Rune Manifestation Techniques
After parting ways with Leon, Lin Xuanyu made his way straight to the Golden Pavilion, owned and managed by the Shen Clan, the largest business organization in the Cosmic Alliance.
Upon entering, he walked into one of the many transaction rooms in the Pavilion, where cultivators from all over came and went, exchanging goods and services.
Inside, the AI, known as Goldy and commonly referred to as such by the people, greeted him. "Welcome, how may I assist you today? Purchase or sell?"
"I'll be selling." Lin Xuanyu replied, "All of my monster cores."
Goldy's emotionless voice once again rang out. "Please place all the cores in the drop box inside the room, please scan your wallet below. It will be processed shortly."
Lin Xuanyu complied, placing all the cores
into the designated box while scanning his wallet.
Moments later, the transaction was complete, and his account was credited with 40,000 Cosmic Credits. He glanced at the balance with a frown.
A core-formation monster core at 2nd stage was worth at least 20,000 credits and the 20,000 in the 40,000 definitely wasn't from the seed monster's core.
He decides to ask goldy, "Hey, shouldn't a early-stage core formation monster core give me 20,000 cosmic credits?"
"The core-formation monster core only has the aura of core-formation stage. Its life energy level is still within the transition stage. This usually happens when a monster forcefully reaches core-formation without body strengthening and it's monster core doesn't evolve. Hence the system has concluded that its value is only 10,000 Cosmic Credits" Goldy said.
Lin Xuanyu thought about it. It made sense.
For every single being to reach core-formation, the body must undergo a strengthening process to support the energy core and the requirement increases every stage in core-formation.
The seed monster didn't have enough resources to attempt that process.
Because, if it did then it won't even be able to create an internal energy core inside it, which is why its monster core was incomplete.
It essentially forced its way into core-formation and it couldn't even use the full energy of the cores because just using it might cause it's body to light up and explode.
There was a limit to how much resources a level 1 gate can possess and it clearly wasn't enough to both refine the body and create Spiritual cores.
Lin Xuanyu nodded, "Alright, then, I'd like to purchase 9 high-grade Energy Gathering Pills,"
"That will be 9,000 Cosmic credits, It will be processed shortly, Please scan your wallet below"
Goldy quickly processed the request, and a small bottle containing 9 Energy Gathering Pills dropped neatly into the dispenser beside him. Lin Xuanyu retrieved it.
With the 9,000 cosmic credit gone, he had 1,000 left.
Lastly, Lin Xuanyu spoke to Goldy again, "Show me some magic techniques."
Since he had 31,000 left, he might as well take a look at the techniques, he really wanted to throw fireballs and grow grass from his feet.
Goldy took in his request, and a virtual screen materialized, displaying a variety of available techniques.
Lin Xuanyu stood, watching as the options appeared on the screen.
"Filter out to Fire technique and Wood Technique" Lin Xuanyu said.
Following that two techniques appeared in his vision, simultaneously the evolution system was also activated and started showing him the flaws of the technique.
[Fire Element Technique: Fire Rune Manifestation
Description:
Fire Rune Manifestation is a fire-element technique that utilizes spiritual energy to draw intricate runes. These runes resonate with the law of fire, summoning flames for offense, defense, or utility.
Limitations:
- Drawing the runes requires time and huge amounts of energy leaving the cultivator vulnerable to interruption or attacks. This makes it ill-suited for fast-paced or chaotic battles.
- Will be useless against someone who have comprehended Laws.]
[Wood Element Technique: Wood Rune Manifestation
Description:
Wood Rune Summoning is a wood-element technique that channels a cultivator's spiritual energy to inscribe runes. These runes invoke the law of wood, allowing the cultivator to summon vines, roots, and other plant-based entities for offense, defense, or support.
Limitations:
- Drawing the runes requires time and huge amounts of energy leaving the cultivator vulnerable to interruption or attacks. This makes it ill-suited for fast-paced or chaotic battles.
- Will be useless against someone who have comprehended Laws. ]
He looked at the prices of each in Goldy's virtual screen. Both were at 9,000 credits.
Pretty cheap indeed.
However in this world where there are beings capable of sneezing planets away, these techniques are not much and these techniques are merely a way to invoke parts of the actual laws which are way more dangerous than these runes.
"Yes, I would like these two"
Goldy processed the Fire Rune Manifestation and Wood Manifestation techniques, and, like before, a circular chip with a strange inscription was ejected out from the dispenser.
The AI's voice followed promptly.
"The techniques are stored in this chip. Activating it will automatically transfer the data to your personal AI, which will then send the information directly into your brain," Goldy explained.
Lin Xuanyu nodded as he took the chip and inspected it.
This world really was technologically advanced.
The ability to directly transfer information into someone's mind was both fascinating and efficient.
'To use this one needs a personal AI in their mind ' Lin Xuanyu thought in his mind. 'However I don't have one nor do I need one anymore. My spiritual perception is already powerful enough to scan the data chip.'
Spiritual Perception sure made his life easy!
And now with a Wood rune manifestation and Fire manifestation technique, his offensive capabilities will increase and he could also heal from injuries with the wood rune manifestation.
As he pocketed the chip, a thought occurred to him. If these chips could transfer vast amounts of information into the mind, why not use the same method for something else? Specifically, why not use a blank chip to store the entirety of the novel's plot?
It was an obvious yet brilliant solution. Reading through the written plot would take too much time.
With a blank chip, he could absorb everything instantly.
"Goldy," he said, addressing the AI again, "I'd like to purchase a blank data transfer chip."
Goldy responded without delay, "A blank data transfer chip costs 100 cosmic credits. Would you like to proceed with the purchase?"
He quickly scanned his card at the terminal, and a new chip dropped into the dispenser. Lin Xuanyu took it.
Then Lin Xuanyu remembered something important—he needed a spatial ring.
He had been using a standard backpack provided at the teleportation facility for free. to collect all the monster cores, but now that he had the funds, it was time to upgrade.
"I'd like to purchase a spatial ring," Lin Xuanyu said to Goldy, wasting no time.
Goldy processed his request and displayed four options on the virtual screen.
The last two were exorbitantly priced, with the third costing 10,000 cosmic credits and the fourth a steep 100,000.
The second option, however, was much more reasonable at 1,000 cosmic credits. According to the description, it had a storage space of 50 cubic meters—more than enough for his needs.
"I'll take the second one," he said decisively, scanning his wallet to complete the transaction.
Moments later, a simple ring dropped out from the dispenser. He picked it up and inspected it.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary ring, but the faint blue strip circling it indicated the spatial rune inscribed on its surface.
"Connect your personal AI to activate the storage space," Goldy's voice prompted.
Lin Xuanyu slipped the ring onto his forefinger.
Instead of relying on a personal AI, which he didn't have, he used his spiritual perception.
His vision shifted, revealing a dark, empty 50-cubic-meter space within the ring.
Satisfied, he waved his hand, and the ring trembled slightly as his items—the energy-gathering pills and technique chips—floated neatly into the space.
With his business at the Golden Pavilion complete, Lin Xuanyu left the building.
After selling the monster cores, he'd started with 40,000 cosmic credits.
He had spent 9,000 on energy-gathering pills, 18,000 on rune manifestation techniques, 100 on a data chip, and now 1,000 on a spatial ring, leaving him with 11,900 credits.
Outside, the sun was beginning to set.
The sky above the station was a mix of warm orange and deep blue, scattered with spaceships flying in every direction.
Occasionally, he caught sight of cultivators soaring through the air, their figures casting fleeting shadows across the futuristic streets below.
The streets themselves were bustling, clean, and vibrant, with a distinctly modern and futuristic aesthetic. Shops lining the roads began to light up, their neon signs flickering to life one by one.
Lin Xuanyu stood for a moment, taking it all in.
There was a strange yet pleasant feeling growing in his heart as he watched the people around him—some rushing about their business, others leisurely strolling as if they had all the time in the world.
This world was vastly different from the one he left behind.
It wasn't an empty, gray existence like before.
This world was filled with color.
A small smile formed on his face.
This was only the beginning.