"Hold on, what exactly do you mean with 'a cultivation manual'," Mei interjected abruptly. In fact, everyone else had the same question, it was only her whose mind processed the info the fastest.
Shou stopped reading the new messages that appeared. Though he wanted to ask Si what exactly they meant, the customers did not really give him time to do so.
Zhang Yong felt his heart beat faster. "Cultivation manual, it can only mean one thing, right?" He glanced at the book in Li Yinyis' hands.
"You didn't pick it up from any of these sects outside right?" Li Yangyi asked skeptically. "All their abilities are recorded, so there's no use lying, by the way."
Li Yinyi pouted as she put her hands on her hips. "What's with all the doubt? If Shou says it is a cultivation manual, then it must be so, right?"
"Well, it's not that anyone doubts him," Ah Liang spoke, dabbing away the sweat on his forehead. "But even with all the mystical things around, this still seems a little unbelievable, you have to understand."
"Why?" Shou was the one to ask. "Have you guys never seen any manuals before?"
Mei Xue held her head and sighed. Her mood was rather complex, Shou could tell. "It's not as easy as that. Well, we have those basic manuals, I wager. The one that everyone in the empire learns. For example, the Breeze of the West is a Qi gathering manual. You know, Li Yangyi used it while in the illusory world. I know it, Sir Yong knows it, and I am sure Miss Wei and Zhuyue do too. It's of the lowest grade though."
Ran Wei nodded. "That one is more of an aerobic exercise though, to be honest. It's not really something for me" she said and waved her words away.
"Those who join the military may learn more specialized techniques. Heart of the Gale, Windy Steps, Five Air Formations, Travelling Swallows," Mei Xue counted them one after another, "incidentally, I know how to use all of them," she spoke with a proud face.
"Why are they all based on air?" Shou tilted his head.
Zhang Yong laughed. "I mean, this is the Empire YongFeng, the nation of Eternal Wind, after all."
"Oh, really?"
". . .Don't tell me you didn't know that."
Moving on," Mei Xue coughed twice, "I suppose a mortal would not understand it, while though anything related to the Dao is referred to as cultivation manuals, there are many several categories beneath it which are all really different. For one, the most common, but also the important ones are Qi gathering techniques. When a person rises in ranks, there's a 90 percent chance that it is through a Qi gathering technique. They can come in all shapes or forms, through meditation, gathering knowledge, stamina training, breathing, performing martial arts, eating, sleeping, etc. and some dark arts even grow stronger through pillage and murder."
The other expert, Zhang Yong, helped Mei Xue explain. "That's correct. Depending on your Qi gathering technique, your cultivation route is almost decided, as they are the foundation on what else you can learn within your later life." He paused, letting Shou take everything in. However, judging by his reaction, he seemed to have understood swiftly. "Anyways, aside from that, there are also martial arts scrolls. They teach specific techniques, using the Qi Essence within the human body to attack, defend or parry an enemy."
The buff man opened his hand. A small gust of wind, circulating and forming a ball, appeared within his palm. "The famous Heart of the Gale is one of them. It allows the user to concentrate the wind within their fists. For mortals, it might even seem supernatural, don't you think so?" He closed his fist. The wind dispersed, just like that. "You can find the technique book within the famous martial pavilion at the JinYang Academy, though it's mostly a transcribed scroll and the original book is in the capital."
"You guys have academies here," Shou asked curiously.
Zhang Yong laughed. "It's not like anyone can just enter! But yes, for those who wish to become martial artists, the JinYang Academy is the go-to place. I graduated there a decade ago, actually."
"My brother and I attend that place too actually. Though we are at spring break for now," Li Yinyi spoke. "You could probably find Wang Jing there too. I think if Shou trained in martial arts or cultivation, that place would be the perfect fit, given your age."
"But the owner has much more important stuff to attend to," Zhang Yong spoke and patted Li Yinyis' head. If Shou went to train in the academy, who'd run this life-changing store? Don't speak thoughtlessly, please. "Moving on, there are movement arts, which are mostly footwork that enhances someones' speed. I don't learn them though because a righteous man never escapes!" Suddenly, the man began to recount the mighty tales of his own life, derailing from the actual conversation.
"—in the end, there are body refining techniques, which are intended for the Daoist to become strong, elegant, swift, and beautiful. Some say that those who cultivate these techniques will become unkillable and even immortal." Mei Xue decisively interrupted Zhang Yong, finishing the explanation for him. "Mystical techniques use the Qi surrounding a person, instead of the one cultivated within. They are harder to control and even harder to master, but those who practice them gain almost magic-like abilities to manipulate the forces of the world. Well, most of them use them as parlor tricks though." The young lady sighed. "Nevertheless, they are still rare and would be the rarest, if it weren't for the last type of cultivation manuals—those based on a person's bloodline. Only those born a certain way can learn these."
"But that's just mere hearsay, right," Li Yangyi spoke. "There's no way stuff like that exists. Those in the academy don't even teach us about mystical and bloodline techniques. Instead, we are only told about auxiliary techniques, such as formations, poison, pill refining, beast taming, talisman creation, and other types of handicrafts that don't fit into fighting."
Mei Xue threw her hands up. She had a slight smile as if she knew something that others did not. "Well, I am just being thorough. The dear owner, as a mortal, has probably never gotten a thorough explanation to the world of cultivation, I wager."
Shou was lost in his own thoughts. It wasn't because he did not understand. Rather, it was too familiar. Even within all these eras, the categorization of manuals never changed, it seemed. And he was happy for that, as he believed everyone should have the right to reach for the heavens once. Even the previous daughter-loving Dao had the same thought, evidently, by not suppressing the information. "This one is a body refining technique then," Shou spoke, pointing at the book in Li Yinyis' hands.
The girl read the title. "Wondrous Life of Flowers. . . what does that mean?" She flicked through the pages, but obviously would not gain any useful info simply by flying through them.
"It's probably some random book the owner got from a charlatan. What grade is it? Does it at least reach the fighter-grade," Li Yangyi scoffed.
". . .What's going on here? I thought we have finally gathered some trust?"
Li Yangyi quickly held his mouth. "Apologies, it's still a habit, you see. I can hold back when it comes to minor stuff, but come on, this is a cultivation manual. For others, even a basic fighter-grade manual will be an heirloom passed down to generations. Stealing any of them would cause the world to shun you and hunt you down. Some even start cults just around some technique or art they had the fortune of obtaining. There's a legend that our empire was founded by a mythological nation-grade martial arts scroll, even. So it is hard to believe you'd just give them away." Those around him, even Ran Wei and Lin Zhuyue who had no interest in cultivation, agreed wholeheartedly. "But why don't you try explaining it then?"
"It's nothing complicated," Shou rubbed his head and spoke. "Since Li Yinyi kept dying so much in the illusory world, I hoped that through this technique, she can survive longer."
"Well, at least the thought is there. That's already worth appreciation." Li Yangyi nodded wholeheartedly.
"So, this cultivation manual will help her return from the dead," Shou spoke matter-of-factly. "It's similar to the ability within the illusory world. Of course, it is not that good, but you can take it as a reference. When you master this body refining technique, your whole body will be akin to an endless flowerfield. No injury or disease may actually harm you and you are free from the restraints of a physical body. You can reattach lost limbs and even organs, if gone, will not come to affect you. Apparently, it was an ability used by the wizard. Isn't that, like, thematically accurate?" He laughed calmly.
None of the customers said a thing. The store was silent enough that even a pin-drop would echo.
". . .Say what?" Li Yangyi cleaned his ears, afraid he hadn't heard correctly. "I must be getting old. After all, you couldn't possibly have said what I think you said? Right?"