Chapter 15: The VIP Room

In the cultivation world.

In the Thick Earth Sect.

In the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market.

No matter where you are in the cultivation world, cultivation level is always the standard by which everything is measured.

The stronger your cultivation, the more resources you can control.

The number of spirit stones you can obtain naturally increases as well.

Take He Song, for example. When he was at the first level of Qi Refinement, his identity as a spirit planter allowed him to manage only five acres of spirit fields.

These five acres of spirit fields brought He Song an annual income of only one hundred and fifty spirit stones.

Of which, one hundred and twenty spirit stones had to be used to pay rent.

Only the remaining thirty spirit stones were what He Song could truly control.

But.

When He Song's cultivation reached the mid-Qi Refinement stage.

And he truly became a mid-Qi Refinement spirit planter, the amount of spirit fields he could manage would increase.

At that time, the number of spirit stones He Song could earn annually would be much higher than now.

However, now is not the time to think about these things.

Having just broken through to the third level of Qi Refinement, He Song felt that there was still some distance to go before he could break through to the mid-Qi Refinement stage.

Getting up from the cushion.

He Song happily brewed himself a pot of good tea.

Five years.

Under the influence of Wei Fan and Meng Guan, He Song's tea-making skills had improved, and he had also begun to delve deeper into the study of tea.

Which teas were good, which teas could only be drunk once, which teas had special effects—He Song had figured most of these out over the five years.

Now, he had also developed the habit of occasionally drinking tea.

"Third level of Qi Refinement. Although still at the bottom of the cultivation world, compared to the first level of Qi Refinement, I now have a few more tricks up my sleeve."

Over these five years, He Song's identity as a spirit planter had earned him a total of one hundred and fifty spirit stones.

Thirty spirit stones per year, five years made one hundred and fifty spirit stones.

After deducting the expenses for food and occasional visits to Wei Fan and Meng Guan, He Song had not spent his spirit stones recklessly but had instead saved them.

By now, He Song had saved up about one hundred spirit stones.

Although the identity of a spirit planter had brought He Song many benefits in the past.

But, as an immortal, how could He Song be satisfied with farming forever?

The myriad arts of cultivation.

Alchemy, artifact refining, talisman making, formation setting, beast taming...

Which of these isn't more appealing than farming?

It's just that his cultivation level was too low, making it impossible for him to access these arts, so He Song could only follow the path of his previous body and become a spirit planter.

But if He Song had to remain a spirit planter forever.

He would definitely not be willing.

Which immortal spends their days farming?

Thus, saving up to buy introductory books on other cultivation arts had become something He Song had been longing for.

"My soul is stronger than other cultivators, allowing me to learn spells faster. Now, when it comes to learning the myriad arts of cultivation, shouldn't I also have more talent than others?"

Sipping his tea, a thought flashed through He Song's mind.

The idea of immediately going to the Spirit Skill Pavilion to pick out books on the myriad arts of cultivation took root and sprouted at this moment.

Over five years, He Song had saved up about one hundred spirit stones.

According to He Song's previous understanding, introductory books on the myriad arts of cultivation mostly cost around one hundred spirit stones each, similar to the price of cultivation techniques.

Now that his cultivation had broken through to the third level of Qi Refinement, his life was dull and monotonous, with nothing but tending to spirit fields and meditating every day.

It was truly boring.

It was time to find something new to do and learn a new way to earn money!

A determined light flashed in He Song's eyes.

He Song stood up with a start, placed all his spirit stones into his sleeve, and strode out the door.

Stall area.

Spirit Skill Pavilion.

Dressed in his spirit planter attire, He Song quickly arrived here under the awe-filled gazes of other rogue cultivators.

Five years had passed, and He Song had become indifferent to the awe-filled gazes of the surrounding rogue cultivators.

The status gap between internal members of the immortal market and rogue cultivators was like heaven and earth within the immortal market.

But if it were outside.

The identity of an internal member of the immortal market could even bring about a fatal disaster.

The awe of those rogue cultivators was only awe for the immortal market behind He Song.

It had nothing to do with He Song himself.

Entering the Spirit Skill Pavilion.

Before He Song could even look up, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Fellow Daoist He, long time no see. Pinger greets you. Have you come today to look at any spells?"

Pinger.

The beautiful female cultivator who had received He Song during his first visit to the Spirit Skill Pavilion.

The memory of cultivators is mostly very good. Once you've met someone, even if decades pass, you can recognize them at first sight.

Also, if you remember the other party's aura, even if hundreds or even thousands of years pass, and the other party's appearance has changed, you can still recognize them at a glance.

This was why Pinger still recognized He Song even though he hadn't set foot in the Spirit Skill Pavilion for five years.

Five years had passed.

He Song's appearance hadn't changed.

Pinger's appearance also hadn't changed at all.

In the cultivation world, eternal youth is the norm. Most cultivators in their tens or even hundreds of years old maintain a youthful appearance.

Only eccentrics like Meng Guan prefer to appear as old men.

Thus, over these five years, He Song had never felt anxious about his appearance.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Pinger. I've come this time to take a look at introductory books on the myriad arts of cultivation."

Cupping his hands slightly toward Pinger, He Song smiled.

He had come for this very purpose, so naturally, he wouldn't hide it from the guide of the Spirit Skill Pavilion.

However.

Just as He Song finished speaking, Pinger gave him a slightly surprised look.

But soon, the surprise in Pinger's eyes disappeared.

"Fellow Daoist He, please follow me to the VIP room for a chat." Speaking softly, Pinger quickly led the way.

At the same time, Pinger's mind was filled with thoughts.

Introductory books on the myriad arts of cultivation, costing over a hundred spirit stones each, were not something everyone could afford.

Especially for a small cultivator like He Song, who had only been in the immortal market for five years and was still at the third level of Qi Refinement.

To have saved up such a large sum of spirit stones in five years.

Pinger suddenly felt a hint of curiosity about He Song, who was following behind her.

Could it be that this person usually cultivates without using spirit stones?

Or did he have some fortuitous encounter and coincidentally obtained a sum of spirit stones?

Spirit stones.

They are both currency and cultivation resources.

Using spirit stones for cultivation allows cultivators to improve their cultivation speed faster.

This is why spirit stones have become the hard currency of the entire cultivation world.

At the same time, it is also the source of Pinger's confusion.

Like He Song, she was also an internal member of the immortal market, with a monthly stipend of two spirit stones but free accommodation, responsible for receiving cultivators who came to the Spirit Skill Pavilion to purchase spells.

Every time she received her monthly stipend, she used it for her own cultivation, hoping to quickly improve her cultivation level in a short time.

Thus, the spirit stones she received were always used up as soon as she got them, and she had never saved any.

For someone like He Song, who could save up one hundred spirit stones in five years, it was only natural for her to feel puzzled.

Could there really be someone who doesn't use spirit stones for cultivation to quickly improve their cultivation level, but instead saves them up to buy things?

(End of Chapter)