On the eastern side of Grand Wilderness Mountain, there was a hill and a small lake where thousands of low-level Magical Beasts were bred for consumption. The small lake was used for farming Spirit Fish, and one could often see the figures of cultivators and mortals bustling about.
This was the Ming Family's residence, located outside the Great Wilderness Market. They were a relatively small family who had migrated to the Great Wilderness less than ten years ago. Their main livelihood came from breeding and selling edible Spirit Eggs and low-level Monster Beast Meat. The Ming Family had once produced a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Although they had since declined, they still had several Late-Stage Qi-Refining cultivators, far surpassing what any Loose Cultivator could match. Even in the Great Wilderness Market, they were a major power that few Loose Cultivators dared to provoke.
"One Fragmented Spirit Stone for ten pounds? The price is too low."
Even though Jia Ren already knew that Spirit Insect corpses were cheap, he was still shocked.
"It's just feed for Spirit Beasts! You want to sell it like it's Monster Beast Meat?!"
"Are you selling or not?"
The Ming Family often collaborated with Spirit Farmers, who would usually sell the Spirit Insects they killed to the Ming Family, earning a few Fragmented Spirit Stones in the process. Yang Bingzhi had informed him about the price of Bug Corpses: one Fragmented Spirit Stone for eight pounds.
Could it be that because I'm a new face, they're deliberately pushing the price down?
Jia Ren was tempted to leave. However, apart from the Ming Family, there was truly no other place that could take all the Bug Corpses at once.
"One Fragmented Spirit Stone for eight pounds is the normal price; this is too cheap," Jia Ren said, trying to negotiate.
Ming Wu, an impatient look on his face, said coldly, "It's one Fragmented Spirit Stone for ten pounds. Take it or get lost!"
Cultivators from families naturally looked down on low-level Loose Cultivators, though deliberately targeting them was relatively rare.
"Sell!"
He couldn't just throw away the Bug Corpses; selling them would at least get him some Spirit Stones. Taking a large quantity of Bug Corpses to the Market to sell would be a waste of time, not to mention he wouldn't get a high price for them.
The Bug Corpses from the two Storage Bags were poured out, piling into a mound half a person's height. The insects were small and lightweight, which indicated just how many Spirit Insects Jia Ren had killed.
"One hundred and thirty-five pounds. That's a total of one Spirit Stone and three Fragmented Spirit Stones."
Jia Ren didn't bother arguing about the rounded-down amount, took the one Spirit Stone and three Fragmented Spirit Stones, and left.
Jia Ren bought a new Storage Bag and a Spirit Beast Bag in the Market. Both were three cubic meters in capacity. The Storage Bag cost three Spirit Stones, and the Spirit Beast Bag was pricier at five Spirit Stones. With the Spirit Beast Bag in hand, the Spirit Insects finally had a home, and he could now carry the Poisonous Spine Insect with him. Summoning Spirit Insects to assist in battle greatly increased his sense of security.
"Continue with pest removal!"
Jia Ren found the second Spirit Farmer and began exterminating pests.
[Metal Finger Technique Proficiency Level +1]
As Jia Ren used the Metal Finger Technique more frequently, his Proficiency Level in it rose swiftly. Although it didn't increase as quickly as his Insect Taming Technique, its rate of improvement was far more efficient than that of the Wind Control Skill.
"Die!"
A swift golden light flashed, a precise kill, without harming a single grain of Spirit Rice. His control had reached a peak of finesse.
"Grandmaster Level Metal Finger Technique!"
The Metal Finger Technique wasn't a Spell designed for combat but was specifically created for pest control. Its lethality wasn't high; it could only be used to bully insects. After reaching Grandmaster Level, its power underwent a qualitative change. Its penetrative power surpassed even the Fireball Technique. Even if faced with a foot-thick steel plate, it could pierce through with a single finger. The key was that the Metal Finger Technique could be cast more quickly and consumed less Spiritual Power, making it difficult to guard against. It's an absolute tool for ambushes!
I owe it to the Proficiency Panel; otherwise, I might not have reached Grandmaster Level even after decades of practice.
Insect Taming Technique is improving the fastest, almost reaching the Grandmaster limit.
I'll need Breakthrough Points again soon.
Take it slow, there's no rush for now.
After the Spirit Farmer inspected the pest removal work, Jia Ren received the final payment of five Spirit Stones.
"It's just past noon, Fellow Daoist! You've already cleared twenty mu of Spirit Fields... That's truly... astonishing!"
Earning ten Spirit Stones in half a day, wouldn't that mean earning twenty Spirit Stones in a single day? A Spirit Farmer toiled over twenty mu of Spirit Fields, and even in a bumper harvest year, might not earn as much as Jia Ren did in one day.
Jia Ren smiled in response and quickly headed to the next client.
As usual, he worked until dusk, exterminating pests across a total of forty mu, doubling his efficiency compared to the previous day. With the Grandmaster Level Insect Control Technique and Grandmaster Level Metal Finger Technique working in tandem, no one could match his pest extermination efficiency.
The speed of extermination has reached its limit. Unless I use Qi Recovery Pills extensively, it's impossible to surpass forty mu. Qi Recovery Pills weren't cheap. Using them in large quantities would diminish his profits, making it completely unnecessary.
"Three hundred and seventy-two pounds!"
Ming Wu was stunned as he watched Jia Ren empty a massive quantity of Spirit Insect corpses from two bulging Storage Bags. "I never expected you to be a Master Exterminator as well."
"Three Spirit Stones and seven Fragmented Spirit Stones." Ming Wu's words were polite, but he had no intention of raising the price. As a buyer, he hoped to earn extra income by pressing the price down. He would never complain about having too many Spirit Stones.
Jia Ren couldn't be bothered to deal with him. After confirming the weight was correct, he took the Spirit Stones and left.
"You, go to Grand Wilderness Mountain and find out this youngster's identity." Ming Wu found a relatively sharp-witted young man in his clan and dispatched him to Grand Wilderness Mountain. The fact that the quantity of Bug Corpses had doubled was noteworthy. If he were just a low-level Loose Cultivator, bullying him would be one thing, as no one would stand up for him. However, if he had a large Pest Removal Team backing him, they would have to consider making some concessions to avoid offending many Loose Cultivators.
"Master Jia has arrived!"
"Let's check Fellow Daoist Tong's Spirit Fields first."
For two consecutive days, Jia Ren's pest extermination efficiency grew ever higher. The Spirit Fields were left spotlessly clean, without a single insect remaining. With his fast speed and high-quality work, the reputation of the Master Exterminator spread rapidly. More and more Spirit Farmers sought him out, and a few were even willing to pay an extra Spirit Stone for priority service, as an earlier resolution to the pest problem meant one less day of losses. Having recently earned a substantial amount from Heavenly River Square, the Spirit Farmers were now spending more generously. Faced with this, Jia Ren naturally... gave priority to the major clients who offered extra Spirit Stones.
Exterminating pests across the usual forty mu, Jia Ren finished work early, just as You hour (5-7 PM) arrived, and departed.
Being able to earn twenty Spirit Stones a day is great. I hope I can keep this up for a few more days.
With Spirit Stones in hand, his life improved. Spirit Rice and Spiritual Beast Meat could now be part of his daily diet, aiding his cultivation.
As was his routine, he went to the Northern District Market early in the morning, looking for Turtle Demon Beasts. He hoped to make Turtle Spirit Ointment to accelerate his cultivation speed and compensate for his lost lifespan.
"Turtle Demon Beasts are hard to find. If Fellow Daoist is willing to add more Spirit Stones, this Yang Mou will pay special attention." Most Turtle Demon Beasts lived in lake regions; terrestrial turtles were rare. The closest lake to the Great Wilderness Market was the Lake of Smoky Waves, but it had now become a forbidden zone where no one dared to venture. To find Turtle Demon Beasts without going through the Lake of Smoky Waves, one would have to venture deep into the Great Wilderness, which greatly increased the danger.
Jia Ren had spent several days wandering the Northern District Market, inquiring with the butchers. Through repeated interactions, he had become a familiar face. Hearing he was willing to pay extra, the butchers would inform their affiliated Monster Hunting Teams.
The rest is up to luck.
As Jia Ren walked through the Market, he clearly felt it had become much quieter. As usual, he inquired about Evil Warding Talismans. They were scarce, and most were now priced at twenty Spirit Stones each. Luckily, he stumbled upon a bargain, acquiring one for fifteen Spirit Stones.
The effects of the mysterious mist incident are far-reaching. I hope it doesn't impact my life too much.
Jia Ren was just preparing to head to Grand Wilderness Mountain to continue exterminating pests and earning Spirit Stones.
Just then, a golden light flared in the sky, transforming into a massive, golden light curtain that reflected countless stern faces. Over a hundred Loose Cultivators, disheveled and with ashen faces, knelt on the ground.
Jia Ren scanned the kneeling faces and recognized a familiar one: Zhou Lezhi.
"Those who bring chaos to Grand Wilderness Mountain shall be executed!"