Black Ridge Observation Book

Jade Heaven Market.

This market stood atop a jade-green lake, made up of more than a dozen great boats. It drifted constantly, trading along the waterways.

The last time Fang Qing had visited Floating Boat Market, he had asked around about the markets near Ba Commandery. He was already thoroughly familiar with them.

This time, he used the Disguise Technique to transform 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 cultivator guarding the entrance no longer gave him the same trouble he had when he was a mortal. He directly cupped his hands in salute. "You look quite unfamiliar, fellow Daoist. Are you a rogue cultivator?"

"Indeed. I wish to purchase cultivation techniques for the younger generation of my family."

Fang Qing's voice carried a faint rasp.

"Cultivation techniques? There are quite a few books aboard the book boat... If you can wait, there will also be an exchange gathering among fellow cultivators tonight. Quite a few cultivation techniques should surface then."

The boat guard chuckled. "Then I wish for your heart's desire to be fulfilled, fellow Daoist."

Fang Qing nodded. Rather than going to the book boat immediately, he first browsed several of the other boats.

"Mm... Bartering is the main practice here as well."

"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... that spiritual resources here are already so scarce? Or is Jade Island simply too abundantly endowed?"

After making a round, he found that the local cultivators were indeed poor. An ordinary dharma artifact could serve as a "treasure that suppressed the boat," and all manner of spiritual items were exceedingly scarce.

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

The rarest 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 exorbitant. That boat also had the greatest number of powerful cultivators. Even a casual sweep of their gazes gave Fang Qing the sensation of thorns pricking his back.

"What a dump."

He muttered a complaint and arrived at the book boat.

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

A beautiful mature woman with skin like congealed cream, a green jade hairpin in her hair, and an air of scholarly refinement came forward to greet him. She smiled sweetly as she spoke.

"I am choosing a Ji Water cultivation technique for the younger members of my family..."

Fang Qing answered frankly.

He already possessed Earthspring Tempered Essence. As long as he found a Ji Water cultivation technique, he could attempt to enter the Dao through Qi Ingestion and become a cultivator of the Breath-Nourishing Dao.

This Ji Water cultivation technique was not particularly rare, but Old Blind Man at Floating Boat Market did not have one. He had even claimed that, even if he did, after Fang Qing had traded away an Autumn-Killing Bladefish for fate-reading, answers to his doubts, and a Qi Gathering Method, Fang Qing would still be absolutely unable to afford it.

"A Ji Water cultivation technique?"

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

"Only one?" Fang Qing's brows furrowed slightly before relaxing again.

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

"Entering the Dao through Qi Ingestion is a great matter involving the selection of one's Dao Path. Naturally, it requires careful deliberation..." The beautiful woman seemed to understand this deeply. "After all, once a lineage is chosen, it cannot be changed... Even one's first mouthful of True Qi determines the quality of one's future mana. If the Dao Foundation is mixed and impure, purifying it later will be difficult beyond difficulty..."

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

Fang Qing was somewhat surprised. Oh, so I can switch whenever I want? Then there's no problem.

"Our pavilion also has several incomplete Ji Water cultivation techniques... You may look through them as well. But if you lack the fortune to find their continuations, I fear you will be trapped in the Breath-Nourishing Realm for the rest of your life..."

The beautiful woman spoke sincerely.

"I would like to look through them first."

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

"Of course... Every book in our pavilion bears a restriction. You may only read the first three pages, but you may browse as you please... Then come to me to purchase their unsealing."

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

Expressionless, Fang Qing walked to a stack of books and swept his gaze over them:

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

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

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

"If I did not have the Dao-Born Pearl, buying such inferior cultivation techniques would probably condemn me to the Breath-Nourishing Realm for life. Even if I were lucky enough to forge a Dao Foundation, I would still be unable to glimpse the Purple Mansion... What a tragedy!"

"Mm?"

He first examined several incomplete Ji Water cultivation techniques and confirmed that they were exactly as the beautiful woman had described. Then he inadvertently came to a bookshelf.

This shelf contained one Qi Gathering Formula after another!

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

Fang Qing's gaze paused briefly 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 quickly 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 cultivate this Moonlit Flow? Still, if I visit a few more markets, I will definitely be able to uncover such information..."

Fang Qing's heart stirred.

He had not forgotten his grudge against the Luo Family for even a moment.

Moreover, because he had been weak and forced to hide around Jade Island most of the time, the resentment had been carved into his bones and etched into his heart.

"Are you interested in these Qi Gathering Methods, fellow Daoist?"

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

"There are many younger members in my family. We must always walk several Dao Paths, lest we be restrained by others."

Fang Qing shook his head. "Everyone has their own talent. It cannot be forced."

"You plan so deeply for your descendants, fellow Daoist. This sentiment truly fills me with admiration..."

The beautiful woman smiled. "If you purchase Black Ridge Observation Book, I can make the decision to include several Qi Gathering Methods as gifts."

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

Fang Qing complained inwardly, but an interested expression appeared on his face. "A few Qi Gathering Formulas will not be enough... Add several miscellaneous books as well."

As he spoke, he casually picked up several Qi Gathering Formulas, then went to the shelf beside him and selected several geographical records and biographies.

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

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

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

There was a trace of teasing in the beautiful woman's words. Then she saw Fang Qing toss out a jade box. "This item... should be more than enough to exchange for Black Ridge Observation Book, along with these miscellaneous books, correct?"

"This is..."

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

"Good. Then I will pick a few more."

Upon hearing that, Fang Qing immediately stopped being polite. He casually selected several more miscellaneous books, mixing the Great Sun Violet Qi Qi Gathering Method among them.

"This..."

The beautiful woman knew she had misspoken and could only smile bitterly. When she saw that Fang Qing had chosen nothing but worthless goods, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

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

At that moment, Fang Qing suddenly asked.

"It is not a question of whether it is difficult or not." Seeing Fang Qing change the subject and stop taking books, the beautiful woman immediately explained, "You must understand, fellow Daoist, that every form of deduction and divination asks the Heavenly Secrets... But there are too many great Divine Ability users in this world, and the Heavenly Secrets have long become a tangled mess. Even if Breath-Nourishing cultivators like us studied all our lives, we would likely be unable to make an accurate divination more than a few times... Only Dao Foundation cultivators who specifically forge Dao Foundations related to divination and the Changes can barely obtain some signs. Yet those signs still require interpretation and are often filled with errors and omissions... Only Purple Mansion Divine Abilities might perhaps survey karma and causality in full, as easily as viewing the lines on one's palm. Even then, they can only observe the karma of lower-level cultivators. A slight interference from someone of the same realm makes success very difficult..."

Fang Qing roughly understood. Divination was simply too difficult, and defense was easy while offense was hard. It was a thankless task.

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

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

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

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

"Then let this Plum Blossom Divination count as an extra too."

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

"Fine... But only these."

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

A short while later, Fang Qing walked out of Jade Heaven Market with a faintly satisfied expression.

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

"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, transformed into a green leaf, and carried him farther and farther away from Jade Heaven Market.

"Fellow Daoist, please stay!"

Just then, a voice came from behind him.

Fang Qing turned around and saw a burly man in black standing atop a flying shuttle. He was much faster than the Green Leaf Boat. The moment he saw Fang Qing turn, the man in black raised his hand, and a blinding light burst from his right hand.

"Not good!"

Fang Qing cried inwardly. His eyes immediately throbbed with pain, and tears streamed out.

At the same time, the burly man rubbed his hands together, sending clumps of earth and rock smashing toward him. Their target was unmistakably the Green Leaf Boat.

Rumble!

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

Yet at that moment, the wall was already splitting apart. In the blink of an eye, it burst into specks of earthen-yellow spiritual light and scattered.

"He actually resorted to a sneak attack? If I had not secretly held onto an Earth Wall Talisman, I would have been severely wounded even if I did not die this time!"

Fang Qing rubbed his eyes. Seeing the earth wall, whose defense was considered excellent among Qi Refinement cultivators, shattered so easily by the rocks, he gritted his teeth. "This road robber's cultivation is far from weak..."