Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 139 Choosing Exercises

Have a good night's sleep.

The next morning, with Zhou Hong's help, Chen Li changed into a robe from the Zhen Huan Sect.

"You were born to wear robes like these!" Zhou Hong gently smoothed out the wrinkles on the robe. This moon-white, second-tier robe, enhanced by various magical arrays, shimmered with spiritual light, making her man appear even younger, more handsome, and exceptionally distinguished. She adored him.

"So lovely!"

"There's no such thing as being born that way!" Chen Li thought to himself, speechless, then said:
“I probably won’t be able to take care of Shuniang on weekdays. You can take her around to explore. There are all kinds of shops on the mountaintop. See if she needs anything and buy it. Don’t worry about spending money.”

"Yes, don't worry, I will definitely take good care of Shuniang."

Chen Li walked out of the bedroom, where Zhang Shuniang had already diligently prepared breakfast.

"Uncle!"

"Did you sleep well last night?" Chen Li asked with a smile.

"I couldn't sleep, so I meditated and practiced breathing exercises all night," Zhang Shuniang said, blushing.

"You'll get used to it after a few more days."

After breakfast, Chen Li bid farewell to Zhou Hong and Zhang Shuniang and headed out to the Sutra Repository.

The jade slip given by Xia Hongyi contained a detailed map of the mountain gate, so there was no worry about not being able to find the place.

In the early morning, the mountain forest is lush and secluded, with fresh air. A thin mist, like smoke and haze, makes everything hazy and dreamlike. As you climb the narrow mountain path covered with moss, you are surrounded by the chirping of birds, a sound that is both noisy and ethereal.

"senior!"

"senior!"

"Uncle Master!"

Along the way, the Qi Refining disciples of the True Sect bowed respectfully upon seeing Chen Li's robes.

Chen Li felt pretty good.

The robes worn by the guest elders and those who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage within the sect are the same; there is no deliberate distinction. If you don't know them, it's easy to call them by the wrong name.

However, the True Sect does not mandate that Foundation Establishment cultivators wear standard robes.

As long as you have money, you can bring it yourself.

For example, several Foundation Establishment cultivators I saw yesterday were not wearing the standard robes of the True Sect.

Chen Li followed the winding path until he arrived at the Sutra Repository.

The air here was thick with tension, and the formations were faintly visible, which secretly alarmed Chen Li.

"This is probably one of the most heavily guarded places within the entire mountain gate!"

An elderly man with gray hair was sitting at a desk in the main hall of the Sutra Repository, dozing slightly. Hearing Chen Li's footsteps, he opened his cloudy eyes and looked him up and down: "A new guest elder?"

"I apologize for disturbing you, fellow Daoist." Chen Li cupped his hands in greeting and took out his guest elder token from his storage bag: "I have come to select a Foundation Establishment cultivation method on the orders of the Head of General Affairs."

Old Xiu took the token, examined it carefully, and handed it back to Chen Li. Then, he took out a book as thick as a brick from his storage bag, pushed it over, and said indifferently:

"You can receive one Foundation Building Technique for free. If you want anything else, you'll have to pay with spirit stones."

This is the catalog of books in the Sutra Repository. Let me know which one you've chosen, and I'll register it for you. Someone will then fetch it for you. The old man said slowly, "You can go to the private room next door and take your time looking and choosing!"

Chen Li was already used to this rule.

The same approach applies when buying books at a bookstore.

Knowledge is precious in this world, so it's impossible for you to manually flip through the pages; you have to look at the book list first.

Chen Li took the catalog.

Immediately, a Qi Refining disciple, with humble eyes, led Chen Li to a private room.

"Senior, please come this way!"

There were only a few people in the private room, mostly Qi Refining disciples, both men and women. It was extremely quiet, with only the sound of people flipping through the catalog clearly audible.

Chen Li found a seat and sat down.

Start flipping through.

The table of contents is divided into two parts: Qi Refining and Foundation Building.

Each section is further divided into chapters on cultivation techniques, body refinement, secret arts, spells, combat skills, formations, talisman making, local customs, and herbs...

Much knowledge that is impossible to see in the outside world is presented to Chen Li in such a blatant way.

"Wait, there's no alchemy or weapon crafting?"

Chen thought about it and understood. Alchemy and weapon crafting were the main sources of revenue for a sect, so they could not be easily shown to others. It was probably impossible for non-direct disciples of the sect to study them.

He wasn't in a hurry and slowly flipped through the pages.

Although it's called a table of contents, each book entry actually includes a concise summary description.

When he flipped through the spellbook, he found the first-tier, ninth-level exorcism spell that he had been searching for for a long time.

"Only five mid-grade spirit stones, the price isn't expensive."

Chen Li secretly made a note of it.

Soon, Chen Li found the Foundation Establishment cultivation method.

The Foundation Building Chapter of Hunyuan Gong: This technique cultivates both body and mind, resulting in a powerful physique and abundant spiritual energy. Whether in defense or combat, it far surpasses its peers. However, cultivation is quite resource-intensive and requires the use of medicinal baths. Those who are not wealthy should proceed with caution.

The Foundation Building Chapter of the Three Yang Skill: This skill possesses unparalleled spiritual power. The cultivation speed is relatively fast in the early and middle stages, but it begins to slow down in the later stages. Practicing this skill can easily lead to a restless mind, so it is necessary to combine it with dual cultivation methods or methods of cultivating the mind.

Foundation Building Chapter of Longevity Technique: This technique possesses pure and harmonious spiritual energy, which can harmonize the five elements, strengthen the foundation, cure diseases and heal injuries, and prolong life. It is a method for achieving longevity.

The Foundation Building Chapter of True Skill: This skill traces back to the source, and the spiritual power cultivated becomes more and more refined and agile with each layer. Although the cultivation of this skill is relatively slow, it is easy to break through realms by accumulating strength and then unleashing it.

Azure Cloud Technique Foundation Building Chapter: ...

Chen Li compared them repeatedly.

After hesitating for a while between Hunyuan Gong, Zhenhuan Gong, and Changsheng Gong, I finally chose Changsheng Gong.

Firstly, he was practicing the Qi Refining stage of the Longevity Technique, so practicing the Foundation Establishment stage would be a seamless transition. Moreover, the True Sect most likely also has the Golden Core stage of the Longevity Technique, so if he were to reach the Golden Core stage by chance in the future, he wouldn't need to switch to another cultivation method.

Secondly, it promotes longevity.

Nothing is more important than longevity. As long as you're alive, there's hope.

The Golden Core Ancestor of the Longevity Sect lived for over six hundred years. If it weren't for the attack by the three sects, he probably could have lived for many more years.

Although it is said that those who have established their foundation will live for three hundred years.

Golden Elixir grants a lifespan of eight hundred years.

But this is the limit of lifespan.

Just like in the past life there were long-lived people who could live to be over 120 years old, but the average lifespan is less than 80 years.

Living to two-thirds of its maximum lifespan is considered a natural death.

Chen Licai's lifespan reached 268 years as soon as he established his foundation. Besides body refinement, this may also be due to the fact that he had reached the maximum level of the Longevity Technique.

If one were to switch to other cultivation methods, without the boost of the Longevity Cultivation Technique's spiritual power, their lifespan would likely be significantly reduced!

It's really not worth the loss!

Next, Chen Li browsed through the catalog of spells and found that compared to the forty or fifty spells available for the Qi Refining stage, the Foundation Establishment stage had far fewer spells, only eighteen in total, and most of them were low to mid-level second-tier spells.

Among them, the second-tier level one includes three techniques: Earth Shaking Technique, Rainbow Transformation Technique, and Clairvoyance Technique.

"I now have my main cultivation technique, the secret method of Zhou Tian Gang Jin, and basic swordsmanship for body refinement. In addition, there are several other techniques that I haven't mastered yet. As the saying goes, it's better to be a master of one thing than a jack of all trades. Don't bite off more than you can chew. I should focus on mastering these first." Chen Li pondered to himself.
"However, this... X-ray vision technique is worth learning."

Like invisibility, this technique is mostly useless, but it can be life-saving in some critical moments.

For example, figuring out where the enemy is hiding.

Check if there is a hidden weapon!

Chen Li looked through the entire catalog several times, made a rough impression, and then got up to register in front of Lao Xiu.

"One foundation-building technique, the Longevity Technique. One technique for breaking evil spells. One technique for clairvoyance." The old cultivator said, while taking notes.

When he got to the last one, Old Xiu couldn't help but glance at Chen Li, chuckled twice, and a lewd look appeared on his face. He quickly straightened his expression and asked, "These are the three. Is there anything I've missed?"

Chen Li was somewhat puzzled by the laughter and replied, "No."

"The Longevity Technique is free, the Evil-Breaking Technique costs five mid-grade spirit stones, and the Clairvoyance Technique costs twenty mid-grade spirit stones. You will need to pay a total of twenty-five spirit stones."

After Chen Li paid, the old cultivator said again, "The teachings are not to be easily passed on. You must also swear an oath that you will never reveal the sect's teachings to outsiders!"

"What oath?" Chen Li asked, puzzled.

Fortunately, Lao Xiu was knowledgeable and experienced, and didn't find it strange at all:
"Repeat after me: I hereby swear to the Great Dao that I will never lightly impart the cultivation methods of my sect to any spirit, whether intentionally or unintentionally. If I reveal any of them, my cultivation will never advance, and I will be punished by Heaven and never be reincarnated."

Chen Li began to read aloud as the other person did.

To be honest, he was initially somewhat dismissive of it.

But as he spoke, he sensed something was amiss. A strange feeling arose in his heart, as if some unseen being was subtly responding to him. His expression unconsciously became solemn and dignified.

Once the oath is finished.

The strange atmosphere vanished instantly, as if everything that had happened before was an illusion.

"Just now..." Chen Li hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.

I felt a little uneasy.

"Hehe, that's how it is when you take an oath. You'll get used to it after a few times!"

Will you get used to it after sending it a few more times?
Chen Li remained silent.

Old Xiu looks quite serious when he's not smiling, but when he does, he looks particularly lewd.

Unaware that Chen Li was secretly criticizing him, Lao Xiu handed the note to a Qi Refining disciple who was bowing and standing beside him.

The disciple respectfully accepted it and jogged up to the second floor to retrieve the cultivation manual.

After a while.

Chen Li put the three disposable jade slips for transferring power into his storage bag and left the Scripture Pavilion.

……

After returning home, he instructed Zhou Hong and Zhang Shuniang not to disturb them.

He walked quickly to the quiet room and closed the stone door.

He sat cross-legged on the futon.

He took out the jade slip containing the Longevity Technique and channeled his spiritual consciousness into it.

Soon, a foundation-building cultivation technique appeared in his mind.

The contents were quite detailed. Although the entire cultivation method only had a few hundred words, the annotations were tens of thousands of words long. He recited it silently more than ten times until he had completely memorized all the contents and could no longer forget them before his spiritual consciousness withdrew.

"Kacha!"

The jade slip in his hand quickly became covered with cracks and soon shattered.

Chen Li didn't pay any attention and tossed the jade slip aside.

He pondered the cultivation technique repeatedly in his mind, and it was thanks to the detailed annotations that he understood it thoroughly. If he only had the technique, it would have been quite difficult for him to comprehend it completely.

The techniques are full of hidden meanings and metaphors, making it as easy as deciphering a code.

Until Chen Li completely mastered the technique.

He had just begun to try practicing the foundational stage of the Longevity Technique.

……

"It's done!"

He opened his eyes, his heart filled with joy.

He thought for a moment and then opened the game panel.

However, it was discovered that the original 'Cultivation Technique: Longevity Technique Grandmaster: 3200/3200'

It has now become 'Cultivation Technique: Longevity Technique Foundation Building Chapter - Beginner' 8/100

"Looks like I've been overthinking it. Everything has to start all over again," Chen Li thought to himself. He got up and walked out of the quiet room. It was completely dark outside.

(End of this chapter)