The middle-aged scholar looked at Wang Zijia and said, "This piece of information isn't exactly a secret, but it does involve many issues related to cultivation, so it will cost you three pieces of magic money. Oh, and as a reminder, we do not negotiate prices here in the pavilion."
Wang Zijia didn't say much else. He pulled out three pieces of magic money from his pocket and handed them to the man.
"Before I answer your question, you must first understand two key concepts about Spiritual Roots," said the middle-aged scholar after he had pocketed the money. He looked at Wang Zijia and spoke cautiously:
"Firstly, the commonly known five grades of spiritual roots is not entirely accurate. There are actually seven grades. Besides the immortal grade, top grade, high grade, medium grade, and lower grade, there are also two lesser grades called fake and incomplete."
"However, most sects, especially those that can recruit disciples in Wanyu Immortal City, only accept disciples with the top five grades. It is very rare for anyone to even mention the last two grades."
"Furthermore, fellow daoist, you should understand that spiritual roots are entirely different from other innate talents of a person's body." The scholar said as he looked at Wang Zijia: "For example, martial arts root bone is essentially a kind of physical constitution, a type of bloodline, which everyone possesses to some extent. It just varies in strength."
"But spiritual roots are different. They represent a form of extraordinary characteristic, which is key for a mortal to transcend their mortal state. Only when one possesses this characteristic can they cultivate arts. The lowest unit of this characteristic is represented by the incomplete spiritual root!"
"To put it in layman's terms, if an incomplete spiritual root represents a point of extraordinary characteristic, then a person either has this point or doesn't. There's no such thing as having half a point. Do you understand what I am saying?"
Wang Zijia nodded and summarized, "Yes, I understand. There are seven grades of spiritual roots, the lowest grade being incomplete, which represents the most basic of extraordinary characteristics that cannot be further divided."
"Then let's return to your question about mortal cultivation methods," said the middle-aged scholar, seeing that Wang Zijia summarized the information concisely. He nodded slightly before continuing, "Mortal cultivation methods, as we know them, can be divided into three categories."
"The first category is called the condensation method. Congenital martial artists already barely transcend the mortal realm, so they can already cultivate arts, or at least spells."
Wang Zijia looked taken aback, then asked directly, "Are you saying that I can cultivate spells?"
The scholar looked at Wang Zijia, nodded, evidently realizing that they both understood that the other saw through their cultivation state.
"To continue cultivating to the point of successfully practicing cultivation methods, one needs to enter the path with martial arts," The middle-aged scholar paused for a moment before continuing, "However, one can break the Innate with a hundred years of power, but to enter the path with martial arts, what one needs is not a few hundred or a thousand years of power, but a few thousand years of power."
"Erm..." Wang Zijia looked dumbfounded, "A few thousand years? The lifespan of a congenital martial artist is only 150 years. What kind of immortal pill would be needed to achieve that?"
The middle-aged scholar replied, "Legend has it that some years ago, there was a stunning individual who, despite having no spiritual roots, refused to accept his fate and chose instead to practice martial arts."
"After breaking through the innate realm, he even created a devilish method that allowed him eat the true qi of others. He caused upheaval in the mortal world for several decades, swallowing countless people's true qi, and ultimately forced the creation of a form of extraordinary characteristic - the Martial Arts Spiritual Root, which enabled him to start cultivating arts."
"Since then, there has been a path for entering the way of cultivation with martial arts. However, this path is not only incredibly difficult, but the spiritual roots condensing from it might not necessarily be of good quality. At least that figure, because of the mixed true qi he swallowed, had a spiritual root that was barely of lower grade."
'Ha, a few thousand years of power, and the cultivation result is not even comparable to a lower-grade spiritual root?'
'Indeed, the rules of this world are heavily biased towards the Immortal Path.'
The middle-aged scholar paused for a moment to give Wang Zijia some time to digest the information since he had attained the Innate realm. He then continued, "The second category is called the Warming Cultivation method, which involves seeking heavenly and earthly spiritual roots and congenital treasures."
"These extraordinary objects have innate spiritual natures. As long as you acquire them, you can implant them into your body, start cultivating arts, and gradually nurture your own spiritual roots. However, each of these items is a huge treasure."
Wang Zijia silently furrowed his brows upon hearing this.
The scholar continued, "As for the third category, it's called the Grafting method. Due to the particular nature of spiritual roots, morticians can extract the spiritual nature from a corpse, and alchemists can then integrate it into a pill. Through special means, they can refine a Spirit Root Grafting Pill. This has become the most widely used method in the Taoist schools."
What? Grafting?
Does this mean that spiritual roots can be passed down from ancestors?
Is this why sects reclaim the bodies of deceased disciples?
"However, spiritual roots are hard to extract, grafting pills even harder to refine, and often nine out of ten attempts fail. Even when they succeed, the quality of the spiritual root will plummet. Therefore, although this is the most prevalent method, these pills are not cheap," continued the scholar.
"Even the cheapest pill for grafting an incomplete root is somewhat expensive and cost-inefficient. The more advanced grafting pills are undoubtedly exorbitantly priced, causing numerous clans to compete for them."
Upon hearing this, Wang Zijia breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to the thousands of years of power and congenital treasures mentioned earlier, this third option seemed more feasible.
Upon finishing his explanation, the middle-aged scholar hesitated a moment before saying, "In fact, there is another method known to us here in the pavilion, the Pollution Method. But it's a cultivation method feared by all Devil Cultivators and belongs to the heritage of the Demon Path, so it's not explained."
Wang Zijia nodded. The scholar waited for a moment before asking, "Is there anything else you would like to ask?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Zijia appeared hesitant.
Seeing this, the scholar said with familiarity, "Fellow daoist, you can be at ease. There are few questions that cannot be asked here in the Wentian Pavilion. Even the secrets of Wanyu Sect can be inquired about here in Wanyu City, although the price will vary."
"As for maintaining the confidentiality of our customers," the scholar paused before saying, "Well, let's put it this way, maintaining confidentiality is the base principle of our business. In fact, to maintain the operation of Wentian Pavilion, we value this even more than you do."
Wentian Pavilion is a business belonging to the Wentian Sect, with branches across the world of cultivation. They mainly sell information, identify items, and even provide various news regarding secret heritage, secret realms, etc.
Even his former naive self had heard about it.
Upon seeing this, Wang Zijia pulled out a transparent mask that was thin like a sheet of plastic wrap. Although the mask was thin, it was extremely elastic. When he unfolded it, the mask stretched out automatically.
At first, the middle-aged scholar's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but then a flash of realization appeared in his eyes. Without even picking it up, he said, "One piece of magic money."
Wang Zijia didn't hesitate and pulled out another jade pendant, handing it to the scholar.
"There is a creature in the world called a Morphing Spirit Lizard that spends its entire life without a fixed form, making it extremely difficult to find. After killing it and taking its skin, and after some special refining by a Alchemist, you can obtain a high-grade beauty gel."
"Choose a target or imagine a shape, apply the gel to form a mask. Apply the mask to your face for ten years without removal. Once the gel is completely absorbed by your skin, it will be permanently formed, looking completely natural."
"This item, quite rare, can be sold for a good price if the right buyer is found. Many female cultivators like it."
"However, what is valuable is the gel. A mask that has been fully formed drops drastically in value. If it has been used, it's more than halfway to being a waste product, because... it might not be able to complete the facial molding. It might only achieve a resemblance, leaving it looking odd!"
"And the item in your hand has been used for at least eight to nine years. Its medicinal power is almost exhausted. Unless you come across a pill refiner with a special requirement, it's virtually valueless."