Qin Tiexin stood at the crossroads, looking at the bustling young faces in front of him, and went through the information about Star Selection in his mind.
Star Selection is mainly for the Myriad Stars Dynasty local Foundation Establishment Realm monks. After passing the certificate, they will be assigned to garrison positions in the military or local areas. They need to bear certain responsibilities, but they will also receive Spirit Stone and resource allocation from the dynasty.
In Heavenly South Domain, the control and mining rights of Spirit Vein are all in the hands of the Dynasty. In the Qi Refinement Realm, it is okay to save some Spirit Stone through transactions and scattered tasks. But in the Foundation Establishment Realm, the quantity and quality of Spirit Stone required for cultivation have reached a higher level, and only the official channels of the Dynasty can provide stable supply.
Even sect monks need to undertake tasks assigned by the government in exchange for Cultivation Resources. Only when they reach Golden Core Late Stage or even Nascent Soul Realm can they have a certain degree of independence and autonomy and form a cooperative relationship with the government.
But the pass rate of Star Selection is extremely low. Some of the places are occupied by internal recommendations from Illustrious Dao Ward universities. Although the remaining places are relatively fair, they have to go through five rounds of screening and have a pass rate of 100%. Among the smug faces on the street, only one can pass in the end.
But this has nothing to do with Qin Tiexin. He calculated his situation and found that Spirit Stone is quite abundant and Cultivation Resources is not lacking for the time being. More importantly, he will stay here for a short time and will return to Azure Xuan Region after having his arm treated. Participating in such a public event as Star Selection runs counter to his purpose of hiding his identity.
He withdrew his gaze and continued walking along the main street.
After crossing two side streets, he stopped at a relatively quiet section of the road. In front of him was a three-story wooden building, built entirely of spiritual wood, with a light cyan spiritual light faintly flowing in the wood grain. There was a red sandalwood plaque hanging on the lintel, engraved with four words - Imperial Dao Arts Workshop.
The facade is not like a shop, but more like a small Library Pavilion. The doors and windows are closed tightly, and no sound can be heard from inside. The monks passing by here unconsciously lower their steps, and even the voices of conversations are lowered a bit.
Qin Tiexin pushed the door open and walked in.
Inside the door was an extremely spacious lobby, but to his surprise, there were no Cultivation Method Jade Slip or counter shelves. Several landscape paintings were hung on the walls, and the floor was covered with a dark gray soft carpet, which was silent when stepped on. There were several Taishi chairs and tea tables placed against the wall, making it more like a private parlor of a certain family.
Qin Tiexin was stunned for a moment, and even took half a step back to look at the plaque outside the door. He was right.
"Master, welcome to Imperial Dao Arts Workshop."
The voice came from deep in the lobby, with a hint of charm, neither strong nor light, just enough to make people's ears feel slightly numb. Qin Tiexin followed the sound and saw a woman walking up the stairs.
She looks to be in her mid-twenties, but the age of the cultivator is hard to say. Her actual age may be more than double. She is wearing a dark green dress that is extremely well-tailored. The neckline is not low but the curvature of the cut is just right. The skirt material is light and thin, which outlines the perfect body curve. There is a dark gold thin chain tied around her waist. Every time she takes a step, the thin chain sways gently at the waist.
Her appearance is extremely beautiful, not the kind of exquisite and flawless beauty, but there is a natural charm in the corners of her eyebrows and eyes. The casual charm in her gestures is more attractive than the deliberate charm. It is a mature charm that has been polished by the years. There is a natural lazy smile between her eyebrows, like a cat that has just woken up.
Her cultivation level is only Foundation Establishment Early Stage, and she is holding a jade pendant-shaped Law Artifact in her hand. The surface of the jade pendant is glowing with a very faint green light.
Ling Shuyao
The moment Qin Tiexin walked in, the jade pendant in her hand shook slightly. She glanced down and found that Qin Tiexin's cultivation level was roughly at the level of Foundation Establishment. In terms of physical cultivation, it was Qi and Blood Realm.
The anti-detection runestones worked. The opponent did not detect his specific cultivation level, but the general level of the Foundation Establishment Realm was sensed.
The female cultivator's eyes swept over Qin Tiexin. She was a one-armed warrior monk, wearing dark gray robes, with a calm and restrained aura, not angry or intimidating. The smile on her face adjusted slightly, and the natural charm was still there, but her posture had changed from a lazy pace to an upright standing posture, her back was straightened a bit, and her tone became half casual.
The speed of the face change made Qin Tiexin sigh in his heart. In the Myriad Stars Dynasty, everyone has their own unique survival skills.
"I wonder if master wants to choose Cultivation Method or martial arts?" Ling Shuyao bowed slightly, his attitude impeccable.
There was a hint of natural soft and waxy tail in her voice, not a deliberate charm, but a natural voice. The tail was like a feather gently brushing against the ear, and Qin Tiexin felt a slight heat deep in his lower abdomen. He quietly bit the tip of his tongue, and the sting suppressed the inexplicable heat.
This person is really amazing. It is not a charm technique, but a pure natural charm. There is no malice, and it will not make people defensive, but it will make people sink unconsciously. Just like walking on the road and seeing a very beautiful woman, a person will take a second look, and then willingly pay more Spirit Stone.
Qin Tiexin mentally raised his expected price for this store and gave himself a shot.
Ling Shuyao's eyes flashed with a trace of almost imperceptible surprise.
She has been staying at this Imperial Dao Arts Workshop for five years. This is her aunt's property. This is the first time she has seen someone break away from her natural charm so neatly. Most monks will notice that something is wrong, but often choose to enjoy it for a while, and unknowingly spend more Spirit Stone. However, the monk in front of him immediately withdrew his hands as if he had been burned, and his recovery speed was abnormally fast.
"Excellent." Qin Tiexin put up a palm with one hand, "The poor monk would like to choose some Buddhist martial arts."
"Understood, is it for you, master?" Ling Shuyao's eyes paused for a moment on the empty sleeve on his right shoulder.
"Exactly."
Qin Tiexin looked around, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Where is your store's Cultivation Method Jade Slip...?"
Ling Shuyao smiled, the curvature of the corners of his lips was just right. "The master doesn't know something. Cultivation Method martial arts are related to each monk's trump cards and secrets, so Imperial Dao Arts Workshop are not publicly displayed. All transactions are conducted one-on-one in a separate room. The room is equipped with a unique array to isolate all prying eyes. Only you know what kind of Cultivation Method the customer chooses, how much he buys, and how much he spends on Spirit Stone. We will never disclose it to anyone. This is the reputation of Imperial Dao Arts Workshop that has been in business for hundreds of years."
Qin Tiexin nodded, this method is new, but it is indeed safe.
"Master, please follow me."
Ling Shuyao turned and walked towards the stairs, Qin Tiexin followed behind her. As she went upstairs, her skirt swayed slightly, and thin chains jingled at her waist. Qin Tiexin's eyes crossed her waist and landed on the potted plant at the corner of the stairs, a neatly pruned green needle pine with curved branches and green needles.
The second floor was quieter than the first floor. There were closed doors on both sides of the corridor, and each door was engraved with a light golden soundproof pattern. Ling Shuyao led Qin Tiexin to a door in the middle of the corridor, opened the door and invited him in.
The room is small but extremely elegant. There is a table and a chair, and a copper incense burner is placed on the table. A piece of incense is burning in the burner, and the green smoke curls up. The smell is clear but not offensive. There are several pots of spiritual flowers and spiritual grass in the corner of the room. The leaves are green and floating in the air. The faint fragrance of flowers mixes with the scent of the incense burner, making people relax involuntarily. There is a picture hanging on the wall, a word "quiet", the writing is steady and powerful, but at the level of Qin Tiexin, it is not good or bad.
Qin Tiexin sat down on the chair, Ling Shuyao picked up the teapot that had been prepared on the table and poured him a cup of spiritual tea. The tea was pale gold in color, with a very fine white mist, and a rich but elegant medicinal fragrance hit his nostrils.
Qin Tiexin picked up the teacup and put it to his nose and smelled it, his heart skipped a beat. This tea was not made from ordinary spiritual tea, it was at least mixed with Foundation Establishment Pill's auxiliary drug "Jade Marrow Vine", and it was quite old. At Azure Xuan Region, such a pot of tea costs at least one piece of Spirit Stone. I don't know if Heavenly South Domain medicinal materials are too cheap, or if this store is rich enough to use Foundation Establishment Pill auxiliary medicines to make tea for guests.
Ling Shuyao stood in front of the table, bowing slightly. The extent of her bending was within the normal range of etiquette for entertaining guests, but the cut of the skirt collar revealed a little extra advantage at this moment.
"What kind of Buddhist martial arts skills does a master need?"
Qin Tiexin picked up the tea cup and took a sip, looking at her calmly, not hiding, but his eyes always only fell on her eyebrows, not even scanning any lower place.
Ling Shuyao waited for two breaths and finally confirmed one thing. She secretly laughed in her heart: Well, this is a real monk. No, real monks are not as sure as him.
"It's good. It can be used for physical training, including boxing, palm and stick techniques." Qin Tiexin put down the tea cup.
"Okay, Master, please sit down for a moment while I go get some suitable martial arts for you to review." She bowed slightly, exited the room, and gently closed the door.
There was a slight clicking sound when the door closed, and the soundproof array immediately lit up, blocking out all sounds from the outside world.
Qin Tiexin sat alone in the room, picked up the tea cup and took another sip. The tea was warm, and at first there was a bitterness unique to Jade Marrow Vine, which then melted into a hint of sweetness at the base of the tongue, and a warm Spiritual Qi flowed into Dantian along the throat and spread slowly. It is indeed a good tea, and it is indeed brewed with good medicinal materials.
He put down the tea cup and thought about it silently. This Imperial Dao Arts Workshop is quite grand. From entering the door to going upstairs to receiving the reception in a separate room, every step is meticulous. For a store of this level, the price will definitely not be cheap.
He regretted it a little. When he passed by the alley just now, he saw a few Rogue Cultivator stalls. There were also a few old Cultivation Method Jade Slip on the stalls. Although the quality was average, it was cheaper than before. If he had known better, he should have gone there to buy it first.
He made up his mind. If the price quoted by Ling Shuyao was too outrageous later, he would find an excuse to reject it, and then go to the alley to buy two of the cheapest ones to make do with. Anyway, these Buddhist martial arts were just showmanship for him. When it came time to actually take action, the only ones he could really rely on were Edgeless and the three-legged kick technique.
The footsteps outside the door came from far and near, and stopped at the door, followed by a gentle knock on the door.