Chapter 289: The Scripture Pavilion (Please subscribe)
Chapter 289: The Scripture Pavilion (Please subscribe)
The so-called contributions of the Green Wood Sect were much like the merit points of the Black Heaven Sect.
The various Foundation Establishment cultivators would complete missions for the Green Wood Sect, earn contributions, and then exchange them for their desired cultivation resources.
Zheng Tie felt a bit awkward upon hearing this; realizing he had inadvertently flattered the wrong person, he simply said no more.
Qian Laodao, meanwhile, swiftly handled the affairs: "Fellow Daoists, do you truly wish to join our sect?"
"Naturally. . ."
Fang Xi replied calmly.
"The Green Wood Sect is the hegemon of the State of Mu. I possess the ambition to form a Core, so naturally, I could only join. . . " Tie Jiu replied with a resolute expression.
"Excellent. . ."
Fang Xi took out two blood-red wooden tokens from the storage bag.
"Oh, right, there's also one that needs to be taken back and offered to the Ancestral Hall," Qian Laodao seemed to add casually.
These major sects naturally had their own methods for controlling their disciples.
Things like heart demon Dao oaths were, in fact, too slow to take effect and thus unreliable.
In the Green Wood Sect, it was standard practice to store the essence blood of all high-level cultivators.
Should a defection occur, they could use that drop of essence blood to track and capture the culprit. . . even employing the 'Nightmare Suppression Secret Art' from the demonic path to directly slay them.
Fang Xi feigned ignorance, squeezing two drops of fresh blood from his finger.
This blood was naturally not his own, but rather from the 'Human Chrysalis Skin'.
With the Divine Consciousness of a Core Formation cultivator, and utilizing the Blurring Pearl to weave illusions before these individuals, not even Senior Brother Fu, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, could detect anything amiss.
Buzz! Buzz!
After receiving the essence blood, fluorescent light shimmered on both wooden tokens, and each manifested a lifelike phantom image — astonishingly, both bore the likeness of 'Cao Chong Yun'!
"Hmm!"
Zheng Tie, Qian Laodao, and Senior Brother Fu stared at the scene without blinking. Only when they saw that the figures on both wooden tokens were identical to Fang Xi did they nod their heads.
On the other side, Tie Jiu had also completed the blood recognition ritual.
"Good, these two wooden tokens will be personally sent by this old Daoist to the Ancestral Hall for safekeeping. . . Alas, in the past, when two fellow Daoists joined, our Green Wood Sect would certainly hold a grand ceremony. . . and then you two would personally pay respects to Ancestor Lu Qing. But for now, everything will be simplified. . ."
Qian Laodao sighed, though his tone grew much more amiable as he spoke.
"It's the same if Ancestor Lu Qing summons us later. . . I heard that after becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the sect, one can go to the sect's Scripture Pavilion and freely obtain a cultivation method or a secret art?"
Tie Jiu asked forthrightly.
Wasn't this precisely why he joined the sect?
Joining while the Green Wood Sect was in turmoil meant gaining more importance, and more benefits!
As for danger?
Combat cultivators who had achieved Foundation Establishment on their own never feared it!
"That goes without saying! Not only that, the sect will also freely provide spirit vein cave dwellings. . . Afterward, with your wooden tokens, you both can proceed to the Scripture Pavilion and select any cultivation method or secret art. As for the cave dwellings, this old Daoist will assign them. . ."
Qian Laodao, chuckling, took out a jade plate.
After a stream of magical power was infused into it, fluorescent light immediately shimmered, transforming into a three-dimensional map of the Green Wood Forest area.
Within this three-dimensional depiction of the land, the main color was green, dotted with glowing white light spots of various sizes.
"These glowing white light spots indicate the locations of the cave dwellings. . . The brighter the light, the better the spiritual energy."
"Furthermore, red indicates that a dwelling is already occupied and cannot be chosen. . ."
Qian Laodao cupped his hands and made a 'please' gesture.
Fang Xi stepped forward, releasing his early-stage Foundation Establishment Divine Consciousness to scan the entire map.
‘First, I'll choose the one with the best spiritual energy. . . then one that's as secluded as possible. ’
‘The Green Wood Sect is truly wealthy. . . or perhaps too many Foundation Establishment cultivators died in previous battles? They actually have mid-grade third-order cave dwellings? ’
‘What a pity. . . it’s too close to Lu Qing’s ‘Nourishing Yuan Cave’, which would make everything inconvenient. . . ’
Fang Xi showed a hint of interest, reaching out to tap.
But just then, a dark hand stretched out from beside him and tapped on the mid-grade third-order cave dwelling: "This place is quite good, I, Tie, like it very much. . . Fellow Daoist Cao wouldn't take what someone else desires, would you?"
Tie Jiu looked at Fang Xi, his face full of defiance.
"Not at all, I haven't even chosen yet. . ."
Fang Xi thought for a moment, ultimately choosing a more secluded location.
"The Emerald Bamboo Grove?"
Qian Laodao was startled, then immediately nodded: "This place isn't bad either. . . Although the spiritual energy is a bit sparse, it is still of low-grade third-order quality, and as compensation. . . the spirit herb garden at the entrance of the cave dwelling is twice the usual size."
After selecting the cave dwelling, Senior Brother Fu, holding his newly acquired contributions, left with a smile.
Meanwhile, Tie Jiu also departed in a great hurry, seemingly eager to visit the Scripture Pavilion and select a cultivation method.
As a rogue cultivator, Fang Xi knew all too well the hardship of lacking advanced cultivation methods.
He and Zheng Tie, however, were not in a hurry to leave. Instead, they chatted casually with Qian Laodao for a while. As they were about to part, Fang Xi directly slipped a storage bag over: "I have just achieved Foundation Establishment and still require some time for quiet cultivation. . . Of course, as a sect cultivator, I should naturally serve the sect. My talisman-making skills are quite decent. . ."
"I see. . ."
Qian Laodao nodded, smiling. His Divine Consciousness swept over the storage bag, and he couldn't help but feel utterly satisfied: "Please rest assured, Junior Brother Cao. . . Our sect's miscellaneous affairs are vast and numerous. It's customary for new Foundation Establishment cultivators to have ten years of free time to familiarize themselves with the sect. Even after ten years, our sect's talisman tasks will remain very heavy; we urgently need talents like Junior Brother!"
“Many thanks! ”
Fang Xi cupped his hands, then departed with Zheng Tie.
"Worthy nephew. . . are you going to the Emerald Bamboo Grove first, or the Scripture Pavilion?"
Zheng Tie stopped in mid-air, asking with a smile.
"The Scripture Pavilion, I suppose. . . Although I already have a main cultivation method and have no wish to change it, I'm still very interested in the sect's secret arts."
Fang Xi replied with a slight smile.
"Oh? I see. . . Well, I happen to have something to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."
Zheng Tie cupped his hands, making no inquiry about Fang Xi's cultivation method.
After all, for cultivators, such things were considered 'private'!
...
"The Green Wood Sect?"
"This sect's spirit vein is indeed excellent. . . particularly well-suited for wood-attribute cultivation methods."
Fang Xi watched Zheng Tie's departing back. Casually changing into the Green Wood Sect Foundation Establishment deacon's attire from the storage bag Qian Laodao had given him, he then took out a jade slip map and gracefully flew towards the Scripture Pavilion.
The Scripture Pavilion was located in the southeastern corner of the Green Wood Sect, surrounded by enormous spirit trees.
These giant trees, each lush with branches and leaves, were so thick they almost required three people to encircle them, completely enveloping the ancient and elegant Scripture Pavilion.
Fang Xi didn't even need the keen eye of a formation master to know that this was certainly a formidable array within an array!
‘The Green Wood Sect's sect-protecting grand array is the mid-grade third-order 'Myriad Sea Bamboo Forest Array'. . . If I were to break it, it would still take some effort. ’
‘But there's no need to break it. Just a 'Earth-Shaking Treasure Talisman' within the array. . . and the entire Green Wood Forest would be turned upside down. . . Then Lu Qing wouldn't even be my opponent. ’
‘This is true stealth. . . If I'm ever discovered, I'll just flip the table; no one will be able to stop me! ’
Possessing such formidable strength, Fang Xi was naturally very relaxed as he entered the Scripture Pavilion.
"Stop! This is a restricted area of the Scripture Pavilion. . ."
Two gate-keeping disciples, each holding a wooden token, guarded from within the glowing light. Seeing Fang Xi dressed in the Green Wood Sect Foundation Establishment attire, the words they were about to utter to stop him died on their lips, and they hesitantly bowed: "This Senior Uncle. . ."
"This is my identity token. . . I've come to the Scripture Pavilion to exchange for a secret art."
Fang Xi had already decided that in the future, Cao Yun Chong's main cultivation method would be the 'Green Wood Longevity Art'.
After all, this cultivation method existed in White Peace Immortal City and also in the State of Mu, appearing to be widely circulated.
"So it's Senior Uncle Cao, please enter!"
After the gate-keeping disciples inspected the wooden token, they nodded to each other and waved a wooden token.
The glowing light parted, revealing a passage wide enough for only one person to pass through.
Fang Xi walked through, emerging outside the Scripture Pavilion, just as he saw Tie Jiu stepping out, a hint of joy on his face. . .
"Fellow Daoist Tie. . ."
He nodded in greeting with a smile.
Tie Jiu's expression turned solemn, and with a nod of his own, he departed from the Scripture Pavilion.
Fang Xi shook his head, then, with hands clasped behind his back, walked into the Scripture Pavilion.
On the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion, numerous bookshelves encircled the space, arranged in the shape of a Bagua. In the center, a dozen or so wooden tables were set out, where Green Wood Sect disciples were either reading or transcribing books.
Fang Xi didn't linger, heading directly to the second floor, where there were far fewer people.
Furthermore, an identity token verification was required to pass through, and the various skill inheritances found there had reached the Foundation Establishment level.
He first came to the cultivation method section and casually browsed.
"Wood Armor Art, Azure Origin Chant, Green Wood Longevity Art. . ."
Fang Xi's eyes flickered as he took out the Green Wood Longevity Art's cultivation method, only to find that it contained merely the Qi Refinement portion, with a note stating that the subsequent parts needed to be exchanged for at the Scripture Pavilion's guardian elder.
This was to be expected. He flipped through a few pages, and after finding the content consistent with what he had previously learned, he lost much of his interest.
However, just as he was about to put down the book, Fang Xi's gaze flickered as he saw the introduction on the title page of the Green Wood Longevity Art:
"The 'Green Wood Longevity Art', its magical power is balanced and gentle. . . It originally came from the 'Wood Origin Sect'. . . The 'Wood Origin Sect' once dominated the State of Mu for a period, later destroyed by our sect. It is rumored to have once obtained the inheritance of some ancient grand sect. . ."
"Could it be. . . that this 'Green Wood Longevity Art' also originated from the Nine Leaves Sect?"
"Or perhaps this Three Kingdoms region was too deeply influenced by the 'Nine Leaves Sect'; no matter what kind of wood-element cultivation method or secret art. . . all of them, more or less, have some connection to it."
Lost in thought, Fang Xi walked out of the cultivation method section, came to the miscellaneous books section, and started browsing again. . .
Although most of the books on the second floor only contained introductions, the foundation and accumulation of a Core Formation sect still greatly broadened Fang Xi's horizons.
Several hours later.
He held a book on geomancy and land surveying, and reluctantly put it down:
"So, the formation of spirit veins requires the power of natural creation, often taking tens of millions of years of effort. . ."
"However, one can also artificially seek out and create spirit veins. The prime examples are Feng Shui masters and Dragon Seekers. . . these are all among the hundred arts of immortal cultivation. . ."
"Even simpler, one can find a 'supreme-grade spirit stone'. Such spirit stones not only contain extremely abundant spiritual energy, but can also continuously draw spiritual energy from heaven and earth. . . even influencing the surrounding environment to form a small spirit vein. . ."
"If there is no supreme-grade spirit stone, then by using other 'spirit eye' items—such as spirit source pearls, spirit springs, or spirit trees—as the core. . . combined with formations and consuming a large amount of spirit stones, a similar effect can also be achieved."
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