I Live Forever In The World of Cultivation World - Chapter 16: Cultivation Arts

In Ping’er’s mind, as soon as one obtained spirit stones, the priority should always be to convert them into cultivation progress.

At the early stages of Qi Refinement, advancing one’s cultivation was the most critical task.

But what she didn’t know was that He Song was completely different from her and other cultivators.

Cultivators defy the heavens for a chance to live longer. To achieve this, they must convert every possible resource into cultivation progress.

Failing to break through to extend their lifespan before their natural limit meant inevitable death.

Under such constant threat of mortality, most cultivators dedicated all their resources to advancing their cultivation, seeking greater strength and longevity.

This was why cultivators often spoke of phrases like “My fate is mine, not heaven’s” or “To go against heaven is the path of cultivation.” Their limited lifespans forced them into this desperate struggle for survival.

Without such efforts, death was certain.

However, He Song was different.

With eternal youth and endless longevity already in his grasp, the looming specter of death no longer constrained him.

Though he still sought to advance his cultivation, he no longer felt the same urgency.

He knew spirit stones could accelerate his cultivation, but knowing and doing were two different things.

The Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market was safe, and the region under the control of the Vast Earth Sect was relatively peaceful.

While there had been minor conflicts, such as a skirmish among Foundation Establishment families over a newly discovered mineral vein, these disputes were swiftly resolved once the Vast Earth Sect intervened.

This demonstrated the overall safety of the four immortal cities under the Vast Earth Sect’s jurisdiction and their respective markets.

In such a secure environment, He Song’s plan to save spirit stones and invest in introductory books on cultivation arts to earn more was perfectly reasonable.

He and Ping’er simply viewed the matter from different perspectives, neither being wrong in their reasoning.

However, Ping’er couldn’t easily understand He Song’s mindset.

After leading He Song into the Honored Guest Hall and serving him a pot of fine tea, Ping’er left, still puzzled, to prepare the materials he had requested.

The room was small but exquisitely furnished.

Every piece of furniture exuded faint spiritual energy, indicating that they were all crafted from spiritual materials.

Although the materials didn’t seem to be of high grade, spiritual materials were inherently far more valuable than mundane ones.

Gently stroking the surface of the table, He Song’s eyes glimmered with envy.

“When will I be able to afford furniture made of spiritual materials like this?”

The Spirit Techniques Pavilion must be extraordinarily wealthy.

He Song picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.

The taste was extraordinary!

The tea transformed into fine threads of spiritual energy upon entering his body, subtly increasing his cultivation level.

If he could drink such tea regularly, He Song believed his cultivation speed would improve significantly.

“I wonder what this tea is called. If I earn enough spirit stones, I’ll definitely buy some in the future.”

Having made up his mind, He Song continued sipping the tea as he patiently waited for Ping’er to return.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long.

Soon, Ping’er returned, carrying a tray filled with various books, and placed it beside him.

Ping’er placed the tray on the table, casually picking up the nearest book.

“This is Introduction to Alchemy,” she explained. “It contains recipes for three pills: the Fasting Pill, the Qi Nourishing Pill, and the Minor Spirit Enhancement Pill, as well as basic alchemical knowledge.”

“This is Introduction to Crafting. It includes methods for creating one offensive and one defensive artifact, along with foundational knowledge of artifact crafting.”

“This is Introduction to Talismans, which covers the creation of three types of talismans: the Thick Earth Talisman for protection, the Golden Sword Talisman for offense, and the Swift Step Talisman for escape, as well as the basics of talisman crafting.”

“This is Introduction to Formations, containing diagrams for three Formations: the Spirit Gathering Formation, the Five Elements Formation, and the Maze Formation, along with a comprehensive introduction to Formation theory.”

“This is Introduction to Beast Taming, which includes techniques for luring, attracting, and controlling beasts, as well as the methods and materials needed to craft items for drawing in spirit beasts.”

“This is—”

As Ping’er’s melodious voice introduced each book, He Song’s gaze swept over them, evaluating their contents.

Introduction to Alchemy included three pill recipes:

Fasting Pill: A non-graded pill to suppress hunger.

Qi Nourishing Pill: An early stage Qi Refinement pill for cultivation enhancement.

Minor Spirit Enhancement Pill: A pill to aid in breaking through the bottleneck to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement.

But alchemy required a cauldron and numerous rare herbs, expenses that He Song couldn’t afford, so he dismissed it outright.

Introduction to Crafting was similarly impractical for him. Crafting demanded a forge and expensive minerals—well beyond He Song’s current means.

Introduction to Talismans caught He Song’s interest.

Thick Earth Talisman: For protection.

Golden Sword Talisman: For offense.

Swift Step Talisman: For escape.

A perfect combination!

But the required tools—talisman brushes, inks, and specialized papers—were too costly. This option, too, was set aside.

Introduction to Formations, on the other hand, seemed feasible.

Formation setups didn’t require significant upfront investment. Setting up a Formation involved inscribing Formation patterns on spirit stones or other mediums and embedding them in specific positions.

Once constructed, Formations only needed periodic replacement of spirit stones to remain operational.

Additionally, learning Formations didn’t require purchasing expensive materials, making this a viable option.

Introduction to Beast Taming was also tempting until He Song learned about the cost. Attracting and taming beasts required special materials that were quite expensive.

Given the commonality of beast taming in the cultivation world, these materials were in high demand, and their prices reflected that.

The cost of materials for taming a beast could rival the price of purchasing a beast directly from the Spirit Beast Pavilion, a facility specializing in capturing and selling spirit beasts.

Spirit Beast Pavilion tokens guaranteed control over the beast’s life, ensuring no risk of rebellion.

Without interrupting Ping’er, He Song continued to listen as she explained each option.

After some time, when the explanations finally ceased, He Song looked up to see Ping’er gazing at him with a faintly aggrieved expression.

Pausing to consider, he reached for the teapot and poured her a cup of tea.

“Ahem,” He Song began with an apologetic smile, “Many thanks for your detailed explanations, Daoist Ping’er. Please, have a sip of tea to refresh yourself.”