Market

Half an hour later, Lu Qingfeng stopped, a hint of delight appearing on his face.

"It's smoother than the Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture, and my cultivation speed seems to have improved as well!" Lu Qingfeng was pleasantly surprised.

Though the improvement was not substantial, at least it was not entirely useless.

"From the looks of it, Fusion of cultivation arts is full of uncertainty. With all kinds of factors intertwined, it's possible that the quality of a fused cultivation art might even decline."

"Strengthening a cultivation art, on the other hand, can directly improve its quality."

Lu Qingfeng opened the "Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture" and clicked on the option to evolve it, preparing to test the specific effects of strengthening.

Evolving "Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture"; required experience: 1/10

Evolving "Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture"; required experience: 10/10. Please select an evolution direction: Strengthen/Improve/Fusion

Evolution of "Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture" complete!

Cultivation Art: Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture

Grade: Beginner, nine layers in total

Evolving Method: One Fusion, one Strengthening

Cultivation Requirements: None

Cultivation Art Traits: None

Description: Formed by fusing the "Azure Wood Art" and "Blazing Sun Scripture"

No trait had appeared this time either.

Lu Qingfeng did not mind. He sat cross-legged and resumed cultivating.

This time, the strengthening of the "Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture" produced immediate results. Not only could Lu Qingfeng clearly feel that circulating the cultivation art had become smoother, but his cultivation speed had also increased noticeably.

"Looks like strengthening is the true path!"

Lu Qingfeng was overjoyed.

Putting aside the benefits to him in the game, the improvement in the cultivation art's quality alone was enough to make him grin from ear to ear over the benefits it brought him in reality.

Straightening his expression, Lu Qingfeng continued operating the system, preparing to strengthen the "Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture" again.

Evolving "Azure Wood Blazing Sun Scripture"; Strengthen: 0/20; Improve: 0/10; Fusion: 0/20

"The experience requirements for Strengthen and Fusion have both increased!"

Only then did Lu Qingfeng notice that after the second Strengthen and Fusion, the experience required had risen to 20. He did not know whether each additional attempt added ten experience points, or whether the required experience simply doubled.

However, he could not verify it for now.

Lu Qingfeng did not have much experience to begin with. After one Strengthen and one Fusion, his level had dropped straight to Level 2 (6/10). His remaining experience was nowhere near enough for another Strengthen or Fusion.

"I'm still far from the True Qi Realm, so there's no need to hurry to increase the number of layers in my cultivation art."

After thinking it over, Lu Qingfeng selected "Alchemy Analysis" and began strengthening it!

An instant later, the strengthening was complete—

Manual: Alchemy Analysis

Grade: Beginner

Evolving Method: One Strengthening

Notes: A basic alchemy manual recording methods for processing forty-nine medicinal ingredients

As the strengthening finished, the contents of "Alchemy Analysis" in his mind were shuffled and reorganized.

In the blink of an eye, "Alchemy Analysis" had become entirely new. Lu Qingfeng took a cursory look and saw that the information on the medicinal ingredients was far more detailed, while the various processing methods had also become simpler and more practical.

"Not bad, not bad!"

After browsing through it, Lu Qingfeng reckoned that once he mastered the strengthened "Alchemy Analysis," his efficiency at processing medicinal ingredients each day would increase by at least twenty or thirty percent, while his success rate could rise to ninety percent!

Originally, he could exchange the processed ingredients for one Yellow Dragon Pill every eight days. Now, he could do so in only three or four days, more than doubling his efficiency!

"Phew! Phew!"

Lu Qingfeng felt that there had been far too many pleasant surprises today, and his mind was surging with excitement.

"My state of mind still needs work."

"Whatever! I might as well go out for a stroll."

In this state, Lu Qingfeng was completely unable to calm his mind and cultivate, much less process medicinal ingredients in peace.

He rose and walked out of the Bluestone Talisman for the first time in a month.

Black Sand Town.

Lu Qingfeng put away the Bluestone Talisman, revealing his figure.

As he walked through the town, he saw countless cultivators coming and going, with ordinary people possessing no cultivation mixed among them.

"Cultivation requires Root Bone. Although my Root Bone is only one point, it's at least enough to cross the threshold of cultivation. With the help of Yellow Dragon Pills, I can enter the path of cultivation."

"But in this world, there are many people with no aptitude at all, people who cannot even take the first step."

In the end, this was not a glorious age in which everyone could become a dragon.

Root Bone was a heavenly chasm, separating immortals from mortals!

Thinking of this, Lu Qingfeng felt somewhat fortunate. At least he had not fallen into such a despairing state.

He continued wandering.

The enormous Black Sand Town was divided into several major areas. Lu Qingfeng was in the western district, which encompassed the commercial district, residential district, cultivation district, guild district, and more.

"Black Sand Town is practically a miniature cultivation world."

Rarely enjoying such leisure, Lu Qingfeng walked through Black Sand Town, looking around and doing his best to understand this game world.

If nothing unexpected happened, he would spend a long time in this town.

"The market."

After wandering around until he was dizzy, Lu Qingfeng arrived at a market in the commercial district.

"Come one, come all! Take a look! A freshly forged third-grade Talisman Artifact, the Black-Iron Heaven-Soaring Shield! An exceedingly rare defensive Talisman Artifact containing seventy-six talismans! Made from Black-Iron Essence Gold from a vast Land of Cold Yin, it's not only incomparably sturdy, but once activated with spell power, it can automatically defend all around its wielder. An absolutely superb choice for keeping yourself safe and establishing your place in the world!"

"Golden Bamboo Talisman Brush! The tip is made from the neck fur of a second-grade demonic beast, the Golden-Eyed Ape. The shaft is made from Gold Essence and Black Iron, and it was refined over three days and three nights with both gentle and fierce flames. Only twenty Golden Marrow Pills!"

"A bundle of high-grade Chain Lightning Talismans! Buy now while supplies last!"

"One Blazing Sun Stone, produced at Blazing Sun Mountain three hundred li away! The first choice for refining fire-attribute Talisman Artifacts. Don't miss it!"

Before he had even truly entered the market, the cries of the vendors and the clamorous din sweeping toward him completely dispelled the sense of isolation that a month of secluded cultivation had left on Lu Qingfeng.

"Talisman Artifacts!"

"Elixirs!"

"Talismans!"

"Ores!"

Hundreds of stalls displayed a dazzling array of goods, leaving him overwhelmed by the sheer variety.

The moment Lu Qingfeng entered, he was immediately drawn to the myriad wondrous Talisman Artifacts and talismans.

The treasures in "Primordial World" were divided into ascending grades: Talisman Artifacts, Earthly Baleful Artifacts, Heavenly Stellar Treasures, and finally the most powerful treasures, the Later-Heaven Spirit Treasures and Innate Spirit Treasures that existed only in legend.

Black Sand Town was a beginner village. The highest cultivation level in the town was only the Foundation Establishment Realm, and Earthly Baleful Artifacts were rarely seen. The common treasures were nothing more than the lowest-grade Talisman Artifacts!

Talisman Artifacts were divided into four grades, with first-grade being the weakest and fourth-grade the strongest.

The Black-Iron Heaven-Soaring Shield Lu Qingfeng had seen at first glance was a relatively low-grade third-grade Talisman Artifact. However, because it could defend automatically, it was more sought-after than many fourth-grade Talisman Artifacts.

Unfortunately, the stall owner had set the price too high, and it had yet to sell.

"With my Root Bone, achieving anything in cultivation in the real world will absolutely not be a matter of three or five days."

"If I can refine one or two Talisman Artifacts, I'll be able to greatly increase my combat power in a short time!"

Lu Qingfeng lingered among the many stalls in the market. He studied each Talisman Artifact for a long while and repeatedly questioned the stall owners. Only after fully understanding one would he move on to the next stall, searching for the Talisman Artifact he desired most.

After a full half-day, Lu Qingfeng sat down beside a stall to rest.

"Among these Talisman Artifacts, if I can gather the Black-Iron Heaven-Soaring Shield, Formless Needle, Cloud-Treading Boots, and Golden Fu Mother-and-Son Blades, I'll be invincible in the Later-Heaven Embryonic Breath Realm and the True Qi Realm!"

The Black-Iron Heaven-Soaring Shield could defend automatically. Once released, it feared neither ambushes nor blades, weapons, or spells.

The Formless Needle came without a shadow and left without a trace, capable of wounding people invisibly.

The Cloud-Treading Boots could increase one's speed.

The Golden Fu Mother-and-Son Blades consisted of one mother blade and eight son blades, all incomparably sharp. Holding the mother blade allowed one to control the eight son blades to attack the enemy, making them impossible to guard against.

It was just that—

"It's not impossible to gather these four Talisman Artifacts in the game. But gathering them in reality will probably be no easier than raising my cultivation to the Ninth Layer of the Embryonic Breath Realm!"

Lu Qingfeng gave a bitter smile.

Not to mention how much time it would take an absolute novice who knew nothing about artifact refinement to refine Talisman Artifacts such as the Black-Iron Heaven-Soaring Shield. The various materials required by these Talisman Artifacts alone were enough to make Lu Qingfeng stop in his tracks.

"Black Iron, the essence of the Five Metals, Cloud-Treading Beast Hide, Essence Iron and Essence Gold..."

"Even a decent iron tool is hard to find in Blackwood Village. Where am I supposed to find Black-Iron Essence Gold and the like?"

Lu Qingfeng shook his head and buried the thought of refining artifacts deep in his heart. For now, artifact refinement could not help him resolve his predicament in reality.

"Cultivation is the foundation of everything!"

"If I want to rapidly improve my cultivation in reality, first, I can strengthen cultivation arts in the game; second, I can study the art of alchemy!"

Lu Qingfeng's thoughts were clear.

Of all the skills on the path of cultivation, the one he most needed to master right now was the art of alchemy.

With the assistance of Yellow Dragon Pills in the game, his cultivation progress was still unsatisfactory. After returning to reality, without the aid of Yellow Dragon Pills, he feared he would be unable to advance even a single step!

Therefore, he had to master alchemy.

"Compared with artifact refinement, alchemy has lower cultivation requirements, and the various medicinal ingredients are far easier to find than artifact-refinement materials."

"Still, while practicing alchemy, I can also study the art of talisman-making."

Lu Qingfeng's gaze fell on several bundles of talismans at the stall beside him.

Talismans could be drawn using special methods to seal spells within them. By injecting inner breath, true qi, or true essence and magical power, one could activate the spells sealed inside. They were exceptionally suitable for confronting enemies in battle.

If one was wealthy enough, throwing out dozens of low-grade talismans at once could heavily injure or even kill a True Qi Realm cultivator.

Blazing Flame Talismans, Hundred-Ice Talismans, Invisibility Talismans, Earth-Burrowing Talismans, Chain Lightning Talismans...

There were many kinds of talismans, each with its own effects.

If Lu Qingfeng had several hundred talismans of various types on hand, he might even be able to level Huangzhi Mountain!

Moreover, entering the path of talisman-making was far simpler than artifact refinement. For Lu Qingfeng, it was an excellent choice for rapidly increasing his strength.

"I wonder whether cultivators exist in reality. If reality is only at the martial-arts level, or if its cultivation system is different, then from now on, whether it's elixirs, talismans, Talisman Artifacts, or artifacts, I'll have to make them all myself!"

That was not all.

When it came to drawing talismans alone, Lu Qingfeng would have to manufacture his own talisman brush, prepare cinnabar, boil and refine talisman paper...

Manufacturing a talisman brush would also require a rudimentary understanding of artifact refinement!

Thinking of this, Lu Qingfeng could not help feeling a headache coming on.

Even with the hundredfold time difference, it would not be easy to achieve proficiency in alchemy, talisman-making, artifact refinement, and the like.

"Cultivation truly is no easy road!"

Lu Qingfeng sighed inwardly.

"Little Daoist friend, you've only just entered 'Primordial World.' Why aren't you cultivating or earning money properly? Why are you hanging around my stall?"

A voice came from beside him.

Lu Qingfeng came to his senses from his deep thoughts and saw that the stall owner beside him was looking at him with considerable exasperation.