As long as there's a profit to be made, if the profit margin is high enough, people will take risks.
Second-hand dealers selling bait certainly wouldn't price them at one Fragmented Spirit Stone for ten units; if they're greedy, they might mark it up by more than fifty percent.
How much they can earn is their business; Jia Ren didn't envy them.
You might make a lot of money, but I will never lose and am safer than you.
Adding a selling channel and selling as much bait as possible was a good thing for Jia Ren.
As it turned out, the bait business had started to gain some fame. Consequently, Jia Ren could no longer brush his Proficiency Level or restore Spiritual Energy with the same indifference as yesterday.
Loose Cultivators came by from time to time to inquire. As soon as they heard it was fish bait, they seemed relieved, as if they had finally found what they were looking for.
The Bait Tempting Technique sold in dribs and drabs. Although it didn't match the morning's sales, at least half of the stock was sold.
By midday, Jia Ren's earnings in Spirit Stones had reached a whopping twenty, which surprised even him.
In terms of cost, the over two thousand baits sold had cost less than one Spirit Stone to make, yet they earned him twenty Spirit Stones.
Indeed, a windfall profit!
"Fellow Daoist, your bait business is doing well!"
"May your wealth flow widely! Are you interested in this magic artifact?"
The neighboring stalls were almost empty, with very few customers and little profit.
Seeing the steady influx of Spirit Stones to Jia Ren, the Loose Cultivators were red with envy.
"The Lake of Smoky Waves is small, and there are not many Spirit Fish, so there's not much to be made."
Jia Ren responded perfunctorily. While feeling great, he also felt a bit heavy-hearted.
He always had the feeling that he was being watched; the Loose Cultivators' scrutiny made him somewhat nervous.
Twenty Spirit Stones are nice, but it's too hot to handle for someone with such low Cultivation Level.
It would be best to exchange them for something that could save his life, or for Elixirs that could improve his Cultivation Level.
Thanks to the Proficiency Panel, Jia Ren's cultivation progress with the Return to Origin Technique was not slow. In just a few days, he had maxed out the proficiency of the Third Level of Qi Refinement, slightly speeding up his cultivation.
He decided not to switch Cultivation Techniques for now, using the newly acquired Spirit Stones to buy Elixirs. Unless he hit a cultivation bottleneck, he should be able to break through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining in a few days.
He would wait until the breakthrough to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining before changing Cultivation Techniques, to avoid the delay in breakthrough time caused by re-cultivating a new technique.
Time at the stall flew by quickly, and without waiting for dusk, Jia Ren closed his stall early.
He isn't here? I wanted to buy Spirit Insect Eggs from Fellow Daoist Yang Bingzhi.
He first visited the stall Yang Bingzhi usually frequented, but he wasn't there.
He didn't show up yesterday, and he's still absent today. Could something have happened to him?
He quickly dismissed the thought from his mind.
Not every Loose Cultivator at the market could guarantee setting up their stall daily, unless they had a rapid way to earn Spirit Stones. Otherwise, the accumulated stall rental fees alone were a significant expense.
Spirit Farmers mainly sold Spirit Rice, and with limited individual quantities, permanent residency at the market wasn't possible.
Generally, Loose Cultivators wanting to buy Spirit Rice went to the rice shops in the Great Wilderness Market.
First, I'll buy some Elixirs to improve my Cultivation Level.
Tomorrow, I'll see if Fellow Daoist Yang Bingzhi shows up in the trading area. If not, I'll have to make a trip to Grand Wilderness Mountain.
The idea of buying Spirit Insect Eggs had to be put on hold until tomorrow.
Jia Ren didn't purchase Elixirs from the market stalls but chose to go to a specialized Elixir shop instead.
Elixirs from stalls were cheap, but there was no assurance of their quality; many Loose Cultivators passed off faulty or low-quality Elixirs as good ones.
Elixirs weren't like other treasures that could be used even if slightly inferior.
Poor-quality Elixirs contained many toxins. Consuming substandard Elixirs could lead to a buildup of toxins in the body, not only making future Cultivation Level improvement more difficult but also impacting lifespan.
With longevity as his goal, Jia Ren naturally wouldn't be short-sighted.
If he couldn't verify the quality of the Elixirs, he would rather not buy them at all.
Jia Ren's gaze fell on a row of shops in the West City District. Compared to the market area, this place was cleaner and tidier. The Cultivators coming and going were stronger, and their robes were of finer quality. His eyes landed on one: the Pill Cauldron Pavilion. It was the Elixir shop his predecessor often frequented, specializing in Elixirs and holding a very good reputation.
It was said that the Elixirs the Pill Cauldron Pavilion offered came from the Five Elements Sect, ensuring their quality.
"Fellow Daoist, may I know which Elixir you wish to purchase?"
The one who greeted him was a young female cultivator, about twenty years old, dressed in a long robe of gauzy silk, her figure graceful.
What frustrated Jia Ren was the female cultivator's Cultivation Level—she was at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining.
Working in the Pill Cauldron Pavilion meant a steady income of Spirit Stones, far outstripping countless Loose Cultivators.
Even so, reaching the Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation at her age was no easy feat.
If her talent was exceptional, she would have joined a Sect long ago and would not have ended up as a maid in the Pill Cauldron Pavilion.
"An Elixir that helps a cultivator at the Third Level of Qi Refinement advance quickly?"
The female cultivator smiled sweetly and introduced, "There are many Elixirs suitable for the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation, but the Minor Yuan Elixir has the best effect.
"Each Minor Yuan Elixir costs one Spirit Stone; a vial containing ten Elixirs is priced at nine Spirit Stones and five Broken Spirits.
"The Spirit Bud Elixir is actually meant for cultivators in the Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation. It excels because it is refined from the essence of Spirit Bud Rice and several special Spiritual Medicines. The Spiritual Energy is gentle, and taking the Spirit Bud Elixir can make breaking through the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation much faster.
"The price is significantly higher than that of the Minor Yuan Elixir, each costing two Spirit Stones. A vial of ten Elixirs is priced at nineteen Spirit Stones."
Minor Yuan Elixir and Spirit Bud Elixir?
If it had been before, I would have only considered the Minor Yuan Elixir—poverty was to blame.
I've never taken Spirit Bud Elixir before; its price isn't friendly to cultivators at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation.
My pockets have just become somewhat full, and tomorrow's income probably won't be too low.
Being 'extremely rich' while at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation is like inviting trouble.
The faster I can break through, the better, to avoid attracting petty thieves.
"One vial of Spirit Bud Elixir."
Since the Spirit Bud Elixir was still useful for reaching the Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation, Jia Ren wasn't worried about buying too much and wasting it.
The female cultivator looked at Jia Ren with slight surprise. She had recommended it to many cultivators at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation, but few had ever made a purchase.
Even if they bought one out of politeness or pride, they would usually only get a single Elixir.
This was the first time she had seen a Loose Cultivator at the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation in the Outer City District buy an entire vial of Spirit Bud Elixir.
"Nineteen Spirit Stones."
Money exchanged hands, and so did the goods.
The female cultivator handed a White Porcelain Jade Vial of Elixir to Jia Ren but didn't hurry to let go.
Her fingertip lightly scratched Jia Ren's palm, prompting a surprised look from him. What met his eyes were orbs as gentle as rippling autumn water.
Jia Ren was good-looking. Although not as handsome or dashing as Pan An, he still had an above-average appearance.
Of course, the significant bonus was his considerable wealth.
The female cultivator didn't mind getting to know him better.
This female cultivator is coveting my body.
No, that's not right. She must be after my Spirit Stones. Could she be in the business of seducing men for money?
Jia Ren, who had not yet escaped poverty, naturally declined politely internally.
He habitually checked the quality of the Spirit Bud Elixir. As he opened the White Porcelain Jade Vial, a refreshing fragrance wafted out. It was somewhat similar to the aroma of Green Bud Rice but many times more intense.
The quality was excellent; the mere scent of the medicine was invigorating.
Ignoring the female cultivator's disappointed gaze, he secured the Elixir and walked away without hesitation.
His manner was much like that of a faithless lover who leaves immediately after the deed is done.
Time to head home!
Clutching the newly acquired Spirit Bud Elixir, Jia Ren activated the Wind Control Skill and hurried towards his residence.
He encountered no pickpockets or ambushes on the way and arrived home safely.
It's time to cultivate!
Let's see how effective the Spirit Bud Elixir is.
After making sure the traps were well set and that his 'army' of mosquito guards was on high alert, Jia Ren decisively entered seclusion to cultivate.
He was going to attempt to break through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining.