《Taoist Antecedent of the Yellow Court》 Chapter 1 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio AD 2657. Earth was riddled with craters. Mankind discovered the first planet with extraterrestrial life. The Human Federation was established. The Interstellar Age was set in motion. AD 3910. The Human Federation discovered the 36th planet inhabited by life. The footprints of humanity were spread across the Milky Way. For more than 1,200 years of interstellar exploration and colonization, explorers suffered heavy casualties due to the harsh interstellar environment. AD 3920. The Federal Expedition Team discovered a Celestial Pebble and made it a server. After 80 years, the large-scale virtual online game ¡°Primitive¡± came into being. AD 4000. A new era began. ¡°Primitive¡± entered its beta testing phase. With 36 inhabited planets, hundreds of billions of federal citizens, countless game studios and other large-scale organizations, ¡°Primitive¡± prospered. ¡­ In the vast starry sky, a transport ship was moving. In the transport ship was the cargo heading toward Planet 35 of the Federation, which, among many other goods, held 10,000 log-in devices for the game ¡°Primitive¡±. Suddenly, interstellar pirates appeared. A skirmish ensued. The transport ship blew up. A quantum fissure appeared on the battlefield. A log-in ring miraculously survived, fell into the fissure, and vanished without a trace. ¡­ Jiuzhai County. Blackwood Village. Blackwood Village was surrounded by mountains and water. To the south was the mighty Sunglitter River. Mountains were present in the east, west, and north. Blackwood Village was located at the foot of the northern face of Blackwood Mountain. On this day¡­ Lu Qingfeng had irrigated all the five acres of terraced fields on the west side of the mountain one by one. Then he hurriedly hauled his exhausted body back to Blackwood Village His younger sister, Lu Qingyu, was holding two empty buckets and constantly gossiping as she walked behind Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Well, Qingshan sure has been comfortable today. He didn¡¯t work for the entire day. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the Truth Sect will have some issues with him too. If they come in the morning, Qingshan won¡¯t be able to slack off in the afternoon. ¡°With that small physique that he has, he will definitely fail the Truth Sect¡¯s trial. Even if he does pass the trial, I will not allow him to go.¡± Lu Qingyu was scrawny and little. Exposed to the wind and sun all year round, she looked like a slave girl who had not yet grown up. She appeared to be only seven or eight years old, but the truth was she was about to turn 12. As they walked along, many villagers in coarse linen garments were working hard around them. These people all were pale and absolutely no glow on their faces at all. They looked just like walking corpses. Lu Qingyu¡¯s energetic babblings seemed rather out of tune with the surrounding ambiance. She was carrying the empty buckets and hobbling along without a trace of sorrow on her countenance. ¡°It sure is nice to be you.¡± A thread of tenderness slipped through the depths of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s heart, encouraging him to extend his hands to take over the burden Lu Qingyu had been carrying. ¡°No, Qingfeng, I can manage. I¡¯m not Qingshan, you know.¡± Lu Qingyu avoided his hands nimbly with a triumphant look on her tiny face. ¡°Don¡¯t let your second brother hear you talk like that, or he¡¯ll be so p*ssed that he¡¯ll refuse to eat again.¡± Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s even better. You and I will get more food to eat in that case.¡± Lu Qingyu wrinkled up her nose. She had completely different attitudes toward her eldest and her second brother. Just as Lu Qingfeng was about to speak again, a teenager about 15 to 16 years of age came running toward them. ¡°Zhou Quan!¡± Lu Qingyu¡¯s expression abruptly altered. She quickly grabbed a black wooden hoe from the empty bucket and put on a vigilant look, ¡°What are you up to?¡± Lu Qingfeng clasped the hatchet in his sleeve and looked at the boy with the same wary look. ¡°No, no, no! I¡¯m up to nothing!¡± The young man who they¡¯d addressed as Zhou Quan trembled a little as his eyes noticed Lu Qingfeng¡¯s left sleeve. He said immediately, ¡°Lu Qingfeng, I¡¯m here to deliver a piece of good news. Qingshan has been selected by the Sage from the Truth Sect and is about to go to Ganoderma Mountain very soon!¡± Zhou Quan rubbed his palms together and smiled, not daring to look into Lu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes. When he had been younger, relying on his large body size, he¡¯d often bullied Lu Qingfeng and his siblings. In the end, Lu Qingfeng had smashed a hatchet into his back, which had left him bedridden for more than two months. From that day onward, he had no longer been bold enough to provoke the Lu siblings. When he encountered Lu Qingfeng, he would even walk around him. Now Lu Qingfeng had hit the jackpot. His brother had been selected by a Sage of the Truth Sect and might very well become a Sage himself in the future. As Zhou Quan¡¯s parents were worried that Lu Qingshan could hold a grudge against him, they had let Zhou Quan take the initiative to pass the good news to Lu Qingfeng. ¡°My second brother has been selected by the Truth Sect? For real?¡± Lu Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened. Holding the hoe tightly in her hands, she shouted at Zhou Quan, ¡°Bullsh*t!¡± ¡°Qingyu!¡± Lu Qingfeng stopped Lu Qingyu from speaking and turned to Zhou Quan and said, ¡°Thanks. We got it.¡± Lu Qingyu stood angrily behind Lu Qingfeng with her eyes still staring at Zhou Quan. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Seeing that Zhou Quan was not leaving yet, Lu Qingfeng asked with a frown. ¡°I¡­¡± Upon seeing Lu Qingfeng, Zhou Quan felt chills at his back. The words his parents had told him to say were stuck in his mouth because he was too afraid to speak them out. ¡°You¡¯re such a granny!¡± Lu Qingyu took her hoe and used it to intimidate Zhou Quan. However, it was Lu Qingfeng who Zhou Quan feared, not that little girl. ¡°Get moving if you¡¯re not gonna say anything else.¡± Lu Qingfeng was annoyed. ¡°I¡¯ll speak.¡± ¡°Lu Qingfeng, Qingyu is about to turn 12 soon, right? My parents¡­¡± Mustering all his courage, Zhou Quan started saying what his parents had told him to say. ¡°Scram!¡± Lu Qingfeng took a step forward and shouted at him. Zhou Quan got goosebumps from head to toe. He caught a glimpse of the hatchet hidden inside Lu Qingfeng¡¯s sleeve and was so terrified that he was rendered speechless as he went fleeing back to the village. ¡°Qingfeng, what does the fact that I¡¯m turning 12 have to do with him? Is that guy asking for a beating again? You don¡¯t have to do anything this time, Big Brother. Qingshan and I will find some time to teach him a big, big lesson!¡± Lu Qingyu was dark-skinned and scrawny, but the words that came out of her mouth were in complete contrast to her small appearance. As she spoke, she had even raised her hoe and was trying to look intimidating. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Let¡¯s hurry up and get home.¡± Lu Qingfeng had muddled through the topic of Zhou Quan, helped Lu Qingyu carry the empty buckets, and hurried back to the village. Lu Qingyu blinked her eyes and trotted behind him. ¡­ The two swiftly returned to Blackwood Village. Blackwood Village was bubbling with noise, which was rare. On the faces of each and every villager there seemed to be a new kind of glow. When they saw the sibling pair, Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu, coming back, they competed against each other to go and greet them. ¡°With Qingshan entering the Truth Sect, he will amount to something in a few years. He will become a Sage in the eyes of these people. I¡¯m Qingshan¡¯s only brother, and that¡¯s why these people are coming to fawn over me. ¡°Zhou Quan coming to break the news to me was also a gesture of goodwill. ¡°He even had some bright ideas about Qingyu!¡± Lu Qingfeng was very clear in his heart and insightful toward what was going on with these people. Unwilling to get caught up with them, he led Lu Qingyu in a rush back home. ¡°The Lu family¡¯s second child has been selected by a Sage from the Truth Sect. They may consider themselves to be striking a fortune.¡± ¡°Yeah! Who would have expected that after Lu Shitou was gone, he would leave behind such a brilliant son?¡± ¡°Enough of that! The Lu family¡¯s eldest son is a vicious one, but their second one is miles different from him. At the Truth Sect, I wonder if he will last for even a few days?¡± The onlookers watched as Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu headed home, and soon they started gossiping in low voices. In Blackwood Village, houses were mostly made of wood and stone. The Central Area contained the dwellings of Landlord Old Cai, the person who oversaw Blackwood Village. In contrast, the house of the siblings, Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu, was on the farthest outskirts of Blackwood Village. If wild beasts decided to attack the village, the Lu family would be the first to be met with catastrophe. With people at the periphery used as the buffers, those in the Central Area would have enough time to respond. The three siblings¡¯ house was built of the Black Wood that came from Blackwood Mountain located due north of Blackwood Village. It was the wood that gave the area its name. Black Wood was strong, sturdy, and outside of its depressing appearance, it also offered shelter from the wind and rain. There were two rooms in the house. The one inside was a bedroom with two beds, a large one and a small one. The room outside it was the kitchen, which was rather rudimentary. ¡°Qingfeng!¡± As soon as they arrived at their home, they saw a teenage boy, who was similar to Lu Qingfeng in appearance, squatting at the door with his chin supported on his hand. Noticing them coming, he immediately jumped to his feet. This young man was about 13 or 14 years of age. He looked rather silly and also like a slave boy. He was Lu Qingfeng¡¯s younger brother, the second brother who Lu Qingyu had been referring to. ¡°Qingfeng, I don¡¯t wanna go to Ganoderma Mountain!¡± At this moment, after all the shocks, Lu Qingshan was in a state of utter stupefaction. He reached out his hand to grab Lu Qingfeng¡¯s arm. His voice was weepy and hoarse. ¡°You¡¯re a man, but all you ever know how to do is to cry! If crying could solve a problem, I¡¯d cry every day!¡± Lu Qingyu indignantly threw her hoe at the corner of the wall and shouted at Lu Qingshan. ¡°Qingfeng, please help me, I really don¡¯t wanna go to Ganoderma Mountain! The Truth Sect are a bunch of b*stards. I don¡¯t wanna go!¡± Lu Qingshan ignored his sister and pleaded with Lu Qingfeng while grabbing his arm. ¡°Stop saying things aloud like you hate the Truth Sect. Just keep that in your heart.¡± Lu Qingfeng glanced outside the door and gave Lu Qingshan a solemn look, which immediately made him stand up straight. Lu Qingyu squatted in the corner and said in a crisp voice, ¡°Yeah. Big brother has taught you so many times, but still you refuse to listen. Revenge is not something you can execute with just your mouth. You have to keep it in your heart and prove it by action!¡± ¡°Who said that I don¡¯t have it in my heart.¡± Lu Qingshan was so p*ssed that he could not even speak. ¡°Enough, keep quiet, Qingyu.¡± Lu Qingfeng shut up Lu Qingyu, who was about to counterattack. He turned to Lu Qingshan and said solemnly, ¡°The Truth Sect selects disciples and slaves from Jiuzhai County every year. Since you passed their selection process, you cannot run away even if you wish to. You must go even if you really don¡¯t want to. You only have a little time left to pack your luggage. From now on, I ask, you answer, I talk, you listen. Don¡¯t interrupt me, do you understand?¡± Lu Qingfeng grabbed Lu Qingshan¡¯s shoulder and tried to calm himself down so that he did not display any panic in front of his younger brother. ¡°Qingfeng, I¡­I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Lu Qingshan¡¯s eyes were red. Holding back his tears, he forcefully nodded his head. ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t interrupt me either.¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at Lu Qingyu, who was sitting in the corner. ¡°Got it.¡± Lu Qingyu nodded her tiny head. ¡°Qingshan, have you been selected by the Truth Sect as a formal disciple or a labor disciple?¡± Lu Qingfeng turned to look at Lu Qingshan and asked. ¡°Labor disciple.¡± ¡°The guy from the Truth Sect said that my qualities were average, so I could just barely make it as a Truth Sect¡¯s labor disciple.¡± In Lu Qingshan¡¯s heart, he was afraid and confused. Whatever questions his elder brother asked, he would answer. ¡°Labor disciple! I knew it!¡± Lu Qingfeng frowned as his heart sank right to the bottom of his stomach. In the Truth Sect, disciples were classified as formal disciples and labor disciples. Among these two, a formal disciple was an existence that could reach a higher level in their studies and hold extraordinary positions in the Truth Sect. The labor disciples, on the other hand, were equivalent to slaves of the Truth Sect. Although they could also be bestowed with the gift of martial arts techniques, they would have to do labor work for the Truth Sect, tend to their herb gardens, or be responsible for various miscellaneous trivialities. If they accidentally offended a formal disciple, deacon, or elder, they would be beaten to death with no compensation for their families. The life of labor disciples was the lowliest of all existences¡­ If Lu Qingshan had joined the Truth Sect as a formal disciple, at least he would still have had a master to provide him with some form of protection, but as a labor disciple, he would be entirely on his own while he must strive in his cultivation, become a formal disciple as soon as possible, and get rid of his status as a labor disciple. But cultivating and becoming a formal disciple was by no means an easy task! ¡°Qingshan, listen to me closely. From today onward, you must not show any of your hatred about father¡¯s death in front of anyone. When you go to the Truth Sect, all you have to care about is to cultivate. This is both a crisis and a challenge. As long as you do well in your cultivation and become a formal disciple of the Truth Sect, there will be hope for revenge.¡± ¡°That being said, before we can have our great revenge, do not let yourself do anything reckless and impulsive!¡± ¡°Only if you survive in the Truth Sect will Qingyu and I be able to achieve our hope of avenging father.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s face had become extremely serious. Although his 16-year-old body looked a little worn out by his long-term labor, his eyes were exceptionally bright and firm. Having experienced two lives as a human, he was able to drag out an ignoble existence. But his brother, Lu Qingshan, was just a boy. The Truth Sect was no place for kindness. Once he revealed even a tinge of his hatred, there would be unpredictable consequences. He had no choice but to exhort his brother sternly. ¡°B¡­brother, I¡­I¡¯m scared.¡± Lu Qingshan¡¯s voice was trembling. Forcefully holding back his tears, he raised his head and looked at Lu Qingfeng. ¡°You are a man. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. If anyone dares to bully you, just hit them back once you become stronger!¡± Lu Qingyu couldn¡¯t help herself. She had to interject something in the end. Back in the old days, when the three of them were badly bullied by Zhou Quan, no matter what, they couldn¡¯t seem to beat him. At last, the eldest brother used more than 20 grain cakes and exchanged them for a hatchet from the blacksmith, Mr. Zhang. And finally, didn¡¯t they manage to intimidate Zhou Quan with all the beatings they gave him? Thus, Lu Qingyu knew from an early age that if you got bullied, you must hit back. Even if you can¡¯t defeat your enemy right away, you must remember that when you gain strength, you will return them the favor. They yelled at Lu Qingshan. But, surprisingly, he did not quarrel with Lu Qingyu. He only lifted his head to look at Lu Qingfeng and said in a whisper, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m not scared anymore.¡± ¡°The Truth Sect might be dangerous, but labor disciples are not the minority. If others can survive, so can you!¡± Lu Qingfeng patted Lu Qingshan¡¯s shoulders and comforted him. ¡°The rations of labor disciples have to be provided by their own families. In the future, I¡¯ll deliver food to you once every seven days.¡± ¡­ Finally, the day came when Lu Qingshan left Blackwood Village with the Truth Sect¡¯s Sage. Lu Qingfeng saw him off. He saw that the Sage from the Truth Sect was tall and sturdy in physique, had a cleaver tied behind his back, was fierce in appearance, and had absolutely no demeanor that resembled a Sage. Every step he made seemed like a dragon or a tiger¡¯s walk. One of his single steps spanned an entire three feet in distance. Lu Qingshan and the other new labor disciples could only keep up with him by running at their absolute limits, which was a very strenuous thing to do. This was not the first time that Lu Qingfeng had seen these Sages from the Truth Sect. Every time he saw them, he would get this feeling of inferiority that raised up from the depths of his heart. Such a feeling would put one into despair. The one who took Lu Qingshan away was just an ordinary disciple. It was said that on Ganoderma Mountain, there were elders and suzerains even higher up the power levels who were famous throughout the Guangyuan Commandery. The heights they had attained were no different than true deities. The Truth Sect had mastery over the arts of cultivation, control over the tens of thousands of civilians in Jiuzhai County, and were hailed as Sages. And what about Lu Qingfeng? He was just a frail young man who hadn¡¯t accomplished anything in the 16 years of his life and couldn¡¯t even get enough food and clothes for himself. The disparity between these people was simply incalculable! Night fell. Lu Qingfeng lay on his hard bed, tossing and turning. He couldn¡¯t seem to fall asleep. Since his father¡¯s death, he, his younger brother, Lu Qingshan, and his younger sister, Lu Qingyu, mutually depended on each other for survival. For more than three years, this was the first time he had spent the night in his Blackwood shack with just Qingyu. ¡°I wonder how Qingshan is doing.¡± Lu Qingfeng had his mind stuffed with just Lu Qingshan. This younger brother of his had been walking behind his back since they were little. The brothers were very close to each other. Now that they had been separated for the very first time, Lu Qingfeng was very unaccustomed to it and, what¡¯s more, very worried. ¡°This cursed world!¡± After tossing and turning some more, Lu Qingfeng gave up on sleeping. He got into a sitting position and started recalling the bits and pieces of the past 16 years. Lu Qingfeng was not a native of this world. In his previous life, he had been an earthling. He¡¯d grown up in China and had made some small achievements in his career. He was considered a promising young man. During a trip, he¡¯d had a car accident in which he had lost consciousness. When he¡¯d opened his eyes once again, he¡¯d become a crying baby, born into this tiny village of Blackwood. When he was four, after his mother gave birth to his sister, Lu Qingyu, she died because of the difficult labor. His father, Lu Shitou, brought up the three siblings, Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu. However, even a storm may arise from a clear sky. When Lu Qingfeng was 13 years old, his family¡¯s five acres of farmland were ruined by mountain badgers, and they were left with no harvest. Having no harvest meant that they wouldn¡¯t be able to pay tribute to the Truth Sect. When Lu Shitou went to Ganoderma Mountain to plead for an accommodation, the Truth Sect¡¯s Outer Affairs Officer ordered him to be flogged 10 lashes. Lu Shitou, who was sick due to his constant overwork, couldn¡¯t pull through and passed away, leaving behind 13-year-old Lu Qingfeng, 11-year-old Lu Qingshan, and nine-year-old Lu Qingyu. From then on, Lu Qingfeng worked day and night, went out early and returned late, and while barely supporting himself, he managed to raise his younger siblings. Another three years went by in a flash. Now Lu Qingfeng was already 16 years old, and he was still wasting his youth in Blackwood Village. This world was extremely dangerous. Outside Blackwood Village, there were all kinds of ferocious beasts. With Lu Qingfeng¡¯s tiny physique, he would have been eaten by wild beasts within five miles of the village. Or maybe¡­ With the Truth Sect ruling over Jiuzhai County and enslaving all the civilians of Jiuzhai, if he were to flee, he would be discovered by the village head immediately and then be recovered by the Sages of the Truth Sect who would have him beaten to death. What¡¯s more, even his family members would be punished. Absolutely no one was confident enough to try to escape the grasp of the Sages. So does Lu Qingfeng have the capability to flee along with his younger siblings. It was kind of ridiculous to even talk about this. As someone who had traveled from another world, Lu Qingfeng had no knowledge about gunpowder, shells, waterwheels, or textile machines. But even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t be bold enough to show them in Blackwood Village since it was ruled by a system that was somewhere between slavery and feudalism. It was the tallest trees in the woods that would get their tops blown off! In Blackwood Village, Lu Qingfeng disguised himself just like any ordinary villager. Over time, even he himself felt that he was no different from them. If one were to compare himself with them and insist that he was somewhat different, it would only be on a spiritual level. Ordinary villagers were completely numb as they had accepted the reality of being enslaved by the Truth Sect. But Lu Qingfeng was not! He was always thinking about how to escape from Blackwood Village, how to wriggle out from the claws of the Truth Sect, and even how he could overthrow the Truth Sect! However¡­16 years have gone by, and he had accomplished nothing. The gap between ordinary people and cultivators was too great to be overcome. Once, Lu Qingfeng had hoped to be chosen to enter the Truth Sect. Even as a labor disciple, there would still be a glimmer of hope. However, in the Truth Sect¡¯s selection held every year, from the age of 12 until the previous year, Lu Qingfeng had failed to meet the standards and was brushed aside. ¡°Truth Sect?¡± ¡°More like Truth Cult!¡± Lu Qingfeng clenched his fists. From what he had learned over the past 16 years, this so-called Truth Sect was undoubtedly a cult. They took human life lightly and enslaved all the living! This itself was an insurmountable mountain that was pressed against his heart and couldn¡¯t be moved away. ¡°Perhaps Qingshan entering the Truth Sect is a chance!¡± Lu Qingfeng tried to sort out his thoughts. Having been given the chance to live again and what¡¯s more, in such a mysterious world, his wish was definitely not to drag out an ignoble existence. ¡°Qingfeng, are you still awake?¡± Amid the darkness, Lu Qingyu whispered to him. ¡°Yeah.¡± Hearing his sister, Lu Qingfeng looked at her through the darkness, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Lu Qingyu had curled herself up into a ball. She had a strange feeling in her heart. This feeling was almost the same as when her father had passed away three years ago. It was sour, strange, and uncomfortable. ¡°You miss your second brother?¡± Lu Qingfeng asked. ¡°As if! He loves to cry so much, why would I miss him?¡± Lu Qingyu spoke quite loudly. ¡°Go to sleep then. You can sleep a little while longer tomorrow.¡± Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t want to break through his sister¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Fine.¡± Lu Qingyu responded softly and plunged into a drawn-out silence. After an unknown length of time, Lu Qingfeng heard faint sobbing and the sound of feet padding over. Immediately after, he felt a little person crawling up and snuggling into his arms, ¡°Qingfeng, I want to sleep with you tonight.¡± As the little girl said that, her breath puffed on his face. It was itchy. ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Qingfeng held his little sister in his arms and gently patted her back with his palm. Like this, the siblings fell asleep. ¡­ Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Qingfeng rushed to Ganoderma Mountain with coarse grain cakes. Ganoderma Mountain was located to the east of Blackwood Village. It was named after the yellow Ganoderma that grew there. The Truth Sect was located right within Ganoderma Mountain. Without even entering Ganoderma Mountain, Lu Qingfeng could see Lu Qingshan waiting at its edge. He was sticking his head out and looking around. Along with Lu Qingshan, there were more than ten other labor disciples. ¡°Qingfeng!¡± Seeing Lu Qingfeng appearing, Lu Qingshan trotted forward to meet him with a joyful expression on his face. Having not seen each other for a few days, it was already evident that Lu Qingshan had lost a lot of weight. The hair on his left side was hanging down, covering his left cheek, which made him look a little strange. ¡°What happened to your face?¡± Lu Qingfeng pointed at the left side of Lu Qingshan¡¯s face and asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I accidentally fell down.¡± Lu Qingshan grinned. The grin seemed to be affecting his wound, and the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably. ¡°Be careful when you walk.¡± Lu Qingfeng took the package from his back, handed it to Lu Qingshan, and advised him. ¡°This is your ration for seven days. Be thrifty with it. I will bring you some dried fish when I come next time.¡± ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Lu Qingshan took the package. His nose became snotty and his eyes became red in spite of himself. ¡°Qingyu is going to make those for you. These two days, she¡¯s going to go to the mountain to find some trefoil that will get rid of the fishy stench. She said that it is to prevent you from smelling like fish after you eat the dried fish.¡± ¡°She asked me this morning to let her come along to see you. But I didn¡¯t agree because this place is too far away.¡± Lu Qingfeng got his younger brother, whom he had not seen for several days, to sit down. When he saw the scar on the left side of his face under his fluttering hair, the inside of his heart twitched slightly. ¡°The cursed Truth Sect!¡± Needless to say, this scar resembled whip lashes and was definitely not caused by a fall! ¡°As if Qingyu will wanna come and see me!¡± Lu Qingshan pouted, but couldn¡¯t help asking later, ¡°Did she really want you to bring me dried fish and annoyed you to bring her to come and see me?¡± ¡°Annoyed¡­me?¡± Lu Qingfeng held back the bitterness of his heart, drew up the corners of his mouth, and smirked as he nodded. ¡°Hmph! As if I believe that.¡± Lu Qingshan lifted his chin, and he couldn¡¯t hide the smile on his face. ¡°Tell me, what have you been doing these last few days? What have you learned?¡± Lu Qingfeng asked some questions after he¡¯d told his younger brother about some things that had happened back home. The brothers chatted about tea-making at the slope. Subsequently, Lu Qingshan hurried back to the Ganoderma Mountain Labor Hall. Lu Qingfeng stared at Lu Qingshan¡¯s back. He saw that as he was holding the package in his arms, he didn¡¯t dare to push his right leg too hard when he was running, which made him seem like he was limping. ¡°This poor kid¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng saw Lu Qingshan off with his eyes and looked up at Ganoderma Mountain. Ganoderma Mountain was not high, but the trees were tall and luxuriantly green. The Truth Sect was hidden somewhere in there, hidden by trees that left no traces to be seen. At a glance, he could feel that Ganoderma Mountain was a murky place that seemed like a demon¡¯s cave. It also looked like a fierce and demonic beast that had its mouth wide open, and Lu Qingshan was striding into it, vanishing into the demon¡¯s cave that was like a basin of blood. ¡­ More than three months went by in a flash. During this period of time, Lu Qingfeng delivered rations to Lu Qingshan every seven days. Lu Qingshan became thinner and thinner every time he visited, and the injuries on his body were increasing more and more. Before the scar on his left cheek had completely healed, another lash mark had been added to his right cheek. Lu Qingshan could hide it no more finally. He only told Lu Qingfeng that he had accidentally provoked the person in charge of the labor disciples and had been whipped a few times. Lu Qingfeng lifted up Lu Qingshan¡¯s upper garment and saw that his body was scrawny as a skeleton and densely covered in lash marks. There were new ones, and there were old ones. He pretended not to care and even grinned to comfort Lu Qingfeng. ¡°If this goes on, I think Qingshan will get beaten to death.¡± Inside the Blackwood shack, Lu Qingfeng sat on the rock-like bed while frowning. Qingyu had already gone to her little bed and had fallen asleep. After sitting for a while, Lu Qingfeng got out of bed and took out a few pieces from the pile of bark inside the wooden box under his bed. With the aid of the moonlight, he could see that there were tiny humans on the bark who were making body gestures that were very particular in their punches and kicks. Next to the pattern, there were texts that resembled script. By guessing, Lu Qingfeng could discern a portion of the characters. In addition, he had been learning this world¡¯s written text with Lu Qingshan for the past few months. Hence, he had no problem in understanding the texts. ¡°Art of Truth.¡± ¡°Bullock Fist.¡± Lu Qingfeng read one word after another. Lu Qingshan had entered the Truth Sect. Although he was a labor disciple, in addition to performing various chores, he could also cultivate. In the first three months, he had learned about texts and drawings of all kinds of meridian paths of the human body. A few days ago, he had finally started being formally taught the first level of the Art of Truth and the Bullock Fist. The Art of Truth was a meditation technique that focused on the perception of one¡¯s fetal breath and developing one¡¯s sense of Chi. It was said to be the most authentic technique exclusive to the Truth Sect, which was even famous throughout the Guangyuan Commandery. As for its specifics, he had no idea about those. The Bullock Fist, on the other hand, was part of a physical martial arts routine that would exercise one¡¯s physique and strength. Lu Qingfeng took advantage of the opportunity of taking Lu Qingshan rations every seven days to learn about writing, understanding meridians, acupoints, etc¡­. In short, he didn¡¯t miss even a single thing that Lu Qingshan had learned. Yesterday, Lu Qingshan had even risked his life to secretly teach Lu Qingfeng his newly acquired Art of Truth and Bullock Fist. If this kind of private teaching was discovered by the Truth Sect, the brothers, and even their sister, Lu Qingyu, would have to die without anyone ever finding their final resting places. However, Lu Qingfeng was extremely cautious, and Qingshan and Qingyu also kept their mouths tightly sealed. Hence, he had no worries about being discovered. It was just that whether it was the exclusive technique of the Art of Truth or the physical moves of the Bullock Fist, they consumed a lot of physical strength. Once I start cultivating, my need for food will at least double in amount. All kinds of meat and herbs will also be essential, otherwise, before I can even master them, my body will crumble. Lu Qingfeng pondered all this in his heart. The deprived study literature, while the wealthy practice martial arts. The three siblings were even having a hard time trying to fill their tummies, so how could he even be thinking about cultivating? ¡°Is this really it for me for my entire life?¡± Previously, he had had no way to come into contact with cultivation, never mind achieving transcendency. However, now that he had the Art of Truth and the Bullock Fist at hand, how could he be toppled by mere hindrances? Lu Qingfeng held the bark and turned to look at the hatchet that was shining after being polished at the tip of his bed. He made up his mind. ¡°If I can¡¯t change my fate, what¡¯s the point of living a meaningless life! Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to the west side of the mountain. If I get lucky enough to be able to kill a wild boar, Qingshan and I will have half a month¡¯s resources for us to cultivate!¡± ¡°No matter how bad it gets, I need to let Qingshan cultivate with peace of mind!¡± However, hunting wasn¡¯t all that easy to do, and wild boars weren¡¯t that easy to deal with either. Given Lu Qingfeng¡¯s small physique, if a wild boar cub were to hit him, his bones would break apart, turning him into rations for the wild boars. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get a look at the situation first. I¡¯m not in a hurry to kill one anyway. I¡¯ll maybe try a trap or something.¡± With tomorrow¡¯s plan in mind, Lu Qingfeng hid the bark that recorded the Art of Truth and Bullock Fist under his bed, rested his head on the hatchet at his bedside, and fell asleep. ¡­ Chapter 2 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Beyond Blackwood Village, the stars of night flickered. Within the Blackwood shack, Qingyu was sleeping soundly as she snored faintly. Lu Qingfeng was, likewise, in the land of Nod. However, in the wide ocean of his nighttime thoughts, a ring with the carvings of a dragon and a phoenix could be seen shining brightly. [Detected that player is over 16 years old. Log-in ring activated¡­] [Log-in ring bound. Exclusive code generated. Basic attribute generated¡­] [Please log in to ¡°Primitive¡±. We wish you a pleasant gaming experience!] Lu Qingfeng abruptly opened his eyes. He could still see the twinkling ring carved with a dragon and a phoenix in his mind. Subsequently, a message arrived in his mind. In the primordial world, 3,000 Demon Lords were running amok amid the chaos. The almighty Pangu severed heaven and earth, bringing about the times of great antiquity. Since then, the world has experienced countless disasters and unending pandemonium, giving birth to a myriad of Abhijnas and zillions of legends¡­ The massive immersive online game ¡°Primitive¡± will take you to the time of the eighth disaster the world had experienced after the sword fight at Mount Shu. ¡­ ¡°¡®Primitive¡¯, an online game, huh?¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s thoughts were racing as he looked at the log-in ring. Suddenly, emotional flutters emerged in his heart. This was a massive immersive online game that had the primordial world as its background. It was said that one could not only choose to enter the game with one¡¯s real body, but one could also take the various martial arts techniques, Abhijnas, and magic artifacts from the game back to reality. The Human Federation, which had developed ¡°Primitive¡±, had brought about the creation of countless powerful aces through the game, and even legendary Sages who commanded the galaxy and repressed thousands of alien races across the universe. ¡°Perhaps this is the cheat code that came late!¡± ¡°Log in!¡± Without panic, hesitation, or any unnecessary questioning, Lu Qingfeng followed the instructions of the log-in ring and directly logged into ¡°Primitive¡±! ¡­ Ka-boom! A great primordial thunder reverberated in his head and lightning flashed across his eyes. All he could see was nothingness, a field of chaos. Amid the vast entropy, a giant of unknown size and height was holding an enormous axe in his hand. With a fierce swing of the axe, the primordial world was cleaved apart, and heaven and earth came to light. Amid the consequent maelstrom, none of the 3,000 bloodthirsty Demon Lords survived! They either plunged into the chaos of the world or had their blood and souls plummet into the brand-new primordial world. Many years passed in the blink of an eye. The blood and soul of the Demon Lords gave birth to legions of kinds of beasts. The skies and land of the primordial realm nurtured incalculable numbers of mythical creatures. Beasts and mythical creatures were rampant across the primordial world. The primordial world that had just been cleaved apart plunged into unceasing massacres. All of the beasts were at war. The three kinds of beasts, dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns, fought for supremacy. This meant that one¡¯s rise was the other¡¯s downfall. Then came the war between Demons and Taoists. The Forefather of Demons, Rahul, and the Taoist Antecedent, Hongjun, conducted the war between good and evil. Lu Qingfeng quietly watched the evolution of the primitive world from the sidelines. The scenes before him went from the Great Tribulation when Pangu severed heaven and earth, to the adversity of beasts, the three races¡¯ fight for supremacy, the battle between Demons and Taoists, the war between religions¡­ There was also the calamity of witchcraft and the destruction of Mount Buzhou. In the Tribulation of the Chosen One, Emperor Xuanyuan and Chiyou of the Nine Li tribe fought against each other. Mankind had arisen! In the Investiture of the Gods, the primitive world shattered, the religion of Jie declined, and Buddhism was born. In the Journey to the West, dharma blazed from the East. Buddhism had flourished! In the sword fight at Mount Shu, the Investiture of the Gods was re-lived. The Eighth Saint of the primitive world returned. ¡­ The scenes flickered quickly before his eyes. The myths and legends he was familiar with from his previous life were falling apart at a rapid pace. In a trance, Lu Qingfeng felt a powerful force dragging him. When he opened his eyes once again, he was in a building. The clamor in his ears had intensified. Silhouettes continued to appear. A long-lost sense of familiarity filled Lu Qingfeng¡¯s heart. Lu Qingfeng looked up and saw three gigantic words above the building: Pool of Reincarnation. ¡°Pool of Reincarnation?¡± ¡°Ha, ha! I can finally log into ¡®Primitive¡¯!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been 16 long years! I¡¯ve almost been suffocated.¡± ¡­ Soon, he could hear the cheering of teenagers. ¡°In an immersive online game, the Pool of Reincarnation is probably the default spawn point.¡± Looking at these teenagers, who were either really excited and lively or pretending to be pondering something, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but smile. A situation such as this was rarely seen in the depressing Blackwood Village. Even during the harvest season each year, the emotions on the faces of the villagers would still be mostly of sadness and solemnity. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Along with all the rambunctious noise, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s 16 years of depression dissipated slightly. Subsequently, along with the cheering teenagers, he walked out of the Pool of Reincarnation. He passed through what seemed to be a layer of space. When he emerged from it, he had arrived in a bustling small town. ¡°For this game, you can choose to enter the game with your real body. This is no longer just a virtual online game.¡± ¡°But when I was logging in just now, why didn¡¯t the system prompt me to choose whether I wanted to log in with my real body?¡± Lu Qingfeng hesitated in his heart. Although his current body felt extremely real, it was in fact just a vessel generated by the game, not his real body. In other words, without being able to select himself, the system defaults had entered the game for him as a conscious soul while his body remained behind in reality. This didn¡¯t match the game description that had been shown to him before he logged into the game. ¡°I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head and immediately thought about the contents of the novels about online games that he had read in his past life. Silently, he chanted in his heart, Attribute Panel. Before him, a virtual panel emerged: Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 (0/1) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)] Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None As Lu Qingfeng had expected, his Attribute Panel could be described as empty. However, stamina, strength, attack, defense, and the values of other attributes weren¡¯t displayed on the Attribute Panel. ¡°An immersive online game¡­,¡± Lu Qingfeng ruminated. He looked around. The pedestrians and buildings that had come into sight looked real. If he woke up and appeared in this place, Lu Qingfeng would think that he had traversed worlds again. ¡°Look!¡± ¡°A Sword Sage!¡± Surprised voices abruptly struck his ears. Hearing these sounds, Lu Qingfeng raised his head and saw a ray of white light flickering in the sky, which quickly vanished. Immediately after, dozens of white, blue, and red rays of light flickered past. Gusts of piercing sword auras wafted across space, tearing the skies apart and sending chills down Lu Qingfeng¡¯s spine. ¡°Sword Sages?¡± ¡°They are flying on the lights of their swords! This is way more awesome than those so-called Sages of the Truth Sect.¡± Lu Qingfeng raised his head, watching the dozens of the swords¡¯ light rays disappear, as he was exclaiming in his heart. The disciples of the Truth Sect were at best at the level of martial artists. They had not yet broken through the customs of the mortal world. Their strengths might be powerful, but they could only shatter rocks. Their speed might be fast, but they could only maneuver on the ground. They have no Abhijna such as these Sword Sages riding on sword lights in the sky! ¡°So, how do I play this game? And how will it help me?¡± Lu Qingfeng looked over the Attribute Panel again, and his eyes fell on the Technique column. The other columns were empty; only the Technique column had any information. ¡°Yellow Court Classic.¡± ¡°This is something passed down by the Taoist Antecedent, Hongjun, in myths and legends. In ¡®Primitive¡¯, it should be the most powerful art. Why does it appear in my Technique column?¡± ¡°Could this be a fundamental technique that all players have by default?¡± Lu Qingfeng thought about it for a bit and chanted softly to open the Technique column. [Technique: Yellow Court Classic] [Grade: Antecedent] [Cultivation Stage Requirement: None] [Technique Characteristics: Ability Upgrade; Commanding Power; Karma Nullification] [Remark: The grades of a Technique are divided into: Preliminary, Refined, Lateral, Authentic, Mystical, Unrivaled, Primate, and Antecedent] ¡°Antecedent.¡± ¡°Sure enough, it is the highest level of techniques in ¡®Primitive¡¯. Looks like it isn¡¯t a default technique for all players.¡± Lu Qingfeng speculated after checking the specific information of ¡°Yellow Court Classic¡±. However, he couldn¡¯t be asking other players about this matter. Fortunately, whether it was a default technique for all players or not, it wouldn¡¯t affect Lu Qingfeng at all. This itself was always a good thing. ¡°Before entering the game, there is a general introduction to ¡®Primitive¡¯ and a log-in guide. After entering the game, absolutely no guidance is provided, and players will have to explore on their own.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s feelings about the authenticity of this game intensified. It was just that for him, the most important thing now wasn¡¯t the game, but to discover how this game could help him in reality. ¡°There are three possibilities.¡± ¡°First, one¡¯s cultivation level, character level, techniques, equipment, and yada yada can be brought out of the game and into reality. If that¡¯s the case, with the current state of the world in ¡®Primitive¡¯, any treasure would be enough to help me through my current adversities.¡± ¡°Second, nothing can be redeemed. However, the experiences, various techniques, magic, Abhijna, and whatnot from ¡®Primitive¡¯ can be cultivated by oneself in reality. With the realistic levels of ¡®Primitive¡¯, perhaps techniques from inside the game could be realized in reality.¡± ¡°Third, which is the worst possibility, nothing can be redeemed, nor can any techniques or anything else be cultivated in real life, making it a game that is absolutely useless to reality.¡± Naturally, what Lu Qingfeng was looking forward to was the first possibility. In the introduction to the game of ¡°Primitive¡±, it seemed to imply the first possibility. But being unable to go into the game with his real body when he was logging in made Lu Qingfeng wonder that maybe the treasures or even the techniques and Abhijnas of the game couldn¡¯t be brought into reality, and thus neither could the techniques in ¡°Primitive¡± be cultivated in reality. If so, this game would be absolutely unappetizing to him. However, regardless of what it turned out to be, he still had to give it a go. ¡°Exit game.¡± As soon as he prompted this with his mind, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s consciousness returned, and he had already exited the game. In the Blackwood shack, Qingyu was still sleeping as soundly as before. In the darkness, Lu Qingfeng got up into a sitting position and whispered, ¡°Call upon the Attribute Panel.¡± In the silent Blackwood shack, all that could be heard was Lu Qingfeng¡¯s voice, which had become hoarse due to his excessive nervousness, and Qingyu¡¯s light snoring. Name: Lu Qingfeng [Real Body] Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 (0/1) Destined Lifespan: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)] Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None ¡°The Attribute Panel can be brought into reality!¡± Lu Qingfeng felt ecstatic. Being able to call upon the Attribute Panel in reality would at least prove that this game could interfere with reality. ¡°Let me test the technique.¡± Lu Qingfeng tapped on ¡°Yellow Court Classic¡±, and paragraphs of obscure texts suddenly emerged from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Beneath Yuanshi Tianzun of the Three Clarities lies the Supreme Venerable Sovereign. In the Seven Mirror Chamber in His dwellings, one shall merge with the Five Primordial Elements, making them one with thee. In the Yellow Court, the harp of souls plays, balancing thy meridians, and cultivating thy Spirit of Natal. When thy meridians flow, so do the Chi of the Nine Suns. Chi condenses into purple haze, enlightening thy eyes, so that they can never go astray. By comprehending the contents of the Yellow Court, attaining divinity will be a dream no more. Calamities will be gone and thy life prolonged, but, certainly, this is only for a few after all¡­¡± Within his body, a refreshing sensation emerged at this time. Lu Qingfeng felt comfortable all over, with a burst of clarity in his mind. After a short while, he stopped, checked his body, and brought up the Attribute Panel again. There were no changes to his Cultivation Stage, Level, Destined Life Span, Technique, and so on. ¡°Cultivation is by no means an easy task. The Yellow Court Classic is a supreme Antecedent-grade technique in ¡®Primitive¡¯. Cultivating in it will be very hard, and making progress will be even harder.¡± Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t feel dispirited. Instead, he was happy. Since the Yellow Court Classic could indeed be practiced in reality, at least his second guess must be correct. ¡°I have to get in again. This time, I need to focus and find out if I can bring my cultivation and items from the game into reality.¡± Lu Qingfeng lay down silently and once again logged into ¡°Primitive¡±. ¡­ Chapter 3 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Since the dawn of time, the primordial world had been constantly expanding. For hundreds of millions of years, there was no limit to the height of the skies, to the thickness of the earth. There were no borders, no horizons it couldn¡¯t cross! After the Investiture of the Gods, the primordial world shattered and was divided into the Four Great Continents: Purvavideha, Aparagodaniya, Jambudvipa, and Uttarakuru. Beyond the Four Great Continents lay the boundless Four Seas. Above them were the nine layers of heaven. And beneath them were nine layers of the nether world. Beyond the Four Great Continents and outside the Four Seas, there was an unending void. In the void, there were countless massive and tiny worlds. Like the stars that spun around the moon, they surrounded and orbited the Four Great Continents and the Four Seas, the core of the primordial world. Beyond this realm, there was the starry sky. In the stars of the cosmos, countless living entities were raised and nurtured. It had been 3,800 years since the launch of ¡°Primitive¡±. So far, the players¡¯ footprints had been limited to a small area. Players who were born in the Four Great Continents lived in an infinitely vast area. Even if one was born on an inconspicuous island in the Eastern Sea, if one¡¯s cultivation had not attained the Mahayana stage, one would never be able to leave. Most players spent their entire lives just wandering around their birthplaces, unable to escape. The place where Lu Qingfeng had been born was in a solitary continent outside Uttarakuru, which was billions of miles away from the realm of the Earth Deities, where the Four Great Continents were located. It was said that there were once players who had ascended into the Mahayana stage from this continent. Being aware that it was impossible for them to go through Heaven¡¯s Tribulation from this continent, they¡¯d attempted to traverse the void to find opportunities in Uttarakuru. But ultimately, they¡¯d lost themselves in the endless void and perished. ¡­ Tenko Realm * 100 Sierra Archipelago * Seven Sword Ridge * Elephant King City * Emery Town ¡°My current location is in Emery Town, which is a beginner¡¯s town.¡± Lu Qingfeng wandered around Emery Town twice and acquired a lot of information. Emery Town was a satellite of Elephant King City, while Elephant King City was one of 1,200 cities across the 800 hills of the Seven Sword Ridge that was governed by the Seven Great Sword Sects. However, the massive Seven Sword Ridge was no more than an area in an inconspicuous island in the 100 Sierra Archipelago. ¡°Such an enormous map. Had this game really been developed by the Human Federation?¡± Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but doubt it. His doubt was obviously meaningless. Likewise, Elephant King City, Seven Sword Ridge, and 100 Sierra Archipelago had nothing to do with Lu Qingfeng in his current state. He continued to walk around to familiarize himself with Emery Town. In Emery Town, beginners occupied an overwhelming proportion of the population and owned guilds, large and small. Among them were dozens of established guilds that had almost risen to the level of establishing their own sects. Some of the guilds had been established with the support of the sects around Elephant King City and Emery Town that specialized in absorbing and filtering out prodigious disciples. ¡°The Celestial Pool Guild is recruiting. Requirement: level 10 and above, plus mastery over a combat-style magic class or physical martial art.¡± ¡°The Guild of Imperial City is welcoming aces to join us. Requirement: level 21 and above, and at least a level 3 in any combat-style magic class.¡± ¡°The Guild of Sword Sage is recruiting. Level 10 and above.¡± ¡­ Passing by the Guild Square, Lu Qingfeng saw a crowd of people. Numerous guilds were continuously screening and recruiting newcomers. Oodles of beginners were also here to select a guild that was suitable for themselves. In ¡°Primitive¡±, natives and players and the offspring of players have been mixed together for a very long time. They are basically indistinguishable on the surface. The same goes for Emery Town. The population base of the Human Federation is colossal. There will be teenagers hitting the age of 16 at all times, becoming eligible to join ¡°Primitive¡± and become beginner players. These beginner players can go to shops and government offices to receive quests and also join major guilds to acquire starting resources. Lu Qingfeng spent most of the day in Emery Town, and he barely got acquainted with the West City District. For him to visit the whole of Emery Town, it would take at least three to five days. Emery Town was called a town, but its area was not at all small. The urban area alone spanned 40 to 50 miles in both vertical and horizontal directions. The town¡¯s permanent population was over 200,000. If you included the villages on the periphery of Emery Town, the total population was at least 500,000. As a beginner in ¡°Primitive¡±, if you don¡¯t have elders to guide you, if you¡¯re alone, fighting mobs outside the city to level up will be the last thing you want to do. Most players choose to join a guild or join Tool Refining Workshops, Pill Refining Workshops, or Rune Refining Workshops as apprentices. Via this method, you will not only obtain the initial basic techniques, but you will also earn a certain amount of cultivation resources, and, at the same time, master a secondary profession. The many benefits one may gain from this method naturally make it a top choice. Lu Qingfeng came to the entrance of a Pill Refining Workshop named Worriless. The Worriless Pill Refining Workshop wasn¡¯t huge in its scale. There was a notice posted on the front of their door: ¡°The Worriless Pill Refining Workshop is recruiting apprentices. After signing a contract, the player will be given one basic technique, one basic pill refining technique, five Yellow Dragon pills, and five Gorge Sundering Pills. One month after signing the contract, the player must be able to handle a minimum of ten basic medicinal herbs for the Pill Refining Workshop on a daily basis for one year.¡± The standards for recruiting apprentices in the major Pill Refining Workshops and Tool Refining Workshops in Emery Town were similar. They were specially prepared for beginner players like Lu Qingfeng. In simpler terms, this was an aid-the-poor kind of project. Standing in front of the notice, without even seeing any person in charge of the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop, Lu Qingfeng signed a contract with the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop. After the signing of the contract, the notice board flickered. Two books, two jade bottles, and a Bluestone Tablet were thrown out and landed in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s hands. Next to Lu Qingfeng, there were a few other beginners like him. The items they acquired were exactly the same. [Technique: Scorching Sun Classic] [Grade: Preliminary, has a total of 9 Levels] [Cultivation Stage Requirement: None] [Technique Properties: None] ¡­ [Scroll: Fundamentals of Pill Refining] [Grade: Preliminary] [Note: This basic Pill Refining manual records the handling methods of 46 kinds of medicinal herbs.] ¡­ [Pill: Yellow Dragon Pill] [Grade: Low] [Note: A cultivation pill of the Postnatal-Fetal Phase. Can slightly improve your Chi Control.] ¡­ [Pill: Fasting Pill] [Grade: Low] [Note: To be consumed during the Postnatal-Fetal Phase. Enables fasting for six days.] ¡­ [Equipment: Bluestone Tablet] [Grade: Low] [Note: Provides a beginner player with one year of accommodation. Contains a basic medicinal herb handling table. Player-bound. Belongs to the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop. Not tradable. Automatically reclaimed after one year.] ¡­ ¡°I¡¯m still worried about having no place to cultivate.¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at the Bluestone Tablet. With this Bluestone Tablet, at least in his first year after entering the game, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about having no place to live and cultivate. Unfortunately, the Bluestone Tablet could not be used outside of Emery Town, and, what¡¯s more, it would be reclaimed by the Pill Refining Workshop after one year. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been a must-have item when one was traveling. Putting away the Bluestone Tablet, Lu Qingfeng took out the Scorching Sun Classic and the Fundamentals of Pill Refining. Both of them were of the Preliminary grade. According to the introduction about the grades of techniques, techniques of the Preliminary grade could at most be cultivated up to the Foundation Building Stage. The Scorching Sun Classic that the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop provided for free was the worst among Preliminary-grade techniques. It could only be cultivated until the pinnacle of the Postnatal-Fetal Phase. ¡°The Postnatal Stage was divided into the Fetal Phase and the Genuine Chi Phase. I will have to break through the Genuine Chi Phase to ascend into the Foundation Building Stage, which is still a long way away for me. From the looks of it now, the Scorching Sun Classic seems adequate.¡± Grabbing the Scorching Sun Classic, Lu Qingfeng clapped both of his hands. A large amount of information poured into his mind. It was almost like he had been branded. It was permanently engraved in his memory. Then Lu Qingfeng clapped again with the Fundamentals of Pill Refining, and dozens of techniques and essentials of handling medicinal herbs filled his mind. Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 (0/1) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Scorching Sun Classic (Unblooded) Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining (Unblooded) ¡­ In Emery Town¡­ Within the Bluestone Tablet¡­ Lu Qingfeng was hungry. He consumed a Fasting Pill and began his first-ever cultivation. The Scorching Sun Class was the worst of the Preliminary-grade techniques. It had a total of nine Levels. By attaining Level nine, one could ascend to Level nine of the Postnatal-Fetal Phase. ¡°If this technique was placed in the Truth Sect, what grade would it be classified as? And is it on a par with the Art of Truth? I wonder.¡± Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but think about the Truth Sect. The Truth Sect ruled over the tens of thousands of people in Jiuzhai County. Their aces were even hailed as deities among mortals. But after all, they were merely a sect in the mortal realm. In the meantime, although Lu Qingfeng¡¯s technique had been acquired from ¡°Primitive¡±, it was a free gift and certainly could not be considered as precious. It was really hard to say which one was more powerful, the Scorching Sun Classic or the Art of Truth. Lu Qingfeng was planning that, after he went offline this time, he would go and find out whether he could include the Art of Truth that he had recorded on the bark in his room onto his Attribute Panel. At this moment, cultivating was more important. In ¡°Primitive¡±, there were two ways to gain levels and improve one¡¯s cultivation stage. This first method was cultivation. Whether by the procedural approach, meditation, or consuming elixirs, they were all classified under the first method. The second method was leveling via traditional mob killing. In ¡°Primitive¡±, ferocious beasts left over from the world¡¯s second calamity were everywhere. Killing these beasts would give one experience and thereby improving one¡¯s cultivation stage and level. The first method was safe but slow, while the second method was dangerous but would provide fast leveling. However, most players opted for the first method in the early stages, because once a player died in ¡°Primitive¡±, there were only two options: Resurrection and Reincarnation. Needless to say, Reincarnation was equivalent to deleting one¡¯s account and starting all over again. Aside from the acquired techniques and learned professions that couldn¡¯t be erased from one¡¯s mind, one¡¯s cultivation would be reduced to oblivion. One would also have to start over in the various spells and Abhijnas that require a lot of work. This wasn¡¯t directly giving you a 16-year-old body. One had to be brought up from infancy, and it would take an entire 16 years for one to exit the Pool of Reincarnation and start cultivating again. Even if a beginner died, they would also have to expend 16 years. One could certainly imagine the severity of the price that had to be paid. There was also an end to the life span of ¡°Primitive¡± players in reality. If one failed to break through to a certain level in their cultivation to increase their life span before their life span came to an end, it caused them to die in reality, and then they would have to Reincarnate for real. If one chose to enter the game with one¡¯s real body and one chose to Reincarnate upon death, just like the natives of ¡°Primitive¡±, their memories would be blurred, and their deaths would be exactly as if they had died for real. In short, with regard to one¡¯s real body dying, if it was in reality, it straight up meant death. If it was in the game, if one chose to enter the game with one¡¯s real body and then chose Reincarnate upon death, their deaths would be equivalent to the real deal. If one did not enter the game with one¡¯s real body and died in the game, choosing Reincarnate would be equivalent to restarting one¡¯s account. As for the Resurrection option, upon a player¡¯s death, regardless of whether one logged into the game with their real body or not, they could choose to immediately resurrect at the Pool of Reincarnation or their chosen spawn point. In addition to paying the corresponding price based on one¡¯s cultivation stage, one¡¯s level would also jump from five to 50 levels, and these were just secondary. The most important thing was that upon every death, one¡¯s Foundation would be damaged. Unless one acquired some miraculous elixirs to remedy one¡¯s Foundation, leveling would become more difficult in the future. Hence, on the topic of whether to choose Reincarnation or Resurrection, everyone had their own opinions. Most certainly, if not necessary, most players would still be willing to cultivate hard or take consumables to improve their cultivation level rather than to opt for the extremely dangerous mob grinding to level up. After all, whether it was Reincarnation or Resurrection, they all looked similar to that of regular online games, but, in fact, the actual price that had to be paid was far beyond what regular players could afford. It was no different from life or death. Therefore, only a few would grind on mobs to level up. It was undesirable. At this moment, Lu Qingfeng had no magical powers, no Abhijna, and he couldn¡¯t use talismans. Hence, he could only choose meditation to gain levels. ¡°Scorching Sun Classic!¡± The mystics of the Scorching Sun Classic flowed in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s mind. The inexplicable sense of Chi loomed in his body, unpredictable and unable to be grasped. In reality, according to what Lu Qingfeng had learned from the Truth Sect, the first step in mastering the first level of the Art of Truth was to feel one¡¯s fetal breath, give birth to one¡¯s sense of Chi, and develop one¡¯s Chi control. For this process, those who possessed great talent could accomplish it within days, while for those with mediocre talents, it might take them months or even years. There were also those who were untalented and who would not be able to capture the sense of Chi even throughout their entire lifetimes. These were the so-called wastrels. From the time when Lu Qingfeng was 12 until he was 15 years of age, every year people from the Truth Sect would examine his cultivation qualifications. However, since he wasn¡¯t even eligible to become a Labor Disciple, he would fall among the last type of people. The Innate Talent Level: 1 on his Attribute Panel was proof. As for Lu Qingshan, he belonged to the second type of people who had mediocre talents. It would take him a couple of months or years to become a Formal Disciple. Even in ¡°Primitive¡±, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s aptitude didn¡¯t seem improved. Having sat cross-legged meditating for half an hour in the Bluestone Tablet, the sense of Chi in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s body had begun looming, rendering him unable to grasp it. ¡°Gotta take some drugs it seems.¡± Lu Qingfeng felt helpless. He got up to exercise his sore body and, after half a cup of tea, he continued to cultivate. This time, he took one of the five Yellow Dragon Pills provided by the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop and consumed it. Immediately after, he chanted the Scorching Sun Classic and refined the power of the pill. The power of the Yellow Dragon Pill was astonishing. Once consumed, it instantly transformed into a warm current that permeated into his limbs and bones, giving him the feeling of ethereal lightness. Time flew by. After an unknown amount of time, the power of the pill subsided. Lu Qingfeng slowly opened his eyes, feeling a little lost. ¡°One Yellow Dragon Pill wasn¡¯t enough!¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s innate talent was truly atrocious. Even the Yellow Dragon Pill that was hailed as the Divine Elixir of the early Fetal Phase wasn¡¯t able to let him comprehend the sense of Chi. Lu Qingfeng adjusted his mind, got up, and walked around for a while, then he consumed another pill. Some unknown amount of time passed after he consumed the Yellow Dragon Pill. The power of the pill once again subsided, but he¡¯d still failed to grasp the vague sense of Chi. ¡°Again!¡± Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t discouraged. If he couldn¡¯t even comprehend the sense of Chi with the help of Yellow Dragon Pills in this game, wouldn¡¯t he be absolutely hopeless back in reality? Third pill! Fourth pill! The efficacy of the Yellow Dragon Pill wasn¡¯t made up after all. After taking four Yellow Dragon Pills in a row, Lu Qingfeng suddenly felt bliss ascending to his soul. A vague sense of Chi had been captured, his sense of Chi abruptly grew, and pure medicinal power dissolved, giving him control over his Chi for the very first time. His inner Chi revolved 100 times in an instant, stabilizing at the same time as he was absorbing the power of the pill. [Congratulations, you have ascended to Level 1 of the Postnatal-Fetal Phase. Your Level has been increased to 1. Your mastery over the Scorching Sun Classic has been increased to Novice.] Lu Qingfeng opened his eyes, and a golden system prompt appeared in front of him. ¡°I leveled up.¡± Lu Qingfeng was taken aback for a moment. In an instant, he thought about the various online games he had played in his previous life. It had been 16 years since he had been reborn in another world, living miserably in the depressing Blackwood Village. His personality had long since become silent and gloomy, and the various memories of his past life were mostly buried deep in his heart. Having those memories reborn all of a sudden gave him mixed feelings. But most important, with this experience of comprehending the sense of Chi, it would make it possible for him to cultivate in real life and give him hope to become transcendent. Casting aside all distractions, he brought up the Attribute Panel once again. Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: Postnatal-Fetal Phase (Level 1) Level: 0 (0/5) Chi Control: 1/1 (Grade: Preliminary) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Scorching Sun Classic (Novice) [Updatable]. Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: ¡°Fundamentals of Pill Refining¡± (Unblooded) [Updatable] The Attribute Panel had not changed much. In addition to the foreseeable changes in Cultivation Stage and Level, there was an additional column of Chi Control, and after the Scorching Sun Classic and the Fundamentals of Pill Refining, the word Updatable appeared. ¡°Updatable?¡± ¡°Is this the Yellow Court Classic¡¯s Ability Upgrade property?¡± Lu Qingfeng thought immediately. Without wasting time guessing, Lu Qingfeng directly tapped on [Updatable] behind Scorching Sun Classic. [Do you wish to expend 1 Experience Point to update Scorching Sun Classic?] [Reminder: Your experience points in your current level¡¯s experience reserve are 0. If you perform the update, your level will drop to 0.] ¡°Updating expends experience points. If there aren¡¯t enough experience points in the experience reserve, it will cause my level to drop.¡± Lu Qingfeng figured out the information and then clicked on Updatable at the back of Fundamentals of Pill Refining. [Do you wish to expend 1 Experience Point to update Fundamentals of Pill Refining?] [Reminder: Your experience points in your current level¡¯s experience reserve are 0. If you perform the update, your level will drop to 0.] The information was the same. After some thought, Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t choose to update any of them. The Yellow Dragon Pill was of great benefit in one¡¯s cultivation in the Fetal Phase. In the earlier phases, it was rather precious. Hence, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t afford to waste it. If he fell back in level because of the update, first, he couldn¡¯t cultivate back up in a short amount of time. Second, there weren¡¯t any more Yellow Dragon Pills for him to expend. Sitting down cross-legged, Lu Qingfeng resumed cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic. He took four Yellow Dragon pills to develop the sense of Chi and ascend to the first level of the Fetal Stage. Most of the power of the pill in his body had not yet been refined. If they weren¡¯t cultivated in time, a portion of the pills¡¯ medicinal powers would sink into various parts of his body, making it difficult to tap into its powers once again. The other portions would escape through his body and become wasted. For meditation, the efficacy of the Yellow Dragon Pill was indeed not weak. After a significant amount of time, Lu Qingfeng finally refined all the medicinal power that could be found in his body. His experience value of level 1 moved up to level 4, and he would be able to gain another level really soon. ¡°I¡¯ll use two experience points to test out the effects of Update.¡± Lu Qingfeng opened his eyes. First, he updated the Scorching Sun Classic. [Do you wish to expend one Experience Point to update Scorching Sun Classic?] ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Qingfeng responded. [Scorching Sun Classic Updating¡­] ¡°¡­¡± Having expended his experience points, a golden system prompt popped up in front of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes, and then there was nothing else. On the Attribute Panel, the word [Updatable] after Scorching Sun Classic had become [Updating]. ¡°Is it that I don¡¯t have enough experience points, or is the update really slow?¡± Lu Qingfeng was confused. ¡°Let me try it with the Fundamentals of Pill Refining.¡± [Do you wish to expend one Experience Point to update Fundamentals of Pill Refining?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Fundamentals of Pill Refining Updating¡­] Like the Scorching Sun Classic, the Fundamentals of Pill Refining was stuck at Updating. ¡°This is¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng thought about this for a while, then he tapped on [Updating]. Immediately, a message popped out: [Scorching Sun Classic Updating. Required experience point 1/10] [Fundamentals of Pill Refining Updating. Required experience point 1/10] ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t put in enough experience points.¡± Lu Qingfeng understood what the problem was. Now that he figured out what was going on, he was intrigued about what the Scorching Sun Classic and the Fundamentals of Pill Refining would become after he invested enough experience points. However, even with all the experience points he had put together, they weren¡¯t enough to complete the update of even one of them. He could only put them off for the time being and quietly exit ¡°Primitive¡±. ¡­ Chapter 4 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In Blackwood Village, all was quiet on this starry night. Lu Qingfeng got into a sitting position. The moonlight dimly illuminated his hands. The Yellow Dragon Pills and the Fasting Pills hadn¡¯t come back into the real world with him. Once again, he called upon the Attribute Panel. Name: Lu Qingfeng [Real Body] Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 (0/1) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Scorching Sun Classic (Novice) [Updating] Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: ¡°Fundamentals of Pill Refining¡± (Unblooded) [Updating] Aside from the fact that the Scorching Sun Classic had changed from Unblooded to Novice, nothing else was different. His Cultivation Stage and Level were still empty. Also, the Chi Control column did not appear either. ¡°From the looks of it, mastery over techniques or skills like Pill Refining in the game can be brought directly into reality. However, his in-game Level and Cultivation Stage will not be synchronized with those of reality.¡± Lu Qingfeng had finally figured it out. This was almost the same as the settings of Reincarnation and Resurrection in ¡°Primitive.¡± Memories could be carried out of the game, but things at a physical level, such as Chi Control and Cultivation Stage, couldn¡¯t be synchronized with reality. ¡°Well, I have no complaints.¡± Lu Qingfeng lowered his head on the spur of the moment and buried his head in his hands amid the darkness. No one would ever know how massive the disparities were and how big of an impact it had on Lu Qingfeng to have traversed from the 21st century, an era of the rising sun when life seemed to be getting better and better, to live in a society of slavery in a completely oppressive environment such as Blackwood Village. Lu Qingfeng decided to become very optimistic. During the earliest phases after he had traversed these worlds, he had still had the wisdom of his previous life. He had learned to talk in three months and run in six months. However, when he was four years old, his mother had died due to difficult labor, and after that, he suffered the cold and darkness of Blackwood Village. As he gradually grew up and had come to understand the perils of Blackwood Village and heard all the rumors about the so-called Sages of the Truth Sect, Lu Qingfeng had become very cautious. From the lively and cheerful person he once had been, he became quiet and reticent. He wasn¡¯t bold enough to violate the rules because he was not alone. If he did or said something that overstepped the boundaries of village life, he wasn¡¯t sure that this news wouldn¡¯t be conveyed from Blackwood Village to Ganoderma Mountain the very next day. And then his deeds could cause trouble for his father, brother, or sister, causing them to be executed along with him. Now he said to himself, ¡°From today onward, everything will be different!¡± Lu Qingfeng raised his head. In the darkness, his eyes seemed to glow with exceptional brightness. ¡­ After he had confirmed what the parallels were between the game and reality, Lu Qingfeng entered the game once again. ¡°I could barely comprehend the sense of Chi after four Yellow Dragon Pills, and my cultivation cost me four experience points. I wonder how many experience points a Yellow Dragon Pill will provide me with now that I¡¯ve comprehended the sense of Chi?¡± ¡°I have one Yellow Dragon Pill left. That, with the two experience points that I have at present, perhaps will push me to Level 2.¡± Lu Qingfeng went into the bluestone tablet, took out the last Yellow Dragon Pill, and consumed it right away. The Scorching Sun Classic was initialized. The faint Chi in his body revolved along with it, continuously absorbing the power of the pill and gradually strengthening. It was after the power of the Yellow Dragon Pill subsided that Lu Qingfeng stopped cultivating. Level: 1 (5/5) ¡°Three experience points. As expected.¡± ¡°When I¡¯m Unblooded in Skill Level, comprehending the sense of Chi is the hardest. Four Yellow Dragon Pills only gave me five experience points. But after my Skill Level increased from Unblooded to Novice, just one Yellow Dragon Pill was able to give me three experience points.¡± Lu Qingfeng felt relieved. If that were the case, even if his talent were on the weaker end, as long as he had enough Yellow Dragon Pills, he would always be able to push up the level of his cultivation. ¡°It¡¯s kind of late. I¡¯m going to go to sleep now. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll officially begin my cultivation in the Scorching Sun Classic.¡± Exploring Emery Town, cultivating the Scorching Sun Classic¡­ Realizing that dawn would arrive soon, Lu Qingfeng exited the game, tried his best to relax his mind, and went to sleep. The rest of the night passed. ¡­ At dawn, the morning sun rose again. Sunlight slipped through the gaps between the Blackwood boards that made up the Blackwood shack. For some unknown reason, although he had a hard time last night and it had already been the wee hours when he returned to sleep, Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t feel tired when he woke up in the morning. On the contrary, he felt full of energy. ¡°Does this game even have the effect of replacing sleep?¡± Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help wondering. He knew that when he went offline last night, he had clearly felt exhausted. He shook his head and cast the thoughts aside. ¡°Qingyu, time to wake up.¡± Rolling himself out of bed and calling out to Lu Qingyu, Lu Qingfeng brought up the Attribute Panel and started his morning ablutions. Name: Lu Qingfeng [Real Body] Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 (0/1) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Scorching Sun Classic (Novice) [Updating] Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining (Unblooded) [Updating] And now, with the Attribute Panel appearing in response to his calling it, Lu Qingfeng was certain that everything that had happened last night hadn¡¯t been an illusion or a dream. ¡°During the daytime, I¡¯ll tend to the crops and, at the same time, cultivate in the Scorching Sun Classic. At night, I¡¯ll go into ¡®Primitive¡¯ and explore the game.¡± Lu Qingfeng splashed cold water on his face, making him feel even more refreshed. ¡°Qingyu, wakey, wakey!¡± Lu Qingyu was still struggling in bed. Lu Qingfeng pulled her out of bed and pushed the little girl to go and wash herself. After all their cleaning and washing, the siblings first went to fetch water from the Chengyang River that was some seven to eight miles away to the south. After making two trips, they started pulling weeds out of their garden. Soon, noon arrived. They took out coarse grain biscuits and boiled water. Lu Qingfeng took out a coarse grain biscuit, broke it, and gave the larger portion to Qingyu. Then he gobbled up his own tiny half of the coarse grain biscuit. ¡°Qingfeng, I can¡¯t eat so much.¡± Lu Qingyu gobbled up a bit and then stuffed a tiny piece that was left over into Lu Qingfeng¡¯s mouth. She blabbered, ¡°Your saliva is all over this part. I am not eating this.¡± Lu Qingfeng opened his mouth and munched the coarse grain biscuit. Lu Qingyu clapped her hands and smiled until her eyes became a pair of crescent moons. She used to think that the coarse grain biscuits she ate at noon were bigger than the ones they¡¯d made until she found out that the other half of the biscuit her elder brother had for himself was much smaller than hers. She¡¯d never eaten any extra since then. Occasionally, Lu Qingfeng would give her more of the biscuit when she wasn¡¯t paying attention, but she would always notice it immediately and leave a small bite for Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Qingyu, do you think that your life is hard with me?¡± Lu Qingfeng drank half a bamboo tube of cold boiled water and looked at Lu Qingyu as he asked. ¡°Not at all! No one in Blackwood Village loves me more than you do, big brother! Hua and Ju get bullied by their brothers every day. You don¡¯t even know how much they envy me!¡± Lu Qingyu¡¯s eyes were like stars, and her tiny face was glowing. ¡°You sure are an easy one to satisfy. Make sure you don¡¯t get yourself abducted by someone who offers you just a few nice words in the future.¡± Lu Qingfeng laughed. ¡°As if I would! I want to be with you forever.¡± Lu Qingyu wrinkled her nose and hummed. Lu Qingfeng smiled and rubbed Lu Qingyu¡¯s little head. Thinking of the people who kept coming to talk to him about marriage these days, a cold feeling emerged in his heart. ¡°Qingyu, I had a miraculous encounter two days ago. I have to cultivate every day from now on. Stay on the lookout for me. Call me when someone is coming near us, okay?¡± Lu Qingfeng fiddled with the two yellow braids on the back of Qingyu¡¯s head as he talked with her. He and Qingyu would always be together from day until night. He couldn¡¯t possibly conceal the fact that he was cultivating from her, nor was there a need for him to do so. The three siblings depended on each other completely. For most of their lives, he had been the one who had brought up Qingyu and Qingshan. There was no one else in this world who could be more trustworthy than those two. ¡°You¡¯re going to cultivate, Qingfeng? Awesome! I¡¯ll stay on the lookout for you!¡± Lu Qing Yu squealed in surprise. Then, realizing that she had been too loud, she shrunk her head down, stood up sneakily, and looked around. Seeing that nobody was nearby, she thumped her chest, tiptoed over, and whispered in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s ear, ¡°Qingfeng, I won¡¯t tell anyone that you¡¯re secretly cultivating. When you succeed, let¡¯s head to Ganoderma Mountain and get Qingshan out of that place!¡± Although the little girl wouldn¡¯t admit it out loud, she was in fact thinking about her second brother, Lu Qingshan, every single day. ¡°Good girl.¡± Lu Qingfeng smiled, sat down, and eagerly began cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic. Seeing this, Lu Qingyu got up and looked around in all directions, earnestly staying on the lookout. Lu Qingfeng knew Qingyu¡¯s personality. He also knew that he was in a wheat field concealed by wheat stalks. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about getting discovered. At present¡­ Lu Qingfeng had mastery over two techniques. Despite the Yellow Court Classic being an Antecedent grade technique, it felt more like a support-type technique. It couldn¡¯t directly improve his cultivation stage. Therefore, the only thing Lu Qingfeng could cultivate for the time being was the Scorching Sun Classic. This was actually the first time he was cultivating in reality. Without the Yellow Dragon Pill¡¯s assistance, Lu Qingfeng realized how bad his qualifications were. For a whole afternoon, he wasn¡¯t able to comprehend the sense of Chi. Even though he had attained Novice Level in the Scorching Sun Classic, even though he had already comprehended the sense of Chi one time in the game, he was still stuck at a barrier. ¡°This¡­¡± Having meditated for an entire afternoon and being unable to grasp the sense of Chi, Lu Qingfeng felt a little frustrated. His legs were so numb that they couldn¡¯t even move. Cultivating in reality was much harder than he had imagined. ¡°I have experience in comprehending the sense of Chi. Theoretically, if I have just a little bit of talent, I should be able to grasp the sense of Chi very swiftly. But I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Looks like a Level 1 in innate talent is really awful. If I want to attain something, I need to work harder. I¡¯ll spend an entire day if one afternoon won¡¯t work, and even ten days if one doesn¡¯t do. I was able to comprehend the sense of Chi with the assistance of the Yellow Dragon Pill. There is no reason that I can¡¯t comprehend it on my own.¡± ¡°If even that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll have to learn how to make Yellow Dragon Pills like they have in the game.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s aptitude was unfathomably atrocious. However, he didn¡¯t feel dejected. As long as ¡°Primitive¡± was available to him, nothing was unattainable. He opened his eyes. Qingyu was still on the lookout and being very attentive and serious. She turned around and happened to see Lu Qingfeng opening his eyes. ¡°Qingfeng, you¡¯re awake!¡± Lu Qingyu hopped over to Lu Qingfeng, stared at him, and asked expectantly, ¡°How was your cultivation? When can we go to save Qingshan?¡± ¡°Just so you know, cultivation isn¡¯t that quick of a thing.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head. ¡°Is cultivating really that difficult?¡± Lu Qingyu tilted her head and looked confused. ¡°In two years, when you grow up, I¡¯ll teach you how to cultivate, and you¡¯ll find out whether it is difficult or not.¡± Lu Qingfeng massaged his legs to get his blood circulating and his muscles moving. However, when Lu Qingyu heard what he said, her eyes got wide, and her mouth opened slightly. ¡°Qingfeng, I can cultivate too?¡± She never knew that girls could cultivate as well! The Truth Sect would come to Blackwood Village to select formal disciples and labor disciples every year, and all of them were selected from boys aged 12 to 16. Lu Qingyu thought that only people like her eldest brother and her second brother could cultivate. ¡°Of course you can!¡± ¡°However, first, you need to learn how to read as well as to memorize the various meridians and acupoints. After you do all this, you can start cultivating in two years,¡± Lu Qingfeng said with a smile. Now that he had ¡°Primitive,¡± he wouldn¡¯t be lacking any inheritances in the days to come. As long as he could break through the most difficult Unblooded skill level, he would be able to attain something by cultivating in the prescribed order. By then, whether it was Qingshan or Qingyu, he would not let them stay in this cramped place of Blackwood Village. Naturally, they would have to cultivate alongside him. If he embarked on the journey of cultivating and he ended being all alone, wouldn¡¯t that be taking the branch for the root? Chapter 5 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°That¡¯s awesome! You¡¯re such a nice person, big brother.¡± Seeing that her big brother wasn¡¯t joking, Lu Qingyu excitedly pecked Lu Qingfeng¡¯s cheek, then proceeded to hop around all over the place. Evidently, she was ecstatic. Perhaps it was because her thoughts at present weren¡¯t that complicated. When she thought that she could cultivate like her eldest and second brothers, while the other girls in Blackwood Village couldn¡¯t, and that she could go to Ganoderma Mountain to rescue her second brother after cultivating¡­ This itself was enough to make Lu Qingyu feel excited for days, so excited that she couldn¡¯t even sleep. ¡°Qingfeng! I want to learn how to read tonight.¡± Lu Qingyu looked at Lu Qingfeng, waiting for an affirmative answer. ¡°No problem, just make sure that you don¡¯t complain about it being too hard,¡± Lu Qingfeng nodded and responded. ¡°As if I would. I¡¯m not Qingshan.¡± Lu Qingyu smiled with joy. Lu Qingfeng looked at her wonderingly and said, ¡°Qingyu, come and give me some help.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh!¡± When Lu Qingyu saw that her big brother couldn¡¯t get up after cultivating for so long, she quickly came to help him. Lu Qingfeng struggled to get up, leaning on Lu Qingyu as he moved his numb legs from left to right. Grrrrr! Then, much to his disappointment, his stomach began to rumble. An intense sensation of hunger struck. ¡°Qingfeng, it¡¯s not time for dinner yet.¡± Lu Qingyu looked up at the sky. Seeing that sky wasn¡¯t dark yet, she pointed at Lu Qingfeng¡¯s stomach as she reminded him of the time. ¡°I know.¡± Lu Qingfeng was speechless. Cultivation in the Postnatal Stage belonged to the process of refining one¡¯s Chi. Before one arrived at the Foundation Building Stage, one couldn¡¯t absorb the Spirit Energy that was wandering between heaven and earth and funnel it into their bodies. Their only way of replenishing what had been consumed during cultivation was through eating. After all, Chi control wasn¡¯t something that would appear out of thin air, but something that was brought into existence by refining one¡¯s inner Chi. Lu Qingfeng was already feeling weak. His daily food intake was only enough for him to barely sustain his bodily functions. Now that he had started to cultivate, even though he had not yet comprehended the sense of Chi and the way of Chi control, it still depleted much of his energy. This was a good illustration of the concept of ¡°The deprived study literature, while the wealthy practice martial arts¡± to real people in real life. ¡°One coarse grain biscuit every day is not enough to support my cultivation in the Scorching Sun Classic.¡± Lu Qingfeng was so hungry that he was seeing stars. As a last resort, he quickly took out half of a coarse grain biscuit and gobbled it up in two or three bites. This was his ration for tonight, but, at this moment, it was absolutely necessary that he eat it in advance. ¡°Do you want to eat now?¡± After Lu Qingfeng had finished eating, he asked Lu Qingyu if she wanted the remaining half of the coarse grain biscuit in his hand. ¡°Nope. If I eat now, I¡¯ll get hungry at night.¡± Lu Qingyu shook her head. ¡°Fine then, I¡¯ll keep it for you for the time being.¡± Lu Qingfeng stuffed the half of a coarse grain biscuit into his pocket. Lu Qingyu swallowed hard as she suddenly remembered, ¡°Oh no, we didn¡¯t pick wild vegetables this afternoon!¡± They didn¡¯t have meat at home all year round, and wild vegetables were often their only dishes. Originally, they would work on their five acres of dry land every morning and look for wild vegetables in the afternoon, but today, the afternoon had almost gone by. When Lu Qingyu thought that they would have no wild vegetables for tonight, she felt a little dispirited. ¡°We¡¯ll not have wild vegetables today. We¡¯ll be having something else.¡± When Lu Qingfeng saw Qingyu¡¯s eyes light up, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°No matter how careful we are in our planning, the food we have at home will not last until the autumn harvest. Now that Qingshan is with the Truth Sect, his food intake is bound to get bigger.¡± It was already difficult for the food Lu Qingfeng had in storage to supply a ravenous beast like Lu Qingshan. Now that he had to join in eating a lot as well, he was afraid that their food supply wouldn¡¯t even last a month. At that time, not to mention cultivation, even surviving would become an issue. This was why he had suddenly thought of medicinal herbs. There were 46 basic medicinal herbs recorded in the Fundamentals of Pill Refining. There were herbs that could help one put off hunger, and there were those that could invigorate one¡¯s vitality and replenish one¡¯s Chi. The rural people in Blackwood Village might only be aware of some three to five kinds of herbs that could treat colds and flus based on their life experiences. But they definitely didn¡¯t have as much knowledge as that that was recorded in Fundamentals of Pill Refining. Lu Qingfeng had already mastered the Fundamentals of Pill Refining. Although he had not yet started to work on it, the information about the 46 medicinal herbs was firmly etched in his mind. In Fundamentals of Pill Refining, there was information not only about the handling of these herbs, but also detailed information about various medicinal herbs. In order to handle medicinal herbs, one needed to understand all kinds of basic information about them. Based on all this information, it wasn¡¯t difficult for Lu Qingfeng to find these wild herbs in the area where they lived. ¡°Among the 46 medicinal herbs, Bai Zhu, licorice, Lycium chinense, Polygonatum sibiricum, etc., are all extremely common medicinal herbs that can invigorate one¡¯s vitality and replenish one¡¯s Chi. These are all necessary ingredients for making the Yellow Dragon Pill. The effect of taking them individually is definitely not as good as taking the Yellow Dragon Pill, but, at my current stage, they¡¯ll appease my urgent needs.¡± Among them, licorice has a sweet taste and can be taken directly after some handling. Consuming a small amount of licorice was not only good for the body, but it would also serve as a good treat. Lu Qingyu would definitely like it. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll take you to go pluck some herbs.¡± Lu Qingfeng got up. With a hatchet in his left hand and a black wooden hoe in his right, he went to the back of the terraced fields. ¡°Herbs?¡± Lu Qingyu was baffled, but she followed Lu Qingfeng with a confused look on her face. To the west of the terraced fields, there was a large area of uncultivated hills. Bai Zhu and licorice were very common, though in Blackwood Village, people who knew about herbs were as rare as a phoenix¡¯s feathers or a unicorn¡¯s horn. Hence, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard for them to find the herbs. As anticipated¡­ Before they even got into the depths of the mountain woods, just at the periphery, it took only a short while for Lu Qingfeng to find three bushes of Bai Zhu and two licorice plants. ¡°This is enough.¡± Seeing that it was getting late, Lu Qingfeng was preparing to return home. According to the methods in Fundamentals of Pill Refining, for licorice, he just had to remove the impurities by washing it. Then he needed to soak them in water until they were 80 percent translucent, drain them, moisten the individual pieces, and leave them to dry. For Bai Zhu, he had to slice them into pieces, stir-fry them in Terra Flava Usta powder until there was an earthy color on their surface, and sift away the excess powder. And that would wrap up the handling of these two medicinal herbs. In this way¡­ Tomorrow, he could use the licorice and the Bai Zhu to replenish his energy that had been consumed during cultivation. ¡°Are these even edible?¡± Lu Qingyu watched Lu Qingfeng as he picked the herbs for a long time, and she couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Of course. This one is sweet.¡± Lu Qingfeng waved the licorice in his hand at her. ¡°Sweet?¡± Lu Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up once again. ¡°I can find a few more licorices and Bai Zhus in the next few days and take some to Qingshan when I visit Ganoderma Mountain in two days.¡± Lu Qingfeng returned to the Blackwood shack with Lu Qingyu, who eagerly waited to taste the licorice, as he thought secret thoughts. As of right now, he didn¡¯t have the ability to go against the Truth Sect or flee Blackwood Village with Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu. He could only use the approaches that he had to prevent things from happening to Lu Qingshan that were too deplorable to describe. He was physically exhausted at this time before he succeeded in his cultivation. After picking the Bai Zhu and licorice, Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu each tried one piece of licorice. ¡°It sure is sweet.¡± Lu Qingyu broke off half of the coarse grain biscuit that she had saved for dinner and handed it to Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Qingfeng, you should eat more, or you will be so hungry that you can¡¯t sleep at night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, have it yourself.¡± Before Lu Qingfeng could finish speaking, Lu Qingyu played the same old trick by stuffing the coarse grain biscuit directly into Lu Qingfeng¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m still little. It¡¯s okay if I eat less.¡± Lu Qingyu took a sip of water, cleared the table, and sat down firmly. ¡°Big Brother, hurry up and teach me how to read!¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re little that you should be eating more.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head, grabbed a charcoal pencil, a piece of tree bark, and started teaching Qingyu how to read. Later that night¡­ Lu Qingfeng lay in his bed and logged into ¡°Primitive¡±. ¡­ [You died because you have not eaten for a long time. Please make a selection between Reincarnation and Resurrection.] Lu Qingfeng was dumbfounded as he floated in the chaotic void of nothingness. In front of him was a flashing system reminder with scarlet writing on it. Exactly. He was dead. Starved to death. ¡°It¡¯s only been at most eight hours from when I logged out of the game last night until now when I logged in again, and three months and one day have gone by in ¡®Primitive¡¯?¡± ¡°The time difference is more than 100 times. This isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°If there was a time difference between the game and reality, how come when I stayed in the game for a couple of hours last night, not much time had passed in reality. This means that the time when I logged out of the game was about 11 hours difference.¡± ¡°Which is exactly a 100 times difference.¡± Lu Qingfeng called up the death record and discovered that three months had passed in ¡°Primitive¡±. His physical body had already starved to death more than two months ago because he had not eaten for a long time in the Bluestone Tablet. Being in Level 1 of the Fetal Phase would mean that he was still mortal. Without consuming any food or any Fasting Pills, naturally, he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive for three months. What Lu Qingfeng was faced with right now was a choice between Resurrection and Reincarnation. ¡°No wonder I felt that time passed especially slowly last night.¡± Lu Qingfeng finally knew where that weird feeling had come from, and why he had felt so energetic when he got up this morning. With enough sleep, one would naturally feel replenished. ¡°According to various information in ¡®Primitive¡¯, for the other players that entered the game, their in-game time was synchronized with their respective real times. What is happening to me must be caused by the different world that I¡¯m in or because I¡¯ve traversed across worlds.¡± This was also the reason why Lu Qingfeng had directly gone offline and didn¡¯t think about the flow of time last night. For ordinary players, the time ratio between reality and the game was 1 to 1. For Lu Qingfeng, it was 1 to 100. This could be due to the different world that he was in. It was also why he couldn¡¯t choose to log in to the game with his real body. ¡°A 100 times time difference!¡± ¡°If I could log in with my real body¡­¡± Thinking about all of this, Lu Qingfeng shook his head. One must not be insatiably avaricious. With a time difference of 1 to 100, even with respect to the consciousness of one¡¯s soul alone, there were already numerous benefits to Lu Qingfeng. Although at present, some minor accidents had occurred. ¡°Resurrection is immediate. I¡¯m only at Level 1 now, so the loss of Levels will have a minimal impact on me. However, my Foundation will be damaged and my talents in cultivation will decrease, thus affecting my future growth.¡± ¡°If I choose to reincarnate, 16 years in the game is just 2 months in reality for me.¡± After some thought, Lu Qingfeng chose to reincarnate. In two months, too much could happen, and he simply couldn¡¯t afford the bet. As for his Foundation in the game, after he solved his crisis in real life, he could just make up for it by spending two months to reincarnate in the game when he had time. [You are now at Level 0. 1 low grade Spirit Stone is required for Resurrection. Do you want to resurrect?] ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I choose to reincarnate!¡± [Please select: Reincarnate to current location / random location] ¡°Current location.¡± Lu Qingfeng was more familiar with Emery Town. So naturally, he wanted to stay in Emery Town. [You have chosen to reincarnate to your current location. Please wait for a moment.] [Reincarnation successful. Growth progress: 1/16] Just like the first time he¡¯d logged in, he could only continue the game when he was 16. Ordinary players would have to wait 16 years in reality. For Lu Qingfeng, with the 100 times difference in time, it would only require two months. Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 (0/1) Destined Life Span: 1/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Scorching Sun Classic (Novice) [Updating] Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining (Unblooded) [Updating] With all this happening, one could say that he had gone back to the pre-liberation period in just one day¡¯s time. Fortunately, the Yellow Court Classic was still there, and his proficiency in the Scorching Sun Classic and the Fundamentals of Pill Refining hadn¡¯t been lost. His Level and Stage in cultivation weren¡¯t high by default. There wasn¡¯t much to feel bad about. The only price Lu Qingfeng had had to pay was two months of his time in reality. ¡°In these two months, I must be cautious.¡± ¡­ Chapter 6 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio To the west of Blackwood Village, there were legions of terraced fields. Bordering these terraced fields was the Blackwind Ridge, which stretched for dozens of miles. At the outer ring of the Blackwind Ridge on this day¡­ Lu Qingfeng was carrying a bamboo basket and a hatchet in his right hand and a hoe carved from Blackwood in his left, as he explored the dense forest. Here in this majestic area, weeds ran riot and trees were lofty. The more than 1,000 people who had settled in Blackwood Village lived by farming. No one had ever been bold enough to enter the Blackwind Ridge. Even at its periphery, traces of human activity were rarely seen. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s body felt as light as a swallow, as he squatted down and got up, harvesting herbs that came out of the ground with dirt still on them and put them into his bamboo basket. Now, he was not only harvesting Bai Zhu and licorice, but also medicinal herbs like Polygonatum sibiricum and Panax Ginseng that were beneficial for cultivation. Dusk arrived in a flash. The bamboo basket had almost been filled with medicinal herbs. It was weighty. Had it not been for Lu Qingfeng¡¯s continuous cultivation over this period, he would have collapsed already. As he looked at the sky, Lu Qingfeng prepared to go home. The sun was setting, and the sky was getting dark. The sound of insects and the songs of birds in these woods were far more vibrant than what was possible to hear in Blackwood Village. All of a sudden¡­ Lu Qingfeng¡¯s ears twitched. Amid the melody of insects and birds, he heard a rustling noise. Something was approaching him, and it was fast. ¡°Run!¡± Lu Qingfeng sped up and quickly raced toward Blackwood Village. At nightfall and, what¡¯s more, in Blackwind Ridge, Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t bold enough to confront any wild beasts. Despite the fact that he had already grasped Chi Control and ascended into Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, coming face to face with wild beasts was a dangerous gamble. ¡°The changes in physical gestures for cultivating in the Bullock Fist are too immense. Otherwise, with the cultivation stage that I¡¯m in, I could at least smash a wolf pup to death with one punch of the Bullock Fist!¡± Having mastered Chi Control, his physical qualities had undergone an all-around improvement. His agility, speed, strength, and physique were nothing like they had been before. If he had practiced physical martial arts, he would¡¯ve been even more ferocious. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t cultivate normally during this period of time. The only technique that he had access to, the Bullock Fist, if he had cultivated it, his fist would have become as huge as a sandbag, and anyone with discerning eyes would have exposed him. Lu Qingfeng wouldn¡¯t risk him life for an ordinary martial arts technique. However, at this moment¡­ The rustling sound was getting closer and closer, and Lu Qingfeng was running faster and faster, paying no attention to any commotion he might cause. His palms holding the herb hoe and the hatchet were sweating. This was the first time he had encountered any danger in the Blackwind Ridge. The ridge was close to Blackwood Village, and every year aces from the Truth Sect would come and deal with the beasts or even monsters that posed a threat. But the beast that was chasing Lu Qingfeng was evidently scaring him because it seemed to be getting closer and closer to his back. Swoosh! A sound broke through the air, causing Lu Qingfeng¡¯s sweat glands to freeze up. At that moment, he stopped and turned around, and a red figure flashed across his eyes and a few specks of chilling light exploded in his face. Lu Qingfeng felt cold in his chest, followed by severe pain. The linen clothes on his chest had been clawed into pieces, and a few deep, bloody wounds appeared on his chest. Blood was pouring out everywhere! At this moment, the color red flashed in front of him once again! ¡°Go to h*ll!¡± Lu Qingfeng felt the threat of death was near. The faint Chi in his body surged, and, with all his might, he swung his hatchet at the flash of red! Bam! His hand struck. The flash of red that was about to pounce on Lu Qingfeng was stuck by the hatchet, and immediately smashed into the ground as it dropped from mid-air. Squeak! It was a tiny red creature that resembled a leopard cat. Its paws were still glittering with crimson blood. The blood belonged to Lu Qingfeng. On the red leopard cat¡¯s body, there was a gruesome wound that was as long as a human palm. It had been inflicted by Lu Qingfeng using the hatchet. Being hacked by a hatchet and violently smashed into the ground, the red leopard cat wasn¡¯t able to move for a moment. Its tiny face looked wrinkled as it looked up at Lu Qingfeng with a pair of pitiful and teary eyes. ¡°Die!¡± Holding the hatchet in his hands, Lu Qingfeng raised it up high and dropped it down, killing the red leopard cat, depriving it of its vitality once and for all. ¡°Hooh, hooh!¡± Having killed the red leopard cat, Lu Qingfeng collapsed on the ground gasping for breath. Pssk! While he was gasping for air, a movement at his chest opened up his wounds. It was so painful that it caused Lu Qingfeng to gasp in pain. The red leopard cat was fast. Fortunately, its sharp claws landed on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s chest. Had it been on his neck, he would probably have had to end his life here on Blackwind Ridge. ¡°It straight-up wanted to kill me! Why would such a vicious little creature be worthy of my mercy?¡± Lu Qingfeng glanced at the mutilated red leopard cat lying on the ground in front of him, casually stopped his blood from flowing where possible, and struggled to his feet. Not bold enough to linger one more second, he hurried back to Blackwood Village. Fortunately, concealed by the dark of night, Lu Qingfeng, who was in a rather bad condition, wasn¡¯t noticed by any of the other residents in Blackwood Village. After returning to the Blackwood shack, Lu Qingfeng felt relieved at last. ¡°Qingfeng, what¡¯s happened to you?¡± Lu Qingyu was cooking wild vegetable porridge. When she saw Lu Qingfeng returning staggering, she quickly ran forward to help him. ¡°I¡¯m all right. I was scratched by a mountain cat. Close the door.¡± Lu Qingfeng asked Qingyu to shut the door, then sat down on a stool. ¡°That cursed mountain cat!¡± When Lu Qingyu saw the seeping wound on her elder brother¡¯s chest, she was so anxious that tears were about to fall from her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a small wound. Get the Eyebright and Thyme Power from underneath the bed.¡± Lu Qingfeng comforted Qingyu and instructed her at the same time. Lu Qingyu quickly brought the two medicinal herbs. She was crying as she treated the wounds on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯m really okay. Don¡¯t you despise people crying the most? Come on, give me a smile.¡± Lu Qingfeng was in so much pain that his mouth twitched. After he gave Lu Qingyu a good coaxing, she stopped crying. ¡°Don¡¯t come back so late ever again!¡± Lu Qingyu blew at the wound, then raised her head and spoke to Lu Qingfeng angrily. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll come back earlier,¡± Lu Qingfeng said quickly. The truth was, he had really been reckless this time. In the past, whenever he visited the Blackwind Ridge, he only lingered around its periphery and would return before the sun set. But, in the past few days, as he had already plucked up most of the herbs at the outer ring, he had gone in a lot deeper without realizing it, and the time he would come out from the woods was getting later and later. Initially, he thought he would be fine. But little did he know that he would run into a bloody disaster on this very day. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t take Lu Qingyu with him when he went into the Blackwind Ridge. Otherwise, if he¡¯d been distracted, perhaps both of them would have perished in the wilderness. ¡°Although that red leopard cat was fast, its attacks weren¡¯t that strong. Or else, the consequences could¡¯ve been disastrous.¡± Lu Qingfeng comforted Lu Qingyu. The intense pain caused by the medicinal powder stimulating his wounds had made him wide awake. This night¡­ Lu Qingfeng had been nagged by his sister for quite some time. In the end, he was only allowed to lie down and go to bed because Lu Qingyu felt that he was in terrible shape. ¡­ Time was like flowing water, and it was flying by. After coming into contact with cultivation, the flow of time seemed unnoticed. In a trance¡­ It had been two months since Lu Qingfeng turned 16 and came into contact with the online game ¡°Primitive¡±. Due to him not discovering the time difference between the game and reality at the very beginning, Lu Qingfeng had not been able to play the game for two months. ¡°I¡¯ve barely gained Chi Control and ascended into Level 1 of the Fetal Phase in two months!¡± ¡°According to this speed of progression, it¡¯ll take me at least several years or even longer to reach Level 9 of the Fetal Phase.¡± Cultivation would inevitably become more difficult as one progressed. Lu Qingfeng spent two months just to move from Unblooded to Novice. Besides, this was under a circumstance where he had already experienced it once in the game. He couldn¡¯t imagine how long it would have taken him to give birth to Chi Control without the game. Lying on the bed, Lu Qingfeng called upon the Attribute Panel. Name: Lu Qingfeng [Real Body] Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: Level 1 of Postnatal-Fetal Phase Level: 1 (0/5) Chi Control: 1/1 (Grade: Preliminary) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Scorching Sun Classic (Novice) [Updating] Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining (Expert) [Updating] The Attribute Panel hadn¡¯t changed much, except for the Level gain of 1 at Cultivation Stage and Level and the appearance of the Chi Control attribute. Plus, he¡¯d advanced from Novice to Expert in Fundamentals of Pill Refining. Similar to techniques, proficiency levels in the Fundamentals of Pill Refining were divided into Unblooded, Novice, Expert, Master, and Apex. The only thing different was that it didn¡¯t have Levels. During the past two months, Lu Qingfeng had collected and handled medicinal herbs in reality, gradually mastered the Fundamentals of Pill Refining, also known as the improvement of proficiency, and reached the proficiency level of Expert. After reaching this level, not only could he handle the medicinal herbs at a faster pace, but the quality of the handled medicinal herbs would also be better than when his skill level was at Unblooded and Novice. Most certainly, a mere two months in reality wasn¡¯t long enough for Lu Qingfeng to improve his Fundamentals of Pill Refining to the Expert Level. In ¡°Primitive¡±, although his avatar was still Reincarnating and his growth wasn¡¯t completed, Lu Qingfeng could still log into the game and enjoy the 100 multiple time difference. Just like at this very moment. ¡°Log into ¡®Primitive¡¯.¡± Lu Qingfeng communicated with the log-in ring in his mind and entered the game. His consciousness wandered in his body, which was immersed in the Pool of Reincarnation and unable to move. His mind, however, wasn¡¯t restricted. He constantly thought of the brief battle of life and death he had had with the red leopard cat today, his cultivation during the daytime, and the process in which he handled the medicinal herbs. Then, he brought up the Fundamentals of Pill Refining and Scorching Sun Classic to go over them in his mind once again. Then his head started feeling a little heavy, and Lu Qingfeng closed his eyes and rested in the game. When he woke up, he once again repeated the above process. He repeated it several times until he had completely merged what he¡¯d comprehended in his cultivation during the day and when he was handling the medical herbs with the Scorching Sun Classic and Fundamentals of Pill Refining. When he couldn¡¯t grasp anything new, he turned to recite the Yellow Court Classic. Lu Qingfeng was untalented, and, for the time being, he couldn¡¯t cultivate in the Scorching Sun Classic. Hence, his skill level in it wasn¡¯t progressing at all. However, for the Fundamentals of Pill Refining, it had nothing to do with innate talent. As long as one was willing to spend time on it and really put the nose to the grindstone, one would always improve. It was through the time difference that Lu Qingfeng was finally able to advance to the Expert Level in the Fundamentals of Pill Refining in only two months in real time. As for the Yellow Court Classic¡­ This was an Antecedent grade technique and the greatest of techniques in the game. As of now, he couldn¡¯t see any use for it yet. Of all its properties, he only kind of understood the Ability Upgrade property, and, due to his lack of experience points, he couldn¡¯t achieve anything in it for the time being. But Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t just put it aside. He would spend a lot of time reciting the Yellow Court Classic every day. And, although he hadn¡¯t seen any effect in the short term, in the long run it wasn¡¯t clear whether he would gain anything either. However, even if it was just for the Yellow Court Classic and the title of Taoist Antecedent, Lu Qingfeng would not let go of this technique. After chanting it for an unknown amount of time, until he felt someone calling him in real time, only then did Lu Qingfeng exit ¡°Primitive¡±. After one night in real time, Lu Qingfeng had already spent an entire 40 days in the game! ¡°The time difference sure is handy.¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t accidentally killed my avatar, I could¡¯ve accomplished more things in these last two months.¡± Lu Qingfeng exited the game with some regret. In these two months, a whole 16 years had passed in the game. And Lu Qingfeng spent every night in the game. A night in reality was 40 days in the game. Combining all those days of the two months, it was more than six years. ¡°Although in these six years, I can still only think, but not move and cultivate, they have still been very precious.¡± Lu Qingfeng opened his eyes and saw that the sky was already bright. ¡°Qingfeng, you¡¯re injured. You should rest at home today!¡± Lu Qingyu woke Lu Qingfeng. She was lying on his bed and inspecting his wounds. ¡°All right.¡± This was what Lu Qingfeng thought as well. Now, 16 years in the game was about to pass. According to his calculations, he could start the game once more in the morning today. ¡°This time, I can spend a few more days in the game. With the help of the time difference, let me see if I can find a way to wrap up the Truth Sect in a short amount of time.¡± ¡­ Chapter 7 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Primitive¡±. Emery Town. Lu Qingfeng walked out of the Pool of Reincarnation and felt a familiar, yet at the same time, a strange feeling. In real time, only two months have passed, but a full 16 years have gone by in ¡°Primitive¡±. Emery Town was still bustling, but the subtle changes had Lu Qingfeng feeling that this might not be the place that he was familiar with. ¡°To the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop.¡± Based on his memory of where it was located, Lu Qingfeng hurried to the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop. He had cultivated in the Scorching Sun Classic, and he had also mastered half of the Fundamentals of Pill Refining. If he were to go to another Pill Refining Workshop, he might have to start all over again and waste time. So it was obvious that he would be better off going back to the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop. It was rather fortunate. Lu Qingfeng had acquired techniques and pills from the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop, but, upon death, such a contract that didn¡¯t involve reincarnation would be invalidated. Now that he had reincarnated, he could pick up the contract again. If it hadn¡¯t been that the price one had to pay for reincarnation was too hefty, many would probably exploit this loophole. He went straight to the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop. ¡­ Half an hour later¡­ Lu Qingfeng stood in front of the door of the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop with a thoughtful look in his eyes. After a long while, he walked into the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop. Quite a number of players were in there purchasing pills. ¡°Greetings, good sir. Are you here to rent a Pill Refining Chamber or purchase pills?¡± As soon as Lu Qingfeng entered, a man in a gray robe greeted him rather enthusiastically. The Pill Refining Workshops in Emery Town had chambers to perform pill refining skills. Aside from being used by the Pill Refining Workshops¡¯ internal personnel, the chambers were also open for rent, which would supply them with additional income. However, their main source of income was still dependent on the sale of medicinal pills. ¡°Neither. May I ask if this place was originally the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop?¡± Lu Qingfeng asked the man. ¡°Worriless Pill Refining Workshop? Worriless closed down some seven to eight years ago. Master Luo Sheng took over its ownership, and it was thus renamed Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop. Master Luo Sheng has long been a top apprentice in pill refining. His three disciples and several ministers are all senior pill refining apprentices. If you need any pills, good sir, whatever the Worriless Pill Refining Workshop could make, we have it in the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop.¡± After a brief explanation, the man took advantage of the conversation trend and promoted their products. ¡°Thanks.¡± After listening, Lu Qingfeng nodded, thanked him, and walked out of the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop. ¡°Safe journey, adventurer.¡± The man¡¯s voice came from behind him. ¡°Great attitude.¡± Lu Qingfeng praised him in his heart. When he lifted his head and saw the characters that spelled out Luo Sheng, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. After all, 16 years have passed in ¡°Primitive¡±. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t think that Worriless Pill Refining Workshop had been closed a long time ago. He thought he had remembered its location wrong or that the Pill Refining Workshop had had its name changed. ¡°Since Worriless is closed, I¡¯ll go for this one then.¡± Lu Qingfeng signed a contract with Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop. As he had been reborn, he was able to perform this with ease because of his past experience. Those 16 years may have caused the Pill Refining Workshops to change hands, but the rules in Emery Town hadn¡¯t changed at all. Aucuba Style. Deciphering Medicine. 5 Yellow Dragon Pills. 5 Fasting Pills. 1 Bluestone Tablet. The latter three remained unchanged. Scorching Sun Classic became Aucuba Style, and Fundamentals of Pill Refining became Deciphering Medicine. Overall, it was very much the same. Lu Qingfeng took both scrolls and learned them all. The technique grade of the Aucuba Style was the same as the Scorching Sun Classic. One could cultivate in it to at most Level 9 of the Fetal Phase. It was just that one belonged to the wood attribute, while the other belonged to the fire attribute. For the handling of medicinal herbs, wood or fire attribute techniques were naturally handier. Therefore, the basic techniques one would acquire from Pill Refining Workshops were usually one of these two attributes. As for Deciphering Medicine, it made Lu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes shimmer. It recorded the handling methods of 49 kinds of medicinal herbs, 16 of which hadn¡¯t been in Fundamentals of Pill Refining. Of the 33 methods which were identical between the two, there were 12 different handling methods. ¡°I¡¯ll focus on leveling in the first month.¡± During the two months of waiting, Lu Qingfeng had conceived a general plan on how he should play this game. At the very least, he already had his early game planned out. First: Cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic! Aucuba Style and Scorching Sun Classic were of the same grade. Now that Lu Qingfeng had already got into Novice Level for the Scorching Sun Classic and what¡¯s more, having experienced it twice where one was in the game and one was in reality, he couldn¡¯t get any more familiar with it. So, naturally, it was his first choice. Yellow Dragon Pill. One pill! Two pills! With only two Yellow Dragon Pills consumed, the insides of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s body felt tempestuous, and Chi Control was abruptly born. ¡°It took me four Yellow Dragon Pills the first time to develop my sense of Chi. Now, I¡¯ve already ascended into Level 1 of the Fetal Phase with two pills!¡± Being able to save on two Yellow Dragon Pills was definitely something worth rejoicing about for Lu Qingfeng in his current stage. Attaining Novice Level, Lu Qingfeng directly took on some quests from the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop via the Bluestone Tablet. In the contract he signed with the Pill Refining Workshop, he was required to handle at least ten basic medicinal herbs every day. As for the extras, the Pill Refining Workshop would pay him according to the market price. [Quest: Handling Bai Zhu] [Amount: 50] [Objective: Turn in 40 handled Bai Zhu] [Reward: The remaining Bai Zhu] ¡­ [Quest: Handling Licorice] [Amount: 50] [Objective: Turn in 40 handled Licorice] [Reward: The remaining Licorice] ¡­ [Quest: Handling Honeysuckle] [Amount: 50] [Objective: Turn in 40 handled Honeysuckle] [Reward: The remaining Honeysuckle] ¡­ ¡°As long as beginners are careful enough, they will achieve a pass rate of at least 80 percent in handling these basic medicinal herbs. At least the quest requirements of the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop don¡¯t make players lose money.¡± ¡°As players gradually become more proficient, their pass rate will increase, and the rewards they can receive from each mission will also increase.¡± ¡°Players can exchange these rewards for Fasting Pills and Yellow Dragon Pills from the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop!¡± Ten handled basic medicinal herbs could be exchanged for one Fasting Pill. 50 handled basic medicinal herbs could be exchanged for one Yellow Dragon Pill. Based on the calculation that a beginner could handle 50 basic medicinal herbs a day, in the worst case, six days would be enough for them to accumulate a reward of ten basic handled medicinal herbs that they could then use to exchange for a Fasting Pill. If one wasn¡¯t able to accomplish this, one may as well consider picking up another profession. ¡°Based on my current speed of progression, I can handle about 100 basic medicinal herbs every day while keeping the pass rate above 85 percent.¡± Lu Qingfeng accepted one handling quest of each of the more than a dozen medicinal herbs that he had experience handling in reality, such as Bai Zhu, Licorice, Honeysuckle, and Polygonatum sibiricum. Then, he started to cultivate while handling the herbs. Both were time-consuming without seeming so. Time flew. In the blink of an eye, a month went by. ¡­ Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: Level 2 of Postnatal-Fetal Phase Level: 3 (14/15) Chi Control: 12/12 (Grade: Preliminary) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Unblooded) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Scorching Sun Classic Level 2 (Novice) [Updating]; Aucuba Style (Unblooded) [Updatable] Magic: None Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining (Expert) [Updating]; Deciphering Medicine (Unblooded) Lu Qingfeng handled an average of 120 basic medicinal herbs every day at an 85 percent pass rate. He was able to exchange for one Yellow Dragon Pill every eight days. In a month, he¡¯d exchanged for a total of four Yellow Dragon Pills. Combined with the three pills that he¡¯d had previously, he¡¯d managed to refine seven Yellow Dragon Pills in just one month, directly rising to Level 3 and advancing his cultivation to Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. Based on these calculations, one Yellow Dragon Pill would correspond to three experience points. As for the results of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s own cultivation, it was almost negligible. ¡°I think I have enough experience points in my Level reserve.¡± Lu Qingfeng tapped on the word [Updating] at the end of Scorching Sun Classic. [Scorching Sun Classic Updating. Required experience point: 1/10] At Level 3 (14/15), the total experience points he had in his experience pool was 30, barely enough for him to spend. Putting in eight experience points in one go, a system prompt popped up: [Scorching Sun Classic Updating. Required experience point 10/10. Please select Update Path: Enhance/ Elevate/ Merge.] [Enhance: Increases the grade of a technique. Has a chance to acquire a special property.] [Elevate: Increases the level cap of a technique.] [Merge: Merge with other techniques. Has a chance to increase the grade of a technique. Has a chance to add a property to a technique.] ¡°Enhance! Elevate! Merge!¡± Suddenly a light came on for Lu Qingfeng. Enhancing a technique had a chance of acquiring a property for the technique, and, after doing it multiple times, it would be possible to increase the grade of the technique from Preliminary to Refined. As for Elevate, it was to increase the level cap of a technique. For instance, the Scorching Sun Classic had nine Levels. Hence, by cultivating in it, one could at most attain Level 9 of the Fetal Phase. However, if its Level cap was pushed to Level 10, one could cultivate in it until Level 1 of the Genuine Chi Phase. Thus, this improved the cultivation upper limit for a technique. As for the last one, Merge, as its name would suggest, it was to combine one technique and another with a chance to increase the grade or add a property to the technique. ¡°This¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s thoughts flowed as he was struck by great joy all of a sudden. Enhance! Elevate! Merge! By getting these three paths to work together, wouldn¡¯t that mean that as long as he had enough experience points, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about techniques anymore. Regardless of whether a technique was of the Refined, Lateral, or even the Authentic and Mystical grade, they could very much update and provide for themselves? ¡°Ha,ha!¡± ¡°Heaven is on my side!¡± Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help laughing out loud. Although he didn¡¯t know if techniques were hard to come by in ¡°Primitive¡±, with mastery over Ability Upgrade, he wouldn¡¯t have to suffer from too many restrictions, and he would have fewer worries in his cultivation journey. It was definitely a great thing! ¡°Merge!¡± ¡°Aucuba Style.¡± Lu Qingfeng held back the ecstasy in his heart and, via the Operation Panel, dragged Aucuba Style to the Update Column. A light flashed, and the update was over. [Scorching Sun Classic Update Complete. It is now Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic!] ¡­ [Technique: Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic] [Grade: Preliminary, has a total of 9 Levels] [Ability Upgrade: One-time Merge] [Cultivation Stage Requirement: None] [Technique Property: None] [Note: A fusion of Aucuba Style and Scorching Sun Classic] ¡°No added property, and no grade increase.¡± ¡°I wonder if the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic is better or weaker than the Scorching Sun Classic.¡± Lu Qingfeng looked toward the technique column, only to see that Scorching Sun Classic and Aucuba Style were gone and had been replaced by Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic. After the update was complete, Lu Qingfeng was at a loss again. ¡°Let me try to cultivate in it.¡± Lu Qingfeng sat down with his legs crossed and prompted the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic. ¡­. Chapter 8 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Half an hour later, Lu Qingfeng stopped, smiling with happiness. ¡°This feels even smoother than the Scorching Sun Classic. It seems as if my cultivation has become faster.¡± Lu Qingfeng was rather surprised. Although the improvements weren¡¯t massive, at least they were useful. ¡°From the look of it, the merging of two techniques is full of uncertainties. With the various factors intertwining, there could be cases where the grade of a technique deteriorates upon merging.¡± ¡°Enhancing a technique, on the other hand, can directly increase a technique¡¯s grade.¡± Lu Qingfeng tapped on [Updatable] after Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic and was prepared to test the particular effects of enhancing a technique. [Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic Updating. Required experience point: 1/10] [Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic Updating. Required experience point: 10/10. Please select Update Path: Enhance/ Elevate/ Merge.] [Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic Update Complete!] ¡­ [Technique: Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic] [Grade: Preliminary, has a total of nine Levels] [Ability Upgrade: One-time Merge, One-time Enhance] [Cultivation Stage Requirement: None] [Technique Property: None] [Note: A fusion of Aucuba Style and Scorching Sun Classic] Still, no technique property appeared. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t mind. Once again, he sat down cross-legged and started cultivating. This time, the effects of the enhancement for the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic were immediate. Not only could Lu Qingfeng clearly feel that exercising the skill was going more smoothly, but his cultivation speed had also been significantly improved. ¡°Looks like Enhancing is the way to go!¡± Lu Qingfeng was overjoyed. With his technique upgraded, not only would it bring him benefits in the game at the present time, but what he was going to gain in reality was also enough to keep a grin on his face from ear to ear. With a look of confidence, Lu Qingfeng continued what he was doing, as he prepared to enhance the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic another time. [Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic Updating. Enhance: 0/20; Elevate: 0/10; Merge: 0/20] ¡°The experience points needed for Enhance and Merge have been increased.¡± Only then did Lu Qingfeng notice that the experience points required for a second enhancement and merging had been increased to 20. It was as yet unclear to him if every instance would increase the required experience points by 10 or if they would be doubled directly. But right now, he couldn¡¯t answer that question. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t have a lot of experience points to begin with. After an Enhance and a Merge, his Level had straight-up plummeted to Level 2 (6/10). His remaining experience points were not at all enough for another Enhance or Merge. ¡°I¡¯m still very far away from the Genuine Chi Phase. I¡¯m not in a hurry to increase the Level cap of the technique.¡± After some thought, Lu Qingfeng selected Deciphering Medicine and started enhancing that. After a short while, this enhancement had been completed. [Scroll: Deciphering Medicine] [Grade: Preliminary] [Ability Upgrade: One-time Enhance] [Note: This basic Pill Refining manual records the handling methods of 49 different kinds of medicinal herbs.] Following the completion of the enhancement, the contents of Deciphering Medicine that had been in his mind were disarranged and then rearranged. In a while, Deciphering Medicine took on a brand-new look. Lu Qingfeng glanced at it and saw that the information it contained on medicinal herbs had become more detailed. Also, the various handling methods had become more concise and practical. ¡°Not bad at all!¡± Lu Qingfeng skimmed through it quickly. He figured that after he¡¯d mastered the enhanced Deciphering Medicine, his efficiency in his daily herb handling could be increased by at least 20 to 30 percent, and thus his pass rate could be improved to 90 percent. Originally, his pass rate had allowed him to exchange for a Yellow Dragon Pill once every eight days. Now, he would be able to exchange for a Yellow Dragon Pill every three to four days, which would more than double the previous amount. ¡°Whew!¡± Lu Qingfeng felt that he had had too many surprises today. His mind felt overwhelmed for an instant. ¡°My mental training still isn¡¯t sufficient yet. Oh well, I think I¡¯ll go for a walk.¡± In this excitable state, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t cultivate quietly or handle medicinal herbs since his mind wasn¡¯t at ease. So he got up and walked out of the Bluestone Tablet for the first time in a month. ¡­ Emery Town. As Lu Qingfeng exited the Bluestone Tablet, his true form was revealed. Walking around the town, he could see countless cultivators pacing back and forth. Among them were also ordinary people who had no attainments in cultivation at all. ¡°Innate talent is essential in cultivation. Although I¡¯m only Level 1 in innate talent, I¡¯m at least able to cultivate and hopefully rise into the Novice Level with the assistance of the Yellow Dragon Pills.¡± ¡°However, in this world, there are many people with no talent at all who aren¡¯t able to even get started with cultivation.¡± After all, this was not a glorious world where everyone could attain accomplishments. Innate talent itself was a natural chasm that separated deities and mortals. Bearing that in mind, Lu Qingfeng felt a little grateful, because at least he hadn¡¯t been born into such a terrible level of desperation. He continued walking around. The massive Emery Town was divided into several major areas. Lu Qingfeng was presently in the West City District, which included the Commercial Zone, the Residential Zone, the Cultivation Zone, the Guild Zone, and others. ¡°Emery City is a miniature World of Cultivation by itself.¡± It was a rare sight for Lu Qingfeng to feel this free. He walked around Emery Town, looking around and trying his best to understand the world of this game. If nothing unexpected happened, he would be spending a very long time in this town. ¡°Ah, the market.¡± Just as Lu Qingfeng was feeling frazzled after all his exploring, he came to a market in the Commercial Zone. ¡°Hello, my fellow townsfolks! Come here and have a look! Tier 3 Runic Equipment, Black Iron Ascension Bulwark, fresh from the forge. This is an ancient and rare Defensive Runic Equipment that can be refined with up to 76 Talismans. Delicately forged with Black Iron from the Land of the Shady Frost. It is not only extremely sturdy, but by driving it with a spell, it can also unleash an automatic defense mechanism that covers all directions. Definitely an excellent choice to secure your safety.¡± ¡°Golden Bamboo Runic Brush: the tip of the brush is made using the fur from the neck of a Tier 2 Demon Beast, the Golden-eyed Ape. The shaft of the pen was forged in the Altar of Fire for three days and three nights using the Essence of Gold and Dark Iron. You can get it for only 20 Golden Pith Pellets.¡± ¡°A pile of High-Grade Thunder Talismans! Buy one quickly!¡± ¡°One Scorching Sun Stone from the Scorching Sun Mountain 300 miles away. Your best choice for refining a fire attribute weapon. Don¡¯t miss it!¡± ¡­ Before Lu Qingfeng had even stepped into the market, the shouts and clamorings hit him in the face, sweeping away all the loneliness he had felt from his month-long cultivation. ¡°Runic Equipment.¡± ¡°Pills.¡± ¡°Talismans.¡± ¡°Ore.¡± There were hundreds of stalls and all kinds of dazzling goods. It was overwhelming and exciting. Upon entering, Lu Qingfeng was immediately attracted by the various kinds of magical Runic Equipment and Talismans. From low to high, the Magic Treasures in ¡°Primitive¡± were Runic Equipment, Nether Relics, Celestial Relics, and, finally, the most powerful of all that only existed in legends, the Postnatal Spirit Artifacts and Prenatal Spirit Artifacts. Emery Town was classified as a beginner¡¯s town. In the town, even those with the highest cultivation stage were in no more than the Foundation Building Stage. Magical Artifacts of the Nether Relic grade were seen rarely. The most common Magic Treasures here were just low-tier Runic Equipment. Runic Equipment was classified into four tiers with Tier 1 being the least powerful and Tier 4 being the most powerful. That Black Iron Ascension Bulwark that Lu Qingfeng had seen when he first entered the market was on the low end of Tier 3 Runic Equipment. However, because it was capable of automated defense, it was more sought after than many of the Tier 4 Runic Equipments. Unfortunately, the vendor¡¯s price was too high, and Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t bring himself to make the deal. ¡°With my innate talent level, it¡¯s definitely not going to be three to five days for me to amount to something.¡± ¡°If I can get a Runic Equipment or two, it will greatly increase my combat power within a short time.¡± Lu Qingfeng lingered around the many stalls in the market, pondering about every piece of Runic Equipment that he¡¯d seen for a long time, repeatedly asking questions of the stall owners. It wasn¡¯t until he had completely understood about one piece of equipment that he would go on to the next stall in his search to find his most favorite Runic Equipment. After half a day, Lu Qingfeng sat down beside a stall to rest. ¡°Among all this Runic Equipment, if I can gather the Black Iron Ascension Bulwark, Formless Needle, Cloud Threading Boots, and the Golden Beetle Main Blade, I will be invincible in the Postnatal-Fetal Phase and Genuine Chi Phase.¡± The Black Iron Ascension Bulwark was capable of automated defense. Once acquired, one wouldn¡¯t have to be afraid of sneak attacks, blades, weapons, and magic. The Formless Needle approach was about not casting a shadow, being able to leave without a trace, and inflicting harm from the realm of the unseen. The Cloud Threading Boots could improve one¡¯s speed. The Golden Beetle Main Blade consisted of one main blade and eight smaller blades that were extremely sharp. With the main blade, the wielder could control the eight smaller blades to perform attacks, catching enemies off guard. It was just that¡­ ¡°It is still quite possible for me to gather these four Runic Equipments in the game. However, if I wish to do so in reality, the difficultly might be on a par with attaining Level 9 of the Fetal Phase in my cultivation.¡± Lu Qingfeng smiled bitterly. Not to mention how long it would take for a rookie who knew nothing about Tool Refining to create a Runic Equipment such as the Black Iron Ascension Bulwark, the materials required to craft this Runic Equipment alone left Lu Qingfeng thinking that the task was insurmountable. ¡°Black Iron, Mineral Essence, Cloud Threading Beast Leather, Essence of Iron, Essence of Gold¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even find a decent item made of iron in Blackwood Village. Where can I find things like Black Iron and Essence of Gold?¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head, burying the idea of engaging himself in Tool Refining deeply in his mind. At present, Tool Refining couldn¡¯t help him solve his problems in the real world. ¡°A person¡¯s cultivation stage is fundamental to everything.¡± ¡°If I want to quickly improve my cultivation in reality, I can either enhance my techniques in the game or go deeper into the arts of Pill Refining.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s thoughts became very clear. Of all the skills available on the path of cultivation, what he needed to grasp the most at this moment in time was the art of Pill Refining. In the game, even with the Yellow Dragon Pill¡¯s assistance, his progress in cultivation was still not as good as he¡¯d expected it to be. Back in the real world, without the aid of the Yellow Dragon Pill, he might not be able to make any progress at all. Hence, it was imperative for him to master the arts of Pill Refining. ¡°Compared to Tool Refining, the requirements Pill Refining have toward one¡¯s cultivation stage are much lower. Also, the various herbs that I will need are also much more accessible than the materials required for Tool Refining.¡± ¡°But, at the same time, while I¡¯m doing Pill Refining, I can certainly have a look at the Art of Talisman.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s gaze fell on the piles of talismans in the stalls beside him. By drawing on talismans with unique methods, one could seal a spell. With one¡¯s inner Chi, Genuine Chi, or Genuine Mana, one could unleash the spell sealed within the talisman. It was perfect for combat. If one was rich enough to have dozens of low-grade talismans to scatter at one go, it would even be possible to severely injure or kill a cultivator in the Genuine Chi Phase. Flame Talismans, Ice Talismans, Stealth Talismans, Earth Talismans, Thunder Talismans¡­ There were so many kinds of talismans with tons of various uses. With hundreds of assorted talismans, Lu Qingfeng could even level Ganoderma Mountain! Besides, getting started with talismans was much easier than Tool Refining. For Lu Qingfeng, the best choice would be to improve his strength in the fastest time possible. ¡°I wonder if there are cultivators in the real world. If people there are only martial artists, or if the cultivation system is different, in the future, whether it is pills, talismans, Runic Equipment, or Magical Artifacts, I¡¯ll have to make them all by myself.¡± Not to mention all the other things he would have to craft by himself. As far as crafting talismans was concerned, Lu Qingfeng would have to craft his own Runic Brush, prepare the Cinnabarite, refine the Runic Papers¡­ Crafting a Runic Brush would even require him to have some basic expertise in Tool Refining. Thinking about all of this, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but feel dizzy. Even with the 100-fold time difference, it was no easy task to gain attainments in Pill Refining, talisman crafting, Tool Refining, and everything else at the same time. ¡°Cultivation is so hard.¡± Lu Qingfeng sighed to himself. ¡°Young one, I can see that you¡¯re new to ¡®Primitive¡¯. Why aren¡¯t you cultivating or earning money, but squandering your time here with me instead?¡± A voice came from beside him. Lu Qingfeng woke up from his contemplation, only to see the owner of the stall beside him looking at him rather curiously. ¡­ Chapter 9 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio This store owner looked like he was about 30 to 40 years of age. He was wearing a robe that was gray and white in color. His attainments in cultivation weren¡¯t revealed, and he looked as if he was a worldly merchant. However, without even spending too much time thinking about it, Lu Qingfeng knew that this person must be way higher than he was in cultivation to be able to possess so many talismans in his wares. Perhaps he was already in the Genuine Chi Phase. However, nobody could be sure about that. ¡°Greetings, elder, my name is Lu Qingfeng. Do you not want me to stay here?¡± Lu Qingfeng made a bow with his hands folded in front of him as he asked this question. He had little knowledge of the various rules of the market. It was true that he really didn¡¯t know if he was breaking the rules or not. ¡°I deem myself unworthy of the elder title, young one. My name is Huang Luo. The only thing that I have that is more than what you have is a few years of age. If you¡¯re willing, you may just call me Brother Luo.¡± Seeing that Lu Qingfeng looked quite pleasant, Huang Luo shook his head in answer to Lu Qingfeng¡¯s question and said, ¡°Aside from the stalls in the market that require one to pay rent, you¡¯re free to linger in other places. It¡¯s just that in the earlier phases of cultivation, the last thing you should want to do is to slack off. I see that you¡¯ve been walking around in the market for quite some time and were kind of spacing out a bit. I couldn¡¯t bear to see you like this.¡± This was indeed one of the reasons. Most certainly, however, there was another thing. This stall that he had wasn¡¯t very big. With Lu Qingfeng sitting there and not moving, it was equivalent to occupying half of his store, which would ultimately affect his business. ¡°Thanks for your reminder, Brother Luo.¡± Figuring out what he meant, Lu Qingfeng immediately moved. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just hope that you don¡¯t regret it when it¡¯s too late for you to cultivate.¡± Seeing that Lu Qingfeng only seemed to have understood about half of what he¡¯d been trying to say, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. The mud does not hold the wall, he felt. He immediately closed his eyes and pretended to go to sleep, unwilling to speak anymore with Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Farewell.¡± Lu Qingfeng was still thinking about talking with this elder who was the first ever who had taken the initiative to speak to him, but he hadn¡¯t expected to be turned off before he¡¯d even started talking. He smiled and left after making a slight bow with both of his hands clasped in front of him. ¡­ The bustling market formed a stark contrast with the quiet Bluestone Tablet. In the Bluestone Tablet, he stayed in a very small space. The workbench for handling medicinal herbs stood in the middle, and it was empty all around it. There was no table, no chair, no bed, and so on. After Lu Qingfeng was finished handling the medicinal herbs every day, he would cultivate and rest in this space. Regular players couldn¡¯t stand the silence in the Bluestone Tablet, feeling that the atmosphere was very depressing. Lu Qingfeng, on the contrary, having spent 16 years living in Blackwood Village, was very much used to it. A 100 times time difference. A month had passed by in the game, but in the real world, less than four hours had gone by. Lu Qingfeng exited the game, had dinner with Lu Qingyu, and then was pestered by her to teach her to read for a bit before he went back to the game. This time, he was prepared. Before he went offline, he took a Fasting Pill and paid close attention to the time when he was offline. When he logged into the game again, exactly six days had passed in the game. ¡°I must continue my cultivation.¡± ¡°Cultivating in the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic.¡± ¡°Studying Deciphering Medicine.¡± ¡°Handling basic medicinal herbs.¡± ¡­ Time flew by without Lu Qingfeng noticing it. In a trance¡­ Another two months had passed. Ever since Lu Qingfeng had enhanced Deciphering Medicine, his speed of handling medicinal herbs had gotten even faster. Initially, he could exchange for one Yellow Dragon Pill approximately every eight days, which was already doing a lot better than a regular newbie. After one enhancement, it would only take him about four days to exchange for a Yellow Dragon Pill. Lu Qingfeng redoubled his efforts. When he¡¯d cultivated his way to Level 3, he once again enhanced Deciphering Medicine. As the saying goes, sharpening your axe will not delay your job of chopping wood. At present, Lu Qingfeng relied entirely on Deciphering Medicine to complete the herb handling quests of the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop in exchange for Yellow Dragon Pills for cultivation. For him, enhancing Deciphering Medicine had an even higher cost-performance ratio than enhancing Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic. Upon a second enhancement, the medicinal herbs Lu Qingfeng could handle every day were at 200 portions with a stable pass rate above 95 percent. On average, he could acquire 30 portions of handled basic medicinal herbs every day. Every two days, he could exchange for a Yellow Dragon Pill and a Fasting Pill. ¡°With two enhancements, I think I¡¯ve almost tapped all the potential of Deciphering Medicine. Even if I continue enhancing it, my handling speed and pass rate wouldn¡¯t increase much.¡± ¡°I wonder what will happen after I [Elevate] Deciphering Medicine.¡± For a technique such as the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic, upon elevation, its Level cap would be increased, that is, it would extend to more techniques on the basis of the original one. As for Deciphering Medicine, he really had no clue about what would happen. ¡°Will more herbs appear?¡± ¡°Or will it roughly be the same as an enhancement?¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at his experience pool and found that, without his knowledge, his experience points for Level 3 were full again. ¡°I¡¯ll elevate Deciphering Medicine once and enhance Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic once!¡± From Level 1 (0/5) to Level 3 (15/15), it was exactly 30 experience points. [Deciphering Medicine Updating. Enhance: 0/40; Elevate: 0/10; Merge: 0/10] ¡°Elevate: 10/10.¡± [Scroll: Deciphering Medicine] [Grade: Preliminary] [Ability Upgrade: Two-time Enhance, One-time Elevate] [Description: This basic Pill Refining manual records the handling methods of 49 kinds of medicinal herbs; attached: Fasting Pill Recipe.] ¡°Fasting Pill Recipe?¡± Lu Qingfeng checked the elevated Deciphering Medicines and found that there were neither more medicinal herbs nor any enhancements, only a recipe for the Fasting Pill. ¡°Elevating Deciphering Medicines will give me pill recipes?¡± Thinking about it carefully, the content of Deciphering Medicines had been 49 basic medicinal herbs, including their handling methods. This scroll itself was the Fundamentals of Pill Refining. After it was elevated, what it did was precisely updating it on its basis. Hence, acquiring a pill recipe was entirely normal. This would save Lu Qingfeng from the trouble of searching for pill recipes. Even if it was only a simple recipe like that of the Fasting Pill, if he wanted to get one, he wouldn¡¯t have to think about getting it at a price of less than 20 Fasting Pills. Now, it only cost him three Yellow Dragon Pills, plus some time. It was entirely within the scope of his acceptance. ¡°If I can get the Fasting Pill¡¯s recipe, maybe I can further elevate it to get the Yellow Dragon Pill¡¯s recipe as well.¡± Lu Qingfeng was tempted. Immediately, he gave up on enhancing the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic to elevate Deciphering Medicine one more time. His Level immediately went down like him taking off his pants, back to Level 1. However, the outcome of the update left Lu Qingfeng in very much joy. [Scroll: Deciphering Medicine] [Grade: Preliminary] [Ability Upgrade: Two-time Enhance, Two-time Elevate] [Description: This basic Pill Refining manual records the handling methods of 49 kinds of medicinal herbs; attached: Fasting Pill Recipe, Yellow Dragon Pill Recipe.] ¡°The recipe for the Yellow Dragon Pill.¡± This was like literally being given a pillow when he was sleepy. With this pill recipe, Lu Qingfeng could study the art of Pill Refining in advance. Then, when he¡¯d mastered the refining methods of the Fasting Pill and the Yellow Dragon Pill, his cultivation in the real world would also be able to advance by leaps and bounds. However, calculating his time, he realized that he had spent a total of three months in the game after he¡¯d been reincarnated. In reality, about a day and a night had gone by. It was almost time for him to get out of bed. ¡°I¡¯ll go off now and continue my studies at night.¡± Life in reality still had to go on. At the very least, before Lu Qingfeng was able to contend with or avoid the Truth Sect sufficiently, he still had to use some of his window-dressing skills to cover up what he was up to. Also, the crops in the fields must not be abandoned. Based on his current progress in cultivation, he wouldn¡¯t be able to accumulate enough strength before exhausting all the food at home. Without crops, he wouldn¡¯t starve to death if he learned how to refine Fasting Pills, but if he couldn¡¯t pay tribute to the Truth Sect, it would spell trouble. ¡­ From this day onward¡­ Lu Qingfeng worked in the morning and spent two hours in the afternoon cultivating in the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic and collecting and handling herbs. In this way, he had to enter the game every half an hour and eat one Fasting Pill to stay alive. This might seem to be a little troublesome, and, in fact, his timing had to be extremely precise. The time when he had to log into the game couldn¡¯t be even one breath cycle late. Unfortunately, without Lu Qingfeng in control, his avatar in the game couldn¡¯t work on the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic. If he could have gained Levels when he was offline, his efficiency would have improved by 30 to 50 percent. However, even though he wasn¡¯t able to cultivate when he was offline¡­ Lu Qingfeng would enter the game at 6:00 o¡¯clock in the evening every day and go offline at 8:00 o¡¯clock the next morning. Every night, he would stay in the game for two months. In the blink of an eye, ten days went by in reality. In the game, three years and four months passed, and, though his time was intermittent, Lu Qingfeng had stayed in the game for a whole two years. ¡­ Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: Level 1 of Postnatal-Fetal Phase Level: 1 (3/5) Chi Control: 4/4 (Grade: Refined) Destined Life Span: 19/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Novice) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Karma Nullification (Level 1)]; Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic Level 2 (Apex) [Updatable] Magic: Fireball (Level 1); Celestial Eye (Level 1); Shifting Steps (Level 1); Smoldering Palm (Level 1) Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining (Expert) [Updatable]; Deciphering Medicine (Expert) [Updatable] West City District. Lu Qingfeng called upon the Attribute Panel while sitting behind a store. After more than three years in the game, although Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Level was still stagnant, his Attribute Panel was still pleasing to the eye. [Technique: Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic (Incomplete)] [Grade: Refined. Has a total of 9 Levels] [Ability Upgrade: One-time Merge, Four-time Enhance] [Cultivation Stage Requirement: None] [Technique Property: Power of the Scorching Sun] [Description: A fusion of Aucuba Style, Scorching Sun Classic] ¡­ [Scroll: Deciphering Medicine] [Grade: Preliminary] [Ability Upgrade: Two-time Enhance, Three-time Elevate] [Description: This basic Pill Refining manual records the handling methods of 49 kinds of medicinal herbs; attached: Fasting Pill Recipe, Spirit Cleansing Powder Recipe.] ¡­ [Magic: Fireball] [Grade: Low Rank. Has a total of 4 Levels.] [Ability Upgrade: Two-time Enhance] [Description: Contains immense temperature. Able to destroy and ignite everything.] ¡­ [Magic: Celestial Eye] [Grade: Low Rank. Has a total of 2 Levels.] [Ability Upgrade: Two-time Enhance] [Description: Examine the cultivation attainments of a target that is not above your current stage/phase. Can cause mental trauma to ordinary people, causing them to panic.] ¡­ [Magic: Shifting Steps] [Grade: Low Rank. Has a total of 2 Levels.] [Ability Upgrade: Two-time Enhance] [Description: A lightness skill. Consumes stamina. Grants extremely fast speeds.] ¡­ [Magic: Smoldering Palm] [Grade: Low Rank. Has a total of 2 Levels.] [Ability Upgrade: Two-time Enhance] [Description: A palm technique. Contains Yang Energy. Can break through stones and make them smolder.] [Note: Magic Grades are divided into Low, Middle, High, Supreme.] ¡­ Chapter 10 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Over the past three years, Lu Qingfeng had never slackened his pace. First came the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic. Enhancing it four times in a row cost him a total of 150 experience points, directly enhancing the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic to the Refined grade. The quality of techniques in the Refined grade and the Preliminary grade were intrinsically different. First: Techniques in the Preliminary grade could only be cultivated to the Foundation Building stage, while techniques of the Refined grade could go as far up as to the Golden Core stage. This was very rare throughout the entire Elephant King City and even across the 1,200 cities in the 800 mountains of the Seven Sword Ridge. Second: The Chi Control that was born of every level of a Refined-grade technique wasn¡¯t something that Preliminary-grade techniques could even begin to compare with. When Lu Qingfeng was cultivating in the original version of the Scorching Sun Classic, when he reached the apex of Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, his Chi Control was only 10 points. However, when he began to cultivate in the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic, that had been enhanced four times, at the apex of Level 1 of the Fetal Phase now, he¡¯d attained 20 points in Chi Control, which was the double of what he¡¯d had previously and equal to the total amount in Chi Control that he¡¯d had when he was at the apex of Level 2 of the Fetal Phase for the Scorching Sun Classic. Accumulating the multiplied increment of Chi Control at each Level, his increase of strength wouldn¡¯t be as simple as just being doubled. His durability, explosiveness, and everything else would be boosted. Aside from that, the grade of his inner Chi had also been improved from Preliminary to Refined and enhanced to the property of the Power of the Scorching Sun, further elevating his combat power. ¡°Similarly, in Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, even if I do not use any physical martial arts techniques or magic, with the powers that I have now: with my Chi Control doubled, Refined-grade Inner Chi, and the property of the Power of the Scorching Sun, I can still win even if I¡¯m matched with three to five persons like me who are cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic.¡± Lu Qingfeng may seem to have stagnated in his Level, but, in fact, his accumulation of power had never halted for even a second. The Power of the Scorching Sun might sound ordinary, but its effects were exceptionally remarkable. Inner Chi that embodied the Power of the Scorching Sun was even more powerful and explosive. It could also provide a great bonus toward fire attribute martial arts techniques and spells like Fire Ball and Smoldering Palm. With Fire Ball and Smoldering Palm working together, in addition to the prowess of Refined-grade techniques, Lu Qingfeng in the Fetal Phase could match up to those several stages higher than him in cultivation. ¡°Fire Ball, Shifting Steps, and Smoldering Palm: with these three techniques working together, I am able to deal with opponents in offensive contests. The only thing I¡¯m lacking now is a defensive spell.¡± Lu Qingfeng sat in front of a stall and contemplated spell combos. Despite having the benefit of a 100 times time difference, he still cherished his time very much and wouldn¡¯t waste it easily. For a wastrel with an Innate Talent Level: 1 like Lu Qingfeng, three years wasn¡¯t all that long. Subtracting the time he wasted in real time, the time Lu Qingfeng had used was only two years. In these two years, he had had to handle herbs to exchange for Fasting Pills and Yellow Dragon Pills in order to survive and cultivate. What¡¯s more, he had had to cultivate in techniques and study the arts of Pill Refining. Hence, he didn¡¯t have much time to spare to cultivate in magic. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t cast his net all over the sky, but could only make targeted choices. Among the low-ranking spells that one could master in the Fetal Phase, Fire Ball was one of those with a great destructive force. With two enhancements and the boost provided by the Power of the Scorching Sun, it was made even more extraordinary and suitable for long-range attacks. Smoldering Palm was a fire attribute palm technique. With two enhancements and the boost provided by the Power of the Scorching Sun, its power at melee-range was not to be reckoned with. With a strike of the palm, like a red-hot soldering iron, it could blast through one¡¯s heart and lungs. Shifting Steps was a Lightness Skill, flexible and versatile when facing the enemy. If one couldn¡¯t defeat one¡¯s enemy, one could use it to get away easily. As for the last spell, Celestial Eye, it was a must-have for cultivators. Being able to examine the cultivation attainments of a cultivator, one could remain undefeated by knowing one¡¯s enemy. Being able to master four spells in such a short period of time was already at the limit of what Lu Qingfeng could achieve. That being said, he wasn¡¯t quite proficient in Shifting Steps and Smoldering Palm, which were the latest that he had picked up. He needed to do a lot of practicing in them. ¡°Brother Qingfeng, two bottles of Fasting Pills, please.¡± While he was thinking things over, a middle-aged man came up to him where he was standing in front of the store. Lu Qingfeng snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the man who¡¯d come up. ¡°It¡¯s you, Big Brother Jiu. How did your trip to Silver Light Mountain go?¡± Big Brother Jiu person was an experienced, older player who Lu Qingfeng had met six months ago. His name was Fang Jiu, and he was rugged in appearance and already more than 40 years old. He had been stuck at Level 3 of the Genuine Chi Phase for ten long years. Now, he was looking for opportunities everywhere in an attempt to improve his cultivation. ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. I got some Crimson Spirit Grass, so the trip wasn¡¯t for nothing, I guess.¡± Fang Jiu made it seem as if it wasn¡¯t any big deal, but his face was already blooming in glee. ¡°Crimson Spirit Grass? That¡¯s good stuff, Big Brother Jiu! Congratulations on that!¡± Crimson Spirit Grass was a Spirit Grass that looked like the ordinary herb, Safflower. But the disparity between the two wasn¡¯t just large. An ordinary herb could at most be used to refine low-level pills like the Fasting Pill, the Yellow Dragon Pill, and intermediate-level pills like the Golden Pith Pellet. But for Spirit Grasses or Spirit Herbs, even a Spirit Grass at the lowest tier was the main component of many advanced and top-level pills. They were extremely precious. Even with one Crimson Spirit Grass, one could consider Fang Jiu¡¯s trip to the Silver Light Mountain as a rewarding and fruitful one. Based on his glowing face, one could figure out that, aside from a Crimson Spirit Grass, he had probably acquired some other things as well. ¡°Ha, ha!¡± Fang Jiu laughed when he heard what Lu Qingfeng had said. This trip of his had been a rewarding one, and he was indeed in a good mood. Taking the two bottles of Fasting Pills from Lu Qingfeng, Fang Jiu pulled out a cloth bag from his waist and handed it to Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Here are 300 portions of basic medicinal herbs, wanna give it a count?¡± ¡°You know that I trust you, Big Brother Jiu. But Brother Jiu, next time, please show these herbs a little more kindness. Look at these herbs that are all jumbled up in the sack, jeez¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng opened the bag and saw hundreds of herbs all mixed up together with fresh soil, which was pretty unpleasant to look at. ¡°Yoh, Big Brother, I have the tip of my sword tainted in blood. Demons and beasts are rampant on Silver Light Mountain. I grabbed those herbs and I left. I didn¡¯t have time to spruce them up.¡± Fang Jiu laughed, waved the two bottles of Fasting Pills in his hand, and said, ¡°Gotta go now, I still have stuff to do.¡± Seeing that, Lu Qingfeng said, ¡°You not gonna get some talismans?¡± ¡°Talismans? Fine then, for you, Brother Qingfeng, I¡¯ll give Old man Huang some of my business!¡± Fang Jiu stopped and bought a pile of Flame Talismans, Ice Talismans, and Golden Talismans from Lu Qingfeng¡¯s stall before leaving. But calling it Lu Qingfeng¡¯s stall wasn¡¯t quite appropriate. The stall belonged to Huang Luo, who was the man Lu Qingfeng had met when he first visited the market. Since then, Lu Qingfeng would visit the market once every few months in the game to adjust himself from all the cultivating he had done. After a few stopovers, he and Huang Luo could be considered as acquaintances. Lu Qingfeng specialized in the art of Pill Refining. After an extensive period of time, he had roughly mastered the refining of the Fasting Pill. As for the more complex and precious Yellow Dragon Pill, occasionally when he was lucky, he would be able to refine a few low-quality ones. If he wasn¡¯t lucky, he would waste an entire furnace of herbs, and wasting everything was something that happened quite often. Putting aside the Yellow Dragon Pill¡­ Since Lu Qingfeng was using the Fasting Pill to practice and improve his expertise in the arts, he himself couldn¡¯t actually use so many of them, so he would sell the extra ones at the market. The rental fee for a stall in the market was expensive, and Lu Qingfeng had no capital to rent one. Fortunately, Huang Luo had a kind heart. After learning about his quandary, he agreed to let Lu Qingfeng use his stall when he was working on talismans and resting. Huang Luo didn¡¯t charge Lu Qingfeng a rental fee either. The only thing he asked him to do was to help him sell his talismans when he was selling his Fasting Pills. Naturally, Lu Qingfeng was overjoyed, and he agreeably accepted the deal. Cultivator Huang Luo¡¯s talismans weren¡¯t of bad quality, and Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Fasting Pills had become quite famous as well. Having passed Enhanced Deciphering Medicine twice, the pill recipe he¡¯d acquired was more delicate than that of the Luo Sheng Pill Refining Workshop and those circulating around Emery Town. Ordinary Fasting Pills would allow six days of fasting, but the Fasting Pills Lu Qingfeng made with Deciphering Medicine would enable eight days of fasting, and the price was only 20 percent higher. Having a fair price naturally allowed him to retain a considerable number of repeat customers, and Fang Jiu was one of them. In this way¡­ With Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Fasting Pills and Huang Luo¡¯s talismans sold at the same stall, the results were not bad at all. ¡°The normal price of a Fasting Pill was ten handled basic medicinal herbs. For an apprentice of Pill Refining who has mastered the refining of the Fasting Pill, it will require less than five portions of handled basic medicinal herbs to refine one Fasting Pill. which already includes the failures. The profit they will gain can be more than doubled.¡± ¡°The Fasting Pills I refine are sold in bottles of 20 pills at the price of 150 handled basic medicinal herbs. On average, every Fasting Pill can be sold for 12 1/2 portions of handled basic medicinal herbs, while the overall cost is only four handled basic medicinal herbs.¡± ¡°My profit is tripled!¡± Whether it was Pill Refining, Tool Refining, or drawing talismans, it was an artistry that cost a lot of money. Take Lu Qingfeng, for instance, despite having mastered the refinement of Fasting Pills and tripling his profit, before that, the medicinal herbs that he had wasted were more than a few thousand. Even now, as he needed to study the refinement of the Yellow Dragon Pill, the medicinal herbs that he was wasting were more than those that were actually put into use. The basic medicinal herbs that he earned from selling his Fasting Pills weren¡¯t enough to fill up this bottomless pit. For Pill Refining apprentices and masters, except for those who possessed extraordinary talents, almost all of them went through this same arduous process. Those who weren¡¯t rich enough simply couldn¡¯t afford to do it. This had led to a scenario where, of all the more than 200,000 cultivators in Emery Town¡¯s population of 500,000, the number of Pill Refining apprentices was less than 100 people. Among these 100 people, more than half of them were low- and intermediate-level Pill Refining apprentices. Only an extremely small number of them could reach the advanced level. ¡°My talents in Pill Refining are ordinary. Fortunately, I have the Ability Upgrade property to enhance my pill recipes, which allows me to make ends meet.¡± Lu Qingfeng sighed with emotion, then closed his eyes, and recited the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic. In the blink of an eye, evening arrived. ¡­ ¡°Qingfeng, I found you the Martial Art of Grinding that you wanted,¡± Huang Luo arrived, bringing Lu Qingfeng a piece of good news. ¡°You found it? Thanks a lot, Brother Luo!¡± Lu Qingfeng looked ecstatic. At present, he was already equipped with skills and techniques in melee combat, ranged combat, Lightness Skill, and a Body Flicker Technique. The only thing he lacked was a defensive technique. Cultivator Huang Luo was an advanced-level apprentice in the arts of talismans and had a broad network. Hence, Lu Qingfeng had entrusted him to find one on his behalf. He didn¡¯t expect that he would be able to find it in just a few days. Lu Qingfeng gazed at Huang Luo with earnest eyes. Seeing that, Huang Luo shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°It has only been a while since you entered ¡®Primitive¡¯. You should be focusing on your cultivation. For things like Tool Refining and Pill Refining, you should very much leave them for later. You must know that something like cultivation tolerates absolutely no delay. As you fall behind, when you¡­¡± As Huang Luo went on in this subject, he couldn¡¯t help but start blabbering. Then, when he finally raised his head and saw Lu Qingfeng¡¯s passionate expression about being taught, he hurled out a scroll and said, ¡°Forget it. You won¡¯t understand what I¡¯m saying. This White Jade Mantra belonged to my friend. At the maximum level, you will be able to evade all attacks of the Fetal Phase and morph into a formless entity. I guess it fulfills your demands?¡± [Magic: White Jade Mantra] [Grade: Low Rank. Has a total of 3 Levels.] [Description: A Martial Art of Grinding. At the maximum level, grants your body the property of a White Jade, evading all forms of attacks beneath the Fetal Phase.] ¡°It certainly is!¡± Lu Qingfeng hurriedly took the White Jade Mantra. With this martial art technique, his last shortcoming could be considered solved. ¡°Brother Luo, how much did you spend on this White Jade Mantra?¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at Huang Luo and asked. ¡°Techniques of the Fetal Phase aren¡¯t worth much money. However, the White Jade Mantra is at the pinnacle of techniques in the Fetal Phase. Even after you ascend into the Genuine Chi Phase, it is still capable of giving you a slight increase in strength. I paid five Spirit Stone Fragments,¡± Huang Luo said faintly. ¡°5 Spirit Stone Fragments?¡± Lu Qingfeng was dumbfounded. As Huang Luo had mentioned, regular spells of the Fetal Phase weren¡¯t worth much, for instance, Shifting Steps and Smoldering Palm. None of them were more than one Spirit Stone Fragment. But the White Jade Mantra was more than five times the two combined. The purchasing value of one Spirit Stone Fragment was extremely potent. It was enough to buy 100 Yellow Dragon Pills or ten Golden Pith Pellets. White Jade Mantra! 500 Yellow Dragon Pills? ¡°All right, you can snap out of it now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already paid the five Spirit Stone Fragments. Just pay me back in the future. I can see that you have some talent in Pill Refining, but cultivating must still be your utmost priority. You are still lingering around Level 1 of the Fetal Phase after some three to four years. I really wonder how you cultivate!¡± Huang Luo shook his head and revealed a speechless expression. ¡°Thank you, Brother Luo! I¡¯ll pay you back as soon as possible.¡± Lu Qingfeng quickly thanked him. At this moment, he was indeed ashamed. His failure rate in refining the Yellow Dragon Pill was as high as 95 percent. Having funneled all his resources into this affair, he only had about 20 Yellow Dragon Pills with him now, which was quite some distance away from five Spirit Stone Fragments (500 Yellow Dragon Pills). ¡°Get going! Stop moving around in front of me. It¡¯s annoying to look at!¡± Huang Luo waved his hands at him. Lu Qingfeng smiled and remained with Huang Luo for a little while before he got up and went on his way. ¡­ Chapter 11 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio For the next two months, Lu Qingfeng concentrated on the refinement of Fasting Pills. Refining all day, every day, with two furnaces, he ended up with a yield of 24 Fasting Pills a day. Before he went offline, he¡¯d refined a total of 1,780 Fasting Pills. Excluding the ones that he sold to acquire the medicinal herbs needed to refine them, he¡¯d made a profit of a total of 1,234 Fasting Pills. The exchange ratio of ordinary Fasting Pills to Yellow Dragon Pills was five to one, while the exchange ratio of the Fasting Pills refined by Lu Qingfeng to Yellow Dragon Pills was four to one. Hence, 1,234 Fasting Pills converted to Yellow Dragon Pills was 308 in total, still a little short of 500 pills. He would only be able make it up when he came back online in two months. ¡­ Time in ¡°Primitive¡± flew by quickly, while at the same time only a night had passed in Blackwood Village. Going back and forth amid a 100-fold time difference was fairly disconcerting. Every time Lu Qingfeng went on and offline, he would feel as if a generation had passed and become ever more amazed by the power of time. On this day¡­ It was time to go to Ganoderma Mountain again. It had been more than five months since Lu Qingshan had joined the Truth Sect. They met up at the foot of Ganoderma Mountain. ¡°Qingfeng, a few days ago, a formal disciple by the name of Wu Yuan came to the Labor Hall to select servants, and I was selected. A total of six labor disciples were selected alongside me. Wu Yuan told us to prepare ourselves with food and follow him to the opposite bank of the Chengyang River in three days to pick Spirit Herbs.¡± More than five months have passed. Lu Qingshan¡¯s body was still thin, but he looked much stronger than before. Being alone in the Truth Sect, his temperament had also altered slightly, and he was no longer as timid and unopinionated as before. However, no matter what happened in the Truth Sect, it was still a fact that Lu Qingshan would tell Lu Qingfeng everything that had passed when he met him every seven days and listen to Lu Qingfeng¡¯s opinions. This time, he told his brother that he had been selected by Wu Yuan as a servant and might even be going to the other side of the Chengyang River in three days. Lu Qingshan felt that this might be an opportunity, but he also felt a little worried about it. Every year or so in the Truth Sect, a number of their formal disciples would attain Level 4 in the Art of Truth and be promoted to a true disciple. A true disciple had the authority to select servants who would be at their disposal from the ranks of labor disciples. In addition, the Truth Sect would also assign missions to newly promoted true disciples, mostly to pick Spirit Herbs on the other side of the Chengyang River. The other side of the Chengyang River seldom received visitors and was an extremely dangerous place. Various wild beasts lurked around the area. Poisonous creatures like snakes, insects, and rats were plenteous. Frequently, true disciples would take their newly recruited servants on the mission with them. However, less than 10 percent of these servants would come back alive. Even the true disciples who had attained Level 4 in the Art of Truth might not be able to return, thus being forced to stay on the other side for eternity. But notwithstanding all that, if one could complete the mission alongside the true disciple and return home together, the true disciple would accept the servant into their utmost care and they would become confidants. ¡°The other bank of the Chengyang River?¡± After Lu Qingfeng heard that, he frowned. Although he had never been to the other side of the Chengyang River, he had heard stories ever since he was a child about the beasts on the other side of the river that were extremely ferocious. Supposedly, there were even monsters whose existences were not inferior to the Sages of the Truth Sect. The monsters had always been unable to cross the Chengyang River, and thus were unable to threaten Blackwood Village. Crossing the river? No one in Blackwood Village would ever dare to do so. Five months ago, when he¡¯d heard that Lu Qingshan had been selected as a Truth Sect¡¯s labor disciple, the brothers had freaked out because of this very reason. The death and injury rate of the Truth Sect¡¯s labor disciples was extremely high. In a batch of 100 labor disciples, in three years, less than ten would remain alive. Of the 90 labor disciples who would perish, ten of them would die on Ganoderma Mountain due to various problems. As for the remaining 70 to 80 people, they would all die on the other side of the river where they were reduced into fodder for the monsters. ¡°How has this situation been in previous years?¡± Lu Qingfeng asked, trying to maintain a positive mindset. ¡°These missions are carried out with one true disciple taking six labor disciples to the opposite side of the river. If all the circumstances are lucky, four to five labor disciples would return. But if luck isn¡¯t on your side, you cannot rule out the possibility of a total wipeout. There¡¯s no certainty. According to the elder ones in the Truth Sect, this kind of mission generally depends on luck.¡± Lu Qingshan was in fact afraid. However, the status of true disciples was above that of formal disciples. They were much nobler than labor disciples like him. Being selected by Wu Yuan as a servant, he was not in a position to turn him down at all. If this had happened in the past, he would have been out of his wits. At this moment, however, he was able to stabilize his emotions and ask questions of Lu Qingfeng. He had truly grown up a lot over this period of time. ¡°Luck¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t put your life and death on something as illusory as luck.¡± ¡°Qingfeng.¡± Lu Qingshan did not understand what Lu Qingfeng had said. He looked around carefully, stuck his head up to Lu Qingfeng¡¯s ear, and said, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ve actually been pretty lucky. I found a jade pendant on Mount Ganoderma two days ago, accidentally cut my hand, and my blood dripped on the jade pendant.¡± Lu Qingfeng was taken aback. This trick sounded very familiar! He didn¡¯t interrupt Lu Qingshan as he continued to tell the story. ¡°This is the jade pendant.¡± Lu Qingshan took out a cyan jade pendant with intricate patterns carved on it. ¡°After my blood dripped on it, this jade pendant seemed to understand what I said, and it seems to control a corpse below Ganoderma Mountain. I feel that this corpse is very powerful. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the zombie that Dad told us about.¡± ¡°When I held this jade pendant and tried to make the corpse move, all my energy was drained away. I¡¯m guessing that I cannot control this corpse because my power level is too weak.¡± Lu Qingshan spoke in a low voice, then gave the jade pendant to Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Qingfeng, keep this jade pendant. If I do not return from the other side of the river, you might be able to avenge me with this pendant in your possession.¡± Lu Qingfeng felt the chilling aura the jade pendant was exuding as he looked at Lu Qingshan. Although this brother of his was trying his best to conceal his emotions, the panic and fear in his eyes couldn¡¯t be obscured. After all, Lu Qingshan was still a 14-year-old teenager. ¡°Big Brother, if¡­if I don¡¯t come back, you must tell Qingyu that her second brother is a fearless grown man who will not shed a tear.¡± Lu Qingshan¡¯s eyes were glimmering. He pursed his mouth, lowered his head, and said at an almost inaudible volume, ¡°Qingfeng, I kinda miss Qingyu.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll be able to see Qingyu in three days,¡± Lu Qingfeng rubbed Lu Qingshan¡¯s head and said with a smile. ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Qingshan looked up, not understanding what his elder brother meant. ¡°Qingshan, you won¡¯t be going to the other side of the river. Now, tell me, in three days, when are you leaving, and from where will you cross the river? And will anyone see you off?¡± Lu Qingfeng asked in a low voice. If one had to rely on luck to survive, how could he let Lu Qingshan go on such a mission? Although the strength he¡¯d accumulated was not yet sufficient nor were his powers potent enough, with careful planning, although overthrowing the Truth Sect was most likely impossible, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult for him to flee with Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu. ¡°Qingfeng, Wu Yuan is Level 4 in the Art of Truth. He can take on a few dozen labor disciples at the same time. Besides, aside from me, there are five other labor disciples. I can¡¯t possibly escape!¡± Lu Qingfeng had finally figured out what his brother meant and spoke anxiously with panic on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. When did I ever do something that I wasn¡¯t confident about?¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°I can take on that Wu Yuan guy. When I kill Wu Yuan, the other five labor disciples won¡¯t be bold enough to retaliate. Then, we will steal the boat and flee to the lower reaches of the Chengyang River. As long as we can get out of Jiuzhai County, the Truth Sect won¡¯t even think about finding us.¡± ¡°But Wu Yuan, he¡­¡± When Lu Qingshan saw that his brother was certain about taking him away and even claimed that he could kill Wu Yuan, he became even more anxious. Wu Yuan was one of the Truth Sect¡¯s true disciples and quite famous across the entire Truth Sect. How was it possible for his elder brother to kill him? ¡°Time is running out. Hurry up and tell me.¡± Seeing that his brother didn¡¯t believe him, Lu Qingfeng stretched out his hand and clawed at Lu Qingshan¡¯s arm. ¡°Pssst!¡± Lu Qingshan¡¯s eyes got wide as he gasped in pain, feeling that his arm was about to break. ¡°Qingshan, you had a miraculous encounter on Ganoderma Mountain, and so did I in Blackwood Village. Now, can you tell me Wu Yuan¡¯s arrangements?¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s only fear was that his brother wouldn¡¯t believe in him. When he¡¯d ruthlessly scraped his arm, he¡¯d drawn upon his inner Chi. The Smoldering Palm had left a palm print that was three inches deep on the tree that the two of them were leaning against. Lu Qingshan finally believed in him. ¡­ On his way back to Blackwood Village, Lu Qingfeng was thinking about the possible problems with this operation. Lu Qingshan was too unskilled. He was probably still Unblooded in the arts. With zero attainments in the Art of Truth, his only combat capability was the Bullock Fist. Such a straightforward fist technique, without the boost of inner Chi, couldn¡¯t do much harm. When Lu Qingfeng heard that Lu Qingshan was going to be going to the other side of the Chengyang River with the Truth Sect¡¯s true disciple and that he could only survive with luck, he was resolved to take Lu Qingshan away from the Truth Sect. In doing so, it was only natural that they would have to leave Blackwood Village. ¡°Level 4 in the Art of Truth corresponds to Level 4 in the Fetal Phase. With my current power level, plus Fire Ball¡¯s surprise factor, killing him will be no difficult task. After I kill Wu Yuan, we¡¯ll take their boat, travel downstream, and get inside some random mountain forest. Finding us will be as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.¡± ¡°There are a few things that should be kept in mind.¡± ¡°First, three days from now when Qingshan and the others are about to cross the river, no other true disciples or more powerful aces from the Truth Sect must be present. I can deal with a single Wu Yuan, but I won¡¯t be able to deal with more of them.¡± ¡°Second, my inner Chi is only sufficient to cast the Fire Ball three times. I cannot miss.¡± ¡°Third, I don¡¯t know how to row a boat. I must learn to do so in ¡°Primitive¡± in the next three days.¡± ¡°Fourth, when we abandon the boat and go inside the forest, we must be wary of wild beasts. I will need to prepare insect repellents and medicines against poisons.¡± ¡°Fifth, ¡­¡± ¡­ Lu Qingfeng contemplated the risk factors one after another, listed every possible scenario that they might run into over the course of the operation, and came up with targeted solutions in advance. In this way, he could avoid being flustered. Because of the circumstances, this operation had to be put together rather hastily. Even Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t expect it to happen so abruptly. ¡°Well, at least I don¡¯t need to worry anymore,¡± Lu Qingfeng said to himself. For the first three months after Lu Qingshan had joined the Truth Sect, the game ¡°Primitive¡± hadn¡¯t appeared yet. The three siblings were feeble, powerless to pull off any form of retaliation. During the next two months, due to his failure to notice the 100-fold time difference that caused the death of his in-game avatar, all that time had been wasted. During the next two months, although Lu Qingfeng had begun to cultivate, first, his progress was slow as he wandered about in Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, and second, he had nothing in his arsenal to go up against an enemy. It wasn¡¯t until the last ten days that Lu Qingfeng had finally gained some power after being reincarnated in the game. Whether it was Pill Refining or magic, he was trying his absolute best to save Lu Qingshan. Initially, with the assistance of the 100-fold time difference, Lu Qingfeng wanted to wait until he was fully prepared before taking Lu Qingshan and Qingyu to escape from Ganoderma Mountain and Blackwood Village. But now, Lu Qingshan was about to risk his life on the other side of the Chengyang River. There was no more room for any delay. Even though his preparations in certain aspects were incomplete and far from what he¡¯d been anticipating, asking him to watch while Qingshan walked to his own death was absolutely impossible. ¡°Perhaps this is a chance¡­¡± ¡°Normally, aside from the time when Qingshan could stay at the foot of the mountain every seven days in order to get his food from his brother, he has to spend all the rest of his time on Ganoderma Mountain. If he was away for too long, he would be caught immediately. With the Truth Sect¡¯s reaction speed, Qingshan would probably be intercepted and killed before he could arrive at the riverbank.¡± ¡°This time, with the true disciple Wu Yuan leading the party, it will be a natural for him to arrive at the riverbank. As long as I¡¯m able to kill Wu Yuan, the chance of us escaping is extremely high.¡± ¡°Away from Blackwood Village and the Truth Sect, I will have much more time to cultivate every day as there will be no more need for me to hide myself.¡± There is no weal without woe. Between misfortune and blessing, there was no way of telling which it might be. This matter that may look like a crisis might be a great opportunity for them to escape their cage. They could escape Blackwood Village and the Truth Sect and be free from then onward. With the various secret techniques he¡¯d picked up in ¡°Primitive¡±, even though he was lacking in innate talents, he might be able to make a name for himself in this world. Perhaps he could even pave himself a path of deity-hood toward the Heavens! ¡­ Chapter 12 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Blackwood Village. Blackwood shack. ¡°Qingyu, in three days, we¡¯ll be heading to the dock beside Ganoderma Mountain. When your second brother arrives, we are all going to be leaving together.¡± When Lu Qingfeng got back to Blackwood Village, he told her his entire plan without holding anything back. Like her second brother, this little girl also opened her eyes wide when she heard what he had to say. Then, she looked around nervously and finally hugged Lu Qingfeng, saying very quietly in his ear, ¡°Have you succeeded in your cultivation, Big Brother? I knew it! You are the best! Rest assured, Qingfeng, I won¡¯t hold you back.¡± Unlike Lu Qingshan, Qingyu had unconditional trust in Lu Qingfeng. Even if Lu Qingfeng had told her that he was in the Mahayana Stage and was about to ascend, she would¡¯ve firmly believed it and happily asked her brother to take her with him. ¡°This is awesome!¡± ¡°We can go and rescue Qingshan in three days. Did he cry his eyes out on Ganoderma Mountain or was he bullied? Hmm, I wonder.¡± Qingyu had her arms around Lu Qingfeng¡¯s neck and kept talking in his ear. She was extremely excited. Although her second brother had been loathsome sometimes and a crybaby, after not seeing him for six months, Qingyu realized that her second brother wasn¡¯t actually that annoying. Thinking about the suffering he had to go through on Ganoderma Mountain, she¡¯d often shed tears out of heartache. Now, things were going really well. With Lu Qingfeng succeeding in cultivation, he could take her with him to rescue her second brother, and the three of them would be together in the future. Lu Qingyu was so excited that she was almost dancing. Hugging Lu Qingyu, Lu Qingfeng felt his younger sister¡¯s excitement. Though he himself was a little nervous, a bigger part of him was filled with anticipation and hope for the future. ¡°Blackwood Village.¡± ¡°Truth Sect.¡± ¡°We are finally leaving!¡± For the 16 years that he lived in Blackwood Village, he had been living underneath the shadow of the Truth Sect. His father had been beaten to death, while his brother had been taken to Ganoderma Mountain as a slave, beaten and whipped wantonly. The hardships of this life had gotten to him. Though he was young, his body was showing symptoms of rickets. However, since the appearance of ¡°Primitive,¡± everything had been improving, and his body was gradually becoming stronger and firmer. ¡­ Three days passed quickly. The night before Lu Qingshan¡¯s departure¡­ When the clock ticked past eleven o¡¯clock, the sky had already turned pitch-black. The sky was on their side tonight. The moon was covered by dark clouds, and there were no stars visible. Taking advantage of the dark of night, Lu Qingfeng snuck out of the Blackwood shack, carrying Qingyu on his back. Since their home was at the outermost periphery of Blackwood Village, they left the village with ease. Lying on her eldest brother¡¯s back, Lu Qingyu was keeping her mouth tightly closed, not daring to even make the sound of breathing. She had performed very well these last three days. Although she was excited, she had maintained the same look as usual. No one could notice anything abnormal about her. Only, at this moment¡­ When the real operation began, Lu Qingyu felt nervous to the extreme. Not only was she not bold enough to gasp for air, but also her entire body had tightened up. ¡°All right, we¡¯re out of the village.¡± Lu Qingfeng patted Qingyu as he was worried that she would suffocate herself. ¡°Hooh! Hooh! Are we really out of the village?¡± Lu Qingyu asked in a whisper as she took in a few mouthfuls of fresh air. It was too dark, and she couldn¡¯t see anything. All she could do was to hold onto Lu Qingfeng tightly. ¡°Yeah, we are,¡± Lu Qingfeng nodded and said. His body and all his senses had improved due to him cultivating in the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic. Even amid the dark of night, he could still see some five to six meters ahead of him. ¡°Awesome!¡± Lu Qingyu cheered quietly, which seemed a little loud amid the quiet outside the village. She was so terrified that she quickly covered her mouth and dared not to speak anymore. Exiting Blackwood Village, they headed east along the Chengyang River. Relying on his memories, Lu Qingfeng carried Qingyu and came to a forest not far away from the dock. Looking at the color of the sky, there was still some time before dawn would arrive. Lu Qingfeng took out an insect repellent powder and sprinkled it around them so that they wouldn¡¯t get bitten by poisonous insects that could hold them back from the grand event. Lu Qingyu cautiously kept herself close to Lu Qingfeng. She was very nervous, so nervous that she couldn¡¯t even speak. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Your second brother will come at dawn. When the time comes, we will be able to leave this place.¡± Lu Qingfeng held Qingyu in his embrace and comforted her quietly. ¡°Okay,¡± Lu Qingyu nodded, feeling less nervous than before. Waiting was the worst. The closer it was, the harder it would get. When dawn was about to arrive, even Lu Qingfeng¡¯s mouth had become a little dry. His mind was in chaos. He was no more than an ordinary person who had traversed across worlds. Ever since he had been reborn, he had never left Blackwood Village. The greatest conflict he¡¯d ever had was wounding Zhou Quan with a hatchet. In the game, aside from cultivating, refining pills, and doing business at the stall, he had never been in conflict with anyone, nor did he possess any combat experience. This time was different. He was about to kill someone! And what¡¯s more, he was going to kill a true disciple of the Truth Sect in the Truth Sect¡¯s territorial lands. Should he fail, it would be the end for him and his siblings. It would be a lie to say that he wasn¡¯t nervous. Lu Qingyu lay in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s arms and fell asleep innocently. The little girl couldn¡¯t stave off her exhaustion, but Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t dare to sleep. With his eyes wide open, he remained vigilant until dawn. At last¡­ Dawn arrived. Lu Qingfeng still had Qingyu in his arms as he looked toward Ganoderma Mountain. Ganoderma Mountain was in the north, and the Chengyang River was in the south. There was a simple dock on the riverbank where there were some seven to eight tiny boats. ¡°They¡¯ll be coming soon.¡± Lu Qingfeng raised his head and looked at the color of the sky. The sky was already bright. According to Lu Qingshan, they were going to leave after dawn. From when they gathered at Ganoderma Mountain until they arrived at the dock, it would take about half an hour. At this moment, it was almost half an hour after the sun had risen. ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°They are here!¡± With trepidation, Lu Qingfeng saw a few figures appearing from the direction of Ganoderma Mountain. The person at the front was striding forward with a Nine-ringed Blade in his hand. This must be Wu Yuan, the true disciple of the Truth Sect. Six other people were following behind him, and much to his pleasure, Lu Qingshan was among them. From a distance, one could see Lu Qingshan secretly looking around. It was just that Lu Qingfeng was in the forest, hidden by trees. Hence, he wouldn¡¯t notice him for a while. After observing from the forest for a moment, seeing that Lu Qingshan¡¯s left arm was placed behind him, Lu Qingfeng made up his mind. ¡°Qingyu, wake up. Qingshan is here. Do what I told you to do before. Do not let yourself get exposed,¡± Lu Qingfeng shook Qingyu who was sound asleep in his arms and exhorted her. ¡°Huh? Oh, okay!¡± Lu Qingyu still felt a little blurry as she had just woken up, but she immediately became aware of what they were about to do next. All of a sudden, her sleepiness was all gone, and her nervousness instantly arose. ¡°This is it!¡± Lu Qingfeng pulled Lu Qingyu whose legs and even her entire body was trembling out of the forest. Wu Yuan had a square face and looked like he was about 20 to 30 years old. He was wearing a gray robe, was wielding a Nine-ringed Blade, and had a solemn expression on his face. The peril of the south bank of the Chengyang River was frightening even to the Truth Sect. Although he had his six newly recruited servants with him, no one could ensure that he would return safely. ¡°This cursed trial system!¡± Wu Yuan cursed in his heart. Although he had been completely prepared before he¡¯d finally gone for a breakthrough in his cultivation and gotten himself promoted to a true disciple, he still felt a little restless when the main event had arrived. Unfortunately, the law of the Truth Sect was greater than the Heavens itself. He had become a true disciple, and he couldn¡¯t go against the Truth Sect. Feeling anxious though not showing it, Wu Yuan led his six servants to the dock. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a teenage boy and a dark little girl, who was so afraid that she almost couldn¡¯t walk, coming out of the woods near him. ¡°Who allowed them to come here?¡± With a single glance, Wu Yuan guessed that these two must be here to visit one of his six servants who were standing behind him. Why else would a teenage boy and a little girl have appeared at the dock for no reason? Wu Yuan shouted as he hurled out the question. His gaze fell on Lu Qingshan who seemed to be panicking a little. This boy was born in Blackwood Village. He had an elder brother and a younger sister. He must be the one! ¡°You asked them to come here?¡± Wu Yuan stared at Lu Qingshan. Lu Qingshan wasn¡¯t bold enough to even breathe. Likewise, the other five servants didn¡¯t dare to make any noise. The atmosphere froze. ¡°Great Sage, my sister and I have come of our own free will to send Qingshan off. Please do not put the blame on him, Great Sage!¡± Lu Qingshan trotted a few steps closer and grabbed hold of his sister. With panic on his face, he approached Wu Yuan. ¡°Don¡¯t blame him.¡± ¡°Who gave you the guts to act on your own?¡± Wu Yuan wasn¡¯t in a good mood, and now that this servant of his had provoked him, how could he let him get off that easily? ¡°It was I who told my brother the time of our departure. Please calm down, sir!¡± Lu Qingshan was flustered. He quickly got down on his knees and kowtowed as he begged for mercy. ¡°What scum!¡± Wu Yuan felt even more irritated when he saw this. He kicked at Lu Qingshan¡¯s chest area. The kick was so forceful that Lu Qingshan flew a few feet away and started spurting blood out of his mouth. ¡°Qingshan!¡± ¡°Qingshan!¡± When Lu Qingfeng and Qingyu saw Lu Qingshan getting himself beaten up, they immediately became anxious and went running toward Lu Qingshan. ¡°I have nowhere to vent all the anger I feel today. I have both of you brothers, and I will spare your lives for now. This little girl is pretty ugly I must say, perfect for me to vent my anger on.¡± Wu Yuan¡¯s eyes had become ferocious. Like a fiend, he looked over Lu Qingyu from head to toe. At this moment¡­ Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu had run forward and were about to cross Wu Yuan¡¯s path on their way toward the place where Lu Qingshan had landed. A smirk emerged at the corner of Wu Yuan¡¯s mouth as he reached out to grab Lu Qingyu. ¡°You! Deserve to die!¡± As Wu Yuan extended his hand to grab Lu Qingyu, the panic and fear on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s face instantly vanished, replaced by an unceasing intent to kill. This man had hurt Qingshan and tried to defile Qingyu! He deserved to be killed! He deserved to die! ¡°Hmm?¡± When Wu Yuan saw the change in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s expression, his mind stopped for a moment. Immediately afterward, he felt a sense of death looming over him and then a scorching heat that couldn¡¯t be rivaled. ¡°This is¡­¡± Wu Yuan¡¯s expression altered drastically. He realized that something bad was about to happen. But before he could react, an extremely condensed Fireball exploded all of a sudden before his eyes. Then, Lu Qingfeng closed in, attacking boldly after pretending to be harmless. Wu Yuan didn¡¯t have time to react. Instinctively, he held the Nine-ringed Blade in front of him and performed a forceful lower cut. ¡°Blade of Doom!¡± Boom! Colliding with the Fireball, the Nine-ringed Blade abruptly heated up, forcing Wu Yuan to hurriedly let it go and move backward. At the same time, the Nine-ringed Blade made the Fireball burst apart. At this moment, Lu Qingfeng forced himself to stand tall, prompted his mind, revolved his inner Chi, made yet another Fireball, and smashed it toward Wu Yuan. Without the Nine-ringed Blade to ward it off, Wu Yuan¡¯s eyes got very wide. The speed of the Fireball was too fast, and avoiding it was completely out of the question. ¡°Turtle Shell!¡± Drawing upon his inner Chi, marks of a turtle shell faintly appeared on the surface of his body, boosting his defensive prowess to the utmost. This was a powerful technique available to disciples of the Truth Sect that had cultivated to Level 4 in the Art of Truth. With the Chi of the Art of Truth, they could temper their own bodies and forge their flesh into a turtle shell, causing it to be immune to weapons and elemental attacks. Art of Truth! Art of the Turtle! This was where the technique got its name. [1] However, Wu Yuan had just advanced to Level 4 and had not yet had enough time to master the technique. At best, his defense was only capable of withstanding an attack at Level 3 of the Fetal Phase. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Fireball technique was, by default, a low-ranking spell that was on the more potent end. Even when cast in Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, he could still threaten those in Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. What¡¯s more, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Fireball had gone through two enhancements and was boosted by the Power of the Scorching Sun. Even if Wu Yuan had been in Level 4 of the Fetal Phase, without Runic Equipment and magic to shield his body, he would be dropping dead right here and right now. Boom! The Fireball struck Wu Yuan in the face. For someone who had just become a true disciple of the Truth Sect, being able to master a few techniques was already the best-case scenario. As for Runic Equipment and magic, Wu Yuan might have not even seen one at all throughout his entire life. How can I ward off a Fireball? ¡°Ah!¡± With a Fireball smashing into his face, Wu Yuan unleased a miserable shriek that came from the depths of his soul. His Chi control crumbled as he fell to the ground and screamed frantically with his hands covering his face. It was absolutely terrifying! ¡°Die!¡± Upon seeing this, Lu Qingfeng hurled his feet at Wu Yuan¡¯s chest and sent him flying several feet away. The battle went unexpectedly smoothly. Wu Yuan was able to ward off the surprise Fireball attack with his instincts. But after he let go of the Nine-ringed Blade, his fate was sealed. How could a mortal body resist a Fireball that had been enhanced twice and boosted by the Power of the Scorching Sun? The Fireball technique melted all the flesh on Wu Yuan¡¯s face, revealing his skull. Then the flames began to burn his hair and spread along his garments. Wu Yuan became a man on fire. And then no more! ****** [1] Art of Truth and Art of the Turtle are homonyms in the original language (Gui Zhen Gong). Chapter 13 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± ¡°You killed Lord Wu Yuan!¡± Wu Yuan was a corpse on fire. The eyes of the other five servants were looking at Lu Qingfeng as if they had seen a ghost. They were frozen in place, with no thought of running away in their minds. The immensely powerful true disciple, Wu Yuan, had actually been slaughtered by this weak-looking teenager? And this young man was the elder brother of Lu Qingshan, who they had bullied in the past? The impact of what they¡¯d just seen was too immense. They¡¯d lost the ability to think. ¡°Qingshan, are you all right?¡± Lu Qingfeng paid no attention to the other servants. Pulling Qingyu after him, he ran up to Lu Qingshan. He had never expected Wu Yuan to be so nasty that he would severely injure Lu Qingshan before the entire incident had even started. Fortunately, it was just a kick. Should Wu Yuan have gone mad and slashed his blade into Lu Qingshan¡¯s head, Lu Qingfeng would have regretted it his entire life. ¡°I¡­cough, cough, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°These guys¡­they cannot be spared!¡± Lu Qingshan had a sharp pain in his chest. In his last two sentences, he had already coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood. Even so, he pointed toward the five other servants who were standing there, stupefied. ¡°Very well!¡± Initially, Lu Qingfeng hadn¡¯t wanted to attack the five servants. After all, they might have suffered just like Lu Qingshan. However, since Lu Qingshan wanted him to kill them, he must have his own reasons. Now wasn¡¯t the time to reason. Attacking immediately and getting away swiftly was the right thing to do. ¡°Shifting Steps!¡± Lu Qingfeng moved and unleashed Shifting Steps. Like a ghost, he abruptly appeared before one of the servants. This servant was about 20 years old. At this moment, he was already petrified with fear. He had a small sword in his hand, but he couldn¡¯t seem to lift it. Ka-chk! Lu Qingfeng extended his arms and twisted his skull, snapping his neck directly and killing him. ¡°D¡­demon!¡± ¡°Run!¡± The four remaining servants finally came to their senses. They hurriedly dropped their swords and ran away. But just like Lu Qingshan, they were all labor disciples who were still Unblooded in the arts. They had no way of escaping Lu Qingfeng. In less than 20 seconds, they had all been slaughtered by Lu Qingfeng. It seems strange to mention it now, but the previous night before Lu Qingfeng had killed anybody, he was extremely nervous about it. But now, when he was on a killing spree, he wasn¡¯t feeling too much of any emotion. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± There was no time to think about it now. Lu Qingfeng carried Lu Qingshan on his back, shoved Lu Qingyu under his arm, and tied the Nine-ringed Blade and the small swords all together in a bundle. Then, he sprinted straight for the dock. It was only a little after dawn. There was no one at the dock. With the Truth Sect¡¯s imposing reputation, unless someone was tired of living, who would ever be bold enough to come to the foot of Ganoderma Mountain to steal a boat? With Lu Qingshan on his back and Lu Qingyu held in his arms, he hopped on a random wooden boat. None of the seven or eight boats at the dock were big. The biggest among them could accommodate around ten people, while the smallest one could only hold three to five people. He picked the smallest one and loosened the ropes of all the other boats. In this way, he could cause some trouble to the Truth Sect in their pursuit of them. During the past three days, Lu Qingfeng had found a turbulent river near Emery Town. Having practiced controlling a boat for two months, he had no problem driving this small boat. The small boats had no anchors. He loosened the ropes, popped in the oars, and fled into the Chengyang River. ¡°With Wu Yuan and the other five dead, it will take the Truth Sect at least half an hour to discover this incident and start their investigations.¡± ¡°By traveling downstream, the only way they can catch me is by the waterways.¡± ¡°But as long as I don¡¯t stop, they will never catch us.¡± It was at this moment that Lu QIngfeng finally felt relieved. The biggest variable and challenge in their plan had been killing Wu Yuan and stealing a boat. As long as these two steps had been accomplished, the escape and pursuit that would follow weren¡¯t actually as dangerous as they had imagined. The vast and immense Chengyang River was unknown in length. The influence of the Truth Sect was massive in Jiuzhai County. But as long as they could escape Jiuzhai Country, they should be safe. ¡°Phew!¡± ¡°From now on, boundless is the sea for fish to dive at will, unlimited is the sky for birds to fly at ease.¡± Lu Qingfeng was in control of the boat with an oar in his hands. Looking back in the direction of Ganoderma Mountain, an enormous smile of relief appeared on his face. ¡°Blackwood Village!¡± ¡°Truth Sect!¡± ¡°I will be back!¡± But when that time would come, that would be the day the Truth Sect would fall! ¡­ Ganoderma Mountain, beside the dock. More than a dozen people in black robes had solemn expressions on their faces. The man in charge had a Cycloblade tied to his waist. His eyebrows were knitted in fury. He was about 40 years of age. The amount of Chi in this body was like an abyss of unknown depths. This man was Zhao Zhou, a prominent figure in the Truth Sect who was in charge of the Punishment Hall. He wielded immense authority. He was the one who sat at the Punishment Hall¡¯s seat of honor. A disciple stood in front of Zhao Zhou and reported. ¡°Chief, we¡¯ve studied the scene, and the burned corpse is Wu Yuan, and the rest of the five corpses are the servants that Wu Yuan selected. One of his servants by the name of Lu Qingshan is nowhere to be found.¡± ¡°Lu Qingshan is a labor disciple who was born in the village of Blackwood. He has an elder brother and a younger sister at home. He joined the Truth Sect five months and 24 days ago.¡± ¡°Lu Qingshan¡­¡± Zhao Zhou looked contemplative and said, ¡°Make a trip to Blackwood Village and see if his brother and sister are still there. If so, bring them to me immediately.¡± ¡°Received!¡± The disciple received the orders, took some men, and rushed to Blackwood Village. Zhao Zhou, on the other hand, walked to the charred corpse, squatted down, and inspected it. His disciple, Chen Shang, who specialized in post-mortems said with reverence, ¡°The fatal wound is on Wu Yuan¡¯s head. The flames started burning from his head and then moved downward to his entire body. The injury in his chest area was caused by a kick. From its angle and strength, Wu Yuan was already lying on the ground, powerless to retaliate when this kick was delivered. The cultivation attainment of the person who struck Wu Yuan with his feet is no higher than a Level 3 of the Fetal Phase.¡± The results of the post-mortem were truly astonishing. It almost completely restored the scene of Wu Yuan¡¯s death. ¡°What about the flames?¡± Zhao Zhou asked. ¡°The flames¡­¡± Chen Shang looked quizzical and said, while shaking his head, ¡°The intensity of the fire was immense. Even after deploying the Turtle Shell technique, Wu Yuan was unable to ward it off. It may seem that it was caused by a fire attribute technique. However, I couldn¡¯t think of any fire attribute technique in Jiuzhai County or even across the Guangyuan Commandery that is capable of generating flames out of nowhere to inflict harm.¡± When Zhao Zhou heard this, he lowered his head and pondered. Half an hour later¡­ ¡°Six of the boats that were washed away from the dock have been located. The remaining two are yet to be found.¡± ¡°In Blackwood Village, the siblings, Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu have not been spotted since morning. Their clothes and items are still at their home. Also, in their dwelling, we have discovered leftover Bai Zhu, licorice, Polygonatum, and 14 other herbs. There was also a box of barks that has characters, meridian points, the first level of the Art of Truth, and the Bullock Fist written on them. After hearing this report, Zhao Zhou revealed a smile on his face. ¡°Bestowing knowledge and techniques in private.¡± ¡°Stealing a boat and running away.¡± ¡°A youth from the countryside is actually bold enough to do this.¡± Zhao Zhou muttered to himself and then said loudly, ¡°Form groups of five and hunt down the siblings by boat. Dispatch our men to inform Water Village, Yellowrock Village, Lower Village, and Ninko Village to assemble parties to search their riverbanks. If they discover anyone suspicious, let them report it immediately!¡± ¡°Received!¡± The deacons in black garments received his orders and retreated. Zhao Zhou stood in place, looked at the Chengyang River which was rushing eastward, and said in a low guttural voice, ¡°Such an injury cannot be caused by ordinary martial arts. It must be undoubtedly a fire attribute technique. If the siblings hadn¡¯t received any assistance, it must be that they had a miraculous encounter that granted them mastery over some techniques. Even if they have received aid, that person is definitely not very powerful, otherwise, they would not have chosen to escape by boat.¡± ¡°The Chengyang River is vast. The siblings might have thought that they could go down the river and escape Jiuzhai by boat. But little did they know, the section of the river at Ninkou Village is turbulent and densely packed with submerged rocks, rendering the river impassable by ships both large and small.¡± ¡°I would like to see how you can escape me in such a scenario where only wings would allow you to escape!¡± ¡°Magic! Miraculous encounter!¡± Zhao Zhou chuckled and walked away. ¡­ Among clouds in the color of dawn, from Baidi I take my leave, Though hundreds of miles away, Jiangling is within a day¡¯s reach. From both sides of the gorge come incessant howlings of gibbons and monkeys, My skiff white water cleaves leaving behind thousands of mountain peaks. Lu Qingfeng controlled the boat and went down the river. The mountains on both sides of the Chengyang River gradually rose, the cliffs were steep, and the roars of apes and tigers were unceasing. In the middle of the boat, the corner of Lu Qingshan¡¯s mouth was full of blood. His head was tilted, and he lay in the arms of Lu Qingyu, who was like a pear blossom bathed in the rain. ¡°Qingfeng, Qingshan is not gonna make it,¡± Lu Qingyu¡¯s tearful voice arose. The corners of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, and, while controlling the balance of the boat, he comforted her, ¡°Qingshan took medicine and is now sleeping. He will be fine when he wakes up.¡± Lu Qingshan¡¯s injury looked serious, but Wu Yuan had actually controlled his strength very well. He had no intention of killing him. After all, he was still planning to take Lu Qingshan to the other side of the Chengyang River. Another sacrifice would have meant that he had one less chance of survival. Hence, Wu Yuan wasn¡¯t thinking of killing or severely injuring Lu Qingshan. He didn¡¯t even want to kill Lu Qingfeng. Though his motives weren¡¯t out of kindness, who would have thought that he would end up dead at the hands of these brothers who he had looked down upon from beginning to end. But fortunately, it was so. Lu Qingshan¡¯s injury was not serious. During the three days that Lu Qingfeng had spent in Blackwood Village, he had refined three furnaces for a total of 36 Fasting Pills and some random medicinal powders, which included those for surface injury, internal injury, repelling insects, curing poisons, and so on. After Lu Qingshan had taken a dose of the medicine and could rest for a few days, the injury would heal very soon. As Lu Qingyu listened to him, she blinked her eyes that still had tears hanging on her long eyelashes. She had even been thinking about tossing Lu Qingshan into the river. Just now¡­ Her second brother hugged her and spouted a bunch of words, talking about how much he¡¯d missed her and then asking her to be obedient in the future. Later on, his head had tilted and he¡¯d fainted in her arms with a smile on his face. Anybody would¡¯ve thought that this person was about to die. ¡°Bad brother!¡± Lu Qingyu slapped Lu Qingshan¡¯s arm. The holes on his slightly tattered clothes became even larger. Through the gap, one could see new and old scars on Lu Qingshan¡¯s arm. In his dream¡­ Lu Qingshan felt the pain, frowned slightly, and rolled over. Thus, the injuries on his back were also revealed. Lashmarks, bruises¡­ Lu Qingyu lifted off Lu Qingshan¡¯s upper garments. There were so many scars that they couldn¡¯t be counted. It sent chills running down her back. ¡°The Truth Sect is a bunch of b*stards!¡± ¡°B*stards!¡± Lu Qingyu clenched her fists tightly and cursed loudly. Hearing her, Lu Qingfeng looked back and saw Lu Qingshan¡¯s injuries. When he had been inspecting Lu Qingshan, he¡¯d already seen these injuries. He¡¯d wanted to hide them from Qingyu, but she¡¯d discovered them anyway. ¡°Big Brother! We will still come back, right? Let¡¯s come back and kill all those b*stards from the Truth Sect!¡± Lu Qingyu raised her head and looked at Lu QIngfeng. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°We will return!¡± Lu Qingfeng nodded. Without even mentioning the Truth Sect¡¯s distortion of justice and devilish conduct, just the sufferings that their family had gone through over the years alone was sufficient to make Lu Qingfeng hate them for eternity. For each day that the Truth Sect still stands, it¡¯s another day the grudge in his heart will remain! ¡­ Chapter 14 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The tiny boat sailed east. At an unknown distance from the Ganoderma Mountain, they abruptly entered into a section of the river with extremely turbulent waters. Massive rocks could be seen protruding from the bottom of the river, but many more of them were submerged. ¡°Qingyu, hold tight!¡± Lu Qingfeng reminded her to be careful, and, with the oar in his hands, he concentrated on controlling the boat and avoiding the rocks. Whoosh! Whish! The rushing river crashed onto the protruding rocks. The noise of the water was a clear and pure sound. This tiny rowboat was carrying the three siblings of the Lu family, flexibly shuttling through the rocks. The boat was swaying badly. Lu Qingfeng was afraid it might tip over at any time. Lu Qingyu firmly grasped the handles on the sides of the boat with both hands and pressed Lu Qingshan down under her body for safety. Lu Qingfeng was perspiring. He¡¯d only practiced rowing for some two to three months in ¡°Primitive¡±. He felt as if he could guarantee that the boat would not turn over, but he was far from being an expert. This kind of complicated terrain had far exceeded his abilities. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! The number of submerged rocks was increasing. Now, after constantly colliding with rocks, the tiny boat began to leak. ¡°Qingfeng! It¡¯s leaking!¡± Lu Qingyu yelled as she saw that the river water was already over her feet. ¡°This is not going to work. We must get to shore. If this continues, we will die in the river!¡± Lu Qingfeng quickly changed the direction of the boat and approached the riverbank on the northern side. The southern region was perilous, infested by demons. Even a true disciple of the Truth Sect could die if they went over there. With Qingshan and Qingyu to take care of, Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t bold enough to disembark on the southern riverbank. Bam! Bam! Lu Qingfeng¡¯s decision was not at all untimely. When the boat arrived at the riverbank, it sank completely. The turbulent Chengyang River was just as magnificent as the Yangtze River, which Lu Qingfeng had seen in his previous life. As the Chengyang River passed through Jiuzhai County, its violent currents had formed a lofty, magnificent, and unparalleled gorge, which was quite similar to the famous Three Gorges. At this moment¡­ The three siblings were in a pathetic state as they stood on a protruding rock over the riverbank looking at the rushing river just three feet below where they were standing. ¡°Qingfeng, how are we going to be able to get up?¡± Lu Qingyu grabbed her elder brother¡¯s arm, looked up at the almost vertical cliff behind her, and wondered. ¡°Qingyu, stand here and don¡¯t move. Watch your second brother. Make sure you guys don¡¯t fall. I¡¯m going to go up and find a vine for us to climb. Then I¡¯ll come back to you.¡± Lu Qingfeng placed Lu Qingshan, who was soundly asleep, on a flat rock. This cliff was too steep. He probably could have climbed up on his own, but he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to carry Qingshan and Qingyu. Hence, he needed to go and see if he could find tools to help them. ¡°Okay!¡± Lu Qingyu nodded and sat down next to her brother on the rock. Lu Qingfeng knew that time was very pressing, and there must be no delay. Aiming for a foothold, he leaped into the air and landed steadily. After reaching Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, his body felt light. Half an hour later, he¡¯d finally climbed up the cliff. Only after climbing up did he realize that this cliff was 100 feet high. Standing on the edge of the cliff, he looked around. The river below was violent and rushing in a turbulent manner. Mighty waves were striking the riverbank with incredible force. Massive rocks were piled up everywhere, cliffs stood up, facing each other, and the gorge was locked in a cloud of mist. He had no idea where he was. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t have time to admire the beautiful scenery. After getting up the cliff, he headed right into the jungle. A quarter of an hour later, he¡¯d cut dozens of vines, woven them into braids, and placed them on his shoulders. Subsequently, he returned to the cliff. Lu Qingyu was leaning on the rock holding on to Lu Qingshan with one hand. She looked up toward the top of the cliff. Seeing Lu Qingfeng, happiness broke out on her face. ¡­ After Lu Qingfeng had pulled Lu Qingyu and Lu Qingshan up one by one, two hours had passed. It was already afternoon. Since midnight of the day before, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s nerves had been all tensed up. Killing Wu Yuan, rowing the boat downstream, climbing a cliff, helping his siblings climb the cliff¡­ His physical strength had been taxed to its limits. After Qingyu and Qingshan had gotten up the cliff, Qingfeng collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. And, not long after they¡¯d reached the top of the cliff, before they could even really regain their senses, several boats had stopped in the upper reaches of the rocky section of the river. More than a dozen people were looking around, scouring the area, but they didn¡¯t notice the three members of the Lu family on top of the cliff. Lu Qingfeng rested for a while and recovered his stamina. At the same time, Lu Qingshan also woke up. ¡°Qingfeng, Qingyu, where are we?¡± As Lu Qingshan woke up, his face was pale, and he seemed a little blurry. ¡°We are on top of a mountain.¡± ¡°We have left Blackwood Village and Ganoderma Mountain already!¡± Lu Qingyu had spent her whole life looking after her second brother. Seeing that he had woken up, she replied crisply. ¡°We¡­¡± Lu Qingshan soon recalled everything. They¡¯d killed Wu Yuan, five labor disciples, and hopped into a boat. ¡°Qingfeng, did we succeed?¡± Lu Qingshan looked at his elder brother who was standing at his side, feeling excited. ¡°Almost. But I don¡¯t know where we are now. We have to go through this forest and cross several hills to be truly safe.¡± Lu Qingfeng pointed to the east. Climb high and gaze afar! To the east and north were endless forests with tall trees and flourishing vegetation. Nothing could be seen when one was under them. One could only see the peaks that went on one after another. There were tall ones and there were short ones, but no one could tell where they would end. They couldn¡¯t head north, because they would probably run into the Truth Sect¡¯s forces. Lu Qingfeng had decided to head east to open up their distance from the Truth Sect. This forest was equally dangerous, but getting away from the colossal mountain of Ganoderma, even if one were eaten by a jackal, a tiger, or a leopard, Lu Qingfeng would still gladly accept it. ¡°This is great!¡± ¡°This is awesome!¡± ¡°This is splendiferous!¡± ¡­ Lu Qingshan was so excited that he couldn¡¯t say anything else but to utter words all meaning the same thing. Then, he became quieter and quieter. Sitting on the ground, he buried his head between his knees and began shrugging his shoulders. The sound of sobbing arose. Lu Qingfeng watched quietly. He didn¡¯t go to comfort him. The pressure he¡¯d endured in Blackwood Village was much less than what Lu Qingshan had endured in the Truth Sect. Just from the dense wounds on his body alone, one could tell what kind of life Lu Qingshan had been living these last few months in the Truth Sect. Lu Qingfeng felt somewhat regretful for not executing this plan earlier and rescuing Lu Qingshan from the Truth Sect. ¡°You can cry today, Qingshan. I cried today too.¡± On this rare occasion, Lu Qingyu didn¡¯t proceed to insult her second brother. Instead, she reached out her hand and gently patted Lu Qingshan¡¯s back. ¡­ Lu Qingfeng took Qingshan and Qingyu and headed east into the deep mountains. Initially, he was thinking about venturing through the mountains with haste and looking for human gathering points while distancing themselves from the Truth Sect. But the facts showed that Lu Qingfeng had overestimated himself and he had not clearly anticipated the perils in the jungle. Within the dense forests, ancient trees towered to the sky, covering the sky and the sun. Being in the forest, it was impossible to distinguish the directions of north, south, east, and west. In a brief while after they went into the forest, he became dizzy, not knowing where he was. Loitering around would lead them into the territorial lands of ferocious beasts. Lu Qingshan wasn¡¯t fully healed from his injuries yet, and Lu Qingyu was only a 12-year-old with a frail body. Under these circumstances, with no other options, Lu Qingfeng took the two of them and found a flat terrain to stop at. ¡°Anyone who comes into a dense forest like this will lose their way. Even if the Truth Sect dispatched all their people, it won¡¯t be easy for them to find us either.¡± After all, Lu Qingfeng had lived under the iron-booted tyranny of the Truth Sect for 16 years. His fear of them was deeply rooted. In fact, regardless of whether the Truth Sect would invest such a huge effort to hunt down the three of them, even if they did so, they would never find them in a short period of time. Rather than going around the dense forest rashly, it was better to stop, cultivate for some time, and leave again when his strength was elevated. For a day in reality, Lu Qingfeng had a full 100 days in ¡°Primitive¡±. As long as he stayed in the game for a few days, even if his cultivation attainments might not increase sharply, he would definitely get to enrich himself with various methods of combat and lifesaving. ¡­ Above the cliff of an unidentified mountain¡­ The forest was dense at this mountainside. Holding one of the short swords that he had brought with them, Lu Qingfeng found a small tree about as wide as his waist and started cutting it down. Theoretically, it should have been easy to find caves in mountain forests. However, Lu Qingfeng had walked around for quite a while and found no cave. Having no other choice, he had to take matters into his own hands and build a simple wooden shack to shelter them from the wind and rain. ¡°Qingfeng, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Lu Qingshan struggled to get up. But before he could do so, Lu Qingyu pulled him down. ¡°Ouch!¡± Unprepared, Lu Qingshan landed hard on the ground which shook the wound on his chest, leaving him in so much pain that his facial features became distorted. ¡°Stop pretending as if you¡¯re fine now! Your body hasn¡¯t recovered yet. You need to rest. Otherwise, if you are not able to get out of bed, I will need to serve you.¡± Lu Qingyu curled her lips and glared at her second brother. ¡°Sit down! You are not allowed to go anywhere!¡± Lu Qingshan put on a wronged expression and looked up at his elder brother. ¡°Listen to Qingyu. Focus on recovering.¡± Lu Qingfeng wiped the sweat off his face and answered Lu Qingshan with a smile. Having left Blackwood Village, he could feel himself becoming slightly lighter and more comfortable from head to toe. While he worked and listened to Qingshan and Qingyu quarreling with each other, the sky soon darkened. At this moment, the mist had already arisen. The dark of night was pale in color. A bright moon hung at the corner of the mountain, shining brightly, illuminating their surroundings. Seven or eight long wooden logs has been stuck on the surrounding trees, forming a simple wooden house only a few feet high. The wooden house was ventilated on all sides, and a bonfire was burning outside. ¡°How wonderful.¡± Lu Qingyu was sitting by the bonfire, with her two brothers, one on her left and one on her right, and smiling ever so vibrantly. She found this kind of life very interesting. It was so many times better than her life in Blackwood Village where she couldn¡¯t say or do anything. ¡°Yeah! This is wonderful.¡± Since joining the Truth Sect, a smile hadn¡¯t appeared on Lu Qingshan¡¯s face for a very long time. At this moment, he was also smiling unreservedly. ¡°Qingshan, here¡¯s your miraculous encounter. I kept it for you for a few days. Now I¡¯m returning it to you in one piece.¡± ¡°And also, your little notebook that you used to jot down stuff.¡± Lu Qingfeng took out a cyan jade pendant and a palm-sized notebook and handed them to Lu Qingshan. When he was talking about the notepad, Lu Qingfeng deliberately stressed the word. Lu Qingshan glanced at Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Qingfeng, did you look at it?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s better to use your brain to record this kind of thing. If you record it on paper, it won¡¯t be good if somebody else picks it up,¡± Lu Qingfeng said. ¡°I know. But I¡¯m just afraid I won¡¯t remember it. And then I¡¯m won¡¯t be able to return it to them when the time comes,¡± Lu Qingshan said with a grin. ¡°Qingfeng, what¡¯s written in it? Let me have a look!¡± Lu Qingyu poked her head out. ¡°You wanna let her read it?¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at his brother. ¡°I made this notebook because I listened to Qingyu¡¯s words.¡± Lu Qingshan scratched his head and revealed a familiar silly smile. ¡°Hmph! As if he dares to not let me read it!¡± Lu Qingyu snorted, took the notebook from her eldest brother, and looked at it via the faint firelight. As she was looking at it, she read it out crisply: ¡°7th of March. Zhang Chong. 3 lashes.¡± ¡°9th of March. Zhang Chong. 3 lashes, 1 kick.¡± ¡°9th of March. Qian Han. 1 Biscuit, 1 fist.¡± ¡°10th of March. Zhang Chong. 10 slaps.¡± ¡°12th of March. Zhang Chong. 3 lashes.¡± ¡°13th of March¡­¡± ¡­ Chapter 15 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Qingfeng listened to Qingshan quietly and then turned to look at him. This was a record of all the brutal beatings and abuses he¡¯d received from the Truth Sect. Among them, Zhang Chong¡¯s name appeared the most often. ¡°Who is Zhang Chong?¡± Lu Qingfeng asked. ¡°He was the person who was in charge of my group of labor disciples. He likes to use a whip,¡± Lu Qingshan said. As he mentioned this name, a trace of hatred unconsciously appeared on his face. ¡°Zhang Chong!¡± ¡°Qian Han!¡± ¡°We should burn up all of these people using a Fireball!¡± At first, Lu Qingyu had been reading it with excitement, but when she really thought about what it implied, she became so angry that her tiny face got bright red. She threw the small notebook on the ground and said ruthlessly, ¡°If we want to get our revenge on them, we mustn¡¯t burn this notebook.¡± Lu Qingfeng picked up the small notebook and handed it back to Lu Qingshan. ¡°Keep it safely. In at the most three to five years, the three of us will return to Ganoderma Mountain together. We will return the favor to all of those who have beaten or abused you!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lu Qingshan nodded his head enthusiastically. If his brother had said these words before today, Lu Qingshan might not have believed him, because, having stayed with the Truth Sect for more than five months, he knew how scary they were. They had more than 100 formal disciples. Dozens of true disciples. And then there were also the elite disciples, deacons of various halls, and the hall masters¡­ Which of these weren¡¯t powerful Sages? However, he¡¯d witnessed the power of his elder brother today! With 2 Fireballs, he¡¯d burned the insufferably arrogant true disciple, Wu Yuan, to death. The other five labor disciples were all stronger than Qingshan, but they hadn¡¯t made it through a few rounds with his brother. Lu Qingshan guessed that his elder brother¡¯s miraculous encounter must¡¯ve been better than his Zombie Jade Pendant. ¡°From tomorrow onward, Qingshan, you have to teach Qingyu how to read and also the meridian pathways and acupoints. I¡¯m also going to teach you a technique. The Art of Truth isn¡¯t all that great. You should stop cultivating in it,¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at Lu Qingshan and said. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Big Brother.¡± Lu Qingshan nodded. ¡°Big Brother, when can I start cultivating?¡± Lu Qingyu asked expectantly. ¡°After you learn how to read and are able to accurately discern all the meridian pathways and acupoints, you may start cultivating,¡± Lu Qingfeng said with a smile. For cultivation, it was inappropriate to start either too early or too late. Generally speaking, somewhere around the age of 12 to 16 was the way to go. At this age, one¡¯s meridian pathways were already fixed, and cultivating wouldn¡¯t affect their puberty. Besides, as their minds would tend to be at the more stable end, it was unlikely that they would misuse their Chi and succumb to the path of demons. It was just that¡­ While Lu Qingfeng was looking at Qingshan and Qingyu, his eyes flashed. Name: Lu Qingshan Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 Innate Talent Level: 2 ¡­ Name: Lu Qingyu Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 Innate Talent Level: 1 ¡­ ¡°So, we are three wastrels, huh?¡± Lu Qingfeng cast the Celestial Eye and inspected the Level, Cultivation Stage, and Innate Talent Levels of both Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu. The regular Celestial Eye could only inspect a target¡¯s Cultivation Stage. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Celestial Eye had been enhanced twice and was able to look into one¡¯s Innate Talent Level also. It would be a top-notch tool if he were to use it to recruit disciples. Of the two: Despite having cultivated in the Truth Sect for a few months, Lu Qingshan had not yet achieved any attainments in cultivation and was still at level 0. His Innate Talent Level was 2, not too much better than Lu Qingfeng¡¯s. Level 2 could be considered as a high one among wastrels. Lu Qingyu, on the other hand, was even closer to her elder brother. They were both peerless wastrels rocking a Level 1 in Innate Talent Level. Lu Qingfeng had made some observations back in Blackwood Village. The villagers¡¯ Innate Talent Levels generally ranged from 0 to 1. Only very few were at Level 2, most probably fishes that had slipped through the Truth Sect¡¯s net. There was no doubt that the three siblings were born of the same parents. Their talents shared the same level of atrocity. ¡°But with ¡®Primitive¡¯ to help us, raising up one wastrel or three wastrels won¡¯t make that much of a difference,¡± Lu Qingfeng said to himself. ¡°Hurry up and get to sleep then. Let¡¯s wake up early tomorrow and start the learning!¡± Lu Qingyu could hardly wait as she dragged her elder brother and second brother into the wooden shack to sleep. Lu Qingfeng sprinkled sulphur powder and powdered insect repellent around the wooden shack and pulled down a circle of vines to act as a warning sign before he took off his outer clothes, lay down, and logged into ¡°Primitive¡±. ¡­ In real time, starting from the day Lu Qingfeng had visited Lu Qingshan, through their three days of preparation, and including today, a total of four days had passed. However, 13 months had gone by in the game. Lu Qingfeng was already 20 years old. ¡°The Fasting Pills I refined back in Blackwood Village are enough for me, Qingshan, and Qingyu for three months.¡± ¡°In terms of cultivation, I need to master the refinement of the Yellow Dragon Pill so that we may quickly improve our cultivation stages in reality. I must also learn to master the refinement of pills that are capable of recovering one¡¯s inner Chi and those that can heal or control one¡¯s wounds within a short period of time.¡± ¡°Palm and Fist techniques are, after all, no match for the sharpness of weapons, especially in the Fetal Phase. I have Wu Yuan¡¯s Nine-ringed Blade. I can cultivate in the way of the sword as a backup strength. ¡°Besides, I must also place talisman drawing on my agenda. Inside a dense forest, wild beasts may attack at any time. Drawing a large number of talismans is of the utmost priority.¡± ¡°As for Tool Refining, its requirements for the various infrastructures and materials are also important. I can leave that for last.¡± In the Bluestone Tablet, Lu Qingfeng contemplated his subsequent plans. Away from Blackwood Village, the 100-fold time difference could finally shine. This was because, aside from two hours of necessary training, Lu Qingfeng could spend all of his time in the game. One day in reality was 100 days in the game. From this day onward¡­ Lu Qingfeng was in the Bluestone Tablet every day, refining Fasting Pills and Yellow Dragon Pills. Also, by paying a not at all small price, he found the pill recipes for the Rejuvenating Pill, Nourishing Pill, and the Incense Pill. In this way, he had the recipes of six kinds of pill: Fasting Pill, Yellow Dragon Pill, Spirit Cleansing Powder, Rejuvenating Pill, Nourishing Pill, and Incense Pill. There was no need to elaborate on the efficacy of the Fasting Pill and the Yellow Dragon Pill. The Spirit Cleansing Powder appeared in Deciphering Medicines upon its third elevation. It was a rare poison-curing medicine of the Fetal Phase. The Rejuvenating Pill was a low-level pill that could restore one¡¯s inner Chi. The Nourishing Pill had miraculous effects on both external and internal injuries. Lastly, the Incense Pill was a poison. The poisoned one could not drive their inner Chi, because it would quickly trigger the poison¡¯s attack. There was no way to completely cure this poison. Once triggered, as long as one remained in the Fetal Phase, one couldn¡¯t escape the fate of having weakened limbs and being at the mercy of just about anyone. This was how Lu Qingfeng prepared in case the aces of the Truth Sect showed up. The two Incense Pills that he refined in reality would perhaps yield some unexpected gains. And so¡­ Time flew by. ¡­ Pill Refining was no easy task. In the beginning, Lu QIngfeng only knew how to refine Fasting Pills. He would use the capital that he earned from the Fasting Pill¡¯s profit to support his practice in the five other pills, which was quite strenuous. This situation lasted for a whole five years. After five years, he was finally able to master the refinement of the Yellow Dragon Pill, and, as a result, he had greatly improved his situation. Similar to his Fasting Pills, his recipe for the Yellow Dragon Pills in Deciphering Medicines had been enhanced two times and had efficacies that were better than the regular pills. Within five years, Lu Qingfeng had enhanced Deciphering Medicines another two times. Whether it was the Fasting Pill or the Yellow Dragon Pill, their efficacy and quality were once again improved, forming a massive gap with those of ordinary pills. With a second knockout product, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s income surged, and the amount of practice he could have with the four remaining pills was greatly increased. Unfortunately, the morning sun never lasts for an entire day. On the third day after he¡¯d mastered the Yellow Dragon Pill, which was the 21st day after the three siblings had escaped Blackwood Village, their traces were finally discovered! ¡°Big Brother, wake up, someone¡¯s coming!¡± Lu Qingfeng was in a fake sleep. His consciousness sank within ¡°Primitive¡± as he was in the process of conquering the refinement of Incense Pills. Feeling the movement in reality, he immediately went offline. When he opened his eyes, he saw five burly men wielding small swords charging at him. Lu Qingyu was standing beside him, shaking his arm with an anxious look on her face. Lu Qingshan was holding a small sword in his hands, standing in front of the two of them in a confrontation. ¡°Qingshan, protect Qingyu, leave them to me!¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes flashed as he cast his Celestial Eye. He found that the strongest among the five was only at Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. He picked up the Nine-ringed Blade that was lying next to him in an off-hand manner, thrust himself up on his feet, and charged directly into the five people. ¡°Be careful, Qingfeng!¡± Lu Qingshan slowly backed off as he reminded him anxiously. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t respond but stared at the five people intently. ¡°You little sh*t, you¡¯re not gonna try to face the five of us, are you?¡± The rough, burly man who was their leader put on a savage look. They had been ordered to go deep into the mountains to search for the whereabouts of the three siblings. After so long, they had become extremely annoyed. Little did they know that they would bump into them today. If they could capture the three of them alive, they would receive a generous reward from the Truth Sect. They were all formal disciples with no potential. If they could seize this opportunity to propel themselves one step ahead, that would naturally be a great advantage for them. Thinking of this, the burly man clenched the sword in his hand and charged toward Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Blade of Doom!¡± He abruptly unleashed his sword technique. This was the most common sword technique in the Truth Sect. It had a great area of effect and contained great power. In the past, Wu Yuan had used this exact sword technique to deal with Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Fireball technique. The reflection from the blade was glittering! The five men all waved their blades at Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Do not kill him!¡± The burly man who was their leader was still thinking about the Truth Sect¡¯s demands and worrying that they would kill Lu Qingfeng by mistake. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me?¡± Lu Qingfeng sneered at them, and his body¡¯s movements became erratic like a ghost. He was using the Shifting Steps! All they could make out was something flashing across their eyes, and, immediately after, Lu Qingfeng was gone. And after that¡­ The dazzling rays reflected from his blade glistened, and a boisterous shout erupted under the clear blue sky: ¡°Mantle Sword Style!¡± Great momentum! Imposing force! One wave higher than another! ¡°Whaaatttt?!¡± The burly man who was in the vanguard changed his expression drastically. Recognizing the might of this attack, he hurriedly raised his blade to parry it. His inner Chi at Level 2 of the Fetal Phase rapidly evolved and gathered in his hands in an attempt to resist the blow. ¡°Die!¡± Lu Qingfeng focused his eyes and altered his footsteps! Abruptly, a sword slashed down at a peculiar angle¡­ Ka-chk! ¡°No!¡± Fear cropped up on the face of the burly man in Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. With his eyes wide open, the Nine-ringed Blade made a direct slash at his face. He collapsed and died. Clang, clang, clang! The other four guys from the Truth Sect threw their swords. Lu Qingfeng twisted around, randomly waved the Nine-ringed Blade in his hand, and intercepted the four small swords. Exerting force, the Nine-ringed Blade continued to storm across toward them, slashing yet another three people. Holding the Nine-ringed Blade in his hand, Lu Qingfeng was able to defeat all five of his opponents all by himself. Seeing that there was only one person left, Lu Qingfeng abruptly halted his offensive, rested the Nine-ringed Blade on that person¡¯s shoulder, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who sent you here? How many people are there on this mountain?¡± With the blade at his neck, the only surviving person was horrified. He answered every question Lu Qingfeng hurled at him. In a very short while¡­ As if pouring beans out of a bamboo tube, he made a clean breast of the entire situation. ¡°Please spare my life! I will not expose your movements!¡± When the man was done confessing, he fell to his knees with a thud and begged for mercy. Keeping the exact same expression, Lu Qingfeng swiped the Nine-ringed Blade across the man¡¯s neck and gathered up all their five small swords before turning around. Chapter 16 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio These people had attacked him. Hence, there was no way that he could let them run free. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if it had been a good thing to acquire information from the man. As he thought about all this, he approached Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu. He could see Lu Qingyu¡¯s eyes shining as she said excitedly, ¡°Qingfeng, what was that just now? That was awesome!¡± Lu Qingshan reacted in the same way. Their reaction was normal. The Mantle Sword Style that Lu Qingfeng had unleashed just now was spectacular. Five skilled aces in martial arts who were at Levels 1 and 2 of the Fetal Phase had been beheaded by Lu Qingfeng with just a few moves. It was way too shocking. ¡°It¡¯s the Mantle Sword Style. If you wish to learn it, I¡¯ll teach it to you in a couple of days,¡± Lu Qingfeng said with a smile. [Magic: Mantle Sword Style] [Grade: Low. Has a total of 2 Levels] [Ability Upgrade: Four-time Enhance] [Description: A relatively subtle sword technique in ordinary martial arts. Through enhancements, its power level can be greatly increased.] To match up with the Nine-ringed Blade, he¡¯d deliberately searched for the Mantle Sword Style in ¡°Primitive¡±. After training in it for five long years, it had finally paid off for him in reality. The Mantle Sword Style was not inferior to the Blade of Doom. After being enhanced four times by Lu Qingfeng, one could classify its degree of subtlety as one of the top sword techniques in the world. With a few slashes, Lu Qingfeng, who was merely in Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, had brought down five virtuosos of the Truth Sect, where the weakest of the group had Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. He, on the other hand, had sustained absolutely no damage. ¡°Mantle Sword Style!¡± ¡°What a magnificent name!¡± ¡°Qingfeng, I wanna learn it!¡± Lu Qingyu was completely unaffected by the five corpses that were lying on the ground not far away from her. Her entire mind was focused on the Mantle Sword Style, thinking about how powerful and impressive she would become after mastering this sword technique. On the contrary, Lu Qingshan had more on his mind. These last few days¡­ They have lived rather comfortably here, thinking that the Truth Sect had given up on tracking them down. However, they¡¯d never expected the enemy to come upon them so unexpectedly. Fortunately, courtesy of his elder brother¡¯s capabilities, they had not been captured alive. ¡°Qingshan, were they from the Truth Sect?¡± Lu Qingfeng asked in a low voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Qingshan nodded and said with a solemn expression, ¡°The Truth Sect have found this place. We need to relocate!¡± Seeing Lu Qingshan¡¯s face suddenly turning pale, Lu Qingfeng said, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, the Truth Sect had a clash with a large faction in the east a few days ago. Both sides are currently at war. The ones they can dispatch to hunt us down are just the small potatoes.¡± This was the information Lu Qingfeng had acquired from that person just now before he¡¯d killed him. He¡¯d said that ten days ago, the Truth Sect had somehow run into a conflict with a big faction in a neighboring county. Within a short time, it had developed into a large-scale battle. The masters in the sect were all involved in the battle, and they had no resources left to track down the three of them. It was only that the Chief of the Punishment Hall had not given up yet. The Peripheral Law Enforcement Units the Punishment Hall had dispatched were still on the hunt. The five people he¡¯d killed just now were disciples of the Peripheral Law Enforcement Unit. ¡°That¡¯s okay, I guess.¡± Lu Qingshan breathed a sigh of relief, but he still felt it was better for them to move quickly. Without saying too much¡­ The three immediately packed their luggage. ¡°Gotta learn Talisman Crafting as soon as possible!¡± Lu Qingfeng thought to himself. Initially, he had been thinking about mastering a few more pills before he went into the art of talismans. But now that the hunters had arrived, it was extremely important for them to carry along some talismans. Fortunately, he had already mastered the refinement of the Yellow Dragon Pill completely. In reality, he could swiftly grow his cultivation attainments as well. Hence, he decided he would be leaving the pills aside for the time being. ¡­ ¡°How do you make the Fire Spirit Cinnabarite?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡± Huang Luo frowned as he asked Lu Qingfeng this question. I have really gotten interested in talismans recently, and I would like to try to make my own Cinnabarites,¡± Lu QIngfeng said with a smile. Five years had passed! Considering the four previous years, since Lu Qingfeng had reincarnated, he was now 25 years old. His change in appearance was still slight. With the introduction of Qingfeng the Pill Refining Master¡¯s improved versions of the Fasting Pill and the Yellow Dragon Pill into the market, they¡¯d become very popular. Although Lu Qingfeng was still a low-level Pill Refining apprentice, he had quite a reputation in a small area within Emery Town. Almost no one was superior to the high-level apprentice of Talisman Crafting, Huang Luo, who¡¯d had his business running for decades. Among cultivators in the Fetal Phase, Lu Qingfeng was much more sought after than Cultivator Huang Luo. After he¡¯d cooperated with the Imperial City Guild, his reputation had once again grown by a significant margin. Nevertheless, the friendship between Lu Qingfeng and Huang Luo had grown deeper in recent years. Huang Luo absolutely disagreed with his conduct of not engaging in honest work. If it hadn¡¯t been that Lu Qingfeng had bumped into some difficulties when he was preparing his Cinnabarites, he would probably not have told Huang Luo what he was up to. Sure enough! After hearing Lu Qingfeng¡¯s words, Huang Luo opened his eyes wide as he pointed at Lu Qingfeng and said in disbelief, ¡°Why are you learning Talisman Crafting instead of focusing on being the Master Qingfeng that you already are? Why the freak are you making Cinnabarite?¡± Huang Luo felt that Lu Qingfeng had gone mad. In the past few years, he had watched Lu Qingfeng waste a lot of his time in Pill Refining, but so be it. However, he hadn¡¯t expected that now, he was yet again getting distracted by Talisman Crafting. For an ordinary cultivator, whether it was Pill Refining or Talisman Crafting, mastering one was already a difficult task. Huang Luo was pretty surprised by Lu Qingfeng¡¯s attainments in Pill Refining. However, Talisman Crafting was a profound discipline. Its doorway was no lower than that of Pill Refining. Why would an ordinary person have so much energy? ¡°Brother Luo, I know when to stop.¡± Lu Qingfeng was still smiling. Looking at him, Huang Luo couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know your temper of a donkey. I just hope that you won¡¯t regret it when your life span is coming to an end.¡± As Huang Luo spoke, he grabbed a few bamboo slips from the cloth bag around his waist and tossed them to Lu Qingfeng. Lu Qingfeng quickly took them. ¡°Detailed Explanation in the Preparation of the Six Common Cinnabarites!¡± ¡°Refining the Spirit Runic Brush!¡± ¡°Fundamentals of Runic Papers!¡± ¡°Encyclopedia of Low-Grade Talismans!¡± ¡°Since you want to learn Talisman Crafting, these are all the basics. However, for the crafting and refinement of Cinnabarites, Runic Brush, and Runic Paper, a little bit of understanding will do. If you are really interested in Talisman Crafting, lots of materials are available in the market. There¡¯s no need to waste your time,¡± Huang Luo reminded him. ¡°Thanks a lot, Brother Luo.¡± Lu Qingfeng quickly thanked him. Huang Luo was a high-level apprentice in Talisman Crafting with rich experience. With his guidance, he could avoid lots of detours in learning the art of talismans. In reality, the hunters from the Truth Sect might arrive at any time. For him, mastering the art of talismans as soon as possible would mean more hope for survival. ¡°Consider this my repayment for you introducing my business to the Imperial City Guild,¡± Huang Luo said. ¡°That was nothing,¡± Lu Qingfeng said with a smile. The Imperial City Guild was one of the six top guilds in Emery Town. Although they didn¡¯t have a powerful backing like the Broken Army Guild, Noumenal Guild, and Sword Sage Guild, their power in Emery Town was no less than these three guilds. They were also the only guild without backing among the six top guilds in Emery Town. The quality of the Fasting Pills and the Yellow Dragon Pills refined by Lu Qingfeng was a lot better than similar pills. Once they started selling, the word of mouth quickly spread their reputation far and wide. First, they became hot sellers in the market. Then, many guilds came to try to rope him in for cooperation. Finally, Lu Qingfeng had chosen the Imperial City Guild, which was the strongest guild with the best reputation of establishing long-term cooperation. The pills he refined would be provided to the Imperial City Guild, and the Imperial City Guild would purchase these pills at a fixed price and be responsible for collecting various medicinal herbs for Lu Qingfeng. Because of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s accomplishments in refining low-level pills, it held an extraordinary significance for the Imperial City Guild to attract new players to join them. Hence, Lu Qingfeng proposed the idea of building a bridge between the Imperial City Guild and Cultivator Huang Luo, forming a cooperation proposal which he then agreed to after a little inspection. For Huang Luo, by cooperating with a powerful force like the Imperial City Guild, he would have no more worries about selling the talismans he drew, nor would he have to worry about collecting the various materials. It saved him a lot of effort. Naturally, this was a great favor that Lu Qingfeng had done for him. ¡°I just mentioned it to Imperial City casually. This is all because of your attainments, Brother Luo. It has nothing to do with me.¡± Lu Qingfeng smiled before leaving the market. Aside from cultivating and refining pills, he would come and run the stall at the market. Since he cooperated with the Imperial City Guild, there was no need for him to sell his pills at the market anymore, but his habit of hanging around at the market had not changed. One could consider it a combination of work and rest. Instead of lowering his efficiency, it hiked it up instead. Leaving the market, Lu Qingfeng returned to his dwelling. With his current net worth, he could totally afford a decent courtyard in Emery Town as his home. Stepping into the quiet room and taking out the few jade bamboo slips given to him by Huang Luo, he registered them into the Attribute Panel one by one. Then he started his research beginning with the ¡°Detailed Explanation in the Preparation of the Six Common Cinnabarites¡±. For ordinary cultivators, when they engage in Talisman Crafting, they would probably skip the crafting and preparation of Cinnabarrite, Runic Paper, and Runic Brush. But Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t. There was no ready-made Cinnabarite, Runic Paper, and Runic Brush in reality. It was imperative for him to master the makings of these as well. Among them, Cinnabarite was a kind of natural ore, bright red in color with a diamond luster or even a metallic luster. After being ground into powder, it could be altered slightly by the different modulation techniques to suit talismans of different genres or types. Lu Qingfeng first started with the preparation of Cinnabarite and then proceeded to make the Runic Paper and Runic Brush. Time passed unknowingly. In the blink of an eye, 42 years have passed since Lu Qingfeng started practicing drawing talismans. ¡­ Chapter 17 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Probably because the forests in these mountains had dense, complex environments, the large number of hunters they had been anticipating did not appear. Lu Qingfeng and his siblings ran for a whole five months. No one knew how far they went. In the beginning, disciples of the Law Enforcement Units would crop up sporadically. All of them turned out to be of average strength, and they were easily taken down by Lu Qingfeng. As time went on, the number of hunters gradually diminished. The last time the hunters of the Law Enforcement Unit had appeared, Lu Qingfeng had gone through an alarming incident when he¡¯d been forced to kill a disciple of the Truth Sect who was at Level 7 of the Fetal Phase. Thankfully, no hunters had appeared ever since. As the siblings had continued to feel uneasy, they¡¯d continued to flee for two more months, only halting after they had received affirmation that the Truth Sect had already given up. Over the course of these months, they¡¯d experienced countless dangers along the way. Aside from the hunters who were behind them, pursuing them relentlessly, there were also many wild beasts that crept about as silently as ghosts in the mountains. The slightest of mistakes could have landed them in the jaws of death. However, during these five months, Lu Qingfeng had made rapid progress and greatly improved his ability to survive. With Qingshan and Qingyu, he¡¯d collected medicinal herbs as they ran, refined quite a few Yellow Dragon Pills, and raised his cultivation to Level 3 of the Fetal Phase. The technique he was now cultivating had long since been changed from the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic of the Refined grade to the Verdant Sword Art of the Lateral grade. [Technique: Verdant Sword Art (Incomplete)] [Grade: Lateral. Has a total of 9 Levels] [Ability Upgrade: Five-time Enhance] [Property: Verdant Sword Ray, Sword Shield, Sword Shadow, Indestructible Threads, Verdant Re-condensation] [Description: Secret technique of the Verdant Sword Sect that existed 3,000 years ago. Currently incomplete.] This technique was an incomplete Refined grade technique that Lu Qingfeng had discovered in ¡°Primitive¡± that had only its Fetal Phase components available. For ordinary cultivators, this technique was indeed of little value. Although the grade of the technique was high, it could only be cultivated until Level 9 of the Fetal Phase. It couldn¡¯t even be used to break through the Genuine Chi Phase. In order to complete a Refined-grade technique, even for someone in the Golden Core Stage, they would have to expend decades of hard work. Hence, absolutely no one showed any interest in the appearance of a fragment of the Verdant Sword Art. However, as if discovering a precious relic, Lu Qingfeng had acquired it directly. With the Ability Upgrade property of the Yellow Court Classic, as long as he had enough experience points, he could level up the Verdant Sword Art and unlock its subsequent abilities. What¡¯s more, with the Verdant Sword Art being innately in the Refined grade, its powerful nature saved Lu Qingfeng quite a large amount of experience points. After he¡¯d obtained the technique, after five enhancements, Lu Qingfeng had upgraded the Verdant Sword Art from Refined to Lateral. On the basis of the Verdant Sword Ray and Sword Shield property, it branched into Sword Shadow, Indestructible Threads, and Verdant Re-condensation. It was just that with Lu Qingfeng¡¯s current attainment in cultivation, he¡¯d only mastered the Verdant Sword Ray for the time being. As for the four remaining properties, he could only master them when his cultivation reached the properties¡¯ corresponding levels. Even so, when the Verdant Sword Ray was unleashed, those in the Fetal Phase without a defensive Magical Artifact, defensive magic, or defensive martial art technique would get themselves decapitated. In ¡°Primitive¡±, a Refined-grade technique could be cultivated until the Golden Core Stage. As for Lateral-grade techniques, they were top-notch techniques that directly pointed toward the Mahayana Stage. In Emery Town, even across the Seven Sword Ridge and the Seven Great Sword Sects, no technique of such a grade existed. Given its rarity, it was natural that it was extraordinary. The Chi Control that every level of the Verdant Sword Art at the Lateral grade could provide was double of what the Aucuba Scorching Sun Classic previously could. Lu Qingfeng, who was only in Level 3 of the Fetal Phase, had profound inner Chi within his body. The amount he had was three times that of cultivators in Level 3 of the Fetal Phase who¡¯d cultivated in a Preliminary-grade technique. Even an ordinary Level 9 in the Fetal Phase might not be able to defeat him. That, combined with his various martial arts techniques and spells that had been enhanced several times, made it difficult for anyone in the Fetal Phase to match up to him. Most certainly, more than two months ago, when he¡¯d fought against the Truth Sect¡¯s deacon in Level 7 of the Fetal Phase, Lu Qingfeng hadn¡¯t been that powerful yet. That battle had been extremely dangerous, but, fortunately, Lu Qingfeng had come out ahead in tactics and beheaded the enemy in one single slash! Only then were the three siblings spared from a disaster. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s strength had greatly improved. Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu were also making progress. Lu Qingshan was at Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. By cultivating in the Verdant Sword Art, Mantle Sword Style, and so on with Lu Qingfeng, his combat capabilities were way above his current cultivation level. He could probably contend with people in Levels 5 or 6 of the Fetal Phase. Lu Qingyu was poor in aptitude. She¡¯d only cultivated for a while and had only just stepped into Level 1 of the Fetal Phase. She could contend with opponents in Level 3 of the Fetal Phase, just barely. ¡°I think the Truth Sect has already given up at this point.¡± After more than five months, a new temperament emerged in Lu Qingfeng. It was a unique temperament formed by the passing of years and the experience of killing, difficult for ordinary youngsters to imitate. After all, although only five months have passed in reality, in ¡°Primitive¡±, Lu Qingfeng was almost at the end of his life. ¡­ At night¡­ Lu Qingfeng logged into the game. It was still Emery Town, but now Lu Qingfeng was no longer young in appearance. He had turned into a silver-haired, rickety old man. Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: Level 5 of Postnatal-Fetal Phase Level: 10 (25/50) Destined Life Span: 67/68 Chi Control: 185/185 (Grade: Lateral) Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Apex) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Verdant Sword Art Level 5 (Apex) [Updatable]] Magic: Fireball (Level 2); Celestial Eye (Level 2); Shifting Steps (Level 2); Smoldering Palm (Level 2); White Jade Mantra (Level 2); Mantle Sword Style (Level 2); Yang Finger Technique (Level 2); Gale (Level 2); Golden Ray (Level 2); Entangle (Level 2); Vanish (Level 2); Assemble Chi (Level 2) Abhijna: None Equipment: Novice Storage Bag; Wolf Hair Runic Brush; Talisman of Peace; Stealth Talisman; Earth Talisman; Fireball Talisman¡­ Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining; Deciphering Medicine; Complete Guide to Basic Medicinal Herbs¡­ Refinable Pills: Fasting Pill, Yellow Dragon Pill, Spirit Cleansing Powder, Rejuvenating Pill, Incense Pill, Yellow Millet Pill, Soul Corrupting Pill, Breath Fostering Pill, Essence Pill Talisman Crafting: ¡°Detailed Explanation in the Preparation of the Six Common Cinnabarites¡±, ¡°Fundamentals of Runic Papers¡±, ¡°Encyclopedia of Low-Grade Talismans¡±. Craftable Talismans: Talisman of Peace, Stealth Talisman, Earth Talisman, Fireball Talisman, Talisman of Rejuvenation, Golden Ray Talisman Tool Refining: Fundamentals of Tool Refining, Refining the Spirit Runic Brush; Refinable Tools: Wolf Hair Runic Brush Pet: Skylark bird (*9) ¡­ This extremely luxurious Attribute Panel listed Lu Qingfeng¡¯s 50 years of achievements in the game for the more than five months he had been on the run! Looking back: In the year when he¡¯d mastered the refining of the Yellow Dragon Pill, Lu Qingfeng had been just 25 years old in the game. After that, the first wave of the Truth Sect¡¯s hunters arrived, and he began fleeing. He¡¯d been running during the day and logging into ¡°Primitive¡± at night to delve into the art of Talismans. Over the course of 42 years, he¡¯d mastered the refining of six types of talisman: the Talisman of Peace, Stealth Talisman, Earth Talisman, Fireball Talisman, Talisman of Rejuvenation, Golden Ray Talisman in sequence. During this period of time, he wasn¡¯t slacking off in Pill Refining either. After the Fasting Pill and Yellow Dragon Pill, he successfully mastered the refinement of the Spirit Cleansing Powder, Rejuvenating Pill, Incense Pill, Yellow Millet Pill, Soul Corrupting Pill, Breath Fostering Pill, and Essence Pill. Master of Pills and Talismans Lu Qingfeng! This name was widespread across the whole of Emery Town. Anything that Lu Qingfeng produced, whether Talismans or Pills, although they were all of the lowest levels, their power and quality were far superior to those of other Pill Refiners and Talisman Crafters. This was courtesy of the Ability Upgrade property and also the huge amount of experience points that Lu Qingfeng invested in them. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Sitting in the Pill Refining Chamber, Lu Qingfeng summoned the four disciples he had accepted over the years. In a while, two young people and two middle-aged people walked in, bowed to Lu Qingfeng, and called him Master. ¡°The four of you have served me with the utmost respect and energy for more than 20 years. My life is coming to an end. Since fate has made you my disciples, I¡¯m leaving all this to you.¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at his four disciples, waved his sleeves, and dozens of jade slips were scattered in front of the four. ¡°Master!¡± Peng Hai, Lei He, Yao Jiusi, and Ji Fu groveled on the ground and looked up at their silver-haired master with mixed feelings in their hearts. A long, long time ago, Lu Qingfeng had led them into novicehood and trained them in the arts of Pill Refining and the arts of Talismans. Although they were just helpers, they had learned a lot. Over the years, if the disciples couldn¡¯t grasp the true skills of their master, they left one after another. In the end, only four of them remained. Although they had also joined the Imperial City Sect, unlike the others who had rarely returned, they settled down in Emery Town and would often visit their master. They weren¡¯t thinking about receiving anything in return, but little did they know that they would receive such a surprise on this very day. The low-level Talismans and low-level Pills made by Grandmaster Qingfeng were second to none in the whole of Emery Town and even the entire Elephant King City. As long as they could refine them, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about their sales at all. If they could inherit his mantle, in their future in the Imperial City Sect, at least in the early stages, they would never have to worry about cultivation resources. ¡°Master, I heard that there¡¯s a type of Spirit Grass that can increase one¡¯s life span on Thunder Mountain. I have asked someone to inquire about it. I believe that there will be news soon!¡± Peng Hai looked at Lu Qingfeng and said. ¡°Need not trouble yourself. There is a time for life and death. There is no need to force it!¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head. How hard would it be to find the Spirit Grass that could increase one¡¯s life span? Even if it could be found, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for him, a low-level Pill Refiner and Talisman Crafter, to obtain it. It would be better for him to reincarnate and live another life. Over the years, Lu Qingfeng had walked out of Emery Town only a few times. After dismissing his four disciples, Lu Qingfeng did some packing and left Emery Town. ¡­ Chapter 18 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Viosilk Gorge. This was a natural gorge situated between Silver Light Mountain and Thunder Mountain, an extremely dangerous location where monsters were rampant and ferocious beasts were everywhere. Regular cultivators would seldom visit this place. The endless numbers of ravenous beasts rendered even the biggest of guilds and sects powerless against them. With his new acquisition of Cloud-Threading Boots, Lu Qingfeng stepped into the Viosilk Gorge with confidence. ¡°I am now in my second life in the game, but this is the first time I have come to Viosilk Gorge. I want to enrich my mind by dealing with these ferocious beasts.¡± Lu Qingfeng looked all around, feeling a little anxious. The price that he would have to pay if he died was very hefty. Aside from the fact that reincarnation required 16 years, or two months in real time, even for one in the Fetal Phase, it was also necessary to expend one low-grade Spirit Stone, which was equivalent to 100 pieces of Spirit Stone Fragments. Because of these requirements, Lu Qingfeng had spent his first life in the game quietly practicing Pill Refining and Talisman Crafting in Emery Town. He had never gone out to train. This was his first time out of Emery Town seeking combat. As he stood looking around, he couldn¡¯t see anyone. Mob Grinding was, after all, a very rare approach. ¡°Beasts are ravenous. All they know is how to cause destruction and bring harm to the world. Killing them will earn one merit, which will be beneficial for one¡¯s cultivation. This was the origin of Mob Grinding.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s glittering eyes swept across the area. [Magic: Celestial Eye (Incomplete)] [Grade: Middle Rank. Has a total of 2 Levels.] [Ability Upgrade: Six-time Enhance] [Description: Examine the cultivation attainments of a target that is not above your current stage/phase. Can cause mental trauma to ordinary people, causing them to panic; Passive: Obliterate Evil, Discernment] After being enhanced by Lu Qingfeng six times, his grade had been raised from low rank to middle rank. At the same time its power level had surged, and it developed passive effects. Just like at this moment¡­ Into Lu Qingfeng¡¯s field of vision, rays of the fierce beasts¡¯ evil towered into the sky. Some of them looked like smoke signals, while some were only as thin as a strand of hair. Thus, their strengths could be distinguished at a glance. ¡°Perhaps the Iron Crown Beasts dwell at the outskirts of the Viosilk Gorge.¡± Iron Crown Beasts resembled a puppy that had iron crowns similar to those of roosters on their heads. As he proceeded forward on his Cloud-Threading Boots, the Black Iron Ascension Bulwark encircled him. With two pieces of Tier-4 equipment as backup, he should be able to survive for a short while at the outskirts of the Viosilk Gorge. Rooaaarrrr! Moving toward the smoke signal that had the thickness of a thread, he soon saw before him a horde of Iron Crown Beasts, which were bellowing and charging in his direction. [Beast Kind: Iron Crown Beast] [Tier: 2] [Description: A weaker member of the Beasts. Has large numbers and excels in group attacks. Possesses iron teeth and iron claws. Melee Class Beast; Weakness: Afraid of Thunder Attribute Magic] A Tier-2 kind of Beast was equivalent to cultivators in the Genuine Chi Phase. The Celestial Eye¡¯s passive Discernment was triggered, exposing the Iron Crown Beasts¡¯ weaknesses. In fact, as the lowest level and most common kind of Beast, the Iron Crown Beasts¡¯ weaknesses have long been known. However, when cast upon unknown Beasts, Demon Beasts, or even other cultivators, Discernment still had an inestimable value. Lu Qingfeng glanced at the Iron Crown Beasts with the Celestial Eye and discovered that these Iron Crown Beasts that were charging at him were mostly around Level 20. Even the highest among them wasn¡¯t over Level 40. ¡°Perfect timing!¡± Without making a grand gesture, Lu Qingfeng extended his hand into the storage bag around his waist and scattered a pile of Thunder Talismans¡­ Boom, boom, boom! Boom, boom, boom! Dozens of thunderclouds covered the area in front of him. The Iron Crown Beasts within these clouds couldn¡¯t survive this kind of round of bombardment and were blasted into charcoal. [Congratulations, you have killed an Iron Crown Beast (Level 10). Acquired 1 experience point.] [Congratulations, you have killed an Iron Crown Beast (Level 20). Acquired 5 experience points.] [Congratulations, you have killed an Iron Crown Beast (Level 30). Acquired 10 experience points.] [Congratulations, you have killed an Iron Crown Beast (Level 40). Acquired 15 experience points.] [Congratulations, you have leveled up.] ¡­ The leveling speed obtained by mob grinding could not compare to the slow cultivating that occurred while staying inside Emery Town. By using a few Thunder Talismans, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s experience points had soared upward, and his Level had increased by more than triple in the blink of an eye. In ¡°Primitive¡±, the rules of killing monsters were: By killing a mob that was no more than 10 levels below or above you, you acquire 1 experience point. If a mob was more than 10 levels below you, you acquire 0.1 experience points. If a mob was more than 20 levels below you, you acquire 0.01 experience points, and so forth. If a mob was more than 10 levels above you, you acquire 5 experience points. If a mob was more than 20 levels above you, you acquire 10 experience points, and so forth. ¡°If you have a pro supporting you, or if you¡¯re willing to hurl out tons of talismans, leveling shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± ¡°However, for me, acquiring experience points is way easier than leveling.¡± With his body bent forward, as if strolling in a courtyard, Lu Qingfeng sprinkled talismans all about him and swiftly annihilated a small field of Iron Crown Beasts. His Level remained at 10. ¡°By constantly using my experience points and staying in Level 10, killing high-level beasts will always give me bonus experience points.¡± The corners of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s mouth raised into a small smile as he invested his experience points in various spells, pills, and talismans. The experience points that he formerly had calculated carefully were now being expended in a completely squandering manner. The Verdant Sword Art was already in the Lateral grade. To further elevate it, the amount of experience points that had to be spent was massive. Seizing this opportunity, Lu Qingfeng decided to invest all his experience points now. After all, no matter how the various spells were elevated, the magnitude of their power would be closely related to one¡¯s cultivation attainments. Only techniques were the staple. The same would go for pills and talismans. Over the years, he had enhanced them for at most six times and at least four times. Lu Qingfeng discovered that whether pills or talismans, by enhancing them more than five times, the required materials would alter, which was equivalent to evolving into another pill. Although the efficacy could become much stronger and the pill itself thus much more precious, due to the high value of the materials, the profit margin was not as good as those that had been enhanced five times. This knowledge would most likely come in handy for Lu Qingfeng in the future when he could improve his cultivation level. But, when that time came, there would still be suitable pills and talismans. Taking the Yellow Dragon Pill, for instance, upon six enhancements, the cost of refining had been greatly increased, almost to the level of the Yellow Dragon Pill¡¯s upgrade, the Golden Pith Pellet. Instead of wasting experience points enhancing it, Lu Qingfeng realized that he would be better off acquiring the recipe for the Golden Pith Pellet and enhancing it instead. Therefore¡­ After Lu Qingfeng enhanced all the pills and talismans he¡¯d mastered at this stage five times, he wholeheartedly focused on enhancing and elevating the Verdant Sword Art. After this, for a very long time, the Verdant Sword Art would be enough for Lu Qingfeng to remain at an absolute advantage against foes of the same cultivation level. Time flew by. After slaughtering the Iron Crown Beasts, Lu Qingfeng gained more than 5,000 experience points. For a Preliminary-grade technique, the first Enhance/Elevate/Merge would cost 10 experience points, and the subsequent Enhance/Elevate/Merge would double that. For a Refined-grade technique, the first Enhance/Elevate/Merge would cost 100 experience points, and the subsequent Enhance/Elevate/Merge would double the original basis. For a Lateral-grade technique, the first Enhance/Elevate/Merge would cost 1,000 experience points, and the subsequent Enhance/Elevate/Merge would double the original basis. For every technique, after about five enhancements, their Level would be increased by 1. For example, the Verdant Sword Art: it was a Refined-grade technique by default. Upon five enhancements, it became a Lateral-grade technique. Due to it being a Refined-grade technique by default, even after attaining the Lateral grade, if one wished to enhance it again, the required experience points would still be doubled on the original basis. Instead of recalculating, Lu Qingfeng placed all 5,000 experience points into the Verdant Sword Art, directly enhancing it seven times, and increasing the Level cap of the technique from the original 9 to 21, thus enabling him to cultivate in it until the Foundation-Building-Chi-Drawing Phase. That wasn¡¯t all! After the Iron Crown Beasts, Lu Qingfeng went on to wipe out the Jade Scale Beasts, Red Mountain Rats, Blood Hedgehogs, and the clans of four other Tier-2 Beasts. The Vermillion Fire Talismans, Thunder Talismans, Thundercloud Talismans, Firecloud Talismans, Ice Talismans, and all the other Advanced and top-level talismans that he had exchanged for all his fortune had completely exhausted his fortune. This was how deep Lu Qingfeng¡¯s pocket had been. After spending his experience points to enhance the recipe of his pills and talismans, he¡¯d refined high-quality pills and talismans at a cheap cost and profited off the massive price difference. After decades of accumulation, his wealth was almost as large as that of a small guild. And Lu Qingfeng had exchanged all his possessions with high-level and top-level talismans to maniacally harvest experience points before the arrival of his end. Ordinary cultivators, even the formidable ones in the Foundation-Building Stage, would probably not have been able to pull off what Lu Qingfeng had done. First, their financial resources wouldn¡¯t have allowed it. Second, as the number of slaughtered Beasts increased and their levels grew, with experience points pouring out like a waterfall, they wouldn¡¯t have remained Tier-2 beasts forever. Moreover, experience points increased one¡¯s level quickly, but a bottleneck at each cultivation stage would require time to break through. Endless leveling was simply not realistic. It was different for Lu Qingfeng. He slaughtered beasts not to improve his level or cultivation stage, but simply to gain experience points. With his level not increasing, killing beasts of the same level would allow his experience point gain to never slip. Under such circumstances, two hours later¡­ [Technique: Verdant Sword Art (Incomplete)] [Grade: Authentic. Has a total of 27 Levels.] [Ability Upgrade: Ten-time Enhance, Five-time Elevate] [Property: Verdant Sword Ray, Sword Shield, Sword Shadow, Indestructible Threads, Verdant Re-condensation, Genteel Sword Pill, Refined Spirit] [Description: Secret technique of the Verdant Sword Sect that existed 3,000 years ago. Currently incomplete.] ¡°Authentic grade!¡± Lu Qingfeng hurled out his last Firecloud Talisman and invested all his experience points into Verdant Sword Art. The attributes of the Verdant Sword Art altered drastically with its grade improving from Lateral to Authentic. Subsequently, even if he didn¡¯t enhance it anymore and just continued to increase its Level, it would be sufficient for Lu Qingfeng to cultivate to the Level of an Earth Deity. Across the entire realm, techniques of this Level were existences that were extremely sought after. Cultivators of even the Mahayana Stage from various great sects would go crazy for it. ¡°Well worth it!¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at the Verdant Sword Art and laughed loudly. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a smoke signal with the thickness of an arm. Looking up, he saw a dark red eagle hovering over the depths of the Viosilk Gorge. ¡­ [Beast Kind: Iron Feather Thunder Eagle] [Tier: 7] [Description: Aerial-type beast. Fast, powerful, and can release lightning attacks.] A Tier-7 beast kind! Comparable to the cultivators in the Cosmic Stage. Screeeeccchhh! As Lu Qingfeng raised his head, the beast¡¯s information flashed through his mind, and he saw himself shrouded within a prison of thunder. Amid the roar of the thunder, he perished! ¡­ [You died. Please select between Reincarnation and Resurrection.] After 68 years (in game time), Lu Qingfeng once again appeared in the chaotic void of nothingness. The red-colored system reminder felt rather familiar to him. ¡°Death certainly doesn¡¯t feel great.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head as he recalled the moment of his death. Although he knew that it was only in the game, it was still pretty horrifying. The Iron Feather Thunder Eagle had swooped down, fluttered its wings, and sent a huge amount of thunder striking down and shattering Lu Qingfeng¡¯s flesh. Under such an attack, the Tier-3 Runic Equipment, Black Iron Ascension Bulwark, couldn¡¯t even hold for a second and burst apart instantly. Nobody would wish to experience such a feeling for a second time. However¡­ This could be regarded as Lu Qingfeng¡¯s actively seeking death. He had slaughtered so many Tier-1 and Tier-2 Beast Kinds on the periphery of Viosilk Gorge. The Iron Feather Thunder Eagle fed on Tier-1 and Tier-2 beasts like the Iron Crown Beast and the Red Mountain Rat. Having all its food slaughtered by Lu Qingfeng, how could the Iron Feather Thunder Eagle let him go? Facing off against a Tier-7 beast, even if Lu Qingfeng had scattered a field of Advanced-Level talismans, they wouldn¡¯t have inflicted any harm of the Iron Feather Thunder Eagle. At Lu Qingfeng¡¯s current attainment in cultivation, provoking beasts of such a caliber would only spell death. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t actively sought death, I wonder what would have happened when my life span reached its end.¡± Time in the game was double fast. Lu Qingfeng had been immersed in Pill Refining and Talisman Crafting. Unconsciously, his life span had been exhausted. Fearing that unexpected variables could crop up at the end of his natural life span, Lu Qingfeng decided that he might as well go to Viosilk Gorge to hunt down beasts to gain experience points. He was already well prepared for death. Before his eyes¡­ This strange, yet familiar, death scene made Lu Qingfeng feel as if a generation had passed. ¡°Reincarnate.¡± [Please select: Reincarnate to current location / random location.] ¡°Random location.¡± Lu Qingfeng had been in Emery Town for so many years, and he knew the environment and forces here extremely well. For example, the Imperial City Guild, which he had been cooperating with for a long time, had welcomed cultivators in the Cosmic Stage more than 20 years ago, which made them qualified to establish themselves as a sect. Thus, the Imperial City Sect had been established in Emery Town. Because of his ties with the Imperial City Sect, life for Lu Qingfeng had been easy in Emery Town. Coupled with the various low-level pills and low-level talismans he sold, in recent decades, almost no new low-level cultivators in Emery Town had been unaware of Lu Qingfeng. Although Huang Luo had been traveling around throughout the years looking for opportunities, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s contacts had remained wider than his. Deep down, it was only natural that he wanted to stay in Emery Town. But, after reincarnation, if his identity were ever revealed, it might get a little troublesome. After all, it was rare to see someone whose life span had come to an end in the game, but who was still alive in reality. So he thought why not switch to an alternate environment and experience somewhere else in ¡°Primitive¡±. Perhaps he would be able to gain more insights. [You have chosen to reincarnate to a random location. Please wait for a moment.] [Reincarnation successful. Growth progress: 1/16] In the Pool of Ascension, a new Lu Qingfeng was gestating. It would be 16 years before he could start another journey in ¡°Primitive¡±. But no one knew where he would be born. ¡­ Chapter 19 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The prime of his youth had gone by ever so quickly in the game. In reality, however, only six months had gone by. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Hah, hah!¡± In the dense forest, the cries of youngsters could be heard. Two figures were spinning and shifting around, the lights from their blades flickering as they trained against each other. ¡°Way to go, Qingfeng!¡± Lu Qingyu was standing on the sidelines, dancing with excitement. On her shoulder stood a palm-sized bird that was tweeting nonstop along with her. ¡°Qingfeng! Qingfeng! I need a break!¡± In the middle of their intense confrontation, Lu Qingshan shouted and jumped out of the ring. His face and entire body were covered in sweat, and he looked as if he was on the verge of collapse. On the other hand, Lu Qingfeng, who was standing opposite him, only had his hair messed up. He wasn¡¯t showing any signs of fatigue. ¡°Qingshan, you¡¯re too weak!¡± Lu Qingyu ran over to Lu Qingfeng, used her sleeve to wipe the nonexistent sweat off her elder brother¡¯s face, and turned to wink at Lu Qingshan. ¡°Lu Qingyu! You ungrateful little chipmunk!¡± Lu Qingshan slumped on the ground, pointing at Lu Qingyu angrily. ¡°I¡¯m happy, and you can¡¯t do anything about it!¡± Lu Qingyu stuck out her tongue. Lu Qingfeng left the two to play around and found a place to sit down. The decades in the game hadn¡¯t left any traces on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s face, but the end of a lifetime had still left an unimaginable impression on him. He had gone through many vicissitudes of life. Molded by the tides of time, he didn¡¯t resemble a teenager of 16 who was supposed to be full of vitality. Lu Qingfeng sat down with his back leaning against a tree and took out a thick book. The book was made of yellow paper. These were all Runic Papers that weren¡¯t up to the standards that Lu Qingfeng had refined in the past six months. He had made a book out of them to write down the conditions in the forest. In the book, there were various markers, as well as simple and scattered lines. It was the topographic map of their journey over the past ten days or so. It only marked their approximate course and basic information such as whether there were any large beasts. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been any movement from the Truth Sect for a very long time. With just me, Qingshan, and Qingyu collecting medicinal herbs, our efficiency is way too low. The Yellow Dragon Pills we¡¯ve refined completely are not enough for our cultivation.¡± Lu Qingfeng was currently in Level 3 of the Fetal Phase, while Lu Qingshan was in Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. Lu Qingyu had also began cultivating and had just stepped into Level 1 of the Fetal Phase. With three people cultivating, the demand for Yellow Dragon Pills had surged. It was hard to satisfy them all with only the three of them collecting herbs. ¡°It¡¯s time that we go out.¡± Lu Qingfeng studied the map and figured out a route. Over the course of six months, at first, the three of them had gone through three nerve-wracking months of being hunted by the Truth Sect. Then, they had been able to experience more than two months of stability. At the beginning, they could still rely on the medicinal herbs they collected nearby to refine the Yellow Dragon Pills they needed to support Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingshan¡¯s cultivations. Lu Qingfeng had experience from the game. In the past six months, he¡¯d stayed in the game for 48 years. As Updating techniques, magic, pills, and talismans required experience points, his cultivation level had always been between Level 1 and Level 5 of the Fetal Phase. After Level 5 of the Fetal Phase, the Yellow Dragon Pill, Breath Fostering Pill, Essence Pill, and other low-level pills would become ineffectual. Hence, to acquire experience points in the most efficient and economical way, Lu Qingfeng would usually cultivate to Level 5 of the Fetal Phase, expend all of his experience points, and then start cultivating again. Over and over again, he repeated this process for a whole 56 times over the course of 48 years. Lu Qingfeng was certain that no cultivator in the world could match up to him in terms of cultivation perception in the first 5 Levels of the Fetal Phase. Even with his eyes closed, Lu Qingfeng knew how to cultivate from Level 1 of the Fetal Phase to Level 5 of the Fetal Phase. Despite having poor innate talent, his cultivating speed was faster than Lu Qingshan¡¯s. Level 1 in a month! Level 2 in two months! Level 3 in three months! In a little more than half a year, he¡¯d already attained Level 3 of the Fetal Phase. If it hadn¡¯t been for the limited amount of Yellow Dragon Pills, Lu Qingfeng would¡¯ve at least reached Level 4 of the Fetal Phase. Lu Qingshan¡¯s progress was a bit less. After all, he doesn¡¯t have his elder brother¡¯s overpowering experience in cultivation. Even with 2 points in his Innate Talent Level, it was difficult for him to close the gap. Hence, after six months, he was still in Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. The medicinal herbs nearby have not decreased too much. The amount they could find every day was more or less similar to that of the past. However, due to their progress in cultivation levels, their consumption of Yellow Dragon Pills had become higher. Thus, despite the same amount of harvesting of medicinal herbs, it was gradually progressing toward a state where it could no longer satisfy the three siblings. ¡°We need to get out of this forest and find a human assembly point. There is strength in numbers. As long as we have enough money, we can get as many medicinal herbs as we want to refine Yellow Dragon Pills.¡± ¡°Lingering around the forest is a total waste of time,¡± Lu Qingfeng muttered to himself. He had experienced the frustrations of not being able to attain a breakthrough even after the depletion of his life span in the game. He didn¡¯t want to leave regrets that were past mending for the sake of a peaceful life in reality. Taking advantage of the 16 years that he would be reincarnating in the game, which corresponded to a two-month gap in real time, he wanted to exit this mountain. Once they¡¯d resettled themselves, it would almost be time for him to reenter the game. Lu Qingfeng was still very much looking forward to where he would appear after reincarnating to a random place. ¡°Qingfeng, are we going to relocate again?¡± Lu Qingyu had left Lu Qingshan and run over to Lu Qingfeng to ask this question. Every time that her elder brother studied the map with such concentration, it would usually imply that they were about to move on. ¡°Yep.¡± Lu Qingfeng nodded. ¡°But aren¡¯t there a lot of medicinal herbs around this place? Besides, there hasn¡¯t been any movement from the Truth Sect for a long while.¡± Lu Qingshan came over, feeling somewhat puzzled. After more than six months of recuperation, his and Lu Qingfeng¡¯s bodies have become strong. Although the scars on his body were still there, his injuries have completely healed with herbal medication. ¡°This time, we will leave the mountain and find a nice quiet country town.¡± Lu Qingfeng shared his thoughts with his siblings. Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu would usually just listen to him, but this time they seemed a little hesitant. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you afraid?¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at the two who had become quiet all of a sudden and asked with a smile. ¡°As if! To the country town, we will go!¡± Lu Qingyu straightened up, trying her best to conceal her nervousness. When Lu Qingshan heard her, he hurriedly echoed, ¡°With my current power level, I don¡¯t have to be afraid even I bump into a true disciple of the Truth Sect. What is there to be afraid of in a small country town?¡± ¡°Good. Get yourselves ready tonight. We will set off at first light,¡± Lu Qingfeng said forcefully. He knew that after having spent more than six months in the mountains, Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu have gotten used to this lifestyle. Needing to go to an unfamiliar country town and making contact with many strangers all of a sudden, it was inevitable that they would feel a little afraid. What¡¯s more, they had escaped from places such as Blackwood Village and the Truth Sect. It was completely natural for them to be on high alert toward a new environment. They would definitely be wary of returning to an environment similar to that of Blackwood Village and the Truth Sect once again. However, the three of them were still quite far away from having to cultivate in seclusion. Even if they cultivated to a high level, they still couldn¡¯t do so without dealing with people. With the Innate Talent Levels of these three siblings, they would require the power of a society to obtain various resources to elevate themselves. If they blindly depended on hard work, it would be inevitable that they would end up squandering their lives. ¡­ This last night in the forest¡­ Both Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu were acting a little abnormal. They weren¡¯t as lively and active as usual. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t care and left them alone to adjust themselves. He, on the other hand, was packing up. After six months in the mountains, he hadn¡¯t accumulated much. The only precious item he had was the Wolf Hair Runic Brush, which was used for drawing talismans. There were nine talismans engraved on it. Among Tier-1 Runic Equipment, it was still one of the lowliest in existence. He could barely make a living by using it to draw talismans. Aside from the Wolf Hair Runic Brush, everything else were all small items: Fasting Pills, Yellow Dragon Pills, Yellow Millet Pills¡­a dazzling collection of pills. Stealth Talismans, Earth Talismans, Fireball Talismans¡­and various other types of talismans. There was also the Nine-ringed Blade that he had taken from Wu Yuan. This was everything Lu Qingfeng had. ¡­ Chapter 20 Early the next morning¡­ The three departed. Three palm-sized skylarks stood on the shoulders of each of the three siblings. Lu Qingyu grabbed a fingernail-sized Yellow Millet Pill from a small cloth bag around her waist and placed it in her palm. Chiirrpp! The skylark on her shoulder let out a gleeful chirp, flew in a circle, swallowed the Yellow Millet Pill, showed contentment on its tiny face, and returned to stand on Lu Qingyu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good bird, Chewy.¡± Lu Qingyu played with the little bird, soothing much of the nervousness she was feeling about entering a country town. Chiirrpp! Chiirrpp! Seeing that their friend had had a Yellow Millet Pill to eat, the skylarks on Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingshan¡¯s shoulders got anxious and started chirping. ¡°Qingyu, the skylarks are still so little. Two pills every day are enough. Stop feeding Chewy! Look, now Gooey¡¯s screaming!¡± Lu Qingshan complained as he now had to feed Gooey a Yellow Millet Pill. ¡°They have worked so hard! What¡¯s wrong with them eating a little more?¡± Lu Qingyu responded. Chewy also gave Lu Qingshan a dirty look to provoke him. Lu Qingfeng was long used to their behavior. He shook his head helplessly. A few months ago, when they had been escaping, they¡¯d seen a nest of skylark eggs in a tree, and an adult skylark was lying nearby who had died of poison. Lu Qingyu had taken the eggs and carefully hatched them. After Lu Qingfeng had discovered them, he got an idea. He had delved into the Beast Taming Technique for a while in ¡°Primitive¡±. Although he only knew the very basics of the technique, taming a few skylarks wasn¡¯t that difficult. The nine skylarks that were hatched were raised by Lu Qingfeng with Yellow Millet Pills that had a bit of Spirit Energy in them. The skylarks developed some wisdom. They could understand human language and were quite agile in their movements. [Pill: Yellow Millet Pill] [Grade: Low] [Ability Upgrade: Five-time Enhance] [Description: Bird food. For skylarks.] At the beginning, when they were in the deep mountains, they would get surprise attacks by wild beasts, accidentally venture into the territory of beasts, or be overtaken by hunters of the Truth Sect. They had a very hard time sleeping. But ever since the skylarks had been tamed, the situation had improved greatly. The skylarks were only the size of a palm and had no combat effectiveness. Their advantage was that they were fast and well-versed in human language. Hence, there were most fit for scouting. If there was any danger, the skylarks would warn them immediately, allowing the three of them to prepare for the situation. The simple map Lu Qingfeng was holding had also been completed with the help of the skylarks. Chiirrpp! As the three of them were walking, a skylark was investigating the area ahead. Now he returned, drawing a graceful arc in the air before landing in front of Lu Qingfeng and shaking its head. By shaking its head, it meant that there were no humans or large beasts ahead, and they could pass safely. With the skylarks to explore the path ahead, the three of them were able to avoid beasts as they headed toward the northeast. About ten days later¡­ They finally sensed that something was different. ¡°Humans?¡± ¡°Five of them?¡± Lu Qingfeng stopped as he looked at the skylark who was reporting to him. ¡°Qingfeng, what should we do now?¡± Lu Qingshan asked. ¡°Let¡¯s go out and meet them to find out exactly where we are. If they are from the Truth Sect, we¡¯ll kill them immediately! If they are too powerful, we¡¯ll use the Earth Talisman to escape.¡± [Talisman: Earth Talisman] [Grade: Low] [Ability upgrade: Five-time Enhance] [Description: Used to perform an Earth Attribute technique.] There were many risks in coming out of the mountain recklessly and entering a human assembly point. If they could acquire some basic information from these five people, it would undoubtedly be much safer. With Earth Talismans, they could advance and retreat. He didn¡¯t think anything really big would go wrong. ¡°Prepare the talismans. Put them in an accessible location,¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at Qingshan and Qingyu and reminded them. ¡°Rest assured, Qingfeng! I¡¯m finished placing it!¡± Lu Qingyu patted her waist and answered. Lu Qingshan nodded likewise. After they¡¯d readied themselves, the three followed the skylark and hurried to the place where the five people were located. ¡­ ¡°Are we already in Lanjiang County?¡± ¡°Nope, but almost. We have to go around the mountain and head east to arrive at the border of Lanjiang County. but if we head north, we will arrive within the borders of Hengshan County.¡± Soon they came across the strangers in the mountains. They were five men who were dressed in clothes made of burlap. They looked like ordinary villagers, but seemed able to maneuver nimbly in the forest. Listening to their conversation, it seemed that they were heading to either Hengshan County or Lanjiang County. It was just that they were oblivious about where the boundary between the two counties was. Suddenly, a man with a hook nose in his 30s who was leading the five raised his hand and whispered, ¡°I hear movements!¡± The other four stopped immediately and kept quiet. In a while¡­ Thud! Thud, thud! Thud, thud, thud! The sound of heavy footsteps approached. Yan Zhang, the man with the hook nose, looked terrified and he said in shock, ¡°It¡¯s a bear!¡± Aside from a mountain bear, nothing else could make such loud footsteps. Yan Zhang held his breath. Chiirrpp! However, a skylark suddenly chirped from the sky right on top of his head, breaking the quiet. Thud! The sound of the footsteps was coming nearer. ¡°D*mn it!¡± ¡°Run!¡± Yan Zhang cursed, yelled to his companions, and sprinted away frantically. Mountain bears are very defensive and are extremely powerful. Although he had sharp blades and he knew kung fu, he dared not confront it head on. ¡°Run!¡± The other four were taken aback. Seeing Yan Zhang running away, they desperately followed him. Anyone who¡¯d been half a step behind would become fodder for the mountain bear. Thud, thud, thud! Hearing more movements from behind, Yan Zhang turned around and saw a black bear that was nearly ten feet tall leaping high up into the air and bouncing over toward them. It was terrifying! The five fled in a panic. Suddenly, at this moment, three figures appeared in front of them: two teenagers and an 11- or 12-year-old little girl. It was peculiar to see such a combination in the depths of the mountains. ¡°Are they people from a nearby village?¡± ¡°Let them lure away the bear for us!¡± Yan Zhang had a brainstorm and immediately ran toward the three. The four others understood what he was up to and followed him. Lu Qingfeng looked at the oncoming five people and breathed a sigh of relief. He had been in the process of worrying about how to get information about the boundaries of the counties from these five people. He didn¡¯t want to resort to violence for no reason. Now, since he realized that these five people had vicious minds, there was no need to worry about what kind of method he would use. ¡°Qingshan, Qingyu, protect yourselves.¡± Lu Qingfeng swept across them with the Celestial Eye and discovered that the cultivation attainments of these five men were similar to those from the Truth Sect¡¯s Peripheral Law Enforcement Unit. The strongest among them, the middle-aged man with the hook nose, was just a level 3 in the Fetal Phase. With his current power level, even if the man had been three or even five times stronger, he could still take him down easily. ¡°All right!¡± Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu responded and they pinched the Golden Ray Talisman in their hands to guard against all enemies. Lu Qingfeng stood at the forefront, holding the gleaming Nine-ringed Blade in his hand. The Authentic-grade Verdant Sword Art with the Mantle Sword Style that had been enhanced five times was more than enough for him to deal with these men who were afraid of a black bear. ¡°Kids! Move aside!¡± Not only did Yan Zhang charge forward, leading the black bear in the direction of Lu Qingfeng and his siblings, but he also made a loud shout, wanting to go through the three siblings directly. In his hand, half a segment of a short blade emitting a cold light was revealed. He was enveloped in the intent to kill. Evidently¡­ This person thought of Lu Qingfeng and his siblings as nothing. It did make sense, however. After all, they were just two teenagers and an 11- or 12-year-old girl with yellow hair. What could they possibly do? ¡­ Chapter 21 ¡°You¡¯re seeking death!¡± Feeling their murderous intent, Lu Qingfeng raised the Nine-ringed Blade abruptly. His feet unleashed the Shifting Steps. In an instant, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s body became as elusive as a phantom! Seeing only the flickering light of his sword, the five figures who were sprinting toward him fell as in a trance to the ground with their tendons maimed, rendering them powerless to perform any sort of retaliation. ¡°Phhsss!¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Ow! How is this possible?¡± Yan Zhang and the others were in so much pain that their eyes felt as if they were popping out of their heads. They simply couldn¡¯t believe that, with the five of them teamed up against him, they hadn¡¯t been able to survive even one round of an encounter with Lu Qingfeng. Initially, they had thought of Lu Qingfeng and his siblings as sheep for the slaughter. They had thought that they could use them as bait to help them attract the black bear¡¯s attention. Little did they know that the sheep would reveal a mouthful of ferocious teeth and turn them into the sheep instead. That sword technique¡­ Was genuinely terrifying! ¡°D*mn it!¡± Yan Zhang fell to the ground with his body in excruciating pain. His mind was running wildly trying to figure out a way to survive. Thud, thud, thud! With all the delay, the black bear had been able to catch up and was currently charging toward Lu Qingfeng and all the others. ¡°Cursed beast!¡± ¡°Learn your place!¡± After Lu Qingfeng had started to cultivate in the Authentic-grade Verdant Sword Art, his Chi Control had once again been doubled from when he was cultivating in the Lateral-grade version of the same technique. Although he was only in Level 3 of the Fetal Phase, the profoundness of his inner Chi was above that of cultivators in Level 9 of the Fetal Phase who cultivated in an ordinary technique. This, combined with the Mantle Sword Style, gave him the power to truly mow down literally all the hindrances before him. As powerful as the black bear was, it couldn¡¯t ward off his blade. Bam! Lu Qingfeng slashed the blade down at a peculiar angle as if he was a skilled butcher dismembering an ox. In a straightforward manner, the black bear¡¯s coat was slit open. Along the gaps between its bones, the blade hacked it in half. The black bear dropped dead immediately! ¡°My powers now could very much rival cultivators in the Genuine Chi Phase!¡± Lu Qingfeng glanced at the black bear that had fallen to the ground and roughly determined his combat prowess. Subsequently, he returned to Lu Qingshan and Qingyu. The five men who had been brought down by him had had all the tendons of their limbs maimed. All they could do now was to roll around on the ground while screaming miserably. They had absolutely no ability to maneuver. ¡°Who are you?¡± Enduring agonizing pain, Yan Zhang glared at Lu Qingfeng and yelled a question at him while grimacing with pain. Lu Qingfeng paid no attention to him. He looked at the other four and said, ¡°We, siblings, have descended from the mountain to cultivate by our master¡¯s order. We have no intention to cause any unnecessary deaths. If you cooperate with us, I can treat the injuries on your limbs. But, if you don¡¯t want to, I can only give you my apologies.¡± Lu Qingfeng had no experience in interrogation and thus could only resort to this simple and violent method. When the other four heard him, a glimmer of hope arose in their eyes. They said hurriedly, ¡°We are willing to cooperate, please spare our lives, young hero!¡± Regardless of whether Lu Qingfeng was telling them the truth, an unwillingness to cooperate would definitely spell death. However, if they chose to cooperate, they might just be able to keep their lives. ¡°You don¡¯t need to speak such fine words. I, Yan Zhang, will not be fooled!¡± Yan Zhang sneered coldly, not believing even a word that Lu Qingfeng had uttered. ¡°Fine. My apologies then.¡± When Lu Qingfeng had finished listening to Yan Zhang, he harnessed his inner Chi and compressed it to a very high degree. In a flash, a glimmering Sword Gust shot out from his fingertips, and, under Yan Zhang¡¯s horrified gaze, it slit his neck and ended his misery. Perhaps Yan Zhang had been just pretending to be strong, but Lu Qingfeng had no intention of getting entangled with him. By killing the leader, maybe his interrogation would go smoother now. Yan Zhang was dead, and his four subordinates were wimps. Half an hour later, Lu Qingfeng and his siblings continued on their journey. ¡°Asuka Hall!¡± ¡°Sapphire Gate!¡± Lu Qingshan recalled the information that had been revealed by two of Yan Zhang¡¯s subordinates and frowned, ¡°Qingfeng, we offended the Truth Sect, and now we¡¯ve killed people from the Sapphire Gate. What are our plans now?¡± ¡°If those two weren¡¯t lying just now, the Sapphire Gate overlooks two counties: Yushan and Shuwang. These counties have four inner halls and four outer halls. The Asuka Hall is one of their outer halls. Those five were just insignificant small potatoes of the Asuka Hall. No one will pay any attention to their disappearance in the depths of a mountain, let alone incite turmoil within the Sapphire Gate.¡± After explaining what he was thinking, Lu Qingfeng added, ¡°The only thing I didn¡¯t expect is that the Truth Sect controls not only Jiuzhai County. In the entire Guangyuan Commandery, aside from Yushan and Shuwang, which are occupied by Sapphire Gate and the Commandery City, which is divided among several major sects, all the three other counties belong to the Truth Sect.¡± From the mouths of those two subordinates of Yan Zhang, Lu Qingfeng had gained a general understanding of the surrounding environment. These three siblings have fled blindly from the Truth Sect¡¯s pursuit for more than five months. That journey, combined with the miles they¡¯ve traveled on foot for the past ten days or so, has turned out to have led them near the border of the Guangyuan Commandery. If they headed farther east, they would cross a different boundary and step into the Dangyang Commandery. In the meantime, this place where they were located was at the junction of the three counties of Yushan, Hengshan, and Lanjiang. The Chengyang River was to the south. Yushan County was to the northwest, Hengshan County was to the east, and Lanjiang County was to the northeast. Among the three, Yushan County belonged to the Guangyuan Commandery, while Hengshan County and Lanjiang County were under the jurisdiction of the Dangyang Commandery. ¡°Sapphire Gate is in a double confrontation, facing against the Truth Sect in the west and the overlord of the Dangyang Commandery, the Wargod Assembly, in the east. If we wish to cross the border and enter the Dangyang Commandery, I¡¯m afraid that they¡¯ll treat us as Sapphire Gate¡¯s spies and arrest us.¡± Lu Qingfeng recollected the information he had coerced from Yan Zhang¡¯s subordinates, and his gaze fell to the north. ¡°To the northeast of Yushan County lies Miaoyin City. It is located at the very edge of Yushan County and spans both the Guangyuan and the Dangyang Commanderies. They have superb powerhouses guarding the city. Whether Sapphire Gate or the Wargod Assembly, they wouldn¡¯t dare to act wantonly toward the city.¡± ¡°Miaoyin City!¡± ¡°It would be a good place to be.¡± Lu Qingfeng had a plan in mind. According to the information he knew: There were a total of five counties, a Commandery City, and a border town in the Guangyuan Commandery. Among them, the five counties were divided among the Truth Sect and the Sapphire Gate. The Truth Sect occupied the three counties of Jiuzhai, Shouwang, and Huaihu, while the Sapphire Gate occupied the two counties of Yushan and Shuwang. Originally, Lu Qingfeng and the entire Blackwood Village thought of the Truth Sect as the overlord of merely Jiuzhai County. He didn¡¯t expect that besides Jiuzhai County, the two counties of Shouwang and Huaihu were likewise under the Truth Sect¡¯s control. Their influence was not at all minor. Within the Guangyuan Commandery, there were two other forces that could go up against the Truth Sect. First, there was the Sapphire Gate. The five men who they¡¯d encountered earlier were the disciples of the Asuka Hall, one of the four outer halls of the Sapphire Gate. From the looks of those men, the Sapphire Gate was probably not made up of good people. However, compared to the Truth Sect, the way the Sapphire Gate governed the two counties of Yushan and Shuwang was based more on conciliation than force. Thus, for this reason, they had attracted many fugitives who¡¯d fled the rule of the Truth Sect. ¡°The Sapphire Gate and the Truth Sect had a large-scale conflict six months ago, and now it has developed into an all-out war. They have also always had disputes with the Dangyang Commandery¡¯s Wargod Assembly. The Asuka Hall is responsible for gathering intelligence and scouting. The reason Yan Zhang and the others had shown up where we found them is because they were about to sneak into the Dangyang Commandery to spy on the enemy.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes flickered. It was precisely because the Sapphire Gate had drawn the Truth Sect¡¯s attention that the three of them had been able to escape safely. One should consider that the siblings had scored a lucky hit. Second, there was Commandery City. The Commandery City harbored a few sects that were working together to fight off the Truth Sect and the Sapphire Gate. Truth Sect! Sapphire Gate! Commandery City! These were the three major forces in the Guangyuan Commandery. However, beyond these three major forces, there was another place called Miaoyin City, which was even more unique and vaguely detached from everywhere else. The destination that Lu Qingfeng decided on was Miaoyin City. ¡­ Chapter 22 Miaoyin City. This place had originally been a small, inconspicuous town in the northeast corner of Yushan County. Decades ago, a powerhouse by the name of Master Miaoyin had settled in the town, and his presence had attracted many people from all across the realm to seek shelter here. This had turned the town into a big city inhabited by the genuine and the false. Over time, the town was renamed Miaoyin City. It became a detached kind of principality that resided between the Guangyuan and the Dangyang Commanderies. The city¡¯s castellan, or leader, Master Miaoyin, was one of the top aces of the Sun Nation, and all the major powers and past masters of all backgrounds had to treat him with reverence. On this day¡­ Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu finally arrived at their destination. ¡°Is this Miaoyin City?¡± Lu Qingshan raised his head to look at the massive city not far ahead. His eyes couldn¡¯t get any wider. Miaoyin City was way more sophisticated than Blackwood Village. The city walls were some 20 to 25 feet high with imposing soldiers standing resolutely on top. At ground level, there were also soldiers guarding the city gates and collecting entrance fees. ¡°Can¡¯t you see? It¡¯s written right on top.¡± ¡°Miaoyin City¡­¡± Lu Qingyu pointed at the two huge characters that spelled out Miaoyin City above the city gates. She was, likewise, shocked by the enormous city. The fences outside Blackwood Village had nothing that could be compared with the walls of this city. Lu Qingfeng felt just fine. Having spent decades in Emery Town, city walls some 20 to 25 feet in height hardly surprised him at all. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Lu Qingfeng led his two siblings into the city. Entering the city required a payment, which was not a problem for Lu Qingfeng. With quick eyes and even quicker hands, he had imperceptibly pickpocketed a coin bag from an unknown passerby. Taking out three copper coins at random, the three entered Miaoyin City. ¡°This place is bustling!¡± Lu Qingyu followed closely behind Lu Qingfeng. Seeing the prosperous Miaoyin City, she couldn¡¯t help but feel bowled over. Lu Qingshan was also dazzled by the sight of the city. People were coming and going. The streets were full of pedestrians and vendors. The crying of vendors and the yelling voices of bargaining could be heard everywhere. Having arrived at a bustling downtown from a silent mountain, they couldn¡¯t adapt to the ambiance right away. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get our clothes changed!¡± The three had been in the mountains for six months, and their clothes were in tatters. All this time, they had only been able to keep their bodies covered with constant stitch and fixes. These garments would still do in the mountains, but in Miaoyin City, it made them particularly conspicuous. At a random garment store, the three siblings grabbed themselves two sets of garments each before returning to the streets with a brand-new look. ¡°Qingfeng, this place is awesome!¡± Lu Qingyu touched her new clothes while walking with a blooming smile on her face. In the past few years in Blackwood Village, she only had two sets of garments to wear all year round, and what¡¯s more, they were linen clothes, which had been extremely rough. The two sets of garments that she¡¯d gotten from the garment store were not only made of fine cloth but also meticulously tailored. They were far from being comparable to the linen clothes that she¡¯d previously had. What lady doesn¡¯t like to be beautiful? Lu Qingyu was no exception. She had been quite against the idea of leaving the mountain at first, but now she had already flung away all her previous doubts. Lu Qingfeng rubbed Qingyu¡¯s hair and smiled at her. This little girl had always been so easy to satisfy. Lu Qingshan was also grinning at the new clothes he had gotten. ¡°Miaoyin City¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng looked around. He saw that the streets were very lively, and there were contingents of men dressed in black patrolling back and forth, making Miaoyin City feel surprisingly secure. This environment was completely different from Blackwood Village, which made Lu Qingfeng feel relieved. Having taken a few spins around Miaoyin City, Lu Qingfeng found a small courtyard with four rooms through a broker, and they settled in. He planned to spend a few days familiarizing himself with the rules and environment of Miaoyin City, and then he wanted to determine what kind of business would yield him more cultivation resources. He had been in this world for more than 16 years. After escaping Blackwood Village, he had wandered in the mountains for six months. At last, he had finally found a place to settle down. After acquiring the small courtyard, Qingfeng, Qingshan, and Qingyu all had an inexplicable feeling in their hearts. ¡­ After arriving in Miaoyin City, the three siblings settled down. After a few days of getting used to the city, Lu Qingfeng used the last of the ¡°borrowed¡± money to acquire a poorly managed drugstore. He intended to run his medicinal herb business at the drugstore. At present, Lu Qingfeng had achieved mastery over the refinement of Fasting Pills, Yellow Dragon Pills, Spirit Cleansing Powder, and others, with a total of ten. Among them, the Spirit Cleansing Powder was the best for curing poisons, while the Nourishing Pill was the holy grail of healing. These two pills, especially the latter, would be easy to sell in Miaoyin City. In this city, good and bad people were mixed together. When people all across the realm had been injured or were running away from their enemies, they would often choose to come to Miaoyin City. With the castellan of Miaoyin City running the place and his 300 Black Soldiers on guard duty, no one was bold enough to behave atrociously in Miaoyin City. These people from all across the world would be Lu Qingfeng¡¯s largest customer source. The world was sinister. It wasn¡¯t just a few who would drench their weapons in poisons. The Spirit Cleansing Powder was the best in curing these poisons. It would have miraculous effects on all poisons in the Fetal Phase. The Nourishing Pill, on the other hand, had an excellent effect on both internal and surface injuries. Lu Qingfeng divided these two pills into five grades and gave them five different names to confuse the public. Those at the highest grade only had 30 percent of the real deal¡¯s efficacy, because he didn¡¯t want to shock the world. But even so, with the ten weakened versions of these two pills, his Emery Drugstore swiftly grew its reputation in Miaoyin City within only a few days and soon gained a firm foothold. In a flash, another month went by¡­ The troubles that he had anticipated would ensue after settling down and gaining fame and fortune did not arrive. The order in Miaoyin City was far better than Lu Qingfeng had imagined. Except for the regular taxation, the Emery Drugstore hadn¡¯t had to deal with any punks. Likewise, the people from all around who came to the store didn¡¯t bully Lu Qingfeng and his siblings because of their young age. In short, the state of harmony in the city felt rather unreal. Compared to Blackwood Village and the Truth Sect, Miaoyin City was simply paradise in the mortal realm. With such an environment, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but feel lucky to have chosen this place to settle down. In the month he ran the drugstore, he made huge profits by selling the weakened versions of the Spirit Cleansing Powder and the Nourishing Pills. He also refined quite a number of Yellow Dragon Pills, Rejuvenating Pills, and other pills as a backup. Their days of hardship seemed to have finally passed, as after the bitter comes the sweet! His cultivation that had been stagnant for a long time also began to loosen up. And so¡­ Before he knew it, the day when he could be fully reincarnated in ¡°Primitive¡± arrived. ¡­ Name: Lu Qingfeng Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: None Level: 0 (0/1) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Apex) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Verdant Sword Art Level 5 (Apex) [Updatable] Magic: Fireball (Level 2); Celestial Eye (Level 2); Shifting Steps (Level 2); Smoldering Palm (Level 2); White Jade Mantra (Level 2); Mantle Sword Style (Level 2); Yang Finger Technique (Level 2); Gale (Level 2); Golden Ray (Level 2); Entangle (Level 2); Vanish (Level 2); Assemble Chi (Level 2) Abhijna: None Equipment: None Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining; Deciphering Medicine; Complete Guide to Basic Medicinal Herb. Refinable pills: Fasting Pill, Yellow Dragon Pill, Spirit Cleansing Powder, Rejuvenating Pill, Incense Pill, Yellow Millet Pill, Soul Corrupting Pill, Breath Fostering Pill, Essence Pill Talisman Crafting: Detailed Explanation in the Preparation of the Six Common Cinnabarites, Fundamentals of Runic Papers, Encyclopedia of Low-Grade Talismans. Craftable Talismans: Talisman of Peace, Stealth Talisman, Earth Talisman, Fireball Talisman, Talisman of Rejuvenation, Golden Ray Talisman Tool Refining: Fundamentals of Tool Refining, Refining the Spirit Runic Brush. Refinable Tools: Wolf Hair Runic Brush Pet: Skylark bird (*9) Exiting the Pool of Reincarnation, things felt different yet again. Calling upon the Attribute Panel, unsurprisingly, his level and cultivation stage were back at rock bottom, and all his equipment had been emptied. But even so, it was still extremely luxurious. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s decades-long accumulation from his previous life could all be used in this life. Needless to say, with the Verdant Sword Art reaching Authentic-grade, only a few techniques in the world could ever match up to it. In addition, he had also mastered the basics of many pills and talismans. He had mastery over the crafting of ten types of pills, six types of talismans, and the refinement of one Runic Equipment. As for his pet, there was not much left to explain about the skylarks. With these traits, Lu Qingfeng could attain the peak state of his previous life within a year. It was just that¡­ ¡°I need to really focus on my cultivation in this life.¡± In his previous life, Lu Qingfeng had focused on enhancing his techniques, pill recipes, etc., with his experience points. His cultivation had remained stagnant, peaking at only Level 5 of the Fetal Phase. In reality, after cultivating for more than six months, he had already arrived at Level 3 of the Fetal Phase and would soon deplete all the experience he had accumulated with regard to cultivating in the first five levels of the Fetal Phase. Therefore, Lu Qingfeng urgently needed to reach a new level in the game so as to accumulate cultivating experience and to not drag his progress in reality behind. Aside from that, pill refining was still his top priority. The Yellow Dragon Pill, Breath Fostering Pill, Essence Pill, and other low-level pills could only support a cultivator¡¯s cultivation until about Level 5 or 6 of the Fetal Phase. After reaching the middle and late stages of the Fetal Phase, he would need to replace the pills with the Golden Pith Pellet and the other middle-level pills. The refining of middle-level pills was much more complex than that of low-level pills. Hence, Lu Qingfeng would need to put more effort into this. At the same time¡­ With the stable environment of Miaoyin City, as long as he had money, there was no need to worry about not being able to purchase all kinds of minerals and metals that weren¡¯t considered rare. In this way, he could also place Tool Refining in his schedule. Lastly, he couldn¡¯t forsake talisman crafting either. With everything considered, even with the hundredfold time difference, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but feel an inconsiderable pressure. ¡°Although I can enhance pill recipes and techniques, on cultivation, pill refining, tool refining, and talisman crafting, if I have a good master to guide me, my practice will yield twice the results with half the effort.¡± Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but think of Cultivator Huang Luo. With Huang Luo¡¯s guidance in talisman crafting, he felt it would be easier compared to when he was burrowing around pill refining all by himself. If he were to cultivate alone, he would have to experiment on the various tricks and problems again and again and spend at least twice or even three to five times the amount of time figuring everything out. But if he had someone to guide him, he could circumvent with many detours. ¡°I wasn¡¯t familiar with ¡®Primitive¡¯ in my previous life. In this life, I might as well join a cultivation-based sect.¡± ¡°Best to be a sect that is proficient in pill refining, tool refining, and talisman crafting!¡± During the two-month gap, Lu Qingfeng had everything planned for this life. By joining the sect, although there would be a lot of constraints, with a force behind his back and if he could find himself a famous teacher to accept him, it would do his cultivation a great deal of help. There would be a plethora of benefits! Lu Qingfeng settled his mind, walked out of the Pool of Reincarnation, and quickly figured out the situation in the new location that he had reincarnated into. Chapter 23 Emerald Mountain spanned 300 miles. Clouds and mist surrounded its lofty peaks. It looked exactly like a fairyland! Eight decades ago, a powerful cultivator had descended and established the prefecture of saints, named the Courtyard of Destiny, that ruled over one side of the mountain region. During the past 80 years, it had attracted countless people who were seeking to walk the path of saints. The innate talent of all mortals was different. Those who were untalented had no hope of attaining sainthood, but yet were unwilling to depart. Over time, many mortals gathered under Emerald Mountain, which brought about the establishment of two small towns. Aside from the mortals who had no hope of achieving sainthood, the families of the disciples of the Courtyard of Destiny lived in these towns. Then, of course, due to the increasing number of disciples of the Courtyard of Destiny on Emerald Mountain, the towns attracted merchants who sought to make a profit. And who gradually prospered¡­ ¡­ ¡°Emerald Mountain!¡± ¡°Courtyard of Destiny!¡± ¡°Snivel Town!¡± Lu Qingfeng stood amid the crowded town of Snivel. He was feeling a little awkward. This place was different from what he had imagined. It didn¡¯t feel like Emery Town at all. On the contrary, it felt more like a town that belonged to mortals, somewhat similar to Miaoyin City where Lu Qingfeng lived in reality. The only ones he could identify as players were the seven or eight guilds that were stationed in the central square. ¡°There are no Pill Refining Workshops, Tool Refining Workshops, or Rune Refining Workshops!¡± ¡°This place is way too unfriendly for beginners.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head. He walked around Snivel Town. The experience that he¡¯d gained in his past life in Emery Town was completely useless to him here. ¡°The only sect close to Snivel Town is the Courtyard of Destiny. In their recruitment, however, there are many trials that one has to go through. With my innate talent, I bet I¡¯d get eliminated in the very first round.¡± ¡°Looks like joining a guild is my only option.¡± Lu Qingfeng thought all this over and went back to the central square. On the square stood a total of eight flags that represented the eight guilds. Lu Qingfeng saw many people wandering around the square, wanting to join a guild. But after taking their assessments, they left in frustration, which obviously meant that they had failed. ¡°Looks like guilds aren¡¯t for just anybody to join either.¡± Lu Qingfeng walked around in the square and learned about the recruitment standards of each major guild. After some thought, Lu Qingfeng decided to join a guild by the name of Singularity. In their introduction, the Singularity Guild mentioned that they had two top-level Pill Refining Apprentices and a Pill Refining Master. If he could join the guild, perhaps he could acquire guidance on the problems he had in Pill Refining. ¡°Hello, I would like to join Singularity.¡± Lu Qingfeng stood in front of Singularity¡¯s guild flag and spoke to the member in charge of recruitment. Lu Hongwen glanced at Lu Qingfeng lazily. He was using the Celestial Eye Technique to inspect Lu Qingfeng¡¯s cultivation stage. After a glance, seeing that Lu Qingfeng had no cultivation base, he pointed to the obelisk and said, ¡°Put your hand on that stone.¡± The obelisk was about three feet tall and had ten calibration marks on it. Lu Qingfeng did as he was told and placed his right hand on the obelisk. The obelisk lit up faintly, barely filling half of the space before the first calibration mark. ¡°You¡¯re unqualified!¡± Lu Hongwen waved his hands at him. It was difficult for anyone with a Level 1 in Innate Talent to achieve anything. The Courtyard of Destiny wouldn¡¯t accept them, and neither were the major guilds willing to put in the effort to train them. Lu Qingfeng retracted his hand, looked at Lu Hongwen, and said, ¡°I know how to refine pills.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± After Lu Hongwen had heard what he¡¯d said, only then did he look at Lu Qingfeng seriously and say in a probing manner, ¡°You¡¯re from outside?¡± As he spoke, he pointed to the skies. ¡°Outside?¡± ¡°He must be referring to the Human Federation.¡± Lu Qingfeng nodded. Although he¡¯d logged into ¡°Primitive¡± from a different world, he could still be considered as a player. Saying that he was from outside wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me earlier!¡± Learning that Lu Qingfeng was also a player, Lu Hongwen suddenly became enthusiastic. He glanced at the obelisk and said, ¡°But bro, your Innate Talent Level, tsk, tsk, tsk!¡± ¡°Hah, I know, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Lu Qingfeng knew that his innate talent was atrocious. Hence, he didn¡¯t mind Lu Hongwen ridiculing him. ¡°My name is Lu Hongwen. I¡¯m a few years older than you. You can just call me Luwey. What¡¯s your name?¡± Lu Hongwen¡¯s attitude toward players was completely different, which kind of surprised Lu Qingfeng. ¡°My name is Lu Qingfeng, Brother Luwey.¡± Lu Qingfeng could tell that Lu Hongwen was an easygoing person who was happy to make friends. ¡°Qingfeng!¡± ¡°All right, fill out this form first.¡± Lu Hongwen took a dark tablet from his storage bag and threw it to Lu Qingfeng. Lu Qingfeng took a peep and saw the word Singularity engraved on the front of the tablet. At its back were the carvings of a landscape. After Lu Qingfeng took it, a screen like the Attribute Panel popped up in front of him. There was a form on it. The information he had to fill in included his name, age, cultivation stage, innate talent level, specialties, and so on. There was nothing that involved his privacy. Lu Qingfeng quickly filled it in and returned the tablet to Lu Hongwen. In fact, this was also one of the tests. This was a unique tablet. Only players could see the virtual form and fill in the tablet. If it happened to be aboriginals who were pretending to be players, as they wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out what was happening, they could be discerned easily. Seeing that there was no doubt about Lu Qingfeng¡¯s identity as a player, Lu Hongwen became even more enthusiastic as he introduced his guild to Lu Qingfeng: ¡°Singularity is among the eight major guilds in Snivel Town and the 19 guilds under the Courtyard of Destiny. Although our combat prowess isn¡¯t the strongest, our overall strength is ranked in the top three.¡± ¡°Our guild leader, Mu Yuanyi, is not only a powerhouse in the Foundation Building Stage, but he is also a Pill Refining Master himself. He is the one who established Singularity.¡± ¡°Aside from him, we have another two top-level Pill Refining Apprentices in our guild. The guild leader is usually busy. If you have any questions regarding Pill Refining, you can ask the two apprentices.¡± ¡­ Lu Hongwen kept Lu Qingfeng busy, talking to him for quite some time. One could tell that being here in charge of recruiting new people had simply bored him to death. But Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t in a hurry either. From Lu Hongwen, he¡¯d gained a general impression of this world that he¡¯d reincarnated into. This world he was in was called the Luminous Spirit Realm. It was said that tens of thousands of years ago, a great one from the upper realm had ventured past the Luminous Spirit Realm, which was still in its primitive state, and remained for a century to preach Dharma and the principium of Dao. The way of the saints began to flourish in this realm, and more and more cultivators came into existence. The taboo name of the great one was unknown. He only left his name, Bin Lin Kong [1], stating that he was a True Deity of the Celestial Court of the upper realm that overlooked the three mountains. Hence, this realm was named the Luminous Spirit Realm. The Luminous Spirit Ream was different from the Tenko Realm. The Tenko Realm was the first realm developed by players of the Federation and existed for thousands of years. Many powerful cultivators in the Mahayana Stage had already been born in that world. Even the player and the aborigines have been integrated, leaving no distinction between them. It had a more complete system, like having beginner towns such as Emery Town. In ¡°Primitive¡±, excluding the Four Great Continents, Four Seas, the nine layers of heaven above, and the nine layers of nether below, there were countless other worlds large and small. Although there were hundreds of billions of players from the federation, only a rare portion were ever placed in these worlds. Most of the novice players entering ¡°Primitive¡± would appear in a world with a complete set of rules like the Tenko Realm. Only a few would appear in a world with few or no players. For instance, the Luminous Spirit Realm. The first player in the Luminous Spirit Realm arrived 70 years ago. At present, the realm¡¯s total number of players was less than 3,000 and was ranked at No. 396884 in the ¡°Primitive¡¯s Ranking of Worlds¡±, which meant that the world was still in its pioneering phase. The Luminous Spirit Realm was divided into two continents: east and west. The place where Lu Qingfeng found himself was called Dongsheng Continent. To the east was the place where Bin Lin Kong descended to preach Dharma and the principium of Dao, called the Xianlin Continent. Between the two continents, there was a riotous sea of stars splitting them apart. On the Dongsheng Continent lay the three nations of Gan, Yue, and Jin. To the north was a massive glacier, while the west and south were completely barren lands. To the east, adjacent to the riotous sea of stars, was the realm of cultivation. The Courtyard of Density and Snivel Town were located at the southern border of the Yue Nation, with the Gan Nation to the west. ****** [1] Bin Lin translates into Luminous Spirit. Chapter 24 After giving Lu Qingfeng a rough understanding of what went on in the guild, Lu Hongwen took Lu Qingfeng and the six other new recruits to the guild¡¯s premises. The base was on a small hill outside of Snivel Town. The hill had no name, but because Singularity had settled their base there, it was called Singularity Mountain. After about a 30-minute walk from Snivel Town, they finally arrived at Singularity Mountain. Among the seven new candidates that Lu Hongwen had recruited this time, only Lu Qingfeng was a player. The other six were aboriginals whose innate talent levels were fairly good. One of them who was named Qi Hai had an innate talent level of 4, which was pretty much a genius level. After all, anyone could join a guild as long as they had at least a level 2 in innate talent. Qi Hai, with level 4 in innate talent, was already eligible to join the Courtyard of Destiny. Nobody knew why Qi Hai had chosen to join Singularity instead of going directly to the Courtyard of Destiny. Entering Singularity Mountain¡­ Lu Hongwen handed six people to the deacon in charge of new recruits, while he took Lu Qingfeng to the top of the mountain. On the route to the top of Singularity Mountain, there was a stretch of many buildings. Two of them were evidently Pill Refining Chambers, located right by the side of the route. ¡°Wang!¡± ¡°Yue!¡± ¡°Come out and greet our guest!¡± Lu Hongwen stood in front of the two Pill Refining Chambers and yelled. ¡°Please be quiet, Elder Lu! Master is currently refining a furnace of Chi Cycling Powder. He cannot come out and meet you right now.¡± A disciple walked out of the Pill Refining Chamber that was on the left and bowed toward Lu Hongwen. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were an elder of the guild, Brother Luwey! I¡¯m sorry if I haven¡¯t been respectful enough,¡± Lu Qingfeng said, feeling embarrassed. He hadn¡¯t said this to ridicule Lu Hongwen, but he really had never expected this guy to be an elder. Lu Hongwen, who seemed lazy and inconsequential, actually held a not-at-all low position in the guild of Singularity. The position of elder was right under the positions of guild leader and vice guild leader. ¡°Hah, hah, stop your joking. You will also become an elder really soon.¡± Lu Hongwen winked at Lu Qingfeng, but the words he¡¯d uttered left Lu Qingfeng in shock. Upon seeing this, Lu Hongwen waved his hand to the disciple, gesturing him to return to the Pill Refining Chamber. Then he smiled at Lu Qingfeng. ¡°In Singularity, aside from the guild leader and two vice guild leaders, there are only three people who are players like you and me, and all of us are elders. Although you¡¯ve just joined us, you are only the seventh player in Singularity. There¡¯s more than enough room for you to become an elder.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± After hearing this, only now did Lu Qingfeng really understand the situation he found himself in. It turned out that, including him, there were only seven players in Singularity. No wonder Lu Hongwen had been so enthusiastic after learning about his identity as a player. ¡°Well, I guess this is pretty normal.¡± Considering that there were less than 3,000 players within the colossal Luminous Spirit Realm. It was already a pretty good start for a small guild like Singularity to have seven of them. It was just that starting as an elder directly after joining a guild was bizarre. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t know whether he should cry or laugh about it. After Lu Hongwen had finished explaining everything to Lu Qingfeng, a few people walked out of the Pill Refining Chamber on the right. The leader was a handsome young man in a black-and-white robe, who was followed by a few teenagers who looked like normal guys. ¡°Luwey, you really have to tone down that loud voice of yours. You almost ruined my entire furnace of Golden Pith Pellets, which I have just painstakingly refined.¡± The handsome young man looked elegant and refined in his demeanor, but the way he spoke really did go contrary to expectations. Lu Hongwen wasn¡¯t offended by him and was grinning. Before Lu Hongwen could answer him, he looked at Lu Qingfeng and said, ¡°For Luwey to have personally brought you here, I presume that you must be a newcomer. My name is Wang Tao. What is your name?¡± ¡°Lu Qingfeng.¡± Lu Qingfeng answered him readily. This person seemed to be easy to get along with. When Lu Hongwen saw that the two of them seemed to be getting along, he said, ¡°Wang, Qingfeng has only just arrived. He hasn¡¯t started cultivating yet. He knows how to refine pills. You should guide him. Also, when Yue is finished refining the batch of pills he¡¯s working on, introduce Qingfeng to him.¡± ¡°I got it. Get going.¡± Wang Yao waved his hands in a casual response. Upon seeing this, Lu Hongwen turned and looked at Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Qingfeng, let Wang help you get yourself acquainted with Singularity Mountain now. I have to return to Snivel Town to recruit people.¡± ¡°Sorry for troubling you, Brother Luwey.¡± Lu Qingfeng hurriedly thanked him. Lu Hongwen grinned and walked away. ¡°You already knew how to refine pills before you got in, eh? Looks like you were quite a hard worker out there!¡± Wang Tao¡¯s voice was pretty loud. He smiled at Lu Qingfeng and said, ¡°Go ahead and show me what you¡¯ve got. Let me see what level you¡¯re at.¡± Lu Qingfeng understood what Wang Tao meant. He followed behind him without saying anything more. He knew that both Wang Tao and Lu Hongwen could see that he had no cultivation base, meaning that he had just entered ¡°Primitive¡±. However, as Lu Qingfeng had said that he knew how to refine pills, that would evidently imply that he had learned the technique of Pill Refining before he entered ¡°Primitive¡±. However, it was amusing that Wang Tao would never know that this person he was shouting at right now was an old monster who had been through two lives in ¡°Primitive¡±! Inside the Pill Refining Chamber¡­ Lu Qingfeng looked around. He could see that besides Wang Tao and himself, there were many other apprentices working here, who were all looking at Wang Tao very respectfully. The Pill Refining Chamber was rather spacious with a total of nine Pill Refining Furnaces, all of which had independent spaces isolated from each other. At this moment, in front of eight Pill Refining Furnaces, there were pill refiners busily engrossed in their work In the outer circle of the Pill Refining Chamber, were herb handling tables that were even more complete than the simple herb handling table in the bluestone tablet that Lu Qingfeng had often used in his previous life. Dozens of apprentices were handling medicinal herbs nonstop. Wang Tao pointed to the medicinal herb processing table beside him and said, ¡°Since you have no cultivation base, you can¡¯t use the pill refining furnaces. You can use this table to handle medicinal herbs and refine some pills. If you can make pills, I will ask our guild leader to build you a separate Pill Refining Chamber.¡± Wang Tao understood that no one would be content to be below others given that they were all players. Hence, he told him this from the beginning. In other words, if he couldn¡¯t make pills, he must obediently become a helper in the Pill Refining Chamber. ¡°All right!¡± Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t care one way or another! In his previous lives, he had refined tens of thousands of pills on the simple herb handling table in the bluestone tablet. With the equipment here being more complete, that would naturally not impede him. Picking medicinal herbs! Handling herbs! Controlling the heat! Commencing pill refining! ¡­ Wang Tao folded his arms and watched from the sidelines, nodding from time to time with a smile on his face. Half an hour later, the aroma of pills suffused the Pill Refining Chamber, causing many apprentices to look his way. Lu Qingfeng used a jade bottle he¡¯d found on the side to put away the pills. The pills he¡¯d refined were the Yellow Dragon Pills. He¡¯d created 12 pills. Each of them was plump and of good appearance. The pills looked as excellent as they always did. ¡°Not bad, not bad at all!¡± ¡°Very proficient. You must¡¯ve practiced quite a lot out there.¡± Wang Tao took the bottle of Yellow Dragon Pills refined by Lu Qingfeng, shook out a few, placed them in his palm for examination, and praised him. Lu Qingfeng smiled and did not speak. ¡°Your Yellow Dragon Pills, their efficacy seems¡­¡± Wang Tao was indeed a top-level Pill Refining Apprentice. Just by looking at and smelling these pills, he could tell that the Yellow Dragon Pills refined by Lu Qingfeng had a high efficacy. ¡°This is my unique technique. It can increase the efficacy of Yellow Dragon Pills by five times,¡± Lu Qingfeng answered. The Yellow Dragon Pill recipe enhanced by five times had directly improved the pill¡¯s efficacy by 500 percent. However, that was its limit. If he were to enhance it again, the required herbs would change and cause the price-performance ratio to drop. ¡°Pretty profound, eh!¡± Wang Tao couldn¡¯t help but give him a sidelong glance. Chapter 25 Keeping one of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Yellow Dragon Pills, Wang Tao returned the remaining 11 to Lu Qingfeng and said, ¡°The guild leader will return in about two days. If you want to refine pills, use these herb handling tables. But it is best if you get into cultivation first, then use the pill furnaces after you gain Chi Control. It will give you twice the yield with half the effort.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to whatever you suggest, elder.¡± Wang Tao¡¯s arrangements were great, and Lu Qingfeng had no objections. ¡°Just call me Wang. Luwey and everyone else all call me that.¡± Wang Tao was bold and generous. He now looked at Lu Qingfeng and asked, ¡°Do you have any techniques to cultivate in?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Qingfeng answered. ¡°Very well then. I¡¯ll get someone to take you down to get some rest. Familiarize yourself with Singularity Mountain during these few days. You can come to my or Yue¡¯s Pill Refining Chambers at any time. When our leader gets back, he¡¯ll build you your own Pill Refining Chamber right away. ¡°There are a few things that I have to tell you about in advance. I guess Luwey didn¡¯t tell you about these.¡± Wang Tao led Lu Qingfeng to the side where they sat down. Naturally, Lu Qingfeng listened carefully to everything he said. Wang Tao explained, ¡°As you know, they aren¡¯t many players in Singularity. Including you, there are only seven of us. Therefore, our leader has shown preferential treatment for the players. For example, once you enter the guild, you will become an elder. Various guild quests are also not mandatory for us. They are entirely voluntary. ¡°If you have any questions about cultivation or Pill Refining, you can come to us and raise your questions. The various low-level to top-level pill recipes and preliminary grade techniques in the guild are currently available to players for free.¡± When Lu Qingfeng heard the last part of this speech, he couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. This was not bad at all. He didn¡¯t care about the preliminary-grade techniques, but the low-level to top-level pill recipes could be of great use to him. This could save him a huge amount of money and, at the same time, save him the time and energy that he would have had to use to find recipes. In addition, becoming an elder of the Singularity Guild and not being forced to do guild missions wasn¡¯t that bad of a thing. At least the restrictions of joining a guild weren¡¯t as intense as Lu Qingfeng had imagined. In Emery Town, players and aboriginals shared everything, and preferential treatment didn¡¯t exist. However, in the Luminous Spirit Realm where there were less than 3,000 players, the Singularity Guild used this method to attract players during its early phases in the world. When the number of players in the Luminous Spirit Realm had increased, players and aborigines would be treated equally. Lu Qingfeng listened to him quietly. Seeing that Wang Tao wasn¡¯t finished yet, he remained silent. Wang Tao talked freely without mincing his words. ¡°Since you get to enjoy preferential treatment, you will naturally have corresponding obligations. Because you are good at Pill Refining, completing the Pill Refining tasks every month will be your duty. The tasks are not difficult, and, with your speed in Pill Refining, you¡¯ll only have to dedicate about two or three days every month to complete them. The guild will purchase these pills at 80 percent of their market value after deducting their costs. ¡°If you still have any leftover energy, you can help the guild to train some apprentices. First, you can use them as your assistants, and, second, if you manage to turn them into Pill Refining Apprentices, there will be corresponding benefits for you.¡± Having said all that, Wang Tao¡¯s mouth moved slightly, and he unleashed the sound transmission technique to speak privately to Lu Qingfeng. ¡°I can tell you the benefits in advance. I¡¯ve been in Singularity for 23 years and brought up a total of 14 low-level Pill Refining Apprentices and two intermediate-level Pill Refining Apprentices. The pills they refined are purchased by the guild at 70 percent of the market price after deducting the costs. As for the remaining 10 percent, it goes into our pockets. ¡°So, if you bring up a few more apprentices¡­ In the long run, the benefits are quite appreciable.¡± When Lu Qingfeng heard him explain all of this, he couldn¡¯t help nodding his head. It was true. Getting 10 percent from one or two apprentices might seem insignificant, but for Wang Tao who had brought up 16 Pill Refining Apprentices, the combined profit was pretty considerable. Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but feel a little tempted. He¡¯d accepted apprentices in his previous life and had rich experience in guiding apprentices. He had also brought up some seven or eight Pill Refining apprentices. Now that he had joined Singularity, these experiences might just come in handy! After Wang Tao and Lu Qingfeng had talked for a while, Wang Tao summoned an apprentice and had him lead Lu Qingfeng to his dwelling, which had long been prepared. What surprised Lu Qingfeng was that it was a small, independent courtyard. What¡¯s more, there were even dedicated servants for the small courtyard. These servants were only level 1 in innate talent level. They had hopes to cultivate, but they fell short in meeting the Singularity Guild¡¯s recruitment standards, and, hence, could only start by becoming a servant. If the host who they were serving was kind-hearted enough to give them some meager support, there could be hope for them to actually step into cultivation. Awaiting Lu Qingfeng¡¯s arrival, there were a total of four servants in the small courtyard, two teen boys and two girls, all of whom were extremely respectful. ¡°Go on and do your own work. Don¡¯t come near the Cultivation Chamber if there isn¡¯t anything really important.¡± Lu Qingfeng waved his hand and walked straight into the Cultivation Chamber. He¡¯d refined 12 Yellow Dragon Pills in Wang Tao¡¯s Pill Refining Chamber. Wang Tao had taken one pill and returned all the other 11 to Lu Qingfeng. Lu Qingfeng had asked him about that. Wang Tao had said that the one Yellow Dragon Pill was enough to offset the material costs of refining the 12 Yellow Dragon Pills. Lu Qingfeng had a lot of experience. In his previous life in Emery Town, the cost of refining a Yellow Dragon Pill was about 20 portions of handled basic medicinal herbs. The market price of an ordinary Yellow Dragon Pill was about 50 portions of handled basic medicinal herbs. The cost of the Yellow Dragon Pill refined by Lu Qingfeng was 20 portions, but the pill itself was more efficacious. Besides, to build up a similar amount of cultivation level, due to the fact that people wouldn¡¯t have to consume as many Yellow Dragon Pills if they opted for the pills refined by Lu Qingfeng, the pill toxins they would accumulate over time would be less. Hence, the price was set at around 80 portions. Based on that amount, the cost of the 12 Yellow Dragon Pills that Lu Qingfeng had just refined was 240 portions. According to the market price, a Yellow Dragon Pill could sell for only 80 portions. Evidently, there was a gap somewhere. Maybe Wang Tao had supplemented it on his own. For a top-level Pill Refining Apprentice, 100 or so basic medicinal herbs weren¡¯t that important. This must be one of the reasons that Wang Tao had not mentioned it. But Lu Qingfeng had to jot it down and remember it. Entering the cultivation chamber, Lu Qingfeng began his cultivation in this new life. ¡­ The Verdant Sword Art had already been enhanced to Authentic-Grade. It could be called the top cultivation technique in the world. With the dozens of experiences he had in cultivation from his previous lives, he couldn¡¯t get any more familiar with the process of getting from unblooded to novice. After consuming a Yellow Dragon Pill, the Verdant Sword Art began. As if his body was a great mill, it pulverized the Yellow Dragon Pill and absorbed it with haste. Half an hour later¡­ The power of the Yellow Dragon Pill had been completely refined, and, unconsciously, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s cultivation had risen to Level 1 of the Fetal Phase. ¡°Normal Yellow Dragon Pills would give me three experience points. ¡°The Yellow Dragon Pills which I made are five times as efficacious and can give me 4.5 experience points.¡± Lu Qingfeng glanced at his experience points and continued refining Yellow Dragon Pills. After two hours, Lu Qingfeng had refined another three Yellow Dragon Pills. At the same time, his Level was raised to 2. However, he was having episodes of tingling pain due to his body being overwhelmed. So Lu Qingfeng stopped cultivating, got up, walked out of the Cultivation Chamber, called a random servant, and asked the person to take him around Singularity Mountain. For the next three days¡­ Lu Qingfeng repeated this process. Every single day, he would get up early and cultivate for two hours, walk around Singularity Mountain, familiarize himself with the operations of Singularity, and then go to Wang Tao¡¯s Pill Refining Chamber in the afternoon to refine Yellow Dragon Pills. During the course of time¡­ Lu Qingfeng acquainted himself with the other top-level Pill Refining Apprentice on Singularity Mountain, Yue Ran. Yue Ran¡¯s appearance was more on the mature end. He looked as if he was about 30 years old, even though his actual age was younger than Wang Tao, who had a youthful appearance. This top-level Pill Refining Apprentice was different from Wang Tao, who had a handsome face but a rough demeanor. He tended to be calmer and quieter. Towards Lu Qingfeng, he was neither hostile nor friendly. However, according to Wang Tao, if Lu Qingfeng had been just some ordinary person, Yue would have been quite indifferent. After engaging with him several times, Lu Qingfeng found that it was true. Even with Wang Tao around, Yue Ran would seldom talk. More often than not, it would be Wang Tao talking loudly by himself. Chapter 26 In a few days, Lu Qingfeng had raised his level to 4 (18/20). His cultivation had also arrived at the peak of Level 2 of the Fetal Phase. He was going to break through at any time. After acquiring Chi Control, Lu Qingfeng could finally use the Pill Refining Furnace. The Pill Refining Furnace was different from the herb handling tables. Every Pill Refining Furnace had been meticulously crafted by Tool Refiners. Its higher efficiency proved handy for Pill Refiners. For instance, the Pill Refining Furnace that Wang Tao was using was Tier-4 Runic Equipment, the Lilac Smoker. On it were engraved the patterns of 336 runes, which included Spirit Garnering, Cooling, Flame, Temperature Control, and nine other Runic Arrays. It was controlled with one¡¯s Inner Chi and Genuine Chi, making it a handy tool for all the Pill Refiners. When Lu Qingfeng was using the herb handling table to refine Yellow Dragon Pills, he needed half an hour to refine a full furnace of pills. However, when he started using Wang Tao¡¯s Lilac Smoker, he could make a full furnace of pills in the time it took for a joss stick to burn down completely. The difference in time may seem inconsequential, but when many days of work accumulated, the difference was not to be scoffed at. ¡°I think I can collect ores and metals in Miaoyin City and delve into Tool Refining also, starting with Pill Refining Furnaces.¡± Lu Qingfeng was thinking these things to himself as he walked out of the Pill Refining Chamber. RUMBLE! As soon as he left the chamber, he sensed that the ground was quivering under his feet. Immediately afterward, a loud roar struck his ears. Looking up, he saw a giant approaching Singularity Mountain extremely fast. This giant was who was causing the earth to tremble. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­a puppet?¡± Lu Qingfeng looked up at the giant and immediately thought about the puppets Wang Tao had mentioned to him a few days ago. According to Wang Tao, the guild leader of Singularity, Mu Yuanyi, was an elder in the Foundation Building Stage of the Courtyard of Destiny on Emerald Mountain. The Courtyard of Destiny was a sub-sect that had been established by a cultivator in the Cosmic Stage from the 100 Art Sect on Mount Yunmeng, which lay hundreds of miles away. The 100 Art Sect was hailed as the Sect of 100 Artistries. Aside from being proficient in the refinement of various Runic Equipment and Magical Artifacts, their methods in Puppet Crafting were also among the very best across the entire Dongsheng Continent. Singularity relied on the Courtyard of Destiny, while the Courtyard of Destiny was a sub-sect established by a cultivator in the Cosmic Stage from the 100 Art Sect. Naturally, the appearance of puppets was not unusual. However, this was the first time that Lu Qingfeng had seen one of these puppets, and he couldn¡¯t help but be shocked by the appearance of a puppet that looked like a human but was some 70 to 80 feet high, right before his very eyes. As he took a closer look, he noticed that behind this puppet there were nine other puppets that were smaller, standing at only about 20 to 30 feet in height. Their appearance would have been equally as shocking had they appeared alone. However, as they were standing behind the ginormous puppet, they seemed somewhat inconspicuous. These puppets were covered with the vestiges of confrontation, including crimson-colored bloodstains. They must have just experienced a violent battle. ¡°Those are the Mechanical Puppets of Singularity Mountain. They are incredibly powerful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s evident. These puppets were crafted by a venerable cultivator of the Courtyard of Destiny at the request of our guild leader. The largest puppet over there can wipe out all Demon Beasts below Tier 6, while the other nine puppets can also fight with Demon Beasts in Tiers 4 or 5!¡± ¡°I wonder when I can have a puppet for myself?¡± ¡­ Behind Lu Qingfeng, alarmed by the rumblings of the puppets, many members of the Singularity Guild had come outside to watch the show. They had joined the Singularity Guild before Lu Qingfeng and had seen these puppets previously. However, they were still in awe every time they appeared. ¡°Qingfeng, come with me.¡± After Lu Qingfeng had watched the ten puppets walk by and then vanish from sight, he heard Wang Tao calling to him. Lu Qingfeng walked over to him hurriedly. ¡°Lead and the rest have returned. I¡¯m going to take you to meet them,¡± Wang Tao explained to Lu Qingfeng as he led the way. In a while, they arrived at the back of Singularity Mountain. As he had been familiarizing himself with Singularity Mountain over the past few days, he¡¯d learned that the back of the mountain was the guild¡¯s restricted area. Strictly speaking, he couldn¡¯t be considered a member of Singularity just yet. Hence, this place was off-limits to him. However, this time, with Wang Tao leading the way, he headed right into the restricted area without being stopped by anyone. The back of the mountain was totally different from the area in the front. The front of the mountain was even and lush with vegetation. The back of the mountain, on the other hand, was steep and jagged with strange rock formations. The one enormous and nine smaller puppets that Lu Qingfeng had just seen had disappeared into the cliffs at the back of the mountain. After a brief wait, about ten figures appeared at the bottom of the mountain. The leading person was wearing black war robes. He was about 27 to 28 years old with a manly face and defined features. He was the guild leader of Singularity, the elder of the Courtyard of Destiny on Emerald Mountain in the Foundation Building Stage: Mu Yuanyi! ¡°Wang, is this the new guy Luwey mentioned?¡± Mu Yuanyi¡¯s voice was deep and magical. People always developed a liking toward him when they heard him speak. ¡°Yes. This is Lu Qingfeng, a low-level Pill Refining Apprentice. His attainments in the refinement of low-level pills put me and Yue to shame.¡± As he introduced him, Wang Tao praised him without reserve. ¡°You flatter me, Brother Wang,¡± Lu Qingfeng said humbly. Then he put his hands together and bowed to Mu Yuanyi. ¡°Greetings, lead. I¡¯m Lu Qingfeng.¡± ¡°You are one of our own. No need now for the courtesy.¡± ¡°Wang and Yue are extremely good at judging people. Since they have such a high opinion of you, I will have our men build a third Pill Refining Chamber that will be placed under your care in the next two days.¡± Without looking into it any further, Mu Yuanyi had decided on this business. Only then did he introduce the few people behind him to Lu Qingfeng. ¡°This is Zhang. Zhang Zong. Top-Level Tool Refining Apprentice. Currently studying Puppet Crafting.¡± ¡°This is Yu. Yu Bufan. Sword Cultivator. Top three in terms of combat power in the guild.¡± Mu Yuanyi introduced Lu Qingfeng to all the more than ten people who were standing behind him. Among them, Zhang Zong and Yu Bufan were introduced with a special emphasis. With Wang Tao at his side transmitting messages into his ears at appropriate times, Lu Qingfeng learned that they were the two other players of the Singularity Guild. Right here and right now, the ones that were gathered here were the top powerhouses of the Singularity Guild. Mu Yuanyi, Zhang Zong, and Yu Bufan comprised a total of three cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage. The remaining 20 people were at Level 7 to Level 9 of the Genuine Chi Phase. With their humanoid puppets, their combat capabilities weren¡¯t inferior to cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage. It was simple to ascend from the Fetal Phase to the Genuine Chi Phase, but getting from the Genuine Chi Phase to the Foundation Building Stage was a leap that depended on one¡¯s talent. It was extremely difficult. An unknown number of cultivators were stuck at this very step. Back in Emery Town, Lu Qingfeng had seen too many cultivators who were stuck in the Genuine Chi Phase. That Included his good friend, Huang Luo. Foundation Building was no easy task. Throughout the entire Singularity Guild, there were only Mu Yuanyi and two other cultivators who had managed to ascend to the Foundation Building Stage. At this time, they had received a mission from the Courtyard of Destiny to head toward Twilight City more than 100 miles to the southeast to suppress a wave of beasts. They had slaughtered the Tier 6 Demon Beast who was setting off this wave more than ten days ago. Subsequently, they¡¯d spent a few days clearing out many of the beasts before returning to Singularity Mountain. ¡°Lead, what demon beast is creating trouble this time? I heard that the Yama Guild, the Blood Wolf Guild, and the Flames of Azure Guild have all received missions at this time.¡± As the group walked toward the top of the mountain, Wang Tao asked the leader out of curiosity. To have four of the eight major guilds in Snivel Town dispatched at once, the beast problem this time was evidently not a simple one. ¡°It¡¯s a Three-headed Python,¡± Mu Yuanyi said. ¡°A Three-headed Python?¡± ¡°The Three-headed Python from legend that is capable of spitting magic of the water, fire, and wind elements, that can also devour Runic Equipment and Magical Artifacts?¡± Wang Tao¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Precisely.¡± ¡°This Three-headed Python has cultivated for many years and has attained Tier 6. Its magic is innately powerful, and it is also resistant to Magical Artifacts. In the Foundation Building Stage, it is literally invincible. By working with the major guilds of Yama, Blood Wolf, and Flames of Azure, it still took us more than two hours to bring it down.¡± As Mu Yuanyi recalled the event, he subconsciously revealed lingering fear on his face. Zhang Zong, who looked middle-aged, said, ¡°I think we came out well. The Blood Wolf Guild¡¯s treasure, the Blood Wolf Puppet, was snapped in half, which is a very massive loss to them. Before the Blood Wolf Puppet is repaired, I think they will have to keep a low profile.¡± Lu Qingfeng followed the crowd and listened to them talking about this mission. The various strange Demon Beasts, all kinds of puppets, and the thrilling battles were true eye-openers. Chapter 27 ¡°Miaoyin City is safe for the time being. But conflict is bound to arise in the days to come. Perhaps I should accustom myself to battles between cultivators.¡± Lu Qingfeng listened quietly as he thought about this to himself. In the path of cultivation, if he were to think that he could ascend all the way to deity-hood relying solely on Pill Refining, Tool Refining, and so on, he was undoubtedly deceiving himself. In cultivation, there had to be contests. And since there would be contests, fights were inevitable. The various Abhijnas, Magical Artifacts, and Treasures were what would protect them. The outcome of a fight would either be victory or defeat, life or death. In the game, one could resurrect or reincarnate if one died. In reality, if one lost one¡¯s life to an enemy because one was unskilled in combat, that would spell a final death. ¡°But before I start fighting, I must first master Pill Refining to ensure a smooth cultivation.¡± ¡°Good tools are a prerequisite to the successful execution of a job.¡± ¡°Tool Refining must also come before I go into actual combat. As for Puppet Crafting¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng pondered all of this. When he thought about the ten puppets he had seen earlier, it still felt astonishing to him. All of a sudden, a system reminder popped up before his eyes: [Congratulations, you have joined the guild, Singularity. Your current authority level is: Elder.] ¡°Elder?¡± Lu Qingfeng raised his head and looked at Mu Yuanyi, only to see him coincidently looking toward him as well. He instantly understood that Mu Yuanyi must have used his authority as the guild leader to officially accept him into Singularity and appoint him as an Elder. On the Attribute Panel, an extra guild column appeared. Guild: Singularity Guild Level: 6 Guild Ranking: 112 (Luminous Spirit Realm) Guild Member(s): 324 Guild Leader: Mu Yuanyi Vice Guild Leaders: Zhang Zong, Yu Bufan Elders: Wang Tao, Lu Hongwen, Yue Ran¡­ Hall Masters: Ma Chang, Zhou Huan¡­ Deacons: Song Yun, Xiang Tianqiong¡­ Elites: ¡­ Members: ¡­ The guild information was extremely detailed, which may have had something to do with Lu Qingfeng¡¯s high authority level. Singularity had a total of one Guild Leader, two Vice Guild Leaders, and five Elders, which included Lu Qingfeng. The rest of the people at the bottom were small potatoes below the Foundation Building Stage, with the highest being Hall Masters. What surprised Lu Qingfeng was that guilds even had levels and rankings. Driven by curiosity, he couldn¡¯t help clicking in to have a view. After a brief moment, Lu Qingfeng revealed an expression of sudden enlightenment. ¡°A guild¡¯s level is related to the number of guild members, the cultivation stages of guild members, number of guild missions completed, and the guild¡¯s reputation within the domain. Only by raising a guild¡¯s level to 10 and having a member in the Cosmic Stage could a guild be converted into a sect.¡± ¡°As for a guild¡¯s ranking, only guilds within the same realm are considered. The Luminous Spirit Realm is still in its infancy phase. There are less than 3,000 players and 200 guilds. Singularity is at rank 112, which is not too high, but not too low either.¡± When Lu Qingfeng read all this, only then did he feel that ¡°Primitive¡± was more of a game. ¡­ With Mu Yuanyi and the others¡¯ returns, Singularity Mountain was bustling with noise. As far as Lu Qingfeng was concerned, the changes weren¡¯t that important. He was still cultivating every day. The construction of his own Pill Refining Chamber had been started. Two weeks later, the Pill Refining Chamber had been completed. At a single bound, Lu Qingfeng became the third Pill Refining Apprentice who independently owned a Pill Refining Chamber in Singularity. Lu Qingfeng named his Pill Refining Chamber the Emery Pill Refining Chamber to commemorate his decades of painstaking practice in Pill Refining in the town of Emery. The Emery Pill Refining Chamber was on a par with Wang Tao¡¯s Lilac Pill Refining Chamber and Yue Ran¡¯s Fairy Pill Refining Chamber. It covered an area of 15 acres and had a total of nine Pill Refining Furnaces. One of them was a Tier 4 Runic Equipment, two were Tier 3 Runic Equipment, three were Tier 2 Runic Equipment, and three were Tier 1 Runic Equipment. The nine Pill Refining Furnaces cost almost five low-grade Spirit Stones. When converted into Spirit Stone Fragments, they would be 500 pieces, and when converted into Yellow Dragon Pills, it would be a staggering 50,000 pills. Only a massive guild like Singularity had the resources to construct something like this. Ordinary guilds would be reluctant or maybe even powerless to build a Pill Refining Chamber of such an enormous size. Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t use such a massive Pill Refining Chamber all by himself. So he recruited apprentices from the Singularity Guild to use the Pill Refining Chamber with him. First, they would become his assistants, thus saving him time in handling medicinal herbs. Second, he would raise up a few Pill Refining Apprentices, who could be regarded as a payback to Singularity, while also gaining him a slight profit in the meantime. Mu Yuanyi could have had that in mind when he decided to build Lu Qingfeng such a massive Pill Refining Chamber. Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t against the idea. After all, it was something that would benefit both sides. He had no reason to turn it down. Time flew by. In this lifetime, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s progression was undoubtedly faster. Back in Emery Town, excluding the 16 years he¡¯d wasted due to his accidental death, Lu Qingfeng had expended nearly ten years to barely make a name for himself and master the two enhanced low-level pills: the Fasting Pill and the Yellow Dragon Pill. This time, Lu Qingfeng had mastered the refining of ten kinds of pills from the very start. With Singularity being responsible for his herb supply and sales, Lu Qingfeng only had to concentrate on Pill Refining. He would wake up every morning to cultivate. Then he would refine pills in the afternoon. And finally he could discuss Pill Refining with Wang Tao and Yue Ran at night. Time went by ever so quickly. In the blink of an eye, eight years had passed since Lu Qingfeng joined Singularity. ¡­ In the Onyx Tool Refining Chamber, Lu Qingfeng stood in front of the smelting furnace with his palms pressed against the furnace wall. ¡°Degree 3 wind, degree 4 fire!¡± ¡°Degree 6 wind, degree 9 fire!¡± ¡°Degree 2 wind, degree 8 fire!¡± ¡­ Lu Qingfeng closed his eyes tightly as he mumbled number after number. Beside him, around the smelting furnace, there were nine apprentices each with a bellow in front of them. According to Lu Qingfeng¡¯s instructions, these nine people kept pushing and pulling the bellows to control the wind and temperature in the smelting furnace. These apprentices were all cultivators in the Fetal Phase. They couldn¡¯t help but be covered with perspiration. About half an hour later¡­ ¡°Now!¡± Lu Qingfeng abruptly opened his eyes and ordered all the nine apprentices to stop. He reached out and pushed the handle next to him. What he heard next were crackling sounds from inside the smelting furnace, which made it seem as if it was about to explode. The pipe on the side opened. Gusts of mist at high temperatures spurted out like sharp blades and dissipated outside the mixing chamber. Then the vibration was finished, and all the mist had gushed out. Lu Qingfeng waved his hand. The top of the smelting furnace opened, and a burst of black smoke was emitted. After the black smoke dissipated, he looked into the smelting furnace and saw a Pill Refining Furnace about three feet square lying at the bottom. The Pill Refining Furnace looked like it was fully plated in copper. It had a quaint, antique look. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s face became a little pale. This was because he was concentrating so hard. Making a hand seal, his Inner Chi surged, and the Pill Refining Furnace raised up to his hand. Closing his eyes and probing into it with his inner Chi, Lu Qingfeng revealed a smile on his pale face after a moment, ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± ¡°Congratulations, Elder Lu.¡± Seeing this, the nine apprentices beside the smelting furnace, likewise revealed gleeful smiles on their faces. Hearing the voices of the nine apprentices, Lu Qingfeng took out three bottles of pills from the storage bag at his waist and tossed them around, ¡°Thank you, everyone, divide them among yourselves.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Lu!¡± The nine people took a look at what he¡¯d given them. It turned out to be three bottles, containing 36 Yellow Dragon Pills. They were ecstatic. Absolutely nobody in Singularity was unaware of the incredible efficacy of the low-level pills refined by Elder Lu. Except for a portion reserved for Singularity¡¯s internal supply, when the rest of the pills were placed on the market, they would be sold out in an instant. People literally couldn¡¯t buy them even if they had money. The apprentices could divide up the 36 Yellow Dragon Pills, and each of them could have four of them. Considering all the pills they had obtained from Lu Qingfeng over the past few days, they could be comparable to their annual income. Chapter 28 ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡± Lu Qingfeng carried the Pill Refining Furnace outside. He wanted to try out its efficacy. During the past eight years, all his efforts in Tool Refining had been concentrated on this Pill Refining Furnace. Now that it had finally been realized, it was time to give it a test. He went outside of the Pill Refining Chamber. Suddenly, Lu Qingfeng stopped short. Bang! Ding! Clang! He kept hearing rhythmic pounding at a fixed tempo. Taking a closer look, he noticed that there was a Smithing Table in the middle of one of the Tool Refining Chambers. A shirtless man was wielding a hammer that looked like it weighed about 200 pounds and was constantly striking the Smithing Table with it. The action looked rough and unrefined, but actually every strike he made was as accurate as Zhang Fei¡¯s embroidery! The hammer was swinging in his hands ever so delicately like an embroidery needle. Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help himself. He had to watch this fascinating display of rhythm. Perhaps amateurs might not have noticed, but Lu Qingfeng could vaguely perceive that every time the burly man dropped his hammer, the tool on the Smithing Table would undergo a sizeable change. Sledgehammer, small hammer, sledgehammer, small hammer! Alternating, the hammers were constantly being cooled down with cold spring water. Relying solely on the hammers, even patterns on the tools were being carved out. Lu Qingfeng was enthralled. It wasn¡¯t until the burly man had stopped and placed all the forged swords into the cold spring that Lu Qingfeng came back to his senses amid all the sizzling sounds. He saw that the burly man had already noticed him and was now walking toward him. ¡°Qingfeng, have you come to refine your Pill Refining Furnace again?¡± Zhang Zong walked up to Lu Qingfeng, speaking casually while wiping off the sweat that had gathered on his forehead. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s finished.¡± Responding to what Zhang Zong had said, Lu Qingfeng waved the Pill Refining Furnace he was holding. The person who was standing before him was the owner of the Onyx Tool Refining Chamber, Zhang Zong, one of the two vice guild leaders of Singularity. While Lu Qingfeng had been studying Tool Refining, naturally, he would also have been taking part in combat practices. Thus, the only Tool Refining Chamber in Singularity, the Onyx Tool Refining Chamber, had become a place that he had often visited over the past few years. Over time, the familiarity between Lu Qingfeng and Zhang Zong had become about the same as that between him and the two top-level Pill Refining Apprentices, Wang Tao and Yue Ran. ¡°Not bad.¡± A trace of surprise flashed across Zhang Zong¡¯s face as he took the Pill Refining Furnace from Lu Qingfeng. Soon, the size of the Pill Refining Furnace was fluctuating, surging in Spirit Energy and flickering with flames. This was Zhang Zong conducting tests. Sometime later, the surprise in Zhang Zong¡¯s eyes intensified. ¡°Qingfeng, I never thought that as well as Pill Refining, you would have such a great talent for Tool Refining also.¡± ¡°You flatter me, Brother Zhang.¡± ¡°I was watching your Tool Refining Technique just now, Brother Zhang. It was truly mesmerizing,¡± Lu Qingfeng said, praising him. ¡°That is the Cyclone Hammering Technique. I trained in it for a few decades and have barely gotten into the novice level,¡± Zhang Zong replied casually. His attention was still on the Pill Refining Furnace that had been crafted by Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Qingfeng, how did you come up with the idea to change the sequence of the few Runic Arrays? That alteration is truly fantastic. It is like a finishing touch that instantly propels the ordinary Pill Refining Furnace up to a whole new level!¡± In the arts of Tool Refining, Zhang Zong proclaimed himself the best in Singularity. And today, he had been astonished by Lu Qingfeng¡¯s work. ¡°It was a flash of inspiration. I thought it would fail initially, but it turned out pretty well,¡± Lu Qingfeng said with a smile. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t tell him that this was because he had expended experience points to enhance it. ¡°A flash of inspiration¡­¡± Zhang Zong nodded subconsciously. It was true that inspiration was often needed in Tool Refining. Sometimes, when one was struck by inspiration and was in the right mood, performance could far exceed its normal level, ¡°It looks as if you truly have talent in Tool Refining. If Yuanyi learns about this, I think he won¡¯t come to pester me so much anymore in the future,¡± Zhang Zong said to Lu Qingfeng with a smile. Speaking of Mu Yuanyi, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help laughing. Over the past few years, he had been distracted by Tool Refining and had not been paying attention to the refinement of the various low-level pills. This had had a great influence on Mu Yuanyi¡¯s plan to use the low-level pills refined by Singularity and Qingfeng to monopolize the pill market. More than once, Mu Yuanyi had gone to talk to Lu Qingfeng to try and persuade him to focus all his energy on Pill Refining. However, it was simply that all his words went in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s left ear and out of his right. Lu Qingfeng would verbally promise him to start refining pills again, and, on the very next day, he would visit the Onyx Tool Refining Chamber as usual. This had even caused Zhang Zong to become annoyed by Mu Yuanyi. ¡­ After conversing with Zhang Zong about his experience in Tool Refining for a moment, Lu Qingfeng returned to the Emery Pill Refining Chamber. After eight years, the Emery Pill Refining Chamber presently had a total of six low-level Pill Refining Apprentices, 42 Herb Handling Apprentices, and one advanced-level Pill Refining Apprentice, who was Lu Qingfeng himself. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Elder Lu.¡± Entering the Pill Refining Chamber, the apprentices greeted and bowed to Lu Qingfeng. Lu Qingfeng nodded faintly and headed right toward his own Tier 4 Pill Refining Chamber. The layout of this Pill Refining Chamber was simple. It had a Tier 4 Runic Equipment Grade Pill Refining Furnace in the middle, and some bottles, jars, and handled medicinal herbs randomly placed around it. There was a round cushion placed on the side where Lu Qingfeng could meditate and regain his Chi or cultivate when he wasn¡¯t refining pills. ¡°Let me try out the Crimson Furnace.¡± Lu Qingfeng placed the Pill Refining Furnace, the Crimson Furnace he was holding, onto the ground. Placing both his hands on it, his inner Chi surged outward. In an instant¡­ The Crimson Furnace flickered with a spectral light. It abruptly got larger. Soon, it was as tall as a person. ¡°Runic Array for size manipulation is stable!¡± Lu Qingfeng stretched out his hand, clapped on the wall of the Crimson Furnace, and funneled in a gust of his inner Chi. With the Crimson Furnace as the center, a faint Spirit Energy began to amass. As Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t in the Foundation-Building-Chi-Drawing Phase just yet, he could only feel it vaguely. At the very next moment,,, Boof! Flames started burning within the three legs of the furnace. The flame was red in color, and the temperature wasn¡¯t low. ¡°Runic Array for amassing Spirit Energy is stable!¡± ¡°Runic Array for generating crimson flames is stable!¡± Lu Qingfeng moved his hands away. The red flames underneath the furnace were still burning. Although it was only flickering now, it had never extinguished. ¡°A job well done!¡± Lu Qingfeng was beaming with delight. He was ecstatic. The Crimson Furnace had originally been a Tier 1 Runic Equipment Grade Pill Refining Furnace composed of nine runes. Lu Qingfeng had expended hundreds of experience points to enhance its refining method by five times. The nine runes that had originally been scattered and unorganized had been immediately optimized into three sets of Runic Arrays. While its stability had been greatly enhanced, the effects of Spirit Garnering and Flame had also been greatly improved. Although, in fact, it was only a Tier 1 Runic Equipment that was comprised of nine runes, even a Tier 2 Runic Equipment composed of more than 30 runes was far behind it. This was the reason that Zhang Zong had been so amazed. ¡°Due to the limitations of the materials used, the number of runes that can be contained in the Runic Equipment is limited. Once exceeded, the materials will be overwhelmed. They will collapse, and the refinement will fail. With materials of better qualities, more runes can be incorporated, and, naturally, the power and quality of the refined Magical Artifact will be higher.¡± ¡°A good Tool Refiner and a good refining technique can use ordinary materials to reasonably arrange runes so that, even when the materials can only contain a limited amount of runes, the maximum effect of these runes can be unleashed.¡± ¡°This is the principle behind the refining method of the enhanced Crimson Furnace.¡± Lu Qingfeng stroked the Crimson Furnace with pride. Chapter 29 The so-called Tier 1 and Tier 2 Runic Equipments were classified based on the number of runes engraved on them. However, due to the different proficiencies of Tool Refiners, it was very likely that people would say things such as Tier 1 Runic Equipment with powers comparable to a Tier 2 Runic Equipment. However, this situation only happened in relatively rare circumstances. After all, optimizing the arrangement of runes and even forming new Runic Arrays were far beyond the ability of ordinary Tool Refiners. Some Tool Refiners could spend their entire lives without being able to optimize even a single Runic Equipment or Magical Artifact. With the assistance of the Ability Upgrade property of the Yellow Court Classic, Lu Qingfeng had been able to perform optimization on every Runic Equipment and Magical Artifact. Of course, that depended on whether he had enough experience points. Lu Qingfeng felt very happy on the inside. If he could refine the Crimson Furnace in the game, it would imply that he could do so as well in reality. In this way, he could finally escape the predicament of having to refine pills in a pot and greatly improve his efficiency in Pill Refining. ¡°Tool Refining¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng kept his emotions to himself and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head as he recalled his journey in Tool Refining over the past few years. Pill Refining was difficult. It was difficult because one had to control the various properties of the medicinal herbs, such as herb ratios, flame intensity, and so on. Rune Crafting was difficult. Its difficulty lay in the drawing of the runes, the precision of the brushstrokes, the mastery over corrosion characters, the many aspects of the coordination of one¡¯s inner Chi with the Cinnabarite, Runic Brush, and Runic Paper, controlling the amount of Spirit Energy, and so on. The difficulty of Tool Refining, on the other hand, far outweighed both. Before one could refine tools, various ores and metals had to be handled. The procedure might seem similar to the handling of the various medicinal herbs, but it¡¯s much harder. After handling the ores and metals, they had to be measured in varying proportions and forged at the right heat. In this aspect, in addition to heat regulation, one also had to control the amount of force exerted. For instance, when Lu Qingfeng was refining the Crimson Furnace, he was constantly issuing instructions to his nine disciples about how to control the intensity of the fire and the air. At the same time, he was regulating the chaotic and disorderly air blowing within the furnace and condensing it into gusts of potent force to forge the metals within the furnace. Zhang Zong¡¯s Cyclone Hammering Technique ran on the exact same principles. It might seem similar to Pill Refining, but they were, in fact, very different. Besides, Lu Qingfeng also had to control his inner Chi very carefully in order to drive the metals within the furnace into forming the extremely complex corrosion characters and combine them into a series of runes. Then, he would have to arrange and combine the runes into Runic Arrays. This was delicate work. The process of forming and arranging the characters was extremely exhausting. This was also the hardest thing about Tool Refining. There were thousands of corrosion characters. Every corrosion character was a manifestation of the Grand Boulevard, which could only be understood but not conveyed. It was complex and versatile like a drawing of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers. Forming them was already a difficult task. Combining them and stacking them up in layers was even more difficult. In Runic Crafting, the hand had to control the brush. However, in Tool Refining, one¡¯s inner Chi was used to form the characters. This required one to train one¡¯s inner Chi until it could be driven like an arm. What¡¯s more, one would also have to be extremely familiar with the various metals¡¯ properties, reject conditions, and so on. This placed Tool Refining in the highest position among the three professions in terms of difficulty. The reason it took Lu Qingfeng almost eight years to forge the Crimson Furnace was because he was overcoming these difficulties one after another. The most important ones among them were the cognition of corrosion characters and the control of inner Chi. Through countless hours of practice, at present, Lu Qingfeng could already drive his inner Chi in the most subtle ways to proficiently form the corrosion characters. Although it took him quite some time, when he would have to refine other Runic Equipment in the future, he wouldn¡¯t have to waste time on training his Chi Control again. ¡°The Crimson Furnace is just a first test. Next, I shall delve into the Art of Mechanisms and then master Puppet Crafting!¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s eyes flickered with ambition. Ever since he¡¯d seen the power of puppets for the first time eight years ago, Lu Qingfeng had been fascinated by it. In the past few years, the more he understood about puppets, the more intrigued he grew. This different type of Magical Artifact was similar to the battle robots that had existed in his past life. This was in line with Lu Qingfeng¡¯s combat philosophy. Instead of competing in the flesh, it should be carried out with Magical Artifacts. During a battle, with thousands of puppets swarming ahead, no matter how high above one someone was in cultivation, they would be buried underneath this Sea of Puppets tactic. It was just that for Puppet Crafting, after one learned the basics of Tool Refining and Runic Crafting, the Art of Mechanisms was something else that had to be mastered. The Art of Mechanisms included human mechanics, physics, mechanical structure, etc., which one could consider as all-encompassing. Even in the 100 Art Sect, which was famous for their puppet crafting, there were not many Tool Refiners who could refine puppets. Zhang Zong had studied this technique for more than 20 years, and currently he could only refine auxiliary puppets of very little value. He had given up a long time ago trying to craft puppets, and now he specialized in the refinement of Runic Equipment and Magical Artifacts. ¡°Zhang Zong already is a top-level Tool Refining Apprentice. With just one more step, he would be able to refine Tier 1 Magical Artifacts and become a Tool Refining Master. He doesn¡¯t have enough time to squander. But since I have the 100-fold time difference, I absolutely have the time and energy to dive into it.¡± Lu Qingfeng made up his mind that in this life, apart from cultivating and refining pills, his main focus would be on refining puppets. For him, as long as he mastered the art of offense, defense, escape, and the crafting of Runic Equipment, it would be sufficient. After all, it was difficult to find materials of excellent quality to refine Runic Equipment in Miaoyin City. Instead of spending energy in the game on refining various Runic Equipments and Magical Artifacts, he would be better off learning to refine puppets. ¡°Even if the materials used to refine puppets are more on the ordinary side, they could still be used as fodder. Victory can be secured with numbers.¡± But if he concentrated on Runic Equipment, the strategy would be unfeasible. The amount of Runic Equipment Lu Qingfeng could use by himself was limited. With all these thoughts in his mind, puppets had naturally become his preferred choice. After his time in Pill Refining, Lu Qingfeng had obtained a book about the Art of Mechanisms from the guild, and he began studying it. The Art of Mechanisms in ¡°Primitive¡± contained all the fundamentals of refining a puppet. The wooden ox, kite, armillary spheres, seismographs, and so on were examples of mechanisms. These were the more basic ones. The more advanced ones were the mechanical humanoids, mechanical beasts, and similar things that could move flexibly and were competent for various tasks. This was already somewhat similar to robots in the 21st century. They could be referred as puppets. Puppets use the skeletons of various monsters, beasts, or special metals as a frame, which was then connected with animal tendons or some other method, thus giving it its extremely high defensive prowess and the ability to move freely. They were either an imitation of the human body or the animal body. On this basis, by engraving plentiful Runic Arrays via the methods of Tool Refining, it could provide puppets with all kinds of incredible abilities, perhaps an impenetrable defense, robust strength that would allow it to fight monsters at close quarters, or the ability to cast spells that would make them excel in performing long-range attacks. In short, all of a puppet¡¯s power lay in the Runic Arrays that the refiner had engraved on them. Take, for instance, Singularity¡¯s humanoid puppets. The giant puppet controlled by Mu Yuanyi had powerful defenses and strength. The serrated sword held in its arm was comparable to Tier 2 Magical Artifacts. On its legs and arms, there were hidden mechanisms that could shoot out Bone Killing Arrows, which were very hard to guard against. On its left hand was a shield made of a rare Magical Artifact that could ward off all attacks. Mu Yuanyi would hide in the massive puppet and control its combat via the control hub, which could improve his own combat power dozens of times. With enough dedication, whatever combat capability a puppet could achieve in theory, it could unleash in actual practice. It was somewhat similar to the interstellar age, in which humans would enter space and control puppets to fight. Naturally, this was not the type of puppet Lu Qingfeng wanted. Chapter 30 ¡°The most important Runic Arrays on the puppets are the Spirit Core Runic Array and the Spirit Control Runic Array. ¡°The first is able to amass the Spirit Energy that wanders throughout the realm and to store it, and in this way is similar to a Spirit Garnering Array. Spirit Stones can also be placed in corresponding nodes in which their Spirit Energy can be used to drive the puppets. ¡°The second is an array used to control the puppet.¡± Lu Qingfeng was spending a lot of time thinking all about the puppets. No matter the size of a puppet, suffusing it with Inner Chi, Genuine Chi, or mana to perform manipulation wasn¡¯t practical. Even controlling each of the Runic Arrays on a puppet would, likewise, be exhausting. Hence, someone had invented a unique Magical Artifact called the Twin Stone. By inserting runes into a Twin Stone via the coding method and then using the Twin Stone to establish a link between the Runic Arrays on a puppet, a cultivator could easily control a puppet with mastery over the Twin Stone. This was the exact method that Mu Yuanyi was using to control the massive puppet. If he weren¡¯t able to use this method, even though he had been a powerful cultivator in the Foundation Building Stage for a long time, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to control a 7- to 8-foot-tall puppet. However, what Lu Qingfeng wanted to do was to Enhance, Elevate, or Merge the controller Runic Array in the Twin Stone, so as to be able to accomplish remote control or even allow the puppets to move on their own according to specific instructions. This wasn¡¯t impossible! In the 100 Art Sect and the Courtyard of Destiny, methods that would allow a cultivator to control a puppet without being in it did exist. However, this was classified as a core technique that even Mu Yuanyi wasn¡¯t eligible to acquire. It was said that in the entire Courtyard of Destiny, only their extremely mysterious Court Master had been able to acquire the art of refining such puppets. On Emerald Mountain, an unknown number of puppets had been hidden, thus depriving all demons of the courage to invade the area. It was because of this ability that the Courtyard of Destiny was able to rule an area covering the mountains that spanned 300 miles. ¡­ In a Pill Refining Chamber¡­ Lu Qingfeng closed the Analysis of the Basics of Puppet Mechanisms. He had been able to recite every principle concerning the puppet mechanisms fluently for a very long time. Now that the Crimson Furnace had been successfully refined, he had decided that he would be attempting the refining of puppets next. After making various calculations, he decided that it was almost time for his drugstore in the real world to close. Thus, at this time, Lu Qingfeng went offline in this very Pill Refining Chamber and vanished. ¡­ ¡°Qingfeng, someone from the Linchuan Drugstore on West Avenue has sent us a letter. It says that their boss is inviting you to join him for dinner at the Four Seasons tonight.¡± As he woke up, Lu Qingfeng saw Lu Qingshan standing in front of him holding a letter. It had been two months since Lu Qingfeng and his siblings had settled down in Miaoyin City. During these two months¡­ The Emery Drugstore that Lu Qingfeng had acquired had developed into a booming business. Miaoyin City was full of people. Now, the Sapphire Gate was in a double confrontation with the Wargod Assembly and the Truth Sect. Even after they had been diluted, the Nourishing Pills and Spirit Cleansing Powder that Lu Qingfeng had refined still had excellent efficacy, which had, in return, raked in a heck of a profit for him. After his reincarnation progress had been completed in ¡°Primitive¡±, Lu Qingfeng hired a shopkeeper and two assistants to run the drugstore while he, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu were able to devote themselves to cultivation. Within two months, with no shortage of pills, the strength of the three siblings had improved significantly. Lu Qingyu had stabilized her cultivation in Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, and she could break into Level 2 at any minute. Lu Qingshan had just attained a breakthrough several days ago, and he was now sitting at Level 3 of the Fetal Phase. As for Lu Qingfeng, he was progressing like a hot knife cutting through butter and was now at Level 4 of the Fetal Phase. Name: Lu Qingfeng [Real Body] Race: Human Faction: None Title: None Cultivation Stage: Level 4 of Postnatal Fetal Phase Level: 8 (35/40) Chi Control: 310/310 (Grade: Authentic) Destined Life Span: 16/68 Innate Talent Level: 1 Merit: Unknown Karma: Unknown Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Apex) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Verdant Sword Art Level 9 (Apex) [Updatable] Magic: Fireball (Level 2); Celestial Eye (Level 2); Shifting Steps (Level 2); Smoldering Palm (Level 2); White Jade Mantra (Level 2); Mantle Sword Style (Level 2); Yang Finger Technique (Level 2); Gale (Level 2); Golden Ray (Level 2); Entangle (Level 2); Vanish (Level 2); Assemble Chi (Level 2); Telekinesis (Level 2); Sound Transmission (Level 2); Aqua Style (level 2); Frostbite (Level 2) Abhijna: None Equipment: Wolf Hair Runic Brush, Talisman(s) Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining; Deciphering Medicine; Complete Guide to Basic Medicinal Herbs Refinable pills: Fasting Pill, Yellow Dragon Pill, Spirit Cleansing Powder, Rejuvenating Pill, Incense Pill, Yellow Millet Pill, Soul Corrupting Pill, Breath Fostering Pill, Essence Pill, Golden Pith Pellet, Chi Cycling Powder, Chi Infusing Pill Talisman Crafting: Detailed Explanation in the Preparation of the Six Common Cinnabarites, Fundamentals of Runic Papers, Encyclopedia of Low-Grade Talismans Craftable Talismans: Talisman of Peace, Stealth Talisman, Earth Talisman, Fireball Talisman, Talisman of Rejuvenation, Golden Ray Talisman, Escape Talisman Tool Refining: Fundamentals of Tool Refining, Refining the Spirit Runic Brush, Crimson Furnace, Analysis of the Basics of Puppet Mechanisms Refinable Tools: Wolf Hair Runic Brush, Crimson Furnace Pet: Skylark bird (*9) Attaining Level 4 of the Fetal Phase by cultivating in the Authentic-grade Verdant Sword Art was very much different from attaining Level 4 of the Fetal Phase by cultivating in the Preliminary-grade Scorching Sun Classic. There was a massive disparity in the amount and grade of Chi Control. Back when Lu Qingfeng was cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic, when he had attained Level 4 of the Fetal Phase, his Chi Control had only been at about some 30 to 40 points. Now that he was cultivating in the Verdant Sword Art, the amount of Chi Control he had was more than 300. It was nearly tenfold! Even if he reached Level 9 of the Fetal Phase cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic, he might not necessarily gain such a profound Chi Control. The quality difference between the two couldn¡¯t even be mentioned in the same breath. One of them was of the Authentic Grade, while the other one was just of the Preliminary Grade. There were a whole three levels of difference. With profound Chi Control and mastery over spells and martial art techniques, Lu Qingfeng was no longer the feeble boy he had been back in Blackwood Village. At present, even if an ace in the Genuine Chi Phase were to attack him, he was confident that he would be able to deal with him. If his enemies were those who had just entered the Genuine Chi Phase, he even had the confidence that he could defeat and kill them. Most certainly, this was only applicable to cultivators in the Genuine Chi Phase who cultivated in a Preliminary- or Refined-grade technique. If one was talking about cultivators who were also cultivating in a Lateral- or even Authentic-grade technique like he was, Lu Qingfeng would be better off running as fast as he could. However, right now the world of cultivation in the Guangyuan Commandery was in a rather deplorable state. Lu Qingfeng had seen the Truth Sect¡¯s Art of Truth. It was a technique that was only slightly more advanced than the Scorching Sun Classic, but still within the Preliminary-grade technique category. If even the Truth Sect was using a Preliminary-grade technique to dominate the realm, it was pretty easy to guess the technique grade of the many open or hidden cultivators across the Guangyuan Commandery. Glancing at his Attribute Panel, Lu Qingfeng made up his mind as he took the letter Lu Qingshan was holding out to him. The content of the letter merely mentioned how well known Lu Qingfeng was and that this banquet was specially designed so that guests could get acquainted with each other. The owners of another two drugstores and three shops in southern Miaoyin would also be attending the banquet. The letter was signed by Kang Zizai, who was the owner of the Linchuan Drugstore on West Avenue. ¡°Why did the owner of the Linchuan Drugstore invite me to a banquet? ¡°Is it because the Emery Drugstore has blocked their means of earning money?¡± Lu Qingfeng closed the letter, feeling a little hesitant. It stood to reason that in such a big market as Miaoyin City, the teeny tiny Emery Drugstore could at most set off a splash in the water. It was absolutely impossible that they would hinder their fellow drugstores from earning money. That would leave only two possibilities. First, Kang Zizai had his eye on Emery Drugstore¡¯s recipes and was thinking about acquiring them by force. This was the negative interpretation. Second, it could be as stated in the letter. Kang Zizai really just wanted to meet Lu Qingfeng and make friends with him. This was the positive interpretation. ¡°He must be up to no good! ¡°Qingfeng, let¡¯s not attend the banquet.¡± When Lu Qingshan saw that his older brother wasn¡¯t talking, he took the initiative to speak. Having experienced Blackwood Village and all the perils of the Truth Sect, he had a great distrust of people. Kang Zizai approaching them uninvited and suddenly inviting Lu Qingfeng to a banquet did seem pretty fishy. Lu Qingshan was also worried about potential monkey business. ¡°The Four Seasons is located in the most prosperous area of Miaoyin City. Even if he¡¯s up to no good, he wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything at the Four Seasons or within Miaoyin City.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll go and see what he is up to. It won¡¯t be too late for us to make our plans after that.¡± Chapter 31 The Four Seasons¡­ Located in the most prosperous part of Miaoyin City, the Four Seasons had a distinguished background. Some people even said that the Four Seasons had been established by the city¡¯s founder and the man it was named after, Master Miaoyin. However, no one really knew the truth. However, this did not prevent the Four Seasons from becoming the most prestigious restaurant in Miaoyin City. On this day¡­ The owner of the Linchuan Drugstore, Kang Zizai, was hosting a banquet, to which he had invited Lu Qingfeng and the owners of other major drugstores, including the Huichun Drugstore, as his guests. In the evening, Lu Qingfeng arrived at the appointed time. ¡°It¡¯s a great honor to have you show up, Mr. Lu.¡± Lu Qingfeng went upstairs, entered a private room, and was greeted enthusiastically by a middle-aged man with a big belly in brocade robes. ¡°No need for such courtesy, Mr. Kang.¡± As the saying goes, one can¡¯t be angry at a person with a benign countenance. So Lu Qingfeng responded with a smile. Kang Zizai looked at the owner of the Emery Drugstore: Sedate! Worriless! Baptized by the vicissitudes of life! According to the intelligence he¡¯d unearthed, this young man had been born in Blackwood Village in Jiuzhai County, which was under the jurisdiction of the Truth Sect. Why would a mere rural boy who was less than 16 years of age have such a mature temperament? Kang Zizai was surprised. Lu Qingfeng had been engaged in cultivation for nearly one year. The boy who had been rickety and scrawny in the past had transformed into a graceful young man with a visage of great fortitude and defined features. Standing tall and straight, his temperament was very different now. The vicissitudes of life left on him by the passage of time in ¡°Primitive¡± and the experience of being a sought-after Pill Refining Master in Emery Town and the guild of Singularity have created a unique temperament in Lu Qingfeng. At first glance, he looks just like an ordinary boy. At the second glance, however, it could be discovered that this young man was terrifyingly mature. In his every act and every move, if one were to ignore his face and the information that they had previously acquired about him, they would probably think of him as a highly experienced person in his 30s. Most people completely forgot the fact that Lu Qingfeng was only 16 years old. ¡°Have a seat, Mr. Lu.¡± Kang Zizai had a rich experience of life. He glanced over Lu Qingfeng with seemingly impassive eyes, then invited Lu Qingfeng to take a seat with a smile. In the private room, aside from Kang Zizai, there were five other people. They were either tall or thin, middle-aged or elderly. In short, there was no one as young as Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Mr. Lu, this is the owner of the Huichun Drugstore, Mr. Zhou Hong. This is the owner of the Renxin Drugstore, Mr. Liu Ren¡­¡± Kang Zizai introduced the five other people who had come to the dinner to Lu Qingfeng. The Huichun Drugstore, the Renxin Drugstore, and Kang Zizai¡¯s Linchuan Drugstore were all quite famous and influential in Miaoyin City. The scale of their business was incomparable to that of the Emery Drugstore. They acquired their medicinal herbs by cooperating with herb pickers in the Guangyuan Commandery and even in the Dangyang Commandery to ensure a stable supply. The Emery Drugstore, on the other hand, mostly relied on the sale of Spirit Cleansing Power and Nourishing Pills in exchange for medicinal herbs from the many people in Miaoyin City. The power and influence of the three major drugstores were well above Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Emery Drugstore, but there was definitely something that they wanted from him. For Lu Qingfeng, time was of the essence. After sitting down and going through the getting-to-know-you session, he asked straightforwardly, ¡°I wonder what is the reason that you¡¯ve called me here, gentlemen?¡± When everyone heard what he¡¯d said, they were surprised. They hadn¡¯t expected Lu Qingfeng to be so direct. They were all thinking to themselves that Lu Qingfeng was still a young man after all. After trading glances, Kang Zizai laughed heartily. ¡°A straightforward person you are, Mr. Lu. Then I shall not go around in circles anymore.¡± He said, ¡°A few days ago, someone from the Four Seas Hall of Sapphire Gate came to me and asked me to be their middleman. They wish to purchase ten prescriptions from you. About the price, Mr. Lu, you can ask whatever amount that you deem fit. I believe that with Sapphire Gate¡¯s financial capabilities, they will not treat you shabbily.¡± After Kang Zizai had finished speaking, he regarded Lu Qingfeng with a smile, constantly watching for the changes in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s expression. ¡°Purchasing our prescriptions?¡± Without a change in his expression, Lu Qingfeng said with a smile, ¡°My apologies. The Emery Drugstore is only able to survive in Miaoyin City with these prescriptions. I¡¯m afraid that I cannot sell them.¡± He, Qingshan, and Qingyu relied solely on the Spirit Cleansing Powder and Nourishing Pills to maintain the supply of the resources they needed in their cultivation. In the future, they would still have to rely on them to refine puppets. How could he possibly sell them that easily? Lu Qingfeng had never seen pills that were as beneficial to cultivation as the Yellow Dragon Pill, Golden Pith Pellet, and so on, in Miaoyin City. Lu Qingshan had also told him that he had never seen pills that could be compared with the Yellow Dragon Pill in the Truth Sect. Giving it some thought, Qingfeng had decided that it was either because Lu Qingshan had been too low in status that he wasn¡¯t eligible to come into contact with such pills or that there simply weren¡¯t any pills for cultivation in the Truth Sect. But, in either case, the preciousness of the Yellow Dragon Pills could be discerned. If Lu Qingfeng were to sell the prescriptions of the Spirit Cleansing Power and the Nourishing Pills to Sapphire Gate, with Sapphire Gate¡¯s power and influence, how could the Emery Drugstore possibly compete with them? Besides, as Yellow Dragon Pills were rare and hard to sell, they might become unsustainable. A one-time trade truly wasn¡¯t worth it. ¡°I admire your straightforwardness, Mr. Lu!¡± Surprisingly, there wasn¡¯t any dissatisfaction on Kang Zizai¡¯s face. He added, ¡°Sapphire Gate is now in short supply of all kinds of medicinal supplies. Since it isn¡¯t convenient for you to sell the prescriptions, I wonder if you would be willing to cooperate with Sapphire Gate?¡± ¡°Cooperate?¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at Kang Zizai. ¡°Precisely.¡± Seeing that Lu Qingfeng was somewhat tempted, Kang Zizai quickly added, ¡°Herbs will be provided by the Sapphire Gate, while you and the Emery Drugstore must prioritize your sales of the Mending Gold Powder, Blood Jade Ointment, Detox Pellet, and the other medicines, totaling ten types, to Sapphire Gate. The price difference can be converted into silver taels or other resources. ¡°What do you think, Mr. Lu?¡± Kang Zizai¡¯s first goal in inviting Lu Qingfeng to this banquet was to acquire the prescriptions in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s possession, and, in the case of rejection, he would seek what was less attractive than his original objective. ¡°Cooperation is most welcomed,¡± Lu Qingfeng nodded and agreed. When Kang Zizai heard him, he was overjoyed. Both sides quickly set the seal on the details of the cooperation, and, without delay, Lu Qingfeng bid them adieu. ¡°Mr. Kang, we didn¡¯t get anything from him this time.¡± Watching Lu Qingfeng departing from the window, Zhou Hong, who had white hair on both his temples, turned to Kang Zizai and said, ¡°Lu Qingfeng is no simple person if he was able to have escaped the heart of the Truth Sect¡¯s jurisdiction along with his younger brother and sister. According to our intel, he is at least in Level 7 of the Fetal Phase and is responsible for the death of a deacon of the Truth Sect¡¯s Punishment Hall. But from what I¡¯ve seen of him today, he has revealed none of his Inner Chi. No matter how I look at him, he doesn¡¯t seem like someone who has come across an inheritance and has the potential to amount to something by cultivating on his own.¡± Kang Zizai¡¯s smile never left his face. His tone of voice was calm and his eyes revealed a thoughtful look. When Liu Ren, who was standing nearby, heard these words, he said with a frown, ¡°Mr. Zhou, do you mean that there must be someone providing him with guidance from behind the scenes?¡± ¡°Probably an 8 or 9 out of 10. I dare not confirm.¡± Kang Zizai shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°This time, we didn¡¯t get the prescriptions, nor did we find out who are the ones behind Lu Qingfeng. But at the very least, we did establish some long-term cooperation with him. It is only a matter of time for us to find out what kind of person is behind those siblings.¡± ¡­ ¡°They are testing me.¡± Lu Qingfeng walked out of the Four Seasons, smiling mischievously to himself. Although Kang Zizai and the others have seemingly revealed nothing, Lu Qingfeng could tell that they were trying to sound him out. But it does make sense. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s sudden appearance in Miaoyin City along with his siblings and running a drugstore with a pretty good business was naturally going to draw someone¡¯s attention. After all, this probing hadn¡¯t come until they¡¯d been here for two months. Lu Qingfeng felt that in fact they had been a little slow. He had overestimated the alertness of the people of Miaoyin City. However, based on Kang Zizai¡¯s courteous behavior from beginning to end today, he must¡¯ve misunderstood and believed that someone powerful was behind Lu Qingfeng. It was true that, if Lu Qingfeng were to encounter three siblings walking out of a village in the Truth Sect¡¯s hinterland, passing through mountains after mountains, settling down in Miaoyin City, and then running a pretty impressive drugstore, he wouldn¡¯t look down upon them either. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I guess.¡± ¡°At least I don¡¯t have to worry about my herb supply.¡± ¡°I can also seize this opportunity to collect materials required to craft puppets through Sapphire Gate.¡± Refining a puppet required a huge amount of materials. Although the materials weren¡¯t all that precious and they could be found everywhere within the Sun Nation, quantity was the main issue. With Lu Qingfeng¡¯s lack of connections, acquiring the materials wasn¡¯t going to be an easy task. If Sapphire Gate would do it for him, it could save him a lot of energy. Certainly, however, Lu Qingfeng also knew that long-term cooperation could easily get him exposed. Once Kang Zizai, or should we say, Sapphire Gate was behind him, and they had seen through their fantasy that there was someone behind Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t predict what actions they would take. ¡°In terms of pill refining, I have mastered the Golden Pith Pellet that will be used at the later stages of the Fetal Phase, and the Chi Infusing Pill and Chi Cycling Powder that wield miraculous effects during one¡¯s ascension to the Genuine Chi Phase and improving one¡¯s Genuine Chi. Next, I shall mainly focus on my research in Puppet Crafting.¡± Lu Qingfeng felt an overwhelming sense of urgency. If Sapphire Gate could notice him, who knows if Miaoyin City¡¯s leader would also cast an eyes on him as well? By relying on Miaoyin City, he could deter Sapphire Gate. As long as he doesn¡¯t go out of the city, even if Sapphire Gate wanted to do him harm, they could only do it secretly. Under the circumstances where their information about him was amiss, he was confident that he could escape. But as for Miaoyin City! After all, the siblings were right within Miaoyin City. If Miaoyin City¡¯s leader wanted to deal with him, sending a group of his Black Soldiers would give them more than enough trouble. ¡°Well, becoming stronger, it is!¡± Lu Qingfeng clenched his fists and returned to his dwelling. ¡­ ¡°Qingfeng!¡± In the small courtyard, Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu stood anxiously waiting. Seeing Lu Qingfeng pushing the door open, they could finally relax. ¡°Just a regular banquet.¡± Lu Qingfeng smiled at the two. Lu Qingshan pursed his mouth and did not speak, but Lu Qingyu stepped forward, hugged Lu Qingfeng¡¯s arm, and muttered, ¡°Who knows if it was a Feast at Hongmen [1]? What if those people aren¡¯t afraid of Miaoyin City¡¯s leader and put poison in the wine and food?¡± When Lu Qingyu had come home and heard Lu Qingshan say that her eldest brother had gone to the Four Seasons for a banquet, she had been on pins and needles. Imagining an ambush! Imagining the food being poisoned! She did a great job of frightening herself. Now that she saw Lu Qingfeng returning safe and sound, although she was relieved, she still couldn¡¯t keep herself from complaining. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± Lu Qingfeng could never defeat Qingyu in an argument, so he had to nod to her constantly and promise her that he wouldn¡¯t risk himself ever again. The siblings talked for a moment more in the courtyard. Their conversation was mainly about safety awareness. Lu Qingfeng exhorted Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu to pay special attention in the future days, especially toward strangers that approached them or that frequently appeared. As Sapphire Gate couldn¡¯t find anything on him, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that they wouldn¡¯t shift their target toward Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu. Later on that evening¡­ Lu Qingfeng answered the questions the two of them had about their cultivations, then he logged into ¡°Primitive¡±. ¡­ [1] Feast at Hongmen. Refers to a famous episode in 206 BC, when future Han Emperor Liu Bang escaped an attempted murder by his rival, Xiang Yu. Chapter 32 Logging into the game, Lu Qingfeng looked at his Attribute Panel. The attributes listed in the panel in the game were similar to what he had in reality, though his cultivation base was slightly higher in the game. During the past eight years, Lu Qingfeng had completely stopped working on Talisman Crafting. As the saying goes, a jack of all trades is a master of none. Pill Refining, Talisman Crafting, Tool Refining: each of these subjects was extensive and profound. A cultivator mightn¡¯t be able to master all of them even if he spent his entire life trying. Although Lu Qingfeng had plenty of time, he didn¡¯t want to behave irresponsibly. Otherwise, he could waste his time and accomplish nothing in the end. Among the three subjects listed above, Pill Refining was the most absolutely necessary. Bearing in mind the siblings¡¯ innate talent levels, they would basically not have made any progress at all without the benefit of pills. There were always a lot of restrictions when it came to pills, and, what¡¯s more, it could be difficult to find the pills that they needed. Therefore, for these reasons, it was evident that Pill Refining was a required course. Talisman Crafting and Tool Refining both involved methods of combat and defense. Previously, Lu Qingfeng had cultivated in Talisman Crafting because, in the depths of the mountains where he¡¯d been living, there hadn¡¯t been enough resources for him to refine tools. So he had opted for the second-best choice and cultivated in Talisman Crafting as a temporary measure. Now, though, having already settled in Miaoyin City, he could collect the various resources that he needed for Tool Refining in the city. And he had decided to leave Talisman Crafting aside for now and focus on Tool Refining. After all, compared to Runic Equipment and Magical Artifacts, talismans were consumables, and, what¡¯s more, as Lu Qingfeng improved in strength, the pace of his mastering of the crafting of talismans wouldn¡¯t keep up. For instance, at present, although Lu Qingfeng was still in Level 4 of the Fetal Phase, his actual combat capability could very well match up against those in the Genuine Chi Phase. Up until now, he could still only refine low-level talismans. That would do if he were up against cultivators in the early and middle stages of the Fetal Phase, but against cultivators in the late Fetal Phase, the talismans wouldn¡¯t be strong enough. They would be of little value. They would definitely be no match for Lu Qingfeng¡¯s abilities in refining tools. Even the lowliest Tier 1 Runic Equipment could provide gains and bonuses to Lu Qingfeng at this moment. Besides, by mastering the crafting of a few Runic Equipments, he could completely arm himself. Evidently, this was more suitable than talismans. Besides, the grade of crafted talismans was closely related to one¡¯s cultivation stage. The important thing was to craft them at one stretch. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s Inner Chi was limited. Hence, the talismans he could craft were at best on the intermediate level, which could pose a threat to cultivators in the late Fetal Phase only. If one argued that he could win by quantity, all that really did was consume his time. Thus, since the beginning of this new life, Lu Qingfeng had given up on Talisman Crafting. And, on Pill Refining, he had basically only focused on the pills that were beneficial to cultivation. For example, the Intermediate-grade Golden Pith Pellet and the Advanced-grade Chi Infusing Pill and Chi Cycling Powder. The former was suitable to be taken at the later stages of the Fetal Phase, and could increase one¡¯s Inner Chi. The latter two could improve one¡¯s Genuine Chi and were also very helpful to aid one in advancing through the bottleneck from the Fetal Phase to the Genuine Chi Phase. Lu Qingfeng was constantly training himself in these three pills. Besides, he also had the two top-level Pill Refining Apprentices, Wang Tao and Yue Ran, and the Pill Refining Master, Mu Yuanyi, available to consult with. Thus, it only took him a few years to master them. In reality, by collecting herbs, he could also commence in the refining of those pills. All his remaining energy could then be placed on Tool Refining and cultivation. Mortals live only a short time. If Lu Qingfeng remained in the Fetal Phase, his life expectancy would be only 68 years. After that, it would take him 16 years to reincarnate. Cultivation and accumulation in the early stages were also things that would hold him back. Therefore, Lu Qingfeng had decided that, in this life, at the same time as he would train in his professions, he would take care of his cultivation. After eight years, his cultivation had reached Level 9 of the Fetal Phase. And this was still under the situation where he had expended a lot of experience points enhancing his pill recipes and the refining method of the Crimson Furnace. Otherwise, he would have already broken into the Genuine Chi Phase. In Singularity, there were plenty of aces. Originally, there had been three great cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage. In the past eight years, someone had ascended to the Foundation Building Stage, and another person had been recruited into it. Now, the guild had five people in the Foundation Building Stage. Powerhouses in the Genuine Chi Phase were numbered in the hundreds. With Lu Qingfeng¡¯s rank in Singularity, if he were to encounter any difficulties in his cultivation and went to others to ask questions, only a few people would actually turn him down. Under the guidance of these past masters in the Genuine Chi Phase and great cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage, Lu Qingfeng had been able to take an incredible number of detours. Coupled with an ample amount of pills to assist him, his cultivation was progressing very rapidly. Normally, without the help of pills, an ordinary disciple in a sect with a Level 4 in innate talent can finish the Fetal Phase in approximately five to eight years. For those in Level 3, it would take about 20 years, and those in Level 2, about 40 years. For those with a Level 1 in innate talent, theoretically, it would be impossible that one would be able to rely on their own hard work to break into the Genuine Chi Phase. They might not even be able to cultivate in the Fetal Phase. This was also the reason why the first trial that the major sects across the Luminous Spirit Realm had in their recruitment process was a minimum Level 4 in innate talent. In the Guangyuan Commandery, the requirements that major sects had for their disciple recruitment were much lower. For instance, in the Truth Sect¡­ For those with a Level 2 in innate talent, it was possible to ascend into the Genuine Chi Phase before the end of their lifetimes. Hence, they were accepted as labor disciples. The Level 3s and 4s, on the other hand, could even become formal disciples. However, those with a Level 1 in innate talent were not accepted. However, the above theories on innate talent were just that, theories. The world was so big that it wasn¡¯t in short supply of people with extremely low innate talents who¡¯d managed to alter their fates and soar into the sky. There were also those with high innate talents who, due to various accidents and unforeseen events, were stranded in the lower cultivation stages. Besides, there were still pills in the world, as well as various methods to aid one in cultivation. This had made it possible that even wastrels with a Level 1 in innate talent could hold on to the hope of one day achieving deity-hood. ¡°Even for a genius, it is inevitable they will use pills to improve their cultivation speeds. For someone of my innate talent, I need a lot of pills to push up my cultivation base. ¡°For any person, if they can¡¯t get their hands on a powerful technique, sooner or later, they will fall into a state where their foundation will be useless. After achieving a certain level, it will be difficult for them to make any progress. When one¡¯s foundation is broken, it is very common for one to have their foundation collapse and their cultivation to go backward. ¡°However, the Authentic-grade Verdant Sword Art is the way of Sword Cultivators that uses its biting Sword Gust to expel pill toxins and condense one¡¯s Inner and Genuine Chi without having to worry about an unstable foundation.¡± Lu Qingfeng chuckled. An Authentic-grade technique was naturally extraordinary. When you were talking about something that all cultivators in the world and even the realm¡¯s top cultivating sects were eager for, how could the beauty of it be explained in a few words? Taking the Verdant Sword Art as an example, putting its various other characteristics to the side, the fact that it could clear up pill toxins, which enabled Lu Qingfeng to use pills unscrupulously to improve his cultivation, would make it a top technique across the world. This was because, during cultivation, it took arduous work for the cultivator to refine the pill toxins, which would slow down the progress of their cultivation. As well, they would have to endure the pain of the refinement by the Sword Gusts. But compared to its multitude of other benefits, these were absolutely not worth mentioning. Right now, Lu Qingfeng was only a small step away from the maximum Level 20. Lu Qingfeng was preparing to raise his Level to 21, thus attaining the Genuine Chi phase! ¡°The difference between the Genuine Chi Phase and the Fetal Phase lies in Genuine Chi and Inner Chi. To advance to the Genuine Chi Phase, one¡¯s Inner Chi must first be purified and compressed into a Genuine Chi. Then, the Genuine Chi will be used to excavate one¡¯s lower elixir field. After the Genuine Chi settles down in one¡¯s elixir field, the Genuine Chi Phase will be attained.¡± Lu Qingfeng recalled the guidance of Mu Yuanyi and the others on the key points for breaking through to the Genuine Chi Phase. He took out a bottle of Chi Infusing Pills from his waist storage bag. At this barrier that one must pass between the Fetal Phase to the Genuine Chi Phase, the efficacy of the Chi Infusing Pills was only second to the top-level pills, the Chi Condensing Pill and the Chi Amassing Pill. With Lu Qingfeng¡¯s identity and wealth, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult for him to have acquired the two latter top-level pills. However, considering the facts that the top-level pills were difficult to refine and the materials to craft them were difficult to find in reality, Lu Qingfeng had decided to use the Chi Infusing Pills to break into the Genuine Chi Phase. Only in this way could he accumulate usable experience in reality. Chapter 33 Consuming a Chi Infusing Pill, Lu Qingfeng could feel a stream of robust energy surging through his body. The Verdant Sword Art revolved, the compressed Inner Chi cycled, the dynamic power of the pill was being refined constantly, and the Inner Chi gradually grew. When half of the pill¡¯s intensity had been consumed, Lu Qingfeng felt the indescribable bottleneck that was hindering his Inner Chi from growing. It felt as if he had been imprisoned. Only by breaking through this imprisonment could he sublimate and soar into the sky. Lu Qingfeng attempted with all his might to break through. However, even after the remaining half of the pill¡¯s medicinal power had been exhausted, Lu Qingfeng was still stuck in Level 9 of the Fetal Phase, and he could even feel that his Inner Chi was dwindling. The moon waxes only to wane! The same goes for Inner Chi. ¡°Looks like one Chi Infusing Pill wasn¡¯t enough.¡± Lu Qingfeng stood up. He had just experienced the difficulty of ascending to the Genuine Chi Phase. Although he had failed, he wasn¡¯t discouraged. He stood up, adjusted his mind, and went right back into refining pills. During the next five days¡­ Lu Qingfeng attempted to break through the bottleneck of the Genuine Chi Phase once or twice a day. At last, on the fifth day, Lu Qingfeng refined an eighth Chi Infusing Pill and consumed it, and a breakthrough occurred! Like a crumbling mountain¡­ Like a tsunami¡­ His majestic Inner Chi swept through his body, converged into a mighty stream, and gushed downward. Amid this process of the downward surge, the Inner Chi gradually condensed into a single torrent, which stormed toward the invisible bottleneck. Crack! The bottleneck shattered! Like a carp leaping through a dragon¡¯s gate, after breaking through the bottleneck, the Inner Chi quickly condensed. The Inner Chi that had originally felt like a bellowing river crackled in an instant, and amid a pervasive mist, it was reduced into the thickness of a strand of hair. However, the power contained within such a thread was far beyond Lu Qingfeng¡¯s imagination. It was much more potent than the power contained within his Inner Chi that had surged like a river the moment before. Boom! With the emergence of this thread, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s mind was blasted with an energetic roar. After an instant of dizziness came unceasing clarity. It was as if a valve had been opened somewhere within his body, and the thread submerged itself into it and coiled downward. Waves of Chi flowed across the meridians in his body, passing through the thread repeatedly, then continuing their cycle. ¡°Genuine Chi!¡± ¡°Elixir field!¡± Lu Qingfeng was enlightened. This thread-like energy was Genuine Chi that had been transformed from the extremely concentrated Inner Chi. The mysterious place where Genuine Chi lay was in a person¡¯s elixir field. Genuine Chi derived! His elixir field opened up! ¡°Genuine Chi Phase. It is done!¡± ¡­ ¡°Congratulations, Qingfeng!¡± Lu Qingfeng was reflecting on everything that was going on while working in the Onyx Tool Refining Chamber when Zhang Zong walked up to him with an exhausted face and congratulated him with a forced smile. ¡°It¡¯s the Genuine Chi Phase.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head and looked at Zhang Zong. Two months had gone by since Lu Qingfeng had broken into the Genuine Chi Phase. More than two months ago, a tiny combat party under Mu Yuanyi¡¯s command had gone out on a mission. Zhang Zong had followed them. He was Singularity¡¯s one and only top-level Tool Refining Apprentice, and Mu Yuanyi and the rest of the party were mostly using puppets. Should the puppets sustain any damage, Zhang Zong would need to repair them on the spot. Hence, as long as it was an important mission, Zhang Zong would have to tag along with the party. He didn¡¯t need to go onto the battlefield, so in general, things should have been easier for him. However, judging by Zhang Zong¡¯s exhausted look, this mission had probably not been an easy one. ¡°Brother Zhang, what¡¯s going on?¡± Seeing Zhang Zong like this, Lu Qingfeng halted what he was doing. More than two months ago was the time when Lu Qingfeng had gone offline before he broke through to the Genuine Chi Phase. At this time, beast tides had begun cropping up frequently within the Yue Nation¡¯s boundaries. The Courtyard of Destiny was put in charge of overseeing one direction. All the nine cities including the Twilight City were placed under the Courtyard of Destiny¡¯s protection. In the event of a beast tide, the Courtyard of Destiny would have to send people to deal with it immediately. As the Singularity Guild was the Courtyard of Destiny¡¯s peripheral force, they naturally couldn¡¯t escape the affair. Being away for two months this time, as Zhang Zong had been able to return safely, it should imply that the war had been won. However, the specific situation was yet to be known. ¡°It¡¯s not good!¡± Zhang Zong¡¯s eyes were tired, and his face seemed rather solemn. ¡°The beast tide this time was launched without any warning signs. Not only the nine major cities under the jurisdiction of the Courtyard of Destiny but also the entire southern border of the Yue Nation have reported varying degrees of turmoil. There are signs that indicate that this may all be the doing of the Spectral Cult.¡± ¡°Spectral Cult?¡± Lu Qingfeng raised his eyebrows. Although he had never run into this cult, he had heard many rumors about them. The Dongsheng Continent was divided into the three nations of Yue, Qian, and Jin, where the forces of righteousness were slimmer than the forces of evil. Among the nations, there were four sects within the Yue Nation, all of which were built on Yunmeng Mountain. For example, the 100 Art Sect, which the Courtyard of Destiny belonged to, was headquartered at Ascension Peak on the west side of Yunmeng Mountain. Therefore, the four sects of the Yue Nation, also called the Four Sects of Yunmeng, belonged to the upright sects. However, the three sects of the Qian and Jin Nations were cults, collectively labeled as the Six Demonic Cults. Among the Six Demonic Cults, the Spectral Cult was a massive cult located in the southeast of the Qian Nation. Their overall strength was equal to that of the 100 Art Sect. The 100 Art Sect and the Spectral Cult lay on land adjacent to each other, and there had always been frictions, which consisted mostly of tiny skirmishes. This time, the Spectral Cult had seemed excessively hostile and had even teamed up with Demon Beast. Their ulterior motives were yet to be known. ¡°The 100 Art Sect will deal with the Spectral Cult. Our job was just to deal with the beast tides. But during these times, Qingfeng, you and your pals may have to get involved. The Courtyard of Destiny has been issuing missions on Pill Refining, and since Singularity is the best at Pill Refining, we have been assigned the most tasks,¡± Zhang Zong said, looking at Lu Qingfeng. Lu Qingfeng nodded slightly. In Singularity, Mu Yuanyi was a Tier 1 Pill Refining Master, and under him were the two top-level Pill Refining Apprentices, Wang Tao and Yue Ran. What¡¯s more, they also had a unique Pill Refining Apprentice, Lu Qingfeng. Hence, it was only natural that the Courtyard of Destiny would be inclined to give Pill Refining missions to Singularity. As an elder of Singularity who was independently in charge of a Pill Refining Chamber, the burden on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s shoulders wasn¡¯t going to be small at all. However, since Singularity had treated him well over the years, Lu Qingfeng had no complaints. ¡°Let¡¯s leave that topic aside. Ascending into the Genuine Chi Phase is a great thing. Qingfeng, I think you haven¡¯t even stepped down from Singularity Mountain once over the past few years. Soon, in Snivel Town, the major guilds are going to be organizing a small auction event. Are you interested?¡± Zhang Zong continued speaking to Lu Qingfeng with a smile, ¡°You are the most well-off person in Singularity. The auction will be held after the beast tide. The next beast tide or battle may come at any time, so there will definitely be a heck of a lot of goodies.¡± The major guilds had just withdrawn from the front line of fighting the beast tide, and people would need a few days to recuperate and rebuild their energy. The auction was scheduled to be held in three days. At that time, the guild of Singularity would organize a group to head down the mountain to Snivel Town. Singularity was also one of the initiators of this auction. Lu Qingfeng was for certain going to attend such a great event. ¡­ With three days to go before the auction, Lu Qingfeng completed the Pill Refining missions assigned to him and the Emery Pill Refining Chamber by Singularity and took time to practice and study puppet crafting in the meantime. During these two months, he had been trying to craft puppets. The refining of puppets was far more complex than ordinary Magical Artifacts. For example, on the giant puppet controlled by Mu Yuanyi, not to mention the puppet itself, just the equipment it had on it was a combination of several Magical Artifacts. Tier 2 Magical Artifact, Sawtooth Blade! Tier 2 Magical Artifact, Onyx Buckler! Tier 1 Magical Artifact, Bone Killing Arrows! There were also some auxiliary Magical Artifacts. Aside from these Magical Artifacts, there was also the puppet itself. From the overall structure to the inner and outer Runic Arrays and then to the Twin Stone¡­ A multitude of things. It was already difficult for an ordinary Tool Refiner to master the refining of one Magical Artifact. The energy and effort required to refine a puppet were dozens of times more than ordinary Magical Artifacts. Chapter 34 ¡°Creating a puppet from scratch is too difficult. Even a human-sized puppet is no easy task.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a puppet that I could disassemble and study as I pleased, perhaps it would be very helpful for me.¡± After failing for the ninth time, Lu Qingfeng went to Mu Yuanyi and asked to buy two low-level puppets from the Courtyard of Destiny. Mu Yuanyi agreed. However, right now, the Courtyard of Destiny was operating at full capacity. Under the command of the 100 Art Sect, they were constantly having to deal with beast tide after beast tide, while, at the same time, they had to battle the aces of the Spectral Cult who were lurking in the dark. With all their disciples endangered, all the puppets were considered a part of their strength. Sure enough, they wouldn¡¯t provide them that easily. Mu Yuanyi couldn¡¯t guarantee that he could acquire them. ¡°Spectral Cult!¡± After listening to everything that Mu Yuanyi had told him, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but develop an ill-feeling toward the Spectral Cult. If it had been peaceful times, with Mu Yuanyi¡¯s connections, buying two low-level puppets wouldn¡¯t have been difficult at all. However, at present, it had become a difficult task. Even if he could acquire them, the price would be several times higher than normal. It was no wonder that Lu Qingfeng was upset with the Spectral Cult. It just couldn¡¯t be helped. Puppet samples couldn¡¯t be found for the time being, and he obviously couldn¡¯t just disassemble and study the puppets in Singularity. Lu Qingfeng could only proceed to try to refine one on his own. There were many types of puppets. To classify them in detail, those that required someone to be in them to control them was one type; those that could be remotely controlled with Twin Stones was another type; and those that could operate autonomously according to remote instructions was another type. They were also classified according to their usage: there were combat puppets, auxiliary puppets, special puppets, and so on. In terms of appearance, they could further be classified as: humanoid puppets, beast-shaped puppets, and so on. The first type that Lu Qingfeng studied was the humanoid puppet. To refine a humanoid puppet, a human-shaped frame must first be constructed from metal, special materials, or the bones of Demon Beasts. Depending on the design, a puppet could be large or small. Taking the gigantic puppet Mu Yuanyi used, for example: it was engraved with many Runic Arrays due to its colossal body size. With many Runic Arrays, its power was naturally robust. Lu Qingfeng had probed into it. That giant puppet was classified as a Level 6 puppet. When Mu Yuanyi was inside it, he could unleash powers in the fourth phase of the Foundation Building Stage, the Body Tempering Phase. Among beings in the Foundation Building Stage, it was a peerless existence. However, the entire body of such giant puppets was supported by the skeleton of the Mountain Driving Beast, while its external frame was made of Black Iron. The nodes in its interior were made of Cloud Marbles, and connecting the joints were the tendons of Tier 5 and Tier 6 Demon Beasts and the 1,000-year rubber produced by ancient oak trees. Lu Qingfeng had to search for all these materials. Black Iron, for example, was almost impossible for Lu Qingfeng to get his hands on. Whether the skeleton of the Mountain Driving Beast, Cloud Marble, the tendons of Tier 5 and Tier 6 Demon Beasts, or the 1,000-year rubber, they were all very difficult to obtain in Miaoyin City. Not to mention that apart from these materials, the giant puppet¡¯s Runic Arrays also required Mithril, Tanned Beast Tendons, and Spirit Water. So, for now, giant puppets were shoved out of the picture. For Lu Qingfeng, small puppets looked as if they were going to be the easiest to refine in reality. Three days passed in a flash. Lu Qingfeng learned a little bit more about tanning the tendons of common beasts and Tier 1 and Tier 2 Demon Beasts. If he wished to refine Runic Arrays into beast tendons, he would still need to work hard on it. At this moment, the small-scale auction co-hosted by the major guilds in Snivel Town began. Lu Qingfeng went to the venue with Mu Yuanyi, Zhang Zong, Wang Tao, and the other senior members of Singularity. ¡­ Since he¡¯d first come into contact with cultivation, excluding in reality, this was the first time Lu Qingfeng had ever partaken in an auction. The world of cultivation! Before Lu Qingfeng had traversed across worlds, through the various online novels that he had read, what had left the deepest impression on him about the world of cultivation were the cities and the markets, black markets, and auctions of both large and small sizes that could be seen everywhere. Lu Qingfeng was pretty excited. ¡°In this auction, aside from the assorted materials obtained from the Demon Beasts, there are many broken puppets and Magical Artifacts. Qingfeng, since you have been addicted to puppets recently, it¡¯ll be an eye-opener for you,¡± Zhang Zong said as he walked side by side with Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Well said, Zhang.¡± ¡°Though the puppets have no repair value, purchasing them for research or disassembling the parts on them to patch up other puppets can still be considered an efficient use of resources.¡± When Mu Yuanyi heard Zhang Zong¡¯s words, he turned around and smiled at Lu Qingfeng. ¡°Qingfeng, If you are going to buy them, consider selling the parts to the guild at a low price after you complete your research.¡± The Courtyard of Destiny oversaw 300 miles of mountains and nine big cities. The major guilds were the vanguards to deal with the beast tides. With beast tides coming unceasingly, due to carelessness, even the puppets with formidable defenses might be destroyed or be subjected to various damage that could cause them to be scrapped. If broken puppets were discarded, it would too much of a waste. If the puppet belonged to a guild, they would disassemble the usable parts and keep on using them. There were also some that would straightforwardly sell their battered puppets via various channels. This time, at the small-scale auction event in Snivel Town, there would definitely be a plethora of these broken puppets. After Lu Qingfeng heard this, the anticipation in his heart grew even stronger. Soon, they arrived in Snivel Town. The auction venue was in the central square of Snivel Town. This place no longer looked as it had when Lu Qingfeng came for the first time. ¡°Great oaks from little acorns grow!¡± ¡°What a great phrase!¡± Lu Qingfeng raised his head, looked at the tall buildings before his eyes, and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. Over the years, a large pagoda-shaped building had been erected in the previously empty square. The first floor below was empty and major guilds were stationed there. The second and third floors, on the other hand, were full of seats. When there was no auction, small booths would be in the place of those seats, just like the market in Emery Town. If the major guilds held auctions, these seats would be temporarily placed in storage and be used as VIP seats. Lu Qingfeng and other senior members of Singularity entered the third floor. At the same level as they were, there were the seven old guilds from Snivel Town, the top eight guilds from Mountain Shade Town, and disciples from the Courtyard of Destiny. The second floor was reserved for the emerging guilds in the two small towns and the reputable freewheeling cultivators nearby. The first floor was for the freewheeling cultivators with no background. Lu Qingfeng looked at the first floor and saw hundreds of freewheeling cultivators arriving. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are there really so many freewheeling cultivators near Snivel Town?¡± He didn¡¯t travel around very often, and he really was oblivious of these things. ¡°There certainly are.¡± ¡°Since the Courtyard of Destiny occupied more than 300 miles of Emerald Mountain and the gradual formations of the two towns of Snivel and Mountain Shade, the freewheeling cultivators accumulated nearby have been on the rise. After the establishment of the major guilds, the rise and fall of guilds have caused the proliferation of techniques and the increase of freewheeling cultivators, which has led to the scale it is today,¡± Mu Yuanyi explained. Among these freewheeling cultivators, if one or two of them amounted to something, established a clan, and got their techniques passed down by some good fortune, this would be the embryonic form of the Cultivating Clans. Aside from this that could be the source of Cultivating Clans, when disciples of the Courtyard of Destiny marry, settle down, and aid their future generations to cultivate and enter the Path, over time, it was also possible for them to form an inheritance bonded by blood. At present, the Courtyard of Destiny had only been established for a short time. Cultivating Clans had not yet emerged. But in the 100 Art Sect, there were a not at all small number of Cultivating Clans that existed both inside and outside the sect. Another example were the Cultivating Clans located in the city of Twilight. The strength of these Cultivating Clans was often not strong. Although they have many heirs, only a very few could truly embark on the path of cultivation and become great cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage. ¡°I see.¡± Listening to the explanations and comments of Mu Yuanyi, Wang Tao, and the others, Lu Qingfeng started to understand this world even better and became even more integrated into it. Chapter 35 All of a sudden, the auction began. A round platform rose in the center of the first floor. An old man in a black-and-white robe walked up onto the platform unhurriedly, looked around, and said in a sonorous voice, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the auction.¡± ¡°I, Mo Tiannan, am honored to have been invited by the 36 guilds to preside over this rare auction event on Emerald Mountain.¡± Mo Tiannan! He was a prestigious freewheeling cultivator who traveled throughout the nine cities and who had long ago ascended into the Foundation Building Stage. With someone of his reputation presiding over this auction, there was a big chance that he would bring fame to the name of Snivel Town¡¯s auction event. If the auction went well today, it might become established and could be held forever. This was the wish of the 36 guilds in Snivel Town and Mountain Shade Town. After all, the profits that an auction could generate were considerable. ¡°Today, all of you are here for the auction, so this old man will not waste your time. As this is the first auction that has ever been held here, I will explain the rules of the auction in advance. ¡°For all the items in this auction, a starting bid will be decided by the seller. Everyone can place bids at will, and the item will be sold to the highest bidder. In this auction, we will be using Spirit Stones as the bid unit. Those who have insufficient Spirit Stones can use other items of the same value to trade. The specific value of the items offered for trade will be determined by the appraisers of all 36 guilds. ¡°As this auction has been set up in a rather hasty manner, if you have any treasures that you haven¡¯t had time to place on the auction block, you can let our master appraiser accompany you to see the items and evaluate them for you. If the appraiser deems the items eligible for bidding, they will be added to the auction. ¡°For my fellow friends who came here just to bid, this auction will become increasingly mysterious as it goes on because no one knows exactly what the auction will receive as treasures, which will be arriving while the auction is going on.¡± Mo Tiannan¡¯s loud, powerful voice reached the ears of every cultivator in the venue, successfully heating up the atmosphere. Then, as his opening his pitch finished¡­ ¡°Without further ado, let¡¯s bring out our first item.¡± As soon as his voice stopped speaking, someone brought out the first lot. It was a model of a black-and-green small boat the size of a man¡¯s palm. Mo Tiannan held up the small boat and said loudly, ¡°This treasure is called the Boat of the Divine Wind. It is a flying Magical Artifact crafted by the renowned Han Sanren from the fins and tail of an Ink Dragon that he slaughtered. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t have to elaborate on the great Han Sanren. The Boat of the Divine Wind is a Tier 2 Magical Artifact, engraved with a total of 15 Nether Prohibition Runic Arrays. The starting bid is 220 Spirit Stones.¡± Wow! The auction was starting out with a Tier 2 Magical Artifact! This item was awesome. Many cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage didn¡¯t even have Tier 1 Magical Artifacts in their possession, much less Tier 2 Magical Artifacts. They were still using top-level Runic Equipment. The excellence of the item could also be deduced from its price. The starting bid for the Boat of the Divine Wind was already 220 Spirit Stones, enough to build more than 40 Pill Refining Chambers the size of the Emery Pill Refining Chamber! It was unimaginable how precious Magical Artifacts were. For many great cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage who had had no attainments on the path to wealth, even with all their assets combined, they might not have had very many Spirit Stones. They could only lament their lack of assets at this time. ¡°Han Sanren!¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the few Tier 2 Tool Refining Masters within the boundaries of Emerald Mountain. It is said that he has dedicated his whole life to Tool Refining, and is neither with the faction of the righteous or the evil. He is hailed as Old Demon Han, and, because he is most proficient in the art of escaping, he is also jokingly addressed as Han the Roadrunner. I¡¯m sure people will go berserk for a flying Magical Artifact refined by him.¡± As a top-level Tool Refining Apprentice, Zhang Zong was extremely attentive about any information regarding the Tool Refining profession. Evidently, he had heard of this fellow, Han Sanren. As obsessed as Lu Qingfeng was with cultivation, he had very little knowledge about it. He only felt sure that making this trip was the correct choice. Even if he couldn¡¯t manage to purchase any suitable treasures, listening to these strange stories was well worth the journey. Sure enough, as Zhang Zong had expected¡­ After the Boat of the Divine Wind was put up for bidding, its price swiftly surged all the way from the starting bid of 220 Spirit Stones to 300 Spirit Stones before gradually slowing down. Generally speaking, the price of Tier 2 Magical Artifacts would range from 200 to 400 Spirit Stones. With 15 Prohibition Runic Arrays, the Boat of the Divine Wind was considered in the middle classes among Tier 2 Magical Artifacts, which would value it at approximately 300 Spirit Stones. But as Han Sanren was the one who had refined it, it was considered more valuable. However, if the price got too high, bidders would have to consider if it was really worth the money. ¡°These people are real tycoons!¡± Lu Qingfeng looked at these people whose eyes didn¡¯t even blink when they were placing their enormous bids. He was utterly dumbfounded. Before he¡¯d gotten here, Zhang Zong and the rest had even teased him by saying that he could buy out the entire auction. Now that he had witnessed these real tycoons in action, he learned that his wealth was nothing in comparison. Over the years, he had made extremely high profits off the low-level pills like the Yellow Dragon Pill. He was capable of reaching three times the net profit in the manufacture of these pills. And, even after the guild took its 20 percent, he would still have 240 percent of the profit. After he¡¯d mastered the refining of the Golden Pith Pellet, Chi Cycling Powder, Chi Infusing Pill, and the other intermediate- and advanced-level pills, the profits he was earning increased yet again. By spending two hours per day in Pill Refining, Lu Qingfeng could earn more than two pieces of Spirit Stone fragments. Besides, he also earned a commission for bringing up several apprentices. Over time, excluding the costs of cultivating, mastering new pill recipes, and the resources he expended on Tool Refining, his net worth had arrived at a whopping 28 Spirit Stones. However, compared to those here today who could casually spend 200 or 300 Spirit Stones, Lu Qingfeng might as well be placed among the ranks of the destitute. Wang Tao heard Lu Qingfeng murmuring to himself, and he turned and said with a smile, ¡°They¡¯re all using their guild¡¯s central fund. They are doing so in order to enhance the strength of their guilds. For lone cultivators, even for great cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage, only a very few could ever afford Magical Artifacts of such a caliber.¡± After hearing what Wang Tao had said, Lu Qingfeng felt a lot better on the inside. The wealth of a single individual and that of a guild were truly incomparable. Singularity belonged to the middle reaches among the many guilds across the entire Luminous Spirit Realm. However, they were earning a lot of money courtesy of the many industries they were operating. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s tiny bit of net worth was way too small to ever be comparable. The bidding for the Boat of the Divine Wind was intense, but it soon came to an end. Finally, the Heavenly River Guild acquired the Boat of the Divine Wind at the price of 327 Spirit Stones. This first lot propelled the auction to high level of excitement. Although the subsequent lots were not as precious as the Boat of the Divine Wind, the items were also considered very rare. There were all kinds of precious Magical Artifacts, Runic Equipment, materials from Demon Beasts, rare talismans, rare pills, and even incomplete techniques, spells, and so on. It could be seen that the 36 guilds had put in a lot of effort this time to have gathered that many treasures. Lu Qingfeng had no interest in Magical Artifacts and Runic Equipment, nor could he actually afford them. He had no use for materials obtained from Demon Beasts either. It was the incomplete techniques that intrigued him. But seeing that the incomplete technique was only of the Refined-grade and that it could only be cultivated until the Genuine Chi Phase, Lu Qingfeng lost interest in it. He was now cultivating in the Authentic-grade technique Verdant Sword Art, upgraded from the Lateral-Grade. Only techniques of the Lateral-grade and above could possibly tempt him. However, as things were at present, it was very unlikely that a technique of the Lateral grade would show up at an auction of this scale. Halfway through the auction, the puppets Lu Qingfeng was waiting for finally arrived. In front of Mo Tiannan, a humanoid puppet that was so battered that its internal structures could be seen clearly was lifted up. This humanoid puppet was about 30 feet tall. There was a hole that had been pierced all the way from its chest to its back. In short, it was very damaged. Mo Tiannan spoke passionately, completely ignoring the condition of the puppet. ¡°This is the Combat Puppet of the guild of Novenary. In the beast tide a few days ago, it was inadvertently ambushed by a Demon Beast and thus was very damaged. However, 30 percent of this puppet is still intact. To whoever may acquire it, if you can get yourself a Tool Refiner to help you repair it a little, you will obtain a Level 3 puppet effortlessly!¡± ¡°The bidding starts now. The starting bid is five Spirit Stones!¡± The combat prowess of a Level 3 puppet was equivalent to the first phase of the Foundation Building Stage, the Chi Drawing Phase. If it were a complete Level 3 puppet, its value would be above that of Tier 1 Magical Artifacts, even close to that of Tier 2 Magical Artifacts at approximately 180 Spirit Stones. However, it was apparent that this Level 3 puppet was only 30 percent complete, and, without a doubt, most of its valuable parts would have already been taken out. At best, it was only left with an incomplete framework, a sketchy exoskeleton, and fragmentary Runic Arrays and joint connectors. Such a Level 3 puppet that was almost ready for the scrap heap was actually set at a maddening low base price of five Spirit Stones. For an instant, all three floors of the auction venue were plunged into utter silence. ¡°I bet Novenary must¡¯ve gone mad thinking about how much money they lost.¡± Zhang Zong glanced at a place on the second floor and turned to look at Lu Qingfeng, ¡°Qingfeng, this price is too high, do not bid on it. After the auction, I am confident that I can get it for you from Novenary for two Spirit Stones.¡± The guild of Novenary was evidently trying to scam hot-headed youths who weren¡¯t clear about market prices. Zhang Zong, as a veteran in the field, was worried that Lu Qingfeng would behave recklessly, and hence he couldn¡¯t help but give him some advice. ¡°Thanks for that, Brother Zhang!¡± Lu Qingfeng doesn¡¯t really need large puppets. He truly wasn¡¯t intending to acquire this 30-foot-tall puppet that was so broken yet expensive. But since Zhang Zong had told him that he could obtain it with two Spirit Stones, that was very much within Lu Qingfeng¡¯s acceptable price range. In the latter half of the auction, several puppets appeared, all of which were severely damaged. But in terms of price, they weren¡¯t as expensive as that of Novenary¡¯s. Lu Qingfeng bought one of the puppets that was more than 20 feet high and only 20 percent complete at the price of only one Spirit Stone. To his surprise, toward the end of the auction, two consecutive lots contained his desired items. One of them was a miniature humanoid puppet that Lu Qingfeng had always wanted. It was 70 percent complete and, what¡¯s more, could be remotely controlled. After refining its core, the Twin Stone, one would be able to control the activities of this humanoid puppet within a range of 50 feet. The problem with it was that the combat power of this puppet was too low, only at a Level 2. Even in its complete state, its combat power was only equivalent to the Genuine Chi Phase, which to the many people present, was considered useless. Lu Qingfeng was easily able to buy it with 30 Spirit Stone Fragments. Another item that was placed on auction at the same time as this humanoid puppet was said to be the lifelong learnings of an advanced-level Tool Refining Apprentice on the ways of Tool Refining. He went by the name of Huang Tiangu. Huang Tiangu wasn¡¯t interested in the refining of regular Magical Artifacts. He had dedicated all his energy into Puppet Crafting. His research philosophy was somewhat similar to that of Lu Qingfeng. They both want to develop puppets that could be remotely controlled or even fight autonomously. For nearly 100 years of research, his results were mediocre. The puppets he refined could only be remotely controlled within a range of 50 feet. Besides, the puppets¡¯ capabilities were less than Level 2. They were of little value even for cultivators in the Genuine Chi Phase. Thus, the market for his items wasn¡¯t large. It was said that this person had disappeared for more than a decade. No one had expected that the Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook compiled by him would appear at this auction. No one was interested in the humanoid puppet, but the Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook caught the interest of many. Huang Tiangu had studied puppets for nearly 100 years, and he had also figured out some valuable knowledge. If one could proceed on the basis of his thoughts, perhaps one could really develop a puppet that could be manipulated from a long distance or even execute instructions on its own. Hence, Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook had started with a minimum bid of 50 Spirit Stone Fragments and then soared all the way to eight Spirit Stones. In the end, it was obtained by Lu Qingfeng. Eight Spirit Stones! In exchange for the knowledge of an advanced-level Pill Refining Apprentice, this price was more than just slightly high! It was because many Tool Refining Apprentices and even Tool Refining Masters felt that they could gain some inspiration in Puppet Crafting from this handbook that the item was hiked up to such a high price. But they were seriously lacking in confidence about being able to gain inspiration and breakthroughs from Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook. They only wanted to buy it as a possibility. At seven and eight Spirit Stones, the price was already considered exorbitantly high. They weren¡¯t like Lu Qingfeng, who was determined to get this book and increased his bid unceasingly. With the Ability Upgrade property, Lu Qingfeng was far more confident than these other people. After he acquired the miniature humanoid puppet and Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook, Lu Qingfeng won another bid for the recipe of another pill called the Spirit Breeding Pill. It was said that this elixir was especially used by ancient cultivators to raise and breed Spirit Beasts. It could promote the raising of Spirit Beasts. Unfortunately, during the process of inheritance, the pill recipe had been damaged and flawed, and some medicinal herbs had become extinct over time. With this pill recipe, it was impossible to refine the Spirit Breeding Pill. Lu Qingfeng purchased it as he wanted to try and see if the Ability Upgrade property could make up for the recipe¡¯s imperfections. After all, it would only cost him some 20 Spirit Stone Fragments. Soon after the recipe for the Spirit Breeding Pill was sold, the auction drew to a close. Following the auction of the last lot, the auction, which had been named the Mysterious Auction House, jointly organized by 36 guilds, came to a successful close. During this auction, more than 200 items had been put up for bidding. The event itself could be considered as an auction extravaganza that had rarely happened in recent times. By the looks of it, the Mysterious Auction House had received a great response and would probably go on forever. But these were things that Mu Yuanyi and the leaders of the other top guilds would have to worry about. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t really too care much about them. After obtaining the items he¡¯d wanted, he didn¡¯t linger in Snivel Town. Along with Zhang Zong, Yue Ran, and the others who wanted no part of the bustling atmosphere, he returned to Singularity Mountain. ¡­ Chapter 36 The auction only delayed Lu Qingfeng¡¯s progress for half a day. When he returned to Singularity Mountain, Lu Qingfeng began a new round of cultivation and research. After ascending into the Genuine Chi Phase, cultivation became even more difficult. To get from Level 1 of the Genuine Chi Phase to Level 9 of the Genuine Chi Phase, a total of 100 levels must be passed before one could ascend into the Foundation Building Stage. As well, the experience points needed to gain a level had also increased from an additional five points per level to an additional ten points per level. On the aspect of pills¡­ Yellow Dragon Pills and ordinary Golden Pith Pellets already had no effect on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s cultivation. Only Special Golden Pith Pellets that had been enhanced five times, Chi Infusing Pills, Chi Cycling Powders, and such like could help his cultivation in the Genuine Chi Phase. And his cultivation progress had undergone an inevitable plummet in its speed. His experience points were growing considerably, but they weren¡¯t reaching the amount of experience points required for each level. What¡¯s more, each level was subdivided into ten stages. ¡°Primitive¡± has cultivation stages and levels partitioned extremely meticulously. Even if a cultivator stays in a phase for a very long time, they can perceive the progress of their cultivation from the visible data of experience points and levels. But, at the same time, it can cause despair. Based on his current progress, if Lu Qingfeng doesn¡¯t expend any experience points to perform ability upgrades, there was no hope for him to ascend to the Foundation Building Stage before the end of his life span. It was said that there would be a small bottleneck in every three levels of the Genuine Chi Phase. From the Genuine Chi Phase to the Chi Drawing Phase, there was even a massive bottleneck that had hindered a huge portion of cultivators. Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t confident, even though after he had ascended into the Genuine Chi Phase, the upper cap of his life span had increased from 68 to 100. ¡°In cultivation, everything runs on fate. ¡°100 years in the game is merely a year in reality. Based on my current progression in reality, I won¡¯t be hitting the Genuine Chi Phase for about three to five years. ¡°That means that in the game, I have the time of about three to five lifetimes to repeatedly cultivate in the Genuine Chi Phase and accumulate experience.¡± If he couldn¡¯t achieve a breakthrough in one lifetime, he¡¯d use two! If he couldn¡¯t achieve a breakthrough in two lifetimes, he¡¯d use three! After several lifetimes of accumulating experiences, he would be able to break through the Genuine Chi Phase and ascend into the Foundation Building Stage. His mind was at peace! Cultivation unabated! Should he have any doubts, he would go and ask Zhang Zong, Wang Tao, Lu Hongwen, Mu Yuanyi, etc., about constantly grinding out the various hindrances in cultivation, pursuing progress not too hastily, but trying to fully understand what he was going through. On Puppet Crafting, Zhang Zong was able to provide him with a lot of help. Zhang Zong himself was a top-level Tool Refining Apprentice. Having studied Puppet Crafting for more than 20 years, he had a rich experience. With his guidance, Lu Qingfeng made rapid progress. Time flew by ever so quickly. In a flash¡­ Ten years have passed since the first Mysterious Auction House. ¡­ Within the boundaries of Emerald Mountain¡­ On Singularity Mountain¡­ Located next to the Emery Pill Refining Chamber, another huge building had been erected in recent years. It wasn¡¯t a Pill Refining Chamber, but a Tool Refining Chamber. This Tool Refining Chamber had been built by Lu Qingfeng at his own expense and was named the Emery Tool Refining Chamber. As he went deeper into Puppet Crafting, the number of times he went in and out of Zhang Zong¡¯s Onyx Tool Refining Chamber became more frequent. Sometimes, when inspiration came over him, it was common for him to stay inside and not to come out for ten days or even 15. Although Zhang Zong, Mu Yuanyi, and the others didn¡¯t say anything about it, it was hard to guarantee that the others in Singularity wouldn¡¯t develop an opinion about him. Singularity had grown over the years and was no longer the same group of people it had been during the time when Lu Qingfeng had just joined them. Lu Qingfeng was self-conscious. So he built the Emery Tool Refining Chamber beside the Emery Pill Refining Chamber so that he could be dedicated to the study of Puppet Crafting. On this day¡­ In the Emery Tool Refining Chamber, Lu Qingfeng held a Rune Needle, infused it with his Genuine Chi, and carved Runes on the chest of the metal puppet that shared the same height as him. Lu Qingfeng was extremely focused. Every time the Rune Needle fell, it did so with unparalleled accuracy. He was extremely particular about every single line and the pause at each node. About half an hour later¡­ The Rune Needle in Lu Qingfeng¡¯s hand carved out a beautiful curve. On the chest of the metal puppet, Runic Patterns were gleaming. It was simple yet mysterious, with the ability to keep anyone from looking away! He stared at the metal puppet in front of him without saying a word. He prompted his consciousness, and, all of a sudden, his vision altered, and he saw a young man who was pretty handsome standing in front of him staring blankly into the air. This was Lu Qingfeng establishing a link with the Twin Stone within the metal puppet. Via the Spirit Control Runic Array inside the Twin Stone, his consciousness had entered the puppet and given him control over it. His vision was shared with the puppet. Hence, he was seeing himself as if he was looking in a mirror. This was the same method that Mu Yuanyi and the others used to control their puppets. All sorts of visions and methods of surveying came from the Runic Arrays on the puppet. Lu Qingfeng manipulated the metal puppet, raised its left foot, took a step, and actually managed to move it half a step backward! The puppet didn¡¯t stop. It continued to move. Suddenly to the left, suddenly to the right. Forward, backward, jump, flip¡­ Lu Qingfeng kept trying. This seemingly heavy metal puppet was as flexible as an ordinary person. The unique metal on its body could shrink and extend at will like skin and flesh. It could perform all kinds of actions that ordinary people could, and even actions that ordinary people couldn¡¯t. It could execute actions that exceeded the limitations of human biology. Lu Qingfeng returned to his consciousness, took a few steps forward, and slammed his palm on the metal puppet. The puppet took three steps backward immediately while a scalding palm print appeared on its chest, which looked terrifying. But the puppet halted its backward motion and could still move about freely. It wasn¡¯t affected at all. Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t stop. Smoldering Palm! Yang Finger Technique! Fireball! Frostbite! ¡­ He unleashed techniques and spells, striking every part of the puppet¡¯s body. After a series of brutal attacks, the puppet¡¯s body was full of dents and scratches. It already looked as if it had been tragic for a very long time. However, the joy on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s face intensified. When the last kick was delivered, the metal puppet was hurled away dozens of feet before it dropped to the ground. The metal puppet bounced back and stood up again. ¡°It is done!¡± Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t go after it this time. He stood in the same place with an extremely excited expression! 18 years had passed in his life. For the first eight years, Lu Qingfeng had begun to study the basics of Puppet Crafting. He¡¯d learned the various basics of Tool Refining, the handling processes of ores, metals, materials, and so on. Then he learned the Art of Mechanisms. After the various basics had been consolidated and the principles clarified, Lu Qingfeng began to formally delve into Puppet Crafting. First, he obtained the most widespread puppet-refining methods from Singularity and Zhang Zong. That included the overall structure of puppets, the construction of various Runic Arrays inside and outside the puppet, including the refining of the Spirit Core Runic Array, the Spirit Control Runic Array, the refining of an ordinary Twin Stone, and dozens of other Runic Arrays. This kind of puppet was limited by the Twin Stone. It would only allow cultivators to enter and then manipulate the puppet to fight via physical contact with the Twin Stone. Hence, the puppets were huge, at least 20 feet tall. Lu Qingfeng started his research with this kind of puppet, and after he obtained the Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook at the first Mysterious Auction House, he then turned to study small puppets. For ten whole years¡­ During the first seven years, he was constantly drilling Runic Array after Runic Array and the structure of every part of a puppet. Then he got into being able to refine a puppet with a complete structure, yet that was plagued with a plethora of problems. He was repeatedly failing, repeatedly starting over! Although the materials he used were very ordinary, all these countless experiments still cost a lot of money. Lu Qingfeng¡¯s income from Pill Refining was all used by him to craft puppets. Based on Lu Qingfeng¡¯s attainments in Pill Refining, his Yellow Dragon Pills, Golden Pith Pellets, Chi Infusing Pills, Chi Cycling Powders, and other pills were very sought after. Every year, he would earn at least ten Spirit Stones. Over the course of ten years, that would mean more than 100 Spirit Stones. This was enough to buy several Tier 1 Magical Artifacts or dozens of Level 2 puppets! Seeing the hefty investment it cost him, it was no wonder that Zhang Zong ultimately chose to give up after more than 20 years of research, and why the 100 Art Sect established themselves as a sect of puppets, yet kept their high-end methods of Puppet Crafting an extremely deep secret, allowing only a very few Tool Refiners in the sect to learn how to craft puppets. The reason was simple. It cost too much! The direction of Lu Qingfeng¡¯s research was ordinary puppets in Level 1 and Level 2 that were made with materials that were common and cheap. And because the puppets were small in size, they used fewer materials. If he had been researching larger puppets or high-level puppets, he would have needed to spend ten or even 100 times as much. Recalling the hardships of the past ten years and then looking at the puppet before him, Lu Qingfeng laughed to himself with joy. ¡­ Chapter 37 Truth Exterminator One! Lu Qingfeng named the miniature puppet he¡¯d designed and successfully refined Truth Exterminator One. First, the name signified his resolution to destroy the Truth Sect. Second, the word Exterminator indicated that Truth Exterminator One was a combat-style puppet. ¡°The Truth Exterminator One is a physical combat-style puppet. The Stability and Swift Runic Array is engraved on its legs, and the Power, Vision Clarity, and Precision Runic Array is engraved on its arms. Spirit Energy is amassed inside it to augment the various Runic Arrays. ¡°In the future, I want to equip Truth Exterminator One with bows and arrows and develop it in the direction of making long-range physical attacks. I also want to slightly tune its internal Runic Array and engrave runes of martial arts on the Twin Stone to make it into a melee puppet. Or maybe I¡¯ll engrave magic Runic Arrays and make it a long-range spell-casting puppet.¡± Lu Qingfeng had a fairly detailed development plan for Truth Exterminator One. In fact, over his years of studying the refining of puppets, most of his failures had been due to Lu Qingfeng¡¯s faulty design concepts. More often than not, due to issues in matching the Runic Arrays, the puppets refined according to his designs were either too weak on defense and would crumble after one single strike or too cumbersome and inflexible because of a defensive power that was too potent. After many experiments and revisions, he¡¯d finally come up with a more balanced and complete model in Truth Exterminator One. Although, most certainly¡­ Despite having designed Truth Exterminator One, in order to become proficient in its refinement, Lu Qingfeng would have to go through another 100 or even 1,000 failures. This would be yet another hefty investment. However, the design of Truth Exterminator One was already completed, which implied the accomplishment of the hardest step. The proficiency issues that would follow were nothing in comparison. At the very least, even if a mistake were to happen at a certain step and the refining failed, the previously refined parts would always be usable. Hence, waste would be greatly reduced. ¡°Now, while I¡¯m refining Truth Exterminator One, I shall master the refining of a few Runic Equipments that are compatible with Truth Exterminator One, such as bows, broadswords, spears, shields, and so on. With different Runic Equipments, I will also have to fine-tune the Runic Arrays within Truth Exterminator One, which isn¡¯t very troublesome. ¡°In the meantime, I can also enhance the whole of Truth Exterminator One.¡± Lu Qingfeng prompted his mind. His vision switched to Truth Exterminator One, and the puppet arrived in front of him in a few leaps at a quick speed. The miniature puppets Huang Tiangu had researched were mostly in Level 1 (Fetal Breath Phase equivalent) and Level 2 (Genuine Chi Phase equivalent). With some slight tinkerings of the Twin Stone, he had been able to control the puppets at short distances via the Twin Stone. Up until the moment before Huang Tiangu disappeared without a trace, this short distance was about 50 feet. ¡°I¡¯ve individually stripped the refining method of the Twin Stone in Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook and merged it with the three common Twin Stone refining methods on the market to have them compensate each other¡¯s flaws. I¡¯ve then enhanced the combination twice. ¡°After merging, the controlling distance improved from 50 feet to 100 feet. ¡°The first enhancement improved it from 100 feet to 1,000 feet. ¡°The second enhancement improved it from 1,000 feet to 10,000 feet. ¡°However, I still can¡¯t update to a Twin Stone that can perform control autonomously according to instructions.¡± The update option was very flexible. For example, the Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook could be updated as a whole, either enhanced, merged, or elevated. Due to this technique¡¯s unique property, it could also be separated. For instance, it could enhance the refining method of the Twin Stone alone, or with the Spirit Core Runic Array, Spirit Control Runic Array, and so on. By individually enhancing the refining method of the Twin Stone, after three mergers and two enhancements, the quality of the Twin Stone refined was greatly improved. Even though the Spirit Control Runic Array hadn¡¯t been enhanced, its control range was still increased from 50 feet to 10,000 feet, and the improvements in the puppet¡¯s practicality could even be described as epoch-making. But this hadn¡¯t met Lu Qingfeng¡¯s expectations. An individual¡¯s mental power was limited. An ordinary person could split their attention to control one or two puppets. However, they couldn¡¯t accurately control ten or 100 puppets simultaneously. Even Lu Qingfeng, who had arrived at the Genuine Chi Phase, dared not to claim that he could control three to five puppets proficiently. Moreover, three to five puppets were very far from the Sea of Puppets that Lu Qingfeng desired. ¡°The most exquisite Twin Stone refinement technique is hidden within the 100 Art Sect, and it is unavailable to non-disciples and unlearnable by cultivators below the Cosmic Stage. Even though the Twin Stone I¡¯ve refined with the method I obtained after two enhancements is inferior to that of the 100 Art Sect, it shouldn¡¯t be too different. ¡°Maybe the crux of the autonomous control in puppets is not or not only on the Twin Stone. Perhaps the Spirit Control Runic Array engraved within a puppet is the vital key.¡± Having studied Puppet Crafting for ten long years, Lu Qingfeng summed up his experiences. First¡­ A puppet is composed of a complete system. If only a part of it or a single Runic Array was enhanced, it would cause an overall imbalance in the puppet and give rise to various problems. Lu Qingfeng had suffered a lot in this regard, so he was extra-cautious when doing enhancements. The refining method of the Twin Stone, on the other hand, was one of the few things that had only positive effects and no negative effects toward puppet refining. The Spirit Control Runic Array was engraved in the Twin Stone, which in contrast to the Spirit Core Runic Array, Swift Runic Array, and so on, might allow it to be enhanced separately. ¡°I¡¯ll enhance the Spirit Control Runic Array individually once, and then refine Truth Exterminator One to see if it is as I thought. If enhancing the Spirit Control Runic Array can realize autonomous control in Truth Exterminator One, that would definitely be the best-case scenario.¡± All speculations have to be verified by experiments. Lu Qingfeng expended ten Experience Points to enhance the Spirit Control Runic Array one time. Modifying the Spirit Control Runic Array was the easiest one to enhance. The puppet didn¡¯t have to be re-refined. Lu Qingfeng just had to disassemble Truth Exterminator One, take out the Twin Stone, erase the original Spirit Control Runic Array, and engrave the enhanced version of the Spirit Control Runic Array. The results of the experiment put Lu Qingfeng in seventh heaven. First, no negative effects emerged due to the enhancement of the Spirit Control Runic Array. Second, the reaction speed of Truth Exterminator One was greatly increased. This was exactly what Lu Qingfeng had been expecting. After all, the Spirit Control Runic Array was equivalent to a puppet¡¯s control center and the soul of a human being. With its soul enhanced, it was only natural for its reaction speed to get faster. ¡°The Spirit Control Runic Array has increased from 40 to 60 Runic Arrays, and its sensing range has increased from 10,000 feet to 20,000 feet, making the puppet more flexible during manipulation. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m heading in the right direction!¡± After Lu Qingfeng had gone in and out of the Emery Tool Refining Chamber and tested the sensing range of Truth Exterminator One, the smile on his face got bigger and bigger. ¡°Gotta further enhance it!¡± Upon the second enhancement, the composition of the Spirit Control Runic Array had increased from 60 to 80 Runic Arrays. The sensing range of Truth Exterminator One had improved from 20,000 feet to 30,000 feet and become even more flexible when controlled. Upon the third enhancement, the composition of the Spirit Control Runic Array had increased from 80 to 100 Runic Arrays. The sensing range of Truth Exterminator One had improved from 30,000 feet to 40,000 feet and¡­ ¡°Autonomous control at last!¡± Lu Qingfeng prompted his mind and issued an instruction: Revolve! This time, Lu Qingfeng did not consciously enter the puppet. By issuing an instruction via his link with the Spirit Control Runic Array, he saw Truth Exterminator One start spinning around while staying in the same location. Punch! Sprint! Hop! Truth Exterminator One was able to complete every instruction given by Lu Qingfeng swiftly and accurately. ¡°Attack me!¡± Lu Qingfeng attempted complex instructions. Truth Exterminator One moved its feet, charged toward Lu Qingfeng, and smashed his fist at him! ***Author¡¯s message: leaving this here to hit word count! Chapter 38 ¡°Ha,ha,ha!¡± Lu Qingfeng kicked away Truth Exterminator One. He couldn¡¯t help cracking up. Only by accomplishing his instruction to perform an attack could puppet autonomous control be considered realized. If Lu Qingfeng had to use simple action commands to make it attack, then it would be no different from his consciousness entering the puppet. ¡°By elevating the Twin Stone, what has improved is its sensing range and perhaps the total number of Runic Arrays it can accommodate.¡± Lu Qingfeng remembered that according to the three common Twin Stone refining methods on the market, they could accommodate at most 20 to 30 Runic Arrays, and, with Huang Tiangu¡¯s improved method, the Twin Stone could accommodate 35 Runic Arrays. However, the Twin Stones crafted by the method where Lu Qingfeng had merged them three times and enhanced them twice were able to hold 100 Runic Arrays, and perhaps even more. ¡°Enhancing the Spirit Control Runic Array will optimize its structure and increase the number of Runic Arrays it can accommodate. At 100 Runic Arrays, autonomous control will be realized. I wonder what will happen if I continue to enhance it? However, if the amount of Runic Arrays exceeds the Twin Stone¡¯s capacity, the Twin Stone will also have to be enhanced simultaneously.¡± Lu Qingfeng glanced at his experience points on the Attribute Panel. He had originally been at level 35 (200/250). After enhancing the Spirit Control Runic Array three times, he fell to level 35 (130/250). ¡°I¡¯ve been cultivating without spending any experience points throughout this period of time. I¡¯ve accumulated so many points without even knowing it.¡± After breaking into the Genuine Chi Phase, cultivation had become even more difficult. This was evident from the ten levels needed to ascend into a new level of cultivation phase, compared to the original two levels. Lu Qingfeng had painstakingly cultivated for ten years and had expended only a small amount of experience points to enhance the refining method of the Twin Stone, a few spells, a few pill recipes, and so on. However, he was only in Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase. At this rate, it would be difficult for Lu Qingfeng to break into the Foundation Building Stage before the end of his life span. However, Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t really care. It was inevitable for him to be a little unaccustomed to what he was doing as this was the first time he had cultivated in the Genuine Chi Phase. If he didn¡¯t succeed in this life, he would eventually succeed after a few lives. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect! Right now, he was accumulating experience in advance for his cultivation in the next life. ¡°There are still many interesting aspects between Level 1 and Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase. I¡¯ll take advantage of this opportunity to return to Level 1 of the Genuine Chi Phase to re-cultivate.¡± In this way, the massive amount of experience points from level 21 to level 35 would be enough for Lu Qingfeng to enhance Truth Exterminator One to the limit that was currently attainable at this stage. First was the Twin Stone. He directly enhanced it five times. Under the circumstances where the crafting materials remained intact, the puppet¡¯s fundamental sensing range was increased from the 10,000 feet of the second enhancement to 1,000,000 feet, which was more than 600 miles. Lu Qingfeng estimated that the entire Guangyuan Commandery didn¡¯t even have such a large area. Hence, it was adequate. If it was enhanced any more, the materials to refine the Twin Stone would also need to be upgraded accordingly. Lu Qingfeng wasn¡¯t confident that he could find materials that were this rare in the barren Guangyuan Commandery. Besides, there was still the secondary improvement in range with the Spirit Control Runic Array. The Twin Stone that had been enhanced five times granted a sensing radius of 600 miles on the basis of the original Spirit Control Runic Array. Every time the original Spirit Control Runic Array was enhanced, the sensing range could be increased further by a corresponding multiple. The final sensing range attained with the combination of the five-time-enhanced Twin Stone and five-time-enhanced Spirit Control Runic Array reached an astonishing 4,000 miles. That distance not only covered the Guangyuan Commandery, but could even cover all three commanderies within the Sun Nation and was even able to go beyond. Lu Qingfeng could totally stay in Miaoyin City and attack just about any location within the Sun Nation. Including Ganoderma Mountain! ¡°Long-range attack!¡± Even the thought itself was thrilling. Lu Qingfeng was treating the Cultivation World as a MOBA game. Unfortunately, to realize that, he still had a lot of difficulties to overcome. Besides, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do so in reality, not in less than three to five years. The Twin Stone and Spirit Control Runic Array that had been enhanced to this extent were of great use. Especially the enhancement of the Spirit Control Runic Array. The increase in sensing range was just a bonus. The most important thing was the improvement of a puppet¡¯s spirituality. Upon three enhancements, Truth Exterminator One realized autonomous control. Upon four enhancements, it grew stronger in independence. Upon five enhancements, its spirituality was greatly increased. This change was difficult to describe with data and words. In terms of image, the four-time-enhanced Truth Exterminator One was equivalent to a skylark bird that was not taking Yellow Millet Pills. The five-time-enhanced Truth Exterminator One was equivalent to a skylark bird who had taken Yellow Millet Pills for a long time and who could understand Lu Qingfeng¡¯s instructions accurately. Such changes were naturally on the positive spectrum. After several enhancements, Lu Qingfeng still had a lot of experience points to spare. Hence, he didn¡¯t stop and began enhancing Truth Exterminator One as a whole. One time! Two times! Three times! Four times! Five times! After each enhancement, Lu Qingfeng would refine it in accordance with the enhanced Refining Method of Truth Exterminator One, And compare its data with physical objects. Before enhancement, the combat effectiveness of Truth Exterminator One (default) was at Level 9 of the Fetal Phase. After one enhancement, the combat effectiveness of Truth Exterminator One (A) was at Level 9 of the Fetal Phase. After two enhancements, the combat effectiveness of Truth Exterminator One (B) was at Level 1 of the Genuine Chi Phase. After three enhancements, the combat effectiveness of Truth Exterminator One (C) was at Level 1 of the Genuine Chi Phase. After four enhancements, the combat effectiveness of Truth Exterminator One (D) was at Level 1 of the Genuine Chi Phase. After five enhancements, the combat effectiveness of Truth Exterminator One (E) was at Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase. After five rounds, the enhancement arrived at the limit that Truth Exterminator One could handle without upgrading and changing its raw materials. ¡°The co-location of various Runic Arrays is more reasonable, and the power of the Spirit Core, Attack, Defense, and Auxiliary Runic Arrays are all strengthened. ¡°Truth Exterminator One (E) that is enhanced five times can already be considered as a Level 2 puppet of the lowest grade.¡± Four months later¡­ Six Truth Exterminator Ones stood in a line. Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but feel an upsurge of emotion. A puppet¡¯s level was determined by its combat power. Puppets with combat capacities of the Fetal Phase were Level 1 puppets. Puppets with combat capacities of the Genuine Chi Phase were Level 2 puppets. Puppets with combat capacities of the Chi Drawing Phase were Level 3 puppets. And so on in precedence. The combat power of puppets was referenced with cultivators in the same phase who were cultivating in a Preliminary-grade technique and had mastery over low-level spells, whose combat effectiveness was at the bottom when compared to those in the same phase. However, cultivators would usually use puppets that were beyond their own levels. Taking Mu Yuanyi as an example, at the second phase of the Foundation Building Stage, the Condensation Phase, when compared to puppet level, it should be a Level 4 puppet. However, the puppet he controlled was a Level 6 puppet, which was comparable to the fourth phase of the Foundation Building Stage, the Body Tempering Phase, and Tier 6 Demon Beasts. In this way, even though he could only exert the combat power of an ordinary cultivator in the Body Tempering Phase, the puppet was still far beyond his own strength. ¡°Now that it is finalized, it is time to take orders to improve my proficiency.¡± At this stage, Level 2 puppets could totally fulfill Lu Qingfeng¡¯s needs. In the Sun Nation, there were definitely not many aces in the Genuine Chi Phase. Even in the Truth Sect, according to what Lu Qingfeng had learned during this period of time, there were only a few people in the Genuine Chi Phase. At just Level 7 of the Fetal Phase, one could be promoted to an elite disciple or the head of deacons. It was only provable how many past masters in the Genuine Chi Phase had been in the Truth Sect. In reality, resources were scarce, and Lu Qingfeng didn¡¯t intend to rashly refine Truth Exterminator One. It wasn¡¯t too late to do so after he¡¯d improved his proficiency in the game and raised the success rate by a significant margin. The reserves of the various ores and materials had long been collected by Lu Qingfeng through Sapphire Gate, which he had started cooperating with as soon as the design of Truth Exterminator One was finalized. Chapter 39 From the time of acquiring Huang¡¯s Puppet Handbook to completing the design of Truth Exterminator One, more than ten years have gone by in the game. Enhancing Truth Exterminator One by five times and actually refining it took yet another four months. On average, it would require 25 days for Lu Qingfeng to refine one Truth Exterminator One. Due to the lack of proficiency, failures were inevitable in the refining of every puppet. Under the circumstances where there were no mistakes from beginning to end, the material cost for refining a Truth Exterminator One was 30 Spirit Stone Fragments, which was equivalent to the cost of a Level 1 puppet. After all, Truth Exterminator One was a model that Lu Qingfeng had enhanced from Level 1 to Level 2. The required raw materials were intact. They were still the materials used to refine Level 1 puppets. On the other hand, the price of Level 2 puppets was between five to 40 Spirit Stones. Level 1 and Level 2 puppets were rarely large in size and were generally controlled via sensing. After all, for one¡¯s physical body to enter a puppet, the puppet would need to be enlarged, which would lead to an increase in costs. Spending such a hefty amount to refine Level 2 puppets with combat powers equivalent to the Genuine Chi Stage was undoubtedly not cost-effective. Except for people who didn¡¯t mind squandering their resources, nobody would ever do this. Hence, Level 1 and Level 2 puppets were mostly of two types: remote-controlled (not requiring physical entry, controlled remotely via long-distance) and autonomous (operates according to instructions). According to the type (remote-controlled, autonomous), sensing range, and difference in combat power, the prices of puppets would vary. A few years ago, Lu Qingfeng had requested that Mu Yuanyi acquire two Level 2 puppets from the Courtyard of Destiny. One of them was the remote-controlled type with a sensing range of 100 yards and combat power of Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase. It cost seven Spirit Stones. The other one was also a remote-controlled type with a sensing range of 100 yards and combat power of Level 6 of the Genuine Chi Phase. It cost 20 Spirit Stones. Reportedly, the price of autonomous puppets would increase on this basis. On the other hand, the price increase that corresponded to the improvement in sensing range was average. A remote-controlled type, 1,000-yard sensing range, and Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase was worth only about 12 Spirit Stones. For cultivators, there wasn¡¯t much difference between a control range of 100 yards and 1,000 yards. In the Genuine Chi level, both ranges were adequate. ¡°Theoretically, the cost of the Truth Exterminator One was 30 Spirit Stone Fragments. Considering its many failures due to the lack of proficiency in the earlier phases, the cost of a Truth Exterminator One that is successfully refined will be at least doubled to about one Spirit Stone. ¡°The price of the most basic remote-controlled type, 100-yard, Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase is seven Spirit Stones. ¡°A seven times profit!¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s breathing halted for a moment. This profit was much higher than what he made from the pills. Although the refining of one Truth Exterminator One would require nearly a month, the profit it would generate was way beyond that of his pills. The pills would only earn him one+ Spirit Stones annually. While for the Truth Exterminator One, in less than a month, he could earn at least six Spirit Stones of profit. This difference was a multiple in the dozens! ¡°The price of a normal Level 1 puppet is around 80 Spirit Stone Fragments. After I become proficient at it, I can almost double my profit. I am selling puppets at the cost of Level 1 puppets at the price of Level 2 puppets¡­ ¡°So much money!¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s eye¡¯s brightened. And this calculation was only based on the simplest model. If he were to sell the Truth Exterminator One of the autonomous type, 1,000-yard, Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase at seven Spirit Stones, he could yet again triple the profit by selling it at no less than 20 Spirit Stones. ¡°This profit is so massive!¡± After being excited for a moment, Lu Qingfeng quickly regained his calm. If he wished to mass-produce the Truth Exterminator One and improve its proficiency, he would have to purchase all kinds of materials in bulk. If he were to do so through Singularity, the costs could be easily calculated. However¡­ Even if Mu Yuanyi, Zhang Zong, and the other guild veterans would not envy him, in Singularity, where people were now abundant, as the saying goes, the more people, the more talk. If gossip about this were to spread, it was possible that the entire Singularity guild would be involved. ¡°In that case¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng knit his brows. Benefits are what strike a chord in people. In fact, he had been very comfortable in Singularity all these years. Whether it was Pill Refining or Tool Refining tools, he never had to worry about raw materials and sales. But once it came to a sevenfold or even 20-fold profit¡­ ¡°I better not attempt it.¡± Lu Qingfeng shook his head. As he had realized before, even if Mu Yuanyi and the others who knew him weren¡¯t envious of him, the affair could attract prying eyes from outside Singularity, which could ultimately bring disaster to the guild. ¡°My current net worth is no more than five Spirit Stones. I can refine about five Truth Exterminator Ones, considering the failure rate. But it wouldn¡¯t work out if I wanted to equip Truth Exterminator One with offensive and defensive Runic Equipment.¡± Lu Qingfeng pondered for a long time, trying to find a way satisfactorily around both aspects. After a long while, he finally thought of a way to muddle through for the time being¡­ ¡°When I¡¯m buying materials, I¡¯ll mix the materials for Level 1 puppets and Level 2 puppets on the same list, and, at the same time, stock up on a huge amount of them to hoodwink the public. ¡°The material costs to refine a Level 2 puppet with powers at Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase are only around one Spirit Stone, which is completely within the affordable range. ¡°Stocking up on these materials until I can refine more advanced puppets in the future isn¡¯t a waste¡­ ¡°Besides, my goal is just to improve my proficiency. I can totally wait until the materials are fully stocked before I stop selling puppets to outsiders.¡± Lu Qingfeng stopped frowning. After Truth Exterminator One was refined, it had an innate ability to prevent others from dismantling, researching, and copying its refining technique. If one wished to find out the materials used to craft Truth Exterminator One, it would by no means be an easy task. Although this method wouldn¡¯t keep him undercover forever, at least it could help him muddle through these early stages. After Lu Qingfeng had accumulated enough materials, he could block off external orders. In this way, the possibility of exposure became extremely small. He made up his mind. Lu Qingfeng initialized the weakening procedure of Truth Exterminator One (E). Truth Exterminator One¡¯s combat capability wasn¡¯t outstanding, but its sensing range was extremely astounding. Also it doesn¡¯t require a Twin Stone that¡¯s too high in quality. The weakening would only target these two aspects: Weakening the Twin Stone to the degree that, after it had been enhanced once, leaving the sensing range of the puppet at more than 300 yards. Weakening the Spirit Control Array to the degree that, after its two-time enhancement, at 80 Runic Arrays, it would set the sensing range at 1,000 yards. And so, the sale-model of Truth Exterminator One was set. For distinguishing purposes, Lu Qingfeng named it Truth Exterminator Two. [Puppet: Truth Exterminator Two (basic)] [Type: Remote-controlled] [Level: 2] [Sensing Range: 1,000 yards] [Combat Power: Level 2 of Genuine Chi Phase] While the model that Lu Qingfeng was himself using was still the strongest version of the Truth Exterminator One. [Puppet: Truth Exterminator One (basic)] [Type: Autonomous] [Level: 2] [Sensing Range: 4,000 miles] [Combat Power: Level 2 of Genuine Chi Phase] The combat prowess of the two weren¡¯t too different. But their type and sensing range were poles apart. ¡°All right! ¡°Time to go see Yuanyi!¡± 25 days later, Lu Qingfeng refined the first Truth Exterminator Two. Putting away the six Truth Exterminator Ones that were for experimental purposes, he controlled only the Truth Exterminator Two, walked out of the Emery Tool Refining Chamber, and ventured straight toward the back of Singularity Mountain. ¡­ Emery Pill Refining Chamber. Lu Qingfeng, Mu Yuanyi, and Zhang Zong stood side by side. Bam! Bam! Bam! In the open space, Lu Hongwen¡¯s fists and feet recklessly collided with Truth Exterminator Two. Lu Hongwen had ascended into the Foundation Building Stage a few years ago, and his strength was impressive Naturally, he was suppressing his strength when he was fighting Truth Exterminator Two. Under Lu Hongwen¡¯s attacks, however, Truth Exterminator Two was fully fired up. Spirit Energy circulated amid its Spirit Core Runic Arrays, infusing energy to its right arm and activating the Power Runic Arrays. A punch with its fist was comparable to that of a cultivator in Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase. However, Truth Exterminator Two¡¯s combat methods were lacking. It was only capable of punching and kicking. Lu Hongwen suppressed his strength to Level 1 of the Genuine Chi Phase and proceeded with melee combat. However, he was still able to fight Truth Exterminator Two with ease. If he hadn¡¯t deliberately lowered his power level to test the puppet, Truth Exterminator Two wouldn¡¯t have even been able to touch Lu Hongwen. ¡°Enough!¡± Lu Hongwen called out and jumped out of the circle. Truth Exterminator Two was still trying to pursue him. Lu Qingfeng prompted his mind and stopped it immediately. Chapter 40 ¡°So, Luwey, what do you think?¡± Mu Yuanyi and Zhang Zong had been waiting. Seeing that the fight had ended, they quickly asked Lu Hongwen his opinion. ¡°Not bad!¡± ¡°Various functionalities are stable. Defense, attack, speed, and other basic attributes are also at the standards of Level 2 puppets. The only criticism I have is that its combat style is too rigid. I wouldn¡¯t recommend it to be used as a melee puppet.¡± Lu Hongwen¡¯s eyes fell onto Lu Qingfeng with a look of wonder. ¡°A scholar who has been away for three days must be looked at with new eyes indeed. After being silent for more than ten years, you¡¯ve really managed to accomplish something!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just lucky.¡± Lu Qingfeng smiled when he heard what Lu Hongwen said. After the sale version of Truth Exterminator Two had been finalized, Lu Qingfeng immediately found Mu Yuanyi and Zhang Zong to explain his intentions to cooperate. It just so happened that Lu Hongwen was also on Singularity Mountain. Hence, he tagged along to help test the performance of the Truth Exterminator Two. Lu Hongwen had proven himself to be a great cultivator in the Foundation Building Stage. With great experience and wide knowledge, he was able to notice the defects of Truth Exterminator Two at a glance. It was true. As a remote-controlled-type puppet, when Lu Qingfeng was refining Truth Exterminator Two, he¡¯d only engraved Power Runic Arrays on his arms. Other than that, no spells or martial art techniques were incorporated in it. ¡°So, it¡¯s not suitable for close combat?¡± When Mu Yuanyi heard this, he turned to look at Lu Qingfeng. Zhang Zong, on the other hand, had already gone to inspect Truth Exterminator Two up close. ¡°Yes. My initial idea was to pair up Truth Exterminator Two with a bow and turn it into a long-range puppet. So, I only engraved the Power Runic Array on its arms. If it were to be used for melee, the defenses of Level 2 puppets are still too weak. It would easily get destroyed,¡± Lu Qingfeng answered. When he was designing Truth Exterminator One, his goal had been to refine it in reality and use it to deal with the Truth Sect. As resources were scarce in reality, he would naturally have to strive to minimize his losses. Hence, designing Truth Exterminator One as a long-range puppet seemed perfectly normal. Truth Exterminator Two was merely a weaker version of type one. Hence, it was also basically going along the same route. However¡­ ¡°Qingfeng, who do you think will need Level 2 puppets?¡± After hearing him, Mu Yuanyi didn¡¯t respond directly but asked a question instead. ¡°Who will need Level 2 puppets?¡± ¡°Level 2 puppets have combat powers that are equivalent to the Genuine Chi Stage, so it¡¯d naturally be¡­¡± Lu Qingfeng blurted out his words and was startled by Mu Yuanyi¡¯s question. It suddenly occurred to him that the price of a Level 2 puppet would be at least five Spirit Stones. For an ordinary cultivator in the Genuine Chi Phase, even after decades of savings, they might not have more than ten Spirit Stones. Would they use all their wealth to buy a puppet with combat powers at only Level 2 of the Genuine Chi Phase? That wasn¡¯t realistic. Lu Qingfeng immediately understood what Mu Yuanyi was implying. ¡°Looks like you understand my qualms.¡± Mu Yuanyi looked at Truth Exterminator Two and said, ¡°Level 2 puppets have combat powers at only the Genuine Chi Phase. It will only be used by great cultivators in the Foundation Building Stage and Cosmic Stage to explore perilous locations or wealthy cultivators in the Genuine Chi Phase to defend themselves. ¡°The former will need it to be powerful at melee and fast, while the latter will need it to have great defensive capabilities and be adequate at both long range and melee.¡± When Lu Qingfeng heard this, he became enlightened. When he was designing Truth Exterminator One and Two, he had been only thinking about his own needs. He had forgotten the demands of cultivators and players in ¡°Primitive¡±. Now that Mu Yuanyi had brought it up, Lu Qingfeng couldn¡¯t help but blush with shame. However, according to what Mu Yuanyi had said, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to make the corresponding changes to Truth Exterminator Two. After all, the overall structure had already been perfected. He would only have to swap out the corresponding Runic Arrays according to specific needs. For example, the scouting type. Gale Runic Arrays could be engraved on its legs, and Runic Arrays for melee combat could be added. For the defensive type, defensive Runes could be engraved, or the puppet could be paired with shields and other Runic Equipment. ¡°Give me six months!¡± Lu Qingfeng got Mu Yuanyi and the rest of them to leave while he buried his head in the Emery Tool Refining Chamber to modify Truth Exterminator Two. ¡­ Seven months later¡­ After several failures, Truth Exterminator Two (Scouting Version) and Truth Exterminator Two (Guardian Version) had been refined successfully. In fact, many parts hadn¡¯t needed to be changed for this kind of modification. It had only required a slight modification at the part that outputs Spirit Energy. ¡°Truth Exterminator Two (Scouting Version) is engraved with the low-level spells of Gale, Smoldering Palm, Power, Earth, and Precision. Its melee combat capabilities have been improved, and for it to perform long-range attacks, it just has to be equipped with a bow. ¡°Truth Exterminator Two (Guardian Version), is engraved with the low-level spells of Smoldering Palm, Mantle Sword Style, Power, Golden Ray, and Fireball. It is suitable for both long-range and close combat. If equipped with broadswords and shields, it can be further improved.¡± Lu Qingfeng pointed to the two modified versions of Truth Exterminator Two beside him and introduced them to Mu Yuanyi. ¡°Splendiferous!¡± Mu Yuanyi tried the puppets himself and revealed a hint of joy on his face. ¡°On behalf of Singularity, I will purchase ten of the Scouting Versions!¡± Mu Yuanyi pointed at Truth Exterminator Two (Scouting Version) and gave Lu Qingfeng his first order. ¡°What is your price for these, Qingfeng?¡± Mu Yuan asked for the price after placing the order. ¡°You have a better understanding of the market, Brother Mu. I was about to ask for your consultation in that regard.¡± Lu Qingfeng¡¯s understanding of the market was still at the stage where Mu Yuanyi had bought two Level 2 puppets for him seven or eight years ago. He really didn¡¯t know much about the market prices at this stage. When Mu Yuanyi heard him, he thought for a moment and raised his head, ¡°The conflict between the Spectral Cult and the 100 Art Sect has been intensifying over the past ten years. Hence, the value of puppets has increased slightly. The price of the Scouting Version can be set at 12 to 13 Stones while the Guardian Version can be at around 14.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make it 11 and 13 then,¡± Lu Qingfeng decided casually. What he needed now was quantity. Even with a lower price, he was still making a lot of money. At the same time, he could quickly improve his proficiency. Killing two birds with one stone! Making money in the game wasn¡¯t all that important. What mattered the most to him now was to get his army ready in reality. Lu Qingfeng knew his priorities. ¡°Is your price a little too low?¡± Mu Yuanyi said hesitantly. The price he¡¯d stated was based on the market price. If it were to be were lowered by one to two Spirit Stones on this basis, Mu Yuanyi was worried that Lu Qingfeng would not make any profit. ¡°Rest assured, Brother Mu, I¡¯m still profiting.¡± ¡°In the future, Singularity will receive 20 percent off all my puppets,¡± Lu Qingfeng said to Mu Yuanyi with a smile. 20 percent was by no means a small number! According to the Scouting Version¡¯s price at 11 Spirit Stones, ten Truth Exterminator Twos (Scouting Version) would save the guild a total of 22 Spirit Stones. ¡°20 percent off¡­¡± Mu Yuan glanced at Lu Qingfeng, ¡°Qingfeng, you shouldn¡¯t be working at a loss!¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll still profit.¡± Lu Qingfeng waved his hands. Singularity was the first guild he had ever stayed in. Besides, Mu Yuanyi and the others have treated him well. Naturally, Lu Qingfeng¡¯s feelings for Singularity weren¡¯t shallow. On puppets, the profits he would be making were already immense. Giving Singularity a discount could be regarded as his payback to the guild. ¡°Material procurement and the sales of puppets are still on you and the guild, Brother Mu, just like my pills,¡± Lu Qingfeng added. ¡°That goes without saying!¡± When Mu Yuanyi heard him, he laughed heartily! ¡­ After the negotiating with Mu Yuanyi, Truth Exterminator Two (Scouting Version) and Truth Exterminator Two (Guardian Version) were officially launched. The first order was placed by Mu Yuanyi for the guild of Singularity at a total of ten Truth Exterminator Twos (Scouting Version).