Chapter 754: Transaction (II)
"Excellent!" Cheers erupted throughout the discussion hall where Lin Zheyu was speaking inside the Discussion Pavilion.
Wei Lixin could no longer remain seated. He rose and began exchanging insights with Lin Zheyu, their discussion flowing back and forth. The surrounding cultivators could not get a word in and could only marvel at the exchange.
"Argh, I can't keep up with them anymore! How frustrating!"
"Why doesn't the Discussion Pavilion allow Recording Stones? Otherwise, we could record this with a spell and take it home to study at our leisure."
"Keep dreaming. Besides, an ordinary Recording Stone can only preserve the outward form, not the essence. Without the Dao resonance accompanying their discourse, taking the recording home would be no different from staring at a celestial scripture filled with blank pages."
Regret filled the faces of the surrounding cultivators. They watched Lin Zheyu and Wei Lixin with reverence as they listened to their discussion of the Dao. Although they understood every individual word, they could neither grasp the meaning nor comprehend the insights behind them. It was like an elementary school student confronting advanced mathematics. They might know what every symbol meant, yet remain incapable of understanding how the equations worked. Only a handful of cultivators could barely keep up, and even they found it extremely difficult.
After a long while, Wei Lixin exhaled deeply and bowed to Lin Zheyu, thoroughly convinced by his insights. "Huff... Thank you for your guidance, fellow friend."
"You are too courteous. I also gained a great deal from our exchange," Lin Zheyu replied with a faint smile.
"If you have no pressing matters afterward, please allow me to host you at a proper banquet as thanks," Wei Lixin said with a smile.
Hearing this, Lin Zheyu glanced at the topics being discussed in the Discussion Pavilion's other halls. A few seemed rather interesting, but that was all. Attending them would make little difference.
"Then I shall accept your hospitality. Thank you," Lin Zheyu said with a smile.
"Hahaha! There is no need to be so courteous," Wei Lixin replied with a hearty laugh.
The two left the Discussion Pavilion side by side and headed toward the Immortal Ascension Restaurant in Black Tortoise City. It was the most famous restaurant in the city and was renowned for its exorbitant prices. Apart from being expensive, it had no shortcomings whatsoever.
"You've only joined the Martial Alliance recently, haven't you, Fellow Xiao?" Wei Lixin asked with a smile inside a private room at the Immortal Ascension Restaurant.
As though worried that his question might be misunderstood, he added, "I visited the Martial Alliance several years ago. Given the natural talent and ability you have displayed, Fellow Xiao, I should have heard of you back then."
Although Wei Lixin came from the Wei Family, he did not cultivate the clan's most powerful technique. Even within the Wei Family, people were divided into different ranks. A powerful technique required more than monstrous natural talent. The cultivator also needed to possess a sufficiently high affinity with it.
The technique Wei Lixin cultivated was a unique Immortal Dao technique created by incorporating many elements of the Shamanic Dao. Given his constitution, it was the technique best suited to him. This was also why he had studied the Shamanic Dao despite cultivating the Immortal Dao. He had visited the Martial Alliance because he wanted to borrow techniques and texts related to the Shamanic Dao from its Library Pavilion for reference.
"A little over ten years," Lin Zheyu replied with a smile.
At the mention of time, a trace of wistfulness flickered deep within his eyes. In the blink of an eye, it had been almost twenty years since he arrived in this world. Although that was only slightly more than half the time he had lived in his previous life, what he had experienced during those years far surpassed everything from his previous life of more than thirty years.
"Just as I thought. With your aptitude, I would certainly have heard of you if you had joined the Martial Alliance any earlier. Come, let me offer you a toast." Wei Lixin raised his cup with a smile.
They clinked cups and drained them in one gulp. A smooth sweetness flowed down Lin Zheyu's throat and into his chest, transforming into a pleasant warmth that spread throughout his body.
"Excellent wine!" Lin Zheyu praised as he set down his cup.
"If you like it, drink some more." Wei Lixin smiled and refilled Lin Zheyu's cup.
"You possess a profound understanding of the Shamanic Dao. I presume you intend to pursue a path that combines shamanic arts with martial cultivation?" Wei Lixin asked.
He also knew something about martial cultivation. Thus far, only the Divine Martial Guard, which had integrated the Divine Dao into martial cultivation, had progressed particularly far. It was said that their system could be cultivated to the Dao Converging realm, but that was only a claim.
At present, the strongest member of the Divine Martial Guard was merely at the peak of the Deity Transformation realm. Moreover, in Wei Lixin's opinion, the Divine Martial Dao practiced by the Divine Martial Guard could no longer be considered martial cultivation. More accurately, it was a branch of the Divine Dao.
"I have considered it, but I am still far from the peak of the Shackles realm. I am only making preparations for now and have yet to decide," Lin Zheyu explained.
He was genuinely at the mid-stage of the Shackles realm, having broken free of three shackles. Although his shackles were absurdly formidable, there was no question that he was still at the mid-stage of the Shackles realm.
"I once heard my grandfather say that if martial cultivation is to achieve true success, the best option is to integrate the Shamanic Dao and use it as a guide to forge a new path. The three ancient martial esteemed families followed this very route. However, problems have also emerged along their path. In pursuit of greater strength, they chose Desolate Beast bloodlines that differed too greatly from the human bloodline. That was an enormous mistake," Wei Lixin said with a smile.
Although his strength was unremarkable, Wei Lixin was widely informed and knew many secrets of the cultivation world. Such were the benefits of possessing a powerful background. Lin Zheyu merely smiled at his words. He neither agreed with him nor displayed any fondness or dislike toward the ancient martial esteemed families.
"I would like to do so, but unfortunately, that path is far too difficult. The current world environment is no longer suitable for cultivating shamanic arts. Without cultivating shamanic arts, there is simply no way to comprehend the Shamanic Dao." Lin Zheyu shook his head. He understood this all too well from personal experience.
"That is true." Wei Lixin nodded, then smiled faintly as he said, "But it is not entirely impossible."
"Oh? Please enlighten me, fellow friend!" Lin Zheyu cupped his hands and asked sincerely.
Lin Zheyu had no solution because he was too weak and lacked a powerful background or deep foundations. Wei Lixin was different. Behind him stood Great Wei's most powerful esteemed family and greatest immortal cultivation faction, the imperial clan of Great Wei.
Wei Lixin waved his hand modestly. "I would hardly call it enlightening you. We are merely helping each other."
"To tell you the truth, the technique I cultivate is closely connected to the Shamanic Dao. If I wish to comprehend my technique more deeply, it is essential that I improve my understanding and comprehension of the Shamanic Dao," Wei Lixin explained.
The technique he cultivated was relatively obscure within the Wei Family. It was neither low in rank nor lacking in power. Still, it was exceedingly difficult to cultivate because its practitioner had to comprehend both the Shamanic Dao and the Immortal Dao. Consequently, very few people practiced it.
"In a few days, a private discussion on the Shamanic Dao will be held at the Discussion Pavilion. Every cultivator attending has considerable expertise in the Shamanic Dao and has reached at least the Golden Core realm. Would you be interested in joining us?" Wei Lixin invited.
"I could ask for nothing better," Lin Zheyu replied with a smile.
"Hahaha! Then it is settled. This is my communication jade talisman. I will notify you when the time comes," Wei Lixin said with a smile.
The two chatted for a while longer. Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, Lin Zheyu took his leave.
"What an interesting fellow. To think I couldn't see through him." Wei Lixin watched Lin Zheyu's departing figure with an intrigued expression. A wisp of golden energy danced between his fingers, but the information it conveyed was exceedingly vague.
"Is he the person you chose?" A clear voice suddenly came from behind Wei Lixin. Showing no surprise, he slowly turned toward the aloof woman in white standing behind him.