Chapter 30: The Four Arts of Cultivation

Li Ziyou's expression grew serious, and he said earnestly, "Indeed, Brother Lu, please lend me your assistance!"

Lu An didn't respond immediately but continued to ask, "Your family's patriarch still has many years to live. Why the sudden push for this position of young master?"

"The conflict between the two families will inevitably cause harm. The Ding family's old lunatic's path to Core Formation is blocked, so he might do something desperate."

"The patriarch is also preparing for contingencies by establishing this position of young master."

Lu An nodded. It seemed that the Li family's patriarch was very concerned about the family and had even made arrangements for his own future. However, excessive involvement in such matters could disturb one's cultivation.

The Li family patriarch had abandoned the pursuit of immortality to focus more on the family's development. Though it seemed a bit misplaced, it was understandable.

Lu An reminded himself that although he had gained resources through talisman techniques, his primary focus should be on cultivation to achieve longevity.

Seeing that Li Ziyou was still waiting for a response, Lu An asked, "How would you like me to assist you?"

Li Ziyou was delighted to hear this and quickly explained.

"My main competitor is my eldest brother, while the other brothers, the third and fifth, are on his side."

"On my side, I have the support of the fourth and seventh brothers."

He then pointed to the gray-robed man in the room and introduced him. "This is my seventh brother. You can call him Seventh Brother. As for the fourth brother, he is not here right now, but I will introduce him to you later."

Lu An nodded and listened as Li Ziyou continued, "The competition for the young master's position is not only about personal strength but also about connections."

"Although I have many acquaintances, there are few I can truly rely on."

"According to the rules of the Li family, competitors must not only engage in combat but also showcase their skills in the Four Arts of Cultivation."

Lu An was momentarily taken aback and interrupted, "What are the Four Arts of Cultivation?"

"The Four Arts of Cultivation refer to the four most important techniques for cultivators: alchemy (Dan), talisman (Fu), artifact crafting (Qi), and formation (Zhen)."

"There are other skills as well, such as beast taming and planting, but they are not as crucial as the Four Arts."

Lu An understood. As a scattered cultivator, he had never been taught these concepts before. Hearing them now broadened his horizons, demonstrating the vastness of cultivation.

"Brother Li, are you asking me to help you with the talisman part?"

Li Ziyou nodded solemnly and said, "No one understands me better than you, Brother Lu. I hope you can assist me, and the reward will not be lacking."

With that, he gave Lu An a deep bow and did not rise.

Lu An pondered for a moment. Li Ziyou had helped him a lot and even gifted him a shop. He felt obliged to assist. However, he knew that the Li family's eldest son was not an easy opponent. While he was not afraid, he worried about the potential harm to his friends and family.

Seeing Lu An in deep thought, Li Ziyou, worried that he might refuse, said anxiously, "Brother Lu, if you help me, I'm willing to offer ten middle-grade spirit stones and a foundational cultivation method from the Li family's collection."

He knew that Lu An had participated in the auction for the Bi Hai Tide-Setting Scripture but had left empty-handed. He offered this condition, assuming Lu An lacked a foundational cultivation method.

Lu An shook his head and said, "I'm not asking for a reward but am concerned about the potential trouble for my friends and family if I get involved in the competition for the young master."

"If you can address this issue, helping you should be no problem."

Li Ziyou slapped his thigh and said excitedly, "I understand now. Brother Lu, don't worry. Just let me know about your friends and family, and I'll send people to protect them. You have my guarantee."

Lu An nodded. He was in a difficult position. The Ying Chang couple had not returned after advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage and had not yet come back. Otherwise, they could have ensured the safety of Uncle Zhao's family and Lingfu Residence.

"Brother Lu, I am deeply grateful. Although you don't want a reward, I must still offer something. Everything I mentioned will be honored. Once the matter is resolved, I will deliver it to you."

Lu An thought for a moment and decided not to be overly polite. "Alright, but I'm not in a hurry for the cultivation method. I'm more interested in another item."

"Oh? What is it?" Li Ziyou asked.

"I heard that the Ding family's ancestor used the Kumu Fengchun Diagram to attempt the Core Formation. I'm curious about the specifics of this attempt."

Li Ziyou seemed surprised but then dismissively said, "That's not a secret. The Ding family's old lunatic had two other scrolls said to be from the same source as the Kumu Fengchun Diagram."

"If all three are combined, it is said to create a rare soul cultivation technique."

"But it seems now that this is just a rumor; otherwise, the Ding family's ancestor wouldn't have ended up in such a predicament."

Lu An pondered for a moment and said, "I see. However, I'm interested in those two scrolls. If the Li family wins, could I examine them?"

"You know I cultivate talismans, and I won't miss anything that can enhance my spiritual perception."

He did not reveal that he had already absorbed the Kumu Fengchun Diagram but only mentioned his need for it. Li Ziyou did not suspect anything, assuming that the Kumu Fengchun Diagram was the main cause of the Ding family's failure, and the other two scrolls were likely useless.

He agreed readily and arranged for experts to protect Lu An's friends and family.

The date for the young master competition had not yet been set, and it would take time to finalize. The immediate priority was dealing with the Ding family's aggressive tactics.

Lu An returned to Lingfu Residence and waited for Li Ziyou to provide the specific date. This meant he had to temporarily shelve his plans for external training. However, it was also a good opportunity to draw more battle talismans and improve his strength.

If the Ying Chang couple returned, he could also seek advice on cultivation matters.

Now involved in the Li family's competition for the young master, he had asked Li Ziyou to protect his friends and family, but his own safety was still uncertain.

The root of the problem is still his insufficient cultivation. If he had the cultivation of Foundation Establishment or even Core Formation, there would be no such trouble.

"The progress of drawing the Gathering Qi Talismans needs to be accelerated."

"Mr. Lu, you're back."

Seeing Lu An return, Bai Sheng hurriedly came to greet him.

Lu An came back to his senses, nodded, and instructed, "I will go into seclusion for a few days; don't let anyone disturb me. If the Li family sends someone or if you hear from my elder brother and the others, let me know."

After Bai Sheng nodded in agreement, Lu An went to the secret chamber to begin his seclusion.

Aside from drawing some low-level talismans for daily sale, Lu An devoted all his time to the Gathering Qi Talismans and cultivation.

Days passed in a flash. Lu An sat cross-legged on the ground, his posture unchanged from when he first entered.

[You have drawn a Gathering Qi Talisman. Completion: 3%, failure, mental energy refunded.]

[Due to the cross-tier drawing of the talisman, your understanding of talisman path has deepened.]

[You have drawn a Gathering Qi Talisman. Completion: 2%, failure, mental energy refunded.]

[Due to the cross-tier drawing of the talisman, your understanding of talisman path has deepened.]

...

The completion of second-tier talismans increased very slowly.

But fortunately, the spiritual insights in his mind were increasing, and his understanding of the Gathering Qi Talisman was becoming deeper.

As the spiritual insights accumulated, Lu An suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance passing through them.

"So that's it. The Gathering Qi Talisman uses the properties of the materials combined with a fixed method to absorb spiritual energy."

"If I can find alternative materials, it might be possible to create a first-tier version of the Gathering Qi Talisman for current use."