Entry

Shortly after Shen Shi began, the Wind-Speed Magic Robe sold for thirteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Wu Tao packed up his stall and went to pay his taxes.

Out of fifty-two Low-Grade Spirit Stones, more than five had gone to taxes. After paying them, Wu Tao calculated that he still had forty-nine Low-Grade Spirit Stones and fifty-one Fragmented Spirit Stones on him.

"Now, I'll go to the Anju Immortal Residence Agency and look at some houses."

In truth, his desire to move had not arisen solely because of Daoist Duocai. Wu Tao had long been making plans in his heart.

For one thing, New Virtue Alley was too close to the outskirts, making it less safe than areas nearer the inner district.

Take the Evil Spirit from last time, for example. If he had lived in the inner district, the Rogue Cultivators around him would have been stronger, and he would have felt safer.

The Patrol Squad in the inner district was also stronger. As for other conspiracy theories, that was another matter altogether.

Then there was the fact that he had previously owned nothing, with his life hanging by a thread. Naturally, he had needed to compromise with life and live in a poorer house.

Now that he had learned artifact refining, his finances had loosened up. Moreover, practicing Melee Spells would inevitably make some noise.

Without a Sound-Proofing and Anti-Peeping Array, a house offered far too little privacy.

He worried that his secret as a Body Cultivator would be exposed.

Wu Tao's plan for his future was to reveal only his identity as an Artifact Refiner before others. His identity as a Body Cultivator had to be buried deeply.

In this treacherous, ever-changing world of cultivation, only with a trump card could one feel secure.

All in all, Daoist Duocai had been no more than a fuse.

When he arrived at the Anju Immortal Residence Agency, Manager Zhou was still behind the counter, clacking away at an abacus as he settled accounts. Wu Tao walked up and promptly greeted him. "Greetings, Manager Zhou."

Manager Zhou looked up, and when he saw Wu Tao, surprise flashed across his face. Then he said, "It's you. What, looking to move into a better house?"

Wu Tao was taken aback. How did Manager Zhou know he was moving? Could it be that he cultivated some divination technique?

Seeing him standing there in a daze, Manager Zhou laughed. "Hey, what are you spacing out for? Last time I went to the Marketplace, I saw you selling Magic Robes. Fellow Daoist Li, you're an Artifact Refiner, aren't you?"

Wu Tao nodded and said modestly, "I only know how to refine a few simple Magic Tools."

Seeing him admit it, the smile on Manager Zhou's face grew even broader. "As an Artifact Refiner, Fellow Daoist Li naturally cannot live in a place like New Virtue Alley. It would be needlessly lowering your status."

Status... What status could I possibly have...? Wu Tao grumbled inwardly before asking, "Manager Zhou, I came precisely to change residences. I want one with a Sound-Proofing and Anti-Peeping Array. What advice do you have?"

Manager Zhou pondered for a moment. "There really is one. Come, I'll take you to see it. If you're satisfied, you can sign the contract and move in immediately."

By early evening, Wu Tao had already gone back and forth to New Virtue Alley, moving all his belongings from there into his new home.

His new home was on Sincere Tea Street, near the middle district. The monthly rent was seven Low-Grade Spirit Stones. The Sound-Proofing and Anti-Peeping Array consumed one Low-Grade Spirit Stone per month, while the Lighting and Fire-Starting Formation consumed another. Together with night soil fees, security management fees, street cleaning fees, and the like, that was another Low-Grade Spirit Stone.

Thus, ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones a month went toward his living arrangements.

"Fortunately, I can still afford it. Most importantly, it's much more comfortable here." Wu Tao lay on the soft, springy bed, his face full of enjoyment. In New Virtue Alley, he had slept on a hard wooden plank bed. This new home had a soft, elastic bed instead.

"If a cultivator lives worse than a mortal, then what immortality is there to cultivate?"

After resting on the bed for a while, he began to inspect his new home.

There was one room, along with a kitchen and washroom. What surprised him most was that there was even a Cultivation Room.

It was precisely because of this Cultivation Room that Wu Tao had decided on the place without a second thought.

With this Cultivation Room, it would be much more convenient for him to practice the Dragon Spear Technique in the future.

Calling it a Cultivation Room was somewhat generous. It was really just a room and lacked the conditions of a true Cultivation Room, without any of the necessary Magic Arrays.

Otherwise, it would not have been so cheap.

After finishing his inspection, he took out his Spirit Stone Bag and sorted through his assets again. Renting this house required three months' deposit and one month's rent in advance. Including the six Low-Grade Spirit Stones in refunded rent from before, he had twenty-four Low-Grade Spirit Stones left.

"A housewarming joy—how could I not celebrate?"

Wu Tao immediately went out and headed for the Marketplace. He first spent twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones on twelve Starfire Stones and four jin of Demon Silkworm Silk, then spent one Low-Grade Spirit Stone on five jin of Low-Grade Monster Meat.

That night, he ate two jin of Spirit Rice and two jin of Monster Meat, celebrating with abandon.

It had to be said that living in a more expensive area, free from noisy neighbors and from the trouble of having a gambling-addicted neighbor constantly pestering him, made Wu Tao feel that life was growing ever more leisurely and pleasant.

Living comfortably improved his state of mind, and practicing spells and refining Magic Robes became much smoother and more enjoyable.

Setting down One Thousand Basic Knowledge of Artifact Refining, Wu Tao thought, At most a few more days, and I'll have memorized everything in this book.

Another requirement for obtaining the Artifact Refiner Certificate issued by the Five Spring Artifact Refining Hall was mastering at least five Restrictions, one of which had to be a Tier 1 Level 3 Restriction.

In other words, the Artifact Refiner Certificate they issued was only a First-Rank Junior Artifact Refiner Certificate.

Based on that requirement, Wu Tao could only begin practicing the Tier 1 Level 1 Dust-Repelling Restriction and Tier 1 Level 1 Rain-Repelling Restriction.

For someone who could inscribe Tier 1 Level 3 Restrictions, Tier 1 Level 1 Restrictions were laughably easy. It took only a dozen or so days for him to fully master these two Tier 1 Level 1 Restrictions.

The Fire Sweep move of the Dragon Spear Technique also improved rapidly.

Before he knew it, another month had passed.

Inside the Cultivation Room.

Wu Tao gripped the Three-Pointed Great Spear. The Spiritual Power in his dantian seemed ready to boil as it began moving through specific meridians. He lightly stepped forward with his right foot, bent slightly at the waist, and in that instant, the strength of his entire body surged into motion.

"Fire Sweep!"

With a low shout, strength and force merged, all of it pouring into the Three-Pointed Great Spear in his hands.

Then—

The spear shot out like a dragon, turning into a fleeting shadow. Its Red Tassel swept out like fire. With a thunderous crack, a spear mark immediately appeared on the floor of the Cultivation Room.

Fire Sweep!

Fire Sweep!

Fire Sweep!

Wu Tao's breath and strength did not falter. The Three-Pointed Great Spear in his hands instantly came alive, whistling out move after move in rapid repetition as sparks flashed across the floor of the Cultivation Room.

Suddenly, a wondrous insight sprouted from within his heart and in an instant grew into a towering tree.

"You triggered the Body Cultivator Profession Lucky Skill. Current bonus: 50%"

"Fire Sweep!"

Without bothering to listen to the mechanical prompt sounding in his ears, Wu Tao instantly absorbed the wondrous insight in his heart. As strength and force merged, it seemed as though he had undergone Nirvana Rebirth.

With one whistling thrust, the spear tore through the air. A sizzling sound rang out, and a wisp of flames unexpectedly sprang into existence from the spear tip, roaring as the tip slammed heavily into the ground.

Bang!

The flames exploded, and a deep pit the size of a basketball was blasted into the floor.

Wu Tao withdrew his spear and looked at the Fire Pit, joy appearing on his face. "Fire Sweep has finally reached Entry!"

[Secondary Profession · Body Cultivator]: Dragon Spear · Fire Sweep Entry (2%)

After Fire Sweep of the Dragon Spear Technique reached Entry, he could cultivate the Wind and Thunder Move. More importantly, he could begin taking Medicinal Baths to Temper Body.

At the thought of Medicinal Baths, and of gleaming white Spirit Stones flowing away again, the joy that had just risen in Wu Tao's heart instantly vanished.

"Over this past month, I've become increasingly adept at refining Tier 1 Level 3 Small Spirit Shield Robes. I can refine eight Small Spirit Shield Robes each month, plus eight Wind-Speed Magic Robes, earning roughly four Mid-Grade Spirit Stones a month."

"Subtracting ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones in monthly rent, eighty Low-Grade Spirit Stones in refining costs, four Low-Grade Spirit Stones for cultivation, then another ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones a month for Spirit Rice and Monster Meat food expenses..."

"There are only a little over two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones left..."

"There are still many things that need Spirit Stones which I haven't truly invested in yet, such as buying pills for cultivation..."

"Now that I also need Medicinal Baths to Temper Body, those two hundred-plus Spirit Stones seem to leave me scraping by..."

"Cultivating immortality is truly no easy task!"