Jia Ren sat cross-legged, his "five hearts" facing upwards.
He opened the pill bottle, took out a yellow-brown Pill, and its Pill Energy permeated the air, filling the room with fragrance.
Without hesitation, he decisively swallowed the Spirit Bud Elixir.
As the Elixir entered his mouth, it stimulated saliva production, and the Spirit Bud Elixir quickly melted into a Spiritual Liquid, sliding down his throat.
Spiritual Energy, dozens of times more concentrated than that derived from normal cultivation, dispersed within his body, swiftly sweeping through him.
His body felt warm and cozy, as if he were soaking in a hot spring.
Return to Origin Technique!
He immediately began circulating the Return to Origin Technique, initiating the Great Circulatory Cycle.
The Elixir's Spiritual Power was, after all, external. If not absorbed promptly, a significant amount of Spiritual Energy might dissipate from his body. This would be the greatest waste of the Elixir.
Jia Ren clearly felt his Spiritual Power growing rapidly, at a rate at least dozens of times faster than normal cultivation.
My cultivation progress is increasing so quickly!
He was far more diligent than the body's original owner, dedicating more time to cultivation and Spells. By persisting in his arduous training, he could increase his cultivation progress by one point every three days, a pace that was by no means slow.
The Spirit Bud Elixir could help Cultivators in the Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation improve their Cultivation Level. When taken at the Third Level of Qi Refinement, the effects were immediately apparent. One Pill, once refined, could increase cultivation progress by six points.
The speed of cultivation was astonishing. No wonder Cultivators favored using Elixirs for their practice.
Time flew by, and he entered a state of oblivion to everything but his cultivation.
Once the Elixir's Spiritual Power was fully refined, he swallowed another Pill.
Cultivation made him lose track of time; a full day and two nights passed unknowingly.
I've reached perfection at the Third Level of Qi Refinement!
Time to break through!
He swallowed the last Spirit Bud Elixir and, using its Spiritual Power, launched his assault on the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement.
He didn't encounter the anticipated bottleneck; his Cultivation Level broke through smoothly, as naturally as water carving a channel.
Finally, the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement!
The Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation was a brand-new realm, and Jia Ren experienced sensations entirely different from before.
His five senses were enhanced to an incredible degree. The world appeared different; he could perceive the finest details, with even the smallest things clearly visible. His spiritual senses became exceptionally sharp; he could clearly hear the buzzing of a mosquito outside his stone house.
Is this the feeling of the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement? Quite nice. The Spirit Bud Elixirs bought with Spirit Stones weren't wasted.
With his breakthrough to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement, the Spiritual Power in his body doubled. This meant he could practice the Wind Control Skill twice as often, allowing him to increase its Proficiency Level much faster.
Next, I need to change my Cultivation Technique for the Qi Refinement Realm. The Return to Origin Technique isn't suitable for me anymore. If I can't find a replacement, I'll cultivate the Eternal Spring Technique.
Jia Ren was relieved that he cultivated the non-elemental Return to Origin Technique, as this would make it much easier to switch to another Cultivation Technique.
Oh, I almost forgot about the bait business!
The joy of breaking through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement vanished, replaced by worry. No wonder it is said that in cultivation, time holds no meaning, and a thousand years can pass in the blink of an eye in the mortal world.
Breaking through from the Third to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement didn't take an excessively long time, yet it still consumed nearly two full days. He hadn't set up his stall yesterday, which meant a day's loss of Spirit Stone earnings. Considering this was the peak season for the bait business with numerous buyers, missing one day meant losing twenty Spirit Stones.
Jia Ren quickly reconciled himself to this loss. He realized that without this breakthrough in strength, an extra twenty Spirit Stones would have been more of a curse than a blessing, potentially leading him to ruin. But now, at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement and having entered the Mid Stage of Qi Cultivation, he could protect a few dozen Spirit Stones.
First, food!
It is said that in the later stages of cultivation, one can subsist on Spiritual Energy alone, achieving a form of immortality. He was far from that level now and still needed to eat.
A breakthrough today calls for a celebration. A bowl of pure Spirit Rice, with no ordinary rice mixed in.
Jia Ren took out two catties of Spirit Rice from his Storage Bag, skillfully rinsed it, and set it to cook.
Soon, the rich fragrance of rice filled the room. The Spirit Rice was piled high in the bowl, each grain shimmering like a jade-green gem—a beautiful sight.
Time to eat!
Feeling good today, his appetite was whetted, and he quickly finished a bowl of Spirit Rice.
"Is Brother Jia at home?"
Just then, a somewhat familiar voice came from outside.
"You've come at the perfect time. Have a bowl of Spirit Rice to warm your stomach."
Zhou Lezhi pushed the door open and walked in as if it were his own home.
Is he about to trigger the trap?!
Jia Ren took a step forward, his body blocking the door to prevent Zhou Lezhi from stepping on the mechanism connected to the gunpowder keg's fuse, which would send him sky-high in an explosion.
"What's wrong, brother? Can't even spare a bowl of Spirit Rice?" Zhou Lezhi's expression darkened, his tone chilling noticeably. Remembering his purpose for coming, however, his expression softened again. "We're brothers, after all. We should help each other."
Jia Ren's face was grim. His attempt to block Zhou Lezhi failed as the man forcibly squeezed past him.
Once inside, Zhou Lezhi sat down, picked up the bowl and chopsticks already filled with Spirit Rice, and began to eat heartily.
This guy clearly smelled the Spirit Rice and came over to freeload.
Zhou Lezhi lived nearby; their relationship was ordinary, with infrequent interactions. Lately, perhaps short on Spirit Stones, he had been coming over to freeload quite often.
With a thought, Jia Ren commanded the mosquitoes outside. They swarmed into the room, launching a 'blitz' against Zhou Lezhi.
With a combat strength of less than 0.1, Zhou Lezhi was utterly insignificant. He didn't even put down his chopsticks, nor was he driven away by the mosquitoes.
"Is your house a mosquito nest?" A brown Spirit Qi Protective Barrier rose, completely enveloping him without any gaps. The mosquitoes couldn't find a place to bite and could only buzz around Zhou Lezhi's ears, tormenting him with noise.
Zhou Lezhi paid them no heed. Then, as if remembering something, he looked at Jia Ren in confusion. "Why is there no smoked fish today? Has Daoist Jia stopped fishing for Spirit Fish?"
Jia Ren's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, his voice growing cold. "Am I supposed to feed the Spirit Fish I catch to rats?"
Zhou Lezhi's face showed displeasure. Is he making insinuations?
Recently, leftover Spirit Fish placed in the water tank had been vanishing. Jia Ren knew this was Zhou Lezhi's handiwork.
"It's just a few Spirit Fish and a couple of bowls of Spirit Rice. Why be so petty?" Zhou Lezhi said. "Don't say I don't look out for you, brother. I just found a way to make Spirit Stones and came straight to you. It's much better than fishing for Spirit Fish in the Lake of Smoky Waves."
Zhou Lezhi wore a mysterious expression, deliberately keeping Jia Ren in suspense, waiting for him to inquire.
A chance to get rich, and you think of me? I'm afraid you're harboring ill intentions. We're neighbors who see each other frequently; how could I not know Zhou Lezhi's character? He was skilled in all manner of vices—drinking, whoring, gambling, and smoking—and adept at theft and petty crimes, dabbling in every underhanded activity imaginable.
Jia Ren earned Spirit Stones by selling bait; even if Zhou Lezhi genuinely had a way to make a fortune, he wasn't interested.
"How could Brother Zhou deceive you? It really is a big deal," Zhou Lezhi insisted. "However, I recently lost a bit at Heavenly River Square. I was hoping you could lend me a few Spirit Stones to tide me over. Rest assured, Brother Zhou guarantees to help you earn Spirit Stones."
He devoured a catty of my Spirit Rice and still has the gall to ask to borrow Spirit Stones. This talk of a fortune is surely a pretense; borrowing Spirit Stones is his true motive.
"Brother Jia, you don't need to be polite with this kind of trash!"
Yang Shengwu, who lived next door, strode in. He held an unfamiliar beast leg in his left hand and a Magic Sword in his right, emanating a murderous aura.
"Get lost, now!" he roared. "If you bother Brother Jia again, Yang Mou wouldn't mind making you a ghost under my sword!"
Zhou Lezhi, who had been lounging lazily, looked as if he'd seen a ghost. Forgetting the Spirit Rice, he trembled and fled out the door.
"I remember you weren't like this before; you would have acted sooner," Yang Shengwu said, looking at Jia Ren. "Have you stopped hunting Magical Beasts and started cultivating your temperament recently?"
Yang Shengwu was a burly man with a full beard. He had a close relationship with the original Jia Ren, and they often hunted together. To be precise, the original Jia Ren had always been the one Yang Shengwu looked out for. Over the past three years, the original Jia Ren had received considerable help from him; his survival while hunting Magical Beasts was largely due to Yang Shengwu's protection.
Yang Shengwu sheathed his Magic Sword and placed the beast leg he carried in front of Jia Ren, a hearty smile on his face. "My hunting luck has been good lately. I killed a White Hao Pig. This leg is for you, for good fortune."
The White Hao Pig was a First-Order Monster. Its meat was in high demand, selling for three Fragmented Spirit Stones per catty—far more sought after than Green-Scaled Fish. The hind leg should weigh about twenty catties; even after removing the bones, there would still be fifteen or sixteen catties of meat, which could sell for nearly five Spirit Stones. This was not a small sum, especially for a Loose Cultivator. Jia Ren had been fortunate to catch a Jade Carp that sold for three Spirit Stones and four Fragmented Spirit Stones, but that was less lucrative than this White Hao Pig's hind leg.
Hunting Magical Beasts was dangerous work. Entering the Great Wilderness offered no guarantee of a successful hunt; one had to risk their life battling Magical Beasts. Who is the hunter, and who is the prey—it's not always clear.
"Congratulations on your bountiful hunt, Brother Yang. This beast leg is too valuable; Jia Mou is unworthy of accepting it," Jia Ren said, waving his hand in refusal. Five Spirit Stones was a significant amount; many low-level Loose Cultivators couldn't earn that much in several months.
Yang Shengwu, at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement, had a much higher Cultivation Level than Jia Ren. He was far from wealthy enough to casually give away five Spirit Stones.
"Yang Mou owes his entry into the cultivation world to your esteemed father's guidance. If not for him, Yang Mou would still be a mere martial artist, struggling daily for sustenance," Yang Shengwu said. "Yang Mou is no ingrate. If you don't hunt Magical Beasts, you'll have no income from Spirit Stones, and your days will become even more difficult. Yang Mou's Cultivation Level has broken through, reaching the Late Stage Qi-Refining. This beast leg is a gift for that, and also to congratulate you on reaching the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement."
Yang Shengwu had been in the Great Wilderness for half a month and had only just returned today. He was unaware that Jia Ren had been doing quite well recently by fishing and selling bait. This Spirit Beast Meat was a gift he couldn't refuse, even if he wanted to.
"There's something else I need to tell you," Yang Shengwu continued. "Yang Mou will be moving to the Inner City. I was wondering if you'd be willing to come along?"
Reaching the Late Stage Qi-Refining was a significant turning point. It brought about a dramatic change in one's identity and status, granting eligibility to reside in the Inner City. One could even bring two or three family members or close associates. Yang Shengwu clearly intended to help Jia Ren by offering him this opportunity.
"Congratulations, Yang Daoyou," Jia Ren said. "As for the Inner City, I think I'll pass. The rent there is frighteningly high."
The Inner City has its own elite circles; I'd inevitably be an outsider there. Most importantly, moving would disrupt my bait business. The Outer City District is the environment that suits me best.
Yang Shengwu looked disappointed but didn't press further. They chatted casually for a few more moments before Yun Niang from next door called him away.
"Are your Spirit Stones burning a hole in your pocket? Giving away Spirit Beast Meat worth five Spirit Stones for free?" Yun Niang's voice drifted over. "Don't you know how expensive it is in the Inner City? You've helped him out so much in the past, but that Jia Ren has no ambition, just fooling around with women all day. Don't tell me you're thinking of doing the same?"
Their stone house lacked any sound-proofing formation, so Yun Niang's voice carried clearly.
"Don't speak such nonsense," Yang Shengwu's voice replied. "Jia Ren has turned over a new leaf, and his Cultivation Level has also broken through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement. Besides, without Uncle Jia, how could Yang Mou have ever stepped into the world of cultivation? And if not for that, how would Yang Mou have met you, Yun Niang? Uncle Jia died saving Yang Mou... How could Yang Mou abandon Jia Ren now? What difference would there be between Yang Mou and swine or dogs if I did?!"
Jia Ren had no intention of eavesdropping and left his stone house.
It's past noon. Time to set up the stall and earn some Spirit Stones.
Activating the Wind Control Skill, Jia Ren sped towards the West District Market, not forgetting to increase his Proficiency Level along the way.
As usual, he paid the one Fragmented Spirit Stone stall fee and entered the Market. He arrived late, so all the good spots had already been claimed by other Cultivators. He could only find a spot on the periphery to set up his stall.
"Low-grade White Jade Snake meat, three Fragmented Spirit Stones per catty, limited quantity!"
"Live Green-Scaled Fish for sale, one Fragmented Spirit Stone per catty!"
"Supreme Grade bait for sale, one Fragmented Spirit Stone for fifteen pieces! Cultivators who want to catch Spirit Fish, don't miss out!"
Jia Ren frowned. Something seems off about the West District Market today... Supreme Grade bait? Is someone trying to steal my business?