The Martial Arts Hall only allowed twenty people at a time, and each person could only stay inside for the duration of one incense stick.

Zanxing was among the last batch to enter the Martial Arts Hall to select cultivation methods. Among those entering with her were Tian Fangfang, Mu Cengxiao, and Duan Xiangrao.

Except for Tian Fangfang, all the plot characters were present. It was hard to say whether this was the original story’s malicious intent or not.

As Zanxing stepped into the small building, she immediately felt a wave of cold air hit her face.

This Martial Arts Hall had probably existed for a long time. The wooden shelves storing books displayed a kind of deep coldness that came from years of accumulated time. Some shelves had even grown strangely shaped spiritual herbs. The bookshelves were embedded into the walls, stacked with books from floor to ceiling. Upon entering, it felt like being in an ocean of books, making one feel the insignificance of humanity.

These cultivation methods each emitted faint golden light, particularly eye-catching. Just the first floor alone was so wondrous, making one wonder how magnificent the higher floors must be.

Zanxing looked around and saw that the others had already walked far away. She still remembered this plot point – the protagonist Mu Cengxiao, guided by the Xiaoyuan Pearl in the Martial Arts Hall, had selected a precious secret manual that no one else cultivated. By mastering this manual to perfection, he had dazzled everyone’s eyes in subsequent competitions.

Now, the Xiaoyuan Pearl was in her hands.

Zanxing looked back at the sea of books, wondering which one she should choose, or whether the one Mu Cengxiao had selected in the original story would now belong to her.

The Xiaoyuan Pearl showed no movement. Zanxing stepped forward and casually picked up books from the shelf to browse through.

“Giant Strength Palm,” “Nine-Layer Seal,” “Seven Mystical Star Constellation Sword,” “Immeasurable Primordial Axe,” “First Blade Technique”…

Each title sounded like essential reading for tough guys.

Flipping through them one by one, each seemed very powerful. Just as Zanxing was feeling somewhat bewildered, the Xiaoyuan Pearl at her chest, which had been motionless all along, suddenly moved.

She was startled and instinctively looked up to see a book gently floating up from the bookshelf in front of her.

If this were in a movie, it would probably be a horror film. Zanxing had always been afraid of ghosts, but this time, she surprisingly didn’t feel scared. It was really because this cultivation method looked particularly different in style. All the other secret manuals emitted golden or silver light, looking mysterious and precious at first glance, like rare treasures. This book, although also glowing, emitted pink light.

And it was the most gaudy kind of Barbie pink.

Zanxing frowned as she looked at it for a while, questioning the Xiaoyuan Pearl’s straight-male aesthetic sense in her heart: “Are you sure?”

The Xiaoyuan Pearl jumped, seeming somewhat impatient.

Having no choice, Zanxing walked over. Just as she approached, before she could even reach out her hand, the cultivation method seemed to sense someone approaching and, with a “whoosh,” automatically jumped into her hands.

Immediately after, the pink glow on this secret manual gradually faded, transforming into the appearance of an ordinary book. Zanxing looked down and saw five large characters written on it: Qing E Nian Hua Gun.

This name was Mary Sue enough. But if it was about picking flowers, then picking flowers – what was the point of using a stick?

While Zanxing was pondering this, the voice of the guard disciple urging them came from outside: Time is almost up, please quickly select your cultivation methods and leave.

She tucked this book into her robes and slowly left. When she reached the entrance, she registered with the disciple at the door before exiting the small building.

After leaving the building, she discovered that Tian Fangfang had been waiting for her outside. Seeing Zanxing, Tian Fangfang quickly pulled her aside and asked in a low voice: “Junior Sister Zanxing, what did you choose? I picked a book called ‘Dragon-Slaying Technique.’ Although it can’t compare to intermediate-level cultivation methods, if I took it to Huajin Tower, I estimate it could sell for about a hundred Spirit Stones, right?”

“Aren’t sect books forbidden from being taken outside to sell?”

“Simple, I’ll copy it out once, then it won’t count as a sect book anymore.” Tian Fangfang nudged her arm: “What about you? What did you pick?”

This name was somewhat embarrassing to say out loud. Zanxing answered vaguely: “Just a staff technique, something flashy.”

“Junior Sister Zanxing, let’s make a deal. After you learn it, lend it to me for a few days. I’ll copy the book and sell it for Spirit Stones, then we’ll split the money fifty-fifty.” Tian Fangfang winked at her.

Zanxing: “…..”

Before she could answer, two familiar people emerged from the small building. One was Duan Xiangrao, who seemed very satisfied with the cultivation method she had chosen, coming out happily and leaving with a young cultivator who had come to meet her. The other was Mu Cengxiao, who looked very calm. Noticing Zanxing’s gaze, Mu Cengxiao turned his head to glance at her, then immediately frowned and hurried away.

Without the Xiaoyuan Pearl, Zanxing didn’t know which cultivation method Mu Cengxiao had ultimately chosen. However, she was certain that the “Qing E Nian Hua Gun” in her robes was not the secret manual that Mu Cengxiao had picked in the original story. If it had such a Mary Sue name, she wouldn’t have had any impression of it.

This meant that the Xiaoyuan Pearl was teaching according to her aptitude, specifically selecting this “Qing E Nian Hua Gun” for her. This secret manual with such an embarrassing-sounding name was the cultivation method most suitable for her.

…

After the disciples outside the Martial Arts Hall finished selecting their cultivation methods, they dispersed.

Zi Luo was checking the register recording the cultivation methods when someone approached her and took away the roster.

This was a portly middle-aged man wearing a gray sandalwood-colored gauze robe. Due to his somewhat corpulent figure, this exquisite and ethereal gauze robe appeared somewhat tight on him, and his waist was even marked with an indentation from the belt. His face, however, was smiling cheerfully, looking very amiable.

Zi Luo said, “Sixth Martial Uncle.”

Xuan Lingzi of the Taiyan Sect was the sixth disciple accepted by the sect master Shaoyang Zhenren, ranking sixth. Xuan Lingzi flipped through the roster: “All finished selecting?”

Zi Luo nodded.

Xuan Lingzi rubbed his hands together expectantly and asked: “Were there any extraordinary geniuses?”

“Sixth Martial Uncle, there aren’t that many geniuses,” Zi Luo said helplessly. “Looking at the roster, the cultivation methods selected are similar to previous years, but…”

“But what?” Xuan Lingzi’s eyes lit up.

“When newly enrolled disciples select cultivation methods, most choose ones that sound powerful or heart techniques and secret arts that are relatively handy – the more arrogant the name, the better. However, two people were different.”

“How so?”

“One of the young men is called Mu Cengxiao. He selected the ‘Five Elements God-Breaking Technique.'” Zi Luo said, “Martial Uncle also knows that the ‘Five Elements God-Breaking Technique’ is an incomplete scroll. Precisely because of this, although it’s a high-level cultivation method, it was still placed on the first floor.”

“You’re saying this young man chose an incomplete scroll?” Xuan Lingzi was somewhat surprised.

“That’s correct.”

As long as it was an incomplete scroll, even if it was a high-level cultivation method, there would be no way to cultivate it completely in the end. Choosing incomplete scrolls for cultivation had always been disadvantageous.

“What about the other one?” Xuan Lingzi asked: “What happened with the other one?”

“The other female disciple is called Yang Zanxing. What she selected was the book ‘Qing E Nian Hua Gun.'”

Xuan Lingzi suddenly looked up: “What did you say?”

Zi Luo looked at him and said, “The ‘Qing E Nian Hua Gun’ that only destined people can find – Junior Sister Yang found it.”