Cultivation Loan

Little B, you really seem to thrive on chaos.

As for Little C...

Lu Ping paused for a second, then skipped over it.

Little C was quite well-behaved today.

Lu Ping chose B.

[You chose B.]

[You walk up to the booth that says "Customization Available".]

The stall owner was a gaunt-faced Golden Core cultivator.

"Can you make Azure Cloud Sect Elder Token?"

The stall owner lifted his eyelids, his gaze swept over you, and he grinned.

"It's possible to do it. However, the cloud-patterned Formation Technique within the Elder's Token of the Azure Cloud Sect is difficult to replicate. It will cost extra."

["How many?"]

"Two thousand Spirit Stones. If you provide the main materials yourself, it'll be six hundred."

[The stall owner said casually.]

This is more expensive than Third-Grade Alchemist Certificate.

[You took out a piece of Azure Spirit Jade and handed it over along with six hundred Spirit Stones.]

[A strange glint flashed in the stall owner's eyes as he accepted the Azure Spirit Jade.]

"Good material. Fellow Daoist is quite willing to spend."

[He didn't ask you, a blood-soaked Evil Cultivator, what you needed Elder Token from a righteous sect for.]

The rule of the Black Market is always to take money and do things, regardless of the consequences.

[The stall owner put the Spirit Stones into his Storage Bag, then began to form hand seals, his Spiritual Power and Divine Sense surging together, and Array Patterns intertwined on the Azure Spirit Jade.]

[In less than half an hour, an Azure Cloud Sect Elder Token was tossed into your hand.]

[You scanned the token with your Divine Sense and paused slightly.]

[This fake token is nine-tenths similar to the genuine Azure Cloud Sect elder's jade token in your hand.]

You almost got fooled.

[You've always prided yourself on your powerful Divine Sense, yet you almost stumbled over a fake token made by a Golden Core cultivator.]

[That's true, everyone has their own expertise.]

[You've always thought you've reached a high level of proficiency in the "Four Arts of Cultivation."]

[But now it seems that when it comes to "counterfeiting," you're still a novice.]

[Reverse Engineering, in effect.]

[The Artisan Spirit is now in effect.]

[Workaholic, effective.]

[For someone like you who's a cheater, no one can be stronger than you forever.]

You have learned how to create fake identity tokens.

Lu Ping: "..."

He was dumbfounded. What's the use of learning this?

System, are you a proper system?!

[You look around at the monks frantically buying fake certificates for exams, job hunting, or border crossings, and sigh inwardly.]

[You walked through the "street of fake document processing shops," and then you stopped in front of a building.]

[Ascension Tower.]

[You almost couldn't hold back your laughter when you saw those three words.]

In the world of cultivation, anyone who dares to use the term "ascension to immortality" is most likely not a good person.

[This building is even more magnificent than the Blissful Soul-Draining Tower; its door pillars are all made of top-quality warm jade.]

Still troubled by not being able to Foundation Establishment in Qi Refining?

"Are you still despairing because you're nearing the end of your lifespan and unable to Core Formation?"

[At the entrance, a Golden Core Deacon was lecturing a group of Qi Refining Stage cultivators, spittle flying from his lips.]

"Cultivation Loan! Cultivation Loan!"

"No need for arduous practice and waiting!"

" From Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment in an instant!"

"Foundation Establishment Immediately Leads to Golden Core!"

"Get on the bus first, buy the ticket later."

"One cannot inquire about the Dao without examining the Spirit Root!"

"Today's fortune is sealed, today's blessings are bestowed!"

[A cultivator at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, after hesitating for a long time, finally gritted his teeth and stepped forward.]

"I'll take it!"

The Golden Core Deacon took out a dark red talisman.

"Just force out your Essence Blood to imprint it. Fellow Daoist, once you've made your decision, there's no going back."

The Deacon's smile faded, and he politely pushed the talisman forward.

The Qi Refining cultivator forced out a drop of Essence Blood, but hesitated to press it down.

[A moment later, he closed his eyes and pressed his Essence Blood into the talisman.]

[The talisman instantly ignited with a ghostly blue flame, from which two faint lights shot out.]

[One stream pierced directly into the cultivator's brow, while the other disappeared into the Void.]

[Immediately afterwards, the cultivator suddenly stiffened and let out a muffled groan.]

He suddenly knelt down on the ground, his veins bulging all over his body.

A surge of Spiritual Power erupted from his body.

[In just a few breaths, a spiritual pressure belonging to the Foundation Establishment Early Stage was squeezed out from his body.]

He was panting heavily, his hair soaked with sweat.

When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with ecstatic joy, and his voice was trembling.

"I... I 'Foundation Establishment! I've really Foundation Establishment!"

The surrounding Qi Refining cultivators gleamed with greed and longing in their eyes.

[You stand outside the crowd, quietly watching this scene.]

[Since crafting the "Heguang Tongchen Talisman," you've developed a subtle, inexplicable connection to the mysterious and profound Fate Contract of fate.]

[In your eyes, an invisible thread is currently being drawn from the top of the newly Foundation Establishment cultivator's head.]

[One end plunged into his Sea of Consciousness, the other disappeared into the Void.]

[Reverse Engineering, in effect.]

[The Artisan Spirit is now in effect.]

[Following that invisible thread, your Divine Sense penetrated the Formation Technique in the Ascension Tower, locking onto the end of the thread.]

[Deep within the Ascension Tower, in a secret room.]

[An elderly man who was meditating with his eyes closed suddenly opened them, his expression sharpened, and he abruptly looked up in your direction.]

He clearly sensed someone was watching him, but he dared not make a move.

[You have the barrier of the Tongchen Talisman, and the Formless Myriad-Breath Cloak of concealment.]

You can easily spy on him, yet he remains unaware of the source of that spying.

This unknown filled him with fear.

You chuckled to yourself, unconcerned.

[Just a minor Nascent Soul Perfection at the peak of cultivation.]

You're getting cocky again.

[You forgot, we almost got caught by a fake Golden Core cultivator just now.]

[Salty Fish, in effect.]

Your heart is as still as water.

[The Golden Core Deacon had already stepped forward and helped the still ecstatic cultivator to his feet, his smile as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum.]

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist! From now on, you only need to repay one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones per month for fifty years."

["If there is a supply disruption..."]

He paused, his smile turning sinister.

"Fellow Daoist, your soul and Qi and Blood now belong to our Ascension Tower."

The cultivator wasn't listening at all; he was only focused on sensing the power within his body that he would never have possessed in his entire life.

[The onlookers had already realized that even Foundation Establishment cultivator could only infuse five Spirit Stones per day.]

[In a month, I only managed to get 150 coins at most.]

[This Ascension Tower actually took away a hundred coins at once, how can anyone cultivate now...?]

Some cultivators had already begun to retreat, but many more did not care at all.

With cultivation level, why worry about not having Spirit Stones?

[Since I've already lost everything, things can't get any worse than they are now.]

[However, they forgot that this is the world of cultivation, where even a single thought can be extracted to generate great wealth.]

You looked away, not intending to meddle.

[This deal is a willing buyer and a willing seller transaction, with a clearly marked price.]

Let go of the urge to help others and respect their fate.

You turned around and continued walking deeper into the Black Market.

[According to the middle-aged Evil Cultivator's memories, the meeting with the "Lord of the South's" contact is in one month.]

[You plan to find a place to stay here first.]

In the entire Black Market, there is only one inn called "Fortune-Coming Inn".

When you saw this sign, you almost thought you were in the wrong place.

[You enter the inn, and someone greets you.]