Shi Jiu had not expected that this Cultivation Technique, named the Formula of Guiding the Stars, would be entangled with so many ancient grudges and past events, which piqued his curiosity about it.
"May I ask Senior Brother Su Wen, since this Formula of Guiding the Stars is considered the Seven Luminaries Sect's original sect-guarding Cultivation Technique, why did it appear in the Helian Family's Cultivation Method Hall?"
"Oh, you mean that. Actually, it's because ever since nine of the ten Star Grinding Grand Formations were shattered, it has become difficult for the Disciples of the Seven Luminaries Sect who Cultivate the Formula of Guiding the Stars to reach advanced Realms.
This is because when the body absorbs Star Power from the Nine Heavens, in addition to drawing Star Power into the body, it also draws in a large amount of stellar Impurities, which can interfere with future Cultivation.
Moreover, stellar Impurities are extremely difficult to expel from the body without the aid of a Star Grinding Grand Formation. Over time, fewer and fewer Disciples were willing to Cultivate the Formula of Guiding the Stars."
"The higher-ups of the Seven Luminaries Sect were naturally unwilling to let their sect-guarding Cultivation Technique be buried like this, but they also didn't want to allow Disciples with excellent Spiritual Root Aptitude to spend their time and energy on it, only to find it difficult to Cultivate further.
So, they simply made the Formula of Guiding the Stars public. Naturally, they also replicated it for the Helian Family, the Shen Gong Family, and several other peripheral Cultivation Families of their Sect, hoping to cast a wide net and select a few promising talents suitable for Cultivating this Cultivation Technique."
"Furthermore, the Seven Luminaries Sect also has its own little scheme. They didn't actually release all the Qi Refining 1st to 10th-layer methods of the Formula of Guiding the Stars.
For other Sects and various Loose Cultivators, only the Qi Refining 1st to 7th-layer methods were released. For the five major Cultivation Families like the Helian Family, to show different levels of closeness, they released the Qi Refining 1st to 10th-layer methods.
The 1st to 7th layers are on the first floor of the Cultivation Method Hall, and the 8th to 10th layers are on the second floor, requiring a certain amount of merit to exchange with contribution points.
However, even these peripheral Cultivation Families still lack the method for Foundation Establishment with the Foundation Establishment Pill within the Cultivation Technique. If there truly is a promising talent Cultivating the Formula of Guiding the Stars who wishes to undergo Foundation Establishment, they would still need to go to the Seven Luminaries Sect to learn, and thus naturally become a Disciple of the Seven Luminaries Sect."
"The Helian Family placing this Cultivation Technique in the highest central position on the first floor actually expresses their reverence for their main Sect, the Seven Luminaries Sect, but also has a bit of self-interest, as they don't particularly want ordinary newly admitted Disciples to Cultivate this Cultivation Technique.
After all, if stellar Impurities enter the body, removing them is both time-consuming and labor-intensive, greatly delaying Cultivation. Many Disciples of the Helian Family have attempted to Cultivate this Formula of Guiding the Stars, but without exception, none succeeded, and instead ended up with a body full of stellar Impurities, delaying much of their Cultivation."
After listening to Su Wen, Shi Jiu suddenly had a feeling that he might be able to Cultivate this Cultivation Technique.
Shi Jiu had no basis for this conclusion, but he just had that feeling, perhaps like one of those "she likes me" three great illusions of life. However, if he truly wanted to become a powerful Cultivator, he would need an extraordinary method after all.
"Senior Brother Su Wen, since you just said that the Seven Luminaries Sect has already released the Cultivation method for the Formula of Guiding the Stars, besides the Formula of Azure Wood I have chosen, can I make a copy of the Qi Refining 1st to 7th layers of the Formula of Guiding the Stars?
I don't intend to achieve any results from Cultivating it; I just want to see if I can gain insights by analogy."
"Ugh, you're really something! So, all that I just said, you treated it as nonsense, huh?
You didn't listen at all. You're truly someone who won't give up until hitting a wall.
I can help you make a copy of the Formula of Guiding the Stars, but you'd best follow my advice: as soon as you find that you can't Cultivate successfully, or that stellar Impurities begin to show signs of affecting your body, you must stop Cultivating immediately.
Although your Spiritual Root Aptitude isn't good, and you are much older than others, you must not joke around with your future."
Su Wen looked completely unconvinced by Shi Jiu's talk of looking at other Cultivation Techniques to gain insights by analogy, but he still gave Shi Jiu several warnings about his Cultivation idea, which made Shi Jiu feel that Su Wen was indeed a good person, and he developed a slight liking for him.
Su Wen shook his head helplessly, reached out, took the Formula of Azure Wood from Shi Jiu's hand, and then used his magical power to pull down the Formula of Guiding the Stars from its high position.
In just a moment, he copied the contents of both books onto two Jade Slips. He then informed Shi Jiu that whenever he wanted to learn a Cultivation Technique, he only needed to place the Jade Slip against his forehead and concentrate his mind to view the contents of these two Cultivation Techniques anytime, anywhere.
Shi Jiu happily took the two Jade Slips, carefully placed the one inscribed with the Formula of Guiding the Stars close to his body inside his clothes, and then found a spot near the entrance of the Cultivation Method Hall to try out Su Wen's method of viewing the Jade Slip's contents.
After several attempts, Shi Jiu quickly mastered the viewing technique. Shi Jiu then calmed his mind and began to silently study the contents of the Formula of Azure Wood word by word.
After a while, all the newly admitted Disciples had chosen their suitable Cultivation Techniques, and Su Wen had helped them make copies in the Cultivation Method Hall. The group then excitedly went to collect their spiritual plant tools.
The so-called spiritual plant tools were mostly similar to the hoes, sickles, and other tools used by farmers in daily life, except that all the tools were engraved with numerous runes, causing them to flicker with a faint, shimmering light.
After collecting the spiritual plant tools, Su Wen distributed identity waist tokens to everyone, to be used for entering and exiting the Helian Family, registering their identity, and recording family contribution points in the future. Finally, he led everyone to their usual resting place.
"This is the back mountain of the Helian Family, and also where you will reside daily. The living conditions will be relatively poorer. You can choose to live with several people in a large house, or live alone in a small house."
"Of course, if your cultivation improves in the future, or you perform well in your tasks, you can apply to live in a better place in front of the mountain."
The Spiritual Qi on the front side of the mountain will also be relatively more abundant, which is more conducive to your daily Cultivation. Oh, right, you should rest early today. Tomorrow will be the day your first class begins."
"Your regular courses as new Disciples typically start with the first session on spiritual plant cultivation, followed by a Cultivation guidance course on Five Elements Cultivation Techniques, rotating every three days."
"You must listen carefully in every class, and if you don't understand something, ask the Elders promptly. The Family will only notice you if you quickly improve your Cultivation and spiritual plant abilities."
Many children looked disheartened when Su Wen said there would be rotating classes.
They were all at an age for play, and their minds couldn't settle. They had just managed to escape the control of adults at home, but unexpectedly, they had to study even after coming to a Cultivation Family, which felt exceptionally arduous.
Shi Jiu, upon hearing this, felt quite pleased. Although he wasn't a study god constantly obsessed with reading, he truly hadn't expected the Helian Family to be so thoughtful towards newly admitted Disciples.
After all, having a teacher to guide him through these seemingly difficult-to-understand subjects when he was completely clueless would be very effective.
In fact, it wasn't that Shi Jiu had imagined the Helian Family to be so thoughtful; this was a common standardized practice throughout the entire Cultivation World.
After all, it's understandable: setting aside Spiritual Roots of good Aptitude, the proportion of people who naturally possess Spiritual Roots is pitifully small, even saying one in a hundred is an exaggeration.
If a Sect or Cultivation Family, after finally recruiting a batch of Disciples, just threw a Cultivation Technique at them without anyone to guide or teach them, it would be a pure waste of time and energy, and they would surely destroy themselves sooner or later.
Therefore, providing comprehensive care for Disciples, especially new Disciples, is the most common practice in the entire Cultivation World, as only when Disciples grow can they better contribute to the Sect or Family.
So, even in Demonic Sects, which are generally free-spirited and where many Cultivators have violent and tyrannical personalities, they still regularly provide guidance and assessments for their Disciples.
They would not let Disciples who were so difficult to recruit waste their time in vain, let alone the more rigorously regulated Righteous Path Sects.