"Welcome to the Cloud Library. How may I assist you today sir?"
Vasari heard a bright and enthusiastic voice come from his left side. He turned his body and with a charming smile, he greeted the librarian.
"Hello, I'm here to choose some techniques. I have a note with me that I'm supposed to give you." Vasari pulled out another note, similar to the one he gave Blacksmith Davenport, and he handed it over to the librarian behind a large desk.
The librarian adjusted her glasses that were just for show and read the note.
"Ok, so you are allowed to choose 3 Heaven grade techniques to learn. You may not take any cultivation technique out of the library and if you are caught doing so then you will be personally dealt with by the Cloud Defenders faction."
Vasari nodded in understanding. "Is this your first time in the Cloud Library?"
Vasari nodded again.
"Well, there are no physical books inside the library and all the techniques are stored in information crystals, so even you can view the techniques inside. However, you will only see the description and to gain access to the whole technique you need to bring it back to me so I can unlock it for you. You will find all the Heaven Grade techniques on the third floor. The stairs are near the rear of the library."
Vasari once again nodded in understanding and thanked the heavens that the techniques were stored in information crystals. If it was in a book or scroll then he would have needed to ask the librarian for help or get one of the girls to help him out.
"Thank you, Miss Librarian."
"It's no problem at all."
The librarian smiled while watching Vasari walk deeper into the library. When he disappeared from her sight, she took out her ManaPhone and immediately went into an app with a yellow bird as the icon.
{OMG you'll never believe who I just saw today!! The God of Handsomeness!!!}
Following sending that message, the librarian put her ManaPhone away and slumped into her chair as perverse thoughts intruded her mind.
After finding the stairs and making his way up to the third floor, Vasari started his search for techniques that would suit him. He had no clue how many information crystals were stored on the shelves, but he was determined to go through them one by one.
2 hours and hundreds of techniques skimmed through later, Vasari sat on the library floor with 3 palm-sized crystals placed on the floor in front of him. Vasari picked one up at random and the contents inside the crystal appeared in his mind.
-Dragon Elephant Prajna Martial Art
-Mid Heaven Grade martial technique
-A powerful technique that grants the user the strength of glorious dragons and mighty elephants. The first few levels are easy to learn but become increasingly difficult. Only a few exceptional cultivators have been able to learn all 10 levels.
'This technique immediately caught my attention due to the name and the fact that I don't have a proper technique that trains my body.'
Vasari put the crystal down before picking up another from the ground.
-5 Elements Palm
- High Heaven Grade martial technique
-A technique created by the 'Elemental Warrior' that incorporates the elements of wood, water, earth, fire, and metal into powerful palm strikes.
'This technique will ultimately replace the Seven Form Moon Worshipper technique. I don't want to risk losing my mind over a technique like that.'
Vasari then picked up the final crystal and the information flooded into his mind.
-Elemental Dance
-Low Heaven Grade Movement Cultivation technique
-Created by a disciple of the Elemental Warrior, this movement technique uses the elements of wind, lightning, water, earth and ice to increase movement speed across different landscapes as well as add an element of unpredictability to your movements in battle.
'This technique combined with Elemental Palm will help me gain comprehension of some advanced elements such as lightning, ice, wood and metal. This leaves only magma, light and darkness, but it can wait for now.'
Vasari had a desire of learning all the elements, both basic and advanced, to at least the Advanced Will level. He knew not many were able to do so and it might be detrimental to his growth as a cultivator, but he thought it would be cool to be able to control all the elements and combine them to create new elements.
Cloud Will and Thunder Will were such examples of new elements created by combining two or sometimes even three elements.
'There are so many good techniques that I think will suit some of the girls, but they might already have pretty good techniques from their families.'
Vasari went over the techniques one more time before making his way back to the librarian at the front of the library.
"So you want to learn these 3 techniques? I'm surprised you are not choosing a Cultivation Method considering you are nearing the Nebula Realm."
The librarian tried to subtly help Vasari by pointing this out, but Vasari merely smiled and shook his head.
"I already have a Cultivation Method, so I do not require one."
"Ah, I see. Well, here you go." The librarian gave the crystals back to Vasari, now everything was unlocked for him. "We have a few private study rooms where disciples can study their techniques. Would you like to rent one, it's 5 cloud points per 6 hours."
"No thank you, I'll come back tomorrow. I still have a few things I need to do."
The Librarian nodded and reminded Vasari that he couldn't take the techniques out of the library so he had to give it back to her. She said she would keep it for him until he returns. Vasari thanked her and left, his destination, the Cloud Bestiary.
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With Otis in tow, Vasari walked into a building practically adjacent to the Cloud Stalls. It wasn't the biggest or most luxurious of buildings but it had its own unique charm.
It was made mostly from wood and the place smelt similar to the Cloud Stalls.
One of the employees there welcomed Vasari and asked the reason for his visit. Vasari answered, saying he was looking to purchase 5 mounts. He preferred if they were Beta stage beasts but said he was open to looking at Adult stage beasts if they had good potential.
"Sir, a Beta stage beast price ranges from 500 to 1 000 Cloud Points. Adult stage beasts range from 250 to 750 Cloud Points."
The employee didn't think Vasari could afford one mount, never mind 6, so he thought telling him the prices would deter him, but Vasari remained unmoved.
"I understand."
Was all Vasari said making the employee frown but he still escorted Vasari through the bestiary where the Adult and Beta stage beasts were being kept.
"We have a wide range of beasts all professionally trained from young and even rare beasts captured in the wild that has been personally tamed by Elder Equus or his personal disciples."
While the employee was babbling on about information Vasari didn't care for, he unlocked a single percent of his bloodline and released a tyrannical pressure into his surroundings.
Only beasts could feel the pressure being emitted from his body at the moment, he only kept it unlocked for 5 seconds before sealing it again. He did this every 25-30 seconds until they reached the end of the Beta stage beast enclosures.
"So, do you have any idea what mounts you want to purchase?" The employee's tone was scornful and sarcastic, not expecting Vasari to purchase any mounts.
"Yes, how much is this one?" Vasari pointed to a specific beast not far away.
The employee looked at where Vasari was pointing and his eyebrows raised slightly.
"The Flash Thunderbird? She will cost you 650 Cloud Points because she was captured in the wild, and her bloodline is a bit diluted."
"Ok, I want her. Also, how much is that one?"
"The Golden Alicanto? She's 700 Cloud Points."
"Ok, I'll take her too. Follow me."
The employee's lips were twitching in disbelief. 'Does this newbie actually have this many points? No way, even if he came first on the school leaderboards he wouldn't have more than a few hundred Cloud Points.'
His thoughts were disrupted when he heard Vasari ask him the price of another beast.
"That Royal Roc will cost you 600."
"The Frosty Simurgh is 750 Cloud Points."
"That Crimson Shadow Crow will cost you 900 Cloud Points."
Vasari frowned when he heard the cost of the Crimson Shadow Crow. The 900 Cloud Points were too expensive for him. He had 3500 Cloud Points after buying the property and the cost of the 5 mounts would cost a combined 3600 Cloud Points.
"Hey, mister…"
"My name is Warren."
"Mister Warren, since I walked into this bestiary you have continuously disrespected me." Vasari placed his right arm around the man's shoulders and leaned closer to him. Warren, eyebrows furrowed in dissatisfaction, but he couldn't help but feel slightly inferior due to their size difference. He was not a small male by any means, standing around 185cm tall, but next to Vasari, he felt small.
"You see, Elder Equus and I are actually pretty good buddies and I'm sure he would be far from happy to hear an employee disrespecting a potential customer, wouldn't he?"
Vasari's tone was casual as could be as if he was talking to a close friend, but the content of his words made Warren grit his teeth in frustration.
He didn't think he would be blackmailed like this and of course, he didn't think for a second that Vasari even talked to Elder Equus before, never mind being good friends with such a legendary figure. However, a single customer complaint could lead to the termination of his contract and leave him unemployed.
He wasn't usually so grumpy, but he recently found out that his long-time girlfriend had been having an affair with a few of his friends and he had unintentionally been taking his grievances out on others.
"So how about you give me a 20% discount for buying 3 or more mounts, or whatever you can makeup and we go our separate ways?"
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Flying in the cloudless night sky of Outer Haven.
6 beasts, 5 aerial-based beasts and 1 black Cloud Pegasus flew with amazing speed away from the city centre towards the outskirts of Outer Haven.
A man sat on the back of the black Cloud Pegasus leading the group of beasts. A big smile adorned his perfectly chiselled face that even Gods would be unable to recreate.
"I have 620 Cloud Points remaining. I wonder how many alchemical products I can purchase with that amount."
Before leaving the Cloud Bestiary, Warren stopped Vasari and as an apology, he told Vasari about some important information he had never heard about.
"Every 6 months, the Cloud Alchemist Association hosts an annual auction. They auction off a variety of unique and rare products, among them are pills called 'Bloodline Purity pills' that strengthen the bloodline of your mounts or even your own bloodline, however, these pills are highly sought after so prepare to spend a ton.
There are also plenty of other, cheaper products you can purchase for your mounts"
Vasari tossed his Cloud Badge up and down while his thoughts stirred.
"That auction is still 4 months away and I don't think I'll win anything with just 620 Cloud Points. I'll have to do some missions to get more Cloud Points, but my cultivation comes first.
I guess the next thing to do is reach the Mana Body Stage."