Sea-Calming Spell Compendium, Flood Dragon Meat Soup

Manifestations erupted in unison, True Qi swirling around them.

Though there were only eight of them, one could already glimpse a thread of the Heaven-Gazing Sect's grandeur.

Zhou Xuanpu's gaze was like lightning, his Spiritual Sense vast as a great river as he took all eight into his sight.

"Cease your cultivation for now!"

Only after a while did he slowly speak to the eight of them.

Lu Xuan and the others immediately obeyed, halting the circulation of their True Scriptures. All the manifestations around them vanished.

"I now understand your qi natures and True Scriptures. Starting tomorrow, I will instruct each of you in cultivation, helping you comprehend the mysteries of your True Scriptures and advance further."

Zhou Xuanpu spoke slowly to the group.

"Many thanks, Mystic Master!"

They all bowed in thanks.

The Immortal Cult's True Scriptures were all profoundly wondrous. Lu Xuan's True Scripture, for instance, was called the Qianyuan Six-Dragon Imperial Heaven True Scripture. If he fully circulated it, six dragons would roam about his body, carrying Spiritual Qi for him.

Yet at present, there was only a single dragon.

This was not because Lu Xuan lacked comprehension. Cultivating a True Scripture required gradual progress in the first place, and Lu Xuan could not yet bear the immense cultivation efficiency brought by cultivating all six dragons at once.

No matter how much one ate, it was useless if one could not digest it.

If he could overcome this obstacle under the guidance of a Foundation Establishment Mystic Master, it would naturally be a joyous matter.

"Furthermore, because your qi natures differ, the arts you cultivate will also differ. I bestow the Sea-Calming Spell Compendium upon you. You may each choose three arts from it. After tomorrow, I will begin instructing you according to your selections."

"Remember well: greedily cramming too much into your mouth only leaves it impossible to chew. You may choose only three arts. Only after mastering all three may you learn more. But also remember my three assessments."

As Zhou Xuanpu spoke, a jade slip fell beside the eight of them. It then trembled on its own, and eight screens of light appeared before them.

Lu Xuan looked up and saw the four words Sea-Calming Spell Compendium written prominently upon the screen.

Below them was a line of smaller text.

"This spell compendium is exclusively for use by the Sea-Calming Bureau. Beyond the sect's ordinary wondrous arts, it contains a separate Water-Calming Chapter."

"The Water-Calming Chapter contains numerous arts. To attain above Grade A in the assessment, one must achieve Thousand-Foot Water-Evasion, Hundred-Zhang Wave-Calming, and suppress one demon rank."

"May those newly entering the Bureau study diligently, calm the sea and settle the waters at an early date, and uphold the Life-Valuing Principle in the East Sea."

Beneath the small text were rows upon rows of art names, too numerous to take in at once.

Lu Xuan could not finish reading them for the moment.

But he already understood the requirements for the Water-Calming assessment.

It seemed the first three arts they learned had to be selected from the Water-Calming Chapter.

"Arts are unlike True Scriptures; there are many of them. You may return to your cave abodes and choose carefully. Report your choices to me tomorrow."

Zhou Xuanpu did not have Lu Xuan and the others choose on the spot. He gave them some time, allowing them a look at the screens before dismissing them.

But as everyone prepared to take their leave, he added, "The Culinary Hall of the Sea-Calming Bureau has prepared a spirit meal. You may eat before returning to your cave abodes."

Before they could ask further, a breeze rose again, carrying faint threads of water vapor, and Zhou Xuanpu disappeared from the Instruction Hall.

Seeing this, Lu Xuan and the others could only put away their jade slips, rise, and respectfully see him off toward the hall doors.

Then Zhan Qingyang turned around and warmly said to Lu Xuan and the others:

"Junior brothers and sisters, since the Mystic Master has said so, let us first go to the Culinary Hall and sample today's spirit meal. I also brought several jars of spirit wine, so let us drink together."

No one objected.

The Culinary Hall was an extremely important benefit for Heaven-Gazing Sect disciples.

The spirit meals within were rich in spiritual power and greatly beneficial to cultivation.

The first of Zhou Xuanpu's three assessments was to break through to the Qi Refining Second Layer within a year.

They had spent three years cultivating in the Embryonic Breath Realm. Breaking through to the Qi Refining Second Layer in one year sounded difficult just to think about.

That made the Culinary Hall all the more important.

The group did not summon Cloud Qi. Instead, they agreed to walk together to the Culinary Hall.

Yet the atmosphere was not lively. Their Spiritual Senses churned, their thoughts all more or less resting upon their jade slips as they browsed the Sea-Calming Spell Compendium, leaving them no leisure for conversation.

Lu Xuan was the same.

As he walked, he browsed the Water-Calming Chapter.

"Origin-Balancing Water-Calming Formula..."

"Wave-Calming True-Qi Seal..."

"Water-Observing Qi-Gazing Method..."

"..."

The many methods each possessed their own mysteries, opening Lu Xuan's eyes.

Although he had gathered True Qi, that did not mean he could cultivate only Great Sun-type arts. So long as one had gathered Clear Qi or above, one could cultivate all manner of methods.

After all, arts used the Spiritual Qi within one's body to draw upon the Spiritual Impetus of the outside world. So long as one could stir Spiritual Impetus, mysteries would naturally unfold.

It was simply that one's qi nature granted an additional "boost." When cultivating arts of the same qi nature, progress would be faster and their power greater.

And Lu Xuan found several arts within the Water-Calming Chapter that matched his own qi nature.

"True-Yang Water-Evasion Shield: circulate the Spiritual Impetus of True Yang through the body, severing yin chill and evading seawater..."

"Great Sun Water-Separating Seal: circulate the Spiritual Impetus of the Great Sun, forcibly part seawater, and command the water essence..."

"Note: This art is a preliminary minor art for the Great Sun Golden Seal. It is quite difficult to cultivate and must be chosen with caution."

A minor art!

Seeing that note, Lu Xuan's heart stirred.

A minor art did not mean an inferior petty technique. Rather, it was a preliminary method for many profound and wondrous arts. Because its power was incomplete, it was called minor.

"Let us first see what spirit food the Culinary Hall has prepared and drink a cup. It will not be too late to choose our arts afterward."

But just then, they had arrived at the Culinary Hall. Zhan Qingyang was the first to look up and smile at everyone.

At his words, everyone withdrew their Spiritual Senses and turned to look toward the Culinary Hall.

The Culinary Hall stood west of the Instruction Hall. It was not large, merely a bright hall furnished with nine tables.

"Welcome, honored Mystic Warriors. Today's spirit food has been prepared. Please take your seats while this humble servant brings it forth."

A hall attendant had long been waiting outside the Culinary Hall. Upon seeing Lu Xuan's group, he immediately bowed respectfully.

"Wait."

Zhan Qingyang stopped the attendant and asked with a smile, "May I ask, attendant, how many spirit dishes are there today, and what spirit vegetables have been prepared?"

The attendant hurriedly bowed and answered, "In reply to Mystic Warrior, today's dishes include Heart-Ice Snow-Lotus Soup, simmered from heart-ice lotus root, snow-lotus seeds, and cold-pool water; Red-Flame Bamboo Shoots, stir-fried over high heat with dragon-whisker bamboo shoots and red-flame peppers; and a Moon-Silver Fish, intoxicated with ice-soul wine, marinated, and steamed."

"The staple is mid-grade second-tier spirit rice, Jade-Spirit Millet."

"And finally, there is a bowl of Flood Dragon Meat Soup!"

At first, Lu Xuan and the others showed no change in expression. They merely nodded repeatedly, praising the inner sect's provisions as truly excellent. But upon hearing the final sentence, they could not help but be startled, all raising their heads to look at the attendant.

"Flood Dragon Meat Soup?!"

"Is it truly flood dragon meat, or merely another name for something else?"

Zhan Qingyang pressed.

The attendant seemed to have expected this and immediately replied with certainty, "In reply to Mystic Warrior, it is indeed East Sea flood dragon meat. It was transported here by spirit vessel only days ago, genuine goods at a genuine price."

It was actually flood dragon meat?

Lu Xuan and the others exchanged glances, all deeply shocked.

Such treatment, such lavishness—it truly was extravagant.

"Eating flood dragon meat for a long time can strengthen the Qi Sea and benefit the fleshly body..."

"No wonder the Mystic Master required us to reach the Qi Refining Second Layer within a year, and specifically told us to come to the Culinary Hall."

"With this Flood Dragon Meat Soup, we can fully circulate our True Scriptures, and our cultivation speed will increase greatly."

Zhang Xuange could not help sighing in admiration.

Lu Xuan felt the same.

For a time, everyone was filled with anticipation for this meal.