Chapter 217 – Choosing a Cultivation Method (1/2)
Li Qingshan closed his eyes and thought nothing. He seemed to have returned to the black water again, during those three days and nights he chased the blackwater salamander.
His heart was like water. Before him, behind him, to the left and to the right, everything was flowing water.
Ebbs of realistic waves rapidly gushed into the surroundings. The Qi Practitioners in the store all retreated subconsciously and circulated their true qi to protect themselves. Only when the wave passed through them did they discover that it was just an illusion composed of blue light.
The waves even rushed out of the store and onto the streets. The passing Qi Practitioners were all dumbstruck as they looked at one another in shock.
“What’s going on? How can such a powerful illusion appear when testing for the five elements?”
“Who knows how many talented prodigies there are in the world that you and I can only be envious of. Let’s stop wasting time. Let’s buy our pills and get ready for seclusion. We have to stand out in the Herb Gathering ceremony this time.” The Qi Practitioner by his side glanced at the bookshelf again before pulling away his companion.
The old man said slowly, “You can stand up now, fellow cultivator.”
Li Qingshan stood up and asked politely, “How’s it, uncle? Which cultivation method suits me?”
To cultivators, picking a suitable cultivation method was basically ten times more important than a regular person picking a suitable wife. If a regular person married the wrong wife, they could divorce, and if that did not work, they just had to endure a few decades at most. However, if a cultivator chose the wrong cultivation method, that could potentially cost them a few hundred years of additional life, or it could cost them their lives in battle.
Li Qingshan was extremely careful about this too. His knowledge was lacking, so he obviously had to ask a professional.
The old man stowed the scroll away slowly and said, “I’ve tested numerous constitutions for independent cultivators across all these years, but there have only been a handful who have demonstrated the same amount of talent as you! If you choose to cultivate Gui Water true qi, you’ll definitely make rapid progress, and the water elemented techniques you use will be much more powerful than others too!”
Li Qingshan knew that he was not some outstanding prodigy. It was probably due to the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression. When he practised the ability of a daemon, he seemed to gain the nature of the corresponding daemon. The spirit turtle was a divine beast of the water that could control the ocean as easily as a child playing in a bathtub.
No one would believe him if he told them. Apart from a select few spiritual herbs, never had they heard that practising a certain cultivation method could alter someone’s talent. Talent was something bestowed to a person by the heavens Although hard work could make up for a lack of talent, it could not increase talent. However, the abilities that the black ox had taught Li Qingshan had completely changed his body and race. In comparison, talent only seemed insignificant.
“I only know of the Gui Water Method of Condensing Qi out of the water cultivation methods. Do you have any better cultivation methods to recommend, uncle?” Everyone wanted an ultimate cultivation method that was stronger than the generic one.
Thoughts flickered through the old man’s eyes. “Actually, with your talent, joining a sect or finding a master that specialises in Gui Water true qi won’t be difficult at all. You don’t have to buy a cultivation method from me. For example, one of the schools in the Academy of the Hundred Schools specially requires their disciples to practise Gui Water true qi. I just happen to know the leader of the school…”
Li Qingshan said in admiration, “You truly are a wise and kind man, uncle, an intellectual I say. However, I’m used to my freedom. I don’t want to be tied down.” He lowered his head and studied the scroll of bamboo slips again. With a thought, various water elemented cultivation methods were listed before him.
These cultivation methods were not too expensive. Even the more expensive ones were just a few dozen spiritual stones, while the cheaper ones went for around just a dozen or so spiritual stones. The spiritual stones he had earned from selling the water earlier were enough for him to buy a copy of the Gui Water Method of Condensing Qi.
Qi Practitioners were still at the primary stage of the cultivation world after all. The cultivation methods for practising qi were not some divine arts or secret manuals. They obviously would not be excessively expensive. And, to someone who had grown rich overnight like Li Qingshan, he did not find a few dozen spiritual stones to be particularly expensive. Who knows just how many years regular independent cultivators needed in order to save up that much.
There were a few other prices on all of the cultivation methods, breaking them up into sections. For example, the first three layers of the Gui Water Method of Condensing Qi only cost five spiritual stones.
The Qi Practitioners in the store looked at one another and whispered among themselves.
“If that’s the case, let me think about it. You can take a look first!” The old man looked down, as if he was disappointed by how Li Qingshan insisted on buying his cultivation methods. However, he seemed to ease up as well. He stroked his beard in thought. A fine piece of jade like him would have a limitless future awaiting him with the correct cultivation method.
Li Qingshan was wealthy, so he immediately looked at the most expensive one. Although the priciest would not always be the best, it would never be too bad either.
“Arts of the Boundless Ocean. One hundred and ten spiritual stones. High demand on talent. Must conjure waves at the very least when testing for the five elements, and it is extremely difficult to practise. However, upon success, the true qi becomes fierce like the tide, utterly boundless.”