Chapter 337 - 297: Golden Core Scripture

Chapter 337: Chapter 297: Golden Core Scripture

"However, if you’re willing to pay a sum of Wenqu Points, you only need to be a Mid-Level Scholar."

"Then how do I become a Mid-Level Scholar, and how many Wenqu Points would that cost?" Jiang Xu looked up again, his face filled with hope.

"To become a Mid-Level Scholar, you must first become a Junior Level Scholar."

"To become a Junior Level Scholar, you must submit twenty Qi Cultivation Level scriptures that the Wenqu Pavilion has not yet collected. You will be promoted after they pass verification."

"Alternatively, you can successfully revise twenty flawed Qi Cultivation Level scriptures. You will be promoted after they pass verification."

"Or you could spend two thousand Wenqu Points to purchase the Junior Level Scholar status."

"To become a Mid-Level Scholar, a Junior Level Scholar must submit twenty Foundation Establishment Level scriptures that the Wenqu Pavilion has not yet collected. You will be promoted after they pass verification."

"Alternatively, you can successfully revise twenty flawed Foundation Establishment Level scriptures. You will be promoted after they pass verification."

"Or you could spend twenty thousand Wenqu Points to purchase the Mid-Level Scholar status."

"The process for subsequent levels is the same, and so on."

Jiang Xu fell silent.

’This is terrifying.’

’No wonder there’s only one Wen Sheng.’

’Even becoming an Advanced Scholar requires Golden Core Stage scriptures.’

’Jiang Xu couldn’t even begin to imagine the resources required to become a Wen Sheng.’

After pondering for a good while, Jiang Xu took out all the scriptures from his Storage Bag.

Jiang Xu had originally considered his Techniques and Cultivation Methods to be his trump cards, things he was unwilling to reveal.

But now that he was inside the Wenqu Pavilion, he finally understood that he had been nothing more than a frog in a well.

The Wenqu Pavilion even had scriptures for the Divinity Transformation realm.

The few ordinary Magic he possessed were nothing the Wenqu Pavilion would possibly covet.

And so, the Magic from Sun Long, the Techniques and Cultivation Methods Jiang Xu practiced himself, and even the books Shen Ji had given him were all laid out before the Artifact Spirit Avatar.

The Artifact Spirit Avatar nodded repeatedly as it looked over the items.

"By the way, once a scripture you submit is collected by the Wenqu Pavilion, you can choose to make it private so others cannot see or purchase it. In that case, however, you will only receive a one-time reward."

"If you choose to make it public and available for purchase, half of the Wenqu Points paid by others will be automatically transferred to you."

’There’s a deal this good?!’

Jiang Xu grew excited in an instant.

But he also recognized the downside.

Although others would pay Wenqu Points, his Magic would spread and no longer be exclusive to him.

It had its pros and cons.

However, right now, Jiang Xu urgently needed a Cultivation Technique to continue on his path of cultivation.

Everything else could be put on the back burner.

’Even if others obtained them, their mastery of the Magic wouldn’t reach my level.’

’I’ll still have the advantage in the end.’

"Are these all for submission?"

"Yes!"

Upon Jiang Xu’s confirmation, the surface of the Artifact Spirit Avatar’s Jade Token emitted a hazy halo that enveloped all the scriptures on the ground.

After a moment, most of the halos dissipated, leaving only a small portion of the books on the ground still enveloped in light, each glowing with a different intensity.

’It seems these are the books the Wenqu Pavilion hasn’t recorded yet.’

Jiang Xu looked them over. Most were what he expected.

The Insect Control Scripture, the Ancient Strengthening Method, the Seeking Technique, and a few of Sun Long’s Foundation Establishment Realm Magic.

But to Jiang Xu’s surprise, quite a few of the scriptures collected by Shen Ji also hadn’t been recorded by the Wenqu Pavilion.

"Thirteen Qi Cultivation Level scriptures, four Foundation Establishment Level scriptures, and one Golden Core Level scripture."

"For a total of sixteen thousand, three hundred Wenqu Points."

"Do you authorize these scriptures to be made available for others to view?"

Jiang Xu was stunned.

"No, wait!"

"How do I have a Golden Core Level scripture?!"

The Artifact Spirit Avatar gestured toward a spot on the floor.

Jiang Xu turned to look.

"Holy shit!"

Jiang Xu’s mind went blank with a BOOM.

Turns out, Jiang Xu had been careless when emptying his bag.

He had dumped out quite a few unrelated items along with the scriptures.

Among them was the brocade box Xiong Liangsheng had entrusted to him, asking him to deliver it to his family.

Right now, that very box was enveloped in the softest, most lustrous halo of light.

It was obvious at a glance that this was the "Golden Core Level scripture."

Jiang Xu was utterly dumbfounded.

This was awkward.

It was something someone had asked him to deliver to their family.

And he had accidentally ’sold’ it to the Wenqu Pavilion.

Worse, he now knew the secret it held.

It was a Golden Core Level scripture.

He didn’t know what it was exactly, but it was certainly extremely valuable.

Otherwise, Xiong Liangsheng wouldn’t have asked him to deliver it over such a great distance.

Jiang Xu had no idea how Xiong Liangsheng had obtained such a Treasure, but he had already sworn a Heart Demon Oath not to covet it, and he had no intention of breaking that vow.

Not even if it were a Nascent Soul Level scripture.

So Jiang Xu asked, "Senior Artifact Spirit, please don’t include this Golden Core Level scripture in the submission."

But the Artifact Spirit Avatar seemed troubled.

"I’m afraid that’s not possible. I have already logged it into the pavilion’s collection."

"What!" Jiang Xu panicked. "But I didn’t mean to submit that one!"

"But when I asked if you wanted to submit them all, you confirmed that you did."

"This..."

Hearing this, Jiang Xu quickly submerged his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness to check the status of his Heart Demon Oath.

After checking it, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The Heart Demon Oath was completely dormant, showing no signs of activating.

Jiang Xu was confused.

’I clearly revealed the contents of the scripture to a third party, so why didn’t the Heart Demon Oath activate?’

Jiang Xu thought back to the exact wording of the oath he had sworn to Xiong Liangsheng.

’It seems... the oath never mentioned that I couldn’t show it to a third party, nor did it say I couldn’t open it and look myself.’

’It only stipulated that I had to deliver the item.’

"Thank goodness!"

Jiang Xu withdrew his consciousness from his Sea of Consciousness.

Seeing Jiang Xu’s relieved expression, the Artifact Spirit Avatar asked again.

"Do you authorize these scriptures to be made available for others to view?"

"All of them, except for the Golden Core Scripture."

The Golden Core Scripture didn’t belong to him, so Jiang Xu certainly couldn’t make that decision on Xiong Liangsheng’s behalf.

Getting such a large, unexpected sum of Wenqu Points was already a huge windfall; he couldn’t afford to be greedy.

However, it seemed the scriptures Jiang Xu had submitted weren’t enough to meet the requirements to become a Literary Master.

Not even for the Junior Level Scholar rank.

He had enough Wenqu Points to buy the Junior Level Scholar status, but he was still a long way from becoming a Mid-Level Scholar.

Besides, if he spent all his Wenqu Points on raising his Scholar Level, he’d have the status but no points left to actually buy a Cultivation Technique.

’It’s a shame,’ he thought. ’If only I could trade the Foundation Establishment Level scriptures for Qi Cultivation ones, I could at least qualify for Junior Level Scholar status that way.’

Suddenly, Jiang Xu had a flash of inspiration.

"Senior Artifact Spirit, I want to become a Junior Level Scholar."

"You have submitted only thirteen unrecorded Qi Cultivation Level scriptures. You are still seven short," the Artifact Spirit Avatar replied.

"Can I use the Foundation Establishment Level scriptures to make up the difference?" Jiang Xu asked hopefully.

The Artifact Spirit Avatar paused.

It went still, as if contemplating something.

After a long moment, the Artifact Spirit Avatar said, "Permitted. One Foundation Establishment scripture can be exchanged for ten Qi Cultivation scriptures. You are now a Junior Level Scholar."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Jade Token that was the Artifact Spirit Avatar’s true form solidified even further in the void.

"Now that you are a Junior Level Scholar, you will receive a Jade Token that you may take out of the Wenqu Pavilion to prove your identity."

"However, once the Jade Token is taken out of the Wenqu Pavilion, the Artifact Spirit Avatar on it will disappear, leaving it as an ordinary Jade Token."

"The Artifact Spirit Avatar will reappear on the Jade Token when you return to the Wenqu Pavilion."

"Having achieved the rank of Junior Level Scholar, you will be granted direct access to the eighty-ninth floor of the Wenqu Pavilion."

Then, the Jade Token enveloped Jiang Xu in a halo of light.

Jiang Xu felt his surroundings become hazy and indistinct once more.

After two or three breaths, the halo faded, and rows of bookshelves reappeared around him.

Only now, the books on these shelves all emitted a faint spiritual glow, clearly different from before.

"So this is the Qi Cultivation Realm section?"

Jiang Xu reached out to pull a book from the shelf, but a voice rang out.

"Mistress Heart Scripture, Qi Cultivation Chapter. Price: one hundred fifty Wenqu Points."

’So expensive!’

Jiang Xu snatched his hand back as if he’d been shocked.