The standard answer is of course the latter, but Chu Xuan felt that it was best to speak frankly with his master.

So he candidly expressed his thoughts: "I definitely want to make this transaction, but I don’t trust Li Xingchuan."

"If possible, I hope Master can tell me why Li Xingchuan was admitted to the sect?"

"I am only willing to make this deal if I can confirm that he won’t pose a threat to our sect after obtaining the Daoist Palace’s cultivation technique."

In any case, Chu Xuan was still very grateful to the Cyan Lotus Daoist Palace for taking him in, and his master had shown great trust in him.

As a result, he didn’t want to cause harm to the sect because of his own reasons.

Floating Cloud shook his head, "I can’t go into details at the moment. I can only tell you that Li Xingchuan didn’t really want to turn over a new leaf. He joined the Daoist Palace with a certain purpose."

Chu Xuan was taken aback, "Since you know this, why do you still..."

"Because he may have the potential to turn over a new leaf in the future," Floating Cloud said calmly, "I see that possibility in him, and because of that, I don’t mind giving him a hand."

Chu Xuan fell silent. What a noble sentiment; at least he believed he couldn’t go to such lengths for a villain.

"Do you think I’m foolish?" asked Floating Cloud with a smile.

Chu Xuan shook his head, "It seems this transaction is not to be made."

"No," Floating Cloud said easily, "it can be made."

"I know he wants the ’Eternal Green Lotus Technique’, but I don’t want to give it to him so easily, because after he gets what he wants, he’ll find a way to leave here."

"Li Xingchuan has been part of the Daoist Palace for ten years, and only last year did I permit him to ascend to the fourth level."

"Normally, without making a significant contribution to the Daoist Palace, he would be stuck on that level for the rest of his life, never obtaining the cultivation techniques of the subsequent five realms."

"Actually, that won’t work either. I have to give him some hope so he will willingly stay."

"So, do you understand what I mean?"

Chu Xuan instantly understood, "I get it. I won’t let him take advantage of me. Just a mere drop of the intelligent stone monkey’s essence blood is worth nothing compared to the cultivation techniques of the fifth, sixth, and seventh realms."

Meanwhile, Chu Xuan was also a bit impressed:

Floating Cloud is indeed not foolish; his judgment of people is incredibly accurate. Clearly, both Li Xingchuan and Chu Xuan are ’problematic individuals’, but he knows whom to trust and whom not to.

And so, Chu Xuan returned to the Scripture Repository once again.

He doesn’t know whether his master’s decision will cause dissatisfaction among other high-level members, but at this moment, he can only brace himself and continue.

When Li Xingchuan saw Chu Xuan returning, he still wasn’t in a hurry and just looked at him indifferently.

Chu Xuan held up one finger, "I can only give you the cultivation technique of the fifth realm of the ’Cyan Lotus Technique’."

"Don’t attempt to haggle, as you know my master has been incredibly tolerant toward you; asking for more isn’t something the elder can decide alone."

Li Xingchuan seemed to have never expected more in the first place; it was nothing more than a tactic of asking for a sky-high price and settling for the ground value.

At this point, seeing that Chu Xuan was stating things directly, he nodded and said, "Deal."

"However, I must remind you, what I have in my possession is merely a drop of suspected intelligent stone monkey blood. After all, the stone monkey has long vanished from the mortal world."

"Even if it is stone monkey blood, if it doesn’t work in activating the divine command, it’s none of my business."

"Once you take it, you must go upstairs and copy the cultivation technique for me."

Chu Xuan frowned, "Do you really think I’m that easy to fool?"

Li Xingchuan’s expression did not change, "You can refuse; otherwise, you can only take a gamble."

Chu Xuan took a deep breath, "Show it to me first."

Li Xingchuan flipped his palm, and a drop-shaped stone appeared in his palm, not resembling a liquid at all.

Furthermore, Chu Xuan sensed no spirituality or special quality from this stone, appearing nothing more than a particularly shaped pebble.

He quickly took out the divine command, and even at this distance, there was no special interaction between them.

Just as Chu Xuan was about to reach out to take the stone and try it, Li Xingchuan immediately retracted his hand, his meaning clear.

Seeing this guy’s impenetrable demeanor, Chu Xuan almost wanted to punch him in the face and turn it into a pig’s head.

"Give it to me, I agreed," Chu Xuan said coolly.

Only then did Li Xingchuan hand him the water-drop stone.

Chu Xuan did not hesitate and directly brought the stone close to the divine command, resulting in something miraculous!

As soon as the water-drop stone touched the iron-black token, it immediately turned crimson red, then rapidly liquefied and seeped into the token within a breath’s duration.

Chu Xuan’s eyes lit up instantly, seeing strands of blood distributed densely on the surface of the token, gradually vanishing.

Soon the iron-black token quickly heated up, like a piece of red-hot iron!

He barely had time to let go before his right hand was burned, the scent of scorched flesh rising along with wisps of blue smoke~

Chu Xuan gritted his teeth but ultimately did not release his hold, as his own blood also seeped into the token, he could feel a mysterious connection forming between the token and himself.

Very quickly, the four ancient tadpole characters on the front of the token changed from [Mischievous Four Monkeys] to [Intelligent Stone Monkey].

And the originally empty back of the token now featured a lifelike monkey looking skyward, one hand placed over its brow, appearing vibrant and intelligent.

Meanwhile, Chu Xuan gained a new understanding:

Intelligent Stone Monkey: Transformation, knowledge of celestial timing, understanding geography, shifting and changing celestial poles.

This may be called a divine technique, but it’s actually four abilities:

1. Understanding the ability to transform;

2. Foreseeing weather, timing;

3. Understanding terrain, geography;

4. Moving or swapping objects remotely, and at the highest level, even rotating celestial bodies in the sky at will.

The core abilities of the stone monkey lie in transformation and shifting and changing celestial poles. The other two are auxiliary.

Currently, Chu Xuan can directly use the divine command to perform these four divine techniques, even if he has never cultivated them!

This is the extraordinary nature of the divine command; it not only allows one to comprehend and practice the corresponding divine techniques but also enables one to perform them in advance using this token.

Of course, before Chu Xuan has cultivated them, he can only achieve the most basic effects. For instance, regarding transformation:

First level: Only slightly change skin, flesh, and bones to achieve a disguise effect;

Second level: Significantly alter body structure, transforming into birds and beasts, but only ordinary animals;

Third level: Transform into plants and inanimate objects, such as flowers, trees, brushes, ink, paper, even an imperceptible speck of dust;

Fourth level: Transforming into mythical beasts, possessing the corresponding physique of these creatures;

Fifth level: Law of Heaven and Earth.