Chapter 17: Chapter Seventeen: Cultivation Technique

Instructor Yan said: "The breathing method taught by the sect previously is similar to a cultivation technique—it can also cultivate Qi, but it's crude, suitable only for cultivators below Foundation Establishment third stage. After reaching Foundation Establishment third stage, you must choose a true cultivation technique to study. Of course, you could keep using the breathing method, but your cultivation speed would slow dramatically…"

"This is the sect's catalog of cultivation techniques for outer sect disciples. It lists each technique's name, compatible elemental affinity, required spirit stones, breakthrough materials, and effects. Examine them yourselves."

Instructor Yan distributed the catalog; each disciple received one copy, including Mo Hua.

The catalog was thin, only about ten pages, but densely recorded roughly dozens of techniques and related details.

"If you have any questions, ask me," Instructor Yan said.

The disciples fell silent for a moment, then one raised his hand and asked:

"Mr., do cultivation techniques also have nature and grade, like elemental affinities?"

Instructor Yan glanced at the disciple coolly and said:

"You're at Foundation Establishment third stage, and you still ask such a basic question? Clearly, you weren't paying attention in Zhou's class. Go copy 'Beginner's Guide to the Dao' once, and bring it to me in three days."

The disciple froze as if struck by lightning, stood stunned for a moment, then hung his head and muttered: "Yes." Inside, he was filled with regret.

I was careless—I forgot Professor Zhou isn't teaching now, and asked without thinking…

Instructor Yan scanned the room, his tone grave:

"Professor Zhou is old and gentle, he doesn't enforce discipline strictly, so you may not take his classes seriously. But choosing a cultivation technique is crucial. Let me explain again—listen carefully, don't complain about boredom."

The disciples immediately sat up straight.

"A cultivator's elemental affinity is divided not only by nature, but also by grade. The same applies to cultivation techniques."

"Elemental affinities are primarily based on the Five Elements: metal, wood, water, fire, earth. Some are single-element, some mixed-element, and others possess all five in small or great forms. Beyond the Five Elements, there are rare elemental affinities born from their transformation—such as ice, thunder, wind, and yin-yang affinities. These are extremely scarce and rarely encountered."

"Furthermore, elemental affinities are ranked by quality into nine grades: lower-lower, lower-middle, lower-upper, mid-lower… up to top-top grade. Each grade has a significant gap. The higher the grade, the better the innate talent, and the greater the upper limit of Qi the Qi Sea can hold."

"Cultivation techniques are similarly classified by nature and nine grades, nearly identical to elemental affinities. Choose a technique matching your elemental affinity: if your affinity is fire, choose a fire technique; if your grade is mid-lower, choose a mid-lower grade technique."

"Elemental affinity determines the nature of a cultivator's Qi—the rarer the affinity, the more unique the Qi. Elemental grade determines innate talent—the higher the grade, the greater the Dao cultivation potential."

…

"So is rarer always better?" a disciple asked timidly.

"Not necessarily," Instructor Yan explained. "For disciples from great clans or sects, it's advantageous. But for ordinary cultivators, the rarer the affinity, the fewer techniques available—some can't even find a technique to learn. That's not advantageous."

"What if the technique's nature doesn't match your elemental affinity?" another disciple asked.

"Nothing will happen," Instructor Yan said, "because you can't cultivate it. A metal-water affinity cultivator simply cannot learn earth-wood techniques."

"No exceptions?"

Instructor Yan raised an eyebrow. "In over twenty thousand years of Dao Court records, none have been documented. If you encounter one, tell me—I'd like to learn something new."

The disciple shrank back, silent.

"Instructor, must the technique's grade match the elemental grade exactly?" another disciple asked.

Instructor Yan said: "High-grade elemental affinities can cultivate low-grade techniques. Low-grade elemental affinities cannot cultivate high-grade techniques."

A disciple frowned: "If your elemental grade is high, why choose a low-grade technique? Wouldn't that limit your Qi output?"

Instructor Yan replied: "The higher the technique's grade, the more spirit stones required for cultivation, and the more expensive the breakthrough materials. Some of these rare materials are beyond the means of ordinary cultivators. Don't pick a high-grade technique only to realize halfway through you can't afford it—then it's too late to regret."

"What if someone with a low-grade elemental affinity studies a high-grade technique?" the disciple asked again.

Instructor Yan said: "According to 'The Canon of Cultivation Techniques,' if a technique's grade exceeds one's elemental affinity, most cultivators suffer Qi Sea damage from absorbing too much Qi. Severe cases lead to Qi Sea collapse, total loss of cultivation. Worse still, some suffer qi deviation and perish."

"Some suffer qi deviation—so does that mean some don't?" a disciple's eyes lit up.

Instructor Yan looked at him with deep meaning:

"Don't always think you're the exception. Others suffer problems, but you might be fine. Some cultivators may have fortune, but don't stake your life on such an elusive force—don't walk straight into death."

Many disciples had entertained such thoughts; now, hearing this, they felt a chill and dared not entertain them further.

Instructor Yan continued: "These aren't isolated cases—they're countless bloody lessons from over twenty thousand years of Dao development. Ignoring the elders' experience leads to missteps. Once a cultivator strays from the path, he often loses control. Some can turn back; others never can."

Instructor Yan sighed, his expression slightly desolate. Mo Hua sensed Instructor Yan seemed burdened by something.

But Instructor Yan said no more, instead pointing to the 'Tongxian Sect Foundation Establishment Outer Disciple Technique Catalog':

"Find a suitable technique for yourself, following what I just explained. Remember: don't chase after lofty goals. The right one is always the best."

The disciples lowered their heads and began flipping through the technique catalog.

Mo Hua understood the basics and began searching for a technique.

He had a mid-low grade elemental affinity—only capable of cultivating mid-low grade techniques—but he was curious: what did high-grade techniques look like?

Mo Hua flipped the catalog to the end and examined several top-grade techniques:

'Heaven-Earth Xuan-Huang Scripture': top-top grade, suitable for earth affinity, cultivates one hundred and twenty Zhou Tian of Qi, requires at least five thousand spirit stones to reach Foundation Establishment completion, needs rare materials: Xuan-Huang Grass, Ku Shui Root, Tian Xuan Stone…

'Soft Water Scripture': top-top grade, suitable for water affinity, cultivates one hundred and thirty Zhou Tian of Qi, requires at least five thousand two hundred spirit stones to reach Foundation Establishment completion, needs rare materials: centuryless rootless water, silver snake blood…

'Five Elements Absorption Technique': top-top grade, suitable for metal, wood, water, fire, earth affinities, cultivates one hundred and fifty Zhou Tian of Qi, requires at least six thousand spirit stones to reach Foundation Establishment completion, needs rare materials: Metal Origin Stone, Molten Fire Stone, hundred-year soil…

…

Mo Hua gasped.

"At least five or six thousand spirit stones just to reach Foundation Establishment completion—and that's only the pure cultivation cost, not including auxiliary materials or breakthrough essentials. Some rare materials might cost more than five or six thousand spirit stones…"

Mo Hua had worked hard for a month and earned only fifty spirit stones. The sheer scale of five thousand spirit stones made his scalp tingle.

Mo Hua had heard others say that even ordinary cultivators with top-grade elemental affinities couldn't afford top-grade techniques.

If they insisted on pursuing them, there were generally only two options.

One: find a major sect, become a disciple of a sect elder, enter the inner sect, and bind yourself to the sect for life, never leaving.

Two: marry into a family as a son-in-law, letting them fund your cultivation—but they'll demand you abandon your name, parents, origins, and past. You gain a future, but you cease to be yourself…

Either way, it's essentially personal bondage. Though Dao cultivation becomes possible, you lose autonomy.

No wonder cultivators often say: fate first, fortune second, feng shui third.

A cultivator's fate is determined once by elemental affinity, again by birth.

To defy heaven and alter fate—how difficult indeed…

Mo Hua let out a long sigh.