Chapter 54: Astonishing Harvest

Zheng Jinbao’s voice trembled.

He stammered as he revealed where his treasure was hidden.

"I do have a lot of treasure hidden... It’s... it’s in this Storage Pouch."

"Hm?"

Li Chang’an’s brow furrowed as he stared at the Storage Pouch in his hand.

He had already searched this Storage Pouch thoroughly.

Aside from a few hundred Spirit Stones,

the rest was just mundane junk.

"I’m not lying, it’s really in there."

Seeing that Li Chang’an seemed unconvinced, Zheng Jinbao hastily added,

"There’s a bracelet inside. It’s also a storage Treasure, but you can’t open it with Magical Power. You need to use Spiritual Power."

"Oh?"

With a thought from Li Chang’an,

an instant later,

a dark green bracelet appeared in his hand.

On the surface, the bracelet looked unremarkable, like an ordinary object.

Li Chang’an hadn’t paid it any mind before.

Now,

hearing what Zheng Jinbao said,

he inspected it again and finally noticed something amiss.

On the bracelet was a silver dot so tiny it was almost imperceptible.

’It’s this kind of silver dot again.’

Li Chang’an was surprised.

He had previously stumbled upon a bargain at the Black Market: a tattered Array Flag.

On that Array Flag,

there was a similar silver dot.

It contained a pocket of space that only Spiritual Power could detect.

’These kinds of Treasures are truly strange. I almost missed it.’

Li Chang’an silently extended a wisp of his Spiritual Power, touching the silver dot on the bracelet. As expected, he discovered a special space.

It was piled high with a large amount of treasure, its value far exceeding what was in the Storage Pouch.

There were over two thousand Spirit Stones alone!

In addition,

there were also numerous Magical Artifacts, Elixir Pills, Talismans, Cultivation Techniques, and Magic, their total value hard to estimate for now.

’This really is quite a haul!’

Li Chang’an was inwardly astonished.

Zheng Jinbao was only at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining.

But his personal wealth far surpassed that of the two Late Stage of Qi Refining Tribulation Cultivators from Black Wind Mountain!

’This guy is insatiably greedy, completely blinded by avarice. Who knows how many times he abused his power for personal gain during his years as a Steward. But... now, all the wealth he hoarded belongs to me.’

Li Chang’an was very satisfied.

With this windfall, his path to Foundation Establishment would be much smoother.

He looked at Zheng Jinbao and questioned him again.

"This bracelet is rather strange. Where did you get it?"

"An Ancient Secret Realm."

Zheng Jinbao answered honestly.

A Loose Cultivator had brought the bracelet out of a Secret Realm.

It then changed hands several times before he acquired it.

’Secret Realms again.’

Li Chang’an mused.

The tattered Array Flag he bought in the Black Market had also been found by the vendor in a Secret Realm.

There were likely more Treasures of this kind in the Secret Realms.

’Why would Cultivators from Ancient Times specifically create Magical Artifacts driven by Spiritual Power?’

Li Chang’an found it strange.

Could it be...

...that in Ancient Times, Spiritual Power could be cultivated, just like Magical Power?

’Forget it. Those matters are too far removed. I need to focus on what’s in front of me.’

Li Chang’an shook his head, focusing his mind.

He calmed himself and began to carefully inspect the Treasures inside the bracelet.

’There are two Tier One Top Grade Magical Artifacts, one for offense and one for defense. Both are Fire Element Treasures, so they aren’t very useful to me, but they’re quite valuable. I’ll find some time to sell them at the Black Market.’

’Five Middle Grade Magical Artifacts, also Fire Element.’

’And quite a few Low Grade Magical Artifacts...’

The sheer quantity and quality of the Magical Artifacts alone would be enough to astonish many experts at the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

Furthermore,

there was a large quantity of expensive Elixir Pills.

The Zheng Family was an Alchemy Family, after all, and Zheng Jinbao was considered a core member.

The collection of Elixir Pills he had hoarded...

...left even Li Chang’an secretly amazed.

’This is a Tier One Top Grade Elixir, the Clear Spirit Pill. It’s like an advanced version of the Qi Nourishing Pill, suitable for the Late Stage of Qi Refining. For a Middle Stage Qi Refining Cultivator like Zheng Jinbao to take it is an incredible luxury.’

’This Awakening Pill is also a Tier One Top Grade Elixir. It clears the mind and sharpens the senses, and it’s not cheap.’

’Huh? There’s even a Cloud-Breaking Pill!’

Li Chang’an’s eyes lit up with joy as he took out a Small Pill Bottle.

The Elixir Pill in the bottle was indeed a Cloud-Breaking Pill!

This type of pill could help a Middle Stage Qi Refining Cultivator break through to the Late Stage of Qi Refining, its value far surpassing the other Top Grade Elixirs.

At the last auction,

a single Cloud-Breaking Pill had sold for the high price of nine hundred fifty Spirit Stones!

That was more valuable than many Top Grade Magical Artifacts.

After all,

an increase in one’s Cultivation is permanent, whereas Magical Artifacts are merely external tools for temporary use.

’I have no use for this Cloud-Breaking Pill. I should be able to get a good price for it at the Black Market.’

Li Chang’an mused.

Using an Elixir Pill to break through from the Middle Stage to the Late Stage of Qi Refining would diminish one’s future potential.

It would negatively impact one’s future Foundation Establishment.

He put the Cloud-Breaking Pill away and continued to take stock of the other Treasures.

’There are plenty of Middle Grade and Low Grade Elixirs. I won’t need to buy any for a long time to come.’

Besides Elixir Pills, there was also a considerable number of Talismans.

Most of them were life-saving Talismans.

Zheng Jinbao knew he had offended many people, which was why he’d bought so many.

However,

they had all fallen into Li Chang’an’s hands before he’d had a chance to use them.

’No matter how great a Treasure is, you still need the opportunity to use it.’

Li Chang’an couldn’t help but reflect.

If your strength is too low, what’s the use of having countless Treasures?

After taking stock of the Talismans,

Li Chang’an began to look through the numerous Cultivation Techniques and Magic.

’They’re all Fire Element Cultivation Techniques and Magic. Not very useful to me.’

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

’Huh... What’s this...’

With a thought from Li Chang’an,

a Jade Scroll instantly appeared in his hand.

This Jade Scroll recorded a Cultivation Technique called the *Demon Blood Body Tempering Skill*.

"It’s a Body Refining Technique!"

Li Chang’an’s eyes lit up, pleasantly surprised.

He had searched for a long time in both the Black Market and the Marketplace, but had never found a Body Refining Technique.

To think...

...he would actually obtain one from Zheng Jinbao!

Li Chang’an held the Jade Scroll, but after browsing it for a moment, some of his excitement faded.

He frowned slightly and thought, ’What a pity.’

’This Body Refining Technique is incomplete. It only contains the Tier One material, allowing cultivation only to the Tier One Peak at most.’

Tier One Body Refinement corresponded to the Qi Refining stage for Cultivators.

Tier Two, in turn, corresponded to Foundation Establishment.

According to rumor,

once one’s Body Refinement reached Tier Two, one could directly withstand the attacks of a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator.

’Oh well. I can’t be greedy. Tier One Peak is good enough.’

Li Chang’an put down the Jade Scroll with a soft sigh.

A Body Refining Cultivation at the Tier One Peak would be enough to make his Qi and blood far surpass that of other Cultivators in the same realm.

When it came time to break through to Foundation Establishment,

he wouldn’t have to worry about the "Essence" requirement.

Li Chang’an looked at Zheng Jinbao and asked,

"Since you had a Body Refining Technique, why didn’t you cultivate it?"

"I tried, but it was too painful."

Zheng Jinbao shook his head repeatedly.

"My aptitude is poor, and my chances of reaching Foundation Establishment are slim. Why bother with that kind of suffering?"

"Don’t want to suffer?"

Hearing this, Li Chang’an couldn’t help but laugh.

The Path of Body Refining was indeed excruciating, but what Cultivator couldn’t endure hardship?

Seeking immortality through cultivation was, by its very nature, an act of defying the heavens.

Suffering was an unavoidable part of that journey.

"With a temperament like that, it’s no wonder you haven’t broken through to the Late Stage of Qi Refining."

Li Chang’an sized up Zheng Jinbao.

The man was clearly used to a pampered and comfortable life. With his greasy face, he looked more like a wealthy lord than a Cultivator.

He probably hadn’t put any real focus on his cultivation at all.