Big Data Cultivation

Less than four hundred, with a daily rental fee of eight hundred, is already quite cheap, but Taiqing still feels it's a bit much, while Tiantong wants to add more cultivation techniques — the more available techniques for rent, the higher the rental fee can be, and the more techniques can also be sold.

You should know, once Feng Jun matches successfully, if the techniques come from Tiantong, Taiqing disciples can only purchase them from Mingsha Tiantong.

The two sides are at a standstill over the number of techniques, so they've come to Feng Jun for an evaluation — do you think some of these techniques should be selected?

Feng Jun believes this matter shouldn't be decided by him, "Taiqing is providing the Spirit Stones, why are they asking me?"

Master Yuanming also thinks it's a bit odd; he knows about this matter but isn't involved, so he asks in confusion, "Then just have more techniques. The disciples will have more choices, and once they've bought the technique, they won't have to rent it the next day."

The Four Great Sects do things this domineering way. Even though Tiantong claims, "Our techniques are exclusive, won't sell a second time," the attitude of the Four Great Sects is — once one of my disciples buys a technique, it's as if my sect possesses this technique.

Of course, this statement isn't comprehensive. If the disciples obtain a technique and are unwilling to offer it to the sect for contribution points, then the sect cannot regard it as "our sect's technique," and this situation is quite common.

For the average technique that fills gaps, a sect cannot provide many contributions—giving too much may result in "contribution farming," so techniques without obvious features are treated as indifferent by the sect.

However, for the disciples, if I've spent a lot of Spirit Stones to buy a technique, it can only exchange for a few Contribution Points, then what's the reason for the exchange?

So in the Four Great Sects, you often see such a situation: many disciples have bought a certain technique with Spirit Stones, yet the sect still doesn't possess this technique — the contributions can't be exchanged.

Some disciples don't exchange a technique not because they think the contributions are few, but to make up for certain deficiencies or strengthen certain aspects they don't want known, nor will they hand it over to the sect.

But no matter how it's said, as long as a disciple exchanges externally obtained techniques for contributions, the Four Great Sects dare to consider it as "historically ours," openly available for disciples to exchange without any worry of people seeking accountability later.

So Master Yuanming believes, spending a bit more on rental really isn't a big deal.

Huang Fu Flawless can only respond with a wry smile, "The Peak Master's words are very sensible, but increasing the rental fee, wouldn't that mean related disciples are inefficient in their duties? There will always be someone with a skewed mouth… why not just lower the rental fee?"

To put it bluntly, the Taiqing Sect is composed of cultivators, but first and foremost they are "people," and as people, they must face various social relationships.

Buying Tiantong's techniques, everyone has no dissatisfaction. In this society that greatly values morality, those who can do business well are very mindful of their reputation, so there's not much issue with the price and quality of purchasing techniques.

However, the rental fee being high is hard to explain, and those handling it don't want to seek this trouble.

Upon hearing this, Master Yuanming couldn't help but smile wryly, "I, Taiqing, lack this little rental fee? I'll decide… how many more techniques does Tiantong want to add?"

Huang Fu Flawless hesitated for a moment and spoke softly, "Just over two thousand books…"

"How many?" Master Yuanming, despite being a Golden Core who isn't lacking money, was startled upon hearing this, "Over two thousand books… does Tiantong have that many non-repetitive techniques? The Taiqing techniques together aren't even ten thousand books!"

Even those ten thousand are an inflated number; Taiqing techniques are indeed numerous, over nine thousand books, but many are ancient and medieval techniques that have long been abandoned — not that those techniques are bad, but because they've evolved into even better techniques.

Among the forty thousand Taiqing disciples, the techniques currently being cultivated number only around two thousand at most, with most people cultivating fewer than four hundred techniques, following essentially the "80/20 rule."

The techniques provided by Tiantong to Taiqing surely aren't among those over nine thousand, yet they can still find over two thousand techniques — Master Yuanming couldn't help but be speechless, by that calculation, our daily rental fee should be five thousand Spirit Stones to be enough.

Feng Jun has also collected quite a few techniques, but foundational techniques amount only to just over three hundred, and he already feels quite impressive with that.

Huang Fu Flawless smiled, "Actually that's a virtual number; Mingsha over there only wants to add three hundred books."

"Then you should have said so earlier," Master Yuanming waved his hand broadly, "I'll decide, no need to discuss."

Huang Fu Flawless smiled without saying anything, just silently looked at Feng Jun.

Master Yuanming realized, "Oh, you were asking Feng Jun, then just find him."

Feng Jun smiled and cupped his hands, "Don't mention it, I don't know anything, you all can discuss it."

Huang Fu Flawless gave him a sidelong glance, smiling, "Actually, you have quite a few techniques too."

Her original intention was to help Feng Jun raise his price, to show Taiqing that Mountain Master Feng is skilled not only in deduction.

Feng Jun vaguely sensed her meaning, but this kind of help, he graciously refused — because most of his techniques didn't come from robbery or raiding homes, but from system scanning.

This tremendous secret, he absolutely cannot let others notice.

So Huang Fu unwittingly made things worse, but it was still for his benefit, so he could only smile, "There are some Cultivation Techniques from the sect that can't be taken out, so… don't worry about me."

Anyway, after a few words, everyone felt a bit uninterested due to his unwilling attitude to participate, so they had no choice but to disperse.

Master Yuanming could make a decision, but… he simply made a casual one, expressing his willingness to pay extra, but he didn't want to get involved in specifics, leaving Huang Fu feeling very bored.

Though boredom aside, she still came to Mount Zhige, sought an explanation from Feng Jun, and with the endorsement of Master Yuanming, it was enough to account for the Taiqing leaders.

In fact, she glanced at Feng Jun with a different meaning in her eyes—indicating there was more to discuss.

Feng Jun understood her look, but it wasn't convenient to speak now; he had too many tasks to attend to—didn't Tiantong just acknowledge that my inventory is plentiful? Rest assured, there will be no shortage of what I promised you.

Importantly, he had to return and discuss with the Big Boss—what exactly is that fragment?

Even upon returning, Qu Jianlei wouldn't leave his side, and even Master Yuanming gave up roaming in Mount Zhige, specifically coming to his residence, worried that Yue Qing might act rashly.

The place was about ten miles from the mountain gate, which wasn't close, but both Masters agreed that if Yue Qing truly wanted to make a move, ten miles or one mile made no difference—even if there was a defensive formation.

Moreover, Feng Jun activated the defensive formation upon arrival.

Strictly speaking, his defensive formation wasn't for blocking attacks, but eavesdropping. If Yue Qing dared to directly attack the formation, even smashing it with one strike, how could he break Xia Nichang's Essence Blood Protection Talisman?

If he indeed dared to do so, not to mention the Secular World would demand an explanation, Feng Jun himself would also have something to say to him.

He wasn't being arrogant, but his strength had reached this point, his equipment was in place, plus there was assistance—so what if it's Golden Core?

Luckily, Yue Qing was indeed arrogant; no matter if he could observe Feng Jun's actions, he wouldn't make a move.

Feng Jun then hid within the residence with the Big Boss, discussing what he saw during the day.

The Big Boss first mentioned, "This Yue Qing is much inferior to Xia Nichang, but his vitality is overwhelming; Xia Nichang might not definitely win… He might not be the first of Qinggang Sect, but surpassing him, there'd be at most one person."

"Yue Qing's only at the Seventh Level of Golden Core," Feng Jun expressed his confusion, "Isn't Xia Nichang at Golden Core Peak?"

"Xia Nichang is quite comprehensive at Golden Core Peak," the Big Boss explained patiently, "especially with her strong Soul, I prefer not to interact with her; however, although Yue Qing is weaker, his vitality is extremely strong, no wonder Qinggang is known for Qi Cultivation heritage."

Feng Jun thought for a moment and said, "Ultimately, is Yue Qing also someone you can't provoke?"

"His perception is much worse," the Big Boss disdainfully remarked, although it was now familiar with Feng Jun, not fearing exposure of weaknesses, "but his vitality is strong; truly interacting would… he would harm me more than Xia Nichang."

"Got it," Feng Jun nodded, "Xia Nichang is strategically suppressive, Yue Qing is tactically suppressive?"

"Who can suppress me?" the Big Boss snorted disdainfully, then stammered, speaking slowly, "For now, your understanding isn't too wrong… I too shouldn't engage with Yue Qing."

"Why bother engaging with him?" Feng Jun smiled, "If it doesn't work, I'll just leave you at home."

"That's not possible," the Big Boss solemnly refused, "This guy is somewhat dangerous, I still need to assist you as much as possible."

Feng Jun appreciated the Big Boss's concern, even though it was fulfilling its own needs, he still remarked, "Mainly because it's a bit dangerous."

Considered conscientious, the Yin Spirits felt a bit pleased, but also smugly asked, "If I weren't here today, would you have recognized what fragment that was?"

Feng Jun pondered for a moment, honestly replied, "I don't know, initially thought it was some fruit, but the deduction results told me it's a Treasure Fragment."

"Not bad," the Yin Spirits were quite surprised this time, "Both guesses are correct, combined just makes it even more accurate…"

"That's the fruit of Dragon Blood Thorn Wood, rarely seen much less the fruit; incredibly hard, it's top-tier material for Artifact Refining, easily crafted into Precious Treasure level, refining into True Treasure is legitimate."

Speaking of which, the Big Boss's chatter illness acted up again, "Actually, finding the person who killed his master isn't difficult; such Dragon Blood Thorn Wood exists only in two planes, and killing a Golden Core makes the crafted Precious Treasure shatter, showing low refining proficiency…"

It thought its analysis was thorough, hereby greatly narrowing down the range of suspects.

It waited for Feng Jun's flattery, over time, it had grown accustomed to his praises.

(Update ends, summon monthly votes.)