Chapter 182: Chapter 167: True Water Spirit Transformation Skill, Zhao Xiaoshu’s Resolve

A stir went through Lu Zhao’s heart. He spoke respectfully, "Please advise me, Senior Brother."

The old man’s voice was calm and low, tinged with a hint of reminiscence. "This *True Water Spirit Transformation Skill* is one of the lesser, derivative cultivation techniques from the *True Sea Water Manual of Ten Thousand Spirits*. That manual was the Sect’s Treasure Manual for the Thousand Waters Sect, the Overlord of the Yue Country thousands of years ago."

"And the *True Sea Water Manual of Ten Thousand Spirits* is said to be among the absolute best of the High-Grade Cultivation Techniques."

A flash of astonishment crossed Lu Zhao’s eyes. The old man continued, "More importantly, the legacy of this High-Grade Treasure Manual, the *True Sea Water Manual of Ten Thousand Spirits*, is not entirely lost. Portions of it are preserved within several powerful sects in the Northwestern Countries and even the Beixuan Alliance. And as it happens, our Bixia Sect also holds a part of that legacy."

As his voice fell, the old man looked at Lu Zhao, the corners of his mouth hinting at a deep, meaningful smile.

Lu Zhao’s Heart Spirit was violently shaken! The old man hadn’t spelled it all out, but his intention was as clear as day. ’If I’m aiming for the Golden Core Dao and have lofty ambitions, choosing the *True Water Spirit Transformation Skill* is obviously the superior stepping stone!’

’If I can successfully switch to that High-Grade Cultivation Technique in the future, my chances of Core Formation will increase dramatically! If I’m content to just remain at Foundation Establishment, then either technique would be fine.’

The choice, with all its pros and cons, became instantly as clear as the lines on his palm. Lu Zhao took a deep breath, the last trace of confusion gone from his eyes, replaced by a flash of resolve. He gave the old man a deep bow that went all the way to the ground. "Junior Brother thanks Senior Brother for clearing my confusion! I will engrave this kindness in my heart! This Junior Brother... now understands my heart’s desire. I wish to choose the *True Water Spirit Transformation Skill*!"

The old man nodded with a smile and gladly took the Inner Sect Steward Token Lu Zhao presented. He swiped it lightly across the ancient, heavy Array Base Disc behind the counter. An arcane Rune sank into it. A moment later, a new Jade Scroll, warm and smooth as jade, shimmering with a clear, watery brilliance, fell into Lu Zhao’s hands.

Back at the C-57 Cave Mansion, Lu Zhao suppressed his excitement and immediately immersed his Divine Sense into the newly acquired *True Water Spirit Transformation Skill* Jade Scroll. His Heart Spirit was engrossed for a long time. Only after he had repeatedly studied and simulated the general outline and the essentials of the first layer did he slowly withdraw his Divine Sense, a helpless, wry smile appearing on his face.

"Cultivating this technique does indeed lower my consumption of Tier Two Spiritual Pills... but the demand for Spirit Water will likely take a lifetime of effort to gather," Lu Zhao muttered to himself.

According to the *True Water Spirit Transformation Skill*, the core of the technique lay in Refining countless types of Spirit Water to cultivate the crucial "Thousand Waters Spirit Body." This Spirit Body not only enhanced the power of one’s Magic but was also tied to a Cultivator’s advancement. The higher the level of the Spirit Body’s cultivation, the smaller the bottlenecks became. Any Cultivator practicing this technique had no choice but to cultivate it.

The Spirit Body was divided into Five Realms. For the initial first and second layers, one could still find some Tier One Spirit Water to lay the foundation. But to reach the third and fourth layers, one must find Tier Two Spirit Water to continue! As for the Fifth Realm, finding Tier Three Spirit Water was an absolute must!

An even more vexing problem was that the Spirit Waters of the world were naturally formed, each with different attributes, some of which were fundamentally incompatible. Once one refined a Spirit Water of a specific attribute, it became extremely difficult to fuse and use other Spirit Waters with conflicting attributes. This undoubtedly made the already difficult task of finding Spirit Water even harder, like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Of course, the process of cultivating the Thousand Waters Spirit Body was not without its benefits. When Refining the Spirit Water Essence, a considerable portion of extremely pure Water Spirit Origin Power would naturally integrate into his Magical Power circulation, becoming nourishment for his Cultivation growth. This greatly reduced his dependence on Tier Two Cultivation Pills, which, for Lu Zhao, was some consolation.

’Looks like I’ll have to find a chance to personally visit the Yue Country in the future,’ Lu Zhao thought to himself. The Northwestern Countries covered a vast territory, but when it came to Water-Elemental Spiritual Objects, the Yue Country was second to none. Its territory was crisscrossed with a web of Water Spirit Veins, making the Water Spirit Qi exceptionally abundant. The Spirit Water it produced was the best among all the countries, making it the ideal place for him to search for suitable Spirit Water.

Having clarified his cultivation path, Lu Zhao decided to take care of a few urgent miscellaneous matters before officially entering seclusion to switch his Main Cultivation Method.

He left the Bixia Sect Mountain Gate and, following a familiar path, returned to the Bixia Marketplace, once again stepping into the Spirit Puppet Tower.

Behind the counter, the Shopkeeper, Lin Yuanshan, who had been bent over his ledgers, suddenly looked up when he felt the approach of a Spiritual Pressure as deep as the sea—the pressure of the Foundation Establishment Stage.

When he clearly saw that the newcomer was Lu Zhao, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, and sensed the heavy Spiritual Pressure on him—a pressure far beyond that of Qi Cultivation—his pupils contracted violently. He instantly realized what had happened.

He immediately took a deep breath, set down his ledger, and hurried around the counter. Stopping a few steps before Lu Zhao, he performed a deep, respectful bow. "Junior Lin Yuanshan congratulates Elder Lu on achieving Foundation Establishment! May Elder’s path to the Dao be ever-prosperous!" His tone was filled with sincere reverence and an indescribable sense of emotion.

Lu Zhao looked at the man’s back, bent so low it nearly touched the ground, and shook his head slightly. He made a gesture to help him up. "Fellow Daoist Lin, you and I have known each other for many years. We have a slight friendship. There’s no need for such formalities."

Lin Yuanshan, however, maintained his humble posture, not straightening up in the slightest. "Elder, you are mistaken," he said respectfully. "The accomplished one is the teacher. Elder’s promotion to Foundation Establishment makes you a role model for us Qi Cultivators to look up to. This junior dares not overstep. I must observe the proper etiquette of a junior. If there is any way this junior can be of use to Elder, please just give the word." His posture was extremely low, and his attitude was exceedingly sincere.

Seeing this, Lu Zhao didn’t press the matter and stated his purpose directly. "If that’s the case, then I’ll trouble you. Our trade arrangement concerning the Puppets will continue as before. However, from now on, I will be residing within the Sect permanently, making it inconvenient to travel back and forth. Zhao Xiaoshu will handle the specific transactions on my behalf."

Lin Yuanshan quickly replied, "Yes, this junior understands! I will certainly handle the transactions with Fellow Daoist Zhao properly. Please rest assured, Elder!" His tone was solemn.

Leaving the Spirit Puppet Tower and walking along the bustling streets of the Marketplace, Lu Zhao looked at the Qi Cultivators still toiling away for a few Spirit Stones. A faint sense of melancholy rose in his heart. ’Once the chasm between Cultivation Realms opens up, fellow Daoists who could once sit at the same table are destined to drift apart.’

After turning through a few streets and alleys, Lu Zhao soon found Zhao Xiaoshu. Zhao Xiaoshu was organizing goods at a small stall. It was a job he had recently found; the occasional tips from Lu Zhao alone were not enough for his cultivation.

Suddenly, he felt a vast, suffocating Spiritual Pressure lock onto him. His hand trembled in shock, and he whipped his head around in fear. When he saw that the visitor was Lu Zhao and instantly understood the source of the Spiritual Pressure, he froze completely.

"El... Elder Lu? You... you’ve become a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator?!" Zhao Xiaoshu’s voice stammered, filled with incredulous ecstasy and a profound reverence that washed over him. It was as if a distant, unreachable star had suddenly fallen before his eyes. He was so agitated he didn’t know what to do with his hands, and even his fingers were trembling slightly.

Lu Zhao nodded calmly. "Correct. Matters within the Bixia Sect are becoming more numerous. I need a trustworthy servant to help me handle external affairs and relay some news from inside and outside the Sect. Are you willing to enter the Sect with me?"

These simple words struck Zhao Xiaoshu’s ears like a thunderclap from the heavens. His eyes went wide, and his mouth fell slightly agape. "El... Elder! Are... are you saying... I... I, Zhao Xiaoshu, can enter the Bixia Sect?!"

"Only with the status of a low-level menial servant," Lu Zhao said bluntly. "However, you can choose a stone room to live in on the periphery of my Cave Mansion. For your daily cultivation, you can make use of the Tier Two Spiritual Energy overflowing from my Cave Mansion."

"A T-Tier Two Spirit Vein?!" The words seemed to hold a magical power, instantly igniting all of Zhao Xiaoshu’s emotions. As a Wanderer struggling at the bottom, a Tier Two Spirit Vein... was a luxury he didn’t even dare to dream of!

Acting almost on pure instinct, he dropped to his knees with a THUD on the stone ground before Lu Zhao. His forehead struck the ground with a heavy THUMP. When he looked up again, his eyes held only a do-or-die resolve:

"Elder! This junior is willing! I, Zhao Xiaoshu, hereby make a Heart Demon Vow: In this life and the next, I will follow Elder Lu! I will serve you with the loyalty of a dog or a horse, and I will never have a second thought! If I break this vow, may my body perish and my Dao be extinguished, may I fall into the Nine Netherworld for all eternity, and may I never be redeemed!" His voice was decisive, hoarse yet filled with a desperate power.

He knew all too well the weight of this opportunity. The man before him, Lu Zhao, was already a lofty Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a respectable status even within the Bixia Sect! A lowly Wanderer like him, at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, was nothing but one ant among a swarm. What right did he have to even interact with such a person?

His only reliance was this tiny bit of friendship and the all-or-nothing loyalty he was demonstrating at this moment! He knew deep down that this was the only ladder to heaven that could change his destiny! As long as he could latch onto this giant tree before him, his dream of establishing a small family might not be impossible to achieve!

Lu Zhao quietly observed the crazed and resolute look in Zhao Xiaoshu’s eyes—the look of a man willing to pay any price to seize this hope—and nodded slightly.

’To declare his intentions so clearly and even take a Heart Demon Vow on his own initiative... this level of awareness will save me a lot of trouble.’ With the methods and resources of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, it wouldn’t be difficult to support Zhao Xiaoshu in advancing to the Late-stage Qi Cultivation or even to Perfection.

"Get up." Lu Zhao’s voice was still calm, but it held an unquestionable authority. "I’ll give you half a day to take care of your worldly affairs here in the Marketplace. Then, follow me back to the Sect."

「Half a day later.」

Zhao Xiaoshu appeared at the location Lu Zhao had specified, carrying a thin pack on his back. His eyes were bright, his focus absolute. "Elder, this junior has handled everything. From this day forward, this worthless life of mine belongs to you!"

Lu Zhao said no more. He turned and transformed into a faint streak of Escape Light, enveloping Zhao Xiaoshu, and returned to the front of the C-57 Cave Mansion in short order.

Back within the Restriction of the Cave Mansion, Lu Zhao pointed to two simple stone rooms flanking the main structure to the east and west. "These two rooms are the servants’ quarters. You may choose one to live in. I will report your status to the General Affairs Hall immediately to get you a temporary pass. With this Token, you can freely enter and exit the Sect’s Mountain Gate. Your duty is to listen to my orders and handle the miscellaneous tasks I assign you. Understand?"

"Yes! Thank you for your immense grace, Elder! This lowly one understands! I would not dare to slack off even if it meant ten thousand deaths!" Zhao Xiaoshu forcibly suppressed the surging tide of his excitement, bowed deeply and respectfully to the ground, and then took small steps backward, heading toward the stone room closest to the side of the cave.

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