Chapter 224: Indeed, My Present Strength Is All Thanks to My Own Effort

After roughly checking the temporary outer disciple's permissions, Chen Shicheng changed into his Dao robe and went straight to the Transmission Hall.

This is the place dedicated to teaching Zixiao Palace Skills; newly inducted formal disciples can receive basic cultivation methods here, and to obtain other Skills later they must actively complete Tasks and exchange Merit Points for them.

As for Chen Shicheng, it's not so troublesome; with his sect token he can freely choose a Skill here, and a Transmission Elder will instruct him thereafter until the Skill reaches mastery, after which his outer disciple status will be revoked.

Since he still doesn't know the location of the Scripture Repository, and sneaking in during broad daylight is impossible, he simply comes here to freely acquire a Skill, killing time.

However, this so‑called Transmission Hall is somewhat different from his imagination.

Since entering the game, aside from the cultivation methods he grasped on his own and the Demon‑Slaying Formation, all other Skills are basically learned via skill jade slips, instantly acquired, with no barriers at all.

He had thought this place, like Huanglong Jun City, would be filled with skill jade slips for anyone to pick.

In reality, the great hall, aside from rows of display platforms against the walls, has not even a single person's shadow, let alone the imagined jade slips.

He walked somewhat bewildered to one of the platforms and tapped it with his hand.

Hum.

With a clear chime, a light screen hovered over the platform, listing hundreds of Skill names, each followed by its Attribute.

Mostly they are the five elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—occasionally some Yin or Yang Attributes, and a few curse‑type Skills.

Chen Shicheng skimmed the Skills, and after reading the descriptions he realized.

Skill jade slips are extremely precious items for both players and natives alike.

For players, it's fine: monsters have a certain chance to drop skill jade slips, but they're only low‑level Skills; the higher the Skill, the lower the drop rate.

For natives it's harsher; only cultivators who have refined a Skill to the Perfect level can, by expending cultivation, consume resources to forge skill jade slips.

Those who can refine a Skill to perfection are prodigies, key talents in any sect, and would never become mere skill‑jade‑slip factories for a few coins.

And cultivators who grind a Skill to perfection over time have limited cultivation, so they cannot produce skill jade slips without limit.

Thus, generally, natives and some cash‑strapped players learn a Skill through study; that is the purpose of the Transmission Hall.

As for the Attribute noted after each Skill, it relates to each person's Attribute.

Everyone is born with a certain Attribute, divided into the five elements and others; some have outstanding Attributes, possessing only one or two Elements. Such people cultivate Skills of matching Attributes rapidly, and their Skill power surpasses that of those with all five Elements.

Others have all five Elements and can cultivate Skills of any Attribute, but being mediocre, their progress and Skill power are average, and the resources wasted are astronomical; it's better to exchange those resources for skill jade slips and learn instantly.

Therefore, the hundreds of Skills in the Transmission Hall are not suitable for everyone to learn casually.

Which Skill to study specifically must be decided based on one's Attribute; that's also one reason the sect exists. Chen Shicheng has never been troubled by differing Attributes—skill jade slips power up instantly with a single Merit Point—but he is curious about his own Attribute.

Fortunately, as a sect Transmission Hall, there are also some tools to test Five‑Element talent, dedicated to serving disciples.

Chen Shicheng turned and looked toward the area opposite the main gate; there are nine circular platforms, each flanked by two floating pillars.

He randomly chose one and stepped onto it; the pillars on its sides instantly activated, spiraling around him as if scanning, and a panel appeared before him.

【Do you wish to spend ten taels of gold to activate the testing artifact and assess your Five‑Element Attribute?】

【Yes/No】

Indeed, there's nothing free in this world.

Although the sect token says you can learn a Skill for free, you must first test whether your Attribute matches the Skill's, to avoid wasting time and resources due to mismatched Attributes.

Thus, before learning anything, you have to spend ten taels of gold. "Ordinary people really can't afford to join this sect."

Chen Shicheng shook his head and mentally clicked "Yes."

The gold balance on the panel instantly dropped by ten taels, and the testing artifact began to operate; the two pillars emitted white light, spiraled around Chen Shicheng, and performed a full-body scan.

【Test successful, your Five‑Element Attribute is: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth】

Well, no surprise; Chen Shicheng's Attribute is just as he thought—nothing special. All his current strength comes solely from his own effort!

After being certain of his utterly mediocre Attribute, he stepped down from the testing artifact, returned to the display, and began browsing the Skills on the platform.

Most of these are Body Refining Skills, a few are Qi Refining Skills, and there are only five Golden Core Stage Skills; each Skill corresponds to one of the five Attributes.

After selecting a Skill, it is recorded in a jade pendant, and you then seek a Transmission Elder whose Attribute matches to learn it; the elders are divided into three tiers, each teaching Skills of a particular realm, totaling fifteen elders.

Each elder's teaching time is limited: two hours per realm, six hours of classes per day, with the remaining time reserved for practice.

If you find the two‑hour class too short to satisfy your thirst for learning, you can pay extra to have a Transmission Elder give you additional lessons.

Pricing is up to each person's discretion.

But Chen Shicheng had no worries; his Attribute wasn't enough, so he examined the relic.

He touched the relic on his chest that constantly emitted a warm aura, bypassed the first two realms' Skills, and selected among the five Golden Core Stage Skills, his eyes instantly brightening.

【Lian Xi Technique (Earth): Golden Core Stage Spell, fully condenses one's breath to merge with the earth, rendering one undetectable; the higher the realm, the lower the presence.】(End of chapter)