Outer Sect Technique Pavilion

Kong Jiao's mind instantly sprang to life.

The Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture was truly not simple; there were still opportunities to be unearthed.

At the same time, Kong Jiao's perception of Dan Baifeng shifted toward friendliness.

The fact that this woman had come specifically to inform him of this proved that she truly valued the favor he had done for her.

It was perfect; he could ask her what means were required to take the fragmentary scripture out of the Technique Pavilion.

Stealing or snatching it was obviously out of the question.

That was the Technique Pavilion, not the Miscellaneous Books Pavilion; if one even harbored a crooked thought, dying a hundred times over wouldn't be enough.

"Senior Sister Baifeng, I understand." Kong Jiao first bowed deeply, then feigned an expression of great reluctance and asked, "But I have been cultivating the Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture for over two and a half years, and I really don't want to switch to another technique."

"I wonder if there is any way to redeem that fragmentary scripture from the Technique Pavilion? I want to study it carefully; perhaps there is a turning point."

Kong Jiao's performance was entirely reasonable.

Switching techniques was time-consuming and laborious, especially for someone with poor aptitude like Kong Jiao; feeling unwilling was a normal reaction.

Dan Baifeng did not suspect anything, shaking her head as she advised, "I know your difficulties, but disciples of the Cangwu Sect who cultivate the Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture come in wave after wave. There is no lack of disciples who have borrowed the original from the Technique Pavilion, yet none of them have discovered anything of note. You should just give up."

"Senior Sister Baifeng, where there is a will, there is a way!" Kong Jiao pursed his lips with 'stubbornness.'

Dan Baifeng sighed, and seeing that her persuasion was fruitless, she finally spoke of the method to redeem the Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture.

"Many disciples in the sect redeem the original texts of the techniques they cultivate. In fact, there are as many techniques for the Wheel-Nourishing Realm in our Cangwu Sect as there are stars in the sky, and there are ways to redeem such techniques."

"The simplest and most direct way is to exchange them for Spirit Crystals!"

"There is also the sect's reward and punishment system; disciples who have contributed to the sect can redeem them with contribution points."

After expressing sincere gratitude, Kong Jiao saw Dan Baifeng off.

However, he did not enter his thatched hut, instead standing at the doorway lost in deep thought.

He even ignored the changes in his fortune, where a few more wisps of white mist had appeared above his head due to the two additional points of opportunity.

His mind was now entirely occupied with how to get his hands on that Frostfall Fragmentary Scripture.

To obtain the subsequent opportunity.

First, redemption via contribution points was not feasible; Kong Jiao had never accepted a Bounty Order, nor had he been to the Commission Office to accept assigned tasks.

These were the only two ways to obtain contribution points.

The only path left for Kong Jiao now was to buy it with Spirit Crystals!

Three months ago, Kong Jiao would have certainly been troubled.

But now, he was carrying a massive fortune—a total of over five hundred Spirit Crystals.

"Buy it! I will go to the Technique Pavilion right now and see how many Spirit Crystals that Frostfall Fragmentary Scripture costs. A Wheel-Nourishing Realm technique is common in the Cangwu Sect; it cannot possibly be an astronomical price."

Kong Jiao gritted his teeth fiercely and, without even closing his door, headed straight toward the Outer Sect Technique Pavilion.

The Outer Sect Technique Pavilion was the very foundation of the Cangwu Sect; almost all the techniques cultivated by the outer sect disciples of the entire sect originated from this place.

One could see that the importance of the Outer Sect Technique Pavilion was far beyond that of the Miscellaneous Books Pavilion where Kong Jiao had previously worked.

Apart from techniques, all kinds of Wheel-Nourishing Realm Daoist arts, alchemy manuals, artifact-refining techniques, arrays, and the like could be found within the Outer Sect Technique Pavilion.

Therefore, this was an important hub of the Cangwu Sect, and it was always guarded by a sect elder.

And to borrow any book here, one needed contribution points or had to pay Spirit Crystals directly.

No one dared to act presumptuously here.

The Water-Drawing Formula that Kong Jiao practiced had been borrowed from this Technique Pavilion for the price of twenty Spirit Crystals.

Thus, he was not unfamiliar with the Technique Pavilion, and he arrived in the time it takes for half a stick of incense to burn.

The bustling outer sect disciples moved through the Technique Pavilion, some frowning in deep thought while holding technique books, others whispering and discussing their experiences in alchemy.

Or perhaps they were completely immersed in searching for Daoist arts suitable for their own cultivation.

In short, although there were many disciples here, they maintained a solemn silence.

The reason for this was that they were intimidated by the elder in the center of the Technique Pavilion, whose aura was as deep as the sea.

However, a cry of surprise suddenly shattered the peace of the Outer Sect Technique Pavilion.

"Three hundred Spirit Crystals! Are you mistaken?" Kong Jiao rarely lost his composure, but upon hearing the redemption value of the Frostfall Fragmentary Scripture, he could not help but let out a voice higher than usual.

He looked with suspicion and uncertainty at the old man before him, who was busy teasing a small bird in a cage.

He was the sect elder sent by the sect to guard the techniques, Zhao Wei, Deacon Zhao.

Kong Jiao's voice naturally drew the attention of the disciples in the Technique Pavilion, but they quickly looked away, not lingering for long.

"Deacon Zhao, that is only a Wheel-Nourishing Realm technique; how could it be so expensive? Are you mistaken?" Kong Jiao also noticed his loss of composure, quickly lowering his voice as he looked at Zhao Wei with an earnest expression.

He was not a newly initiated disciple; he roughly knew the value of Wheel-Nourishing Realm techniques in his heart.

Generally, a technique would cost two hundred Spirit Crystals at the absolute most.

Zhao Wei was purely asking for an exorbitant price.

"I'm not mistaken." Zhao Wei cast a sidelong glance at Kong Jiao, then reached up to smooth back his graying hair before explaining:

"A cultivation method for the Wheel-Nourishing Realm naturally wouldn't be too expensive; what's costly is the material used to record this Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture."

"That object is a precious material for refining magical artifacts, and an old fellow at the Artifact Refining Pavilion has been eyeing it for a long time. If not for the regulations of the Scripture Pavilion forbidding the destruction of scriptures, he would have likely snatched it away to forge weapons long ago."

"Therefore, what I am charging is merely the price of the material that records the Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture."

"If you weren't already cultivating the Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture yourself, according to sect regulations, it would be absolutely impossible to sell this Frostfall Fragmentary Scripture to you."

Zhao Wei's explanation made Kong Jiao purse his lips, feeling quite aggrieved.

Yet, with Zhao Wei citing sect rules at every turn, he could find no reason to refute him.

"Are you buying it or not!" Zhao Wei's tone grew impatient; he subconsciously assumed that a disciple at only the third stage of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm could never produce so many Spirit Crystals.

"I'll buy it!" Kong Jiao steeled his heart, the word squeezed out from between his teeth.

"I couldn't tell, you're quite wealthy, kid!" Zhao Wei chuckled mockingly, and without delay, he waved his arm toward the interior of the Scripture Pavilion.

A jade slip flew out from one of the layered bookshelves and was caught in his aged palm.

Only upon seeing the actual Frostfall Fragmentary Scripture did Kong Jiao truly understand that Zhao Wei had not been exaggerating.

It was a jade slip about half the size of a palm.

The entire piece was crescent-shaped, warm and white in texture, with a faint, shimmering fluorescence that made its extraordinary nature clear at a glance.

Clearly, Zhao Wei's claim that this fragmentary scripture could be used as a refining material was true.

Kong Jiao did not hesitate, dumping the Spirit Crystals he had prepared onto the desk all at once.

Only then did he take the fragmentary scripture from Zhao Wei's hand.

Before that, Zhao Wei kindly offered a reminder.

"Think carefully, kid. Once exchanged, there are no refunds."

"I don't know how many people have borrowed and studied this Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture, but none have made heads or tails of it. Without finding the remaining half of the text, it will always be nothing more than a broken thing."

"There are many such incomplete cultivation methods in the Scripture Pavilion."

"There is no lack of stubborn youngsters like you who try to find clues, only to end in failure."

"This junior understands!" Kong Jiao nodded slightly, though he still took the fragmentary scripture jade slip into his hand.

The texture of the fragmentary scripture was light, feeling slightly moist to the touch, as if covered in a layer of water vapor.

Yet, when he ran his fingers across it, there was not a trace of moisture.

The moment he took the fragmentary scripture, the Frostfall Spiritual Power within his body seemed to react, circulating automatically.

This confirmed to Kong Jiao the authenticity of the fragmentary scripture.

With the matter concluded, there was no need for Kong Jiao to linger.

He bowed to Deacon Zhao and retreated on his own.

"Truly young and reckless." Zhao Wei watched Kong Jiao's departing back and shook his head slightly.

He had not lied; the Cangwu Sect possessed countless scriptures and Daoist arts, and there were many incomplete cultivation methods and techniques like the Frostfall Wheel-Nourishing Scripture.

Among them were many miraculous cultivation methods and techniques.

Over the past hundred years, many disciples who refused to accept reality had chased after those ethereal, illusory things, attempting to complete them.

In the end, eight or nine out of ten met a poor fate.

Zhao Wei was an experienced man; he naturally understood the mindset of the young.

There were too many who considered themselves extraordinary, but those who could truly stand out were few and far between.