Jinyong City.
One of the five great cities of Great Yu.
At the same time,
it borders on the Southern Barbarian Land.
This city is about five times the size of Min Nan City; every ten years, the Liuyun Immortal Sect sends stewards here to Jinyong City to recruit disciples with Immortal Roots!
Youths from all over Great Yu and neighboring nations, boys and girls alike, either traveling alone or led by their elders, flock to Jinyong City.
The yearâs end is near.
Jinyong City is packed; business at restaurants and inns is absolutely booming.
[Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage (Third Layer 512/4000)]
"My cultivation experience is moving at a turtleâs pace..."
Changâsheng sat in an inn, staring at the cultivation column on his panel. At the same time, he rubbed his temples and frowned.
Heâd trekked more than a month from Min Nan City, cultivating the Fire Element Technique at night, absorbing whatever Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi he could getâwhich was almost nothingâand barely made any progress at all. The Tiger Blood Pill had completely lost its effect on him, and no matter how many he swallowed, there was no response.
Changâsheng quietly opened his pack and took stock of his belongings.
The Cloud-Piercing Bow, a gift from Wenjing, and a Nameless Scroll obtained from Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall.
The White Cloud Pattern Token he got from Gao Yang at Gao Family Manor.
The Dragon Blood Pill Formula and Nourishing Spirit Pill Formula from Hundred Herbs Hall.
A round gold token with the character "Martial," a piece of dark turtle shell from Wei Wuji at Golden Saber Sect, the Dawn Blade, and a stack of Martial Arts Secret Manuals.
"I really need to figure out how to get some Spirit Stones!"
After reviewing his stash, Changâsheng sighed. Without Spirit Stones, his cultivation experience in the Qi Refining Stage just couldnât improve!
"Back then, at my First-class Peak, I couldnât open this thing. Now Iâm Qi Refining Third Layer. Maybe I should try infusing some magical power?"
Changâsheng casually picked up the scroll, examined it, then suddenly had a bright idea. He activated the Fire Element Technique, wrapped the scroll in a thread of magical power, and tried twisting open the cap on one end.
Suddenly, Changâsheng felt the scroll in his hand heat up. At the same moment, a deep, ancient, and barely audible voice rang in his ear. "Come closer... Come... closer..."
"Where did that voice come from?"
Changâsheng furrowed his brows and looked around. There was no one else in the room but himself, so he muttered, "Am I hallucinating?"
"Come... come closer... This old man will grant you great creation..."
Just then, that voice sounded again.
"The scroll?!"
Hearing the voice once more, Changâsheng instantly looked at the scroll in his hand, shuddered, and hurled the scroll aside. It rolled to the foot of the table, and the voice stopped.
"Itâs that scroll... definitely something weird about it..."
Changâsheng stared at the scroll for ages, but it didnât react. He thought to himself, "Thereâs a voice inside this scroll? Maybe thereâs an old monsterâs soul sealed here?"
As a transmigrator, Changâsheng had read plenty of cultivation novels.
Thinking of that...
Changâshengâs heart clenched tightly.
With his current strength, he didnât even have a single Spirit Stone. How could he afford to mess with the old monster in there?
"Should I ditch it?"
Changâsheng thought it over and mused, "No, earlier when I held the scroll, there was no voice. The moment I infused magical power, that voice showed up! I should hold onto it. Maybe when Iâm strong enough, Iâll open it?"
At this, Changâsheng carefully wrapped the scroll in cloth. He didnât hear the voice again.
"Forget it. I need to go out and eat something to calm down!"
Changâsheng took a long breath, packed up his belongings, slung them onto his back, and said to the Little White Fox, "Xiaobai, you stay at home. Iâll bring you back some fruit and ginseng soup."
"Ying ying ying!"
Xiaobai poked its head out of the cage, squeaking, looking quite displeased.
"Oh right, Iâll just call you Xiaobai from now on. âLittle White Foxâ is too much of a mouthful!"
Changâsheng shut the door and headed out.
"Ying ying ying!"
The White Fox looked a little wronged.
........
Celestial Fragrance Pavilion.
The most famous restaurant in eastern Jinyong City, with three floors and a massive footprint.
At noon, the place was nearly packed.
Changâsheng sat alone at one table, ordered braised beef, pork kidneys, grilled wings, and a few other dishes, chewing slowly and looking out the window at a shop with a lantern hanging over the door. He couldnât help but pause, muttering, "Time flies. Itâs almost New Yearâs again."
Changâsheng was flooded with emotions.
This time last year, he was just a sickly wretch, and now, one year later, heâd set foot on the path of cultivation immortality!
Heâd become a Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator!
"Huh? A cultivator!"
Suddenly, Changâsheng spotted a skinny, short-bearded middle-aged man stewing over his wine, looking troubled. Most importantly, Changâsheng sensed the presence of magical power on the man!
The magical power wasnât strong, about Qi Refining First Layer, on the verge of breaking through to the Second Layer.
This was the first cultivator Changâsheng had run into since arriving in Jinyong City.
"Why not see if I can ask him for some info?"
Changâsheng looked over at the short-bearded man, intrigued.
He was totally fumbling his way into cultivation and knew nothing about the Cultivation Realm. Running into a Qi Refining First Layer Daoist here seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask some questions.
Just then, the man seemed to sense Changâshengâs gaze and looked over. He didnât say anything and kept drinking.
At that moment,
the waiter walked past Changâsheng. Changâsheng called him, pulled out a piece of silver, and said, "Bring me a jar of Intoxicating Brew and send it to that guest over there."
"Certainly, sir!"
The waiter nodded and hurried off to deliver the wine.
Half an hour later.
Changâsheng finished eating, packed up a jar of soup, and left the restaurant. Suddenly, a voice called out behind him, "Thanks for the wine, brother!"
"Youâre welcome. My name is Wei Wuji. Pleased to meet you, Daoist friend!"
Changâsheng turned and saw it was the short-bearded middle-aged man whoâd been drinking alone. He cupped his fists in greeting, making sure to restrain his magical power so it matched the manâs level.
He didnât give his real name, choosing instead to use "Wei Wuji" from Golden Saber Sect.
"So, Brother Wei is also a cultivator! My apologies!"
Seeing the Qi Refining Second Layer aura on Changâsheng, the short-bearded man looked surprised and cupped his hands in return. Earlier, he hadnât noticed any aura on the young man, meaning Changâsheng must have mastered a Qi Concealing Technique.
"Daoist Zhu, youâre too kind. Actually, I wanted to ask you a few things! Do you have a moment?"
Changâsheng smiled faintly.
"Oh? May I ask what you wish to know, elder? As long as Zhu Zhishan knows, Iâll tell you everything I can!"
Zhu Zhishan replied.
The two immediately returned to the restaurant, picked a private spot, ordered two jars of wine, and began chatting over drinks.
"Daoist Zhu, I just arrived in Jinyong City, and youâre the first cultivator Iâve seen. So I wanted to askâis there anywhere here cultivators can exchange goods?"
Changâsheng asked.
This was urgent for him, since he only had silver, not Spirit Stones.
The Fire Element Technique and Fire Bomb Technique couldnât be simplified.
Only by simplifying them could he quickly grow stronger!
If he found a place for cultivators to trade, maybe he could procure some Spirit Stones.
"A place for cultivators to trade? Daoist friend, you must mean the Independent Practitioner Marketplace? I do know of one. Itâs fifty miles south of Jinyong City, in a valley, and itâs a low tier marketplace for loose cultivators. It opens at the start and middle of every month. If you have things to sell, or want to buy cultivation items, you can check it out!"
Zhu Zhishan thought for a moment, then answered.