Chapter 59: Choosing a Cultivation Method
Mo Hua still hadn’t chosen a cultivation method. When they parted ways, his figure seemed slightly lonely.
Bai Zixi noticed and suddenly spoke up: “I’ll have Aunt Xue bring some spiritual materials to you.”
Mo Hua was slightly taken aback. He hadn’t expected the usually reserved Bai Zixi to have such a kind heart. He couldn’t help but smile, but he politely declined:
“No need. Cultivation is a lifelong endeavor. I can’t rely on others for my entire life. Besides, one shouldn’t take others’ things without merit.”
Bai Zixi’s expression remained calm, revealing nothing—neither pleasure nor displeasure.
After finishing, Mo Hua sincerely added, “Thank you!”
He was always grateful for the kindness of others.
After the others left, Master Zhuang, who had been resting in the bamboo room from sunbathing until moonbathing, slowly got up and moved to a small, slightly dusty study in a secluded corner, muttering to himself:
“Old Kui is way too lazy. How long has it been since this study was cleaned?”
Suddenly, Old Kui appeared behind him:
“If it’s not being used, what’s the difference whether it’s clean or not?”
“I’ve told you countless times—don’t keep popping up like this! Such a fine courtyard, and you make it so gloomy.”
Master Zhuang scowled, then walked around the study, flipping through various books and jade slips. The study, already untidy, became even messier.
“What are you looking for?”
“A few cultivation manuals,” Master Zhuang said casually.
“For Mo Hua?”
“Exactly.”
“You’ve never been this attentive to your disciples before,” Old Kui said flatly, with a hint of mockery.
Master Zhuang picked a few jade slips, spread them on the desk, and leisurely began examining them one by one:
“In the past, I was devoted entirely to the Dao, so naturally I was aloof. But time has passed, I am now detached from the Dao, so I have some leisure to meddle in worldly matters.”
Old Kui said nothing, and the room instantly fell silent.
After a while, Master Zhuang said: “You should speak occasionally, or this room really feels creepy.”
Old Kui replied coldly: “What do you want me to say?”
Master Zhuang thought for a moment and asked: “Tell me, what cultivation method would be good for Mo Hua?”
“Best not to choose one,” Old Kui said.
“Why not?”
“If you don’t interfere, there’s no karmic entanglement, and Mo Hua will have fewer troubles.”
Master Zhuang shook his head: “You believe in karma; I don’t. Even if karma exists, it’s not something you can simply avoid. Perhaps by bringing Mo Hua here as a disciple, I’ve already set karma in motion. Once the celestial machinery starts, it can’t be altered.”
After saying this, Master Zhuang felt gloomy and muttered to himself:
“When one loses the heart for the Dao, one’s mindset ages. Sounds just like those old fogeys at the Heavenly Authority Pavilion.”
Old Kui replied lightly: “I am one of those old fogeys at the Heavenly Authority Pavilion.”
Master Zhuang smiled wryly: “You’re still a little different.” Then he changed the topic: “How about Two Principles Cultivation?”
“Too obscure.”
“Five Elements Transformative Cultivation?”
“His meridians can’t handle it.”
“Then Dao Mysterious Technique?”
“He’d be pursued by the Dao Mysterious Sect.”
…
After half a day of deliberation, all suggestions were rejected by Old Kui. Master Zhuang finally asked:
“Do you have any manuals of your own? Bring them over too.”
“Mine aren’t suitable either.”
Master Zhuang sighed: “Having a poor spiritual root really complicates choosing a cultivation method. If Mo Hua had a high-grade root, it would’ve been much easier. Back when I chose a cultivation method, I just picked the best one. No need to fuss over details.”
Old Kui silently rolled his eyes.
“Must be different, mid-grade lower tier, suitable for Five-Element roots, and the required spiritual materials shouldn’t be too rare…” Master Zhuang muttered.
“That ‘different’ requirement is unnecessary…”
Master Zhuang shook his head: “No, a disciple of mine must stand out, even as a registered disciple.”
“But a registered disciple isn’t a fully initiated disciple with tea offerings.”
“You don’t understand,” Master Zhuang said mysteriously, “even registered disciples must be exceptional to show my uniqueness as their teacher.”
Old Kui said: “Didn’t you say that true masters rely on skill, while useless people brag with words…”
“Can you remember the good things I’ve said?” Master Zhuang frowned.
“You were arrogant back then; you never said nice things.”
Master Zhuang pouted and turned back to the task: “The matter at hand is choosing a cultivation method.”
He rummaged through the room again, keeping suitable manuals and discarding unsuitable ones. Old Kui followed quietly, occasionally handing over a jade slip, which Master Zhuang glanced at with slight disdain but kept anyway, muttering:
“Your taste in cultivation methods is still so mediocre…”
The next day, after a full day of practicing formations, Mo Hua was about to head home in the evening when he saw Master Zhuang in the bamboo pavilion waving to him.
Mo Hua approached, saluted, and asked curiously: “Master, do you have instructions for me?”
Master Zhuang placed a large bundle of mixed jade slips and books in front of him: “Choose from these.”
Mo Hua’s eyes widened: “Master…”
“Since you called me ‘Master,’ I can’t treat you poorly. Choosing a cultivation method is just a small favor.”
Thinking of Master Zhuang’s usual laziness—lying in the chair all day—Mo Hua felt warmth seeing the carefully selected pile before him. He stood respectfully and bowed.
“You choose yourself. I’ll meditate a while.”
Master Zhuang waved him off and reclined again, closing his eyes for a brief rest.
Mo Hua tried not to disturb him and carefully began examining the pile of cultivation manuals.
Spiritual Transformation Technique, Sitting Dao Cultivation, Heaven and Earth Two Principles Scripture, Immortal Path Divine Technique…
The names alone sounded profound; their effects were extraordinary. Some could amplify spiritual power, some allowed simultaneous body cultivation, and some reduced cultivation bottlenecks. Even the lowest could cultivate thirty cycles of spiritual power. Many of the required spiritual materials were familiar to Mo Hua.
Even at his current beginner level of Qi-Refining, the familiarity meant that these materials, though rare, were not priceless treasures or extremely scarce innate materials.
It was clear Master Zhuang had spent great effort selecting these manuals.
Mo Hua silently appreciated the gesture and began selecting cultivation methods seriously.
He first chose the cheapest, requiring the fewest spiritual materials; then those providing the most cycles of spiritual power; then the ones most suitable for his attribute; then the most practical…
After going back and forth, he finally selected a few that were relatively optimal, but then frowned.
Fewest materials didn’t mean none—they still required over a thousand spirit stones.
Other manuals he had seen cost tens of thousands of spirit stones, so a few thousand was relatively cheap.
But Mo Hua suddenly realized even a few thousand spirit stones were beyond his means.
He felt a little helpless.
Then he came across a rough, unusually primitive jade slip, standing out among the elegant and refined ones.
He immersed his Divine-Sense into it, and the three ancient characters Tian Yan Jue (Heavenly Evolution Technique) appeared in his mind. Reading further, he realized the manual seemed to lack information.
After a moment of thought, he remembered: this manual didn’t list any required spiritual materials.
Did that mean cultivating this method required no extra materials?
The thought struck his young heart, filling Mo Hua with excitement he could hardly contain.