Chapter 58 Cultivation Techniques

Crossing the suspended cableway, they arrived at the open space on the opposite side.

Even with Vice-Headmaster Hu Qian's prominent status, his expression suddenly turned solemn and serious, leaving the several Great Dou Shi students completely baffled.

Hu Qian did not offer any explanation, merely gesturing for the five of them to stand properly in place.

Immediately, he stepped forward, bowed slightly toward the direction of the Scripture Pavilion, and cupped his fists in salute.

"The top five contestants of this year's Inner Academy Selection Tournament have been decided. As per tradition, I have brought them here. I kindly ask the two elders to open the doors!"

Amplified by Dou Qi, Hu Qian's voice echoed back and forth across the small mountain valley, lingering for a long time.

Just as Fu Tong and the others were feeling puzzled, two gray-robed figures suddenly appeared like ghosts at the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion in an eerie fashion.

The Qian and Bai Elders!

Chen Xiao's heart shook upon seeing these two.

Viewing these two figures with his current strength was akin to a frog at the bottom of a well gazing at the moon in the sky.

After all, these were bone-fide Dou Zong powerhouses.

They were the greatest pillar of support for Canaan Academy after Headmaster Mang Tianchi's departure.

However, what was rather regrettable was that these two individuals rarely interfered with worldly matters.

Otherwise, in the original trajectory of events, the mediocre bunch invited by Han Feng probably wouldn't even have stood a chance to enter the Outer Academy, let alone charge all the way into the Inner Academy.

Having revealed their forms, the Qian and Bai Elders did not reply to Hu Qian; they did not even open their eyes.

Yet Vice-Headmaster Hu Qian did not dare show the slightest trace of anomaly in his expression, maintaining his respectful posture.

This posture lasted for a full few minutes before the two old men sitting cross-legged at the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion slowly opened their eyes, revealing tranquil, or rather, completely emotionless pupils.

The two expressionlessly swept their gazes across the waiting group. When their eyes passed over Chen Xiao, they paused slightly for a split second. Following that, the gray-robed person on the left—whether it was Elder Qian or Elder Bai—spoke in a hoarse voice tinged with a hint of admiration.

"The quality of the top five in this generation is indeed much higher than that of previous years."

Powerhouses had a powerhouse's pride and demeanor; Chen Xiao could understand that.

Yet he still wanted to say,

These two were putting on entirely too pretentious an act.

They were far inferior to a certain Ice Emperor!

Directly ahead, Hu Qian finally heaved a sigh of relief, rose to his feet, and smiled, "To receive a word of praise from the two elders is already something for these little fellows to be proud of. Please, I ask the two elders to unlock the spatial barrier."

Spatial barrier?

Hearing this unfamiliar term, a flash of bewilderment swept across the faces of Fu Tong and the others.

However, Chen Xiao noticed that Cao Hui, standing nearby, did not reveal a puzzled expression, seeming to have some prior understanding of spatial barriers.

A spatial barrier was an ultimate boundary that only Dou Zong powerhouses had the ability to set up.

Let alone seeing it with one's own eyes, even hearing of it required a certain threshold of knowledge.

'Not simple at all. No wonder he was able to defeat two 2-star Great Dou Shi consecutively with his staff.'

Muttering inwardly, Chen Xiao withdrew his gaze.

At the pavilion, the Qian and Bai Elders remained silent, merely slowly extending two pairs of withered palms from their sleeves, then forming hand seals one by one with deliberate slowness. As their hand seals were formed, Chen Xiao and the others could clearly sense two extremely majestic, formless fluctuations rippling outward from their palms like waves.

The formless fluctuations gradually expanded, eventually coming into contact with certain hard-to-notice spatial folds in this region of space.

As the two forces made contact, the space right in front of the group rippled continuously like a mirror made of water. A moment later, the ripples ceased, and a gateway was slowly torn open by an invisible, massive hand.

"Done."

Uttering just two words, the Qian and Bai Elders closed their eyes once more.

"Many thanks to the two elders." Hu Qian expressed his gratitude and then turned around to face the five youths.

"All of you, go on in. Remember, no matter what you wish to obtain, do not force it. Because everything inside is coated with an energy layer. If your hand can pass through the energy layer without the slightest obstruction, then you are able to take the item inside. Of course, no matter how much you manage to obtain, you can only choose one thing to bring out. Furthermore, you have one hour."

Hu Qian instructed at a very brisk pace, feeling quite helpless inside.

Under normal circumstances, these precautions should have been spoken by the Qian and Bai Elders.

Unfortunately, these two were truly a bit...

Chen Xiao and the others nodded to firmly memorize the rules, exchanged glances, and, under Hu Qian's watchful gaze, hurried toward the Scripture Pavilion.

When they reached the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion, the gray-robed elder on the right gently flicked his sleeve, and the tightly closed heavy doors slowly swung open with a creaking sound, revealing a dim passageway inside.

Seeing this, the five of them bowed slightly in salute and stepped inside.

After the five entered the Scripture Pavilion, the heavy doors slowly closed shut once again.

...

Inside the Scripture Pavilion.

As the door behind them closed, a pale yellow radiance emanated from the far end of the dim passageway.

Humans possess a natural tendency to seek light. Seeing this, the five immediately understood the direction and quickened their pace.

Passing through the dim corridor, the pale yellow radiance grew intensely bright. Appearing before the five was an extremely spacious chamber. Along the surrounding walls of the room were nearly a dozen energy shields. At this moment, these energy shields were slowly pulsating with light, illuminating the room as bright as day.

"There's no path ahead."

"According to the Vice-Headmaster, we need to acquire what we want from these energy shields. Could these be it?"

Mu Bolshan, who possessed a tall and robust figure, took advantage of his height and reached out a hand toward the nearest energy shield.

However, right at that moment, a faint sound of piercing wind suddenly rang out. Although the sound was extremely minute, to those present, it was heard with crystal clarity. The group immediately shifted their gazes along with the sound, finally fixing on an energy shield on the far left.

"Something is about to come out."

Chen Xiao voiced a warning, his figure flashing as he arrived directly before that energy shield, waiting like a stump for a hare.

Amidst the shock and suspicion of the others, a red light abruptly shot out from within that energy shield.

Chen Xiao was already prepared. His right hand lunged forward, passing through the red energy layer with almost zero resistance, and firmly gripped the object wrapped inside.

Looking closely, it was a scroll.

"Xuan-tier Advanced Technique, 《Heaven Fire Incineration》."

Reading the small characters inscribed on the scroll, Chen Xiao instantly lost all interest.

A Xuan-tier Advanced technique was quite precious in the outside world, but within this Scripture Pavilion, it could only be considered mediocre.

Moreover, it was a Fire-attribute technique.

Utterly useless.

"Do you want this?" Chen Xiao looked toward Cao Hui, the only Fire-attribute practitioner among them.

Cao Hui resolutely shook his head. "I don't want cultivation techniques. I'm looking for a Di-tier Dou Technique, or... a high-grade medicinal formula."

Finished speaking, he added, "The items spewed out by this Scripture Pavilion might be random. We might as well all state what we are looking for so we can keep an eye out for each other."

This suggestion won the support of everyone.

Searching together as five people was definitely more efficient than acting alone.

Chen Xiao, holding the advantage in strength, did not refuse either. Seeing the other four look at him first, he stated directly, "I need an Ice-attribute cultivation technique. Anything below the Di-tier will not be considered."

Mu Bolshan followed up immediately, "I'm about the same: an Earth-attribute cultivation technique, or a Di-tier Dou Technique would also work. Preferably a defensive type; I like the look on people's faces when they find themselves completely helpless against me."

Hearing this, even Chen Xiao could not help but laugh.

This big guy possessed a rather mischievous sense of humor beneath his honest appearance.

Yet, recalling that he had been the one to lead the charge against him in the arena a few days ago, it didn't seem so surprising after all.

Ji Ruiyang, who possessed the Metal attribute, said, "I also want a Di-tier Dou Technique, the stronger the offensive power, the better."

Fu Tong spoke up: "I have a friend who was severely injured and has only a few years left to live. If any of you happen to see medicinal ingredients related to this, please keep them for me. Thank you."

Hearing these words, Chen Xiao and the others nodded without asking for further details.

Cao Hui, however, cast an extra glance at Fu Tong.

Right at that moment, an energy shield not far away once again spat out a cluster of blue light.

Cao Hui, being closest, caught it and thrust both hands into it with a sudden exertion of strength.

"《Water Origin Art》, Xuan-tier Advanced."

Uttering the name, Cao Hui directly let go of it.

Freed from restraint, the vanished blue energy layer reappeared, wrapping around the 《Water Origin Art》 scroll as it fluttered and danced around the room.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

As if granting them two chances to adapt, the speed at which the energy shields spat out light clusters suddenly accelerated, and multicolored rays of light shot out simultaneously.

Seeing this, the group did not hesitate and immediately set their figures in motion to catch them.

Chen Xiao also released the scroll in his hand and quickly sprang into action.

Benefiting from his superior strength, his speed in catching light clusters was almost equal to the combined speed of the other four.

《Purple Thunder Formula》, 《Swift Wind Force》, 《Subduing Demonic Eight Staffs》...

Various Dou Techniques and cultivation techniques continuously landed in Chen Xiao's hands, only to be ruthlessly cast aside.

Occasionally, medicinal ingredients, medicinal formulas, or monster cores would appear, but after a round of inquiries, none of them wanted them.

Until a quarter of an hour later, Chen Xiao steadily caught a blue light cluster glowing with a much more intense radiance. Thrusting his hand into the energy layer, he could clearly feel that it required three parts more effort compared to the previous light clusters.

Good stuff!

Joy welled up in Chen Xiao's heart. With a sudden burst of strength, he shattered the energy layer on its surface, and an ocean-blue scroll instantly came into view.

A Di-tier Intermediate cultivation technique!

《Frost and Turbulent Ice Prison Canon》!