Chapter 413: Chapter 313: Core Formation Technique (Part 2)
Actually, taking seven or eight years to upgrade one’s talent was quite normal.
After closing the light screen, Fang Yun prepared to end his seclusion.
A message was waiting at the entrance of his cave residence. It had been left by Ruan Hanfan.
The message informed Fang Yun that he should contact Ruan Hanfan after he finished cleansing his Spirit Root and ended his seclusion.
After reading the message, Fang Yun immediately contacted Ruan Hanfan.
He didn’t have to wait long. A streak of light descended before his temporary cave residence, revealing none other than Ruan Hanfan.
"Senior Ruan," Fang Yun greeted with a bow.
"Fang Yun, after the final calculation, you have earned a total of twelve thousand special Contribution Points. These points cannot be saved; you must spend them all before you leave our Purple Mist Sect." After nodding, Ruan Hanfan first addressed the matter of the points. "The additional points were awarded not only for your merit in killing the Blood Spirit Sect’s Blood Demons but also for saving Lin Ke."
"Elder Hong and Elder Lin argued on your behalf to secure you that latter credit."
Disciples within a sect are expected to help one another. If an Inner Sect Disciple is being attacked by Blood Demons, it’s considered a duty to intervene, so normally no credit is awarded.
The two Elders used the fact that Fang Yun was not a Purple Mist Sect Cultivator as their reason, successfully securing the additional credit for him.
Upon hearing this, Fang Yun expressed his gratitude.
Special Contribution Points were extremely valuable, and twelve thousand of them could be exchanged for a great many things within the Purple Mist Sect.
Core Formation Stage Cultivation Techniques were incredibly precious.
And for only five thousand special Contribution Points, he could obtain any Core Formation Technique within the Purple Mist Sect.
"Senior Ruan, I’d like to look at the Core Formation Techniques first."
"Very well. Follow me."
The Celestial Cloud Sect didn’t have many Core Formation Techniques, and none of them were suitable for him.
Fang Yun hoped to find a suitable Core Formation Technique in the Purple Mist Sect; as a Nascent Soul sect, it was bound to have an abundance of them.
Led by Ruan Hanfan, Fang Yun arrived at the repository where the Purple Mist Sect stored its Cultivation Techniques.
With a Core Formation Elder of the Purple Mist Sect leading the way, his passage was, of course, completely unobstructed.
"All the Core Formation Techniques our Purple Mist Sect can offer you are located on this floor. You can read through their descriptions. Just let me know when you’ve made your choice."
"Yes."
Fang Yun stepped inside and began to examine the Core Formation Techniques.
Each Core Formation Technique was housed within a sub-array of a Grand Array, ensuring it was well protected. Without the Token to deactivate the sub-array, it was impossible to retrieve the technique inside.
A stone slate beside each technique detailed its pros and cons, as well as the Lifebound Magical Treasure one could refine by practicing it.
Unlike Foundation Establishment Techniques, the vast majority of Core Formation Techniques involved the Refining of a Lifebound Magical Treasure. Only a rare few did not, describing other methods for enhancing one’s strength instead.
Fang Yun studied the pros and cons of each Core Formation Technique and the descriptions of their corresponding Lifebound Magical Treasures. Most of the treasures were integrated for both offense and defense.
As for Fang Yun himself, he wanted to find a technique for a Lifebound Magical Treasure with purely maximized offense, something akin to what a Sword Cultivator would practice.
Specifically, a Sword Type Magical Treasure.
From his years of combat, he had drawn a conclusion.
’If you’re strong enough to instantly kill your opponent with the first strike, you don’t need any defense.’
In battle, he used a sword more than any other weapon.
’Huh? This technique...’
He had looked through about two-thirds of the Purple Mist Sect’s Core Formation Techniques and found one that seemed quite suitable.
When he first saw it, he had thought he would simply choose it as his post-Core Formation technique.
Now, his mind had changed.
The Core Formation Fire Attribute Technique: *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*!
A single glance at the description told him it was a technique suitable for an Artifact Refiner.
According to the description of the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*, a cultivator who mastered it could possess more than just one Lifebound Magical Treasure. In fact, if they wished, they could have multiple at the same time.
The only drawback was that the Refining method produced Lifebound Magical Treasures with relatively simple functions and average power.
After reading the entire description, Fang Yun could make a more accurate assessment.
The Core Formation Technique, *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*, was perfect for an Artifact Refiner who could multitask. The more one could divide their consciousness, the better.
’This is a perfect fit.’
Fang Yun, who was already in high spirits, felt a surge of even greater delight.
With this technique, he no longer had to agonize over which type of Lifebound Magical Treasure to choose for his Core Formation Technique. Whether it was a sword, a shield, or boots, he could simply refine them all.
He moved past the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*. There was still about a third of the techniques left to see.
Fang Yun began to wonder if there might be an even more suitable Core Formation Technique for him.
’He knew he was probably just daydreaming, but... what if?’
He finished browsing all the Core Formation Techniques. In the end, there was no "what if." The Core Formation Fire Attribute Technique, the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*, was indeed the most suitable one in the Purple Mist Sect for him.
"Senior Ruan, I’ve made my choice."
"Which one is it?"
"The *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*!"
"I knew it." Ruan Hanfan wasn’t surprised by Fang Yun’s choice. "Our Purple Mist Sect’s Artifact Refining Elders generally choose to cultivate this technique."
Ruan Hanfan knew that Fang Yun’s skill in both Artifact Refining and Alchemy was exceptional.
The Purple Mist Sect had Core Formation Techniques suitable for Alchemy Masters as well, but their compatibility with an Alchemy Master was far lower than the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique’s* compatibility with an Artifact Refiner.
He had thought the alchemy-focused technique would have been Fang Yun’s second choice.
In reality, that wasn’t the case.
The two hadn’t discussed the matter in depth, so Ruan Hanfan wasn’t aware of Fang Yun’s actual reasoning.
"Fang Yun, take this. It’s a brand new Jade Scroll for the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*. It can be used a total of three times." As he spoke, Ruan Hanfan retrieved a pale red Jade Scroll and placed it in Fang Yun’s hand.
For the Celestial Cloud Sect to permanently acquire the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*, one method was to cultivate it to the Perfection realm and then perfectly transcribe it onto Spirit Paper made from specific Spiritual Materials.
The Core Formation Techniques the Purple Mist Sect offered for exchange were all techniques the sect fully possessed.
If a technique existed only on a Jade Scroll that would be depleted after a couple of uses, the Purple Mist Sect naturally wouldn’t have offered it for exchange.
Fang Yun placed the pale red Jade Scroll into his Storage Pouch. His special Contribution Points dropped from twelve thousand to seven thousand.
"Do you want any other Core Formation Techniques?"
"Not at the moment." Fang Yun shook his head gently. "Senior Ruan, I need some Cultivation Miscellaneous Books, particularly ones that detail Third Tier and higher Spiritual Materials."
"No problem."
Compared to Cultivation Techniques, the miscellaneous books cost far fewer special Contribution Points.
The cost varied depending on the value of the knowledge, but most were between twenty and fifty special Contribution Points, with almost none exceeding one hundred.
Among the Cultivation Miscellaneous Books he exchanged for, there was one that detailed Mirror Stones, the items dropped by Mirror Beasts.
This way, he wouldn’t need to specifically consult the Purple Mist Sect’s Artifact Refining Elder.
This particular miscellaneous book cost eighty special Contribution Points. Its main content was an introduction to the Spiritual Objects that could only be found in the "Land of No Master" Secret Realm, of which the Mirror Stone was one.
Fang Yun checked the back of the book and saw that this particular volume of Cultivation Miscellaneous Books had already been revised twenty-seven times.
Fang Yun also exchanged for some books on Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and planting.
Unlike the miscellaneous books, the exchange prices for books with Third Tier or higher content were no less than one hundred points. The Second Tier content was far cheaper, but the Celestial Cloud Sect’s library already covered most of that material.
After exchanging for a variety of books, Fang Yun had spent another six thousand one hundred special Contribution Points, leaving him with only nine hundred.
"Senior Ruan, lastly, I’d like to exchange for three Foundation Establishment Techniques."
Each Foundation Establishment Technique cost three hundred special Contribution Points.
The Purple Mist Sect’s collection of Foundation Establishment Techniques was undoubtedly far more extensive than that of the Celestial Cloud Sect.
Fang Yun was familiar with most of the Foundation Establishment Techniques in his own sect, which were mostly common, general-purpose techniques. Therefore, he could afford to choose three techniques with more specialized applications.
"Of course."
It took him a rather long time to select the final three Foundation Establishment Techniques, but in the end, Fang Yun found ones that satisfied him.
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