Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“People are vicious.”

After walking out of the Wuji Gold Shop, Chen Mobai sighed inwardly.

It was no wonder that many cultivators would rather go to large branded shops at a higher price. At the very least, they would not be pulled onto the illegal path just because the owner saw a customer.

Although it was common for fictitious transactions to be carried out in exchange for points, it was only done between acquaintances. It meant that both parties had information that could be used against the other party. However, Chen Mobai and Wu Wan had only done business once. Thus, there was not even a little bit of trust between them.

Chen Mobai was still young. According to his current cultivation progress and the Rank-2 spiritual land at the water mansion, he would definitely be able to achieve perfection in the Qi Refinement Realm and break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. He had not reached the stage of taking risks yet.

After this transaction, Chen Mobai, who had originally wanted to shop around, was no longer in the mood.

After taking public transport home, since he had a huge sum of money, he decided to treat himself. He didn’t cut any more talismans or even cook anymore. Instead, he ordered spicy hot pot.

While waiting for the delivery, Chen Mobai scanned the entire “Explanations of the Jade Water Array” and sent it to Teacher Chan. Then, he took out the book on the Black Water Technique and started reading.

This was a typical water-attribute Qi Refinement technique. There were a total of nine levels, and it could be cultivated until one achieved pefection in the Qi Refinement Realm. Moreover, three spells recorded were also recorded in the book.

They were the Water Control Spell, the Water Essence Barrier, and the Ice Spell.

The three spells advanced step by step. The Water Control Spell was the simplest, but it took a lot of time to master.

After mastering the Water Control Spell, one could control refined spiritual water and transform it into a water elemental barrier to protect themselves. It was also a spell that replaced defensive Dharma artifacts and was more popular among low-leveled cultivators.

Meanwhile, the final spell, the Ice Spell, was the most difficult.

According to the description in “Black Water Technique”, he had to first condense his spiritual power into a breath of ice. Then, he had to combine it with the Water Control Spell to freeze the refined spiritual water and transform it into any form he wanted, be it for attack or defense.

Although this cultivation technique was simple, it had already formed its own system. Moreover, when practicing the three spells, it could also promote improvement in the Qi Refinement Realm.

“Not bad, not bad. If not for the fact that my Spiritual Root only has 23 water attribute points, I would have immediately changed my cultivation.”

Several large hospitals in the immortal sect had joined forces to do experiments. If a Spiritual Root exceeded 33 attribute points in an attribute, the efficiency of cultivating the Five Elements Technique would be inferior to that single-attribute Qi refinement technique.

As for people like Chen Mobai, whose Spiritual Root was almost classified as a pseudo-Spiritual Root, be it his cultivation progress or the efficiency of refining spiritual energy, the Five Elements Techniques was still the most suitable.

To Chen Mobai, other than being a reference book, the greatest value of the “Black Water Technique” book was the three spells recorded in it.

Although the knowledge in the immortal sect was shared, one had to exchange points for this knowledge.

Moreover, before exchanging for spells from the immortal sects, they had to swear that they could only cultivate the spells and not teach others.

Only schools could openly teach spells.

The Vertical Raising Spell, the Cleaning Spell, the Qi Nurturing Spell that Chen Mobai knew were taught in school. However, most of the students had been instilled with the concept that cultivation was paramount since they were young. The spells that they were passionate about cultivating were also limited to providing convenience in their daily lives.

After all, Planet Earth was too peaceful. There were many cases of petty theft and tax evasion, but it had been a long time since anyone had killed someone.

Only when the war was approaching would cultivators begin to cultivate the spells used in combat.

In peaceful times, the students in school were all focused on cultivating Qi and improving their realms. They wanted to achieve perfection in the Qi Refinement Realm as soon as possible and break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Just as Chen Mobai was comparing the Water Elemental Barrier with the Water Shield technique Old Ding had given him, the doorbell rang.

His delivery arrived.

Chen Mobai entered the kitchen and poured the spicy hot pot into a bowl at home. Just as he was about to scoop a bowl of spiritual rice and start eating, he suddenly saw a fish in the sink that had been gutted but was still a little familiar.

Eh, wasn’t this the fish he’d brought from the water mansion? He’d left in a hurry this morning and had thrown it in the sink after dealing with his loot.

Initially, he thought that it would not be a waste to make a bowl of boiled fish when he returned at night. However, after earning a sum from selling gold, Chen Mobai forgot about it.

His mother must have dealt with the fish before she left.

With this thought in mind, Chen Mobai looked at the transparent fish meat that contained a faint pinkish-white color. He raised his hand and cut the fish into pieces. Then, he started a fire and poured his spicy hot pot into the pot. He used it as the soup base and poured the fish into the pot.

The moment the tender and spicy fish entered his mouth, Chen Mobai narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.

After eating, he didn’t waste any time and teleported directly to the water mansion.

He first circled around the water mansion and realized that nothing had changed since he left. Only then did he walk under the array flags in peace. He sat on the meditation cushion he had brought and began to refine the dense spiritual energy of the Rank-2 water vein..

The next day.

During class, Chen Mobai looked at his phone screen with a strange expression.

He had a habit. Every time he cultivated, he would start a recording on his phone and import it into a software called “Auxiliary Cultivation”. He would compare it with the previous cultivation videos to find the difference between the videos, correct his mistakes, and inherit the advantages.

As for this “Auxiliary Cultivation” app, a pop-up had not appeared for half a year. This meant that be it his cultivation time or posture, it was already the most suitable. There was no room for improvement.

However, this morning, a pop-up window had suddenly appeared.

[Among the spiritual power cultivated by the user last night, there are two more water attribute points than usual. Please confirm the reason.]

The Auxiliary Cultivation app displayed the difference, but it did not analyze the reason. This required the user to find the reason themselves and then give feedback.

Chen Mobai recalled his cultivation yesterday. It was exactly the same as his previous visit to the water mansion. He didn’t even change locations. He had always been cultivating on the mediation cushion.

Since he couldn’t figure it out, he could only experiment more.

On this day, Chen Mobai turned on the recording again. After cultivating in the water mansion for an entire night, he had improved in the Five Elements Technique again.

[Among the spiritual power cultivated by the user last night, there are two more water attribute points than usual. Please confirm the reason.]

The pop-up appeared again.

Chen Mobai confirmed that there was definitely something different about him the day before yesterday. The “Auxiliary Cultivation” app was developed by the Butian Dao College of the four major Dao Colleges. After hundreds of years of adjustment, it was already very perfect.

The software couldn’t be wrong. So what was wrong with him?

Lost in thought, Chen Mobai began to recall all his experiences the day before yesterday.

He had attended classes, sought consultation with his teachers, went to the cultivation room to read and test the needle case, and sold gold..

Thinking of the Wuji Gold Shop, Chen Mobai frowned slightly. However, he confirmed that he had never had physical contact with Wu Wan. It was just a conversation and a business deal.

His memory went back again. He ordered takeout, ate, returned to the water mansion to cultivate, and returned to class!

A complete cycle appeared in Chen Mobai’s mind. He thought about how different he was from usual that day, and how that could affect the adaptive spiritual power cultivated by the Five Elements Technique. Then, the most likely possibility was that there was a difference in the attribute points of his Spiritual Root.

Was it the takeout!?

Chen Mobai thought of this thing that he had eaten. It might have affected his Spiritual Root, but it shouldn’t be the case. He had secretly ordered takeout several times in the past, but he had never seen a pop-up from the Auxiliary Cultivation app.

Could it be.. that there was something wrong with that fish?