Spirit Gold

Over the past month, Duke had heard rumors about the Pioneer War more than once.

The neighbors were all discussing it in private.

But the Black Snake Family had released very little news about the Pioneer War. Snakehead Town was still running as usual, and there had been no sign of many outsiders entering.

If there really was going to be a Pioneer War, large numbers of outsiders would definitely pour in, hoping to seize the opportunity to make a name and a fortune.

"I really don't know. I asked several acquaintances in the Black Snake Family, but they didn't know either. However..." Boss Winston paused, then leaned closer and lowered his voice. "I think it can't hurt for you to stock up on more materials, Boss Little Duke. I don't know whether there'll be a Pioneer War, but there's definitely going to be a Medium Spirit Spring!"

"There really is one?"

"That's my judgment. First, there are a great many spirit beasts in Emerald Sea Valley, and plenty of Mercenary Groups are heading there. Second, the Black Snake Family hasn't denied the rumors—that's the biggest proof of all. The higher-ups must still be making plans, which is why they've allowed the rumors to spread!"

After hearing Winston out, Duke nodded in agreement. "That's my judgment too."

Where there was no smoke, there was always a reason.

They chatted idly along the way until they arrived in Chen Jiao City.

Duke brought Levin around to several supply shops, purchasing far more than before.

Previously, he had followed Old Sam's standards and bought only half a month's worth of supplies at a time. Now that the shop was earning plenty of money, he simply bought a month's worth each time. Every trip, he would stock up again, ensuring that once the higher-ups launched the Pioneer War, Little Sam's Card Shop would have enough supplies to keep operating. Besides, most materials had very long shelf lives.

"Levin, can you carry that?"

"I can." Levin hoisted the sack onto his shoulder and gave a simple-minded grin.

"Then let's hurry to the next stop." Duke himself was carrying two large bags. That would have been exhausting in the past, but after beginning Blood Sea Cultivation, it was effortless. "We still have plenty to do today."

"Okay."

After boarding the streetcar, Levin wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was the height of summer, and even the slightest movement left him sweating all over.

"By the way, Levin, have you ever drunk a Blood Boiling Potion?" Duke struck up a casual conversation.

"No."

"Why not?"

"No money." Levin grinned foolishly.

Duke asked again, "A Blood Boiling Potion only costs 11 Silver Dragons. Your parents weren't willing to pay that much?"

Levin thought for a moment before answering, "My older brothers drank one before. It didn't work. My dad said I was too stupid, so it wouldn't work on me either."

"Alright."

The purchasing power of 11 Silver Dragons was roughly equivalent to a little over a thousand yuan.

Yet even such a small sum was an unbearable burden for many poor families. Besides, drinking a Blood Boiling Potion did not necessarily awaken the Blood Sea, and there was even a chance of sudden death. Even if the Blood Sea was awakened, that did not necessarily mean one could cultivate into a knight. After all, one still had to contract a spirit beast, supplement one's diet with spirit beast meat, and cover all the expenses that followed.

It's like how children in the mountains can't afford to attend school... Duke made an inappropriate comparison in his heart.

After several twists and turns, he finally bought all the consumables for Card Repair Shops. He also went to card shops and spirit tool shops to purchase all the products he had been commissioned to buy, then brought Levin back to the small inn.

"You stay in the room and watch the goods. Don't wander around."

"Okay."

"If you're hungry, eat. If you're thirsty, drink. Don't try to save money." Duke pointed at the pile of food he had bought. "In short, you absolutely must not leave the room. No matter who calls for you, don't go out. Understand?"

"I understand." Levin nodded seriously.

The goods were worth a great deal. Only after repeatedly reminding Levin did Duke leave the small inn alone.

By evening, the neon signs displayed by all kinds of Illusion Lantern Cards in Chen Jiao City had lit up, creating an atmosphere of bustling chaos throughout the streets.

Duke headed straight for a spirit gold shop.

Spirit gold was spiritual metal—a special material used to forge spirit tools and arcane tools. A tiny portion of ordinary ore would be permeated with spirituality. After refinement, it became spirit gold, worth many times more than ordinary metal.

Snakehead Town had a Black Snake Spirit Gold Smelter of its own, where billowing black smoke rose without end.

"Boss, 500 grams of amber gold, 55 grams of gray tin, 28 grams of refined silver, 10 grams of purple copper, 5 grams of sky stone, and 5 grams of lead white..." Duke pulled out a list.

He haggled over each item one by one.

In the end, the batch of spirit gold cost a total of 3 Gold Dragons and 21 Silver Dragons.

After swiping his Spirit Dragon Card, Duke looked at the balance displayed on it. It was already less than one Gold Dragon, and his heart ached.

No matter how booming business at Little Sam's Card Shop was, it still couldn't keep up with his recent extravagant spending. Especially after awakening the Blood Sea—he and Little Dou both needed to eat large quantities of meat, placing an even heavier burden on his finances.

Now.

He had to buy this batch of spirit gold as well.

"Buy it, buy it. Without spending money, where would increased strength come from?" Duke put away his pained expression and quietly left the spirit gold shop with the small packet of precious spirit gold.

"Boss." Levin opened the door.

Duke swept his gaze around. Everything was there; nothing was missing.

"It's getting late. Go take a bath and get to bed early." Duke sent Levin off to bathe, then carefully hid the spirit gold at the very bottom of his bundle.

He sat cross-legged and began cultivating the Blood Refinement Method.

Xiao Yi, meanwhile, kept the Meditation Method running on idle.

In other words, Duke was cultivating two techniques at the same time by himself, without the slightest interference between them.

"Although this small inn is in Chen Jiao City, the spirituality dispersed by the Spirit Spring is even less than in Snakehead Town..." Duke sensed the speed at which he absorbed spirituality and shook his head.

Relying on Spirit Springs, humans built cities and towns.

But most of the spirituality dispersed by Spirit Springs was monopolized by the nobles. Far too little truly leaked out, and averaged across an entire city, it was nowhere near enough to satisfy anyone.

"Once I've saved enough money, I really have to buy a spirit plant. Otherwise, it'll delay my cultivation of the Spirit Sea too much!"

"Also, I've read almost enough about the qi sea. I need to have Xiao Yi arrange for me to awaken my qi sea as soon as possible. Otherwise, the older I get, the more my qi sea will wither."

The three seas of the human body were generally opened before the age of fifteen.

After fifteen, spirituality gradually dissipated, and the three seas would continue to wither until they could no longer be opened.

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, Duke smoothly returned to Snakehead Town aboard a Black Beetle Car. He handed the task of moving the goods to Levin, then hurried back to the modified room in his storeroom.

"Chirp!"

Little Dou had already grown a coat of downy fur. It looked like a large plush squirrel—round and chubby.

Duke merely waved, and it immediately leaped from the table, traced an arc through the air, and landed accurately on Duke's shoulder. It snatched up the dried meat Duke had given it and gnawed it down ravenously.

In only half a month, Little Dou had already begun to show the bearing of a spirit beast.

"Go play by yourself. I'm going to do something big!" Duke rubbed Little Dou's head, took out a small pouch, and spread it open on the desk. Inside were several little paper packets.

Each little paper packet contained a type of spirit gold.

He also pulled a large chest out from beneath the bed. It was filled with another type of spirit gold—steel essence.

Steel essence was somewhat similar to aluminum powder and was a widespread, fundamental material for arcane tools. The Black Snake Spirit Gold Smelter's primary product was steel essence. Duke had bought it directly from the factory, so the price was much lower than on the market.

"The spirit gold is all gathered. Next, I'll refine them one by one!"