Chapter 106 : Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart
Chapter 106: Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart
Long-term Task: Cultivation Method Transcription
Task Rank: Upper Grade A to Lower Grade D
Task Issuer: Transmission Hall
Contribution Point Reward Assessment:
First-Tier Qi Refining methods. Lower-grade: 200, Middle-grade: 500, Upper-grade: 1000, Top-grade: 2000~3000 contribution points.
Second-Tier Foundation Establishment methods. Lower-grade: 5000, Middle-grade: 8000, Upper-grade: 10,000, Top-grade: 15,000~20,000 contribution points.
Third-Tier Golden Core true methods...
Note: Contribution points earned from transcribing fragmentary manuals are halved.
Upon reading this, Chen Beiwu revealed a look of realization.
Even calculating at a one-to-one ratio of contribution points to lower-grade spirit stones, the Mirror Moon Sect’s acquisition price for cultivation methods was more than double that of market prices.
Especially for a top-grade Qi Refining method—its sect acquisition price nearly matched that of Foundation Establishment methods!
No wonder the Shen Clan had targeted him when he sold the Hidden Abyss Manual at Biyuan Market back then. It turned out the method was simply too valuable—so valuable that even rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn’t help but be tempted.
It was known that, according to black market exchange rates, a top-grade Qi Refining method not yet registered with the sect’s Transmission Hall was worth at least six thousand lower-grade spirit stones.
Chen Beiwu took a deep breath, but didn’t take the task. He turned back to the Moon-in-Water Dwelling, then activated the Gate of Ten Directions to return to the Immortal Alliance.
Sitting cross-legged on the mat in the cultivation room, he pulled out his phone, opened the Immortal Alliance Official Website, and began searching for water-attribute mixed-grade methods with different philosophical roots than the Hidden Abyss Manual.
Times had changed. At least now he was a Golden Core disciple of the sect. Uploading a lower-grade Foundation Establishment method no longer invited envy.
After careful selection, Chen Beiwu chose a standard and unremarkable Foundation Establishment method—Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart Manual.
‘This method’s concept is quite mediocre. It shouldn’t cause any waves.’
Chen Beiwu picked up his wolf-hair brush and, in one breath, wrote out tens of thousands of characters in flowing script.
“In still water there is clarity, in turbidity there is confusion. When the heart clears like a spring, the spirit terrace arises naturally. To cultivate this method’s first layer, one must reflect upon the heart, visualize a clear spring, refrain from reckless killing thoughts, and comprehend the principle that water nourishes all things without contention...”
“Although this method lacks earth-shattering might when cultivated to completion, its foundational power far surpasses peers of the same tier, and grants a clear and tranquil mind.”
He stopped writing, reviewed the pages detailing Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart Manual, and after confirming there were no issues, put the manuscript away and activated the Gate of Ten Directions again, returning to the Southern Wastes.
…
Mirror Moon Sect, Task Hall.
“Water nourishes all things, and wisdom arises from stillness.”
Upon reading the opening concept of the method transcribed by Senior Brother Chen, Ma Dongmei paused slightly.
“Is there a problem?” Chen Beiwu probed.
To avoid attracting attention, he had chosen to transcribe an Immortal Alliance method so dull that even Qi Refining cultivators would shake their heads at it—Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart Manual.
Although it was a Foundation Establishment method, compared to the Mystic Nether True Water Manual, it had no offensive capabilities.
Compared to the Supreme Yin Return-to-Origin Manual, its cultivated clear spring power wasn’t nearly as vast.
Compared to the Great Virtue Heart-Refining Manual, its ultimate tranquil mind state fell two levels short.
In every respect, Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart Manual was a peculiar yet unremarkable lower-grade Foundation Establishment method.
“No problem,” Ma Dongmei shook her head and looked at Chen Beiwu.
No wonder the sect valued someone so young, listing him as a candidate in the succession sequence.
That he would voluntarily offer a Foundation Establishment inheritance to the sect showed a loyalty that was truly astonishing.
If she had such a method, she certainly wouldn’t reveal it—lest someone deduce weaknesses in her cultivation.
‘What’s going on?’
Seeing Ma Dongmei’s reaction, Chen Beiwu instinctively sensed something off.
Yet he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was wrong.
‘Could it be that cultivators in the Southern Wastes place greater emphasis on method inheritances, and rarely offer their own methods for contribution points?’
Thinking of this possibility, Chen Beiwu felt a wave of relief.
As long as there wasn’t a problem with the method itself, all else could be resolved.
“Foundation Establishment method review usually takes seven to fifteen days. If the Transmission Hall approves it, I’ll inform Senior Brother Chen immediately and settle your contribution points,” Ma Dongmei said.
Upon hearing this, Chen Beiwu thanked her and turned to leave the Task Hall.
His goal in completing the method task wasn’t just to fulfill the sect’s ten-year assessment, but also to earn enough resources to go into closed-door cultivation with the Gold Egg for a while.
It was known that within the Mirror Moon Sect, contribution points had purchasing power far beyond that of lower-grade spirit stones.
No matter how many spirit stones a disciple held, they could only purchase cultivation resources below the Second Tier.
More advanced Third-Tier treasure pills, treasure herbs, treasure formations, and treasure artifacts could only be exchanged through sect contribution points.
Of course, since Third-Tier cultivation resources were for Golden Core True Persons, their exchange prices were steep—far beyond what ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could afford.
Fortunately, Chen Beiwu’s goals were simpler. He only intended to use the points to purchase pills and acquire Moon Dew and Withered Thunder Branch—two upper-grade Second-Tier spiritual herbs.
…
Three days later, deep within the Formation Hall’s cave residence.
A valiant female cultivator sat atop millennia-old Profound Marrow. Her hair was tied into a high topknot with a silver hairpin slanted across it, her brow ridges sharp like swords, and a tiny cinnabar mole adorned the corner of her eye.
“Buzz!”
As the spiritual energy in the cave settled, she opened her eyes, a trace of confusion flashing within.
“Still not working?” she muttered, lightly furrowing her brows.
As the Mirror Moon Sect’s Third Elder, head of the Formation Hall, and deputy head of the Transmission Hall, Yu Shuiyao had only two lifelong passions.
One was honoring the wisdom of predecessors by appreciating cultivation methods from across the world to forge her own path.
The other was using her heart as a furnace to delve into formation arts and develop a path of formations uniquely her own.
Thus, even the restoration of fragmentary Fourth-Tier formations—something that would give Golden Core cultivators headaches—was, to Yu Shuiyao, a leisurely pastime during her cultivation breaks.
“This Calamity-Sea Dragon-Suppressing Formation’s core diagram is 60% missing, and the remaining 40% aligns with the Three Disasters and Nine Tribulations. No wonder even Old Mister Gao couldn’t complete it.”
Yu Shuiyao shook her head, gazing at the dozens of message talismans outside the cave entrance. With a casual wave, she summoned them all to her palm.
The sect’s core elders each held multiple positions, and their daily duties were endless.
To ease her workload, Yu Shuiyao had taken on three disciples, but decisions on key matters still required her oversight.
“Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart Manual... how interesting!” Yu Shuiyao smiled.
Ordinary Foundation Establishment methods had long vanished into history.
Any method that withstood the test of time and remained on the Immortal Alliance Official Website either had exceptionally high conceptual value or blazed a unique trail with distinctive qualities.
Unlike Chen Beiwu, Yu Shuiyao—being a Golden Core cultivator—immediately saw what set this method apart.
Clear Spring Nourishes the Heart Manual had a unique perspective and a clever design. The creator of the method was undoubtedly an eccentric genius.
If she guessed correctly, the method’s originator was likely a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator who had yet to reach Foundation Establishment.
Since Chen Zi’ang was able to offer this method to the sect, there were only two possible explanations.
Either it was obtained through a fortunate inheritance, or it was his original creation.
Between the two, the latter was exceedingly unlikely.