Deceiving the Eyes and Ears (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Shopkeeper Ding was taken aback: "You want to use a Spirit Burst Pill to break through?"

"I'm sixty-one years old this year. If I don't try now, I'm afraid I'll never have the chance again!" Shen Xuan said with melancholy.

His appearance looked only thirty in the mortal world, in the prime of life.

But his actual age exceeded sixty, and his blood and qi had begun to shift from vigor to decline.

Thus, the Cultivation World took sixty as the boundary.

Cultivators with strength usually chose to establish their Foundation before sixty.

As for someone like Shen Xuan, stuck at Qi Refining Level 3, unable to break through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage, that was the fate of most low-level rogue cultivators.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, you must think this through. Although the Spirit Burst Pill is a Rank-Breaking Spirit Pill, it drains a cultivator's potential, damages the Dao Foundation, and brings endless troubles. A wise man wouldn't do it!" Shopkeeper Chen advised earnestly.

In his view, Shen Xuan had strength close to a Mid-grade Talisman Master.

After deducting Talisman Crafting material costs, he could earn over ten Spirit Stones a month, which was already a good living.

He was even considering introducing a Female Cultivator from his clan to marry him.

After all, a cultivator who was free from worries about food and clothing and could earn over a hundred Spirit Stones a year was rare in Qinglong Bay.

The reason he hadn't made up his mind to propose to the clan was still Shen Xuan's age.

Sixty-one years old!

His achievements were limited; he could only stop here.

Fortunately, cultivators had a long lifespan.

Shopkeeper Ding estimated that Shen Xuan, who never fought others and had an undamaged Dao Foundation, could live to at least one hundred and twenty.

Such a long time could also accumulate a considerable fortune.

"Cultivator training was originally defying heaven. I'm already sixty-one—if not now, then when!"

"Shopkeeper Ding, don't persuade me anymore. I only ask you one thing: do you have a Spirit Burst Pill or not!"

Shen Xuan put on a passionate and indignant look.

Seeing that Shen Xuan wouldn't listen, Shopkeeper Ding could only let out a long sigh.

"I do have them, fifty Spirit Stones each. May I ask how many Fellow Daoist Shen wants?"

"So expensive?"

"Rank-Breaking Spirit Pills have always been this expensive. The Spirit Burst Pill is the cheapest; the Essence Charging Pill after it costs three hundred Spirit Stones, and the Foundation Establishment Pill costs tens of thousands!"

Shen Xuan knew Shopkeeper Ding wasn't lying.

Despite all the drawbacks.

As long as it was a Rank-Breaking Spirit Pill that helped break through bottlenecks, it was always valuable.

"Can you lower the price?"

"For the sake of our old friendship, forty-eight Spirit Stones, no lower!"

"Fine, I'll take one!"

In front of Shopkeeper Ding, Shen Xuan opened his Storage Bag and swept out all the Spirit Stones inside, leaving only three.

"Sigh, I'm bankrupt!"

Shen Xuan carefully took the medicine bottle Shopkeeper Ding handed him.

He opened it, took a sniff, and the fragrance of the medicine hit his nose.

"Don't worry, our Ding Family shop never sells fakes. This one is produced by Qingyun Sect."

"I know. Thank you, Shopkeeper Ding."

Spirit Pills were different from other spiritual items; they couldn't be adulterated at all, or their effects would be greatly reduced, even backfiring on the cultivator.

Shen Xuan would rather buy at a high price from the Ding Family shop than risk buying randomly at the Marketplace.

The Spirit Pills at the Marketplace were twenty to thirty percent cheaper than those at the Ding Family shop.

But the quality couldn't be guaranteed.

After walking out of the shop, Shopkeeper Ding watched Shen Xuan's back and sighed.

Over sixty years old, and still unwilling to give up, taking risks to force a breakthrough.

He thought Shen Xuan's hope of breaking through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage was very slim.

A bitter cultivator like Shen Xuan, stuck at the Early Qi Refining Stage, had a worrying Spiritual Root quality—likely an Inferior Spirit Root.

Even with a Low-grade Spiritual Root, he should have broken through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage by now.

And with an Inferior Spirit Root, even with a Spirit Burst Pill, the chance of success was only twenty percent.

Moreover, Shen Xuan was old, with Blood Decline.

He hoped that if Shen Xuan failed the breakthrough, he wouldn't suffer too severe a backlash and could maintain his current Cultivation Realm.

After all, Shen Xuan traded with the Ding Family shop, and they could earn a profit of five or six Spirit Stones from him every month.

Shen Xuan did not hear the sigh that came from within the Ding Family shop.

"So expensive!"

He was still brooding over the price of the Spirit Burst Pill.

At least it was produced by the Qingyun Sect and came with the relevant authentication certificate.

Otherwise, he wouldn't know how to offload it later.

Returning home.

Shen Xuan gave Ding Yuyao a brief explanation and began his secluded cultivation.

"Having lived in Qinglong Bay for over forty years, breaking through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage all of a sudden would definitely draw attention."

"So, even with the Spirit Burst Pill as an excuse, I still need to be careful."

At this moment, the Breath Concealment Technique could prove very useful.

And the Invisibility Technique as well, whether for combat or escape, it was highly valuable.

Like the Breath Concealment Technique, the Invisibility Technique also didn't consume much spiritual power, had a long duration, and strong effects—far superior to a High-grade Invisibility Talisman.

Shen Xuan cultivated the Divine Treasure Canghai Technique while simultaneously raising the proficiency of his Breath Concealment Technique and Invisibility Technique.

Over the course of more than a year, he openly earned over one hundred and thirty Spirit Stones from the Ding Family shop.

Privately, he changed his identity and peddled ordinary Breath Concealing Talismans and Invisibility Talismans, earning over seventy Spirit Stones.

Each month, purchasing Mysterious Water Turtles and Silver Jade Fish cost over ten Spirit Stones, plus the annual rent of twelve Spirit Stones, and the food expenses for himself and Ding Yuyao.

As a result, his Spirit Stones were nearly gone.

After buying the Spirit Burst Pill, he truly had only three Spirit Stones left.

However, Shen Xuan wasn't worried.

In his Storage Bag, he still had over a hundred High-quality Talismans, worth forty Spirit Stones.

Moreover, after breaking through to the Mid Qi Refining Stage, as long as he was willing, the profit from making Breath Concealing Talismans and Invisibility Talismans would increase significantly.

"Rank-Breaking Spirit Pills like the Spirit Burst Pill can't be sold off in the market."

"If I go out, it's too dangerous. I'll sell it when I get a chance."

Shen Xuan mused inwardly.

Up until now, aside from the talisman brush in his hand, he didn't even own a single magic tool.

The techniques he knew were only the simplest Water Shield Technique and Water Blade Technique.

And the Cloud Rain Technique, which he had learned first for farming.

It wasn't that he had no combat ability—it was infinitely close to zero.

"For now, I'll endure. When I have Spirit Stones later, I'll have to buy a few decent magic tools and techniques."

Shen Xuan stopped overthinking and entered secluded cultivation.

Over ten days later.

Shen Xuan emerged from the Training Room, no longer concealing his aura.

Seeing her husband's radiant complexion, Ding Yuyao couldn't help but ask curiously, "Husband, are you alright!"

"What could be wrong with me! Come, let your husband check how Yaoyao's inner energy is coming along!"

"Don't, it's broad daylight!"

"What's wrong with broad daylight? Some things are only fun in broad daylight!"

After a token struggle of refusal.

Shen Xuan let himself go completely.

Afterward.

Ding Yuyao's pretty eyes repeatedly sized up Shen Xuan.

"Say what's on your mind."

"Husband, this concubine feels you've changed!"

"Bigger, or longer?"

"Husband!"

After a coy protest, Ding Yuyao finally spoke her mind.

"Husband, you've grown stronger!"

Shen Xuan gave a faint smile.

"I broke through."

"Ah!"

Ding Yuyao's cherry-like mouth opened wide, unable to close again.

This news was absolutely explosive!

Before marrying Shen Xuan, the family had given her detailed intelligence.

Shen Xuan, Inferior Spirit Root, sixty years old, Low-grade Talisman Master, specialized in crafting [Breath Concealing Talismans] and [Invisibility Talismans], a dedicated cultivator—no whoring, no gambling, no drinking, no bad habits.

She never expected Shen Xuan to actually break through!

She had snagged a huge bargain!

With her husband's diligence, advancing to Mid-grade Talisman Master was only a matter of time.

And that was a Mid-grade Talisman Master!

Even in a Foundation Establishment Cultivation Family, he could secure an Elder position!

Ding Yuyao had heard that the Ding Family had an old Elder over a hundred years old, a Mid-grade Alchemist, who had married three wives and had concubines beyond count!

Truly a harem of wives and concubines!

"Husband, did you really break through to Mid Qi Refining Stage?"

After a long pause, Ding Yuyao asked in a trembling voice.