“Lin Changsheng, are you done with your work?”
Old Zhuang’s voice came from afar.
“I finished a long time ago! I was just waiting for you!” Lin Changsheng, who was sitting on the ground, stood up and waved his hand.
“Oh~ Young people are just quick. Much stronger than this old man.”
Old Zhuang looked at Lin Changsheng with a relieved expression, as if he was looking at the Legacy of his Dao of Spiritual Farming.
Lin Changsheng walked over to Old Zhuang and patted his shoulder.
“Old Zhuang, what are you saying? Your spiritual planting technique is famous throughout the countryside, and it’s well-ranked in these ten miles and eight villages.”
Old Zhuang chuckled and waved his hand.
“No good, I’m so old I can’t even plow the fields anymore.”
Lin Changsheng smiled after hearing that; he knew Old Zhuang had several young and tender wives.
“Come on! You even planted three more acres of spiritual land this year?”
“Heh, speaking of which, it’s a joyous occasion. My youngest son, born a few years ago, actually has Four Spiritual Roots Aptitude, much stronger than mine. This year he’s reached the age to start Cultivating, so I’m preparing to save up more Spirit Stones to make his future Dao path smoother.”
“Eighty years old is precisely the time to work hard.”
As he spoke, a hint of self-satisfaction appeared on his face.
“You truly are an old sword that hasn’t rusted, you can plow any land.”
The two looked at each other and smiled, sharing a look that only men understood.
“When did you become so cunning, boy? Stop teasing this old man.”
Old Zhuang laughed and cursed.
Then, he patted the Storage Pouch at his waist, and a dilapidated green qingmu boat flew out of it.
It grew with the wind, and in just a few breaths, a green boat about ten feet long and three feet wide gently landed on the ground.
The qingmu boat was a Low Grade Magical Artifact. It was Lin Changsheng’s first time seeing a Magical Artifact and a Storage Pouch, and he was greatly surprised.
“As expected of Cultivation! It can be big or small, a mustard seed containing a world.”
He looked at it enviously for a few more glances, wishing he could buy one.
However, he was short on funds.
Although the original owner had been diligently cultivating the spiritual fields, almost all the Spirit Stones earned were used to improve his Cultivation, so much so that he couldn't even afford a Storage Pouch…
“Lin Changsheng, come up quickly.”
Old Zhuang stood on the spiritual boat, casting a spell to make the flying boat slowly float up.
Seeing this, Lin Changsheng leaped onto the spiritual boat and kept looking around.
The spiritual boat swayed and floated on the wind. It wasn’t very fast but not slow either, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived in front of the market.
Qingmu Town is divided into inner and outer cities. The outer city can be freely entered and exited. The inner city requires a token, which costs one Spirit Stone per month, so few low-level Cultivators from the shantytown area have been to the inner city.
Soon after entering the market, a wave of alluring sounds reached their ears.
Looking up, the three golden characters “Fengyue Tower” came into view, and people came and went at the entrance, bustling with activity.
It is said that the Fairies inside all Cultivate the Joyful Union Cultivation Technique, and their charm is enchanting…
Unconsciously wiping the non-existent drool from the corner of his mouth, Lin Changsheng, who was penniless, would not waste his Spirit Stones in such a place.
Soon, the two arrived at a tavern. Old Zhuang, uncharacteristically generous, ordered one meat dish, two vegetable dishes, and a pot of spiritual wine.
Although it looked like little, the price was not low. This simple meal alone cost a full two Spirit Stones.
“Come, Lin Changsheng, let’s have a drink.”
After a few cups of wine, Old Zhuang began to boast.
“When I was young, I also traveled north and south, but the older I got, the less I dared to venture. I came here to farm early.”
Lin Changsheng nodded in agreement.
“Being cautious is the Kingly Dao of Cultivation.”
“If this old man wasn’t cautious enough, I wouldn’t have lived to this age. You don’t know the difficulties of a Loose Cultivator; fighting over a single Spirit Stone is a common occurrence, and if your Cultivation isn’t high enough, even if you hunt demons in the mountains with others, you’ll run slower than them.”
“It’s a pity, even if I risked my life to earn some Spirit Stones, it simply couldn’t fill the bottomless pit of Five Spiritual Roots. The Spirit Stones are spent, but the Cultivation doesn’t increase by even a bit.”
Old Zhuang shook his head as he spoke, as if recalling that unforgettable experience.
Suddenly, a burst of noise attracted their attention.
“Boss, give us your best private room.”
An arrogant voice came, and a group of Sect Disciple wearing Baiyun Sect uniforms entered in a line. Everyone on the road quickly made way.
“Tsk tsk, it’s really good to be a Disciple of a big Sect!”
Old Zhuang couldn’t help but sigh.
“Old Zhuang, do you know if there’s a way for people like us, with Low Grade Spiritual Root Aptitude, to join a Sect?”
Lin Changsheng’s heart stirred, and he asked.
“I do know a little, so let me tell you about it!”
“There are three methods, but they are not easy for us.”
“First, those who are proficient in the hundred arts of Cultivation, such as Alchemy, Formation, Talisman, and Artifact Refining. As long as they pass the assessment, they can directly be promoted to Outer Sect Disciple, and it’s not too difficult for such people to even become Inner Sect Disciple.”
“Second, if someone introduces you, then there’s hope of becoming a Utility Disciple or an Outer Sect Disciple.”
“The third is to reach Late Stage Qi Refining, then you can apply to become a Utility Disciple of a major Sect, and after a few years of hard work, you can be promoted to Outer Sect Disciple.”
“These are generally the methods, or growing up in the Sect from a young age. Otherwise, it is extremely difficult for those without three or more Spiritual Roots to enter a Sect. This is information I gathered after many years of inquiry; I would never tell anyone else.”
Old Zhuang took a sip of his wine, looking a bit smug.
Then, as if remembering something, he said seriously,
“Loose Cultivators like us, with no background and Four or Five Spiritual Roots, shouldn’t hope to enter a Sect. It’s better to take many wives and concubines and spread your lineage. If you have a Qilin son with three Spiritual Roots, he can even walk the immortal path for you.”
“This is the Cultivation Dao for Five Spiritual Roots and Four Spiritual Roots. With the continuous lineage, my Zhuang family will eventually produce a Foundation Establishment grand Cultivator.”
“I see you are well-built, and female Cultivators will surely like you. Thus, finding a good immortal partner and having a higher chance of giving birth to a child with Spiritual Roots is much higher than marrying a mortal woman.”
Lin Changsheng gave a bitter laugh.
“Old Zhuang, please don’t tease me. Even you only married and had children after passing the Foundation Establishment deadline at sixty. Even with Four Spiritual Roots, I still want to try to brave the immortal path first.”
Old Zhuang sighed softly.
“Yes, the immortal path. Even with a slim chance, who would give up?”
Taking a light sip of the bland spiritual wine, both had their own thoughts.
“It seems I also need to learn the hundred arts of Cultivation in advance. Not only can I earn a lot of Spirit Stones, but I can also use it to join a major Sect.”
With the proficiency panel, the hundred arts of Cultivation are a piece of cake, anyone can do it.
Additionally, among the hundred arts of Cultivation, Alchemy, Formation, Talisman, and Artifact Refining are considered supreme, and their Legacies are also relatively common.
Formations are abstruse and difficult to understand, and even with the panel, it's slow to learn. It's not suitable for his current situation.
Next is the Alchemist. Once one becomes an Alchemist, earning Spirit Stones and improving Cultivation is a given.
One can also become a Guest Elder for a shop in the town, finding a backer for oneself and escaping the low-level status of a Loose Cultivator.
In contrast, Artifact Refining and Talisman crafting are thankless tasks. Artifact Refining is time-consuming and laborious, and Talismans are not easy to sell.
The Dao of Talisman crafting has a low barrier to entry, making it difficult to thrive in the market. Low-level Talisman Cultivators don't earn many Spirit Stones and have to spend all day busy selling Talismans.
However, low-level Bigu Pills, for instance, are something Loose Cultivators need to carry a few of when entering the mountains. The difficulty of refining is high, coupled with the large number of Loose Cultivators, leading to Medicinal Pills selling much better than Talismans.
Furthermore, low-level Alchemy techniques and Alchemy Materials are cheap in Qingmu Town. The difficulty lies in having a one-in-ten-thousand Alchemy talent, but with the proficiency panel as a fallback, this should not be difficult.
These were all pieces of information Lin Changsheng had gathered from the market.
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and the image of an old Cultivator flashed through his mind.
“Forget Alchemy, isn’t there a ready-made Pill Furnace right there?!”