Chapter 106: 106 True Dragon Nine Transformations
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Little Spring Mountain Cave Abode.
Zhou Yi returned and immediately checked the cultivation technique jade slip.
"Dan Ding Sect truly is the overlord of Cloud Continent, even the ordinary disciples' exchange catalog has more than ten thousand entries," he said.
He skimmed through the catalog in the jade slip and found that there were not only cultivation techniques but also ancient techniques, the Four Arts of Cultivation, secret techniques, and divine skills. It could be said that as long as one had enough merit points, it would be enough to keep an ordinary disciple learning for a lifetime.
"But these merit point prices..."
Looking at the figures behind the catalog, where it was not uncommon to see values in the tens of thousands, he noted that guarding the Cliff of Remorse for one year only earned eighty merit points.
"If there were no external duties to exorcise demons, guarding the Cliff of Remorse for a thousand years would be no issue, however, it is not worth risking my life for merit points," he reflected.
Undoubtedly, the Dan Ding Sect must have other methods to earn merit points. Otherwise, relying solely on chores and demon exorcism would delay cultivation progress too much, which would not benefit the sect in the long run.
Being new to the sect, Zhou Yi planned to first observe the situation and wait until he was more familiar with the sect before making further plans.
"First, I need to choose a target for exchange," he decided.
He pondered for a moment and still filtered according to the criteria. The first criterion was a practice time of over a hundred years, which immediately eliminated ninety percent of the catalog.
After checking each one, he quickly selected his exchange target, with the top spot being an art of spirit refinement.
"The Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art, priced at five thousand merit points, is relatively cheap. Each revolution completed can condense one-tenth of mana quality, increasing the power of spells. With all nine revolutions achieved, mana becomes nearly solidified, and spell power doubles!"
"Additionally, completing one revolution increases the probability of Core Formation by eleven percent, and all nine revolutions can increase it by ten percent."
"This secret technique is like a passive state; after major accomplishments, spells like the Escape Technique, Lightning Method, and others will increase significantly in power," he deduced.
Zhou Yi nodded, satisfied. Other than the long cultivation time, it was almost a perfect secret technique.
According to the description in the catalog, this technique was unrelated to one's Spirit Root aptitude and belonged to the type of skill that improved gradually over time, with the potential to complete one revolution in about fifty to sixty years.
Not a few disciples of the Dan Ding Sect had exchanged for this technique, but very few had achieved the art to its highest level of nine revolutions; most only completed one or two to enhance their mana, which was why its exchange price was low.
"Another long-time cultivation technique is an ancient technique, the incomplete 'True Dragon Nine Transformations'!"
"Within the incomplete text are two secret techniques: an escape technique that is cultivated using eagle demon essence blood, and a killing method cultivated using tiger demon essence blood. Upon major accomplishment, one can transform into the shape of an eagle or tiger."
Zhou Yi looked at the introduction of this technique, his eyes gleaming. This technique seemed to be a continuation of the Divine Bull Transformation or, rather, the True Dragon Nine Transformations had no precedent sequence."
"With 'True Dragon' in its name, the complete technique must also include transformations like deer, rabbit, snake, and others, right?"
The Divine Bull Transformation was currently Zhou Yi's most powerful offensive and defensive technique, leaning towards body cultivation. Therefore, the eagle and tiger transformations were definitely not to be missed.
"The price... thirty thousand merit points!"
"In the past, I thought Senior Brother Li was just swindling people, but now it seems he was genuinely handing out opportunities by the bunch!"
Zhou Yi contemplated carefully; the steep price was probably due to the inclusion of the words 'ancient' and 'true dragon.' In reality, ordinary cultivators would find it difficult to achieve the art, including even True Beings at the Foundation Establishment level.
Acquiring large amounts of eagle and tiger demon essence blood was not only a matter of spending an ocean of spirit stones, but it was also exceedingly time-consuming and complicated.
Raising demon beasts was even less reliable. After extracting their essence blood, it would take a long time to recover, and who would willingly feed them spiritual medicine that took a hundred years to grow?
"This technique is suitable for my cultivation," he affirmed.
"'Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art' is the technique for mana, 'True Dragon Nine Transformations' is for the physical body, and I'm still missing a secret technique for soul cultivation," he mused.
After Zhou Yi broke through Foundation Establishment, the Soul Nurturing Art became almost negligible in its effectiveness, possibly because two hundred years of practice had already brought the technique to its peak.
After careful comparison, he chose another technique named 'Spirit Condensation Art,' similar to an advanced version of the Soul Nurturing Art. Once completed, it had no special spells, but its advantage lay in its simplicity and cheap price.
"Steady and firm, slow yet profound, practicing the 'Spirit Condensation Art' for hundreds of years far surpasses those obscure and quick soul refinement techniques."
Zhou Yi then changed the search parameters in the catalog, selecting techniques and secret arts that consumed one's lifespan.
The path of immortality values life, and techniques that consume lifespan are usually practiced by heretics, characterized by their great power and strange efficacy.
"There are only a few techniques, it seems that even the deviant paths cherish lifespan and don't create such techniques unless absolutely necessary," he noted.
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Zhou Yi examined each one, discarding those that harmed the foundation, those that required the sacrifice of living creatures, and those that needed special Spiritual Objects. After careful selection, only one spell caught his eye.
Blood Ignition Escape Technique.
It burns Qi-Blood to boost the Escape Skill, instantly doubling the speed. If one burns Essence Blood, the escape speed triples. The downside is that while burning Qi-Blood, it also consumes lifespan, with a light usage taking away eight to ten years and heavy usage costing a hundred years or more!
"Ten years? A hundred years?"
Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. On any given day, he wouldn't consume a hundred years of longevity, and after Foundation Establishment, the consumption had doubled.
"Burning Essence Blood is a bit troublesome, as excessive consumption requires a long time to recover... There seems to be a solution, such as consuming Blood Spirit Fruit!"
The Spirit Fruit condensed by the Blood Vine Demon, a pure essence of Qi-Blood, can quickly restore Essence Blood when consumed.
"So with Blood Spirit Fruit combined with the Blood Ignition Escape Technique, there's hardly any consumption?"
Zhou Yi clapped his hands and smiled, immediately prioritizing the Blood Ignition Escape Technique over others like the Spirit Refinement Art and the True Dragon's Nine Transformations because none could compare with tripling the escape speed.
"Joining the Dan Ding Sect was the right choice indeed, a dominating sect for thousands of years with countless cultivation techniques and secret arts, any few of which could be greatly beneficial."
Having set his exchange target, he roughly calculated the required contribution points.
Sixty-four thousand!
Eighty a year at Si Guo Cliff, it would take about eight hundred years!
"..."
Zhou Yi retracted his fondness for the Dan Ding Sect. These Cultivation techniques and secret arts were carrots dangled in front, visible but out of reach, even a Foundation Establishment True Person could not exchange for two or three in a lifetime of service for the sect.
"I'll lay low for a few years, get to know the sect details, then strategize for contribution points!"
...
The next day.
Zhou Yi used the Earth Movement Skill to head towards Si Guo Cliff.
Since his cave dwelling was on the Shanyang side, and Si Guo Cliff on the shady side, he needed to cross the central mountain range's core area.
The Dan Ding Sect had anticipated this, and between Ming Zhu Peak and Golden Bell Peak, a passage was opened—one just had to present the Identity Token to fly across. Upon learning that Zhou Yi was going to Si Guo Cliff for duty, the True Person in charge of checking the Token showed a strange, astonished expression.
Zhou Yi flew through the passage, entering the mountain range on the shady side.
The climate temperature plummeted by tens of degrees almost instantly, and ice could be faintly seen condensing on the rocks, with vegetation growing from the ground vastly different from that in South Mountain.
A gust of cold wind blew by, and snowflakes began to fall from the sky.
"The disparity between South Mountain and North Mountain is so vast, it's as if one has switched to an entirely different world!"
Zhou Yi speculated it was not just related to the Spirit Veins and mountains, but very likely, the sect's high-ranking individuals had laid out Formation and Prohibition, given that many Spiritual Medicines and Cultivation techniques required a cold environment.
Following the Token's guidance, he quickly found Si Guo Cliff.
Cliffs and jagged rocks, completely barren without any vegetation growth.
Zhou Yi's flying light brought him to the middle of Si Guo Cliff, where he saw the Black Wind Cave.
Piercing howls came from the cave, and despite the Formation seal, thin strands of black wind seeped out, leaving marks on Si Guo Cliff as if it had been sliced by knives and swords.
Mana infused into the Identity Token, activating the sect's menial task restrictions, with a spirit light falling on the Formation of Black Wind Cave and slowly opening a portal.
Zhou Yi entered the cave, and the portal quickly closed behind him, revealing an interior bright as day.
At the cave entrance, there was a stone table and stools, and an unfinished game of Go, presumably left by the predecessor on duty. Walking ten yards into the cave revealed another layer of Formation and Prohibition, behind which was the area for holding disciples.
"Not a soul in sight, but indeed, punishment in Black Wind Cave is no light matter; hardly any disciples come in on regular days!"
Zhou Yi cleaned the stone table and stools, placed the Go pieces into his storage bag, and took out a text to read earnestly.
Cliffs, fierce winds, reading 'Spring and Autumn', utterly alone, his mood was one of excitement and pleasure!
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