Temporal Jotting

Passing the first level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge grants 100 points, the second level 200 points, the third level 400 points... and so on. Passing the 21st level to become a Cosmic Nation Lord would earn you just over 100 million points!

Not to mention Zhenyan King couldn't afford it; even if Cosmic Nation Lords wanted to buy it, it would be a significant strain. 'One hundred billion points' is an incredibly vast sum, enough to make Cosmic Nation Lords tremble. Let alone a mere Luo Feng; he could only gaze up in awe and dumbfoundedness.

“Haha, scared you, didn't it?” Zhenyan King laughed from the screen.

“Teacher, what's the point of this 'Temporal Jotting' if I can't afford it?” Luo Feng muttered. “Even if this book was written by the creator of the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet,' I still can't buy it.”

Passing the 21st level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge allows one to become a Cosmic Nation Lord. That great existence, whose Ninefold Chaos Tablet allows one to cultivate all the way to the 27th level, means a single 'Temporal Jotting' should indeed command such a high price. That existence... is absolutely one of the most supreme and dominant powerhouses among the cosmic human race!

“If the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet' is profound and unfathomable, capable of guiding people to automatically comprehend numerous cultivation techniques,” Zhenyan King said, “then 'Temporal Jotting' itself records tens of thousands of secret techniques.”

“Tens of thousands of secret techniques?” Luo Feng's eyes widened.

“Indeed.”

Zhenyan King nodded. “Yes, that existence who created the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet' transformed his grand path into nine illustrations! These nine illustrations naturally guide people to enlightenment... At the same time, that great existence, while creating these nine illustrations, pondered for a long time based on them and recorded all the secret techniques he had occasionally gained during his enlightenment, corresponding to each of the nine illustrations, totaling 10,829 secret techniques.”

“10,829 secret techniques?” Luo Feng blinked.

A truly great existence could devise so many secret techniques based on just nine illustrations.

“These secret techniques are very disorganized,” Zhenyan King explained. “The reason it's called 'Jotting' is because they're just casually recorded bits; some are just drawings, others are profound insights into secret techniques. In short, it's very messy. Later generations studying 'Temporal Jotting' might not even find all 10,829 secret techniques.”

“If they can't find them all, how do they know there are 10,829 secret techniques?” Luo Feng asked, puzzled.

“The creator himself wrote it on the first page,” Zhenyan King chuckled. “Even if not all are found, over ten thousand secret techniques can still be discovered. This 'Temporal Jotting' set is divided into nine volumes!”

“Nine volumes?” Luo Feng's heart stirred. The Chaos Tablet also had nine illustrations.

“These jottings were originally written based on the nine illustrations. The first illustration corresponds to the first volume, the second to the second... and the ninth to the ninth,” Zhenyan King explained with a smile.

Hearing his teacher, Luo Feng's mind stirred. He gestured, and another screen appeared beside him. He quickly navigated to 'Treasury' and 'Secret Techniques,' where he soon found the outrageously expensive 'Temporal Jotting.' The author's name was confidential. Luo Feng opened it and examined it closely.

'Temporal Jotting' Volume 1: 1,000 points

'Temporal Jotting' First Two Volumes: 10,000 points

'Temporal Jotting' First Three Volumes: 100,000 points

...

'Temporal Jotting' First Seven Volumes: 1 billion points

'Temporal Jotting' First Eight Volumes: 10 billion points

'Temporal Jotting' Complete Set: 100 billion points

And this 'Temporal Jotting' came with no discounts!

“It's exactly as I thought,” Luo Feng chuckled. “Such expensive books are indeed sold piecemeal.”

“Oh, just as you thought?” Zhenyan King smiled from the screen.

Luo Feng smiled.

Back on Earth, when he was just an ordinary warrior, he bought the 'Nine-Layer Thunderblade' which was also sold in parts!

“Still, the price is steep,” Luo Feng frowned.

“The price is indeed steep,” Zhenyan King nodded. “Once you choose to purchase 'Temporal Jotting,' you'll have to desperately earn points to invest in it in the future.”

The first seven volumes correspond to the first seven illustrations of the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet'; comprehending them leads to becoming a Cosmic Nation Lord. However, even passing the 21st level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge only yields just over 100 million bonus points, while the first seven volumes alone cost 1 billion points to purchase. Generally, those who buy the first seven volumes haven't yet become Cosmic Nation Lords.

“Luo Feng, this is definitely an extremely expensive book. The 'Floating Blood' you bought was only 800 points and corresponded to the first three illustrations. This, however, requires 100,000 points for the first three illustrations. It gets more exaggerated the further you go. But it is indeed the best complementary secret technique for cultivating the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet.' It contains a vast number of secret techniques, and comprehending them could be comparable to directly comprehending ten percent of the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet,' wouldn't you say?” Zhenyan King looked at Luo Feng with a smile from the screen. “Luo Feng, my dear disciple, whether to buy it or not is up to you.”

“Buy it, of course I'll buy it,” Luo Feng said without hesitation.

“Oh?” Zhenyan King's golden eyebrows raised.

“Anyway, I have points now,” Luo Feng chuckled. “If I can buy it now, that's what matters. Whether I can afford it later is a problem for the future!”

Luo Feng's eyes gleamed. “Teacher, since you said its effect is comparable to directly comprehending ten percent of the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet,' I must buy it no matter the cost in points. Points are just superficial things; comprehension of laws... that is the true foundation for becoming a powerhouse.” With that, Luo Feng didn't hesitate, directly clicking to purchase the first two volumes.

“Transaction successful!”

“10,000 points deducted. Balance: 20,360 points.”

“Please wait, someone will deliver the secret techniques shortly.”

A series of prompts appeared on the screen.

“Teacher, I've already purchased it,” Luo Feng said to Zhenyan King on the other screen.

“Good.”

Zhenyan King smiled. “With this 'Temporal Jotting,' your comprehension speed for the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet' will be much faster. If you have any doubts... endure for three months. If you still haven't figured out your doubts after three months, then come ask me.”

“Understood,” Luo Feng nodded.

“Also, let me remind you of one more thing,” Zhenyan King chuckled from the screen. “There's no need to waste time constantly staying within Yuxiang Mountain to study. Learning and researching fundamental laws is very important. However, you can absolutely take on cultivation missions. Go out and battle, temper yourself... while adventuring and refining yourself in reality, you can also research and comprehend fundamental laws. Neither will be delayed, and your efficiency will be much higher.”

Luo Feng thought for a moment, then nodded repeatedly. “I understand, Teacher.”

...

Chaos City.

In that ancient mansion, Zhenyan King smiled and nodded. “That kid Luo Feng is quite decisive.”

...

Luo Feng soon received the two volumes of books, which were stored in a silver briefcase.

Inside his study.

Luo Feng opened the briefcase, but couldn't help but be surprised. “Two volumes?”

The first and second volumes of 'Temporal Jotting.' One must know... the 'Floating Blood' he had previously purchased, all 110 volumes, barely filled the entire briefcase. Yet, these mere two volumes of 'Temporal Jotting' occupied more than half of the case.

The two books, or more accurately, metal books, even their pages were golden metallic sheets!

The first volume was approximately 50 cm long, 40 cm wide, and 40 cm high.

The second volume was approximately 50 cm long, 40 cm wide, and 30 cm high.

“Damn, these aren't just two books; they're bigger than laptop bags, almost like large backpacks!” Luo Feng was speechless. No wonder just two books took up most of the large briefcase. Luo Feng looked down at the cover, which bore four simple universal cosmic characters: 'Temporal Jotting'.

Simple characters, yet they seemed to encompass the entire cosmos.

“Hmm?” Luo Feng glanced at them, vaguely feeling his consciousness drawn in by the characters. In a trance, he seemed to witness scenes like stars exploding and celestial bodies evolving.

A moment later, Luo Feng snapped awake.

“Incredible,” Luo Feng's eyes widened. “These are just two volumes transmitted by the Virtual Universe system, not even the originals, yet they can influence consciousness. That existence who wrote 'Temporal Jotting' is truly terrifying.”

Luo Feng quickly flipped open a metallic page.

This first volume, 40 cm thick, contained thousands of pages. Although they were metallic, they were incredibly thin and flexible.

“'Temporal Jotting' has nine volumes, written casually, containing a total of 10,829 secret techniques. If you can find all 10,829 secret techniques from these nine volumes, at the very least, you will certainly become a Cosmic Nation Lord, haha...” The first page contained simple text, yet strangely, Luo Feng seemed to hear a flamboyant, unrestrained voice in his ear.

“An illusion?” Luo Feng wondered, then turned to the second page.

On the second metallic page were some simple strokes. Yet, in Luo Feng's eyes, these strokes subtly transformed into a simple yet fierce sword technique.

“Magnificent.”

“Formidable.”

Luo Feng couldn't help but praise, “The 'Raindrop Illustration' contains just nine simple profound insights, yet it gave birth to such a simple and sharp sword technique.” Having long comprehended the first illustration, the 'Raindrop Illustration,' Luo Feng quickly sensed the artistic conception conveyed by the writer within those seemingly random strokes, seeing through the sword technique.

And because he had comprehended the 'Raindrop Illustration,' he instantly learned this sword technique.

Luo Feng then turned to the third metallic page.

On this page, there was just a simple fallen leaf, with a few sparse veins on it. Yet, in Luo Feng's eyes, he saw nine psychic weapons forming a single entity in mid-air, descending from the sky to directly encircle and attack an opponent.

“What a decisive and ferocious offensive secret technique!”

“Directly influencing space with nine sword-weapons to suppress the opponent, then seizing the advantage to directly kill them while they're vulnerable.” Luo Feng was utterly stunned. “It's far stronger than my self-created 'Nine-Line Cycle.' Even when I use the Totem Golden Pillar, relying on the Yan Shen Blade, it's only slightly stronger than this move.”

His self-comprehended Nine-Line Cycle was clearly a far cry from the secret techniques later recorded by that great existence.

“Simply marvelous.”

Luo Feng turned to the fourth page, his eyes shining brightly.

Page after page of metallic sheets were continuously turned. Each page contained an offensive secret technique, all utilizing the profound artistic conception of the 'Raindrop Illustration.' From the simple 'Raindrop Illustration,' that great existence had created one exquisite secret technique after another, whether for close combat, long-range control, illusions, or psychic attacks...

One secret technique after another, effortlessly conjured.

Because Luo Feng had comprehended the 'Raindrop Illustration,' he could now almost instantly grasp these secret techniques.

“Too incredible.”

“Too ruthless.”

“Too awesome.”

Luo Feng devoured page after page, never having imagined that many secret techniques could be executed in such a fantastical manner. He couldn't even fathom how that existence had conceived them. Moreover, many of these secret techniques were absolutely brilliant, and their foundations were all derived from the 'Raindrop Illustration.'

Secret techniques are methods for utilizing fundamental laws!

That great existence casually penned thousands of ways to apply the 'Raindrop Illustration.'

...

Three days later.

“Worth it, worth it, worth it!” Luo Feng couldn't help but let out an excited howl when he finished the last page of the first volume.

Having finished the first volume.

Luo Feng had mastered all 3,219 secret techniques written in the first volume.

“Only 1,000 points! Even if I had spent all my 30,000-plus points on this single volume, it would still be worth it.” Luo Feng closed the first metallic volume, inexplicably excited. One secret technique after another flashed through his mind. Indeed, that great existence had opened an unprecedented window for Luo Feng, not only giving him many new ideas for comprehending the 'Ninefold Chaos Tablet' but also providing him with many new understandings of how to truly fight.