Lists of breathing techniques with each of their own price tags began to appear one after another in the panel.

[1. Basic Qi Gathering Art — 1.4K

2. Earth Vein Breathing — 2.3K

3. Crimson Blood Breathing — 6.7K

4. Five Organ Nourishing Breathing — 20.9K

5. Azure Cloud Breathing Art — 30K

6. Yin-Yang Dual Breathing — 134K

7. Flaming Sun Breathing Scripture — 250K

8. Primordial Spirit Breathing — 540K

9. Infinite Samsara Breathing — 590K]

After those names, two more appeared. But these two glowed brilliantly within the panel.

[10. Mystic Monarch Ascension — 1.5M

11. Blood Veil Synchronization — 1.8M]

Just when Leon thought that was the end, another name suddenly appeared below the last one.

This time, the letters glowed in a deep crimson-red color.

[12. Elemental Bliss — 10.5M]

"10.5 million spirit coins for a single breathing technique? You’ve got to be kidding me."

The system gave no response.

"How many spirit coins do I have left?"

[Spirit Coins: 2,480,000]

"2.4 million, huh..." Leon muttered under his breath. "Then the last one is completely out of the question. Which one should I choose between these two?"

His gaze lingered on the glowing names.

’Mystic Monarch Ascension... Blood Veil Synchronization... Either one will cost me almost everything I have. I just hope they’re worth it. If I want to get out of here alive, I can’t afford to be stingy now.’

As if sensing Leon’s hesitation, new words suddenly appeared across the panel.

[10. Mystic Monarch Ascension Breathing Technique

Description: A heaven-defying breathing technique created by the legendary Mystic Monarch and lost through the passage of time. It allows the cultivator not only to refine qi, but also to temper and strengthen the physical body simultaneously.]

[11. Blood Veil Synchronization Breathing Technique

Description: A unique breathing technique that can only be used alongside a tamed beast. The technique synchronizes the cultivator’s breathing cycle with the beast’s, combining their refinement speed and effectively doubling cultivation efficiency.]

[12. Elemental Bliss Breathing Technique

Description: Allows a cultivator possessing elemental affinities to absorb elemental energy directly and refine it into qi. Each additional elemental affinity drastically multiplies the cultivation speed.]

"This elemental bliss technique sounds really cool. But neither do I have any elemental affinity nor the huge sum of spirit coins to buy it.

In that case my option comes down to these two. But I think the choice is obvious actually. Because the blood-veil synchronization technique also requires a condition I don’t have. So in that case...."

Leon looked at number 10 serial.

"Mystic Monarch Ascension it is."

[Do you want to purchase the ’Mystic Monarch Ascension’ breathing technique?]

[Yes] [No]

"Yes."

[Purchase Confirmed.]

A tip of a booklet emerged from the panel. Leon grabbed it with two fingers and pulled out the booklet.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" Leon glanced and checked both sides of the book.

[The pamphlet contains the ’Mystic Monarch Ascension’ technique. Host need to read the booklet and comprehend the technique to use it.]

"Wait, what? Are fucking kidding me?" Leon had been whispering till now. But that last sentence came out loudly.

Meanwhile, the girl had been watching Leon’s every move. He could see Leon talking to himself. That didn’t bother her much. Different people have different fantasies. And with special abilities being a common thing, talking to own self wasn’t that weird.

But just now, when Leon had pulled out the book, her eyes widened with surprise. Not because it was magic. Because Leon could still cast magic in a place where everyone’s abilities were sealed.

"So, he is really one of them. I almost believed him." She got up abruptly and left the cave in silence.

Leon who was fully focused on the system didn’t notice this at all. His all focus was on the breathing technique he wanted to learn.

[That is how techniques and skills are comprehended, Host.]

Leon’s left eye twitched. "Well maybe yeah. But with the system, ain’t I supposed to get some advantages? Like I will just have to buy and the technique will be implanted in my memory."

[Negative, Host. The system is designed to turn the Host into the pinnacle of power. Cheats like that would disrupt the process.]

"Then you should have explained that beforehand. Not after I wasted three-fourths of my spirit coin balance." Leon cursed angrily.

He still opened the first page of the booklet. It had two main pages anyway. The words were written in modern language. Leon read a few of the lines but understood nothing.

"What kind of garbage is this? System, you didn’t scam me of my spirit coins, did you?"

[Technique shows no meaning until it’s comprehended.]

"Yeah, right. There is no real meaning behind it but you can always say that I failed to comprehend it. And just like that, your schemes will always be justified." Leon gritted his teeth.

The system didn’t respond this time. Frustrated, Leon again started reading. He even read both the pages. But still nothing. The words seemed unrelated to each other. The sentences just felt like a random combination of words. Frustrated, Leon tossed the booklet toward the panel. The booklet vanished.

Just as Leon was about to stand up and check Noah’s condition, a cold steel touched his throat.

Leon froze.

"Don’t try to move or use your magic. The moment you even twitch, I will decapitate you." The female voice from earlier rang out.

Leon looked at the blade touching his skin. "Is this a misunderstanding? Or it was always a plan to trap us?"

"Trap you? Nice try. If you were from our world, you could become a successful actor. You came here to track us down, but now you are pretending to be the victim? I really don’t know whether to laugh or cry." She said again.

Sol also came forward. He was holding a spear, its sharp head pointing at Leon dangerously.

"From your world? You aren’t from Earth?"

"We are. But you aren’t." Sol said.

"I am too. What’s with this nonsense about me being from a different world than?"

"Don’t lie. I just saw you using magic. I have seen only Harold and his men to use magic in this place. That means, you are one of them. A primal."

’Primal? What the hell is she talking about?’