Outside the Haina Pavilion, several carriages were already parked.
One was pulled by a blazing red-maned Flame Qilin. Another was powered by Spirit Stones.
In contrast, the Fifth Princess Manor’s carriage was utterly shabby—not even as decent as what an average wealthy household in the city would use.
However, when the shop assistant at the door saw Xiao Jing and Mu Lanchu stepping down from their rickety carriage, he didn’t show any displeasure.
Business was business. A customer was a customer. Even small profits were still profits, and every bit counted.
“Honored guests, what kind of techniques are you looking for today?”
“All kinds. Show us anything that’s suitable.”
The assistant smiled, “Then please, this way.”
He led Xiao Jing and Mu Lanchu inside.
“You two look unfamiliar—just started cultivating, perhaps?”
“Haina Pavilion has branches all over the continent and dealings with many sects. We have a vast network.
“This is the Yan Empire’s headquarters—three floors in total, with every kind of cultivation manual you can think of. As long as you’re willing to pay, even if it’s a rare and obscure technique, we can get it for you!”
With that, he subtly bragged about the pavilion’s background, pretending to give an introduction while actually warning newcomers that Haina Pavilion wasn’t to be messed with.
Xiao Jing nodded without speaking.
The assistant brought them to the first-floor counter.
Behind the counter were over a dozen tall bookshelves filled with various cultivation manuals.
In this world, cultivation manuals were divided into two broad categories: techniques and martial skills.
With over a hundred thousand years of cultivation heritage on the continent, the number of manuals was immeasurable.
Further divisions existed.
For example, techniques were divided into basic body refining techniques, special techniques, defensive types, offensive types, movement techniques, and so on.
Martial skills were even more varied.
The assistant continued, “I can’t gauge your cultivation. If you’re here to choose a basic body refining technique, we have plenty right here on the first floor.”
“It’s not for me—it’s for my wife,” Xiao Jing said, pointing at Chuchu.
“Oh, then everything here on the first floor is Yellow-grade. Judging by the young lady’s Realm—7th layer Body Refining stage—Yellow-grade techniques are a good fit. They’re also economical.”
The assistant was straightforward.
Not every cultivator in this world had the wealth to burn through massive resources.
Many who came to buy manuals weren’t from prominent families.
In Changtian City alone, there were plenty of small-time rogue cultivators with average backgrounds and limited talent. Their goal wasn’t to become top-tier experts but simply to be stronger than ordinary people, find a decent job, and live longer.
So Haina Pavilion displayed Yellow-grade manuals on the first floor for the public—high in volume, low in price.
Xiao Jing scanned the room and asked, “What’s the highest-tier, most expensive technique in this store?”
“That would be the Heaven-grade upper-rank techniques, of course,” the assistant replied casually, assuming it was just small talk. “Those are on the third floor, but unless you genuinely plan to buy, we don’t allow browsing.”
He was blunt—if you’re not buying, don’t even look.
“No Immortal-grade manuals?”
“You must be joking. Immortal-grade techniques are even rarer than legendary ones on this continent.”
“Oh. Then I want to see the Heaven-grade upper-rank ones.”
The assistant sized up Xiao Jing and Mu Lanchu again.
One had no discernible Realm, the other hadn’t even reached Foundation Establishment. Yet they asked to see Heaven-grade upper-rank techniques?
Their carriage was a piece of junk… surely just a couple of rubes hoping to widen their horizons?
The assistant hesitated and said with difficulty, “This might be your first time here, but it’s store policy—we don’t let customers randomly browse the third floor.”
“Afraid I’ll leave without buying and waste your time?”
“Well…” the assistant scratched his head and flashed a toothy, awkward smile, clearly showing he didn’t make the rules.
Xiao Jing nodded, then asked the system in his mind, “System, can you lend me a few hundred thousand Spirit Stones to flash at the store?”
[No.]
“…”
“Then… can I buy everything on this floor? You’ll pay?”
[Denied. That would be considered reckless spending and violates the rules.]
[Reminder: Host may purchase any number of techniques or martial skills suitable for Binding Targets.]
Xiao Jing got the message.
He turned to the assistant and said, “I’ll take all the martial skills on this floor suitable for my wife.”
The assistant was stunned.
“Uh… there are over thirty Yellow-grade skills designed for female cultivators on this floor. If you count the gender-neutral ones that she can also train, that’s about sixty to seventy more. Altogether, you’re looking at over a hundred manuals. Are you sure?”
“Whether she can train them all is none of your concern.”
To Xiao Jing, as long as he had enough Cultivation Points, he could instantly learn any technique.
With the system’s ‘Hearts Aligned as One’ feature, his Binding Targets could instantly master them as well.
It wasn’t an issue at all.
It met the system’s rules for spending Spirit Stones and also helped develop his Targets’ comprehensive strength.
“Well… at the average price—Yellow-grade lower-rank is 100 Spirit Stones, mid-rank is 200, upper-rank is 300—we’re looking at around 30,000 Spirit Stones total.”
“That cheap?” Xiao Jing sounded genuinely disappointed. He had hoped to use this opportunity to spend big and farm a huge amount of Cultivation Points.
The assistant twitched slightly.
To put it in perspective, disciples from lower-tier sects might only earn a few Spirit Stones a month.
As a shop assistant at Haina Pavilion, he made 50 Spirit Stones a month—and that was considered a generous benefit!
“Husband, this is… too much. I won’t be able to learn all of them,” Mu Lanchu said hesitantly. Follow the newest chapters on novelping.com.
“Don’t worry. With me here, you’ll learn them all in a day.” Xiao Jing smiled, then added cleverly, “The palace has its own martial hall, right? We should build our own technique pavilion. It can’t be inferior to the Emperor of Yan’s martial hall!”
“These Yellow-grade techniques will be perfect for decorating the walls.”
Xiao Jing said it so lightly.
In truth, he also felt that building a technique pavilion in the manor was a great idea.
If it could be listed under Mu Lanchu’s name and pass the system’s rules, it would be a great way to spend Spirit Stones!
And let’s not forget—they still had another Binding Target in the manor: Liu Lingxue.
That girl clearly looked like a hardworking, disciplined cultivator.
She could also use a stockpile of cultivation manuals!
With a casual wave of his hand, Xiao Jing made 30,000 Spirit Stones appear, forming a small mountain of glowing stones on the floor.
“This… honored guest…” The assistant quickly bowed and smiled flatteringly, “If I said anything out of line earlier or didn’t serve you properly, please forgive me! Please keep the Spirit Stones with you for now—let me take you to the third floor. Our shopkeeper is up there and will personally attend to you.”
“I’ve already put the Spirit Stones out—no need to take them back. Pack up the 100-plus manuals for me; I’ll pick them up when we leave.”
Xiao Jing turned and walked up the stairs, hands behind his back, never looking back.
A system prompt appeared in his mind:
[Host purchased martial skills for Binding Target. Successfully spent 30,000 Spirit Stones.]
[Congratulations, Host. Gained Cultivation Points.]
Xiao Jing was thrilled and immediately opened his status panel.
[Xiao Jing]
[Physique: Mortal Body]
[Realm: Late Foundation Establishment stage (0/)]
[Available Cultivation:]
[Binding Targets: Mu Lanchu, Liu Lingxue]
[Trained Technique: Innate Body Refining Technique (Complete)]
“System, use Cultivation Points to increase my Realm.”
[Congratulations, Host. Cultivation consumed. Advanced to peak Foundation Establishment stage.]
[Current Realm: Peak Foundation Establishment stage (0/)]
[Remaining Cultivation:]
While heading upstairs, Xiao Jing had quietly broken through another minor Realm!
The assistant hurriedly summoned two more clerks to collect the Spirit Stones while personally following behind Xiao Jing and Mu Lanchu up to the third floor.
Just as they reached the top, they saw a young nobleman in luxurious robes sitting by the window, looking arrogant as he haggled with the shopkeeper.