The trade fair ended, and Jia Ren returned to seclusion for cultivation.
The elixirs ’provided’ by Fang Wu were greatly beneficial, accelerating his cultivation progress rapidly.
Within just a few days, all twenty-five Spirit Bud Elixirs were consumed.
Next, he began taking the Great Origin Pill.
Both the Spirit Bud Elixir and the Great Origin Pill were suitable for cultivators at the Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation; the former had a milder effect and wider applicability. The effect of the Great Origin Pill surpassed that of the Spirit Bud Elixir, and so did its price. Under normal circumstances, the Pill Cauldron Pavilion sold them for three Spirit Stones each. Loose Cultivators, looking to save where they could, mainly opted for the cheaper Spirit Bud Elixirs.
After swallowing a Great Origin Pill, Jia Ren felt an overwhelmingly violent surge of Spiritual Power, its medicinal strength rampaging and damaging his meridians. If a cultivator’s level was below the Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation, their body and meridians, even if strengthened by Spiritual Power, could not withstand the Great Origin Pill’s medicinal power. Long-term use of the Great Origin Pill could also affect the meridians.
The effect is indeed better than that of the Spirit Bud Elixir; one Great Origin Pill adds seven points to cultivation progress. The effect is not bad.
Without diminishing effects, consuming all twenty-seven Great Origin Pills will add one hundred and eighty-nine points to my cultivation progress. Including the one hundred and one points of cultivation progress from the Spirit Bud Elixirs, I’m getting closer to breaking through to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement.
The Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement was not far from the Late Stage Qi-Refining, which was another step closer to Foundation Establishment.
「Three days passed in the blink of an eye.」
Jia Ren was calmly meditating when he suddenly heard a roar from outside.
"Fang Wu! How dare you deceive me!"
Has the wronged party come to my door? It has nothing to do with me! Feeling no guilt despite being the true culprit, Jia Ren ignored the noise outside.
From the direction of Fang Wu’s dwelling, there was also considerable commotion. Relentless vibrations came from underground, indicating the use of some kind of spell to search for the hidden Storage Bag.
Just accept it! You won’t be able to find it.
Wrapped in rags, Jia Ren was not the least bit worried that his cultivation fluctuations might be detected. The scraps of cloth were what Fang Wu had used to hide the Storage Bag, and Jia Ren discovered they could mask Spiritual Power. Draped over his body, they effectively concealed any fluctuations in Spiritual Power. Fang Wu had dared to place the Storage Bag under the stone bed where Qi Yulong cultivated, relying on its remarkable effects.
Now, it benefited Jia Ren.
Utterly calm, Jia Ren picked up a Great Origin Pill and swallowed it, finding the elixir unexpectedly sweet.
Ever since the Five Elements Sect Cultivators had cast their net, he had blocked the tunnel. No matter how deep Qi Yulong and his brother dug, they would never find his hidden spot.
The commotion continued for almost a day, finally ceasing at Hai Time.
"Fang Wu, I will kill you!!!"
The sounds of impotent rage faded, and the Northern District returned to tranquility.
Next, it should be dog eat dog among them. Sadly, I won’t get to watch the show.
Cultivation continued as usual, and two more days passed.
Once a Great Origin Pill was fully refined and the pain in his meridians became unbearable, Jia Ren finally understood the side effects of the Great Origin Pill. That was why, despite the Great Origin Pill being highly cost-effective, Loose Cultivators still preferred the Spirit Bud Elixir; the pain in the meridians was torturous.
If I continue to use Great Origin Pills for a long time, my meridians won’t be able to cope. I don’t know how many days of rest will be needed for recovery.
Taking advantage of a break in cultivation, Jia Ren practiced the Wind Control Skill for three days, finally upgrading it to the Grandmaster limit.
The Wind Control Skill can break through now!
Without hesitation, Jia Ren decisively added one Skill Breaking Point to the Wind Control Skill.
In an instant, a deeper understanding of the Wind Control Skill surged in his mind.
[Wind Control Skill: Great Grandmaster (1/3200)]
It’s not a good time to experiment with the Wind Control Skill. Judging from the previous pattern, it probably yields about a fifty percent increase.
With the Grandmaster-level Wind-Riding Technique combined with the Breeze Robe, wouldn’t that be nine times as effective as the entry-level Wind Control Skill?
His environment was limited, preventing him from fully unleashing its power. Jia Ren did not wish to attract the Five Elements Sect’s attention just for the sake of experiencing the Grandmaster-level Wind-Riding Technique.
Is the Sword Control Technique faster, or is the Grandmaster-level Wind-Riding Technique quicker?
There was no doubt that among Qi Refining Stage Cultivators, his speed was top-tier.
Continuing to improve the Wind Control Skill required not only Proficiency Level but also Skill Breaking Points, so there was no chance for further advancement in the short term.
I can focus my energy on other spells.
The Turtle Breath Technique had reached the Grandmaster level, and it was not far from the Grandmaster limit. In recent days, he had concentrated on the Turtle Breath Technique, aiming to reach the Grandmaster Level as soon as possible.
On the seventh day, the mosquito responsible for surveilling Elder Wu’s residence sent a warning: someone was in the stone house.
Has Elder Wu returned?
There’s hope for the Seeking Demon Talisman Technique yet!
Excited, Jia Ren quickly stopped his cultivation and hurried to the fifth tunnel, where Elder Wu resided.
After half a month, through the Tunnel Wormhole, he saw Elder Wu once again.
Elder Wu no longer had the air of a lofty immortal. His hair was like straw, and he was so thin he was skin and bones. Most importantly, there was a faint... evil aura about him.
Jia Ren, wearing the worn cloth to hide his Spiritual Power Fluctuation, was not worried about his Spirit Eye Technique probe being discovered.
"I never thought I’d die here..." Elder Wu muttered. "The underground trade meeting is gone. I can’t buy an Evil Warding Talisman. I’ll have to make a trip to the Five Elements Sect."
Desperation filled Elder Wu’s eyes, making him appear even older. He had come to the Northern District to see if the underground trade meeting was still active and if he could buy an Evil Warding Talisman.
"In the end, I couldn’t escape it."
After speaking, Elder Wu gave a wretched smile and shook his head as he left. The chances of surviving a trip to the Five Elements Sect battlefield were extremely low, but it was still much better than waiting here for death.
Jia Ren’s expression changed as he considered whether to make a trade. He still had six Evil Warding Talismans, so offering one or two would not be a problem. If he could exchange them for the Seeking Demon Talisman Technique, that would be perfect. He had long yearned for the Seeking Demon Talisman Technique. If he missed this opportunity, he did not know when he might learn talisman crafting.
After his mosquitoes had swept the Northern District, there were almost no traces of Loose Cultivators, perhaps just a few hiding very deeply. After the Five Elements Sect Cultivators captured those from the underground trade meeting, they had not wasted any more energy and had not returned.
Elder Wu’s cultivation level was at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement, higher than Jia Ren’s. However, Elder Wu’s actual combat power and vital energy state were far inferior to Jia Ren’s, so defeating him would not be difficult. If he needed to escape, his Grandmaster-level Wind-Riding Technique would ensure his safety.
Jia Ren sent out mosquitoes to confirm there was no danger nearby and decisively broke into the stone house of the female cultivator surnamed Wang.
More than a month later, he finally left the tunnel and saw the light of day again.
Mottled sunlight filtered through the cracks of the dilapidated stone house, falling on his face. Jia Ren covered his face with his hand, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Having been underground for a long period, away from sunlight, he needed time to adjust.
His gaze fell upon a Dressing Bronze Mirror, likely a relic of the female cultivator surnamed Wang. The dim surface of the mirror reflected a pale, bloodless young man, his hair and Taoist Robe covered in dirt, looking unkempt and dirty.
Jia Ren managed a grim smile. He had never been so wretched before.
At least... I am alive.
That was much better than the Loose Cultivators captured by the Five Elements Sect to be used as cannon fodder.
As long as a person is alive, there’s hope.
"See that he gets this."
Jia Ren wrote a note and had a mosquito deliver it to Elder Wu, to avoid Elder Wu having already left by the time Jia Ren could visit him.
Meanwhile, he took the time to wash and groom himself. One must maintain dignity. It was not good to show others such a disheveled appearance.
He gathered water, lit a fire to boil it, and then comfortably soaked in a hot bath. The hot water had to be changed three times before it was no longer excessively murky.
After cleaning himself, he put on a dust-free Breeze Robe, groomed his beard, and reverted to the handsome young man he had been before. The only thing that had changed from a month ago was his poor complexion, giving him the look of someone just recovering from a serious illness.
Once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, Jia Ren finally stepped out of the house.