Water Repelling Rhinoceros

A lucky big score is not enough to represent the overall income of a Monster Hunter.

"If there wasn't a Gold Element Cultivator like Wen Zijian, a Qi Refining Level 9, holding down the fort, I don't know how many skirmishes we would have had on the way back just to bring the prey back safely!"

"No one succeeds easily. I'm no exception!"

After calming down, Shen Xuan reviewed his recent hunting trip, a wave of emotion washing over him.

Facing a Tier 1 High-grade Yao Beast for the first time, he hadn't controlled his strength well and had revealed most of his power.

However, with his current connections and status, he didn't need to hide his abilities too much in Qinglong Bay Market.

What Cultivator doesn't have a few secrets!

Background and strength are the fundamental determinants of a Cultivator's status.

These days, he often attended auctions organized by the Ding Family.

Because his purse was thin, he only looked and didn't buy.

But he still had a basic understanding of market prices.

A Tier 1 High-grade Magic Tool, if of slightly better quality, started at four to five hundred Spirit Stones.

If it was a defensive Magic Tool or a flying sword type offensive Magic Tool, it would directly cost over a thousand Spirit Stones.

He was currently at Qi Refining Level 6, and his Spiritual Sense and spiritual power far surpassed those of the same level, allowing him to wield at least one Tier 1 High-grade Magic Tool.

"I should save Spirit Stones first. It's not too late to buy High-grade Magic Tools after I break through to the later stages!"

"Hunting Yao Beasts is a side gig; Talisman Crafting is my main business."

With that thought, Shen Xuan put away his distractions and walked into the Talisman Crafting Room to continue making Spring Return Talismans.

In the days that followed.

Shen Xuan continued to cultivate and craft talismans.

Over half a year, Zhao Chunsheng organized three gatherings in a row.

None of them yielded significant results.

Either they didn't hunt the target Yao Beast, someone else got there first, or there were too many Monster Hunters lurking around, making it difficult to make a move.

This also made Shen Xuan deeply understand the volatile income of the Monster Hunter profession.

Besides the influence of one's own strength, the amount of harvest was also closely related to luck.

Fortunately, the Iron Armored Crocodile hunt was quite profitable, and his teammates were in good spirits.

They were all veterans who had been hunting monsters for many years and knew this was the norm.

It was the successful hunt for the Iron Armored Crocodile last time that was the anomaly.

Almost every night, Shen Xuan would swim from the underground river of the Spirit Pool to the bottom of the Longze River to hone his combat skills.

One day, after practicing Talisman Crafting, Shen Xuan unexpectedly received a letter.

Lu Zhengying had successfully established his Foundation!

Thinking back, it had been four years since their last gathering.

The letter was personally written by Lu Zhengying.

He invited Shen Xuan to attend his Foundation Establishment celebration.

The letter mentioned that Qin Yuehan, Wang Fugui, Zhao Sujin, and Li Changan had also been invited.

Qin Yuehan would definitely attend.

Lu Zhengying hadn't stated it explicitly.

Shen Xuan guessed that Qin Yuehan might have provided some help for Lu Zhengying's Foundation Establishment.

After reading the letter, Shen Xuan smiled.

This letter from Lu Zhengying carried a hint of showing off, as well as an intention to strengthen their connection.

Shen Xuan thought about it and decided to politely decline.

They had agreed on the Ten-Year Pact.

They would reunite in six years.

There was no need to specifically rush to the Qingyun Sect.

It would be a waste of time and energy.

Shen Xuan took out paper and brush to write a reply to Lu Zhengying.

He congratulated the other party on establishing his Dao Foundation and being promoted to Elder of the Qingyun Sect.

He chatted about his own cultivation progress and offered twenty pieces of High-quality Spring Return Talismans as a congratulatory gift, enclosing them with the reply.

"May Elder Lu Zhengying's Dao Path be bright!"

At the end of the letter, Shen Xuan earnestly conveyed his heartfelt wishes.

For Shen Xuan, Lu Zhengying's successful Foundation Establishment was within expectations.

However, the discovery of a new Purple Essence Copper Mine in the Luoying Mountain Range, which Qinglong Bay belonged to, greatly surprised Shen Xuan.

The Ding Family occupied Qinglong Bay and owned many Spirit Fields and Spirit Lakes, where they grew Spirit Rice and raised Spirit Fish.

But these were only to ensure the daily needs of the Ding Family and the cultivators in the Market Town.

Although they could also earn Spirit Stones, the total amount was limited.

At the end of the year, not much was left.

An estimated three to five thousand Spirit Stones.

But Spirit Mines were different.

Mining was not the same as farming and raising fish.

As long as there was enough manpower, the production scale could be expanded at any time.

Spirit Mines were byproducts of Spirit Veins, usually used to refine various Artifact Refining Materials.

Yao Beasts would appear from time to time.

Various Sprites would also be born.

There was a certain risk to life.

For this reason, the Ding Family offered very good conditions when recruiting miners.

Upon completing mining tasks, the annual base salary was as high as twelve Spirit Stones.

The more you worked, the more you earned.

Furthermore, after signing a Spirit Contract, one year's compensation could be advanced.

This was extremely tempting for cultivators who were in urgent need of Spirit Stones.

Especially Shack-Dwelling Rogue Cultivators who wanted to move to the outskirts of the Market Town.

Coincidentally, the annual base salary was exactly the same as the annual rent for residences on the outskirts of the Market Town.

In other words, as long as you signed the mining contract, your wife, children, and elderly parents could move to the outskirts of the Market Town.

After seeing the mine's recruitment notice, Shen Xuan was somewhat puzzled.

The Ding Family seemed to be acting out of desperation.

Was it to pay off the debt for the Foundation Establishment Pills as soon as possible?

It was said that many rogue cultivators in the shack areas of the Market Town, and even Low-Level Cultivators on the outskirts, had eagerly signed up.

Among them were many in the Mid Qi Refining Stage.

Mining was indeed very tiring, and the working environment was not good.

But it was much safer than a life of hunting where one's life was at risk every day.

Most importantly, the income was stable.

For Low-Level Cultivators without any special skills, mining was also a way out.

As long as they could endure it and save Spirit Stones.

After three to five years, they could continue pursuing the path of cultivation.

"Life is not easy!"

Zhao Chunsheng said that many of his former neighbors had signed up.

Shen Xuan sighed softly.

But that was all.

He still had to seize the time to cultivate talisman making and improve his Talent proficiency.

With Spirit Stones, the Spirit Gathering Array would be activated for four hours daily, consuming a solid two Spirit Stones.

Coupled with Shen Xuan's increasing appetite, eating medium-grade Spirit Rice and mid-grade Yao Beast Meat, his food expenses had greatly increased.

The profit from making talismans could only cover daily expenses.

Fortunately, Zhao Chunsheng finally brought good news.

He had received intelligence that someone had found traces of a Water Repelling Rhinoceros.

Shen Xuan was overjoyed upon hearing this.

The Savage Plains Yao Beast Illustrated Guide had relevant information.

The Water Repelling Rhinoceros was a First-Order High-Grade Water Element Yao Beast.

It looked like a common Green Ox, had a protective spiritual light, and its skin was covered with bead-like scales.

It was skilled at repelling water, and the water would automatically part for it.

Water Repelling Rhinoceroses often appeared by the sea.

He didn't expect one to be found near the Longze River.

"Is the intel reliable?"

"Reliable! That kid extorted two Spirit Stones from me!"

Zhao Chunsheng was even more excited than Shen Xuan.

"We need to move quickly. Who knows if that kid will sell to multiple buyers."

"Alright, then we'll set off tomorrow!"

The next morning.

Wen Zijian, Shi Xiangdong, and Xia Muqing gathered at the entrance of the Market Town.

"This time we need speed. The Iron Brothers aren't suited for this team."

Zhao Chunsheng explained to Shen Xuan.

The Iron Brothers were tank-type fighters.

They weren't suitable for long-distance assaults.

Wen Zijian summoned a Flying Boat and gestured for everyone to get on.

"Is this a Flying Magic Tool?" Shen Xuan said with some envy.

A Flying Boat was a specialized Flying Magic Tool, much faster than Magic Tools of the same tier.

Wen Zijian's small Flying Boat could carry seven or eight people.

The weight it carried would affect its flight speed.

Wen Zijian performed a hand seal, activating the Flying Boat, which soon began to shuttle through the air.

"Fly along the surface of the Longze River," Shen Xuan suddenly said.

Wen Zijian looked back.

Seeing no objections, he lowered the Flying Boat's altitude and flew along the surface of the Longze River.

Shen Xuan, his expression tense, finally let out a soft sigh of relief.

Just now, when the Flying Boat ascended to high altitude, he had suddenly felt a strong sense of unease.

Only after lowering the altitude and getting closer to the river surface did the unease gradually disappear.

"The closer I am to the Longze River, the more stable my state of mind becomes."

Shen Xuan knew this was his subconscious reminding him.

Telling him not to stray too far from the Longze River.

The strength of a Water Method Cultivator would plummet dramatically in a place without water.