystery... Great Sun Violet Qi?!"

Fang Qing's gaze briefly paused on a dusty booklet in the farthest corner, and his heart stirred. There is actually a Qi-Gathering Formula for Great Sun Violet Qi?

However, his gaze soon moved on. His heart stirred again as he pulled out a Qi Gathering Method. "Moonlit Flow?"

After opening it, he found that its beginning was indeed identical to the Qi Gathering Method passed down through generations by the Fang Family of Three-Water Hollow.

"Moonlit Flow... ranked sixth-tier high-grade..."

"Could the Luo Family be cultivating this Moonlit Flow? Still, if I visit a few more markets, I will definitely be able to uncover this sort of information..."

Fang Qing's heart stirred.

He had not forgotten the enmity with the Luo Family for even a moment.

Because he himself was weak and had been forced to spend most of his time hiding around Jade Island, that hatred had carved itself into his bones.

"Fellow Daoist is interested in these Qi Gathering Methods?"

At some point, the beautiful woman had come close. A rich, fragrant scent wafted from her body.

"There are many younger members in my household. We must leave them more paths to walk, lest they be countered."

Fang Qing shook his head. "Everyone has different talents. It cannot be forced."

"Fellow Daoist plans so carefully for his descendants. This sentiment truly earns my deepest admiration..."

The beautiful woman smiled. "If Fellow Daoist purchases the Black Ridge Observation Book, I can make the decision to give you several Qi-Gathering Formulas."

As expected, these Qi Gathering Methods are worthless...

Fang Qing grumbled inwardly, though an interested expression appeared on his face. "Several Qi-Gathering Formulas are not enough... Add several miscellaneous books as well."

As he spoke, he casually picked out several Qi-Gathering Formulas, then went to the shelf beside it and took several geographical records and biographies.

"Fellow Daoist... There cannot be this many extras..."

The beautiful woman's expression became somewhat unsightly when she saw this. Then she saw Fang Qing pick up a divination book and ask, "Does this Plum Blossom Divination involve the art of deduction?"

"Of course. Fellow Daoist is interested in deduction and divination? If you truly wish to study this art, then I really must admire you."

Her words carried a trace of teasing, but then Fang Qing flicked out a jade box. "This item... should be more than enough to exchange for the Black Ridge Observation Book, along with these miscellaneous books, correct?"

"This is..."

The beautiful woman opened the jade box and saw an unusual flower the size of a bowl. Heat waves rushed toward her face, and she could not help but cry out in alarm. "A Blazing Sun Flower? This is indeed more than enough to exchange for these books..."

"Good. Then I'll choose a few more."

Upon hearing that, Fang Qing immediately ceased all pretense of politeness and casually picked several more miscellaneous books. The Great Sun Violet Qi Qi Gathering Method was mixed among them.

"This..."

Knowing that she had misspoken, the beautiful woman could only force a bitter smile. When she saw that Fang Qing had taken nothing but worthless goods, though, she inwardly sighed in relief.

"Is this art of divination and deduction very difficult?"

Just then, Fang Qing suddenly asked.

"It is not a matter of whether it is difficult or not." Seeing Fang Qing change the subject and stop taking books, the beautiful woman immediately explained, "Fellow Daoist must understand that every method of deduction and divination asks about Heavenly Secrets... Yet there are too many great Divine Ability users in this world, and the Heavenly Secrets have long since become a tangled mess. Even if we Breath-Nourishing cultivators study our entire lives, we likely will not make an accurate divination more than a few times... Only Dao Foundation cultivators who specifically forge Dao Foundations related to divination and the Book of Changes can barely obtain some signs. Yet those signs still require interpretation and are often riddled with errors and omissions... Only Purple Mansion Divine Abilities may perhaps survey Causality in its entirety, as easily as looking at the lines on one's palm. But even that can only examine the Causality of lower-level cultivators. If someone of the same realm interferes even slightly, it becomes extremely difficult to succeed..."

Fang Qing roughly understood. Divination was simply too difficult. Defense was easy while offense was hard; one toiled without reward.

Even cultivators who specialized in related Dao Foundations and Divine Abilities... had to reach Dao Foundation before they could obtain somewhat accurate omens. Even then, they still had to judge for themselves. Only at the Purple Mansion Realm could one deduce the details clearly.

Yet even Purple Mansion cultivators could only calculate Dao Foundation and Breath-Nourishing cultivators... If they encountered interference from someone in the same realm, they would be left fumbling in the dark.

Coupled with the difficulty of getting started in divination, it truly was chicken ribs—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard.

But he had the Dao-Born Pearl, as well as the mighty As If in the Calculation. Naturally, he was quite interested in divination.

"Count this Plum Blossom Divination as an extra too."

Fang Qing patted the Plum Blossom Divination in his hand and smiled.

"Very well... But that is all."

The beautiful woman hurriedly agreed, seemingly afraid that Fang Qing would change his mind. She immediately carried the books to the counter and began unsealing them one by one.

A moment later, Fang Qing walked out of Jade Heaven Market with a trace of satisfaction on his face.

"Excellent... Next, I only need to find a place to break through, and I will become a Breath-Nourishing Dao cultivator."

"I hope this fifth-tier mid-grade Earthspring Tempered Essence does not disappoint me..."

Fang Qing patted his storage pouch. The Green Leaf Boat flew out and transformed into a leaf, carrying him farther and farther away from Jade Heaven Market.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait!"

A voice came from behind him.

Fang Qing turned back and saw a burly man in black riding a flying shuttle. He was considerably faster than the Green Leaf Boat. The moment the burly man saw Fang Qing turn around, he raised his hand, and a brilliant flash erupted from his right palm.

"Not good!"

Fang Qing cried inwardly. His eyes immediately throbbed with pain, and tears streamed down his face.

At that moment, the burly man rubbed his hands together, sending clumps of earth and rock hurtling toward him. Their target was clearly the Green Leaf Boat.

Rumble!

A great quantity of sand and stone exploded in midair, revealing an earthen-yellow wall.

Yet at this moment, the wall had already shattered into four pieces and five fragments. In the blink of an eye, it exploded into scattered points of earthen-yellow spiritual light.

"He actually launched a sneak attack? If I had not secretly kept an Earth Wall Talisman ready, I would have been badly wounded even if I did not die this time!"

Fang Qing rubbed his eyes. Seeing the earthen wall—considered excellent defense among Qi Refinement cultivators—so easily smashed apart by the rocks, he ground his teeth. "This road robber has quite formidable cultivation..."