In a side hall of the Duan family estate, rows of bookshelves stood, each laden with so cultivation thods.
Since this was not the core repository of the family, the selection of cultivation manuals was limited. Yet, each to was of at least the Golden Core stage.
Duan Que led Chu Xuan to a set of shelves. "Fellow daoist Huikong, here are several Buddhist cultivation thods collected by our Duan family. You can rest assured, practicing these thods will not draw the ire of any sects."
Chu Xuan nodded with a smile. Many cultivation thods were closely guarded secrets within their respective sects. Should these secrets be leaked, the original sect would likely exact furious retribution.
However, there were also common techniques, or partial thods that could not be fully practiced without further instructions from the sect.
Such dissemination was inconsequential and often forced cultivators of these thods to seek tutelage under these sects to learn the complete technique.
As the saying goes, the most expensive things co for free—a truth Chu Xuan was well acquainted with.
His gaze swept over three mid-tier Golden Core stage thods available to him:
1. "Gilded Lotus Seal" - Minor accomplishnts allowed the cultivator to form a protective golden lotus, while major accomplishnts could condense a glistening glass-like armor, making it a versatile offensive and defensive technique.
2. "Heartfire Karma Sutra" - This thod transford rit into karmic power to unleash boundless karmic flas against enemies, boasting formidable strength.
3. "Mahayana Swift Escape" - This technique specialized in escape and evasion. Ordinary in offense and defense, but if one expended rit, the speed could be enhanced to rival that of a Nascent Infant stage cultivator.
Truthfully, it was a difficult choice. All three thods were mid-tier Golden Core techniques and considerably effective, not just filler among Golden Core techniques.
Moreover, upon reviewing them briefly, Chu Xuan noted that while none of these thods could elevate his cultivation to the ninth level of the Nascent Soul, each could definitely advance him to the ninth level of the Golden Core.
For the ti being, this was sufficient. Once he reached the Nascent Soul stage, he could always search for new thods.
"I shall choose the 'Mahayana Swift Escape,'" Chu Xuan decided after much contemplation, selecting the technique specializing in evasion that best suited his needs for the Golden Core stage.
Duan Que was sowhat surprised. He had expected Chu Xuan to choose the "Gilded Lotus Seal," but instead, Chu Xuan opted for the "Mahayana Swift Escape," a technique that consud rit to significantly enhance evasion capabilities.
Wasn't rit considered incredibly precious? Many Golden Core cultivators strived desperately to accumulate it, hoping to weaken the heavenly tribulations they would face when attempting to form their Nascent Soul.
Yet, Huikong seed to regard his own rit as sothing to be expended freely.
Facing Duan Que's puzzled look, Chu Xuan rely smiled. rit, to him, was just sothing he had in abundance—enough for his needs.
The "Mahayana Swift Escape," after consuming rit, could enhance his evasion to levels comparable to a Nascent Infant cultivator. For him, this was what mattered most. Even if he couldn't defeat a Nascent Infant cultivator, he could at least escape from one.
"It's settled then," Chu Xuan nodded.
Seeing his decision, Duan Que didn't press further. At that mont, he received a ssage from Duan Cang.
"Form his bone age, this person is nearly three hundred years old, not quite exceptional. His cultivation is only at the early stage of the Golden Core, albeit with physical cultivation as well. But compared to Yuanming from Celestial Sound Zen Temple, he falls short."
Duan Que sighed quietly. Had he misjudged the situation?
From a young age, he possessed a talent for recognizing potential. Several overlooked talents within the Duan family had risen through the ranks due to his discernnt, even nearing his own level of accomplishnt over ti.
Chu Xuan casually asked, "Fellow daoist Duan, is there a problem with my joining the Duan family?"
Duan Que gave an awkward smile, "You guessed it?"
Chu Xuan just chuckled.
In a low voice, Duan Que explained the situation with Yuanming from Celestial Sound Zen Temple. "Celestial Sound Zen Temple does not favor the worship of unusual Buddhas, and your Golden Dragon Temple venerates the Dragon Buddha... so..."
Duan Que looked troubled.
Chu Xuan waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine. I never planned on joining any faction when I ca to Righteous Dao City."
With those words, Chu Xuan strode confidently toward the exit of the Duan estate. Duan Que started to follow, but Chu Xuan waved him off without turning back, "No need to see out."
Reluctantly, Duan Que stopped.
Duan Cang, who had silently approached during the conversation, spoke calmly, "We have given him a mid-tier Golden Core technique, which is respectful enough. Let us not dwell on this matter any further and focus on awaiting the unearthed treasures."
Duan Que sighed deeply, "Yes..."
Chu Xuan was about to return to his cave dwelling when he noticed three cultivators approaching from a distance, also heading to their respective dwellings. Their abodes were adjacent to his. As they noticed Chu Xuan, a look of surprise crossed their faces.
The fair-faced cultivator bowed with a smile, "Are you the revered monk Huikong who recently arrived in Righteous Dao City? A pleasure to et you! I am Xiao Fengxian, a Golden Core stage talisman master."
The couple beside him also greeted him, "We've heard of you, fellow daoist Huikong. I am Liu Zhuo, and this is my Dao companion, Jin Chan."
Chu Xuan nodded, "Indeed, I am Huikong."
Xiao Fengxian continued with a smile, "I heard that the Duan family intends to take you as an honorary elder. I have also received an invitation from the Duan family. Should the opportunity arise, I would be pleased to collaborate with you, fellow daoist."
Liu Zhuo and Jin Chan also expressed their interest, "Although we are not honorary elders of the Duan family, we hope to collaborate with you too, fellow daoist Huikong."
Chu Xuan rely smiled and waved his hand before entering his own dwelling. These three were likely unaware that the Duan family had not truly accepted him as an honorary elder.
Seeing Chu Xuan's dismissive departure, Xiao Fengxian's face twitched with embarrassnt, but he said nothing.
Liu Zhuo muttered quietly, "This Huikong... seems sowhat aloof, perhaps feeling superior now that he's associated with the Duan family."
"Let's not speak ill behind his back," Jin Chan chided, shaking her head as they entered their dwelling.
Xiao Fengxian bowed to them and lingered his gaze on Jin Chan for a mont before returning to his dwelling.
Several days later, the news that Tianyin Zen Temple's Yuanming and Golden Core talisman master Xiao Fengxian had both beco honorary elders of the Duan family spread rapidly.
The Duan family, being the most powerful in Righteous Dao City, provided significant privileges to their honorary elders. Many cultivators were envious of Yuanming and Xiao Fengxian.
In contrast, despite his close interactions with Duan Que, Huikong did not beco an honorary elder, which beca a subject of quiet ridicule among other cultivators. Even the other two major families in Righteous Dao City, the Bai family and the Qin family, showed no interest in inviting Huikong, likely due to Tianyin Zen Temple's well-known exclusivity and the potential risk of offending Yuanming by associating with Huikong.
During this period, only Duan Que visited Chu Xuan several tis to exchange information about the extraterritorial battlefield. He also hinted that the increased numbers of Nether Crocodiles were a sign of an impending ergence of a treasure—an opportunity that might arise anywhere between three to ten years, advising Chu Xuan to stay alert.
...
"Success! My life-bound magic treasure, the Sky-Shielding Umbrella, is finally complete!"
Chu Xuan looked at the large umbrella radiating an aura of chilling darkness in his hands, a smile crossing his face.
With ample ghost soldiers to feed the nine-inch Yin Soul Bamboo, and his superb artifact refining skills, along with a modest amount of rit used in the process, crafting the Sky-Shielding Umbrella had been almost effortless.
Now that the treasure's ergence might take at least three years, it was ti for him to venture to the Soul Star.
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