The gray-robed elder fixed his gaze on Li Yan and said, "Within this pavilion, any cultivation technique or immortal art marked in green is free—only those marked in other colors require an exchange for spirit stones."
Li Yan listened, half understanding yet still confused. He glanced over at Li Wu Yi, who smiled and responded on his behalf: "Master Gu, I'll explain all of that to him shortly."
"Very well. You may both proceed inside," the elder said with casual ease. With a languid wave of his hand toward his back, a swirling black vortex suddenly materialized midair behind him. The vortex hovered silently, rotating slowly—a mysterious, almost otherworldly gateway that hinted at secrets beyond mortal ken.
Li Yan couldn't help but stare, his eyes wide with trepidation. Though he could vaguely discern the vortex's purpose, the sight of that dark, swirling maw—like the gaping mouth of some monstrous beast—sent a chill racing down his spine.
Before Li Yan had time to react, Li Wu Yi stepped forward confidently, grasping his arm. In one fluid motion, the senior leaped from the ground and soared directly into the vortex. Shocked and disoriented, Li Yan felt his head spin; when he next opened his eyes, he discovered that he now stood in an upper chamber—a loft-like space measuring roughly seven to eight zhang. Slowly, he began to survey his new surroundings.
He and Li Wu Yi now found themselves in the center of this chamber. Behind them, the black vortex continued its slow, almost hypnotic rotation. In front of them loomed three staircases ascending upward. As Li Yan's mind pieced the fragments of his past experience together, he guessed that this space might function much like a storage bag—a separate realm altogether. Perhaps that vortex had served as a teleportation array, whisking them from Xiao Zhu Feng to another secret location. His limited experience led him to entertain these possibilities.
A gentle voice then spoke. "Junior Brother, this is the Treasure Pavilion. The left staircase among the three leads to the Collection of Scriptures Pavilion, the middle to the Treasure Artifact Pavilion, and the right to the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion. Judging by their names, you know exactly what their purposes are."
Li Yan nodded slowly as his eyes shifted over the three staircases. The entrance to the left staircase glowed with a soft white light, the middle shone with a gentle yellow luminescence, and the right exuded a faint blue radiance.
"Let's go," said Li Wu Yi as he lifted his foot toward the staircase on the right. Excitement fluttered within Li Yan's heart—this moment marked his very first official step into the world of immortal cultivation. He hastened to follow his senior.
As the pair reached the entrance of the stairwell, something unexpected occurred. A sudden flash of white light briefly enveloped Li Wu Yi, and in that instant, he vanished from sight. When Li Yan himself stepped forward onto the stairs, he immediately sensed an invisible force. It was as though he had collided with an unseen barrier—a force field that repelled him backward by two steps. Taken completely unawares, he nearly ended up sitting on the ground; his expression was one of utter shock. He recalled all too clearly how Li Wu Yi had entered without even the slightest interruption. Could it be that even here, a formation array was at work?
Cautiously, Li Yan stepped forward another two paces. He raised a finger toward the diffused white light and pressed gently. In that split second, it felt as if his fingertip had encountered a nearly imperceptible, transparent membrane—one that was surprisingly elastic. No matter how hard he pressed, the barrier didn't break.
He retracted his finger and pondered the mechanism for a moment. It wasn't that he required the use of a token from his waist; he hadn't seen the senior brother produce any such object or any related aura. Determined, he drew upon his spiritual energy once more and thrust his finger back toward the membrane. This time, after a brief moment of resistance, his finger seemed to pierce through the invisible sheet and, for an instant, vanished from view. Remarkably, Li Yan felt no physical pain. When he slowly withdrew his finger, it reappeared as if nothing had happened at all. Now understanding the method of entry, he gathered his spiritual energy—his entire body now shimmering with a dark, resolute glow—and stepped forward onto the staircase.
As the white light slowly faded, Li Yan discovered that he had arrived in another chamber. There, Li Wu Yi stood at the front with his arms folded behind him, his back turned in silent assurance. Li Yan couldn't help but feel a pang of self-reproach. Here he was, having poured every bit of his spiritual energy into gaining entry, while Li Wu Yi had seemingly passed through with a lightness, as if he were drifting through a gentle cloud.
Li Wu Yi, without turning back, simply waited for Li Yan to join him—almost as if this were a quiet test of his junior's ability. According to the rules, entry into this chamber required at least a third-tier Congealing Qi status; otherwise, one needed to be escorted. Just yesterday, Li Wu Yi had heard that Li Yan's divine sense could already separate from his body at such an early stage. With that thought in mind, Li Wu Yi was eager to assess whether Li Yan's usable spiritual power was also remarkably higher than that of his peers. Although Li Wu Yi, now well into his own foundation training, could sense that Li Yan's power was not feeble, he had yet to discern—at a single glance, as their master or Master Gu might—just how deep Li Yan's abilities truly ran.
Now, seeing Li Yan having successfully accomplished the entry, Li Wu Yi was further convinced that his junior brother's power was indeed as superior as his divine sense—a clear confirmation that the infamous "Fractured Toxic Body" reputation was not without merit.
After steadying his racing heart, Li Yan's eyes roamed the chamber. He noticed that the room was lined with ten rows of bookshelves brimming with jade tablets and ancient texts. Then, in a gentle, even tone, Li Wu Yi explained: "These are merely the cultivation techniques of the Congealing Qi stage. The ones emitting a green light are ordinary, while those that glow yellow are considered advanced."
Of course, Li Yan could see that on every jade tablet and ancient scripture, a faint but distinct glow—either green or yellow—was present.
"Green items are open for you to choose at will; the yellow ones require you to use spirit stones to acquire them. Keep in mind, most of the yellow texts are advanced immortal arts—only a few are cultivation techniques. After all, high-level techniques at this stage are exceedingly rare. You may opt for a yellow cultivation text if you wish; I can lend you the spirit stones for now, and you can return them once circumstances change. As for the immortal arts, it's probably wiser to start with the low-grade, green ones. After all, cultivating the immortal arts is a process that must be built on a solid foundation, unlike cultivation techniques that rely solely on inherent quality. Take your time to browse through them."
Li Wu Yi turned and smiled at Li Yan before falling silent.
Still curious, Li Yan wandered among the shelves. After murmuring his thanks to his senior, he approached one shelf and picked up a green jade tablet. As he immersed his divine sense into it, information startled into his mind: "Yun Suo Cang Mu Gong – a low-tier wood-element cultivation technique. Practicing this method calls upon profound and far-reaching spiritual energy. Its attacks carry the elusive, drifting power of mist and cloud, making them very hard to counter. Moreover, employing medicinal herbs such as Mao Ye Cao, Cong Ju, or similar leafy remedies during practice can gradually render one's body as resilient as metal."
After setting that jade tablet aside, Li Yan's eyes shifted to a nearby jade tablet emitting a warm yellow glow. He let his divine sense slip into it, and the following details emerged in his mind: "Da Ci Shu (Great Magnetic Technique) – an advanced immortal art. Price: Seven low-grade spirit stones. Effect: Creates a gravitational field within a ten-zhang radius around the user, multiplying the gravity by up to tenfold. Enemies caught in this field will have their movements hindered or may even be crushed by the overwhelming gravitational force."
Li Yan then retrieved several ancient texts from among the shelves. These texts, bound in what seemed to be the hide of an unknown demonic beast, piqued his interest. He opened one that glowed with a gentle green light titled "History of the Desolate Moon Continent…"—a historical chronicle spanning the immortal cultivation world on this vast continent from time immemorial.
Next, he flipped open another ancient text, its pages shining with a yellow light and titled "Insights on the Art of Soaring." This appeared to be a collection of cultivation insights passed down by former practitioners, and it was marked with a price of seven low-grade spirit stones.
For a while, Li Wu Yi merely observed Li Yan as he moved from shelf to shelf, pausing occasionally to project his divine sense into the texts. Once convinced that Li Yan's abilities indeed matched the second-tier requirements of Congealing Qi, Li Wu Yi finally walked over to him and began to offer occasional explanations and clarifications.
After nearly an hour, Li Yan gathered his selections—five green jade tablets and seven or eight green ancient texts—and returned to the black vortex chamber from which they had emerged. Li Wu Yi shook his head with a resigned smile; he had been planning to recommend a water-element technique from among the yellow tablets—"Tian Ji Liu" (Celestial Flow)—but after some deliberation, Li Yan had dismissed that option. In the end, he had decisively chosen a cultivation technique called "Wan Yuan Dao" (The Way of Ten Thousand Origins). This text was unique in that it carried no elemental attribute—meaning that a cultivator of any spiritual root could practice it. As Li Yan explained to himself, "Since I possess mixed spiritual roots, a water-based technique might actually prove slower than practicing this attribute-free method." The hallmark of this technique was its unparalleled rapid progression—a single word to sum it up: "fast." Its only flaw was its relatively weak offensive capability, so while it granted swift breakthroughs in overcoming cultivation bottlenecks, its combat power lagged behind that of peers. In short, the text was intended for those whose hearts were set solely on the pursuit of immortality.
Li Wu Yi, recognizing the wisdom behind Li Yan's choice, no longer pressed the matter further. He knew all too well that for disciples with mixed spiritual roots, advancing beyond the seventh or eighth tier of Congealing Qi became extremely challenging. Even with a vast array of medicinal pills assisting, establishing a solid foundation was nearly impossible. In such cases, it was preferable to forgo head-on confrontation and instead rely on an opportunity for transformational progress—focusing on advancement towards longevity.
This, Li Wu Yi mused, was precisely why Master Wei Zhongran had deliberately withheld details about the sect's deeper intentions. It wasn't that he had forgotten, but rather that he chose not to reveal them at this early stage. The sect's policy was to spare no expense to nurture a disciple into a foundation-level powerhouse. However, in the end, Master Wei still wanted Li Yan to follow his own path. The foundation stage, after all, spanned only a couple of centuries at most—and if Li Yan possessed true immortal affinity, perhaps he could leap even further.
Li Wu Yi was exceptionally perceptive. Even though their master had not offered a full explanation, he had tacitly deduced that the sect's decision to accept disciples with mixed spiritual roots was strategically designed to exploit the potential hidden within their "toxic bodies."
Of course, Li Yan's own thoughts were simpler. He merely sought a cultivation technique that would not only suit his current abilities but could also effectively mask the inherent limitations of the Gui Shui Manual he'd come to know so well. When his eyes fell upon "Wan Yuan Dao," he felt an instant surge of clarity, as though the text had been crafted specifically for him. An attribute-free technique ideal for breaking through bottlenecks, it promised that even if he later advanced or adopted an elemental style, nothing would be out of place. Resolutely, he chose that path—even if Li Wu Yi continued to offer various reasons to persuade him otherwise, he was determined to stick to his decision.
In addition, Li Yan selected four green jade tablets representing immortal arts he had admired for a long time. He chose techniques such as "Feng Ren Shu" (Wind Blade Technique), "Huo Dan Shu" (Fire Bomb Technique), "Liu Sha Shu" (Flowing Sands Technique), and "Yun Yu Shu" (Cloud and Rain Technique). Of course, there were many other ordinary immortal arts available, but Li Yan was mindful of the saying that one should never bite off more than one can chew. Furthermore, among the seven or eight green ancient texts he gathered were historical classics and introductory manuals on cultivation—works like "History of the Desolate Moon Continent" and "Complete Guide to Immortal Cultivation." He knew his own foundation was far too thin and that he needed to accumulate vast amounts of knowledge. These texts, aside from their historical narratives, also provided basic insights into other aspects of the cultivation world—formations, pill-making, and so on. Li Yan didn't intend to master every nuance; he simply wished to have a working knowledge and a rough grasp of what was essential.
According to Li Wu Yi, once these jade tablets and ancient texts were brought out later, they would be inspected by the gray-robed elder. Through a specific immortal art, the contents would be sealed into the disciple's Sea of Consciousness. When needed, one could gradually break the seal bit by bit, until—in time—the knowledge would be completely absorbed into one's own memory, with the seal eventually fading away.
Li Yan then eyed the two remaining staircases and inquired of Li Wu Yi, "Senior Brother, do these two areas also require one to wield spiritual power in order to enter, just like the Collection of Scriptures Pavilion?"
Li Wu Yi merely smiled in response rather than answering directly. "Each section of the Treasure Pavilion has its own entry requirements. Even the Collection of Scriptures Pavilion we just entered has additional restrictions. The layer you accessed earlier was intended solely for those in the Congealing Qi stage. In fact, tucked away in one corner of that chamber is another staircase—the one that leads upward into the floors where foundation-establishment techniques and immortal arts are stored. I wonder if you noticed it?"
For a moment, Li Yan was taken aback. He recalled that, indeed, he'd caught a glimpse of a staircase hidden in a corner bathed in white light, though he had been too hurried to pay close attention.
Li Wu Yi continued, "Thus, every level of the Collection of Scriptures Pavilion has an upward staircase—stretching all the way to the Nascent Soul stage—but only those with sufficient ability can ascend, because without proper power, one cannot step into the higher chambers. As for the other two staircases here, they aren't divided by cultivation level. To enter them, you must have Master Gu personally accompany you, for they house spirit pills and treasured artifacts. Without his authorization, entry is prohibited."
At these words, Li Wu Yi patted his waist pouch. In a burst of multicolored light, several items materialized in midair. "Since you're here, I'll hand some resources over to you. In addition to what you received when you first joined, Xiao Zhu Feng disburses cultivation resources every month. You're allotted three low-grade spirit stones and three 'Bigu pills' each month—the same as the disciples on the other four peaks of the Congealing Qi stage. Just go to the main hall during the first three days of each month at Mao time to collect them. Moreover, once you successfully establish your foundation, these allocations will increase."
Gazing at a small porcelain vial and three gleaming pieces of jade, Li Yan's face lit up with delight. He never expected that he would even receive additional spirit stones. Hastily, he expressed his thanks before tucking the items safely into his bag.