Chapter 107: Ten Thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones

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The increase in the concentration of spiritual energy between heaven and earth had amplified his cultivation far beyond anything he had imagined.

The principle was actually very simple.

His cultivation aptitude was like a bucket riddled with holes in its bottom, while the concentration of spiritual energy was equivalent to a pipe with a steady flow. Before, because water constantly leaked through the holes, his cultivation efficiency could never improve. Only a small amount of water could barely overflow from the bucket.

Now that the flow had increased greatly, while the amount leaking from the bottom remained unchanged, the amount of water overflowing from the bucket naturally increased as well.

The amount of spiritual energy Zhou Changwang absorbed and converted was equivalent to that overflowing water.

With the volume greatly increased, his cultivation efficiency had consequently risen by a considerable margin.

Of course, actual cultivation involved many factors, and the upper layers of the bucket would also have their own “leaks.”

Even so, judging from this particular session, his cultivation efficiency had not merely improved by fifty percent.

It had more than doubled.

“Just a Minor Spirit-Gathering Array can produce such a tremendous improvement.

“What about a Major Spirit-Gathering Array?”

Zhou Changwang was genuinely exhilarated, and filled with even greater anticipation.

Perhaps, even without a high-grade cultivation technique, his cultivation speed would not be far behind.

Given his current cultivation environment, he was confident that he could break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining before the age of forty.

Foundation Establishment was within reach!

He then took out the array plate and halted the formation.

When operating at full power, the Minor Spirit-Gathering Array consumed the spirit stones embedded in its flags every moment. At most, it could last two hours. Seventy-two formation flags meant seventy-two low-grade spirit stones.

That was far too extravagant. Unless he was cultivating, he could not bear to activate it.

Only then did he come before the spell wall and begin his daily routine of spell cultivation.

One Five-Element Lightning Transformation Spell after another burst forth from his hands.

After casting seven or eight spells, he went to the other side and sat down to recover.

Then he repeated the process.

Another matter worth mentioning was that, throughout this period, there had always been movement from within the small golden egg. The creature inside had been gnawing continuously at its shell.

Yet it was not until Zhou Changwang was recovering his spiritual energy for the third time that a crack finally appeared on the eggshell.

The shell had cracked.

In other words, the creature within was about to emerge.

Zhou Changwang waited expectantly.

Crack, crack, crack…

A series of tiny sounds rang out. The fissure grew wider and wider, until finally—

Snap!

A tiny head poked out.

“Is this… a bug?”

Zhou Changwang froze, a trace of astonishment appearing on his face.

Perhaps because it had only just been born, its entire body was flesh-colored. Two sharp horns rose from the top of its head. Its two forelimbs appeared extremely delicate, yet already revealed a hint of razor-like sharpness. Wings grew from its back, still wet and clinging to its body. On its “forehead,” one could faintly make out a pattern resembling the character for “king.” Its eight slender claws were thin but powerful.

Could this be a spirit insect?

Because of the small golden egg, he had always assumed that whatever was growing inside was a spirit beast.

He had never expected it to be a spirit insect.

Moreover, it was enormous.

Although it had only just been born, it was already the size of a large bowl.

Once its wings spread, it would surely be even larger.

“So this small golden egg wasn’t actually an ‘egg’ at all, but an insect egg?”

Zhou Changwang was both amused and exasperated.

Then, as though he had suddenly remembered something, he hurriedly took a jade slip from his storage bag and silently compared it with the records.

“Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada, also known as the Golden-Armored King Spirit Insect.

“Ranked twenty-ninth on the Spirit Insect List.

“Born with two horns on its head, its body is indestructible. Its foreclaws are incomparably sharp and capable of severing metal and stone. Its eight limbs are like blades, able to tear through anything. Its rear shell is as hard as armor. It is immune to all poisons and possesses extraordinary combat strength.

“It is also a naturally born spirit insect. The moment it emerges, it possesses the strength of a low-grade, first-rank creature. It feeds on the flesh and blood of all demonic beasts, but its favorite food is the Ten-Thousand-Poison Herb. By borrowing the myriad poisonous powers contained within that herb, it can evolve on its own…”

Comparing the creature with the records on the Spirit Insect List, Zhou Changwang soon confirmed its identity.

It was indeed a Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada, also known as a Golden-Armored King Spirit Insect.

Although it looked soft and plump at present, once it matured, its entire body would turn golden. Its shell would become so hard that even its wings would stiffen and transform into flying blades capable of cutting down enemies.

It was a truly formidable combat-oriented spirit insect.

It ranked twenty-ninth on the Spirit Insect List.

That did not mean its strength was inferior to those ranked above it.

After all, this was a solitary spirit insect, whereas most of the creatures ranked near the top were communal insects. They could not easily be compared directly.

A communal spirit insect might be weak on its own, but once gathered into a swarm, its strength became utterly terrifying.

“I never imagined that Insect King Xue Tong still possessed the egg of such a spirit insect.

“I wonder where he obtained it.

“If he had been given enough time to nurture this Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada to maturity, his strength would have become even greater. The outcome of that battle might have taken several more twists and turns.”

Zhou Changwang drew in a deep breath. He felt both fortunate and delighted.

Then, as though remembering something else, he hurriedly cast a Pacification Spell.

A spirit insect!

Regardless of the species, spirit insects were usually violent and ferocious by nature.

Although this Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada had only just been born and seemed to pose little threat, once it recovered, it would certainly attack every nearby creature it perceived as a threat.

“Now that I think about it, placing it directly in the same cultivation room as myself was truly an act fraught with enormous danger.”

Zhou Changwang felt a lingering fear.

Especially when he used the Grand Unity Record. That was precisely when he was least guarded.

He silently took note of this. As the Pacification Spell descended, the Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada immediately calmed down. Within its innocent emotions, there was even a faint trace of affection.

But Zhou Changwang did not relax his vigilance because of that. Instead, he quickly focused his mental power and drew an incomparably complex seal.

This seal was an Insect-Control Seal.

It was a specialized method of spiritual control for commanding and subduing insects, contained within the Insect-Control Art inheritance he had obtained after killing Xue Tong.

As long as he implanted the seal into the head of the corresponding spirit insect, it would come completely under his control, obey his commands, and live or die at his will.

Fortunately, the Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada was still in its larval stage, and its spiritual power was extremely weak. After being soothed by his Pacification Spell, it offered almost no resistance when Zhou Changwang implanted the Insect-Control Seal into its head.

The seal quickly took root within it.

Thus, the spirit insect was completely under his control. He could command it, drive it forth, and make it fight his enemies.

“Fortunately, it’s only a larva.

“If it had been an adult spirit insect, my half-baked insect-control technique probably wouldn’t have succeeded in a single attempt. I might even have suffered a spiritual backlash.”

Zhou Changwang’s face immediately lit up with delight. He hurriedly emptied a spirit-beast pouch, beckoned with one hand, and took the creature inside.

Fortunately, raising this spirit insect required only a certain amount of demonic-beast flesh and blood.

At Xue Tong’s estate, Zhou Changwang had slaughtered many Five-Poison creatures. Numerous corpses were still sealed inside his storage bags and spirit-beast pouches. Setting aside an appropriate portion would be enough to support the Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada through its early growth.

As for the Ten-Thousand-Poison Herb?

Zhou Changwang knew that it was an extremely poisonous spirit herb. Ten years of medicinal age made it first rank, a hundred years made it second rank, and a thousand years made it third rank…

But its seeds were difficult to find. Ordinary seed shops would not specifically stock the seeds of such a poisonous herb.

He estimated that finding some would require considerable effort.

Fortunately, the Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada was still in its larval stage. There was no need to consider feeding it Ten-Thousand-Poison Herbs until it had matured several months later.

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Early the next morning, after Zhou Changwang rose, he immediately projected his consciousness into the spirit-insect pouch.

He saw that the Golden-Armored King Flying Cicada was living peacefully inside. The Five-Poison flesh he had deliberately placed beside it had already been half devoured, and he was immediately relieved.

After performing the Eight Heavenly Origin Forms three times as usual, Zhou Changwang hurried into the rear courtyard.

The Gathering Spirit Grass was growing normally. He had the experience from the previous occasion, and the Four Seasons Array continued to function without interruption.

Even when spirit insects occasionally flew inside, none escaped the fate of being torn apart beneath the watchful patrols of the ferocious Devouring Gold Spirit Bees.

It could be said that ever since he had begun raising the Devouring Gold Spirit Bees, he had essentially no longer needed to worry about the danger of spirit insects running rampant.

At that moment, however, what truly attracted his attention was the Thunder Spirit Rice plants in the corner.

Five hundred Thunder Spirit Rice plants.

They had all reached maturity.

Every grain was plump, weighing down the branches and leaves until they bent beneath the load.

“At last, this second batch of Thunder Spirit Rice plants has matured.

“They can be harvested.

“And this time, it’s a true bumper crop!”

Zhou Changwang strode among the Thunder Spirit Rice plants. As he breathed in the fragrance of spirit rice filling the air, his heart brimmed with joy and satisfaction.

Without further hesitation, he began harvesting.

Each grain of Thunder Spirit Rice resembled a fruit. Yet he gathered them swiftly, sweeping his hand across the plants and taking a handful at a time, then placing the grains into sacks or directly inside his storage bag.

In three or four breaths, he could strip an entire Thunder Spirit Rice plant clean.

He continued in this manner.

In only half an hour, all the Thunder Spirit Rice plants had been harvested.

When he weighed the total at the end—

Two thousand one hundred pounds!

“Five hundred Thunder Spirit Rice plants, averaging four pounds and two ounces per plant.

“Compared with the previous harvest of eleven pounds from three plants, the yield has increased considerably.”

Zhou Changwang muttered to himself, though he found it perfectly normal.

The three Thunder Spirit Rice seeds he had used before had not been dead seeds, but they had been little better than dead.

During that period, he had cast more than a dozen Growth Acceleration Spells every day, yet he had not seen them grow even a fraction. Only after the spell reached mastery, combined with the long accumulation of the earlier period, had those few Thunder Spirit Rice plants finally sprouted.

In other words, those seeds had been defective.

The fact that they had produced three pounds of Thunder Spirit Rice was already quite remarkable.

This batch, however, had grown from second-generation Thunder Spirit Rice seeds. In addition, his Growth Acceleration Spell had reached perfection. Naturally, the spirit seeds themselves had undergone a certain degree of improvement, so an increased yield was entirely reasonable.

“It’s just a pity.

“Before long, the six-month deadline Little Yue mentioned will arrive.

“After harvesting this batch of Thunder Spirit Rice, unless I can find a truly stable environment, it won’t be suitable to plant more Thunder Spirit Rice in the short term.”

Looking at the piles of Thunder Spirit Rice, Zhou Changwang felt satisfied, yet he could not help sighing.

With turmoil about to erupt in Phoenixcry Hollow Market, it was impossible for him to continue spending time and effort cultivating Thunder Spirit Rice.

Not only would he stop planting Thunder Spirit Rice, he did not intend to plant any more Gathering Spirit Grass after this batch matured, either.

Safety and stability were the most important conditions a spirit cultivator needed for farming.

“Of course, more than two thousand pounds of Thunder Spirit Rice is no small amount.

“I won’t need to worry about spirit rice for quite some time.

“Eating Thunder Spirit Rice three times a day will bring tremendous benefits, whether for cultivating lightning-attribute spells or for cultivating my technique.”

Zhou Changwang had personally experienced the abundant spiritual energy contained within Thunder Spirit Rice, as well as the tremendous boost it provided to the cultivation of lightning-attribute spells.

A pound of Thunder Spirit Rice contained almost as much spiritual energy as a Spirit-Replenishing Pill, yet there was no need to worry about side effects.

One Spirit-Replenishing Pill was almost equivalent to three days of cultivation with his current perfected Five-Element Art.

If he ate without restraint, he could consume three pounds of Thunder Spirit Rice in a day.

After refining and cultivating that energy, it would be equivalent to nine days of cultivation.

Normally, given Zhou Changwang’s current fourth-level Qi Refining cultivation, he needed roughly seven days of cultivation to increase his cultivation progress by one point.

Combined with the amplification of the Minor Spirit-Gathering Array…

“In other words, if I have an unlimited supply, my cultivation can increase by two or three points almost every day…”

Zhou Changwang calculated silently, and the delight in his heart grew even stronger.

Cultivation was the foundation of an immortal cultivator.

Spells and divine abilities were ultimately only supplementary.

Only cultivation could truly increase one’s lifespan and slow the decline of one’s vitality.

Generally speaking, a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator who suffered no illness or disaster could live to the age of one hundred and twenty. A small number of cultivators who practiced life-nourishing techniques or consumed life-extending spirit pills and spirit fruits might live another ten or twenty years, but at most they would reach around one hundred and fifty.

Beyond that came Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Once one established a foundation, the most important benefit, apart from the increase in strength, was the extension of one’s lifespan.

One could immediately live beyond two hundred years, with an upper limit of roughly two hundred and forty.

Without cultivation, how could one speak of longevity?

And how could one speak of strength?

Thus, what Zhou Changwang valued most was still his own cultivation.

Moreover, as his cultivation increased, his strength would naturally rise with it. The two complemented each other.

Now that he could see his cultivation rapidly increasing because of the Thunder Spirit Rice, he was naturally overjoyed.

He then tidied the entire spirit field, placing some of the harvested Thunder Spirit Rice into his storage bag and piling the rest in the kitchen.

As for the stalks of the Thunder Spirit Rice plants remaining in the field, he dug them up by the roots and burned them all to ash with a Fireball Spell.

He scattered the resulting wood ash throughout the spirit field, adding a measure of fertilizer for the growth of the Gathering Spirit Grass.

…

Over the following period, with the time formerly spent tending the Thunder Spirit Rice plants now freed, he devoted even more of his energy to cultivation.

Cultivation, spells, and body-cultivation techniques.

On the second day after harvesting the Thunder Spirit Rice, the body-cultivation technique Seven Stars Treading the Moon and the restorative spell Withered Wood Rejuvenation both reached the mastery stage.

On the third day, Thousand Lightning Flash officially reached mastery as well.

Although the Thunder Spirit Rice had already been harvested, he did not stop cultivating this spell.

That was because it was also connected to the higher-grade spell, Minor Five-Element Thousand Lightning.

Minor Five-Element Thousand Lightning was a combined spell formed from Thousand Lightning Flash and Five-Element Lightning Transformation. Its power was greater, and its cultivation difficulty higher.

Only by cultivating both spells to relatively advanced levels would he be able to gain a better foothold when he eventually began learning Minor Five-Element Thousand Lightning.

Naturally, he would not abandon his cultivation of Thousand Lightning Flash.

Moreover, Minor Five-Element Thousand Lightning was not the ultimate spell of this lightning technique system.

There was surely also a Major Five-Element Thousand Lightning above it.

Although this was merely his guess, spells generally followed convention. Since there was a “Minor,” there would inevitably be a “Major.”

He simply did not know whether the White Clan Trading Company possessed such a spell.

“Perhaps, when I exchange for Minor Five-Element Thousand Lightning in the future, I can ask about it at the same time.”

Zhou Changwang muttered to himself, knowing that there was no need to rush.

He had not even obtained Minor Five-Element Thousand Lightning yet, so there was no reason to set his sights prematurely on Major Five-Element Thousand Lightning.

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On the fourth day after harvesting the Thunder Spirit Rice, his Sword-Controlling Art and its Derivative Technique successively entered the perfected realm, forming a spell seed.

On the seventh day, Spirit-Splitting Technique reached mastery.

At that moment, its unique characteristic finally revealed itself.

It could divide his consciousness into two separate parts.

Especially when he controlled a flying sword artifact, he could directly attach one strand of consciousness to the sword and use that “consciousness” to control it in attacking.

Combined with his now-perfected Sword-Controlling Art, it allowed him to display extraordinary skill in controlling and wielding the sword.

His heart moved, and his will followed; wherever his intent went, the sword went as well.

“This is almost equivalent to the legendary Clear Swordheart of the cultivation world.

“With my consciousness attached, the two are connected in mind and spirit. I am the sword, and the sword is me. Isn’t that precisely Clear Swordheart?”

Zhou Changwang inexplicably thought of the legendary sword cultivators.

Their offensive abilities were in no way inferior to those of lightning cultivators.

Moreover, because sword cultivators wielded flying swords, their attacks were even faster than lightning cultivators casting lightning spells. Their combat power was often somewhat greater as well.

Perhaps he could follow the path of the sword cultivator in the future?

Zhou Changwang had indeed entertained such an idea.

He also knew that Wu Yongchang, the former head of the Wu Clan who had departed the market, was a sword cultivator.

His combat strength was publicly acknowledged to be formidable.

With only fourth-level Foundation Establishment cultivation, he could contend with a seventh-level Foundation Establishment cultivator.

At least within Phoenixcry Hollow Market, apart from White Clan Ancestor White Dongxian and Chen Clan Ancestor Chen Jiudao, he was the strongest of them all.

“It’s a pity that sword techniques are difficult to find.

“Besides, my current strength isn’t weak.

“Pursuing such things too forcefully would only bring more loss than gain.

“It would also waste a tremendous amount of time and energy.”

Although Zhou Changwang longed to cultivate a sword technique suited to sword cultivators, he remained perfectly clear-headed.

He understood the principle that one should not bite off more than one could chew.

At present, he did not lack offensive methods.

For defense, he had a perfected Body-Protection Spell. For offense, he had perfected Gengjin Finger, Fireball Spell, and Five-Element Lightning Transformation.

Not to mention that he had refined a high-grade defensive artifact, the Spirit Tortoise Shield, a mid-grade flying sword artifact, and a high-grade artifact-level alchemy furnace. Compared with ordinary cultivators, he was exceedingly wealthy.

Especially that alchemy furnace.

It was actually the true foundation that gave him the confidence to scheme for a high-grade Five-Element cultivation technique.

If he truly could not gather enough spirit stones to obtain the technique, he could sell the alchemy furnace as collateral. At the very least, it would bring him ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Added to the roughly eight thousand low-grade spirit stones he already possessed—

It would be enough!

The ninth day!

Zhou Changwang’s Five-Element Lightning Transformation finally reached mastery as well.

After reaching mastery, Five-Element Lightning Transformation still did not attain the ability to be cast instantaneously.

However, from beginning to end, he needed only a single breath to cast it.

After one breath, the spell would be released.

As for its power—

Zhou Changwang had never truly tested it.

After all, the spell wall could nullify the power of spells. No matter how formidable the spell was, it would ultimately dissolve into nothingness.

As for testing it outdoors… its power was too great, and the destruction it caused would be too extensive. It could easily attract unwanted attention and create a major disturbance, so he naturally did not dare try it recklessly.

Yet even when he cast it only against the spell wall, he could judge that its power was absolutely astonishing.

It far exceeded the maximum strength a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator could unleash in a single strike.

“At the very least, with this spell at my side, even if I face a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator—or even an eighth-level one—I won’t be completely helpless.”

Only at that moment did Zhou Changwang truly possess the confidence to face the many dangers ahead.

Even if the chaotic night returned, he felt that he would no longer be entirely without the power to protect himself.

As for ninth-level Qi Refining cultivators?

He would naturally stay as far away from them as possible.

A wise man does not stand beneath a dangerous wall. Even if he encountered a cultivator above the seventh level of Qi Refining, he would not seek to provoke or offend them.

Unless they took the initiative to antagonize him.

…

On the tenth day, Zhou Changwang finally decided to leave once again.

After opening his eyes, he first glanced at his attribute panel.

Name: Zhou Changwang
Lifespan: 18/97
Cultivation: Fourth Level of Qi Refining (37/100)
…

“My cultivation has been increasing by roughly three points a day.

“This cultivation speed truly isn’t slow.”

Compared with before, Zhou Changwang had indeed made a considerable leap.

But he was still unable to feel satisfied.

In his view, the improved cultivation efficiency brought about by better external conditions merely allowed him to barely catch up with cultivators from the great sects and major powers.

His current cultivation conditions were nothing extraordinary.

What he wanted was a fundamental increase in cultivation speed.

Other than improving his spiritual root aptitude, the only thing capable of achieving that was a cultivation technique.

A high-grade cultivation technique.

He was leaving this time with considerable anticipation.

He hoped to receive good news from Brother Xiu and Fairy Sunset Glow.

Of course, that was not all.

During this period, he had also drawn a sufficient number of spirit talismans. He needed to sell them all at once and earn a sum of spirit stones.

After all, even if he truly obtained news of a corresponding high-grade Five-Element technique—or even a supreme Five-Element technique—without enough spirit stones, he would still be unable to exchange for it.

Thus, before meeting Brother Xiu and Fairy Sunset Glow, he first made a trip to Talisman Affinity Residence and several other small talisman shops.

Naturally, he also visited major establishments such as Six Directions Pavilion, White Clan Trading Company, and Watercloud Pavilion.

After totaling everything up—

He had obtained two thousand low-grade spirit stones in all.

“Two thousand low-grade spirit stones is no small amount.

“With this, the total number of spirit stones I possess has risen to ten thousand!”

Ten thousand low-grade spirit stones!

A true tycoon!

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