Lin Yan scanned the room. There were about twenty to thirty people scattered about in small groups before the bookshelves. Some had their heads bowed, reading through bamboo slips, while others frowned in deep thought. A few had already chosen their Cultivation Technique and were on their way out.
He had seen more than half of these people yesterday; they were all from the branch families.
’That makes sense.’ For clansmen from the branch families like them, the main reason for coming to the Lin Family was to acquire a Cultivation Technique. It was only natural they would head straight for the Hidden Technique Pavilion.
Lin Yan looked away and walked to the nearest bookshelf, casually picking up a bamboo slip and unrolling it.
The bamboo slip was short, only as wide as a palm, and no more than a foot long when unrolled. There were only a few lines of text on it.
[Iron Sand Palm]
[Grade: Mid-grade]
[Contribution Points Required: Twenty.]
’A Mid-grade Technique for twenty Contribution Points, which is equivalent to two hundred taels of silver. A price like this would cause a frenzy outside the family. It’s quite a bargain.’
He examined several more slips in a row, and they were all the same.
They only contained four pieces of information: the technique’s name, Grade, a brief description, and the required Contribution Points. There was nothing else.
Lin Yan understood. ’These bamboo slips in the Hidden Technique Pavilion are just summaries. If I find a technique I like, I have to go register with the middle-aged man at the entrance.’
’The Lin Family’s reasoning for this must be simple: to prevent a situation where someone takes the only copy of a technique, and the next person can’t find it before it’s returned.’
’As for preventing people from smuggling the techniques out, probably no one would have the guts to try.’
Seeing people taking bamboo slips to the entrance, Lin Yan decided not to rush his selection. He would wait for them to return the slips so he could look through all of them before making a decision.
However, after looking through all of them, Lin Yan couldn’t help but frown.
There were many Martial Arts Techniques on the first floor—over sixty in total, covering fists, palms, claws, sabers, spears, swords, and staves—but they were all Mid-grade Techniques.
’For someone like me, who already has the Jinghong Sword Technique, the Smoke-Stepping Technique, and the Mountain-Splitting Fist, learning another Mid-grade Technique would be pointless.’
’A family as large as the Lin Family must have Top-grade Cultivation Methods.’
Lin Yan’s gaze shifted to the staircase leading to the second floor. He decided to ask the middle-aged man if there was a way to obtain a Top-grade Cultivation Method.
Just as Lin Yan turned to leave, a voice drifted over from behind a nearby bookshelf.
"Brother Yao, why did you choose the Thunder Sound Technique? Isn’t that a pure Inner Breath Main Technique?"
"This is the Main Technique that the main family members cultivate from the very first stage of their training. I’m planning to abandon my original technique and start over with this one."
"Brother Yao, why would you do that?"
"The Qi Blood Main Technique I originally learned is a Mid-grade Technique. If I face someone who cultivates a Top-grade Main Technique, my Qi Blood will be weaker than theirs even if we’re in the same Realm. I want to close that gap."
"But won’t that waste a lot of time?"
"Lin Zhou, Brother Yao is different from us. He’s pursuing the pinnacle of Martial Arts. Besides, with his talent, it won’t take him long to master it."
"The Thunder Sound Technique is not so easy to master. Even members of the main family rarely choose it, and those who do often need several months to learn it. But I’m willing to spend that time. Once I succeed, my Cultivation speed will be faster than with a Mid-grade Technique."
Lin Yan listened quietly. The speaker’s words sounded humble, but his tone betrayed him, revealing an obvious and powerful self-confidence.
’The Thunder Sound Technique, huh?’
Lin Yan waited. After about ten minutes, the person returned the bamboo slip, and Lin Yan went over to pick it up.
[Thunder Sound Technique]
[Grade: Top Grade]
[Inner Breath Qi Blood Main Technique. Extremely difficult to cultivate. Choose with caution.]
[Contribution Points Required: Thirty]
After reading the technique’s description, Lin Yan began to ponder. ’Back when I was practicing the Rock Pillar Posture, I developed the Stone Waist Barbarian Spine Root Bone, but that trait disappeared after I started cultivating the Mountain-Splitting Fist.’
’I wonder if I can switch to cultivating this Top-grade technique, the Thunder Sound Technique.’
’Even if I can’t restore it, according to that person, cultivating the Thunder Sound Technique will still grant me more Qi Blood.’
’Of course, the more important thing is that there aren’t any techniques on this floor that appeal to me.’
Holding the bamboo slip, Lin Yan walked up to the middle-aged man at the entrance.
"Senior, I’d like to ask a question. Can the free technique selection granted to us branch family members be saved to use on the second floor?"
Hearing this, Lin Qinghe looked up. "The second floor only has Top-grade Cultivation Methods. You’re only qualified to enter after achieving the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing. If you still have your selection slot at that time, you can use it along with half the required Contribution Points to choose a technique from the second floor. However, I must remind you, the Mid-grade Techniques on this floor have been carefully selected by the family from countless others. They are far superior to the ones you’d find in the county."
"Thank you for the clarification, Senior. In that case, I’ll use my Contribution Points to redeem this technique for now."
Lin Yan handed over the bamboo slip for the Thunder Sound Technique. This time, Lin Qinghe studied Lin Yan for a moment before speaking. "This technique isn’t easy to begin. Are you certain?"
"I’m certain."
"Take out your Identity Token."
Lin Qinghe inspected Lin Yan’s Identity Token, then wrote Lin Yan’s name in the ledger on his desk, along with the name of the technique being redeemed and the deducted Contribution Points.
His expression then turned severe. "Every day, the family tallies the Contribution Points spent by all clansmen and calculates their remaining balance. While we don’t verify your points on the spot when you redeem Elixirs or techniques, you will face severe punishment if our accounting shows you didn’t have enough. Furthermore, passing on techniques is strictly forbidden. You are not permitted to carry the manual with you when you leave family grounds. Remember, you don’t just represent yourself, but your entire branch family. Do not bring shame and ruin upon them."
"I will keep this in mind. I would never dare to violate the family rules."
"Good. Wait here a moment."
Lin Qinghe turned, opened a drawer in the cabinet behind him, and took out a booklet.
"Once you have learned it, return this copy. You are not permitted to destroy it yourself."

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