Chapter 59: Choosing Skills

Mo Hua still didn't choose a cultivation method. When they parted, Mo Hua's departing figure looked a little lonely.

Bai Zixi saw this and suddenly said, "I'll have Aunt Xue give you some spiritual items."

Mo Hua was slightly taken aback. He didn't expect the usually aloof Bai Zixi to be so kind. He couldn't help but smile, but still declined, saying, "There's no need. Cultivation is a lifelong pursuit. I can't rely on others for cultivation forever. Besides, I haven't done anything to deserve it, so I can't just take things from others."

Bai Zixi's expression was indifferent; it was impossible to tell if she was happy or unhappy.

After Mo Hua finished speaking, he sincerely added, "Thank you!"

Mo Hua always held gratitude in his heart for the kindness of others.

After the others left, Mr. Zhuang, who had been lounging on a chair sunbathing from sunrise to sunset, finally stood up at his leisure. He walked to a remote and somewhat dusty small study room and couldn't help but mutter, "Puppet Lao is too lazy. How long has this study room not been cleaned?"

Puppet Lao's figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere behind the originally empty room. "Since it's not used, what difference does it make whether it's cleaned or not?"

"How many times have I told you, don't always appear and disappear mysteriously like this. This was a nice courtyard, you make it gloomy," Mr. Zhuang said in dissatisfaction. He then walked around the study room, flipping through various books and jade slips. The already untidy study room became even messier.

"Looking for what?"

"I'm looking for a few volumes of cultivation methods," Mr. Zhuang said casually.

"Looking for them for that child Mo Hua?"

"That's right."

"You weren't so attentive to your disciples before." Puppet Lao's tone was flat, but carried a hint of sarcasm.

Mr. Zhuang picked out a few jade slips, spread them on the table, and slowly sat down, examining them one by one. "Before, I was single-mindedly focused on the Dao, and naturally arrogant. Now, times have changed, and I have no fate with the Dao. Naturally, I have some idle time to manage idle matters."

Puppet Lao didn't speak anymore, and the room instantly became quiet.

A moment later, Mr. Zhuang couldn't help but say, "Say something occasionally, otherwise this room really feels gloomy."

Puppet Lao said coldly, "What do you want me to say?"

Mr. Zhuang thought for a bit and said, "What cultivation method do you think is good for that child Mo Hua to choose?"

"It's best not to choose."

"Why not choose?"

"If you don't interfere, you won't get involved in karma, and that child Mo Hua will have less trouble."

Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "You believe in karma, I don't. Even if there really is karma in this world, I don't think hiding can avoid it. Perhaps when I came to this Li State and took Mo Hua as my apprentice, I already touched upon karma. Once the heavenly mechanism operates, it cannot be changed even if you want to."

After saying this, Mr. Zhuang felt unlucky again and mocked himself, "A person who has lost their Dao heart just has an old mentality. These words are the same as those old folks in Tian Quan Pavilion who play with words."

Puppet Lao said faintly, "I am just an old fellow in Tian Quan Pavilion who plays with words."

Mr. Zhuang smiled awkwardly. "You're still a bit different." He immediately changed the subject and asked, "How about the Two Yi Gong?"

"Too obscure."

"Five Elements Transform Gong?"

"His meridians can't handle it."

"Then what about the Dao Xuan Jue?"

"He'll be hunted down by the Dao Xuan Sect."

...

Mr. Zhuang picked for a long time, and all were denied by Puppet Lao one by one. He simply asked, "What cultivation methods do you have there? Bring them out for a look too."

"The cultivation methods I have here are also not suitable."

Mr. Zhuang sighed. "Having poor spiritual roots is really such a troublesome matter. Why didn't that child Mo Hua have high-grade spiritual roots? It would be much easier to choose a cultivation method. Like when I chose my cultivation method back then, I just picked the best one, there was no need to pick and choose like this."

Puppet Lao silently rolled his eyes.

"He wants to be different from others, he wants a middle-grade lower-tier spiritual root, he wants a five-elements spiritual root, and the required spiritual items can't be too famous..." Mr. Zhuang muttered.

"The requirement of being different from others is redundant..."

Mr. Zhuang shook his head and said, "No, as my disciple, he must be different from others."

"He's just a registered disciple, not a direct disciple who has formally bowed to you and offered tea."

"You don't understand this," Mr. Zhuang said with a profound look. "If even registered disciples are so different from others, it can show how outstanding I, this Mister, am."

Puppet Lao said, "Didn't you say before that experts rely on strength to be arrogant, and only wastes rely on words to show off..."

"Can't you remember some of the good things I say?" Mr. Zhuang said unhappily.

"You were unrestrained back then, and your words weren't very good."

Mr. Zhuang was a little awkward and changed the subject, saying, "The important matter is the proper business, let's pick the cultivation method first."

Mr. Zhuang then searched the entire room again. If he felt it was suitable, he kept it first. If it wasn't suitable, he threw it aside casually.

Puppet Lao then silently followed behind Mr. Zhuang to tidy up. Occasionally, he would also hand over one or two jade slips. Mr. Zhuang glanced at them, slightly disliked them, but still kept them, just muttering, "Your taste in selecting cultivation methods is still so vulgar..."

The next day, Mo Hua drew arrays all day. In the evening, he was about to go home when he saw Mr. Zhuang waving at him from inside the bamboo pavilion.

Mo Hua walked over, bowed, and couldn't help but ask doubtfully, "Mister, do you have something you want to instruct?"

Mr. Zhuang directly placed a large bag containing mixed jade slips and classics in front of Mo Hua. "You pick some."

Mo Hua couldn't help but open his mouth wide. "Mister..."

"Since you call me Mister, I can't treat you too badly. Choosing a cultivation method is just a small effort."

Mo Hua thought of the always lazy Mr. Zhuang, who could lie on a lounge chair all day. He looked at the large bag of obviously carefully selected cultivation methods in front of him, and warmth welled up in his heart. He stood up and respectfully bowed again.

"You pick yourself, I'll enlighten myself on the Dao for a while."

Mr. Zhuang waved his hand, lay down on the chair again, closed his eyes, and took a short rest.

Mo Hua tried not to disturb Mr. Zhuang. His movements were gentle and he seriously looked through the pile of cultivation methods in front of him.

Spirit Change Jue, Sit Dao Gong, Heaven and Earth Two Yi Jing, Immortal Path God Gong...

These cultivation methods sounded profound just by their names, and their effects were even more extraordinary. Some could amplify spiritual power, some could cultivate both spirit and body, some could even reduce bottlenecks in cultivation. The lowest could cultivate out thirty Zhou Tian's worth of spiritual power. As for the names of the required heaven and earth spiritual objects, Mo Hua was quite familiar with a large half of them.

Given that Mo Hua, who was just starting in Qi Refining, felt familiar with them, it meant that even if these spiritual objects were rare, they were definitely not rare treasures that had a price but no market, or innate spiritual objects like phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

It was clear that Mr. Zhuang had spent quite some thought when selecting these cultivation methods.

Mo Hua silently recorded these feelings in his heart, then concentrated on selecting a cultivation method.

He first picked the cheapest, which required the fewest heaven and earth spiritual objects; then he found the one that could cultivate the most Zhou Tian of spiritual power; then he found the one whose attribute was most suitable; then he found the one with the most practical effects...

Mo Hua picked and picked, and finally selected a few that were relatively the most suitable. Then he started to worry again.

The fewer required heaven and earth spiritual objects didn't mean none were needed. In fact, calculating it, it would still require over a thousand spirit stones.

Mo Hua had been looking at cultivation methods these days. Some even required spiritual objects worth tens of thousands of spirit stones. Compared to those, several thousand spirit stones was already considered the cheapest.

But Mo Hua suddenly realized that even just several thousand spirit stones was something he fundamentally couldn't afford.

Mo Hua was suddenly a bit stuck.

At this moment, Mo Hua suddenly flipped to a jade slip that was rough on the surface and extremely ancient in shape. Compared to the various elegant or exquisite books and jade slips, it appeared out of place.

Mo Hua held it in his hand and immersed his divine sense. The three ancient characters *Tian Yan Jue* were imprinted in his mind. Mo Hua looked further down for a while and suddenly felt that the explanation of this cultivation method seemed to be missing something.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then suddenly realized that there was no mention of the required heaven and earth spiritual objects on this volume of the cultivation method.

Did that mean that cultivating this cultivation method didn't require extra heaven and earth spiritual objects?

As soon as this idea appeared, it impacted Mo Hua's young mind, making him so excited that he could hardly contain himself.