IInstructor Fei carefully listened to Tian Mingyun's demands on what kind of Cultivation Technique would be ideal for the other four. Instructor Fei knew every single book here and had a grasp of all of their contents. As such, he could easily list off recommendations.
"For Hou Yun, it would be best to check out the books with the shelf to your third left after walking straight, but only the bottom two shelves, as the rest focus on reducing weight for the sake of stealth. Among them, I would advise that he learn the Black Mud Quagmire Cultivation Technique. It focuses on the Earth energy." He then kept listing one for each.
"For Yanku Zhimei it is not fit for a girl who is beginning such a Cultivation journey at a later age to cultivate Yuan or Huo Energy, Huo energy will be difficult for her to Cultivate which would fit her demands the best. Yuan energy is also of the Huo, but it will not suffice, and it would be even more difficult to cultivate because she is not a man. The Lightning Cultivation Arts may be her best bet, at the shelf right in front of you, all 12 of those books. Though, I would advise that she learn the Mortal Flash Cultivation Technique." He was about to keep speaking until he looked over at Yanku Zhimei.
She looked rather upset for being outright told that some Cultivation Techniques were outside of her reach due to her already being 16 years old. Instructor Fei had no patience or intent to discuss things with her, so kept speaking.
"For Huoli Jingzi, one can certainly Cultivate the Dao of the Heavens through the Dao of the Sword, but this is beyond such a sect like ours or a place like this. Even the Imperial Capital would have only a handful of Orthodox Sects that Cultivate the Dao of the Sword. Instead of being a Sword Cultivator, he should learn a solid foundational Cultivation Technique here and then learn Sword Arts after becoming a Cultivator properly. The first shelf to the left is full of Cultivation Techniques that are unremarkable, yet certainly balanced. I would advise the Patient Heart Berserk Mind Cultivation Technique for him." Now, Instructor Fei finally arrived at the fun part, Huoli Yue. Of course, he completely ignored the disappointment of Huoli Jingzi, he had no interest.
"Huoli Yue, for you there is a need to go up to the second floor and look for the bookshelf with the purple rope hanging from its corner. There you will find the Uncanny Revival Cultivation Technique. Normally, only those picked by one of the Suns of the Sect are allowed there, but your background calls for an exception. If you manage to enter the Qi Condensation Realm one day in the future, you will be a great asset to the Sect. This is a great opportunity." He said this with great glee and excitement, which upset Huoli Yue.
"What does the Uncanny Revival Cultivation Technique do?" She had a bad feeling before even asking the question, but she would certainly not get excited over such an evil sounding Cultivation Technique.
"Oh, it is a precious one. Once one reaches at least the Qi Condensation Realm while Cultivating the Technique as their first Cultivation Technique even before they complete Circulation, then they will get an innate sense for constructing Jiangxi! I remember that the book even claims that a Cultivator of it can even discern a body's quality from a glance. If you can manage it, you would be the first one to be able to construct Jiangxi within the Sect! You could easily advance within the Sect and Cultivate in peace without ever going out and risking your life!" Instructor Fei's excitement was clear as his voice got louder and the other kids looked in horror at the mention of Jiangxi.
Huoli Yue was horrified. How could she Cultivate and study for years, all for the sake of gaining the ability to disturb the peace of the dead? What would her training so far to become an Ancestral Rite Shaman even mean then? However, Tian Mingyun and Huoli Jingzi touched her back discreetly. This was no time to be moral. They had to survive first and foremost.
Instructor Fei faked a cough and settled down his voice. He then spoke to Tian Mingyun calmly.
"What about you? Skin Refinement Realm or not, I doubt you have a Cultivation Technique of your own." Instructor Fei said.
Tian Mingyun replied with a relaxed sigh. This was the kind of reaction he had wanted, to be underestimated so that he could hide the fact that he had memorized the Venom of Ascension Cultivation Technique. But, it was still true that he would need another method. Venom of Ascension was simply a means to use Venom Arts to Cultivate faster, it did not Cultivate any particular energy.
"Haaa... I have indeed managed Circulation, but I lack a Cultivation Technique indeed. I would like one that could endure impurities, poisons, or venoms. Ideally, one that also bolsters my defense, even if the path is not fast, I would much rather walk it safely." Tian Mingyun even bowed, making sure to flatter Instructor Fei.
Instructor Fei thought for a moment, then replied.
"Since you are the first to bow since I explained the rules, I will be honest with you. The Vital Thread Cultivation Technique allows even a Flesh Refinement Realm Cultivator to survive with a dagger in all major organs. However, it does not accelerate Cultivation in the least, instead, it focuses on a superior understanding of the energies and the veins. Making it possible to form new blood vessels within the body as if growing hair once one reaches the Qi Condensation Realm, as well as making injuries a tad faster to heal on their own, though any Cultivator heals their injuries faster the higher up in the Refinement Realms they go, it is slightly more so for the Vital Thread Cultivation Technique. But, be warned you forgo both a rapid advancement in Cultivation or any offense." Instructor Fei was surprisingly easy to praise and get to the good side of. Though his eccentricity was clear to all when he got excited to the point of yelling over Huoli Yue potentially learning a previously unstudied Technique.
Tian Mingyun and his group soon left, walking off to find the shelves and books mentioned, except Huoli Yue. However much she detested the idea, she walked upstairs on her own to get the Uncanny Revival Cultivation Technique. She knew that she had to do her best to survive here, and to keep her brother alive as well. Luckily, she knew how to read, even if she could only do so slowly, due to her Ancestral Rites Shaman training to read and write simple talismans.
Tian Mingyun headed to find the perfect Cultivation Technique for Huoli Jingzi first. Tian Mingyun sat in front of the bookshelf and quickly started skimming through the Patient Heart Berserk Mind Cultivation Technique. Before long, his face soured as the others impatiently waited for his review.
"The final pages clearly warn that this Cultivation Technique will grant you great mental control and clarity for a couple of decades, but it will then start driving you insane unless you reach Qi Condensation Realm by then. Avoid this, Huoli Jingzi."
Tian Mingyun might have been small in age, but he was not bad at judging benefits and gains. Huoli Jingzi would lose his sanity after being a useful tool for the Immortal Pursuit Demonic Sect for two decades. He would gain nothing by learning this.
Huoli Jingzi nodded, waiting for Tian Mingyun to skim through more books on the shelf for a Cultivation Technique that would not be harmful to Huoli Jingzi. After an incense stick's worth of time, he found such a book.
"Huoli Jingzi, this is the Dragonfly Focus Cultivation Technique. This is great for you! It improves your speed and senses, but the speed of your actions and the quickness of your senses instead of a more general improvement. We were all at the arena, I think we all know that such a technique befits you the best after seeing you fight. The effects will also increase as you Cultivate into higher realms." Tian Mingyun declared with joy. He could feel his general understanding of Cultivation improve as he merely skimmed through such books.
Huoli Jingzi was glad, he took the book with a smile and thanked Tian Mingyun with a shallow bow. They were all kids, Huoli Jingzi could not help but imagine himself catching the falling snow on the tip of his sword like in the stories, or slashing a flying arrow.
The next would be Hou Yun, they walked to the shelf that had the Cultivation Technique that İnstructor Fei had advised for Hou Yun was at together as well. Tian Mingyun skimmed through the Black Mud Quagmire Cultivation Technique and was mumbling as he read things half out loud to himself, a side effect of having spent most of his life as a mute and now looking for an excuse to use his voice.
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"The important thing... The side effect of which... Loss of sense of balance..."
Hou Yun placed his hand on Tian Mingyun's shoulder and spoke while pointing at the page.
"Fully read out what that sentence about sense of balance said, please." His tone was not rude, but urgent. Tian Mingyun complied.
"Cultivating this Cultivation Technique beyond the Bone Refinement Realm will drastically increase one's weight, making one man weigh as much 2 forging cauldrons. However, it will result in a loss of sense of balance for the rest of one's life." As soon as Tian Mingyunn said those words all three kids beside him clicked their tongues in annoyance.
Tian Mingyun did not know, but Hou Yun and Yanku Zhimei knew because they practiced Body Arts while Huoli Jingzi knew because he held a sword in his life. One could not fight without balance. This rule applied even to Cultivators, could even a Marrow Refinement Realm Cultivator fight against a few archers if he could not stand on his own two feet properly? Would a lion be able to chase a tortoise if it was too clumsy to even crawl? This Cultivation Technique would eventually cripple its user, it assured that one would be a temporary tool if they learned it, just like the prior book recommended by Instructor Fei.
The alternative that Tian Mingyun found was the Formless Cyclone Cultivation Technique. Oddly enough, it was a Metal element Cultivation Technique despite its name and utilized Jin Qi when Cultivated beyond the Qi Condensation Realm. Hou Yun listened to its properties while Tian Mingyun explained.
"The Formless Cyclone Cultivation Technique improves one's grabbing and holding abilities. However, this hold is unlike a monkey grabbing a branch, but more akin to a lizard walking upon a flat wall. The very surface of the body becomes adhesive, despite the lack of any wood glue or resin. This applies to the soles of one's feet as well as their hands." Tian Mingyun was stopped by Hou Yun.
"This is perfect, I shall pick this one if it does not cripple me like the one prior." Hou Yun said this, but Tian Mingyun failed to understand his excitement. What was so great that this was perfect? Tian Mingyun had only picked it out because it seemed the least harmful to the Cultivator. Tian Mingyun did not bother asking why, he simply explained the drawbacks.
"You will require a Jin Energy rich environment to gain any benefits once you reach the Blood Refinement Stage, the book mentions this stage to be extremely difficult to breakthrough unless Cultivation is done in a Jin Energy dense location, but it should not be much more difficult beyond that point or until then." Tian Mingyun explained calmly, he was getting a hang of what Energies meant as he kept reading today.
Hou Yun gladly took the book and also lightly bowed. The reason for his quick decision was due to a memory in his childhood. While practicing, his father had made Hou Yun roll a log, which was extremely difficult and took incredible effort. Yet, the moment his father stripped off the bark that was no thicker than a finger's width, the log rolled as if it was oiled up. His father had explained this to You Yun in simple words.
"One is only as heavy as how much as they manage to hold onto the floor. Even the heaviest wrestlers will topple on their butts if you put them on an oiled plank, whereas 4 men could not push them from their spot before."
Hou Yun knew that this Cultivation Technique would not increase his weight, yet it would improve his wrestling and grappling more than getting heavier ever could.
The next was Yanku Zhimei. She was upset that everyone could find such befitting techniques, her hopes were dim because she took Instructor Fei's words to heart. She could not Cultivate the most optimal path just because she was born as a girl, or because she had gotten too old compared to a 10 year old like Tian Mingyun who could choose any path.
However, Tian Mingyun was still making diligent effort for her sake, he studied the Mortal Flash Cultivation Technique with great focus to try to weigh its losses and benefits. He then spoke with a sour expression.
"Older Sister Yanku Zhimei, this might be a good path for you if you do not value your next of kin. While the Jin Energy that this Cultivation Technique Cultivates is certainly potent from what it says, even making it so that one's moves become invisible to the eyes after a certain point, it will also cause the Jin Energy to go rampant inside of you. Male or female, this Cultivation Technique will make you both infertile and prone to mood swings. But, it states that one's fertility may return if they can control their Jin Energy perfectly after they reach the Qi Materialization Stage. Hmm... It also says the fertility of all Cultivators is lower than a Mortal..." Tian Mingyun suddenly looked sad for himself as well, had he become less fertile before even growing old enough to use his spear?
Yanku Zhimei thought about it. She had no intention of having children before breaking out of this place and seeing all of her little sisters and brothers happily married, including Shupi Juren. But, she was not fond of having mood swings. One had to look at a battle with either calmness or blinding rage, anything in between would get one killed. She shook her head, implying Tian Mingyun should look for a different one.
This was the reading session that took Tian Mingyun the longest, partly because he was reading the basic theories written in each book out loud, just so all of them could start having a better understanding of Circulation and Cultivation. When Tian Mingyun finally found the perfect Cultivation Technique Book for Yanku Zhimei after reading a dozen of them, Yanku Zhimei instantly knew as well.
The book was very elegant and decorative. It had golden thread sewn into its leather cover and it was bound by a red ribbon that seemed to be some sort of treated silk. The pages were all soft and one could even smell a rose scent from it. Upon its cover, there was a blood red peony flower painted on with incredible detail and dozens of petals.
The Cultivation Technique Book was hard to comprehend for Tian Mingyun, but he read it out loud for Yanku Zhimei to listen to, it seemed to be the reciting of a wedding. This sounded just like a theatre play to Yanku Zhimei's ears. However, she could easily picture the events in her mind after listening to it once, whereas she had needed several recitations to memorize anything beforehand, let alone be able to picture it in her mind.
A girl, more beautiful than the first flake of snow falling in Winter, and more delicate than ice it was made of, was born into a village remote from both people and riches. Yet, she lived not a day in poverty as she was cherished by all around her, gifted a life of luxury without ever demanding it by the hands of those who were too poor to feed their own children.
When she was at the age of 16, finally a man dared to try and court her. He was talented both with the blade and pen, yet hated by the Heavens. Wherever he went, a storm of rain and lightning followed. He was a beauty among men, the way she was so among women. They coupled with one another during hundreds of nights spent covering away from the Heavens. Yet, the very night they dared marry under the moonlight, the husband was taken by the Heavens as lightning struck.
She of all joy and luxury. She who only knew happiness and abundance. She who had never tasted loss before, dared rebel against the Heavens in her fury. She never once removed her red dress as she picked up her husband's blade. From the way the Heavens made her a widow, she declared herself a bride. With great beauty and will, she pursued the rain wherever it went and painted the streets as red as her crimson dress.
She, the Bride of the Stormy Wedding fought against even the droplets of rain until her blade could smite the clouds with blood red lightning. Only then, did she go to her husband's grave and wear a white robe to start mourning, burying his blade alongside him.
Yanku Zhimei was mesmerized, she did not care for what drawback this Cultivation Technique had, she simply started looking at the few drawings on it depicting poses on how it could be Cultivated. She had already memorized all the words from what Tian Mingyun had read for her. She was like a woman possessed, her instincts screaming at her to learn this.
Tian Mingyun and the rest were confused. They did not even understand how this counted as a Cultivation Technique, had they failed to comprehend something that she could? Tian Mingyun picked up the Vital Thread Cultivation Book. They were ready to leave since Huoli Yue had returned as well, but suddenly a hand grabbed Tian Mingyun's shoulder.