After stabilizing his cultivation at the second layer of Qi Refining, Xiao Qi finally obtained the qualification to enter the first floor of the Transmission Pavilion and select a basic cultivation technique. For any disciple of Qingxu Temple, this was an important milestone on the path of cultivation. Carrying a mix of excitement and more apprehension, Xiao Qi stepped for the first time into that majestic building symbolizing the foundational legacy of Qingxu Temple.
Inside the Transmission Pavilion, the light was soft, permeated with the faint scent of sandalwood and old books. Rows of tall jade shelves stood neatly arranged, bearing not books but jade slips of various colors, shimmering with flowing light. Beside each jade slip was a small wooden plaque briefly noting the technique name, attribute requirements, and general effects.
"Metal Fortitude Art", "Evergreen Technique", "Flowing Fire Incantation", "Earthen Shield", "Azure Wave Heart Method"... A dazzling array of names flooded his vision, leaving Xiao Qi overwhelmed and at a loss. He felt like a mouse that had stumbled into a treasure trove—excited by the vastness before him yet acutely aware of his own insignificance and ignorance.
Most of the outer sect disciples who had come together had clear goals. Some, based on their spiritual root attributes, headed directly to the corresponding sections; others, having already learned from senior brothers and sisters which techniques were easy to learn and practical, quickly made their choices. Only Xiao Qi stood before the densely packed jade shelves, appearing out of place.
His spiritual roots were chaotic, encompassing all Five Elements yet none prominent. This meant that cultivating any single‑attribute technique would yield half the result for twice the effort; while cultivating multiple techniques simultaneously was beyond his current meager cultivation and comprehension to bear.
Carefully navigating between the jade shelves, his fingers brushed the cool jade slips as his spiritual sense attempted to probe the introductions on the wooden plaques. The "Metal Fortitude Art" was peerlessly sharp but required exceptional Metal spiritual roots; the "Flowing Fire Incantation" possessed explosive power yet demanded extremely high Fire spiritual roots; the "Evergreen Technique" was gentle and enduring but progressed slowly and leaned heavily toward the Wood attribute... It seemed none of the techniques were truly suited for him.
A deep sense of helplessness welled up in his heart. Innate aptitude, like an invisible shackle, once again tightly bound him. He felt like a beggar standing before a lavish imperial banquet, gazing at delicacies yet unsure where to start—even doubting whether he had the ability to digest them.
Just as his mind wavered, nearly ready to casually pick some commonplace advanced version of the "Qi‑Inducing Art" to settle the matter, the jade pendant worn close against his chest suddenly transmitted an extremely faint, almost imperceptible warm ripple! The ripple vanished in an instant; had Xiao Qi not been exceptionally sensitive to this object, he would have almost thought it an illusion.
Subconsciously, he halted his steps, following the vague direction indicated by that ripple. It wasn't the jade shelves holding mainstream techniques but a somewhat dim bookcase in a corner. There lay not jade slips but thread‑bound paper booklets, their pages already yellowed and even somewhat damaged. Most were travel notes, miscellaneous discussions of senior cultivators, or theoretical classics long obsolete or deemed of little value. Rarely visited, they were covered with a thin layer of dust.
That faint ripple seemed to point toward one particularly inconspicuous thin volume, its spine even slightly cracked. As if guided by some unseen force, Xiao Qi walked over, brushed the dust from the cover, and revealed several archaic characters—"Essentials of Purified Origin".
He gently picked up the booklet and opened it. Inside were not cultivation methods but discussions on the principles of "purification." The language was abstruse, discussing abstract concepts such as "cleansing away the profuse and miscellaneous," "returning to the source," "clarity and stillness naturally correct," interspersed with seemingly profound yet patternless diagrams. The book emphasized that this explored the essence of energy, not techniques for killing or self‑defense. Practicing it could illuminate the mind, reveal one's nature, strengthen the foundation and nourish vitality, yet it was nearly useless in combat or contention.
"Purification..." Xiao Qi's heart stirred, recalling the jade pendant's cool aura soothing agitation and dispelling miasma poison, as well as the catastrophe at Xu Lan Mountain Manor related to the "Source of Purification." This book seemed to share some mysterious connection with him.
Holding "Essentials of Purified Origin", he struggled inwardly. The ideas within seemed faintly aligned with certain experiences of his own and the pendant's nature—perhaps helping him better understand the changes within his body. On the other hand, the book clearly stated it had no practical offensive power. For someone urgently needing to enhance strength and establish himself within the sect, choosing such a "useless" technique was undoubtedly extremely unwise. Senior Sister Liu Yun would surely scold him for losing his mind; Second Senior Brother would probably laugh at him for always picking useless things.
The pressure of reality, like an icy tide, drowned that faint tremor originating from bloodline and instinct. What he needed was a technique that could more quickly raise his cultivation and provide some self‑protection ability, not these vague and elusive "principles."
After much hesitation, Xiao Qi finally gently placed "Essentials of Purified Origin" back in its original spot, his fingertips brushing the cover with an indescribable sense of loss. He turned and walked toward the jade shelf holding "Basic Qi‑Inducing Art · Supplemental Edition", where several disciples with ordinary aptitudes like himself gathered, seeking a safe choice.
He took down a jade slip labeled "Qi‑Inducing Art · Supplemental Edition", immersed his spiritual sense, and found inside slightly more detailed qi‑circulation methods and a few most basic minor spells—such as faint illumination and self‑cleansing—balanced and mild, suitable for all spiritual root attributes. It was the most commonplace, least likely to go wrong choice.
After registering the technique with the attendant disciple and clutching the cool jade slip in hand, Xiao Qi walked out of the Transmission Pavilion. The sunlight was somewhat glaring; he squinted, feeling little joy in his heart but instead a complex mix of emotions. He had chosen a path that seemed the safest, yet it felt as if he had brushed past some important opportunity.
Looking back at the majestic pavilion, the copy of "Essentials of Purified Origin" on the corner bookcase remained like a forgotten riddle, deeply imprinted in his mind. Perhaps one day, when he had the capability and confidence, he would return to explore its mysteries. But not now.
For now, he needed to keep his feet on the ground, step by step along this arduous cultivation path. That dust‑covered miscellany, and the pendant's momentary ripple, became for him—a perplexity and regret known to no one else—from this visit to the Transmission Pavilion.