Chapter 25: The Divine Arts Pavilion of the Five Elements Palace

Li Yao did not hesitate and walked straight inside.

The Divine Technique Pavilion spanned several hundred meters. At this moment, dozens of cultivators had gathered within. After a brief glance, Li Yao noted at least several dozen people moving between wooden tables. On these tables lay numerous jade slips, each inscribed with the name and a brief introduction of a cultivation technique. Once a cultivator selected one, they would take the jade slip to the inner hall, pay the required Source, and receive the chosen technique.

Li Yao walked toward the tables as well. Having no prior knowledge of the pricing for these techniques, he intended to observe the rates at the Five Elements Pavilion to serve as a reference for later.

The techniques were arranged by level from the outer area to the inner sanctum. The outermost tables held scriptures for the Sea of Bitterness realm; these attracted the fewest people and were the cheapest, priced at around two to three hundred catties of Source.

The techniques in the middle section were for the Dao Palace realm. Here, the price gap widened significantly, determined by how many Dao Palaces the technique could open. A technique capable of opening all five Dao Palaces could cost as much as two thousand catties of Source.

Li Yao felt a sense of pleasant surprise. While he knew that cultivation scriptures were precious, seeing the reality firsthand gave him a new perspective. A single technique for the Dao Palace realm was worth one or two thousand catties of Source.

No, that calculation was flawed. A scripture was not a one-time commodity; it generated value continuously. If one person bought it for a thousand catties, ten people meant ten thousand, and a hundred people meant over a hundred thousand. In a sense, scriptures were inexhaustible treasure troves that could provide a steady stream of wealth for any organization.

"It is a pity that I am alone. If I could establish an organization in the Holy City to sell scriptures, I would likely never lack for Source again."

Li Yao set down a jade slip and stopped browsing, heading instead toward the deeper sections.

Upon reaching the Four Poles realm area, the number of people increased, but conversely, the number of jade slips decreased significantly.

"Are you also here to look for techniques, fellow Daoist?" someone asked from the side.

It was an elderly man whose aura was vast but, to Li Yao’s perception, hollow. It seemed he had rushed to break through each stage—from the Sea of Bitterness to the Life Spring, and from the Life Spring to the Divine Bridge—as soon as he hit the minimum threshold. This was the norm for over ninety percent of cultivators; lacking resources, they found progress difficult and would choose to advance the moment the opportunity arose.

Only disciples of major organizations had the luxury of delaying a breakthrough to further cultivate their potential at a current stage.

After assessing the old man’s situation, Li Yao withdrew his gaze and lowered his voice. "Just looking."

The old man continued, "Techniques for the Four Poles realm are very expensive. I wonder if you have any interest in pooling resources to purchase one?"

The man was clearly a rogue cultivator with limited resources, hoping to split the cost with someone else.

"Don't bother, fellow Daoist. Do you really think they would allow a purchased technique to be shared? If that were possible, how would they make any money?" another person chimed in nearby.

Li Yao became intrigued and asked the newcomer in a hushed tone, "Are there restrictions or something? This is my first time here."

"Sigh, a Four Poles scripture costs five to eight thousand catties of Source, but you aren't buying the scripture itself. You are merely buying the right to practice it," the man sighed. He had clearly purchased a technique here before, and his tone was laced with resentment.

Though cultivators had transcended the common folk, they were not devoid of emotions. They had friends and family, and they hoped to bring their loved ones along on the path of cultivation. However, for most rogue cultivators and those from small sects, several thousand catties of Source represented their entire life savings, accumulated through years of hardship. To find that a technique could only be used by a single person was, to them, utterly infuriating.

Li Yao felt a flicker of realization. Whether in his past life or the present, those at the top achieved financial freedom through the exploitation of those at the bottom. None of this concerned him, however. He had no intention of changing the status quo, nor did he have the capital to do so at present.

After parting ways with the two, Li Yao left the area and walked straight toward the back. Now that he understood the pricing for the Four Poles realm, he did not want to waste any more time.

"Fellow Daoist, outsiders are prohibited from entering here. If you wish to select a technique, please go to the front." As he approached a doorway, Li Yao was stopped by a guard.

"I am not here to buy. I am here to sell," Li Yao replied in a low voice.

The guard lowered his hand, stepped aside, and allowed Li Yao to pass without further obstruction.

The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a desk. Behind it sat an old man who had been half-dozing; he opened his eyes as he sensed someone enter.

"Let me see the technique," the old man said with crisp efficiency.

Li Yao did not comply immediately. "If I give you the technique, it belongs to you. What stops you from simply refusing to pay me the Source?" He had a valid concern; there was no contract between them, nor a third party to mediate. Giving the technique away beforehand felt like throwing meat to a dog.

"I am not asking for the entire scripture. Just give me the Sea of Bitterness chapter," the old man said calmly. He was not offended; he faced such scenes daily and had long grown accustomed to them.

Li Yao was surprised. Could the quality of a scripture be judged by the Sea of Bitterness chapter alone?

As if sensing his doubt, the old man added, "The Sea of Bitterness chapter helps determine the potential of the scripture—the better the scripture, the more 'doors' of potential it can open. As for the specific level of the technique, I will need you to provide the rest of it."

"Doesn't that just bring us back to the start?" Li Yao asked.

The old man shook his head. "After I examine the Sea of Bitterness chapter, you tell me the level of the scripture. I will determine a price, and you may wait until the Source is in your hands before handing over the remainder."

Li Yao understood. It was a reasonable arrangement that protected the seller. As for the possibility of the Five Elements Palace refusing to pay or the seller failing to provide the rest of the scripture, the Five Elements Palace was no small fry; they were not worried about someone reneging on a deal.

With his concerns addressed, Li Yao recited the Sea of Bitterness chapter to the old man.

A long time passed before the old man looked up at him. Li Yao, however, remained covered by a dark iron mask and a deep hood, leaving his true face completely obscured. The Five Elements Palace operated by its own rules and did not use divine sense to probe customers, so even though the old man was curious about Li Yao’s identity, he did not violate the code of conduct.