Duel of Spells.
Chen Mobai was pondering how he could improve in this aspect. He decided to put aside the matter of talismans for now. The various Daoist academies and schools of the Immortal Gate would not indulge the rich young masters. Even if they were capable of using talismans, there would certainly be restrictions.
So, the first thing he needed to do was to cultivate some spells suitable for combat.
With this in mind, he opened his personal panel.
【Name: Chen Mobai】
【Age: 18】
【Realm: Qi Refining Seventh Layer】
【Spiritual Root: Gold 23, Wood 27, Water 30, Fire 17, Earth 10】
【Cultivation Method: Five Elements Cultivation】
【Skills: Levitation Technique, Cleaning Technique, Spiritual Shield, Qi Nurturing Technique, Water Control Technique, Water Elemental Shield】
The only ones that could be used for combat were "Spiritual Shield", "Water Control Technique", and "Water Elemental Shield".
Among these, "Water Elemental Shield" required refining a type of Spirit Water called "Black Water". The refining method was recorded in the notes left by Liu Yanpei, which involved the use of "Water Control Technique". However, this made Chen Mobai frown.
According to the notes on the Black Water Technique, refining Black Water required finding a spiritual spring that had been soaked in the spiritual energy of water veins for a long time. Then, using the Water Control Technique to extract its essence, and further refining it with spirit stones and six types of medicines from the Tianhe Realm, the whole process would take at least a month.
About 20 days after the college entrance examination, he would be able to check his scores. Adding the preparation work for the grouping registration after the score line was released, he estimated that he would have exactly one month of preparation time.
But even if Chen Mobai was lucky enough to succeed in refining Black Water on his first try, he had no intention of wasting a precious month on this process.
He needed to practice at least one powerful offensive spell. After all, the spells he currently knew, whether it was the Spiritual Shield or the Water Elemental Shield, were all for defense. The Water Control Technique was more of a supportive spell.
Perhaps it was because the Immortal Gate had been peaceful for too long, Chen Mobai had always felt that there was no need to cultivate violent spells.
Even if he needed to fight, he could use talismans instead. Who would have known that this year's entrance exam for the Daoist academies and schools would adopt such a simple and crude method as "Duel of Spells".
The current situation forced Chen Mobai to cultivate an offensive spell.
He immediately opened the "Immortal Gate Spell Library" app, hoping to find a spell that was suitable for him, could be quickly mastered, had decent power, and could ideally form a system with the skills he currently knew.
But he was just a Qi Refining cultivator, and he didn't have the authority to let the artificial spirit of the "Immortal Gate Spell Library" make such precise judgments for him.
At this moment, Chen Mobai began to regret why he didn't choose to proxy the "Immortal Gate Spell Library" when he broke through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
But it was too late for regrets now, he could only look for help on the cultivation assistance software.
He searched for the most powerful spell that a Five Elements Cultivator could practice.
A lot of results came up, but most of them were second-tier spells or above that he couldn't practice. Some Five Elements Cultivators also shared the spell systems they had built from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.
But after reading them, Chen Mobai was greatly disappointed.
Most of them were not geared towards combat. Many were for the convenience of cultivation. Although there were a few combat spells, none of them could be mastered in just a month.
Moreover, to form a system that was both offensive and defensive, he would need to practice at least two spells, which he didn't have time for.
After searching online, Chen Mobai had no choice but to return to the Black Water Technique.
The spells recorded in this Qi Refining technique of the Tianhe Realm, from "Water Control Technique" to "Water Elemental Shield", and then to "Ice Technique", were all progressive and formed a complete system. After the "Ice Technique", there was also the "Water Thunder Technique" left in the notes by Liu Yanpei.
However, Chen Mobai had no interest in this Water Thunder Technique. He just hoped that he could master the "Ice Technique" within a month.
According to Liu Yanpei's notes, the "Ice Technique" also required water to cast. If "Black Water" was used, the power would double.
Black Water again!
Chen Mobai felt a toothache just thinking about these two words.
But he soon thought of a good solution that would allow him to obtain Black Water without having to refine it himself.
When Chen Mobai sold the Black Water Technique to Old Man He, he clearly remembered that Qi Er said he was practicing this technique. And since he was at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, he must have mastered the Water Elemental Shield.
Based on this assumption, coupled with the special social environment of the Tianhe Realm, He Qun would definitely try his best to increase his combat power. He might even have refined Black Water.
With this thought, Chen Mobai immediately went to the Nanxi Market from the Water Mansion, hoping to try his luck and see if he could buy some.
"You want to buy Black Water?"
He Qun, who was selling cultivation methods at his stall, was stunned when he heard Chen Mobai's words. He then shook his head and refused.
"You guessed right, I did refine a few bottles of Black Water. But these are my trump cards. I don't even have enough for myself, how could I sell them to you?"
Chen Mobai tried to persuade him with a thick face, but Old Man He was annoyed by him and directly offered a sky-high price of 20 spirit stones per bottle, which immediately discouraged him.
"Kid, don't blame me for being heartless. It's just that refining Black Water is too difficult.""I need to gather six types of medicinal herbs and hire an alchemist to refine them. Old man Liu's alchemy skills are not refined, he fails three times before he can succeed once, and he charges me one spirit stone for his service."
"Adding up all the costs, a bottle of Blackwater costs around five spirit stones. And as you know, the power of the Blackwater technique can be greatly enhanced with the addition of Blackwater. I'm planning to go to Dream Swamp to hunt Cold Snakes. Once I succeed, I won't be afraid of anyone at the same level."
He Qun also knew Chen Mobai and knew that he had many powerful talismans. He didn't want to refuse outright, so after quoting an exorbitant price, he explained further.
Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai became even more depressed. If he didn't sell the Ice Technique to Old Man He, the latter probably wouldn't value Blackwater so much.
All he could say was, what one eats and drinks is all predestined.
"Oh, can the Cold Snakes of Dream Swamp help to cultivate the Ice Technique?"
But soon, Chen Mobai noticed another piece of information in Old Man He's words and immediately asked.
"Yes, the gallbladder of the Cold Snake carries a true sense of ice. It has the talent to spit frozen water arrows. After taking a few, most cultivators who practice the Blackwater technique can comprehend the Ice Breath and then cultivate the Ice Technique."
"Is Dream Swamp dangerous?"
"It can be dangerous, but it can also be safe. It depends on which area you go to and whether you go alone or in a group."
"Can it improve a cultivator's combat skills?"
Chen Mobai asked the question he cared about the most.
After reading the interview article about Lan Haitian's victory in the combat competition and his admission to Kunpeng Dao Academy, he knew that actual combat was the best way to practice. There were no actual combat conditions on Earth, but there were plenty in the Tianhe Realm. Now that he knew the shortcut to the Ice Technique, he felt that heaven was helping him make up his mind.