Chapter 18: Choice

“Forget it, let's focus on the matter at hand first…” Mo Hua thought, then honestly flipped through the middle lower grade cultivation methods.

Small Five Elements Art: middle lower grade cultivation method, suitable for Five Elements system spirit roots, can cultivate seventy cycles of spiritual power, Qi Refining period completion requires refining at least one thousand spirit stones, needs heavenly materials and earthly treasures: hundred years soil, etc.

Return Spring Art: middle lower grade cultivation method, suitable for Wood system spirit roots, can cultivate seventy-five cycles of spiritual power, Qi Refining period completion requires refining at least one thousand one hundred spirit stones, needs heavenly materials and earthly treasures: evergreen wood or evergreen leaves of ten years or more, etc.

Hundred Flames Art: middle lower grade cultivation method, suitable for Fire system spirit roots, can cultivate sixty cycles of spiritual power, Qi Refining period completion requires refining at least nine hundred spirit stones, needs heavenly materials and earthly treasures: molten fire stone, etc.

...

Middle grade lower tier cultivation methods also require a considerable number of spirit stones to cultivate, but compared to upper grade cultivation methods, they are much better.

However, there are gains and losses. Middle lower grade cultivation methods consume fewer spirit stones, but the spiritual power cultivated is also less.

With Mo Hua's middle grade lower tier spirit root cultivating a middle grade lower tier cultivation method, at the same realm, his spiritual power would probably only be a little more than half of that of an upper grade lower tier spirit root cultivator.

This is only an upper grade lower tier. Upper grade middle tier and upper tier cultivation methods will cultivate even more potent spiritual power. The further cultivation progresses, the greater the disparity in spiritual power brought about by the difference in spirit roots, becoming like heaven and earth.

Moreover, spirit roots are innate and cannot be changed.

“Indeed, some people are born favored by heaven…”

Mo Hua shook his head, but since spirit roots cannot be changed, thinking about it is meaningless.

Mo Hua flipped the cultivation method catalog to the last page and saw a line of small characters at the bottom, which completely stunned him.

“Cultivation method inheritance fee… what is that?”

Mo Hua saw the annotation below:

The cultivation methods in Tongxian Sect were painstakingly collected by successive generations of sect masters and elders, diligently researched, and carefully improved. They are the heart's blood of successive generations of predecessors.

Sect disciples need to pay certain spirit stones to obtain the qualification for inheritance.

The specific inheritance fees were also marked below.

An upper grade lower tier cultivation method has an inheritance fee of only one thousand one hundred spirit stones, because upper grade spirit roots are rare, so there is a discount to only nine hundred ninety-eight spirit stones.

The inheritance fee for middle grade cultivation methods is slightly lower, and middle grade lower tier is even lower, but it is still two hundred spirit stones.

Mo Hua was dumbfounded.

Why is there still an inheritance fee?

He hadn't heard of it before.

How could the sect charge fees so arbitrarily? This is too black-hearted!

Mo Hua, who only had eight spirit stones in his entire body, sighed powerlessly.

This cultivation world is really too real and realistic…

“Once you have selected your cultivation method and paid the full inheritance fee, the sect will transmit the cultivation method to you. Cultivation methods are important matters, it's best to go back and discuss with your parents and elders before deciding. Do not be greedy for something high and far-reaching, and also do not miss your cultivation future due to a shallow vision.”

Instructor Yan finished speaking and then left. From his expression, it seemed he wasn't too willing to do this kind of thing either.

After Instructor Yan left, the disciples started whispering among themselves in groups of two or three. Some were full of excitement, while others were frowning with worry. The room suddenly became noisy:

“What is an inheritance fee? I haven't heard of it before…”

“Who knows? If the sect collects it, can we still not give it?”

“Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Art, the inheritance fee alone is over a thousand spirit stones, tsk tsk…”

“If you really learn it, you'll probably have to sell yourself to the sect.”

“Thanks, my spirit root doesn't match anyway.”

“Both my dad and mom have middle grade spirit roots, why is my spirit root only lower grade? There are basically no cultivation methods available for me to choose from…”

“Go read the theory of cultivator spirit root evolution, then you'll know why parents with middle grade spirit roots gave birth to you with a lower grade spirit root…”

“Speaking of which, can we really have upper grade spirit roots here?”

“Yes, I have a distant relative who has an upper grade spirit root, but his dad is good at gambling and his mom is lazy. Their family is as poor as can be. He only selected a lower middle grade cultivation method, completely wasting a good root bone. It's really too pitiful…”

“Then even if I have an upper grade spirit root, I still can't cultivate.”

“You can marry into it…”

“I won't!”

...

The disciples discussed variously, and Mo Hua also propped his small chin and pondered.

This sect inheritance fee exceeded his expectations.

There were actually cultivation methods available for Mo Hua to choose from in the cultivation method catalog, but his parents had just pooled money for his tuition. In the short term, they wouldn't be able to take out so many spirit stones. Even if they borrowed from here and there, pooling it together would be a heavy burden on the family.

“Since that's the case, I can only not select a cultivation method for now and temporarily make do with Breathing Gong. I'll wait until I earn enough spirit stones by drawing arrays and then select a cultivation method from there to cultivate. Anyway, I just entered the third layer of Qi Refining, and there's still some time before I break through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining.”

Mo Hua threw the cultivation method catalog into his storage bag. He had no intention of taking it back for his parents to see in the short term. The pressing matter was still drawing arrays and earning spirit stones.

In the following days, Mo Hua continued as before, diligently cultivating, attending classes, and drawing arrays in his spare time.

Sect life was monotonous but also quite leisurely.

The scenery on Tongling Peak was beautiful, with lush green woods and faint clouds and fog. Birds often flew back and forth, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

Outer sect disciples often played in the mountains after class. Female disciples, being pretty, formed groups to appreciate flowers.

Male disciples, on the other hand, chased spirit beasts all over the mountains. Budding romantic feelings between male and female cultivators were whispered in mountain streams and flower bushes, and there were also disciples fighting over favor.

But none of this concerned Mo Hua. Mo Hua dedicated all his energy to arrays. Except for eating and attending classes, all his time was spent studying arrays. Even at night before sleeping, he practiced drawing array characters on the stone tablet.

Among his familiar sectmates, Da Hu was at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, and Shuang Hu and Xiao Hu had also reached the fourth layer of Qi Refining. They all cultivated on Tongxuan Peak. Although the two peaks were not far apart, they knew that Mo Hua was wholeheartedly studying arrays and generally didn't disturb him unless absolutely necessary.

Mo Hua had a clever and intelligent face and an appearance that was harmless to humans and animals. He treated people kindly and had quite good popularity on Tongling Peak. No one would think of bullying him.

Moreover, Mo Hua's array results were very good and highly valued by Instructor Yan. If someone tried to bully him and Instructor Yan found out, the consequences would be serious. Instructor Yan hated disciples causing trouble and not cultivating wholeheartedly the most. If an instructor found out, the punishment would be extremely severe.

What's more, Da Hu and the other two always looked out for Mo Hua. They were tall and sturdy, pursuing body cultivation. In the future, they planned to enter Da Hei Mountain and become demon hunters.

Whenever they had nothing to do, they would find ways to spar and fight. If Mo Hua had any trouble, they would immediately roll up their sleeves and huff and puff their way over from Tongxuan Peak.

Mo Hua cultivated with a clear mind and only intersected with other disciples once, and that was with An Xiao Pang.

The year before, Mo Hua had borrowed ten spirit stones from An Xiao Pang and returned them to him.

When Mo Hua gave him the spirit stones, An Xiao Pang was stunned. He had clearly forgotten and only remembered after thinking for a long time.

The An family was a big family in Tongxian City. He really didn't care much about these ten spirit stones. Of course, it was also possible that his memory was simply not good.

An Xiao Pang recalled with a wrinkled brow for a long time, then immediately said with a somewhat complex expression: “I've grown so big, and you're the first one who borrowed spirit stones and still thought of returning mine.”

Mo Hua sighed in his heart. This is the silly son of a landlord family.

Some spirit stones he had lent out, he might have forgotten about them himself, or others might have deliberately not returned them. He also didn't really lack spirit stones, so over time, he just got used to it.

“You're so silly… kind-hearted, be careful of being deceived by others,” Mo Hua said, temporarily changing the word “silly” halfway through, and patted An Xiao Pang's shoulder tactfully.

An Xiao Pang's expression became more complex, even with a hint of emotion:

“Little Mo bro, everyone else says I'm stupid, only you know that I'm kind-hearted. Among all the disciples I've met, you are the cleverest. No wonder your arrays are drawn so well!”

Mo Hua was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.

More than a month passed, and the sect had a ten-day break, giving two days of holiday.

Mo Hua left the sect and went to the Fate Shop on North Street, handing over the drawn Bright Fire Arrays to Manager Wang, then asked:

“Are there any arrays that are a little more difficult than Bright Fire Array that can be exchanged for more spirit stones?”

Manager Wang glanced at Mo Hua. “Did your brother ask you to ask?”

“That's right!” Mo Hua nodded.

“There are,” Manager Wang lowered his head and flipped through the back of the counter, then took out an array diagram. There were several unfamiliar array characters on the array diagram.

“Solid Earth Array. It can solidify soil and stone. Cultivators generally use it when building houses and caves, and to strengthen doors and windows. Solid Earth Array is a little more difficult than Bright Fire Array. The remuneration for each Solid Earth Array is two spirit stones.”

Two spirit stones… that's twice the amount for a Bright Fire Array.

“Can I look at the array diagram explanation first?”

Manager Wang gave Mo Hua a glare. “What's the use of you looking? Get your brother to look.”

But although he said that, he still gave the diagram explanation to Mo Hua. These basic array diagram explanations themselves weren't too scarce, so there was no harm in letting others look.

Mo Hua flipped through the diagram explanation and discovered that many array characters were indeed ones he had never seen before, and the instructors in the sect had never taught them.

“I don't know how long it will take to learn this array…”

The inheritance fee for the sect's cultivation method was too expensive. Relying on earning spirit stones by drawing Bright Fire Array would take quite a long time.

Mo Hua wanted to draw a new array, but he was also hesitant. If he didn't draw it well, he might lose spirit stones. If he didn't learn it and couldn't complete it by the deadline, the Array Pavilion would deduct the entire deposit.

“Forget it, you can't catch a wolf without giving up a child!”

Mo Hua made up his mind. Even if he couldn't learn it by the deadline and all twenty spirit stones were deducted, he would just go back and draw Bright Fire Array to earn them back.

To become an array master, the arrays he might have to draw in the future would probably be much more difficult than this. He couldn't possibly draw Bright Fire Array for a lifetime.