Chapter 703 - The Real Myriad Of Techniques
"Wow… Just how massive is this place? I cannot even see the end of the room from here!" Yuan mumbled in a dazed voice.
"Can you even call this a 'room'? There's a clear sky as the ceiling!" Chu Liuxiang said as she stared at the sky above them.
"That's not a real sky. It's only an illusion created by the formation." Feng Yuxiang said.
"What's the point of that?"
"For the atmosphere, I guess."
"There's also a lot more people on this floor." Yuan said.
"How does one find the cultivation techniques they are looking for in this vast place? It would take days if not longer to check every shelf in here."
Just as Yuan asked that question, he noticed that not far away from them, there was a stall with the sign 'Customer Support' written on it.
"Nevermind. Let's go over there."
"Hello, how may I help you?" The woman working the desk greeted them when they got close.
"Hello, I am wondering if there's a map or something that could help us navigate this place." Yuan asked her.
"This must be your first time here. Give me a second."
The woman reached under her desk and retrieved a jade slip before handing it to him.
"You will have all the information you need inside. If you're looking for a certain cultivation technique or a certain category, it's all there."
"Thank you." Yuan accepted the jade slip.
"There's something else you should know about this place." The woman continued.
"Looking at the place now, you might be thinking that this place is massive, but that's not entirely correct."
"What do you mean?"
"The Myriad of Techniques itself is actually a formation, so what you're seeing isn't always the truth. Look in that direction." The woman pointed north.
"Do you see that stall all the way in the distance?"
"Yes, I see it."
"Well, all the cultivation techniques from here to there are unique, but once you reach that stall, the cultivation techniques will be the same."
"Huh?" Yuan raised his eyebrows in a puzzled manner.
"Although you cannot see it, there's actually a wall that separates us. We're essentially inside a giant invisible box, and this invisible box is separated by hundreds of smaller invisible boxes, and inside each box is technically a store of its own, but it contains the same cultivation techniques as every other box."
"That's…" Yuan was speechless by this complex information.
"I know it's a lot to take in and understand. In simpler terms, we're currently inside a massive store that has many smaller stores in it, and each of these stores contain the same content. It's so the store doesn't become too crowded."
"Wow, that sounds like how parallel universes would work. We're currently in one store, but there are many other stores exactly like this one, and it's all in the same place. Can we go to the other stores from here?" Chu Liuxiang suddenly asked.
"Yes, but there's really no point, since you won't find anything new there." The woman nodded.
"How do you decide which room the customer goes to? Is it random?" Yuan then asked.
"Not exactly. It will depend on your destiny and where you entered the store from," she said.
"Is this how the previous three floors function?"
"Yes."
"No wonder why there were barely any people on those floors… Turns out there were other stores and we just couldn't see them." Yuan mumbled in a dazed voice.
"I cannot imagine how many stores there are in this place…" Chu Liuxiang shook her head.
"It's actually not as bad as you expect. Not everyone in the Nine Heavens is allowed to use the Myriad of Techniques, after all. In fact, out of a hundred thousand people, perhaps around ten of them would be allowed to enter this place."
"There are 2,000 stores on this floor, and we're currently at floor number 9."
"Eh? Really? I didn't know that, since everyone I know was allowed entrance." Yuan said.
"It's either a coincidence or they know someone who has a strong enough destiny to alter their fate, allowing them to enter." The woman smiled.
And she continued, "There are some really powerful people out there who can alter others' destiny just by being with them."
"I see…"
"Anyways, if you need help with anything else, you know where to find me."
"Thank you for all the information." Yuan said to the woman before leaving her alone.
He looked into the jade slip a moment later, and sure enough, information about the fourth floor began flooding into his head.
"Do you guys want any techniques? If you have something in mind, just let me know and I will see if it's available." Yuan said to the others afterward.
Feng Yuxiang and Xiao Hua shook their heads.
Lan Yingying said, "I am still trying to fully master the one from last time."
" Thank you for the offer, but I have already received more than enough from you. I cannot rely on you for everything." Min Li said.
"Since nobody else wants one, I will take one! I don't have any cultivation techniques, anyway." Chu Liuxiang said.
Yuan nodded and asked her, "What kind of techniques are you looking for?"
"I'm not sure."
Yuan began pondering.
"What style do you prefer? For example, I use the sword and dagger, so I would prefer using sword and dagger techniques."
"I don't really specialize in any weapons," she said.
Yuan then looked at the experts for help.
"Are there any suitable techniques for cultivators that don't use weapons?"
Feng Yuxiang nodded, "Yes, there's a lot. Most cultivators who don't use weapons can only rely on their internal energy to fight, and most cultivation techniques out there use internal energy."
"What's the difference between internal energy and spiritual energy?" Yuan asked.
"Well, spiritual energy is what we absorb, and internal energy is what spiritual energy becomes after being absorbed and refined. In essence, it's our cultivation." Feng Yuxiang explained.
"But to be honest, they're pretty much the same thing. Some people prefer calling it spiritual energy while others call it internal energy.. In the end, it's all about preferences."