Of course, all of Wang Hao's conclusions up to this point were only hypotheses. But based on the knowledge he'd inherited from the body's original owner, they were very likely correct.
Moreover, using Wang Yanzhao as an example, he knew firsthand that cultivating a dual-attribute technique could dramatically accelerate one's progress—otherwise his father would never have pressed the old Wang Hao so hard to switch methods.
From what Wang Hao understood, true multi-attribute cultivation techniques were exceedingly rare in this world. Among the wandering cultivators of Qingniu, none were known to exist.
The Wang clan must have obtained theirs through some "fortunate inheritance from a senior," or… perhaps by raiding the tomb of an ancient master?
Wang Hao couldn't have cared less about the details. There was only one thing on his mind now: get his hands on the cultivation technique that Wang Yanzhao possessed!
"Wait a second…" he murmured, slapping his forehead. "Didn't that stingy old man give me a storage pouch? Maybe he slipped the technique inside!"
Leaping out of bed, Wang Hao began searching for the pouch left by his father.
"Got it!" he exclaimed, heart pounding and hands trembling.
Recalling the storage-refinement method from his memories, he quickly purified the pouch. Since Wang Yanzhao had erased its original spiritual mark, Wang Hao could now inscribe his own without difficulty.
With a thought, his spirit consciousness dove into the pouch's interior.
The first thing he saw was a shining pile of spirit stones.
"Wow—one hundred spirit stones? Old Wang only earns thirty a year! Even with the family store's income, he shouldn't have more than fifty. How did he get so many?"
"Does alchemy really pay that well? I want to become an alchemist!" he muttered—then smacked himself on the forehead. "You idiot transmigrator! You think alchemy is easy? Old Wang has fire and wood roots—he was born for this. Focus, and find the technique!"
He spotted some jade vials—no doubt elixirs from his father—alongside a first-rank mid-grade sword and a shield of equal quality.
"Old man's tough—but dependable…"
But… why were there coal and a cauldron inside? For cooking?
Three jade slips caught his eye. Finally!
Wang Hao withdrew them and pressed the first to his forehead.
"Hm? Alchemy? That cauldron is an alchemical furnace? The old man really has high hopes…" he sighed. "A worthless five-root cultivator like me mastering alchemy? I don't even understand the basics yet!"
He took out the second jade slip.
"Introduction to First-Rank Talismans…"
Seeing that, Wang Hao wanted to smack himself again. How could the original owner have been so useless despite such a supportive father?
"But what I really need is a dual-attribute cultivation method! If it isn't on this last jade slip, I'll have to swallow my pride and beg old Wang…"
Preparing to fake tears, Wang Hao activated the final jade slip.
True Scripture of the Red Lotus and Illusory Wood! That's it! Dad, I always loved you!
"Whoa… not so fast. Let me see if I can actually practice it first…"
He examined the scroll with care—then, to his delight, discovered that anyone with fire and wood roots could cultivate it, even with five roots in total. However, the technique only contained its first two levels—enough to carry him to midway through the Qi Refinement Stage.
"According to the introduction, this scripture has twelve levels and can be cultivated all the way to Nascent Soul! Old Wang only gave me two… probably because he wasn't allowed to distribute the rest. It must be an inner-clan method."
Since Wang Hao was Wang Yanzhao's son, he wasn't technically a stranger—so no rule would be broken. Yet his father clearly distrusted his character and feared he might sell the technique for spirit stones. After all, a method that only reaches mid-Refinement isn't worth much—and few would be interested.
Cultivation techniques are ranked by level and prestige: Canon > Scripture > Manual > Technique. A grander name implies greater power—but not always. Many wandering cultivators give their methods pompous titles out of ego, and small sects do the same for appearances.
Typically, techniques only grant special abilities beginning at Foundation Establishment. Since Wang Hao had only the first two levels, he couldn't judge its powers yet. But did he have a choice?
Certainly not.
If he didn't cultivate the True Scripture of the Red Lotus and Illusory Wood, he'd be wandering around with only Third-Level Qi Refinement—achieved via pills—hardly enough to defeat even a minor demon beast, let alone explore ancient cultivator lairs!
Fortunately, Qingniu City rests atop a high-grade Second-Order spiritual vein, and thanks to Wang Yanzhao's influence, his small courtyard lay near the center—where the spiritual energy density peaked, enough to sustain Qi Refinement to its limit.
Composing himself, Wang Hao glanced out the window. Night had fallen.
"Now I understand why I'm so hungry…" he said, rubbing his stomach. "Cultivation consumes energy too!"
Following his memories, he headed to the kitchen. Two pots of rice awaited: one with ordinary rice, the other with a thin layer of spirit rice. Luckily, half a bag remained in his storage ring—left by his father. The description noted it was meant for refining Body-Purification Pills.
"Alchemy can wait… With my aptitude, even a good technique will still take three to four decades to reach Foundation. I can't waste time. After sixty, a Refiner's qi and blood decline, and the chance to establish a foundation plummets."
Yet pills could drastically cut that time. If he truly had talent, why not try? If Old Demon Han did it, why couldn't he?
Lost in thought, Wang Hao washed the rice and set it to cook. In both his past life and this one, he was a good cook. Soon a pot of white rice and a dish of stir-fried vegetables sat on the table.
A simple meal—but every ingredient carried a trace of spiritual energy, aiding cultivation—though in excess it could go to waste.
Not harmful, but in his current stage, Wang Hao couldn't refine so much energy. Even with his father's support, he ate ordinary rice most days—reserving spirit rice for intensive cultivation.
Today spirit rice cost ten low-grade spirit stones per ten jins (about 5 kg). Wang Hao could refine only one jin daily. Even spending all one hundred stones his father gave him, he'd have only three years' worth!
Still, spirit rice was worth every stone. Compared to ambient absorption, it doubled cultivation speed.
Exchanged for elixirs, the effect would be greater—but far more expensive.
Thus, cultivation depended not only on talent but on wealth, techniques, allies, and territory—and wealth came first!
That was why core disciples of great sects establish foundations so early, while ordinary cultivators—despite equal aptitude—take decades longer.
Around Qingniu, over fifty thousand wandering cultivators and minor-clan members lived—yet only a dozen had reached Foundation Establishment.
The vast majority belonged to the five major families. Beyond them, only three wandering cultivators had attained that level.