Ning Zhuo arrived at a section of the Commerce Hall, attracting attention.
"Who is that young man?"
"White clothes, big head, judging by his appearance, he seems to be..."
"That should be Ning Zhuo. One of the top-tier newcomers emerging in this year’s Feiyun Conference!"
Many cultivators directed curious glances at him, either whispering among themselves or communicating via divine sense.
Ning Zhuo walked up to the counter.
The cultivator on duty behind the counter felt his heart pounding and quickly stepped forward, greeting, "Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo, are you here to buy or sell something? If you wish to make a discreet purchase, we can communicate via divine sense, and I will surely keep it confidential!"
Ning Zhuo smiled slightly, "Thank you, but that’s not necessary. I want to purchase some Confucian spells."
He did not use divine sense but communicated verbally.
The duty cultivator, seeing Ning Zhuo lacked any arrogance typical of a prodigy, felt a sense of warmth and quickly nodded, "I know, you have consecutively topped the Confucian cultivator trials twice. What Confucian spells do you want? I will find them for you right away. Or, if you have any ideas, I can offer you some humble advice."
"That would be wonderful. Thank you!" Ning Zhuo’s smile widened a bit, "I still don’t know much about Confucian cultivation. I came here to buy some spells that can help me impart knowledge to others."
The duty cultivator was slightly surprised, as Ning Zhuo’s request was unexpected.
Participating in the Xingyun Trial, shouldn’t he be eager to learn as much as possible himself? Why was he instead delving into teaching others?
"He is indeed a first-rate genius, naturally with ideas beyond the understanding of ordinary people." The duty cultivator thought to himself and immediately began searching, soon recommending a selection to Ning Zhuo.
This is the Golden Age of Cultivation.
The available Confucian spells amounted to dozens, and Ning Zhuo carefully selected eight of them.
These were: Master’s Snow, Ruler Discipline, Earnest Instruction, Initiation of Learning and Enlightened Wisdom, Severe Teacher Training, Teaching Whip, Inheritor, Inheritance.
The Master’s Snow Skill requires a foundation in Confucian cultivation, which Ning Zhuo currently lacks. But it can be complemented by setting up a related array to assist in its execution. If successful, the target cultivator can grasp the imparted knowledge thoroughly, as if stepping through a doorway, over a threshold, into the hall of enlightenment.
The Ruler Discipline Skill requires the use of a specific magic artifact, a ruler, to execute. It can teach useful knowledge through the tapping of the ruler.
The Initiation of Learning and Enlightened Wisdom Skill is a Confucian sacrificial method. Cultivators use images of Confucian sages, receive tuition fees from students, and then bestow upon them a specific piece of wisdom or knowledge.
...
"I’ll buy them all." Ning Zhuo took out spirit stones and paid on the spot.
Since acquiring Qinghuangzi’s inheritance, he had received a batch of spirit stones, enabling him to cover daily expenses and finally leaving behind the awkward situation of constantly relying on a Ghost Dao Golden Core.
"Take care." Under the gaze of the duty cultivator and others, Ning Zhuo leisurely left this section of the Commerce Hall.
Ban Jie sat by the window on the second floor of a tavern.
A flying message arrived, landing in front of her.
"Ning Zhuo came to Commerce Hall this time just to purchase some Confucian spells?"
Ban Jie scrutinized further, her brow slightly furrowed, "Why are they all methods for imparting knowledge to others? What is his intention?"
Ban Jie, as the Ban Family’s urgent special envoy, found herself puzzled by this information.
"Never mind that. Where is Ning Zhuo now?" Ban Jie touched the jade pendant at her waist, contacting her nearby subordinates.
Her subordinates, constantly monitoring Ning Zhuo, immediately responded, and the relay of intelligence quickly reached Ban Jie.
Then, as Ning Zhuo was walking midway, Ban Jie successfully appeared in front of him.
"Daoist Fellow Ning, please wait." Ban Jie blocked his path, "I am Ban Jie, a cultivator of the Ban Family."
Ban Jie proactively bowed and introduced herself.
She deliberately spoke loudly, so that people on a nearby southeast mountain peak, bustling with a market and crowded with people, could hear her.
Noticing Ban Jie’s commotion, many cultivators immediately took note.
"Look! It’s Ning Zhuo."
"Ban Jie? Someone from the Ban Family is here? And they actively sought out Ning Zhuo? Are they going to harshly reprimand this outsider?"
"Quick, let’s go, this will be interesting!"
"There were many rumors before, saying Ban Ji was envious of talent and secretly hired a demon cultivator to trouble Ning Zhuo. Now the Ban Family has sent someone directly."
Many cultivators grew excited, some casting detection spells, others simply setting off on floating clouds, leaving the mountain peak and drifting towards Ning Zhuo and Ban Jie’s location.
Ning Zhuo sized up Ban Jie, noticing the female cultivator wore a Hundred Resilient Heavenly Silkworm Robe underneath, clad in an Autumn Fragrance Cloud Robe, covered outside with Amber Silk Gauze.
Her eyebrows were thin like blades, and on her temples, two Mysterious Copper Eyebrow Nails were embedded as gear pivots, subtly rotating almost imperceptibly.
A sharp glint flashed in Ning Zhuo’s eyes, and he immediately became wary, quickly scanning the gawking cultivators flying over, before letting out a cold snort, "Ban Jie? What is your purpose here?"
A trace of perfectly measured sorrow and sincerity appeared on Ban Jie’s face, "The previous turmoil, my brother Ban Ji was framed! The so-called hiring of demon cultivators is actually a vile scheme by despicable people to provoke discord between the Ban and Ning families, such intentions are reprehensible! Our Ban Family is a prestigious clan and would never act in such a manner. If this misunderstanding is not resolved, both families will suffer, and the Righteous Path will be tarnished!"
Saying this, Ban Jie surveyed the entire audience before fixing her gaze back on Ning Zhuo, "Today Ban Jie humbly stands here, bringing the goodwill of my family’s elders, offering a modest gift to show sincerity, hoping to resolve the misunderstanding with Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo, turning enemies into friends."
"Daoist Fellow has unique insights in mechanisms and the Five Elements’ wonders, with a heart of zither and courage of sword, elegance and charisma unparalleled, truly inviting admiration and friendship."