Chapter 2: The Equivalent Balance Reveals Its Mystery

A massive amount of information surged forth, and Fang Longye understood the function of this golden balance, which had now retracted its radiance and appeared completely unremarkable.

Through the balance, one could conduct equivalent exchanges within the scope of the myriad worlds.

By touching the balance with one's mind and confirming the name of the item one wished to offer for trade, a phantom of the item would appear on the balance, equivalent to placing it on one side of the scale.

The other side would then reveal information about the corresponding item available for trade; by selecting the item and confirming the transaction, one could obtain the desired object.

The content of the trades encompassed all sorts of things from the myriad worlds, including knowledge, memories, Bloodline, heavenly treasures, and even people, or even entire worlds.

However, due to some rule, it seemed that only exchanges of similar types could be made. For instance, heavenly treasures could only be traded for heavenly treasures, and Dao Scripture techniques could only be traded for Dao Scripture techniques.

Furthermore, anything exchanged would automatically undergo some changes to adapt to the laws of the world.

If it were similar to the world's laws, it would be fine, and the changes would not be too great; if the laws were too disparate, one could imagine whether it would still be useful.

The world Fang Longye had transmigrated into clearly belonged to the Xianxia mythology side; items and knowledge from the Eastern fantasy side or martial arts side might not be greatly affected, but it was hard to say for items and knowledge from the magic or sci-fi sides.

For example, if he were to exchange for a compendium of magic, it was estimated that very little of it would actually function.

It was even harder to say for things like nuclear bombs or two-dimensional foils; they might be useless, but it was also not impossible that they might align with some rule and become even more powerful.

However, he could burn energy such as Merit and Luck, fate's favor, or heaven's grace to provide a certain degree of auxiliary constraint, preserving the functions he desired.

Hmm, there was no need to consider such problems for now. He was currently weak and small, and facing a life-and-death Calamity; needless to say, his luck could not be very good.

On the other hand, the Equivalent Balance's additional functions of suppressing luck and concealing Heavenly Secrets made Fang Longye quite satisfied. After all, he was currently in a world of Xianxia cultivation and had to be on guard.

Although the balance's built-in function to conceal Heavenly Secrets was intended to prevent detection when conducting trades of physical objects.

The host could also apply this function to themselves, concealing all cultivation, realm, Bloodline, Dharma Treasure, etc., related to them; they could also choose to release the concealment, or only conceal a part, half-hidden and half-revealed, which could be described as doing exactly as one pleased.

Suddenly, Fang Longye thought of something; he touched the ground with both hands and then revealed an embarrassed expression.

As expected, he had overthought it; he had actually believed that, like in some novels, he could touch the earth and trade away the entire world! So, must the traded items be one's own, or must one have possessed them for a certain amount of time? For instance, if his Dharma power increased greatly, he could storm the Niangniang's Cave Abode, rob her of it, and then he should be able to trade the entire mountain peak? However, even with various restrictions, Fang Longye was already satisfied.

Just being able to trade techniques and divine abilities was enough for him to take off. This type of knowledge-based trade did not mean that his original knowledge would be erased after the trade, but rather it was a form of equivalent exchange similar to making a rubbing.

After coming back to his senses, Fang Longye considered what he had on his person that could be traded equivalently.

As it stood, the only things he could trade were his cultivation knowledge. He didn't even have enough of things like spiritual pills and medicines for himself! The original body's memories regarding cultivation were not very extensive.

Aside from the "Spirit Water Body-Forging Technique" of the body-refining path, which he had been granted after being enlightened by Qingshe Niangniang due to his Bloodline and which could be cultivated to the Primordial Spirit Realm, there was only the method he had realized through instinct for breathing in moonlight energy and that "Hibernating Dragon Technique."

With a thought, the manifested phantom of the Hibernating Dragon Technique appeared on one side of the balance in his mind, and he browsed through the various divine abilities and techniques that appeared on the other side of the golden balance.

"What is going on? A divine ability like Great Might Heavenly Dragon is on the same level as the Dragon God Technique?"

"The National Fortune Dragon Transformation Method is not bad, but unfortunately, it is not suitable for me."

After picking and choosing, Fang Longye finally discovered that only the Dragon God Technique and the Rain Clan spells could be traded; other higher-level techniques and divine abilities were incomplete versions due to the level of the Hibernating Dragon Technique.

Dragon God Technique: A peerless martial art that leads from human to god; after cultivation, one transforms into a divine dragon, possessing all the characteristics of a divine dragon, riding the clouds and driving the mist, indestructible, summoning wind and rain, living forever, possessing a natural lifespan of four thousand two hundred years, and furthermore capable of dispelling Poison, healing wounds, seizing objects, protecting the body, with varied changes and infinite power.

That's right, the Dragon God Technique that Fang Longye had underestimated was actually a technique sufficient to ascend to immortality.

You're the one! As the words fell in Fang Longye's mind, both ends of the golden balance suddenly emitted brilliant golden light, and the complete information of the Dragon God Technique surged into his mind.

However, under the adaptation to the world's laws, the Dragon God Technique became a technique that could be cultivated to match the Dragon Clan of the Primordial Spirit Realm; one could not truly transform into a dragon, but could only use Dharma power to manifest into a dragon, with the true body hidden within.

Although Fang Longye could cultivate it, it could not make up for his innate defects. Fortunately, it could enrich his means of dealing with enemies.

After all, the original body, under the cultivation of Qingshe Niangniang, was headed in the direction of a Dharma-protecting meat shield and was not skilled in spells.

Next, Fang Longye used the "Spirit Water Body-Forging Technique" and the moonlight breathing method to conduct equivalent trades respectively. This time, it gave him quite a surprise.

"Water Origin Blood-Refining Scripture": It has nine levels in total and can utilize the water-attribute origin energy between heaven and earth to continuously temper the impurities of the body; cultivating to the ninth level can increase one's Dharma power by nine hundred years and grant ten thousand jun of immense strength, and there is also a chance to temper out the Bloodline of one's ancestors and give birth to innate divine abilities.

"Greater Yin Soul-Washing Method": Collects Greater Yin moonlight to wash and refine the soul, cultivating a Yin Spirit Embryo and stepping into the stage of forming a core.

Although it could not completely resolve the damage to his cultivation aptitude caused by the enlightenment, according to the deduction of the techniques he received, at least he would not have to worry about being unable to make progress before becoming an immortal.

Hulu Mountain was about five thousand li away from the Qingshe Dongfu; although it seemed very far to a mortal, from the perspective of a demon immortal, it was already very close. If there were movements like mountains collapsing and the earth cracking, the Qingshe Dongfu would have long since had some reaction. As it stood, the plot of the first Huluwa had not yet begun, and for him, there was still enough time to cultivate, become stronger, and plot for the 'Seven-Star Pill'.

Of course, if possible, he still hoped to make up for his defects through his Golden Finger. If one can survive by being cautious, why risk one's life?

Suppressing the urge to cultivate immediately, Fang Longye went to request an audience with Qingshe Niangniang first.

After reporting, not long after, the Butterfly Spirit came out to reply: "Crocodile Commander, Niangniang is waiting for you inside, hurry and go in!"

Fang Longye straightened his expression and subsequently entered Qingshe Niangniang's exclusive Cave Abode.

Qingshe Niangniang's exclusive Cave Abode was vast and boundless, extending in all directions, separated into numerous halls and chambers, and was extremely deep.

However, led by the maid Butterfly Spirit, he soon arrived at a large hall deep within the Cave Abode.

Fang Longye followed behind the Butterfly Spirit and looked slightly up ahead, only to see a charming snake demon with a human body and a snake tail lying diagonally on a stone bed above the hall.

This was the first time he had met Qingshe Niangniang since he transmigrated.

He saw that her appearance was clear and beautiful, her posture charming yet carrying a hidden heroic spirit, and she was not the snake-faced image from the anime of his past life; if not for the snake tail clearly revealed, looking only at the upper body, there was not a trace of demonic charm, but rather a feeling of a lotus flower emerging from clear water.

"This subordinate pays respects to Niangniang!" Fang Longye arrived at the center of the hall, without the leisure to admire the exotic flowers, rare herbs, and crystal decorations arranged around him, and respectfully performed a kowtow.

There was not a trace of resentment in his heart.

Seven days had already passed since he transmigrated. Having lived two lifetimes, he had long since had sufficient awareness and mental preparation.

The past had long since drifted away, like a tree with withered leaves and fallen blossoms, irreversible.

Fang Longye knew this truth well, so he could only keep moving forward; even if there was a bottomless abyss ahead, he had to charge through it.

Because he wanted to live, wanted immortality, wanted to never die, and wanted to possess heaven-reaching and earth-shattering divine abilities.

Cultivation was just like this; from the moment one stepped into cultivation, it meant that one had already mortgaged everything one had.

These things were life, dignity, principles, shame... until you stepped to a sufficiently high height, you would have the qualifications and capital to redeem these things that you had defaulted to mortgaging when you first entered cultivation.

Only power was the most important! This was not just cultivation base. Cultivation base was only an indispensable part of power; wisdom, perseverance, means, vision... could even be a glib tongue, or even relationships, or background.

Before you obtained sufficient power, there were some things you could only compromise on and only endure.

"That's enough, get up and speak." Qingshe Niangniang's wrists were fair, resembling crystalline jade, and her body swayed lazily on the stone bed before she waved her hand to signal.

Her voice was round and full, the color of pearls falling onto a jade plate, unexpectedly pleasant to the ear.

"Crocodile Commander, you are not in your Cave Abode nursing your wounds, so what business do you have coming to request an audience with me?"

Fang Longye was startled awake by the voice; before he could even think about how he had entered, he became dazed. He hurriedly stepped forward and said respectfully, "Reporting to Niangniang, thanks to your blessing, although I failed to break through and suffered some damage, I was lucky enough to awaken a trace of my Bloodline not long ago. From it, I obtained a cultivation technique that can temper my own Bloodline. I ask that you please take a look!"

Following this, Fang Longye handed over a piece of jade, upon which the complete "Water Origin Blood-Refining Scripture" was carved.

Fang Longye handing over the "Water Origin Blood-Refining Scripture" was not out of any desire to repay the debt of the original body, but because as a small demon only at the Form Condensation stage, any changes occurring to him would be difficult to hide from the attention of a Demon Immortal.

Since he lacked the ability to protect himself in the short term and did not intend to leave the Green Snake Mansion, he simply used the excuse of his Bloodline to confess the truth.

Yes, he could use his Golden Finger to conceal changes in Heavenly Secrets and even his aura, but in a face-to-face situation, as a cultivation novice, he would be exposed if he were the slightest bit careless.

At that point, wouldn't it be equivalent to a louse crawling onto a bald monk's head and shouting, "Why don't you catch me?" It would be blatantly telling the other party that there was something wrong with him.

In any case, cultivating the "Water Origin Blood-Refining Scripture" to the ninth level only increases one's Dharma by nine hundred years; its greatest function is to temper the physical body, enhance physical strength, and provide a chance to awaken one's own Bloodline, or even obtain innate divine abilities.

It is extremely precious to ordinary demons and can be called a top-tier treasure manual. However, in the eyes of a Demon Immortal of Qingshe Niangniang's level, it really does not count for much.

By confessing the truth, he could not only cultivate this Dharma openly and honestly, but also demonstrate his consistent loyalty and deepen Qingshe Niangniang's favorable impression of him.

Qingshe Niangniang extended her slender, delicate right hand and gave a slight beckon, taking the jade from Fang Longye's hand.

With a sweep of her gaze, she understood the profound mysteries of the entire technique.

"A technique that can temper the Bloodline, interesting. Though it is only useful for water-attribute demons." Qingshe Niangniang wore a smile on her face as she casually set the jade aside, completely unconcerned.

(End of this chapter)