Merchants in Zone 1 selling spiritual artifacts?

Qi Refining Layer 8, dual-element top-grade spirit root, miscellaneous magic tools, no usable spells.

Jiang Liu had already realized his shortcomings. His Realm was high, and he had a Spirit Root, but he didn't have any awesome magic tools or water/metal element spells.

This meant he was currently just an empty shell, a paper tiger. Fighting even a story quest with just his flashy moves would be difficult, let alone challenging opponents of a higher Realm. It would be good enough if he wasn't challenged by higher Realm opponents.

Therefore, his most important task now was to supplement his shortcomings.

This was troublesome.

His advantage was in the game, but the game currently didn't sell powerful magic tools or spells; they all had to be obtained through luck draws.

Was it possible to get them just by wanting to draw them?

If he wanted powerful magic tools and usable spells, he could only buy them online.

This was his disadvantage: he couldn't spend large amounts of spirit stones and could only rely on bartering.

What did he have to offer?

Jiang Liu opened his backpack. Inside were four magic tools he had just drawn.

A guaranteed draw cost over a thousand spirit stones. The official price for a high-grade magic artifact was three thousand spirit stones, meaning if he drew one, he'd profit.

[Stone Spirit Crown]: low-grade magic tool, can reduce soul damage below Qi Refining Layer 5.

[Black Tiger Saber]: low-grade magic tool, bathed in blood and lust for slaughter, possesses a fearsome aura.

[Wind Swirl Banner]: mid-grade magic artifact, summons a spiritual wind, stirring up sand and stones, limited to users with wind spirit roots.

[Body Restraint Ring]: mid-grade magic artifact, inflicts a binding effect on cultivators whose Realm is lower than the user's.

Jiang Liu: "..."

Four magic tools, and two of them were useless to him!

Wind spirit root?

Damn it, there was even a wind spirit root?

Upon seeing the Wind Swirl Banner, Jiang Liu's lips twitched slightly. He instantly guessed how the wind spirit root was obtained.

In the limited-time pool!

There was no need to even think about it!

"Good, good, good. I haven't even finished drawing the Five Elements spirit roots, and now a wind spirit root has popped up. This game is really fun."

Jiang Liu was so amused he almost laughed. He had considered whether there would be limited-time pools and what they would contain.

Now it was clear: special spirit roots.

He didn't care. Anyway, he was playing the 0.1% discount Welfare Version of Cultivation Era. He could draw from the limited-time pool as much as he wanted. Could he even split his top-grade spirit root into pieces?

But even though he didn't care, he still felt annoyed.

The Five Elements spirit roots weren't enough, and now a special spirit root had appeared.

The real Cultivation Era relied on luck. Those born with top-grade spirit roots were considered individuals of great fortune.

The fake Cultivation Era relied on pay-to-win. Who cared about Five Elements spirit roots or special spirit roots? Whoever had money was the one with great fortune.

"This Black Tiger Saber and Wind Swirl Banner can be used for trading," Jiang Liu thought to himself. One low-grade magic tool and one mid-grade magic artifact could be exchanged for two water/metal element spells.

He equipped the Stone Spirit Crown and Body Restraint Ring first, then opened his equipment tab to take a look.

The magic tools he was currently wearing were the Sunrise Sword, Elf Magic Robe, Spirit Rhinoceros Pendant, Spirit Communication Jade, Stone Spirit Crown, Body Restraint Ring, Soaring Cloud Wings, and Flowing Fish Garment – eight items in total.

He didn't realize it until he looked; he was shocked himself.

Eight magic tools, including wings and fashion items!

What cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm wore eight magic tools? Even disciples of major powers in the Cultivation World weren't like this.

"I was still worried about being beaten to a pulp in the Arena, but now it seems I was worrying for nothing."

Looking at the shining equipment his paper figure was wearing, Jiang Liu couldn't help but relax.

This was the power of pay-to-win, bringing peace of mind.

With eight magic tools equipped, even if he stood still and let others attack, they might not be able to break his defense.

Although the descriptions of the magic tools didn't show HP, MP, attack power, defense, speed, or anything similar, there was no doubt that these attributes were present.

Just like the Elf Magic Robe he was wearing, an ordinary person with a large saber or long sword might not be able to pierce it. This was the hidden defense.

He just didn't know if it could withstand a handgun.

"My magic tools may be miscellaneous, but the sheer quantity makes up for it. This shortcoming doesn't need to be addressed anymore."

Thinking this, Jiang Liu switched out of Cultivation Era and took out his phone to open Taobao.

On the Taobao app, a separate section had already been created for Cultivation Era. With a gentle tap, the second-level page for Cultivation Era popped up.

Upon opening, it was further divided into four third-level pages: [Zone 1], [Zone 2], [Zone 3], and [Zone 4].

With curiosity, Jiang Liu clicked into [Zone 1].

The top recommended merchant in Zone 1 is Tongyuan Treasure Pavilion. It's a very grand name. Being a top recommendation on Taobao must mean it has some exceptional qualities.

He clicked into Tongyuan Treasure Pavilion's shop, and a large, dark gold halberd image popped up.

[Melancholy Soul Halberd]: Mid-grade spirit artifact, ranked forty-fifth on the Zone 1 Divine Weapon Ranking. Unparalleled in offense, capable of severing souls. Price: 2.98 million spirit stones.

[Notes]: The halberd men love the most! Has soul damage, can penetrate the body. Nascent Soul stage is coming soon, this halberd can harm Nascent Souls! Can bargain or discuss details!

Jiang Liu: "..."

Mid-grade spirit artifact! Divine Weapon Ranking forty-fifth! Three million spirit stones!

Jiang Liu's eyes went blind, and he quickly exited. He couldn't look anymore; any more would disrupt his Dao heart.

"Zone 1 is already using spirit artifacts, and they're even close to Nascent Soul,"

Jiang Liu couldn't help but feel envious. Zone 1 opened two years earlier, creating a huge gap between them and his zone. Even if he wanted to catch up, it would be impossible.

Even Cultivation has separate servers.

When playing games, the most annoying thing is when servers don't synchronize. If they don't merge servers, it's fine; everyone in the same zone is on the same starting line, and each zone plays its own game.

But the problem is, is it possible for servers not to merge?

If servers don't merge, how can they incite battles between the top players from different zones?

Game server merges are normal, but this is the Cultivation Era!

It's Cultivation in reality too!

If the game servers don't merge, Zone 1 players won't encounter Zone 4 players.

But reality is different; there are no locked zones. Golden Core Big Shots can travel all over the country, easily flying to their city for a visit and showing off their power over Qi Refining lowlifes.

Don't say Golden Core Big Shots have cultivation or anything; it's all from playing games. Who doesn't like showing off?

If it were him, he'd also like to go to the later zones to show off. It's human nature.

He hasn't seen high-level cultivators showing off across zones in reality, probably because there are some restrictions from the country. Otherwise, reality would have descended into chaos long ago.

"Two years, and still no Nascent Soul, that's not too bad,"

Jiang Liu muttered to himself. This gap isn't that big. He's almost at Foundation Establishment in two days. After Foundation Establishment comes Golden Core and Nascent Soul, which is only a difference of two major realms.

Even Nascent Soul is just the beginning on the path of Cultivation; ascension to immortality is still a long way off.

He's seen top players from newer servers dominate top players from older servers in other games. It all comes down to resources.

With the 0.1% Welfare Version in hand, reaching the top of his zone's leaderboard is easy. The ultimate goal is to defeat the big shots from the earlier zones!

"Getting carried away, getting carried away. Seeing a spirit artifact and getting ahead of yourself, huh?"

Jiang Liu silently calmed his inflated heart and took a deep look at the dazzling array of mystic and spirit artifacts in Tongyuan Treasure Pavilion before directly exiting and entering the merchants of [Zone 4].

This is where he truly belonged right now.