Chapter 56: Striking It Rich

Noticing the puzzled expression on Han Yi's face, He Fangwei continued his explanation.

"The Three Great Sects are the Grand Void Sect, the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, and the Scarlet Cloud Sword Sect. Our Profound Pill Sect is backed by the Grand Void Sect, while the Blood God Sect is supported by the Southern Dipper Divine Palace."

"The Silverlight Pearls you sold earlier were produced by the Southern Dipper Divine Palace. This set of magic artifacts is quite popular among Blood God Sect cultivators."

"The origins of this conflict can be traced back to the Great Immortal-Demon War four years ago."

"The Demon Cave emerged closest to the Grand Void Sect, causing them to suffer the most losses during the war. They even lost two Great Cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage. Naturally, the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, being another of the Three Great Sects, saw an opportunity."

"The leader tests the waters, and the subordinates take action."

"They always pick on the weakest target."

"That's why the Blood God Sect has been harassing the Profound Pill Sect on multiple fronts."

"Strictly speaking, the Profound Pill Sect just had terrible luck to be caught in this situation."

With that, He Fangwei fell silent.

Han Yi's eyes showed deep contemplation as he committed everything he had heard to memory. He still had one final question, and seizing the opportunity while He Fangwei was willing to talk, he asked it.

"Shopkeeper He, I have one more question. Now that both sects have clashed and suffered casualties, what direction do you think this conflict will take next?"

"Do you believe it will escalate into a full-scale sect war?"

This was the question that concerned Han Yi the most.

He didn't care about the Three Great Sects—they were too distant from his concerns. Nor did he care why the Blood God Sect's cultivators were so powerful; that wasn't his sect.

But the future of the Profound Pill Sect directly affected his own safety, and that was his primary concern.

"I heard the Sect Leader has already left to seek aid from the Grand Void Sect, but there's been no word yet. So, I honestly don't know what will happen," He Fangwei said, shaking his head.

Han Yi frowned. He Fangwei still hadn't answered his question.

But then he changed his mind and relaxed, no longer dwelling on it.

He realized that someone in He Fangwei's position could only know so much. Even many Foundation Establishment Stage Elders within the sect might not know the future direction of the sect, let alone a mere shopkeeper.

Han Yi had initially assumed that the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild, backed by a Golden Core Stage cultivator, would have access to more information. But now it seemed that wasn't necessarily true.

"Thank you, Shopkeeper He. Today's conversation has been very enlightening."

Han Yi stood up, cupped his hands, and bowed in gratitude.

Regardless of the specifics, He Fangwei's explanation had cleared up many of Han Yi's doubts, and expressing his appreciation was only proper.

"You're too kind, Fellow Daoist," He Fangwei replied.

Half an hour later, Han Yi emerged from the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild. His Storage Pouch now contained four hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, over two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and eight First-Tier Spirit Talismans:

First-Tier Mid-Grade Spirit Talismans:

Divine Speed Talisman x3

Golden Light Talisman x3

First-Tier High-Grade Spirit Talisman: Body Protection Talisman x1

First-Tier Top-Grade Spirit Talisman: Yin Thunder Talisman x1

Among these talismans, the Top-Grade Yin Thunder Talisman alone had cost him two hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, while the other seven had consumed over five thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

In the past, Han Yi would never have dared to spend so lavishly.

But this time was different. Firstly, he now possessed substantial wealth. Secondly, witnessing the brutal realities of combat outside the Sect and the significant advantages Spirit Talismans offered in battle had changed his perspective. He recalled how the cold youth at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement had nearly caught up to him, a feat Han Yi suspected was due to a speed-enhancing talisman.

Thus, he boldly spent twenty-five thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, splurging on eight First-Tier Spirit Talismans.

According to He Fangwei, even a First-Tier Top-Grade Spirit Talisman like the Yin Thunder Talisman posed a considerable threat to cultivators at the Peak Qi Refining Stage.

A High-Grade Spirit Talisman, such as a Body Protection Talisman, could even block attacks from cultivators at the Eighth or Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

Han Yi had achieved a perfect balance between offense and defense. Moreover, he possessed a High-Grade Magic Artifact-level Body-Protecting Inner Armor, supplemented by the Body Protection Talisman, creating multiple layers of security.

As Han Yi left the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild, his face remained impassive, betraying no emotion, but inwardly, he was bursting with joy.

He was truly wealthy—immensely wealthy, beyond his wildest dreams.

Aside from the Spirit Talismans, he still had over four hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. Even many Eighth and Ninth Layer Qi Refining disciples in the Profound Pill Sect might not possess such a fortune.

This sum was sufficient for Han Yi to cultivate all the way to the Eighth or even Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

Furthermore, this expedition had yielded not only this immense wealth but also a wealth of valuable information, making it a truly fruitful journey.

Upon returning to Little Spirit Void Peak, Han Yi immediately began cultivating.

Now flush with Spirit Stones, he temporarily abandoned Pill Refinement, prioritizing closing the gap in his cultivation realm by reaching the Late-Stage Qi Refining before focusing on refining his skills.

This time, his cultivation fuel was no longer Low-Grade Spirit Stones but Mid-Grade ones.

With a market exchange rate of one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones for a single Mid-Grade Stone, the immense value of Mid-Grade Spirit Stones was clear.

Generally, only cultivators at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining would dare to invest in Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for cultivation. This is especially true during the crucial breakthrough from the Peak Qi Refining Stage to the Foundation Establishment Stage, which requires an immense amount of Spirit Qi—so vast that Low-Grade Spirit Stones simply cannot suffice. Mid-Grade Spirit Stones offer a miraculous advantage in this process.

Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators also typically use Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for their daily cultivation and transactions.

Low-Grade Spirit Stones are grayish-white and slightly smaller than a fist.

Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, while also grayish-white, have a subtle silver shimmer within. This silver light isn't immediately noticeable, but it hints at their superior essence, far surpassing that of Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Slightly smaller than Low-Grade Spirit Stones, Mid-Grade Spirit Stones appear almost insignificant when held in the palm.

Inside the Meditation Chamber, Han Yi sat cross-legged. He closed his eyes and meditated to calm his mind. After a full quarter of an hour, he finally picked up a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone and placed it in the center of his palm.

He then activated his Cultivation Technique and began cultivating.

As usual, a warm current flowed from the Spirit Stone into his body through his palm.

But this time, the warmth sent a shudder through Han Yi's entire being.

It was pure—so refined that it felt as though his divine sense itself was being nourished.

Boom!

Empowered by this influx of energy, the Mana within his body surged like a tidal wave, exuberant and unstoppable.

Han Yi quickly regained his composure, focusing entirely on guiding the Mana within his body. He relentlessly strengthened, compressed, and purified his Mana.

Three days passed quietly.

Three days later, Han Yi heard a faint cracking sound. He opened his eyes and immediately looked down at the Mid-Grade Spirit Stone in his palm. It had lost all its Spirit Qi and shattered into pieces.

Then, he sensed a difference in his body. Upon closer examination, he found that his Mana was circulating automatically, purer and more potent than before.

Remarkably, the total volume of his Mana had also increased by nearly ten percent in just three days.

While less than ten percent might seem insignificant, considering it was achieved in such a short time, this astonishing growth left Han Yi utterly delighted.

[ Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining Sixth Layer (25/100) ]

The cultivation realm displayed on the Proficiency Panel further confirmed that the progress he sensed was real.

Not long ago, his progress had stood at 21/100. After the battle in Heavenfall City, it had slowly crept up to 22/100. But this brief three-day cultivation session had propelled him from 22/100 to 25/100, a remarkable jump of three percentage points.

If he continued cultivating with Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and factored in his body's gradual adaptation to the increased Mana, his progress might slow down somewhat. Based on Han Yi's past experience, he estimated that reaching the peak of the Qi Refining Sixth Layer would likely take no more than a year.

He had originally planned for three to four years to reach this milestone, but now, he had potentially saved three to four times that time.

Only the word "ecstatic" could adequately describe his current mood.