I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 118 - 116: The True Method of Combat

(This Chapter is going up in the early morning, get ready for a burst of releases. Asking for your monthly ticket support in advance ^_^)

"Oh? Let’s hear it."

"Senior, Thunderlight Hall made a huge profit this time. They’re definitely going to want to spend it. I have a good relationship with them, so maybe I can convince them to spend it at our Hundred Herbs Hall."

Zhang Liang said respectfully. The proposal immediately intrigued Qiao Qian.

So many Spirit Stones... just looking at them made one’s eyes burn with envy. Moreover, today’s auction made it clear that Thunderlight Hall wasn’t as fragile as the rumors claimed. They even seemed to be showing signs of a revival. Building a good relationship with them now was quite necessary.

"Heh heh, well done, Zhang Liang. You’ll be in full charge of this matter. We are all Holy Hall Disciples. If we can help Thunderlight Hall, it is our undeniable duty."

"Senior is wise."

Flattery cost nothing, and Zhang Liang was always generous with it. Qiao Qian was a smooth operator who hated offending people. When Thunderlight Hall was down on its luck, he certainly wouldn’t have given them the time of day. But now that they had displayed some powerful connections, he was getting a little worried.

This was also a problem with the Hundred Herbs Hall. They were sitting on a "Golden Mountain," yet the Sub-Hall’s strength showed no improvement, which invited a lot of jealousy. Even if Zhang Liang didn’t have the most thorough understanding of the Jiufen Hall’s situation, he was one of the most well-informed. Both the Fire Cloud Hall and the Beast Hall were biding their time and building their strength. The Fire Cloud Hall, in particular, was rumored to have made some earth-shattering improvements in Technique Cultivation. They were all gearing up to let their strength do the talking at the grand competition, yet the Hundred Herbs Hall was still just playing politics.

The one who decided the fate of the Hundred Herbs Hall was the Ancestral Master, not those below.

Even now, Qiao Qian’s grasp of the bigger picture was still so muddled.

Top-Grade Spirit Stones were still very useful to Wang Meng. When his Five Elements Body was breaking through to the Fifteenth Layer, besides the support of Pills, the next most important thing was Spirit Stones. Low-Grade Spirit Stones had little effect on Wang Meng, and Middle-Grade ones were much better, but Top-Grade Spirit Stones undoubtedly provided an even greater guarantee of success.

After deducting Zhang Liang’s share and other recent expenses from the Middle-Grade Spirit Stones, Wang Meng was left with less than a hundred Middle-Grade Stones, plus five Top-Grade ones.

"Brother Meng, we’re rich again! Shouldn’t we do something?" Zhang Xiaojiang was practically bouncing with energy.

Wang Meng smiled. "Let’s go. Since we’re already at the Holy Hall Pavilion, it wouldn’t be right to leave empty-handed."

Wang Meng now had the Thousand-year-old Wumu Essence. He was just one Earth Attribute Spiritual Object short of having all the materials needed to break through to the Fifteenth Layer.

The items sold in the Holy Hall Pavilion were much more expensive than those in the Sub-Halls, but it also offered many high-end Cultivation Techniques. Wang Meng went on a shopping spree, buying up batches of Magical Bamboo Slips on Holy Hall Sword Techniques and even some analytical ones, leaving Zhang Xiaojiang completely dumbfounded.

"Brother Meng, can you even practice all of these?"

Most people came to the Holy Hall Pavilion to pick a single Sword Technique that suited them. Who else shopped like Wang Meng?

"There’s always a benefit to broadening your horizons." Wang Meng smiled. It wasn’t just items for Sword Cultivators; he also took one of everything related to Pill Cultivators and Artifact Refining. He was truly spending money like water.

Before long, both of his Qiankun Bags were stuffed full. The Holy Hall Pavilion was truly impressive. With the exception of techniques like Li Tianyi’s Nine Heavens Separation Fire Sword, which was exclusive to the Li Family, things like Yang Ying’s Sword Technique and Ning Zhiyuan’s Self-sacrifice Technique could all be purchased. Of course, when buying these kinds of Cultivation Techniques, an Elder would first confirm your identity and then deduct a hefty fee.

These Cultivation Techniques weren’t top-secret. Demon Cultivators and Evil Cultivators couldn’t practice them anyway. Most importantly, the techniques were static, but people are dynamic. The same technique practiced by different people would yield vastly different results.

Zhang Xiaopang also bought a few Arrow Techniques. After the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting ended, they would have to focus all their energy on preparing for the grand competition, a battle that would decide the fate of Thunderlight Hall.

Zhang Xiaopang and the others were now the main pillars of Thunderlight Hall. Although they hadn’t been in the hall for long, their talent was undeniable, and their strength was far superior.

When it came to cultivation, more time certainly meant more knowledge, but it wasn’t always a case of "the longer, the better." Many Cultivators in the Holy Hall worked in service roles, like Li Changfu. They had been cultivating for a very long time, but at their stage, they basically just tried every means possible to raise their Elemental Power level to increase their lifespan. They had long since given up on thoughts of power or ascension.

While Wang Meng was out shopping with Zhang Xiaojiang, Yan Yuyue had already left the Holy Hall with her junior brothers and sisters. The discovery of that sword was a matter of utmost importance, and she needed to return and confirm her findings as soon as possible.

The final three days of shopping at the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting concluded, and the event came to a successful end. This was probably the most eventful Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting in recent years, and most of the disciples had reaped some rewards.

After the excitement, it was back to the quiet of cultivation. Of course, Thunderlight Hall had gained the most. They had gained hope.

It wasn’t just a boost in confidence. Zhang Liang also brought good news: the Hundred Herbs Hall could supply Thunderlight Hall with a batch of quality Spirit Grass at a very fair price. This was exactly what Thunderlight Hall desperately needed.

To improve, their demand for Spirit Grass was indispensable.

Wang Meng stayed at Thunderlight Hall for a while to take care of his duties before returning to his thatched cottage, but Zhou Feng still hadn’t come back.

He had to finish reading through the pile of Sword Techniques and Alchemy Techniques he had bought before the grand competition. After all, he couldn’t suddenly whip out some Evil Cultivation Technique in the middle of a battle with someone else. That would just be asking for trouble.

Wang Meng had to admit, Zhang Liang was a capable guy. Wang Meng had searched the Holy Hall Pavilion for ages without finding an Earth Attribute Spiritual Object, yet Zhang Liang managed to procure one in just a few days. Although it cost fifty Middle-Grade Spirit Stones, this five-hundred-year-old Earth Attribute Profound Turtle Inner Core was exactly what he needed.

However, the method for refining the Wumu Essence was quite different from refining items from the Demon Beast Pill Class. These were all problems Wang Meng needed to solve in the coming days.

Spirit Rhinoceros Xiaoben, on the other hand, was quite good at enduring loneliness. Its main task was to guard its own food supply. When the Spirit Valley ripened, it would attract Demon Beasts trying to sneak a bite. But with a Fifth-Transformation Spirit Rhinoceros standing guard, any that came would just end up as an extra dish for Wang Meng.

After waiting for Zhou Feng for a few days without any sign of him, Wang Meng decided to enter seclusion. It was best to cultivate a technique in one fell swoop.

To pass the Five Elements Pass, Spiritual Objects alone weren’t enough; he also needed the corresponding Cultivation Techniques. His Blast-Inducing Technique and Nourishing Essence Technique had already reached the Perfection of the Fourteenth Layer. In the time to come, Wang Meng was going to be incredibly busy. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—the Golden Palace Technique, Water Wave Technique, Flame Technique, Wood Spring Technique, and Earth Kun Technique. This was the real reason Wang Meng had gone on a shopping spree in the Holy Hall Pavilion. What he ultimately wanted to obtain was the Godhood of a Saint Cultivator, and once it involved a critical Cultivation Technique, it had to be a Saint Cultivation Technique.

Wang Meng had heard a thing or two about the matching Cultivation Techniques for the Five Elements Body in his past life. Techniques for each individual attribute were easy to find, especially at his current level, but figuring out how to create a Five Elements resonance was the next hurdle he had to overcome.

While Wang Meng was in seclusion, Zhang Xiaojiang and the others were summoned by the three Elders.

"There is one year until the grand competition. I trust you are all well aware of how important this battle is for you, and for the fate of Thunderlight Hall," Zhao Ya said.

Everyone nodded.

"For this reason, we are going to teach you the true way of combat. It’s not just you; the participating disciples from the other halls are all doing the same."

A satisfied smile appeared on Zhao Ya’s face. The look in these children’s eyes was good; it showed they were all prepared, without a trace of cowardice.

"Elder, isn’t what we’re learning now the way of combat?"

Zhang Xiaojiang asked.

Wan Jing smiled knowingly. "Xiaojiang, what you are learning now can only be called basic combat skills. They don’t count as true combat methods. Real combat methods all have their own schools of thought."