A Genius Idea!

"Senior, I really can't produce a Heaven Rank Cultivation Method. Right now, I only have a spare Low Earth Rank Cultivation Method and a High Black Rank Cultivation Method.

"Once you help me awaken my Martial Soul, I'll hand them both over."

As she finished speaking, a faint light flashed at her fingertips. She took two old, weathered scrolls from her Naji and held them steady in her palm.

She turned to Ling Ying beside her and spoke softly.

"Elder Ling, give Sister Zhu Qing the dark-attribute Cultivation Method you practice as a deposit."

"Yes, miss."

Ling Ying did not hesitate. With a wave of his hand, a scroll containing the Cultivation Method appeared in his palm.

He stepped forward and offered the scroll to Zhu Zhuqing, his expression respectful and without a trace of reluctance.

Zhu Zhuqing paused, then reached out and took the cool scroll.

Lu Chuan did not mind Xiao Xun'er's caution. If she gave him the Cultivation Methods now, he would still have to learn them himself.

It would be much easier to wait until their transaction was complete and learn them automatically to full mastery. He raised a hand and formed two contracts.

"Press your thumbprints on them to seal the deal."

Two contracts glowing gold appeared before them. A soft golden light rippled across the pages, and every clause was clearly visible.

Xiao Yan barely gave his a thought. With only the awakening of his Martial Soul on his mind, he raised his hand and pressed it firmly onto the golden contract.

A ring of golden light flashed across his palm and vanished.

When it was Xiao Xun'er's turn, she did not rush. Her gaze swept carefully over every line, checking again and again for hidden traps. Only after confirming that the exchange was fair and contained no terms that would harm her did she slowly extend her fair hand and press it lightly against the contract.

Xiao Xun'er withdrew her hand and looked up at Lu Chuan, her expression earnest.

"The contract is sealed. Senior Lu Chuan, please honor our agreement and help me awaken my Martial Soul."

"Uh..."

Lu Chuan looked a little awkward. He did not even have a Spirit Awakening Stone yet. How was he supposed to awaken their Martial Souls? He would have to get one after he returned.

"Ahem. There you go, getting impatient again. You don't think I'd trick you, do you? Give me a few days."

He had not forgotten why he had come, either. He turned to Xiao Yan.

"Xiao Yan, get me a bottle of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid within a day as a deposit."

Xiao Yan jolted, then nodded at once without a moment's hesitation.

"No problem! With my talent, I'll definitely learn how within a day! Old man, hurry up and teach me alchemy!"

Yao Lao's mouth twitched. He raised a hand and smacked Xiao Yan on the back of the head from a distance.

"What's the rush, you brat? If you can make Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid in a day with your current skills, pigs will fly!

"If you want to fulfill the agreement, go borrow money for the ingredients. Once you have them, I'll make it myself."

Xiao Yan rubbed the back of his head and grinned, his face full of delight. "Heh, thanks, old man!"

Then he hurriedly searched every pocket and counted up all his savings.

But after turning them all inside out, he ended up with just one hundred lonely Gold Coins in his hand.

His face fell. He looked toward Yao Lao in the air and asked helplessly, "Old man, I only have a hundred Gold Coins left. Is that enough to buy the ingredients for Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid?"

Yao Lao sighed, his voice full of disdain.

"A hundred Gold Coins? That might buy you one of the most common ingredients. You couldn't afford the main ingredients or the supporting ones!"

Xiao Yan was stumped. Those hundred Gold Coins were everything he had. He could not scrape together another copper coin.

With no other choice, he turned to Xiao Xun'er beside him and gave her a pleading look.

In the past, seeing Xiao Yan like this would have softened Xun'er's heart. She would have gladly helped him solve every problem.

But ever since she had learned that an old man's soul was hiding inside Xiao Yan, that pleading look left her feeling strangely conflicted, even a little uncomfortable.

Still, she did not hesitate. "I have four thousand Gold Coins. Use them for now. If it isn't enough, just let me know."

She turned her wrist and handed Xiao Yan a Gold Card.

Xiao Yan's face lit up with joy. He quickly accepted the card, and the weight on his chest finally lifted.

"Thank you, Xun'er. I'll treat you to a meal someday!"

Even as he spoke, Xiao Yan keenly sensed that an unspoken distance had crept between them.

It hurt, but he could hardly say anything about it.

He could only force down his disappointment, compose himself, and turn to Lu Chuan with a warm smile.

"Brother Lu Chuan, you and sister-in-law have only just arrived in Wutan City. You probably don't have anywhere to stay. Why not stay with the Xiao Family for now?"

Lu Chuan nodded his agreement.

Xiao Yan broke into a beaming smile.

"Great! I'll have someone prepare a clean Guest Room right away!"

With that, he hurried out.

Xun'er's thoughts were in turmoil, so she did not stay long. After making an excuse, she took her leave.

Before long, a Xiao Family servant arrived to lead Lu Chuan and Zhu Zhuqing away.

They passed through several corridors before reaching a luxurious Guest Room with its own small courtyard.

The courtyard was small but exquisite. Inside, the room was fully furnished and spotless.

As soon as they entered, Zhu Zhuqing eagerly sat at the table, opened the scroll, and examined the Cultivation Method.

"Shadow Prison Art" was a High Earth Rank, dark-attribute Cultivation Method. It excelled at concealing the user's figure and suppressing every trace of Dou Qi, allowing them to lurk in the shadows and strike when the opportunity arose.

The more she read, the more delighted she became. This Cultivation Method suited her perfectly. Unfortunately, she could not quite make sense of the Meridians and Acupoints it mentioned.

Lu Chuan found it amusing to watch Zhu Zhuqing's expression shift between delight and disappointment.

"Stop reading. You need to reach at least the Dou Zhe Realm before you can practice a Cultivation Method. Otherwise, your Meridians won't withstand the violent power of Dou Qi."

Zhu Zhuqing pressed her lips together. A flicker of frustration crossed her eyes, but she could only nod.

Then something seemed to occur to her. Her eyes brightened, and she suddenly looked up.

"Senior, if the problem is that Dou Qi is too violent for the body to withstand, what if we used Soul Power instead?"

Wait...

Lu Chuan drew a sharp breath, his eyes widening. Zhu Zhuqing's idea had genuinely stunned him.

The possibility had never even crossed his mind.

But the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Both methods absorbed external energy for cultivation.

People on Douluo Continent simply let their bodies absorb Soul Power, while people in Battle Through the Heavens circulated Dou Qi through specific Meridians before drawing it into the Dantian.

If Little Scumbag could cultivate Soul Power using the Mysterious Heaven Skill, which was meant for cultivating internal energy, there was no reason a Cultivation Method from Battle Through the Heavens could not do the same.

Lu Chuan sat down beside Zhu Zhuqing and stared straight into her eyes.

Under his steady gaze, Zhu Zhuqing's heart fluttered. She looked away awkwardly, unable to meet his eyes.