Chapter 218 – The Book of All (2/2)
However, there would be a day when he would stand before her. In the eyes of regular cultivators, this was a distant objective beyond their reach, but he did not feel discouraged at all. Instead, it filled him with ambition.
At the very least, he had taken another firm step forward. Li Qingshan said, “I’m still inexperienced, so I don’t know much about the matters regarding cultivation, such as some rankings about spiritual springs. Do you have any books that specially cover this area of knowledge so that independent cultivators can patch up what they know?”
Li Qingshan realised that he had a severe lack of understanding in this area through the time he had spent here so far. The Spiritual Springs guide was just an example of lesser significance. Out of all the spiritual herbs underground, he could not even recognise any of them. He did not even know their value, or how to use them. He obviously had to make up for this aspect properly now that such a good opportunity was presented before him.
The old man smiled. “You’ve come to the right person for that.”
He took out another scroll of bamboo slips and passed it to Li Qingshan. It was also a catalogue. Apart from the Spiritual Springs guide, there was a Spiritual Artifacts guide, as well as a Daemons and Beasts guide, which truly enlightened Li Qingshan. One of them was a book that recorded the appearances and effects of spiritual herbs called the Classic of Herbal Medicines, which was what Li Qingshan needed desperately. To him, the importance of this knowledge was no less than a cultivation method.
However, these books were even more diverse than cultivation methods. Just the books that detailed spiritual herbs numbered in the dozens. Each book was by a different author, and some of them even had conflicting information.
“What would you recommend, uncle? I’m looking for a complete collection or an encyclopedia.”
“Definitely!”
As a result, Li Qingshan spent almost another hundred spiritual stones to purchase a jade slip. The name of the jade slip was the Book of All.
Apart from introducing various spiritual herbs and spiritual artifacts, the book also recorded knowledge regarding culture and geography, the detailed history of the Great Xia empire, the information of various famous people and stories, and even miscellaneous gossip like rankings of beauties. It truly contained everything.
With a book in hand, Li Qingshan felt like his future had only become clearer and clearer.
The other Qi Practitioners became even more shocked. The rosy-cheeked man said, “What extravagance, sir!” He had managed to cough up two hundred spiritual stones without even being fazed. Was he really an independent cultivator?
The old man’s smile grew even wider. It was not often that he would have such a great transaction. As it seemed, coming to the Green Vine mountain really had been the right decision. “Is there anything else you require, sir? Though, I really can’t think of anything else I could sell to you.”
Li Qingshan said, “Do you have any books on the classics and scriptures of buddhism?”
“I do!” The old man immediately pulled out a jade slip from his hundred treasures pouch. “This book is called the Canon Depositary. It’s a compilation of all the buddhist scriptures and classics in the world, compiled by the masters of the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga. I’ll give it to you for free!”
“Thank you then, uncle!” Li Qingshan accepted the jade slip and was about to take his leave. The old man suddenly grabbed Li Qingshan by his sleeve and shoved a paper book into his hand.
Li Qingshan wanted to say something, but the old man cut him off, “Don’t ask anything. Look at it once you get back!” His expression was slightly unnatural.
Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up, and he stowed the book into his hundred treasures pouch.