Ron was really tempted to pick the Chaos Heaven Qi gathering technique, but he didn't have enough system points, and it was not possible to read it directly as the pages are burnt, so he won't be able to learn it even if he wanted to.
'I will definitely comeback for you after I have enough points!'
He decided to learn it when he has enough points, he surely wouldn't want to miss out on an Earth grade manual. For now, he picked up the Five Elemental Qi Gathering Technique.
Ron used his jade token to use 10 contribution points in exchange for unlocking the manual for one day. He scrolled through the pages to get a deeper understanding on what Qi is, how one can sense it, how one can absorb the qi from the surroundings.
He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes while breathing slowly and steadily. He went into a meditative state and tried to sense the qi around him. There was nothing but darkness.
It maybe because of his existing cultivation realm which he attained using the system, he started to slowly sense floating particles with a dim glow. As he focused the particle's brightness increased and he began to see more and more around him.
He focused his energy on guiding these particles through his body. He sensed clear pathways which took the absorbed qi from outside and channeled it throughout his body like thousands of tree branches.
His body rigorously absorbed the qi, and he lost sense of time.
….
Ding!
[ Mastered Beginner Level of Five Elemental Qi Gathering Technique ]
Ron slowly breathed out and opened his eyes. It took him three days to mater the qi gathering technique to beginner level. He was able to sense that his cultivation level has increased a bit, if he continued to cultivate, he is confident to breakthrough to the Ninth level in ten days.
He still felt that using system points to level up is much faster, but being able to actually cultivate felt refreshing compared to the pain he felt when the system injected him with spiritual energy.
After he learned how to sense Qi, the world around him felt different compared to before. He is vaguely able to sense the qi in everything around him.
'It seems that the standard of outer sect disciples has decreased over time. It took this young disciple three days to master that technique only to a beginner level. Perhaps it's time for me to discuss this with the sect master,'
The elder thought, as he laid near the entrance, he observed Ron practicing with his spiritual senses. He never opened his eyes, as if he were asleep, but strangely he was aware of everything happening in the library.
Ron picked up the manual beside him to place it back
Ding!
[Yellow Grade, Five Elemental Qi Gathering Technique: 200 points required]
There was confusion in his eyes. He definitely remembered that it was 1,400 hundred points to master the technique, when he first picked it up.
'Doesn't that mean the number of points required to master a technique is based on my current understanding of it? As I had no understanding of the technique before, the number of points required was high, but now that I have learnt the gist of it, the points have drastically decreased'
He immediately exchanged points to learn it, he still had 252 points left, which was more than enough. Information drilled into his brain, he got a deeper understanding of the technique compared to before and grasped the essence of it.
He started to cultivate again, this time with the mastered technique. The speed at which qi gathered became even faster, and purer.
'Hmm? Wasn't this kid just at the beginner level? How did his cultivation speed increase so much?'
The elder was bewildered by the sudden change in the way Ron was cultivating using the Five Elemental Qi Gathering Technique. It was as if, he went from crawling to running race in a span of seconds.
'Maybe I'm getting old, I'm not sure if I should continue guarding the library, although no one asked me to'
He stood up, vanished into thin air, and appeared in front of Ron. Ron got shocked and subconsciously crawled back
"Hehe….you got some good reflexes kid. Here take it as my apology"
The elder touched Ron's jade token, then disappeared again, nowhere to be seen.
Ron wasn't able to process what was going on at all. The elder appeared in front of him and then disappeared in a flash.
Subconsciously he picked up his token, which the elder touched.
There were 530 points!
He wasn't sure why the elder gave him 500 points, but it is definitely a windfall for him. Afraid that the elder will come back to take the points, he swiftly left the library.
"Hey, Where have you been?"
"I was in the library, what about you? You look all beaten up"
"Hehe…..I went to take a look at the missions, and I saw some herb gathering mission. I took it up, and went to the forest beyond the beast peak, over there I had to battle with a Fifth level body refinement realm beast, I barely made it out with the herbs. But it was worth it! I was able to get 50 contribution points!"
Dixie showed off his credit points with a huge smile, it was an accomplishment for him, as it's pretty hard to gain credits.
Ron was perplexed if he should reveal that he basically got 500 credits for free, but decided not to mention it, as it might let him down and raise more questions for him.