Jia Ren focused on his cultivation, and time flew by swiftly. Before he was aware, night had fallen.
After dinner, he continued to improve his proficiency level.
As night approached, the West City District, having lost the hustle and bustle of daylight, was tranquil and peaceful, except for the occasional explosions and pillars of fire that suggested it was not as safe as one might imagine.
"Is Daoist Jia there?"
Jia Ren stopped practicing the Wind Control Skill and peered through the window to the outside of the house.
A skinny old man, wearing a Grey-White Daoist Robe and with medicinal dregs lingering on his body, stood outside the door, his face wreathed with a pleasant smile.
"Fellow Daoist, it's late and not convenient to receive guests."
Jia Ren did not open the door, his voice tinged with a coldness designed to keep others at bay.
A visit in the middle of the night does not bode well.
"Please do not misunderstand, dear Daoist. I am but the new neighbor who has just moved in behind you."
"I am an Alchemist, and I have an Ascension Pill that I would like to share with you."
The status of an Alchemist was exalted, with countless Loose Cultivators looking to flatter and please. Using this as an introduction was universally successful.
An Alchemist living in the West District? Any capable Alchemist would have moved to the Inner City long ago and would not choose to stay in the Outer City. An Ascension Pill? He had no interest in an Ascension Pill he had never heard of before. Are you joking? To think a low-level Loose Cultivator could concoct an Elixir and ascend to immortality? Still dreaming?
Jia Ren did not open the door and rejected, "The night is already deep. Please return, Daoist Friend!"
"The Ascension Pill is incredibly precious. You wouldn't want to miss such an opportunity for immortality."
The old man didn't take no for an answer and was unwilling to leave, attempting to push the door open.
Malicious soliciting? They wouldn't force a sale or rob and murder, would they?!
Jia Ren's nerves were on edge, his hand gripping the Black Fang Sword, palm sweating, and the few talismans he had been reluctant to use on ordinary days were all taken out. If the old man harbored ill intentions, Jia Ren would have no choice but to take action.
"Old Ma, so you've been hiding in the West District. I've finally found you!"
"You poisoned my cultivation level with a Forbidden Pill, deceived me of my Spirit Stones! I want your life!"
At that moment, a Cultivator with a black mask on his face arrived, driven by fury in the darkness of the night and directing his Flying Sword to slash at Elder Ma.
Elder Ma was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events and tried to use a Magic Artifact to defend himself, but it was too late, and he was decapitated on the spot.
After the masked Cultivator killed the man, he quickly took the Storage Bag from Elder Ma's body without the slightest pause and fled.
Having witnessed everything, Jia Ren felt a cold chill throughout his body. He was grateful the man hadn't been blinded by a murderous rage. Otherwise, he feared he wouldn't have escaped his fate.
A little while later, an Enforcement Division Cultivator from the Law Enforcement Office arrived, holding a special artifact to pursue the Loose Cultivator murderer. The Enforcement Division was composed of the elite of the Five Elements Sect, with numerous cultivators at the Late Stage of Qi-Refining in their ranks, completely overpowering regular Loose Cultivators. The Five Elements Sect had always maintained zero tolerance towards fighting within the Market. Any who dared challenge the rules would be punished severely and without leniency.
Only one stayed behind to inquire. After confirming the incident was unrelated to Jia Ren, they took the body away.
The cultivation world is too dangerous!
Although it wasn't his first experience of the world's nighttime, the events of this night were a first for him. The sight of a head hitting the ground echoed in his mind, making it hard to sleep… Just because I'm safe tonight, doesn't mean I will be in the future.
Jia Ren withdrew his gaze, concentrated and calmed his mind, and before long, he had an answer.
Formation!
If there was a protective formation array, safety would considerably increase. Formation, Elixir, Artifact, Talisman—all these cultivation skills were the crystallization of Cultivator wisdom, and Formation was one of the highest in the myriad arts of cultivation. It was difficult to start and expensive to set up. Even a Small-Sized Formation Array for personal use would cost at least one hundred Spirit Stones, let alone those used for trapping and harming enemies—far beyond what a low-level Loose Cultivator could afford. For a considerable time to come, it was impossible for Jia Ren to obtain a Formation, not even a simplified Spirit Talisman.
Besides Formation, what alternative is there? Hunter traps! The higher echelons have their methods. Lower levels only have the poor man's version. Being a Cultivator doesn't mean being all-powerful. Hunter traps still have a certain effect on Cultivators, especially low-level Loose Cultivators. In his early years, he had casually recorded the method to create gunpowder, which, when abundant, could be quite lethal. Without the timely use of Defense Artifacts and spells, an explosion could cause significant injury to a Cultivator. Most importantly, well-buried explosives are hard to detect with spiritual sense.
Taming Magical Beasts! Raising one strong Magical Beast could serve as an alarm and a defense, and in a critical moment, it could even be sacrificed. Magical Beast eggs were expensive, not to mention the need for beast-taming spells. A poor man's version could use a dog—a dog might not fend off Cultivators but could serve as an early warning.
Next would be to diversify combat tactics, since relying solely on the Guiyuan Sword Technique and Fireball Technique was too simplistic. If countered, there was no room for retaliation. Prioritize improving the Wind Control Skill—if he could run fast enough, he could avoid danger. While attack spells couldn't be enhanced in a short time, Talismans or poisons could be used to bridge the gap. The former burned through Spirit Stones, while the latter could use a poor man's version as a stopgap.
Ideas flashed through his mind, gradually clarifying his thoughts.
I'll start preparing tomorrow! The original owner didn't know what he was thinking, spending ten Spirit Stones to purchase the Sun Locking Technique—so many Spirit Stones could have acquired several additional spells. The Sun Locking Technique wasn't worthless. It protected effectively against female demons harvesting yang energy by controlling the threshold gate and keeping yang locked within. Continue to enhance proficiency in the Wind Control Skill!
As long as one is alive, they must persevere relentlessly.
He meditated to recover Spiritual Power, cultivated the Wind Control Skill, in an endless cycle. Only when his body was weary and his brain foggy did he finally fall asleep.
「The sun was just rising, and the sky was clear and boundless.」
Jia Ren stepped outside the stone house to find the ground still smeared with bloodstains and sword cuts. He used a Cleaning Talisman to deal with the dried blood from the night before outside his door, feeling an indescribable complexity in his heart.
It's time to earn some Spirit Stones.
He cooked three pounds of mixed Green Bud Rice for breakfast. The leftover rice was made into rice balls, along with a smoked fish, serving as lunch.
Food in the market wasn't cheap, and with not many Spirit Stones in his pocket, saving where he could was essential.
With everything ready, he headed straight for the West District Market.
As usual, he paid a Fragmented Spirit Stone for his stall fee and, taking advantage of the early hour when few Cultivators were around, grabbed a fairly decent spot. He laid out a hide on the ground and sat down with his legs crossed. In front of the stall, he placed a white porcelain jar filled with bait and set up a Wooden Plaque with the words written in charcoal: "Selling specially made fish bait, ten for one Fragmented Spirit Stone."
After everything was set up, Jia Ren looked over the nearby booths.
"Nice to meet you, Daoist friend."
"Could you be an Alchemist? My apologies, my apologies."
The West District Market was large, with thousands of Loose Cultivators passing through each day. It was no surprise that a fisherman like him was known to some, though compared to the vast number, this was hardly significant. White porcelain jars were typically used to hold elixirs, so it was no wonder people made a mistake, assuming elixirs without seeing the plaque. The status of Alchemists was lofty, and even Alchemy Apprentices who had just started out were people Loose Cultivators were willing to make connections with.
"It's not an elixir; it's bait."
Bait?
The Cultivators setting up stalls nearby looked at each other in astonishment. It was their first time encountering someone selling bait, which was quite a curiosity. They were all hard-pressed commoners; naturally, no one wanted to buy bait to foster a casual hobby.
"Turns out you're a fisherman, Daoist friend. It's quite interesting that you're selling bait now."
Some Loose Cultivators recognized Jia Ren. They greeted each other with a bow, which served as an acknowledgment.
Jia Ren looked around with interest at other Loose Cultivators' stalls, seeing Demonic Beast Materials, Monster Beast Meat, unknown Artifact Refining materials, and occasionally a few Spirit Talismans. Loose Cultivators were poor, and those selling Magic Artifacts and elixirs belonged to the well-off, drawing envious glances from everyone.
Jia Ren's attention was caught by a beast egg that glowed faintly, and he couldn't take his eyes off it for a long time.
"A Black Serpent's Egg, a lower-grade Magical Beast. Raising it as a Monster Pet can help you guard your home and control beasts against enemies. The Black Serpent is naturally poisonous, definitely your best choice of Monster Pet."
"It's not expensive, just fifty Spirit Stones for a fellow Daoist."
The Black Serpent's Egg tempted Jia Ren. Its ability to guard a home and its poison appealed to him, but the price... Excuse me, farewell!
A poor man's smile appeared across Jia Ren's face as if he had heard nothing. The eager vendor's smile froze on his face.
Too expensive, can't afford it.
After glancing over a few more booths, Jia Ren felt the disparities of the world and headed back to his stall with a heavy heart.
If he sold all 12,000 Tempting Baits, he would be a Cultivator worth One Hundred Spirit Stones.
"Daoist Jia, the bait is good, but can you give a cheaper price?"
A familiar Loose Cultivator walked over, eyeing the merchandise at the stall. Having seen the results of yesterday's bait trial and comparing it to using Earth Dragon Worms, the difference was evident.
"The bait is not expensive, and I believe you understand its effect."
"Seeing as it's your first time doing business with me, I'll give you an extra one for each Fragmented Spirit Stone."
The cost of making the bait was very low, making it extremely profitable. For every Fragmented Spirit Stone, a hundred baits, Jia Ren made a profit. What was most important, however, was the bait-making technique. This showed the importance of cultivation skills.
"Thank you, Daoist friend."
Even if the bait were expensive, I would still buy it, saving a bit wherever possible, the customer thought.
"Fifty-five baits."
The customer took the baits, which were slightly smaller than before, and frowned. Crushing the wax casing of one, he smelled an aroma far richer than that of the complimentary sample and no longer minded the bait's smaller size.
"For every Loose Cultivator you refer to buy from me, I'll give you a ten percent commission in bait," Jia Ren added. "If there are enough people, you won't need to spend Spirit Stones to buy bait in the future."
To rely on bait sales for earning Spirit Stones, it was first necessary to establish a reputation and spread the word far and wide. By himself, there was only so much he could influence in terms of scope and area. Using his modern experience, he understood that the promotion method of giving rebates would fully harness initiative.
"Certainly!"
The Loose Cultivator left with a beaming smile.
A good start – he earned Five Broken Spirits on his first sale.
As time passed, more and more Cultivators came and went. The majority of Loose Cultivators merely stopped briefly at the stall, with few making purchases—those who did were from yesterday's trial. Yet even so, there were very few repeat customers, with only one hundred thirty-five baits sold in total. One Spirit Stone and Three Fragmented Spirits were credited to his account.
Jia Ren was clear about one thing. To earn more Spirit Stones, he could set up a stall by the Lake of Smoky Waves. There, the demand for bait was high and the amount used great. The fishing catch was the best advertisement. Unfortunately, the safety hazard was too great. Earning an excess of Spirit Stones would undoubtedly bring trouble. You can never earn all the Spirit Stones in the world! Selling at the West District Market may be slow, but it's safe and stable. The latter is extremely important.