Hunting Tigers

"What? This small basket of soup dumplings costs three Spirit Stones?"

Listening to the Spirit Restaurant waiter, Lin Shiyu found it hard to believe. This was almost half a month's salary for her.

"It's okay, junior sister. We haven't eaten this in months. Besides, it's made from the tenderest meat of a Level 2 Demonic Beast, it's worth it."

Zhou Er still ordered two small baskets. He wanted to try it.

The waiter awkwardly served the two of them and quickly left, afraid Lin Shiyu would scold him again.

"Senior brother, I know you've become a Talisman Master recently and made a small fortune, but that's from drawing talismans one by one. We can't be so extravagant."

Lin Shiyu still felt a pang of heartache for the Spirit Stones.

At this moment, Zhou Er quietly took out the small bag Lin Shiyu had given him before and handed it to her. "Don't worry, junior sister. Your Spirit Stones are all here, thirty in total, including interest."

"Where did you get such high interest? When I lent it to you, I didn't expect any interest."

Lin Shiyu waved her hands, not daring to accept.

"A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. I remember your kindness to me. If you don't accept this, you'll be putting me in an unjust position."

After some back and forth, Lin Shiyu could only accept.

"Alright, junior sister, eat while it's hot. These Spirit Snake Soup Dumplings are quite delicious," Zhou Er urged.

The Spirit Snake Soup Dumplings had thin skin and abundant filling, rich soup, and overflowing spirit energy. It was no wonder they were so expensive.

Lin Shiyu ate one lightly and said, "Senior brother, these soup dumplings are too nourishing. I'm full after just one. You can finish the rest for me!"

Lin Shiyu always did this, and Zhou Er was used to it. He could only help Lin Shiyu finish them.

In the end, Lin Shiyu went ahead and paid the bill.

Originally, Zhou Er still had two months' worth of his Monthly Stipend left, which he was saving for the bill.

As a result, Lin Shiyu went and paid first.

Zhou Er had no choice, but it wasn't a big deal. He would treat her again next time.

After eating, Zhou Er recovered some spirit energy and had to return to his room to draw talismans.

Lin Shiyu watched the busy Zhou Er, feeling a little empty inside.

"I need to work harder too, I can't fall too far behind Senior Brother," Lin Shiyu thought.

Back in his small hut, Zhou Er was completely focused, diligently drawing Fireball Talismans.

With his cultivation improved and mana limit increased, he could now draw up to five Fireball Talismans at a time.

Excluding the time for cultivation and mana recovery, he could draw ten talismans per day.

Five days later.

[Wondrous Brush (White): Increases the success rate of First-grade Talismans by 30%.]

[Solidification Condition: Successfully create 300 First-grade Talismans. (299/300)]

As Zhou Er's final stroke landed, a Fireball Talisman was successfully completed, and the solidification progress reached its end.

[Solidified Attribute Wondrous Brush (White). The attribute effect will not be affected after unequipping the Wolf Hair Brush.]

Having successfully solidified the Wondrous Brush attribute, Zhou Er immediately removed the Wolf Hair Brush and equipped the Bigu Pill.

The Taotie attribute's effect was still too good. If it weren't for the need to craft talismans, forcing him to equip the Wolf Hair Brush, Zhou Er would never have considered taking the Bigu Pill out of his equipment slot.

[Taotie (White): Hollow Abdomen, Greatly Increased Appetite, can Get stronger by eating.]

[Solidification Condition: Eat and digest 10,000 Jin of food. (1971/10000)]

The Taotie attribute, along with Zhou Er's half-year of eating and drinking, had progressed by nearly one-fifth.

If he could eat and drink heartily at the Spirit Restaurant every day, he would progress even faster.

Zhou Er calculated his current income. He could draw about ten Fireball Talismans daily, with a success rate of around seventy percent.

In a month, that would be 210 talismans.

Of course, this was after his cultivation improved and he could draw more than ten talismans per day.

Before, his efficiency wasn't this high.

The Fu Family Talisman Shop offered a recycling price of one Spirit Stone for every four talismans.

This amounted to 52 Low-grade Spirit Stones.

After deducting over twenty Spirit Stones in costs, Zhou Er's net income per month was around 25 Low-grade Spirit Stones.

It wasn't a lot, nor was it little, but it was much better than Lin Shiyu.

Moreover, he could still improve, while Lin Shiyu could only drudge away as a Fire Control Attendant. She had been doing it for half a year, her income had barely increased, and she didn't know when it would end.

Zhou Er really wanted to help her escape this pain, but he had to save up Spirit Stones to buy a Purple Cloud Furnace.

However, Zhou Er wasn't a spendthrift. Helping others was conditional on not affecting himself.

He still decided to improve himself first before thinking about helping Lin Shiyu.

After solidifying the Wondrous Brush attribute, Zhou Er began to consider which attribute to solidify next.

[Rune Mastery (Tier 1): Master most Tier 1 runes.]

[Solidification Condition: Master the production of five types of talismans. (1/5)]

Rune Mastery required mastering the production of five types of talismans, which meant Zhou Er needed to practice four more spells and reach the Great Accomplishment to Perfection level. His schedule was too full now, and he didn't have time for it.

Moreover, this would take at least four months, which was impossible in the short term. Zhou Er could only put it aside for now.

[Spirit Gathering (White): Automatically accumulates spiritual energy, increasing Cultivation Speed by 20%.]

[Solidification Condition: Consume one hundred Fine-grade Spirit Gathering Pills.]

For the Spirit Gathering attribute, he only needed to consume Spirit Gathering Pills to complete it. It was also a very useful attribute that could help Zhou Er quickly improve his cultivation, so solidifying it as soon as possible would be best.

However, all medicine had some toxicity. Pills contained Pill Poison.

Consuming too many Spirit Gathering Pills would be detrimental to breaking through bottlenecks.

Although Fine-grade Spirit Gathering Pills had less Pill Poison, it wasn't nonexistent.

This was also why Zhou Er hesitated to take Spirit Gathering Pills.

To take one pill every day was clearly being too eager.

But if he didn't take them, the Spirit Gathering attribute remaining solidified would also be a problem.

"One pill every five days should be about right."

Zhou Er finally decided to take Spirit Gathering Pills, but he would take them slowly and not rush.

However, this meant the Spirit Gathering attribute would always occupy an Equipment Slot, which was also a problem.

Afterward, Zhou Er saw what was equipped in the first Equipment Slot.

[Five Animals Health Technique (Perfection): Perfectly master the techniques of the Five Animals Health Technique.]

[Longevity: Lifespan increased by 10 years.]

[Solidification Condition: Consume Tiger Liver, Deer Kidney, Bear Spleen, Ape Heart, and Bird Lung, five types of viscera. (4/5)]

Of the attributes related to the Five Animals Health Technique, only the Tiger Liver had not been consumed. As long as he consumed the Tiger Liver, he could solidify it immediately and free up an Equipment Slot.

In the past, at Qi Refining First Layer, he dared not fight a tiger.

Now, at Qi Refining Third Layer, he could cast Fireball Technique five times and carry numerous Talismans for defense. Dealing with a tiger would be no problem.

"Quickly finish this. Spending a few days will free up this Equipment Slot for other items. This is the most efficient way."

Zhou Er thought.

However, finding a tiger became the problem.

Just because Zhou Er didn't know what to do didn't mean there was no solution. He could ask the Hunting Team for help.

Xiayun Sect was located near the Sunset Mountain Range. Many disciples in the sect made a living by hunting Demonic Beasts and understood hunting techniques.

Zhou Er could spend some Spirit Stones to bribe a Hunting Team to help him find a Fierce Tiger.

However, Zhou Er's social circle was not wide, and he didn't know any Hunting Teams. He also lacked the authority to post a mission in the Mission Hall.

Fortunately, he knew the Steward in charge of this place, Zhu Shunyang.

Now that they were quite familiar, Zhou Er went straight to him.

"Junior Brother Zhou, what brings you here when you're so free?"

Upon seeing Zhou Er, Zhu Shunyang said with a smile.

"Senior Brother Zhu, I have a favor to ask."

Zhou Er got straight to the point and stated his request:

"I want to hunt a tiger, so I'd like to ask Senior Brother Zhu to introduce me to a Hunting Team."

Zhou Er said.

"Demon Tiger? Those are not easy to kill."

Tigers were among the Demonic Beasts with the most powerful Bloodline, making them very difficult to kill.

"Not a Demon Tiger, just a regular tiger is fine."

Zhou Er quickly explained.

The Five Animal Viscera he had eaten before were from ordinary five animals, not necessarily Demonic Beasts.

"That's easy. We have several Hunting Teams in our district. One is led by Li Wuya. This person is at Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivation and can easily capture a Fierce Tiger for you."

Zhu Shunyang thought for a moment and found a candidate.

"Then I'll trouble Senior Brother to introduce me to him."

Zhou Er quickly said.

"No problem, just go to his courtyard to find him."

Zhu Shunyang said.

"I don't know where Senior Brother Li's courtyard is?"

Zhou Er asked somewhat awkwardly.

Although he had been in the Wutong District for half a year, he had ignored everything outside his window, focusing on cultivation and making talismans, and truly didn't know Li Wuya.

"I'll send a junior brother to take you."

Zhu Shunyang then called a subordinate servant disciple and had this servant disciple lead Zhou Er to the front of Li Wuya's courtyard.

"Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Brother Li's residence is right here."

The servant disciple pointed to the courtyard and said.

Zhou Er looked. The courtyard wasn't far from his own place, less than three hundred meters. He committed it to memory.

He knocked on the door, but there was no response.

"Senior Brother Zhou, if you have something to do, I can wait here for Senior Brother Li to return for you. I'll notify you after Senior Brother Li returns."

The servant disciple said.

"Thank you for your trouble, junior brother."

Zhou Er took out a Fireball Talisman and gave it to the servant disciple.

Upon seeing the Fireball Talisman, the servant disciple's face immediately lit up with a smile.

Their income as servant disciples was much lower. Basically, a Guide Technique was enough to make them willing to be servant disciples for several years without complaint.

Receiving a reward from an Outer Sect Disciple naturally made them very happy.

Zhou Er returned to his courtyard, picked up his brush to draw talismans, and exhausted his magic power, but still, Senior Brother Li or the previous servant disciple did not come to find him.

After a while, the servant disciple knocked on Zhou Er's door. Seeing Zhou Er, he said:

"Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Brother Li has not returned today. I will wait again tomorrow. You don't need to worry."

"Then I'll trouble you, junior brother."

Zhou Er nodded.

The next day, the servant disciple brought the news, and Li Wuya found Zhou Er.

"Junior Brother Zhou, I've heard so much about you."

Li Wuya was a seemingly thin young man, but in reality, his muscles were firm, giving off a powerful aura.

"Senior Brother Li, I've been looking for you for two days."

Zhou Er said with a smile.

"Apologies, Junior Brother Zhou. I just finished a hunt a few days ago and then went down the mountain to relax. I only returned today."

Li Wuya explained.

"I understand."

After all, everyone was busy; no one was idle.

"Junior Brother, are you looking for me because you want us to help hunt a tiger?"

Li Wuya got straight to the point without much pleasantry.

"Yes!"

Zhou Er nodded.

"That's not difficult. Our Hunting Team is going out tomorrow. I can catch a Fierce Tiger for you then, whether it's alive or dead."

Li Wuya also practiced Body Technique, his Physical Body was strong, and he had fought tigers bare-handed before.

"Senior Brother Li, it would be best if you could bring back a half-dead one. Do I need to go with you, Senior Brother?"

Zhou Er asked. He actually wanted to be a hands-off boss and didn't want to waste time hunting himself.

"Junior Brother, just cultivate well within the sect. We'll be back in a few days."

Li Wuya said.

Even if Zhou Er went, honestly, he wouldn't be much help to them. It was best if he didn't tag along.

"Then I'll trouble you, Senior Brother. Also, how many Spirit Stones should I pay you?"

Zhou Er said.

"Let's say five! Although tigers aren't Demonic Beasts, they still pose a certain danger. I hope Junior Brother understands."

Li Wuya said.

"Of course."

Zhou Er understood. He even felt it was a bargain.

If I had known five Spirit Stones could have solved it, I wouldn't have dragged it out for so long.

However, this was also because Zhou Er was now flush with cash and had accumulated connections. Otherwise, five Spirit Stones wouldn't have been so easy to come by.

"Then, junior brother, just wait for our good news!"

After a verbal agreement, Li Wuya didn't bother Zhou Er further and took his leave.

After making Fireball Talismans for a few more days, Zhou Er accumulated some Spirit Stones. After setting aside enough to pay Li Wuya, he used the rest to buy two Spirit Gathering Pills.

Previously, Zhou Er had never used Spirit Gathering Pills during his cultivation.

This time, with everything ready, Zhou Er took out a Spirit Gathering Pill and swallowed it.

Immediately afterward, Zhou Er, without a moment's pause, circulated his cultivation technique. The medicinal power of the Spirit Gathering Pill dispersed, and pure Spirit Qi was slowly absorbed by Zhou Er, flowing into his meridians.

Finally, under Zhou Er's guidance, this Spirit Qi converged like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, transforming into a Mana Flow that circulated through the heavens and earth according to the Qi Gathering Technique's circulation method.

Zhou Er's cultivation also increased rapidly during this process.

[Name: Zhou Er]
[Cultivation: Qi Refining Third Layer (7.3%)]
[Equipment Slot (3/3): Five Animals Health Technique, Spirit Gathering Pill, Bigu Pill.]
[Unsolidified Attributes: Spirit Gathering (White), Five Animals Health Technique (Mastered), Longevity, Taotie (White).]
[Solidified Attributes: Wondrous Brush (White), Fire Attribute Amplification (White), Spirit Qi Purification (White), Qi Induction, Strength Increase (White).]

In the blink of an eye, two hours passed. Zhou Er checked his panel, and his cultivation progress had increased by more than one percent.

This speed was three to four times faster than his previous cultivation.

If not for the heavy burden on his body, Zhou Er would have continued practicing.

However, Zhou Er possessed the Taotie Attribute. Even if he didn't cultivate, the Taotie Attribute could refine the remaining medicinal power, preventing any waste.

Zhou Er walked out of the courtyard and, seeing that the sky had already darkened, immediately turned back to his bed to rest.

He still needed sleep at the Qi Refining Third Layer, but because he had already started cultivating, his sleep time had significantly decreased.

He used to sleep for about four hours a day, but now it was less than three hours, and he felt very clear-headed throughout the day.

It was said that after reaching Foundation Establishment, one could truly achieve Bigu, abstaining from food and using meditation to temper the soul in place of sleep.