14: Hidden Spirit Technique

Lin Feng saw that Junior Martial Uncle had agreed, chuckled, and asked tentatively, a little embarrassed: "Junior Martial Uncle, can Xiong Hu, Qi Kun, and Qi Liang be given the identity of Outer Sect Disciple before going to Liuyun Market?"

Junior Martial Uncle glanced at Lin Feng and scolded with a smile: "You brat, since you're following your Junior Martial Uncle, do you even need to ask about such a thing! Go discuss it with them. We'll gather at the Sect's mountain gate in a month and depart together."

After Ye Zhiqiu finished speaking, he no longer paid attention to Lin Feng and transformed into a flying rainbow, departing.

Lin Feng watched Ye Zhiqiu leave, then summoned Xiong Hu, Qi Kun, and Qi Liang. He informed the three about following Junior Martial Uncle and that they could become Outer Sect Disciples in advance, as long as they accompanied Junior Martial Uncle to Liuyun Market.

Outer Sect Disciples perform tasks differently from Utility Disciples. Utility Disciples have a fixed monthly stipend, while Outer Sect Disciples who perform tasks within the Sect receive a minimum of two Spirit Stones per month, with many higher-paying tasks available. If they go out, they will earn even more.

Xiong Hu would become an Outer Sect Disciple soon, so he didn't need to worry. But Qi Kun and Qi Liang were different; hearing that they could become Outer Sect Disciples in advance, they naturally agreed wholeheartedly.

Since entering the Sect, Xiong Hu had always looked to Lin Feng as his leader. Seeing that Lin Feng was leaving the Sect to reside elsewhere and was inviting him along today, he naturally agreed wholeheartedly.

In the following month, Lin Feng began preparing for his trip to Liuyun Market. For the rest of the month, Lin Feng did not Cultivate, but instead continuously focused on Talismans crafting, which he then sold to the Talisman shops within the Sect.

After a month of frantic Talismans crafting, Lin Feng accumulated over two hundred Spirit Stones. Lin Feng used these Spirit Stones to purchase a Cultivation Technique called the "Hidden Spirit Art."

The "Hidden Spirit Art" Cultivation Technique was not expensive, only forty Spirit Stones.

This Cultivation Technique had no other use; once mastered, it allowed one to freely conceal their cultivation.

It could suppress one's cultivation to a lower Realm and also hide one's spiritual energy fluctuations, making it difficult for Cultivators even one major Realm higher to detect their true cultivation.

Lin Feng purchased this Cultivation Technique mainly because he considered that when traveling outside, it was good to have a backup plan. Currently, the Great Xin Cultivation World, apart from occasional conflicts due to some evil Cultivators and demonic Cultivators, was generally peaceful, and disputes were rarely heard of. Considering safety, Lin Feng decided to hide his cultivation and try to keep a low profile, so having a backup plan would make him feel at ease.

After acquiring this Cultivation Technique Jade Slip, the elder at the Merit Law Pavilion informed him that it must not be passed on. Lin Feng naturally would not violate the Sect's rules, and after agreeing, he left the Merit Law Pavilion.

After obtaining the Cultivation Technique, Lin Feng did not immediately return to his residence. Instead, he went to several shops opened by the Sect. Initially, Lin Feng went to Cloud-Soaring Pavilion Square. After looking around at the items on the stalls in the square, Lin Feng didn't find anything he liked, and what he did like was too expensive. Being short on funds, he left, intending to see if there were any items he fancied in the Sect's shops.

Lin Feng arrived at a shop called Treasure Artifact Pavilion. Upon entering, he saw many Cultivators selecting Magical Artifacts on the first floor. These Cultivators were all Outer Sect Disciples, and Lin Feng, a Utility Disciple, seemed a bit out of place.

Perhaps it was because Lin Feng was wearing Utility Disciple attire, but the shop assistant here seemed to not see him, deliberately turning to introduce some Magical Artifacts of the Treasure Artifact Pavilion to other customers nearby.

Lin Feng looked around the first floor of the Treasure Artifact Pavilion by himself, finding only some low to mid-grade Magical Artifacts. He planned to go to the second floor of the Treasure Artifact Pavilion. Just as Lin Feng was heading to the second floor, the shop assistant, who had been introducing Magical Artifacts on the first floor to customers, suddenly called out to Lin Feng.

"Hey! The second floor is reserved for VIPs, you can't go up!"

Although the shop assistant's words contained no vulgarities, the derogatory meaning was very obvious.

Lin Feng glanced at the shop assistant. He should also be a Utility Disciple, but this one likely had some connections within the Sect, allowing him to remain in the Sect as a Utility Disciple.

The Utility Disciple in front of him looked seventeen or eighteen years old and was noticeably a head taller than Lin Feng. Lin Feng, who was about thirteen and a half, was only about 1.6 meters tall. Looking at the Utility Disciple blocking him, Lin Feng showed a hint of displeasure on his Face.

"Treasure Artifact Pavilion is open for business, and all who come are guests. Does that mean I can't go up if I'm not a VIP of your esteemed pavilion? Call your shopkeeper. Today, I want to see if such a rule exists."

Lin Feng was clearly angered by the shop assistant's attitude, so he loudly rebuked the Treasure Artifact Pavilion's assistant:

The shop assistant was clearly startled by Lin Feng's shout, a look of panic on his Face. At this moment, the customers on the first floor of the Treasure Artifact Pavilion were also attracted by the dispute between Lin Feng and the assistant, and they all turned their gaze.

Seeing Lin Feng, a Utility Disciple, daring to question him, coupled with the curious glances from the customers, the assistant probably felt provoked by Lin Feng. His panicked Face instantly turned to anger, and he immediately tried to grab Lin Feng's collar, attempting to throw him out.

Seeing that the other party was about to make a move, Lin Feng immediately cast a Light Body Technique on himself, making his figure very agile. He dodged the Utility Disciple's attempt to grab his collar with a quick side-step, then moved behind the other party at an extremely fast speed. Just as the Utility Disciple was about to turn around to deal with Lin Feng, Lin Feng kicked him in the backside. The Utility Disciple immediately stumbled forward a couple of steps and fell.

When the shop assistant got back up, his Face was flushed. Thinking about how Lin Feng had made him lose Face, he tried to attack Lin Feng again.

After kicking the other party, Lin Feng stood with his arms crossed, watching the shop assistant's next move. This was within the Sect; could this kid really cause a huge commotion!

The shop assistant only thought he had been careless. Just as he was about to attack Lin Feng again, a reprimand came from upstairs.

"Enough! Haven't you disgraced yourself enough? Go to the backyard and reflect!"

After these words, an old man of forty or fifty, dressed in Outer Sect Disciple attire, with a profound aura, clearly much higher in cultivation than Lin Feng at the moment, slowly descended from the second floor.

Lin Feng naturally noticed the person coming down from upstairs, but Lin Feng did not intend to speak first.

The old man's anger turned into a smile, and he apologized to Lin Feng:

"Today, my Treasure Artifact Pavilion's hospitality was lacking. I hope this young friend will be magnanimous. How about this, I, the old man, will make the decision today: any item the young friend fancies will be seven-tenths off. How does that sound?"

Lin Feng saw that the shopkeeper was willing to reconcile, and immediately took the opportunity to back down. Causing a small scene was fine, but in the Sect, if it got too big, Lin Feng had no background, and it would be hard to resolve. It was best to quit while he was ahead.

Lin Feng clasped his fists in a salute and praised the shopkeeper:

"Shopkeeper, you are too kind. Since the shopkeeper has spoken, then I shall not decline. May I ask if I can go up to the second floor, shopkeeper?"

The old man chuckled, stroked his beard, nodded, and made a gesture of invitation.

Lin Feng swaggered towards the second floor. As he went upstairs, he specifically glanced at the shop assistant on the first floor. The assistant, like a deflated ball, hung his head and walked towards the Treasure Artifact Pavilion's backyard.

Meanwhile, the shopkeeper, with a smile on his Face, apologized to the customers on the first floor:

"I apologize for the scene, everyone. Today, my Treasure Artifact Pavilion's hospitality was lacking. As compensation, any items you fancy will be nine-tenths off. I, the old man, will not accompany you here any longer." With that, the old man followed Lin Feng up to the second floor.