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Chapter 26: News of the Nine Derivatives Refining Body Technique
Chapter 26: News of the Nine Derivatives Refining Body Technique
Upon hearing this, Chu Ning didn't immediately agree or refuse. Instead, he furrowed his brows, feigning confusion, and asked, "Brother Zhuang is willing to teach me how to make talisman paper? I heard that this knowledge can only be imparted by the sect."
Zhuang Yunde quickly replied with a serious expression, "Of course, it is the sect's teaching. How could I dare to privately teach such a technique?"
As Chu Ning continued to look perplexed, Zhuang Yunde's smile returned.
"However, as the executive disciple in charge of the Spirit Planting Area, I am entitled to make recommendations periodically. I can suggest to Executor He and the Hundred Arts Hall that they teach a menial disciple a skill."
"Once the recommendation is accepted, that disciple can use the spirit plants they cultivate to learn how to make talisman paper. If they master the skill, they can even apply to the sect to take on talisman paper-making tasks." Zhuang Yunde paused, his eyes appraising Chu Ning.
"The key to making ordinary talisman paper, aside from the quality of Ink Spirit Bamboo, lies in the cleansing technique to remove impurities from the pulp and the object-driving technique. I've noticed that you have an extraordinary talent for wood-based spells, so I believe you have a good chance of mastering the art of talisman paper-making."
Chu Ning finally understood what this was all about—Brother Zhuang was proposing a quid pro quo deal.
Zhuang Yunde's words implied that he had the power to recommend either Chu Ning or someone else. After all, learning a skill from the Hundred Arts Hall wasn't limited to talisman paper-making; it could be something else entirely.
So, Zhuang Yunde would naturally choose someone he believed would excel, as that would benefit him. Clearly, before today, Chu Ning had only been one of his options. But now, after witnessing the quality of the Ink Spirit Bamboo that Chu Ning cultivated, he had risen to the top of the list.
Whether or not Zhuang Yunde would recommend Chu Ning depended entirely on whether Chu Ning agreed to give him a tenth of his earnings.
Chu Ning hadn't expected to encounter such a deal in the cultivation world. However, it seemed that this arrangement was within the sect's rules, and the sect might even be aware of and tacitly approve of such transactions.
But Chu Ning soon realized that this could be a mutually beneficial situation. While Zhuang Yunde stood to gain, the potential advantages for Chu Ning were even greater. After all, he possessed the Talisman Source Spirit Body as his talent.
If he had a talent for crafting talismans and a higher success rate, there was no reason he wouldn't also have an advantage in the more fundamental art of making talisman paper.
With this in mind, Chu Ning's face lit up with gratitude as he said, "In that case, thank you, Brother Zhuang, for your help."
Zhuang Yunde's smile widened at Chu Ning's response. "Don't mention it, Brother Chu. We're helping each other out. I'll make the recommendation to the Hall as soon as we get back. Since this recommendation requires some advance notice, Executor He may want to inspect your spirit plants again, so we'll need a few months' time."
Chu Ning nodded, indicating his understanding. The two continued chatting and laughing as they walked back toward Chu Ning's courtyard.
At that moment, Chu Ning recalled his intention from the past two days to gather some information. An idea suddenly occurred to him.
While Zhuang Yunde might not be able to match Shi Yao's cultivation level or status in the Transmission Hall, his knowledge and experience might not be inferior. Moreover, he seemed more likely to be a source of useful information.
So, Chu Ning deliberately steered the conversation in that direction. "Brother Zhuang, I went to the market town with some fellow disciples a few days ago, and it was truly eye-opening. There were all sorts of rare treasures, spirit plants, and magical artifacts that I had never heard of. I was wondering if there's a place within the sect where we can learn more about these things."
"There is!" Zhuang Yunde nodded. "The Transmission Hall in the sect has a library. The inner library mainly houses cultivation techniques and spells, while the outer library contains all sorts of miscellaneous records and anecdotes."
Just as Chu Ning was about to inquire further, Zhuang Yunde's next words poured cold water on his enthusiasm.
"The outer library isn't strictly managed. Any outer sect disciple can go there to browse the books."
"Outer sect disciples!" Chu Ning sighed. It seemed he wouldn't be able to gain access.
But then, Zhuang Yunde continued, "I don't know what kind of books you're interested in, Brother Chu, but I can borrow some for you if you'd like.
After a quick internal debate, Chu Ning made his decision. "I mainly want to learn about various spirit plants and their knowledge, after all, I am now part of the Spirit Planting Hall.
I've seen some common ones in the Transmission Hall before, but they're pretty ordinary."
"It seems that Junior Brother wants to learn about some of the rarer spirit plants and elixirs," Zhuang Yunde said with a smile, readily agreeing.
"I'll take a look and borrow them for you if I find any suitable ones," he offered.
Chu Ning, of course, expressed his gratitude again, and they continued to chat casually for a while before reaching the courtyard entrance.
After a brief internal struggle, Chu Ning decided to ask another question. "Brother Zhuang, there's something else I don't understand.
I've heard that some cultivators focus on body refinement, and their cultivation is extremely profound. But why is it that we rarely see them nowadays?"
"Body cultivators?" Zhuang Yunde shook his head with a smile. "They are indeed rare these days. It is said that in ancient times, everyone was a mortal.
After the birth of spiritual energy in the world, some people with extraordinary aptitude used body refinement to draw in spiritual energy and became cultivators.
Others followed suit, using various methods of body refinement, and some indeed became cultivators, but they lacked a complete cultivation technique.
Even those who became cultivators through body refinement could only let the spiritual energy roam freely within their bodies, forming their unique routes for spiritual power circulation.
Later, as more and more people achieved cultivation through body refinement, a genius created the 'Nine Derivatives Refining Body Technique.'
It spread throughout the world, and the trend of body refinement peaked."
"The Nine Derivatives Refining Body Technique?" Chu Ning was surprised to hear this name directly from Zhuang Yunde, and he couldn't help but repeat it.
Zhuang Yunde nodded. "This technique is known as the greatest body refinement method of all time, with exceptional refining effects.
However, as time went on, more and more people created different cultivation techniques based on the routes of spiritual power circulation. These are the methods of drawing in spiritual energy that we use today.
With these techniques, one can draw in spiritual energy and enter the Qi Refining stage much faster. That's why body cultivators gradually became less common.
Over time, the art of body refinement was slowly lost, but the widely spread Nine Derivatives Refining Body Technique survived and is still circulated today, although it is quite rare.
Few people cultivate it because many places only have fragmented copies of the technique."
Zhuang Yunde paused before continuing, "It is said that this body refinement method has an extremely difficult bottleneck to break through, and one needs heavenly treasures to aid in the process.
The difficulty is several times greater than that of ordinary cultivation techniques. Even the body cultivators we see today don't practice these ancient body refinement techniques.
Instead, they rely on external forces, with the help of more advanced elders from their sects, who use their spiritual power to temper their bodies. Their strength is indeed higher than that of ordinary cultivators."
Zhuang Yunde's expression turned solemn as he finished. "If you encounter this type of cultivator in the future, Junior Brother, you must be cautious."
"Thank you for the warning, Brother Zhuang," Chu Ning replied, lightly flattering him. "You truly are knowledgeable and aware of so many things."
Zhuang Yunde smiled at Chu Ning's words. "Some of this I learned from my teachers, and some I read in miscellaneous records.
To be honest, Junior Brother, I'm quite interested in these miscellaneous matters, which is why my cultivation progress is slower."
"Oh, that's right," Zhuang Yunde said as if he had just remembered something. "I came across this information about body refinement in an ancient book from our sect. I didn't pay much attention to it since I'm not interested in this area, so I didn't memorize it.
If you're interested, I can bring that book over for you to take a look."
"Then, I'll have to thank you again, Brother Zhuang," Chu Ning said, his heart filled with joy. "After hearing you talk about it, I feel that I should learn more about this, just in case I encounter such cultivators in the future."
Perhaps sensing Chu Ning's keen interest in these anecdotes, Zhuang Yunde felt a sense of camaraderie and lingered for a while longer, chatting about various topics before finally taking his leave.
The next day, when Zhuang Yunde came to take care of some business in Chu Ning's area, he kept his word and brought two jade slips containing the two books that Chu Ning wanted to read.
(End of Chapter)
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