25 Chapter 25: Universal Blood Refining Technique

Knights were once glorious, back in the days when humanity first landed on the Savage Wilds and before the rise of Arcane Mages. In that era, knights were the advanced combat force that expanded territories.

During that time, knights upheld the Eight Tenets.

Cultivation was a journey of spiritual growth. Wherever the blade of the lance swept, a monastery would rise.

In the present age, knights had become subservient to Arcane Mages, but the Knight Academy remained, serving as an institution for training and managing knights.

"Do you want to buy a Blood Refining Technique?" at the hall's window, a staff member's eyes lit up. "Our Knight Academy has a plethora of Blood Refining Techniques. What type are you interested in? What aspect do you want to focus on? What are your requirements for the quality of the technique? Do you need one-on-one instruction from our knight instructors, or even the guidance of a Grand Knight Instructor..."

The staff member seemed like a salesperson, not minding whether Duke had already opened the Sea of Blood, and talked without pause.

Duke didn't interrupt the enthusiasm. He waited until the staff member finished a long spiel before he smiled slightly and said, "I want to buy the cheapest Blood Refining Technique."

He had a rough idea of how much one Blood Refining Technique cost. Few impoverished families could afford one.

Most impoverished youths who opened the Sea of Blood would join the academy, receive free Blood Refining Techniques, and then sign a contract with the academy, serving for years as compensation.

The staff member's enthusiasm remained undiminished. "The cheapest Blood Refining Technique? Alright, let me pick one for you. This 'Leopard Strength Blood Refining Technique' is quite cheap, only ten Gold Dragons. Additionally, its food supplement focuses on the flesh of leopards and similar spirit beasts, which is easy to find in the market."

"Um, is there anything cheaper?"

"There are indeed cheaper options. This 'Shadow of the Rat Blood Refining Technique' is only nine and a half Gold Dragons, though its cultivation effect is not very remarkable. I suggest you spend a little more to buy the 'Leopard Strength Blood Refining Technique'; it's more cost-effective."

"Then, is there anything even cheaper?"

"Oh my, these two are already quite cheap. If you want something cheaper, there's only this 'Universal Blood Refining Technique.' Its effect is mediocre at best, and it doesn't focus on food supplementation. In other words, its effect isn't enhanced by what you eat... To be honest, this technique is quite ordinary and almost obsolete."

Duke inquired, "How much does it cost?"

"You really want to buy it? Alright, but I hope you won't regret it. The price of this technique is five Gold Dragons." The staff member continued, adding a friendly note, "Even though it's so cheap, we haven't sold a single copy in the Knight Academy for a year, or even ten years. You should think carefully."

"It's fine." Duke took out his Spirit Dragon Card.

Currently, he was just expanding Xiaoyi's database and gaining more understanding of Blood Sea cultivation. Thus, the difference between top-tier and mediocre Blood Refining Techniques wasn't substantial.

When he could truly open the Sea of Blood, he would carefully choose a Blood Refining Technique suitable for himself.

"Alright then. It's up to you." The staff member swiped the card and rummaged around to find a special book that looked like it was made from pieced-together cards.

On the cover were five big characters: 'Universal Blood Refining Technique.'

Beneath it was a small line: 'Storm Year 4387, Third Edition, Revised and Reprinted by the Arcane Tower.'

"This book is older than I am!" Duke thought silently. He was born in Storm Year 4396. He hadn't expected a Blood Refining Technique from twenty-six years ago to still be unsold.

The staff member opened the book, which was assembled from cards. Flipping through the pages, he pointed to a hyphen beneath the last page and said, "Sign your name here."

"What's this?"

"A Blood Refining Technique can only be practiced by one person. Signing your name is equivalent to signing a contract. The contents of the book can only be seen by you and no one else."

"Huh?" Duke didn't understand.

The staff member flipped to one of the pages; it was entirely blank. "It's like this. If you don't sign, you can't see anything. It's nothing to be surprised about. The methods of Arcane Mages are grand."

Duke thought about it and realized it was true.

The vast and profound system of Spiritual Magic was so great that it wasn't worth being surprised that a printed Blood Refining Technique could only be viewed by one person.

He swiftly picked up a pen and scribbled his name on the hyphen, and in the next moment, a sensation similar to when he signed the contract with Robin arose. It was as if a spiritual presence was winding around him, and this feeling dissipated quickly.

Then.

He looked at the page that should have been blank, and it was now filled with densely packed words and exquisitely detailed pictures that resembled photographs.

Seeing Duke's surprised expression, the staff member chuckled. "Alright, keep this book safe. The content will be accessible to you for a year, after which it will naturally fade... The great Arcane Mages believe that knowledge is precious wealth. Five Gold Dragons only buy you a year's worth of knowledge reading time for the 'Universal Blood Refining Technique.'"

"I understand, thank you."

"You're welcome. Feel free to come back anytime."

Storing the special book, 'Universal Blood Refining Technique,' Duke continued to his next destination. He purchased materials for the card repair shop from various sources, then headed to the scrap card station to select discarded cards.

This time, he made a good haul and salvaged three scrap Spiritual Cards that could be repaired.

"Repair them carefully and sell them at a low price. I can at least make 20 Silver Dragons... If I can find a few Spiritual Cards like this every time I come, this business has great potential!" Duke was in a good mood.

He visited Chenjiao City once a week. If he could find 20 Silver Dragons' worth of items every trip, it would be like earning a small Gold Dragon each month.

Of course, this relied on Xiaoyi's judgment. Without Xiaoyi's help, he couldn't easily distinguish whether a Spiritual Card still had repair value.

Back at the small inn, he couldn't wait to read the 'Universal Blood Refining Technique.'

Since it was a book assembled from cards, the thick book only had twenty pages in total. He collected all the words and images in less than half an hour with his eyes.

Xiaoyi's database expanded again.

This time, Xiaoyi provided a definite answer, "Based on my analysis, Master can open the Sea of Blood once again. It requires using the Blood Boiling Potion's effect to locate the Sea of Blood's position. Then, I can project the Sea of Spirit onto the Sea of Blood, thereby establishing a solidified connection between your heart and the Sea of Blood."

"Are you sure?"

"The success probability is over 80%."

"Great!"

Duke was elated.

While he had indeed unlocked the Sea of Spirit, allowing him to becoming an esteemed Arcane Mage, why not also open the Sea of Blood and strengthen his physical body?

Moreover, he had another thought: "Xiaoyi, since there's a way to reopen my Sea of Blood, could there also be a way to reopen my Sea of Qi?"

"Insufficient data for judgement."

"That's alright. I'll collect more knowledge related to the Sea of Qi. When the time comes, you can help me calculate how to reopen the Sea of Qi. I want to cultivate all three seas together!"

Arcane Mage, Knight, and Spiritual Plant User, the three transcendent professions.

Duke wanted them all!