Chapter 22: Exchanges and Foundations
Fresh from the Contribution Hall, Lin Fan walked through the Outer Sect's central plaza, his newly earned 430 Contribution Points feeling like a significant, if still insufficient, asset. His recent accomplishments – the wolf hunt, the Wraith neutralization – were clearly spreading, as the whispers and sideways glances he received felt less like simple curiosity and more like hushed, respectful discussion. He was rapidly becoming a figure of note, perhaps even legend, among the lower echelons of the sect.
His destination was another large, imposing building situated near the Contribution Hall: the Sect Exchange Hall. While the Contribution Hall dealt with tasks and rewards earned, the Exchange Hall was where disciples could spend those earnings on resources provided or regulated by the sect itself. Disciples heading this way generally looked more purposeful, clutching their disciple tokens, their eyes filled with the anticipation of acquiring a needed pill, a slightly better sword, or perhaps access to a coveted training resource.
Stepping inside, Lin Fan found a space similar in size to the Contribution Hall but organized differently. Instead of task boards, the vast hall featured long, polished counters displaying various goods behind transparent energy barriers. Sect-appointed clerks, mostly senior disciples with bored or business-like expressions, stood behind the counters, ready to facilitate exchanges. Different sections were clearly marked: 'Pills & Elixirs', 'Weapons & Armor', 'Technique Manuals', 'Materials', 'Training Services'.
Lin Fan began to browse, his goal less about immediate acquisition and more about understanding the value of his CP and refining his goal of reaching 1000 points.
At the 'Pills & Elixirs' counter, he saw neat rows of jade bottles:
Standard Qi Gathering Pills (Batch of 10): 25 CP
Basic Healing Salve (Small Jar): 40 CP
Body Tempering Pill (Low-Grade): 70 CP
Energy Recovery Pill (Single): 100 CP
He mentally compared them to his system rewards. The pills here were likely reliable, quality-controlled by the sect, but probably less potent than the Pure Qi Pills or Spirit Recovery Pills he'd received from the lottery. And for basic energy, his infinite Spirit Stones were far superior. Verdict: Not worth spending CP here for him.
Moving to 'Weapons & Armor':
Standard Azure Cloud Sword (Steel): 150 CP
Reinforced Leather Armor Set (Outer Sect Quality): 300 CP
Low-Grade Spirit Infused Practice Sword: 450 CP
Again, nothing compelling. His Flowing Shadow Sword, though Low-Grade, felt superior to the standard sect offerings, and he already had the Reinforced Leather Vest from the lottery. Spending precious CP on marginal upgrades seemed foolish.
The 'Materials' section offered common beast cores, herbs, and ores, likely submitted by other disciples completing tasks. Prices varied, but nothing looked particularly rare or useful to him at the moment.
'Training Services' listed things like:
Standard Training Room (Per Day): 30 CP
Enhanced Qi Training Room (Per Day): 100 CP (Requires 200+ total CP earned)
Puppet Sparring Partner Rental (Sixth Layer, Per Hour): 60 CP
The Enhanced Qi Training Room was tempting – offering denser spiritual energy than the ambient environment – but still likely paled in comparison to cultivating directly with High-Grade Spirit Stones. Access likely required not just the points but a minimum earned threshold, indicating it was a privilege.
Finally, he arrived at the 'Technique Manuals' section. This held the most potential interest. He saw copies of the basic 'Azure Origin Chant', various standard weapon forms (Basic Sword, Saber, Spear styles), and some foundational knowledge texts.
'Azure Origin Chant' (Qi Refinement Layers 1-9): 50 CP
'Basic Sword Forms of the Azure Cloud': 200 CP
'Outer Sect Guide to Talisman Components & Basic Activation': 150 CP
'Introduction to Array Principles (Vol. 1)': 300 CP
'Introduction to Pill Concoction': 250 CP
'Beast Taming Fundamentals' (Restricted Access): 400 CP + Special Permit
His Nine Cycles Refining Art was far superior to the Azure Origin Chant. His lottery skills covered movement, defense, and offense more effectively than the basic weapon forms likely did. But the knowledge-based manuals... those were different. The system hadn't granted him skills in alchemy, talisman crafting, or arrays yet. While he could hope for such things from the lottery, acquiring the foundational knowledge through the sect seemed like a solid investment in broadening his capabilities and providing a potential cover for future system-derived items in those fields.
The 'Introduction to Pill Concoction' caught his eye. Alchemy was a vital and respected path in any cultivation world. Being able to refine pills, even basic ones, could be incredibly useful, supplementing his lottery winnings or even providing another avenue for potential squandering or "generosity" later. With 430 CP, the 250 CP price was affordable, leaving him with a small reserve.
Decision made. He approached the counter for Technique Manuals. "I would like the 'Introduction to Pill Concoction'," he told the clerk, placing his disciple token down.
The clerk, a scholarly-looking youth, nodded impassively. He took the token, deducted the 250 CP, and retrieved a simple, bound book from a shelf behind him. He handed it over without comment. The transaction was swift, lacking the drama of the Contribution Hall submissions.
Lin Fan accepted the manual. It felt sturdy, printed on durable paper. He used Basic Appraisal: [Item: 'Introduction to Pill Concoction' (Sect Edition). Material: Processed Paper Bark. Quality: Mundane (Standard Educational Text). Effect: Details basic alchemical theory, common herb identification (Outer Sect region), and recipes for several fundamental Qi Refinement pills (Qi Gathering, Minor Healing, Basic Detoxification).]. Exactly as described.
He now had 180 CP remaining and 2095 SP. His goal of 1000 CP still stood, requiring significantly more effort, but he felt the purchase was worthwhile. It represented a step towards a new skill set, acquired through the sect's own system.
Leaving the Exchange Hall, Lin Fan decided against immediately seeking another task. He'd had two intense back-to-back missions. A short break to digest his gains and explore this new manual felt appropriate.
He returned to his hut once more. Sitting down, he opened the 'Introduction to Pill Concoction'. The first chapter detailed the absolute basics – the importance of clean tools, the concept of fire control (using cultivator's Qi or specialized flames), the properties of common cauldrons, and the fundamental theory of balancing medicinal properties. It spoke of spiritual herbs, beast components, catalysts, and the delicate art of fusing their energies without causing explosions or inert dregs.
It was complex, requiring patience, precision, and a deep understanding of material properties – a stark contrast to the instant gratification of the system's lottery or cultivation with infinite resources. Yet, the potential was undeniable.
Lin Fan found himself intrigued. Could he apply his superior Qi control from the Nine Cycles Art to fire manipulation? Could the system eventually offer him an alchemy cauldron, or perhaps even advanced recipes or skills via the lottery?
He closed the manual after reading the introductory chapter, his mind already buzzing with possibilities. He would need ingredients, tools, and a lot of practice if he truly wanted to pursue this path. For now, it was just knowledge, a seed planted.
His immediate future still lay with the Contribution Hall and the pursuit of those vital points. But perhaps, alongside the thrill of combat and the joy of squandering, the meticulous art of alchemy might offer another interesting dimension to his journey.