Shaoyang Market Town

The region where Su Fan lived was located in Yongzhou, in the northeastern part of the Western Wilderness, and was home to several mortal kingdoms.

The Lesser Yang Sect was located within the Chu Kingdom. Its territory was astonishingly vast, larger than Huaxia in his previous life, with a population of several hundred million.

The Chu Kingdom had few Spirit Veins and only five small sects. The highest cultivation among their members was merely Foundation Establishment.

What shocked him was that the other mortal kingdoms in Yongzhou were all considerably larger than Chu.

Moreover, apart from immortal sects like the Lesser Yang Sect, there were also demon sects in other places.

This travel journal had been written by a Rogue Cultivator. He had never even left the Chu Kingdom, so his outlook and horizons were naturally limited.

Even so, some information could be gleaned between the lines.

Su Fan's greatest impression was that this world was fucking huge.

Over the next few days, Su Fan continued lying low and recuperating.

Before being struck by lightning, his predecessor had bought healing medicines in the market town in case of emergencies. His injuries had finally stabilized.

His originally shattered body, ruined internal organs, and disordered meridians had all more or less recovered.

Despite being wrapped up like a mummy, the injuries were actually only superficial.

The bandages had simply stuck to his skin. If he tore them off now, the pain would probably kill him.

He might as well leave them wrapped around him and slowly peel them off after the wounds scabbed over.

They were, after all, medicines that could only be found in a Cultivation market town.

The effects of the "Tianji Bone-Mending Paste" and "Dragon Tiger Creation Powder" were like miracles compared with the medicines of his previous life, both Chinese and Western.

If he had suffered such severe injuries in the Mortal World, he would have been buried long ago.

Although his injuries had mostly healed, Su Fan still did not want to go outside.

This world was rather chaotic. Besides cultivation techniques, he did not even know a single spell for self-defense. How could he dare go out and fool around?

Su Fan sorted through his worldly possessions.

Twelve talismans.

A magic sword covered in rust.

Six dilapidated old books.

A large pile of animal hides and bones that reeked of blood.

Several dozen ingots of mortal gold.

And his last bit of wealth: six Spirit Stones and several dozen Magic Coins.

The Spirit Stones were only the size of thumbs. Their surfaces were pure and flawless, with a glasslike, translucent radiance, as though a pool of clear spring water flowed within them.

Magic Coins were about the same size as ordinary copper coins. They were pressed from the scraps left over after cutting Spirit Stones, containing only thin and scattered traces of spiritual power.

Magic Coins circulated only among the lowest-level Rogue Cultivators. Disciples of sects looked down on using them.

Besides these, his daily necessities included more than half a vat of Spirit Rice, a pile of firewood, and half a jar of pickled vegetables.

Su Fan lamented inwardly. After cultivating for twenty years, he had accumulated only this much. Really...

"The prospects are bleak..."

He brought over the few tattered books and flipped through them one by one.

"Detailed Explanation of Early Qi Refining Spells," "Compendium of Hundred Herbs," "Bestiary of Demonic Beasts," "Body Tempering Art," "True Explanation of First-Order Talismans," and "Miscellaneous Notes on Artifact Refining."

His top priority was to learn a few spells for self-defense.

Su Fan picked up "Detailed Explanation of Early Qi Refining Spells," but felt rather disappointed after reading it.

There were not many spells for early Qi Refining, and they were all auxiliary spells. There was not a single offensive or defensive spell.

He had originally imagined cultivators fighting with fireballs and wind blades shooting everywhere, or magical artifacts and treasures flying wildly through the sky.

After reading this book, Su Fan realized that he had been overthinking it.

Early Qi Refining cultivators had weak Spiritual Senses and could not control magical artifacts at all. They also possessed little magical power, making offensive and defensive spells beyond their ability.

Their main means of fighting, apart from using talismans, was hacking at each other with magic swords.

How was this any kind of immortal? It was more like a gang fight.

Su Fan took more than a dozen talismans out of his Storage Bag. Each was over three inches long and more than an inch wide, made from either talisman hide or Talisman Paper.

Apart from one "Protective Talisman," the rest were nothing special.

Though called a Protective Talisman, it was actually only a low-grade talisman, capable of defending against mortal blades and arrows.

The three "Divine Speed Talismans" were for traveling.

The three "Spring Return Talismans" were for healing.

The three "Muting Talismans" were for hiding and concealing himself.

As for the remaining two "Evil Warding Talismans," he had no idea what they were for.

Could they be meant to deal with ghosts?

Perhaps he should learn a few more auxiliary spells and gain as much additional protection as possible.

"Light Body Art" was a spell for escaping with one's life. He absolutely had to learn it.

"Qi Gazing Art" could observe the flow of spiritual energy. It seemed unimpressive, but was actually very useful.

A concealment spell like "Spirit Concealment Art" was obviously something he had to learn.

That should be enough. One could not bite off more than one could chew.

Then he would go to the market town and pick up a mortal sword technique for close combat. That should do it.

Ultimately, his cultivation was simply too low.

A minor cultivator at the second layer of Qi Refining could only let others bully him wherever he went.

Su Fan let out a long breath and began concentrating on studying several spells.

To his pleasant surprise, as soon as he began researching "Light Body Art," some insights into the spell, along with memories of cultivating and casting it, appeared in his mind.

He suppressed his excitement and continued studying the next two spells.

The results were very pleasing. Memories of "Qi Gazing Art" and "Spirit Concealment Art" also appeared in his mind.

He recited the incantation and formed the hand seals. His body immediately felt lighter. With a gentle leap forward, he was already inside the kitchen.

A distance of four or five meters had been crossed in a single step.

[Light Body Art +1]

He left the house and lightly sprang into the air. His body rose from the ground, and he drifted up onto the roof.

[Light Body Art +1]

Su Fan suppressed the urge to become a little flying hero and forced himself to calm down.

Early Qi Refining spells were already this formidable. How powerful would Wind Riding Art, which could be learned at the middle stage, be?

At the thought, Su Fan could not help filling with yearning for the future.

He truly was an immortal. Even a random auxiliary spell could seem earth-shatteringly astonishing in the eyes of mortals.

He formed the hand seals again, recited the incantation, and circulated his spiritual power.

[Qi Gazing Art +1]

The scene instantly changed. The entire world turned black and white, while wisps of energy in various colors floated between heaven and earth.

On distant Shaoyang Mountain, the vivid aura was dazzlingly bright. That was the direction of the Shaoyang Sect's Mountain Protecting Grand Array.

Next, he tried Spirit Concealment Art, completing it with equal ease.

The consecutive mastery of three spells opened Su Fan's eyes wide.

So this was the Cultivation World.

No wonder countless Rogue Cultivators would rather struggle bitterly in Shaoyang Market Town than return to mortal society.

After all, even an early Qi Refining cultivator would at least be an upper-class person upon returning to a mortal kingdom.

After sighing with emotion, Su Fan opened his status panel, and the data for the three spells appeared.

[Name] Su Fan

[Life Span] 36/92 years

[Realm] Qi Refining Second Layer: 99/100

[Techniques]

1. Primordial Chaos Technique (First-Order): 22/100.

2. Body Tempering Art (Second-Order): 45/200

3. Demonic Saint Body Art (First-Order): 100/100

[Spells]

1. Qi Gazing Art (Beginner): 1/100

2. Light Body Art (Beginner): 2/100

3. Spirit Concealment Art (Beginner): 1/100

Early Qi Refining auxiliary spells were relatively simple and consumed very little magical power.

Combined with the memories he possessed, practicing the spells was like having divine assistance.

Through continuous effort, he raised all three spells to Minor Achievement in just two days.

But after reaching Minor Achievement, the spell proficiency progress bars doubled, and advancement was no longer as fast as it had been at the beginner level.

Now that he had mastered three spells, it was time to visit the market town.

Besides replenishing some daily necessities, he would pick up a sword technique.

Oh, right. He also needed to buy some mid-grade offensive and defensive talismans.

Mid-grade talismans were often very expensive, but he could not worry about that now.

Without some means of saving his life, he could not even sleep soundly.

Su Fan sighed and removed the Storage Bag from his waist. No matter how reluctant he was, he could only exchange it for Spirit Stones.

He had only obtained it a few days ago and had not even had time to warm it in his hands before it was gone.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Su Fan rose.

After putting his belongings in order, he shouldered his bundle, slung his magic sword over his back, and pushed open the door.

In the early morning, a drizzling autumn rain hung like a thin veil over mist-shrouded Shaoyang Mountain.

The sky was dim and gray, and the ground was muddy.

Some fallen leaves had sunk into the mud, making faint squeaking sounds underfoot.

The rolling mountains in the distance were the main peak of Shaoyang Mountain, which stretched for thousands of miles.

Misty clouds wound through them, making the mountains hazy and indistinct.

The market town had been built at the foot of the mountain, while the Lesser Yang Sect stood on the mountain, shrouded by the enormous Mountain Protection Array.

Although the Lesser Yang Sect, with several thousand people, was merely a small sect,

Shaoyang Market Town still attracted nearly ten thousand Rogue Cultivators.

That was because it was the only Spirit Vein within a radius of several thousand miles.

Countless chaotic shantytowns were scattered around the market town like stars across a chessboard.

Rows upon rows of densely packed self-built huts were crammed together in disarray, filling every inch of space.

Run-down, low-roofed shelters, muddy and pockmarked roads, and sewage flowing everywhere.

A thick stench of decay filled the air. If one was not careful, one could step right into fresh feces and urine.

People carrying chamber pots occasionally appeared along both sides of the road, skillfully splashing the contents into the ditches.

Before long, the fresh air, the fragrance of earth, and the night-soil stench drifting everywhere gradually blended together.

Although the Shaoyang Sect Enforcement Team patrolled day and night, and each shantytown had its own spontaneously organized Rogue Cultivator patrols, the public order remained atrocious.

Bandit cultivators were desperate men. They hid like starving wolves among the densely packed shantytowns.

If one was even slightly careless and exposed one's wealth outside, disaster could strike.

In truth, hardly any of the nearly ten thousand Rogue Cultivators here were law-abiding.

No one knew how many corpses lay buried in the surrounding mountains. Most had died in conflicts between cultivators.

Rogue Cultivators generally had a difficult time. There were plenty who chose to take desperate risks for a few Spirit Stones.

Su Fan wore a bamboo hat and a washed-out blue Daoist robe as he trudged forward through the drizzling rain.

He proceeded with trepidation the entire way, afraid of provoking unnecessary trouble.

Fortunately, though this place was chaotic, daytime was relatively safe. Most danger occurred at night.

He was only a minor cultivator at the bottom rung, and anyone could tell at a glance that he was broke.

As long as he did not go out fooling around at night, no one would waste time targeting him.

As he neared the market town, more cultivators appeared on the road.

Occasionally, he even saw cultivators riding flying swords, roaring over his head and drawing waves of startled cries.

The market town was located inside a settlement with only one main street, lined with shops on both sides.

Stalls of every description filled the street, selling all kinds of goods.

Besides various cultivation resources, things such as mortal vegetables and fruits, seasonings and pickles, dried fruits and pastries, and Cosmetics could all be bought here.

By mortal standards, these goods were all outrageously expensive. The stall owners would not even accept gold and only took Magic Coins.

The stall owners and buyers were mostly Rogue Cultivators, and they could haggle for half a day over a few Magic Coins.

No mortals lived around the market town. The clan members of Shaoyang Sect disciples who lacked spiritual roots also lived in mortal society.

He followed the crowd along the main street, repeatedly entering and leaving various shops.

Su Fan had nothing in particular he wanted to buy. He was investigating the market's conditions and looking for a suitable livelihood.

He had no great ambitions. He did not want to go out and take risks, and he certainly did not want to fight and kill every day.

He only wanted to be a steady Life Skill Player.

Earn a little money, hole up in his little house, and cultivate in peace.

As a newcomer with a new book, please give me some encouragement. Thank you, everyone.