In the outer sect of Three Origins Sect, nestled among the surrounding mountains was a lake as clear as a mirror, with Chongshan Hall situated right in the center of this lake. This was the main place where outer sect disciples handled daily affairs and awaited assignments.
Passing through an inconspicuous small door at the side of the main hall and walking not far along a slightly dimly lit corridor, one would find the library of Chongshan Hall.
The library wasn't large and had simple furnishings.
Several rows of tall wooden shelves nearly reached the ceiling, densely packed with books and scrolls. The air floated with the mixed scent of old paper and wood, feeling somewhat stifling.
Against the wall were several long wooden tables and stools for people to read and copy texts. As soon as Chen Yu entered, he saw many disciples buried in writing something with their spiritual brushes.
Most of the books here were old, with yellowed and curled pages, recording mainly basic cultivation methods, sect rules, geographical records of mountains and rivers, as well as illustrated guides to common plants and minerals.
There were also precious technique books that required Dao Certificates to exchange for.
Chen Yu searched his entire body but couldn't produce a single Dao Certificate, so naturally these weren't his target.
In Three Origins Sect, cultivation was highly competitive, but there were also many benefits.
Compared to the foundational Open Yuan Treasure Scroll, the advanced techniques were much more sophisticated, initially involving complex principles like the movement of the five elements.
So now the question arose.
He only knew that advanced techniques could be obtained at the library, but no one had told him how to actually receive them.
Just as he was worrying, an elderly man leisurely approached within the library, glanced at him, and waved his whisk to shoo him away.
"Shoo, shoo, this is a quiet place for reading. What are you standing around foolishly for, junior?"
"I came to receive the sect's advanced techniques."
The long-browed elder looked him over again, reached out to check his pulse, and squinted his eyes.
"Hmm... abundant spiritual energy, such pure quality indeed indicates mid-stage cultivation."
"Come with me, old man."
The elder walked to the depths of the library, waved his whisk, and technique books trembled and floated down from the tall shelves.
He put on his reading glasses and picked up the ledger to register.
"Name."
"Chen Yu."
"Where do you live?"
"Emerald Bamboo Forest."
"Hmm... entered the sect four years ago, to achieve this cultivation progress, you must have put in considerable effort."
Indeed, he had put great effort into eating.
He just didn't know if eating diligently counted as serious cultivation.
"Before coming, did you understand how to choose advanced techniques?"
"Yes..."
"No need to answer hastily, let me explain it to you slowly."
The elder muttered, "In previous years, many disciples who chose the wrong techniques blamed this old man. This time I'll make it clear to you, so don't come complaining to me later if you regret it."
"Okay."
According to Chen Yu's understanding, choosing techniques was similar to choosing majors - no matter what major one chose, someone would eventually regret it.
Either the technique was problematic, or the teacher was problematic, but it could never be their own fault.
Of course, there were also fools who chose techniques in a moment of passion, and unlucky ones who lacked access to information.
The waters here were actually quite deep.
*Ahem, ahem...*
The elder cleared his throat.
"Listen well, young man, let me tell you about the difference between basic techniques and advanced techniques."
"That 'Open Yuan Treasure Scroll' you practiced is the most fundamental skill of the sect, used to warm and nourish your meridians, expand the 'pool' of your dantian, and build your foundation."
"The advantage is its balanced and moderate nature, impartial and unbiased."
"As for advanced techniques..." The elder smacked his lips as if remembering something troublesome, "they come in countless varieties."
"Divided according to the five elements, there are basic techniques like Green Wood Long Spring Art, Mysterious Water True Method, Departing Fire Heart Scripture, Earth Bearing All Things Canon..."
"At the same time, there are more complex dual-attribute techniques: Geng Metal Bing Fire Formula, Yi Wood Gui Water Scripture, Wu Earth Li Fire Art... there are many fancy names."
"Single-attribute techniques are easy to learn but difficult to master, while dual-attribute techniques are difficult to learn but easy to master. Which to choose, you should weigh yourself, depending on your ability and patience."
"I'll say this upfront..."
"If you choose correctly, that's your skill. If you choose wrong... that's also your own path. Don't come crying to this old man later - these old bones can't withstand the trouble."
"I want the Nine Ramparts Life Palace Formula."
In Xu Xuan Heaven, there was no concept of spiritual roots, or rather, the spiritual roots here were different from what he had imagined.
Cultivation theory held that every cultivator possessed complete five elements, meaning everyone had five-element spiritual roots.
It's just that these five-element spiritual roots were like five wooden sticks - some long, some short.
For example, those with long water spiritual roots had talent in the water element path.
Chen Yu's five-element spiritual roots were all the same length, meaning they were equally short. He could choose any attribute technique, entirely based on preference.
So naturally he would choose the earth-wood dual-attribute technique that suited him better - "Nine Ramparts Life Palace Formula."
The elder raised his eyebrows to look at him.
"Young man, have you thought it through? The prospects for earth-wood cultivation haven't been good for decades. With a century of peace and prosperity, no wars, no territorial expansion, earth-wood cultivators can only pick up repair work to get by, and the conditions are harsh."
"Many of your senior brothers were building spiritual vein mines on White Bone Mountain. Because the conditions were too harsh and monsters frequently harassed them, three more grabbed their buckets and ran away last year."
"I've made up my mind."
"You..."
The elder's whisk swayed in his arms as he shook his head and sighed.
"Fine, since you seem like a decent fellow, let me point you to a better path. Since your five elements are balanced, why not choose fire element techniques? First go guard monsters at Black Mountain Valley for twenty years. If you perform well, it's not impossible to transfer you back to guard the gate at Chongshan Hall."
"Uh..."
It takes twenty years of seniority just to guard a gate? This Three Origins Sect was competitive beyond reason.
"What, not satisfied?"
"Let me think... Ten Thousand Poison Cave needs a surveillance officer to watch the cave entrance and monitor monster movements. That cave is indeed quite dangerous. If you happen to have some alchemy talent, temper yourself for a few more years, and become familiar with poisons, you might be transferred back to Pill Hall and accepted under Elder Lin."
"..."
"Elder, don't worry, I won't grab my bucket and run away."
He never intended to seek employment after cultivating the Nine Ramparts Life Palace Formula, so he truly couldn't run away.
He had his own work - developing Zeyarila should count as a major project, right?
Though it was just developing his own swamp territory.
"Since you're determined, I won't try to persuade you further. However, these techniques are just the foundation. To truly manifest effects, you still need dao arts."
"Young man, have you prepared Dao Certificates? Dao arts aren't free."
"No."
Chen Yu answered very directly, because he had full confidence - he was quite certain he didn't have a single Dao Certificate.
The elder quickly glanced toward the doorway and lowered his voice.
"No doesn't matter. I'll exchange one Dao Certificate for ninety-five Broken Spirit Stones from you. If you miss this opportunity, you won't find another."
"Elder, do you also take side jobs?"
"What side jobs? It's perfectly reasonable for a retired old man to earn some spirit stones, right?"