Chapter 7: Mid-stage Qi Refinement

“Fellow cultivator, would you like a bottle?”

Inside the Lu family’s shop, the manager, Lu Ming, wore a broad smile as he watched Shen Lian surveying the place from outside.

As a veteran shopkeeper, Lu Ming understood rogue cultivators well.

Rogues might not have spirit stones. But sometimes, their storage pouches could contain valuable goods.

In places where rogue cultivators gathered, shops were very flexible about what they accepted in trade. Ores, spirit herbs, even the fine corpses of one’s own ancestors—anything could substitute for spirit stones.

It was all about mutual benefit, making it easier for rogue cultivators to pursue their cultivation.

“Our Lu family has a tier-two alchemist in residence. Every single pill goes through over a hundred processes…”

Shen Lian stepped into the shop just in time to hear the manager boasting.

Though he was a novice at alchemy, Shen Lian knew that for a first-tier pill, from the moment the herbs were planted to the finished product, there wouldn’t be more than ten steps at most.

Did they even check the spirit beast dung used as fertilizer during the herb’s growth?

He half-expected the manager to add, “Our pills are all organic.”

“Manager, I’ll take a bottle of Yellow Sprout Pills.”

Lu Ming nodded, turned around, and took a white jade pill bottle from his storage pouch, placing it on the counter.

All the real pills were kept in his storage pouch; the displays outside were fakes, set out for anyone to snatch at will.

“I’ll trade a Miasma Dispelling Talisman for it,” Shen Lian said, producing the talisman from his pouch.

“Fellow cultivator, a Miasma Dispelling Talisman is worth eight spirit stones apiece—current market price at the Treasure Hall,” Lu Ming replied.

At that, Shen Lian slid the talisman back into his pouch.

“In that case, I’ll go to the Treasure Hall, sell the talisman, and return to buy the Yellow Sprout Pills.”

If the Treasure Hall paid eight stones for one, the retail price outside was at least nine or ten.

“Please wait, fellow cultivator!” Lu Ming hurried around the counter to stop Shen Lian as he turned to go. “Everything is negotiable. How about nine spirit stones? After all, we still need to sell the talisman ourselves, which takes time.”

Shen Lian paused, then took out five Miasma Dispelling Talismans and five spirit stones, laying them on the counter.

After inspecting the talismans, Lu Ming handed over the pill bottle.

Shen Lian opened the bottle, and a rich medicinal fragrance filled his nose.

He stowed away the Yellow Sprout Pills and left the Lu family shop.

However—

No sooner had he stepped onto the street than he felt several gazes settle on him.

Some close, some distant.

Shen Lian’s expression darkened.

All this trouble for a single bottle of Yellow Sprout Pills.

He had the distinct feeling that some of those watching him were gritting their back teeth.

Rogue cultivators truly had it rough.

Not only did people begrudge you suffering, they begrudged you even the smallest gain.

“Uncle, there he is—he just came out of the Treasure Hall, then traded for a bottle of pills. Pretty sure it’s Yellow Sprout Pills.”

At the street corner, most people went about their own business.

Two figures stood close together, furtively watching Shen Lian’s departing back.

“He’s only at the third level of Qi Refinement, yet he can go to the Treasure Hall and even buy pills—he must be lucky,” the older cultivator said, smacking the younger one on the back of the head.

“This is the market district—keep your thoughts to yourself. Pick another target. Forget about this one.”

“Why? He’s only at the third Qi Refinement layer, and he’s got a bottle of Yellow Sprout Pills—he’s perfect,” the younger one protested.

Smack—

Another slap from the elder.

“Is your head full of dung? What kind of cultivator, after buying Yellow Sprout Pills, doesn’t lock himself away to cultivate? A single bottle isn’t worth risking it here in the market, getting caught by the enforcement team. Besides, by the time he comes out, we’ll have made a few more scores.”

Lin Xiang nursed his aching head but still looked reluctant.

“Uncle, all the fat sheep we’ve caught lately were anything but fat. Each one barely fetched twenty spirit stones—can’t even buy half a bottle of Yellow Sprout Pills. I say, we should target those who can actually afford pills.”

There was a determined gleam in the young cultivator’s eyes.

“Uncle, didn’t you always say we should have bigger ambitions? I’ve memorized his face. As long as he doesn’t change his appearance, we’ll find him. I refuse to believe he’ll stay inside the whole time refining his pills. As soon as he steps outside the market, we’ll do him in. Then, the leftover pills are mine, and the spirit stones are yours to spend on Little Peach Blossom.”

…

Shen Lian made his way through alleys back to his lodging, glancing both ways before closing the door.

No one had followed him; only then did he relax.

There weren’t many good people in the market.

Thankfully, with the Biyu Sect’s banner hanging over the place, rogue cultivators didn’t dare commit blatant robbery. Except for demonic cultivators, of course.

After dinner, Shen Lian sat cross-legged on his bed.

His tiny, flimsy room was like a barrier, shutting out the chaos outside.

But it wasn’t a true barrier—it couldn’t keep out real danger.

He took out the Yellow Sprout Pills.

A bottle contained ten pills, costing fifty spirit stones.

Each pill’s medicinal power could be fully refined in just two or three days.

He’d been stuck at the third layer of Qi Refinement for ages. He didn’t know if a whole bottle would be enough to push him to the fourth.

That was the tragedy of having a low-grade spiritual root—it meant poor absorption of spiritual energy.

Reaching the same stage as others required more resources.

If he were a high-grade spiritual root cultivator, he wouldn’t even need pills—he could break through to mid-stage Qi Refinement by absorbing ambient spiritual energy.

They needed less, advanced faster.

Even cultivation was more expensive for him.

It was hard to imagine why, in ancient times, five-element spiritual roots were so admired.

Now that he had the Yellow Sprout Pills, Shen Lian adjusted his daily schedule.

He spent most of his day refining the pills, the rest drawing talismans.

It was a fulfilling routine.

But the noise outside was louder than ever.

A newly discovered mineral vein in the Wu area had prompted the Biyu Sect to bring in several waves of rogue cultivators.

Though Shen Lian hadn’t left his room, he often peered out through cracks in the door.

Many who came to pioneer these lands were unruly by nature.

This led to more brawls in the market—even the street lined with shops saw fights.

The Biyu Sect’s enforcement squad had to kill over a dozen rogues in the street to cow the newcomers.

Only then did the market calm down a little.

But the demonic cultivators hiding among the rogues weren’t afraid of the sect’s bloody methods—they continued to skulk around the market in search of fresh blood.

None of this had much to do with Shen Lian.

He just prayed each day that the demonic cultivators wouldn’t target him—better they go after the more powerful neighbors, whose flesh was more tender.

He put cultivation first and only drew talismans after finishing his practice each day.

The third layer of Qi Refinement was still considered early stage—his strength was far too low.

The total spiritual energy in his body meant he could only activate a limited number of talismans.

With the chaos outside, even the smallest improvement in strength was a comfort.

More than twenty days passed.

Shen Lian sat cross-legged on his bed, his meridians brimming with the medicinal power of the Yellow Sprout Pills.

He had already refined the entire bottle into his system.

Today was the day to break through.

He circulated the Qianyuan Technique, guiding the medicinal power through his meridians.

Crack—

A faint pain surged within as the gathered energy blasted open a new channel.

At the same time, his aura surged sharply.

Fourth layer of Qi Refinement!

After a moment to steady himself, Shen Lian opened his eyes, a smile spreading across his face.

After more than half a year in this world, he finally tasted the joy of cultivation.

The spiritual power coursing through his body had increased by about half.

“Fifty spirit stones—well spent.”

Snap—

He flicked his fingers. A tiny flame sprang to life at his fingertip.

So cool—no need for a lighter anymore.