Countless worlds rose and fell within the boundless World Sea.
Each world was an independent miracle, containing unique laws, civilizations, and the paths of their rise and decline.
A weak world might contain only a single continent surrounded by a few stars, its laws delicate and easily disturbed; a powerful world encompassed countless stars, its laws interwoven like iron walls, its foundations unfathomable.
The ranks of worlds were not assigned by people, but determined by their strength and principle source. Low-ranked worlds were born at dawn and died at dusk, like mayflies, while high-ranked worlds stood like beacons in the World Sea, radiating their influence to draw in and permeate other worlds.
Fuli Heaven was one of the highest-ranked worlds. At every moment, it observed other worlds before corrupting them.
This process could not proceed without the participation and assistance of its native factions.
The resources and treasures of other worlds were immensely precious to cultivators. Their cultivation systems could also offer insights that helped cultivators perfect their techniques, develop divine abilities, and advance along the Great Dao...
Whether they enlightened another world so that Fuli Heaven could corrupt it, or brutally invaded and plundered it before ultimately annexing it, their actions received the support of the Heavenly Dao.
Within Fuli Heaven, three supreme powers stood above its countless sects and governed its order.
The Heaven's Will Sect, the Great Evolution Dao Sect, and the Duo'e Sect.
Of the three, the Duo'e Sect was the most zealous in this undertaking and employed the cruelest methods, making the worlds beyond turn pale at the mere mention of Fuli Heaven.
Likewise, the most dangerous and lucrative missions within the sect involved invading other worlds. Even a Qi Refining cultivator, given enough luck, could return from a single mission with bowls and pots overflowing with riches, free of any worries about reaching Foundation Establishment.
After hearing Jiang Yunya's explanation, everyone's heart surged with excitement. A hundred Spell Coins seemed... truly not that much.
"Senior Brother, I'll borrow those hundred Spell Coins!" At last, a blue-robed youth among the nine spoke up first.
Jiang Yunya nodded in satisfaction. "Good. You've got the right attitude." He swiped a finger across the jade talisman, then continued, "Junior Brother, take a look at your token."
The youth hurriedly took out his token. After studying it for a moment, he suddenly paled and cried, "A hundred and thirty Spell Coins! Why are there thirty extra?!"
"Don't worry. The identity token is worth thirty Spell Coins. This is the sect's benevolence: you junior brothers have special permission to use it first and pay later, interest-free," Jiang Yunya reassured him.
Hearing this, Chu Mo hastily picked up his token and examined it closely. At the very bottom, he found a line written in tiny characters:
[Spirit item debt: thirty Spell Coins | Term: one hundred and eighty days | Time remaining: one hundred and seventy-nine days, eleven two-hour periods]
His vision went dark for a moment. The sect's benevolence truly was everywhere.
The blue-robed youth beside him could only resign himself after hearing the explanation and turn his attention to the cultivation techniques before him.
After carefully reading the introductions on the bamboo slips, he eagerly picked up the Black Serpent Molting True Heart Scripture, sat cross-legged on the floor, and began studying it.
With someone taking the lead, the others all agreed to borrow the money.
Jiang Yunya looked at Chu Mo, who had remained motionless beside them, and asked curiously, "Junior Brother, do you still have concerns?"
"May I ask, Senior Brother, is choosing a technique mandatory?" Chu Mo asked tentatively.
"Not exactly, but the Zhou Tian Qi-Gathering Method is an introductory technique. If you use it as your primary cultivation technique, not only will your progress be slow, but your spells will also be weaker than those of other disciples."
Jiang Yunya said earnestly, "If this continues, not only will your cultivation fall far behind your fellow disciples, but you won't even be able to complete most sect missions.
"Qi Refining cultivators have a lifespan of only two hundred years. Fall behind by one step, and you'll lag behind at every step. You should think this through carefully."
"I'd like to earn some Spell Coins first, then choose a technique." Chu Mo paused briefly before raising his head and saying frankly,
"If I happened to be unable to repay the debt, what became of me would be a minor matter. But betraying your kindness in standing guarantor for me, Senior Brother-that would be an unforgivable offense!"
Jiang Yunya gave Chu Mo a long, searching look. Only when Chu Mo began feeling uncomfortable all over did he speak. "Are you certain you won't choose a technique?"
"I'm certain," Chu Mo said firmly. He lowered his eyes and glanced at the panel only he could see.
[Character information] Player: Chu Mo Techniques: Zhou Tian Qi-Gathering Method, Dawncloud One-Qi Profound Cavern Scripture, Myriad Forms Treasure Body Art, Black Serpent Molting True Heart Scripture.
Earlier, when Chu Mo's hands had touched the three bundles of bamboo slips, a [Learn?] option had appeared in his vision. Once he confirmed, three new cultivation techniques had appeared on his panel.
Chu Mo closed the panel and gave Jiang Yunya a look that said he would never regret his decision.
Seeing this, Jiang Yunya said no more and turned his gaze toward the others studying their techniques.
"Why does this only have the first three levels?! Was there a mistake?" The blue-robed youth who had been the first to borrow spoke in surprise.
Hearing this, the others hurriedly flipped through the techniques in their hands.
"Mine only has the early Qi Refining portion too!"
"So does mine!"
For a moment, everyone spoke at once, filling the room with noise.
"Ahem." The old man, who had silently watched Jiang Yunya's performance, gave a light cough, silencing the discussion.
"Only after passing an Otherworld Assessment and formally becoming Outer Disciples will you be eligible to exchange for the remaining content," the old man said indifferently.
"But we've already paid the Spell Coins," the blue-robed youth ventured cautiously.
"Outside the sect, a complete low-grade spiritual cultivation technique costs at least a thousand Spell Coins. You expect to exchange a hundred Spell Coins for a complete technique? You must be dreaming."
The old man gave him a disdainful glance. "Once you've chosen your techniques, hurry up and leave. Don't stay here being an eyesore."
At the old man's rebuke, the youth shrank back and dared not say another word.
"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Brother Li. I'll take them to the Servant Disciples' courtyards now," Jiang Yunya said with a smile.
"Oh, don't mention it. Fellow disciples ought to help one another." The old man smiled. "Junior Brother Jiang, remember to give Senior Brother Song my regards."
"Haha, I certainly will."
In front of a picturesque courtyard, Chu Mo jumped off the Spirit Cloud.
"Junior Brother." Jiang Yunya called to stop Chu Mo. "If you change your mind, you can come find me at any time. Going without a primary cultivation technique is ultimately not the proper path."
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I'll be sure to keep it in mind," Chu Mo replied promptly.
Jiang Yunya nodded and sent the Spirit Cloud rising into the air once more.
Chu Mo watched the Spirit Cloud recede. Only after Jiang Yunya's figure disappeared did he push open the courtyard gate.
The Servant Disciples' courtyard was far more refined and beautiful than his previous lodgings. Adorned with exotic flowers and unusual plants, it brimmed with spiritual essence, making it an excellent place to cultivate.
The only blemish on this otherwise perfect arrangement was that he had to pay the sect one Spell Coin in rent each month. Without the money, he would have to move out.
Following the directions, Chu Mo found his room. Before entering, he glanced at the tightly shut door opposite and murmured, "I wonder what my neighbor is like. Hopefully, they're easy to get along with."
This courtyard housed two people, and a fellow disciple had already moved in before he arrived.
"Considering how the sect trains its disciples, living with someone else doesn't feel very safe."
With a slight headache, Chu Mo shut his door securely. This wooden door hardly looked capable of keeping a cultivator out.
The room had all the basic furnishings, along with various decorative ornaments that calmed the mind and soothed the soul. Of course, none of these items belonged to Chu Mo. If he damaged them, he would have to compensate the sect at their listed prices.
"Which one should I cultivate?"
Chu Mo sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion and studied the three new techniques on his panel. After a brief consideration, he made his choice. "The Dawncloud One-Qi Profound Cavern Scripture."
Even setting aside its enticing ability to increase his chances of reaching Foundation Establishment, the other techniques, such as the Black Serpent Molting True Heart Scripture, either required a human cultivation cauldron to progress quickly or came with unsettling descriptions about becoming comparable to Spirit items.
Whichever way he looked at it, the Dawncloud One-Qi Profound Cavern Scripture seemed more reliable.