Ninth Layer of Qi Refining

Half a year passed quickly, and the door to the Cultivation Room opened. Shen Long walked out, his face beaming with joy.

He Secluded Cultivation for more than half a year and successfully advanced to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Foundation Establishment, he would be able to attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

If he hadn't joined the Spirit Control Sect, Shen Long might not have been able to advance to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining even after cultivating in Yunmeng Marketplace for several more years.

Shen Long hadn't gone far when Qin Shan walked towards him.

"Junior Brother Shen, you've finally emerged from seclusion! Oh, you've advanced to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining! Congratulations!"

Qin Shan sensed the powerful aura emanating from Shen Long and congratulated him.

"Senior Brother Qin, I'm really sorry, I stayed in the Cultivation Room a little too long. How many Spirit Stone do I need to pay?"

Shen Long asked.

"No need to pay. I consulted with Uncle-Master Liu about this a while ago, and Uncle-Master Liu said that even if the delay is too long, you don't need to pay. Junior Brother Shen, your delay is only a little over ten days, which isn't too long."

Qin Shan said with a smile.

Liu Xian didn't specify how long the extension would incur a fee; that timeframe was naturally determined by Qin Shan. As long as the extension wasn't too long, Qin Shan would usually make an exception and do him a favor.

"Thank you very much, Senior Brother Qin."

Shen Long thanked him.

"This has nothing to do with me. I'm just following orders. Once you advance to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, you'll definitely get a better ranking in the Grand Competition."

Qin Shan said with a smile.

Shen Long nodded, chatted for a few moments, and then left Azure Cloud Hall.

It was midday. Shen Long had lunch at the Spirit Meal Pavilion and then returned to Green Plum Courtyard.

Lin Cheng was casting a spell when he saw Shen Long. His face lit up with joy. "Senior Brother Shen, you've emerged from seclusion! Oh, you've advanced to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining! Congratulations!"

Lin Cheng looked on with envy; Shen Long's next step would make him Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"From now on, you only need to come once every five days. Just give me back the token!"

Shen Long said.

Lin Cheng took out the token and returned it to Shen Long, saying, "Senior Brother Shen, I have never been to the Green Plum Pavilion."

Shen Long put away the token, pushed open the door of the Green Plum Pavilion, and went inside.

He made marks in some places, and if Lin Cheng entered Green Plum Pavilion, he would erase these marks. These marks are still there, and Lin Cheng was not lying.

Shen Long brewed a pot of Spirit Tea and went outside.

At this time, Lin Cheng had finished applying the rain. The Silver Marrow Spirit Rice was growing well, with plump grains, and it would be ripe in another six months.

"You've worked hard, Junior Brother Lin. Have a cup of tea to refresh yourself."

Shen Long poured Lin Cheng a cup of Spirit Tea.

Lin Cheng took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

"It will be ready for harvest in about six months. I estimate the yield will be higher, and Senior Brother Shen should be able to make a good profit."

Lin Cheng looked proud.

"Junior Brother Lin Shan, are you free? Call him over; I happen to have some free time and can give him some pointers."

Shen Long said.

"Yes, of course I'm free. I'll have him come over right away."

Lin Cheng took out Communication Disk that shimmered with blue light, entered a spell, and made a series of gestures.

Not long after, Lin Shan arrived and asked Shen Long for advice on cultivating the Ice Spike Technique. Shen Long shared his knowledge without reservation and gave him earnest guidance.

"Junior Brother Lin, you're almost at the Great Perfection of your Ice Spike Technique. Keep practicing!"

Shen Long encouraged him.

"Understood, Senior Brother Shen."

Lin Shan expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Shen. We won't disturb Senior Brother Shen rest any longer. Farewell."

Lin Cheng and Lin Shan left.

Shen Long left Green Plum Courtyard and went to Qian Dafu's residence, where he sent a Sound Transmission Talisman.

A quarter of an hour passed, Qian Dafu still hadn't come out; he was probably not there.

Shen Long summoned his flying Law Artifact and flew towards Martial Arts Peak.

Martial Arts Peak has several Cultivation Room for disciples of the Spirit Control Sect to practice their Law Technique.

When Shen Long arrived at Martial Arts Peak, there were many Qi Refining Cultivator sparring, mostly fighting beasts and insects.

Shen Long walked into a Cultivation Room and began chanting incantations.

A blue light shone from his right hand. With a flick of his wrist, a foot-long Cyan Wind Blade shot out, striking a Cyan Stone Stele and leaving a barely visible cut.

Wind Blade Technique!

Shen Long has already mastered the Wind Blade Technique to Minor Accomplishment. Over the past two years, he has spent a lot of time practicing the Wind Blade Technique.

An hour later, Shen Long walked out of the Cultivation Room, his face pale, looking as if he had exhausted his Law Power.

Shen Long arrived at a vast Bluestone Square, where many Qi Refining Cultivator were engaged in beast and insect battles.

He watched for about half an hour, then left Martial Arts Peak, returned to Azure Cloud Peak, and headed to the Instruction Pavilion.

Upon arriving at the Instruction Pavilion, Shen Long discovered that there were only twelve disciples present; Ye Yuqing, Qin Bao, Li Lei, and others were not there.

He found an empty seat and sat down.

Not long after, Sun Sen walked in.

He sensed the powerful spiritual pressure emanating from Shen Long and was somewhat surprised, so he began to teach.

"Today we'll talk about the Barbarian Race, introducing you to Barbarian Race major tribes and Totem Technique."

Sun Sen said.

The Barbarian Race Totem Technique involves collecting the Essence Blood of Demon Beast and using Secret Method to inscribe totems on the bodies of Barbarian Race cultivators. By using the power of the totems, they can strengthen themselves. When they reach a certain level of cultivation, Barbarian Race cultivators can also use the power of the totems to Demonization and fight as half-demons.

Taking the <Flying Butterfly Scripture> of the Spirit Control Sect as an example, when cultivated to its extreme, the cultivator can transform into a Spirit Butterfly to fight and use the Spirit Butterfly's Divine Ability. When the Totem Technique is cultivated to its extreme, the main body cannot transform into Demon Beast form; at most, one can only be a half-demon.

The <Flying Butterfly Scripture> requires the Essence Blood of Spirit Butterfly to aid in cultivation. The higher the cultivation level, the higher the rank of the Spirit Butterfly. The Totem Technique requires devouring the Essence Soul of similar demonic Demon Beast. The higher the cultivation level, the more one needs to devour the Essence Soul of higher-ranking similar Demon Beast.

It's hard to say which cultivation method is superior; each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Two hours passed quickly. Sun Sen announced the end of class, and the other Qi Refining disciples left, Shen Long stayed behind.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Shen! If you cultivate a few more techniques to Great Perfection, you'll definitely achieve a good ranking in the Grand Competition."

Sun Sen said.

"Thank you for your kind words, Senior Brother Sun. If I hadn't achieved such a good ranking this time and had been able to cultivate in the Cultivation Room for half a year, I wouldn't have advanced to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining so quickly."

Shen Long had a broad smile on his face.

"To achieve a better ranking, Junior Brother Shen will need to purchase a High-grade Magical Tool. In previous Grand Competition, the top fifty participants all received High-grade Magical Tool."

Sun Sen suggested.

Having a High-grade Magical Tool will make clearing the Thousand Monster Tower much easier.

Shen Long nodded. He also planned to buy a High-grade Magical Tool, but this would leave him with few Spirit Stone.

He had calculated that the Fire Rock Beast could not possibly advance to the First Rank Late Stage before the Grand Competition. He had been raising the Fire Rock Beast for almost three years. Advancing from the early stage of the first rank to the middle stage within three years was already quite good. Advancing to the First Rank Late Stage in five years was simply impossible. Even cultivators did not have such a fast cultivation speed.

Iron Tail Scorpion might be able to advance to the First Rank Late Stage. It has been following Shen Long for nearly ten years. However, its attack methods are not strong. If Iron Tail Scorpion can mutate and its attacks are accompanied by deadly poison, its strength can be greatly improved.

Xu Feng also said that if the Iron Tail Scorpion wants to mutate, it can consume the corpses and Essence Blood of high-level venomous scorpions, but not too much higher than the Iron Tail Scorpion, otherwise the Iron Tail Scorpion might not be able to withstand the difference.

Shen Long had consulted Sun Sen about this issue. There were many successful examples of Iron Tail Scorpion advancing to Poisonous Scorpions, but there were even more failures. If Spirit Insect mutated so easily, Mutated Spirit Insect wouldn't be so rare.

Shen Long had over two thousand Spirit Stone on him. He bought Spirit Feeding Pill from Qian Dafu. Each pill cost twenty-three Spirit Stone, and a bottle cost two hundred and thirty. Even if he fed one to the Iron Tail Scorpion every month, it would cost four hundred Spirit Stone over two years. This did not include the Spirit Feeding Pill for feeding the Fire Rock Beast.

Selling the Silver Marrow Spirit Rice can earn a sum of Spirit Stone, and with my monthly salary, I can save up a considerable amount over two years, which is enough for now.

Of course, the more Spirit Stone the better. Shen Long made a plan for himself to earn more Spirit Stone in the next two years.

He could receive some simple tasks from the Deacon Tower to earn Spirit Stone. Hunting Demon Beast was also a way for Qin Bao and others to do so, but Shen Long did not consider going out to hunt demonic Demon Beast.

"Senior Brother Sun, you have a wide network of connections, do you know any quick ways to make money?"

Shen Long asked.

"What are some quick ways to make money? Making talismans, refining pills, forging weapons, setting up formations, and brewing wine are all relatively quick ways to make money, but you don't know how. Junior Brother Qin and the others go out to hunt Demon Beast and earn quite a bit, but there are certain risks involved. Half a month ago, a senior brother at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining died in the mouth of a first-tier Demon Beast."

Sun Sen said.

"Senior Brother Sun, do you have any good suggestions?"

Shen Long asked.

"I heard that our sect controls a Second Rank Mineral Vein that needs quite a few Qi Refining Cultivator. You just need to guard the mine. However, when you go out to take up a post, you can't just come back whenever you want. If we need manpower temporarily, we might transfer you to another place. You might miss the Grand Competition."

Sun Sen said, then changed his tone and said, "How about this? I'll keep an eye out for you and see if there are any suitable jobs."

"Then I'll have to trouble Senior Brother Sun."

Shen Long thanked him.

Sun Sen, being Hereditary Disciple, knew many disciples of the Spirit Control Sect. Perhaps he could help him find a good job, ensuring he wouldn't miss the Grand Competition.

"It's no trouble at all, just a small favor."

Sun Sen said nonchalantly.

After chatting for a few minutes, Shen Long took his leave and had dinner at the Spirit Meal Pavilion before heading towards his residence.

Just as he approached the Green Plum Courtyard, Qian Dafu's voice rang out. "Senior Brother Shen, you've advanced to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining! Congratulations!"

Shen Long looked in the direction of the sound and saw Qian Dafu walking towards him.

He invited Qian Dafu into the Green Plum Courtyard and brewed him a pot of Spirit Tea.

"Junior Brother Qian, where have you been? You're only just getting back."

Shen Long asked casually.

"My cousin is back. She was working at a second-tier spirit mine in our sect, but her rotation has ended, and she's been transferred back to the General Headquarters to prepare for the Grand Competition."

Qian Dafu said, then, as if remembering something, enthusiastically added, "Senior Brother Shen, would you like me to introduce you to my cousin? She's quite beautiful."

"No need, I'm not considering romantic relationships right now. By the way, are there many Qi Refining Cultivator transferred back to the General Headquarters?"

Shen Long asked.

"As is customary, many Qi Refining Cultivator have been serving in other positions will be recalled to participate in the Minor Competition. There are quite a few disciples at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, so the competition in the Grand Competition competition will be fierce. They have also brought back a lot of good things. I've been quite busy lately. Is there anything you need? I can keep an eye out for it for you."

Qian Dafu asked.

"Good stuff? What kinds are there?"

Shen Long asked curiously.

"There's plenty: Spirit Wine, Law Artifact, Talisman, pills, Spirit Beast Spirit Insect. They previously worked in various branch sects or Marketplace, bringing back local cultivation resources."

Qian Dafu said.

"Okay then! Could you keep an eye out for Spirit Bird for me? Preferably from a powerful Spirit Bird."

Shen Long said that he could hatch the Spirit Bird himself, which would be cheaper.

If Shen Long wants to achieve a good ranking in the Grand Competition, relying solely on the Iron Tail Scorpion and the Fire Rock Beast won't be enough. If he had another Spirit Bird, the pressure on him to pass the levels would be less.

"A powerful Spirit Bird? Few people sell Spirit Bird; they're usually hatched first and then sold, fetching a higher price. I'll keep an eye out for you!"

Qian Dafu agreed.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Junior Brother Qian. By the way, do you know any quick ways to make money? Hunting Demon Beast is out of the question."

Shen Long expressed his gratitude.

"A quick way to make money? As far as I know, many fellow disciples go out in teams to hunt Demon Beast, but for safety reasons, they work together in groups and don't get much loot. Senior Brother Shen, why don't you learn talisman-making from Senior Sister Ye? You're quite close to her; ask her for guidance, and she should be able to teach you. If you learn talisman-making, it will be easier for you to earn Spirit Stone."

Qian Dafu said.

"I can't afford the cost of trial and error, so I don't plan to learn talisman making for the time being."

Shen Long told the truth.

He had inquired with Ye Yuqing and learned that making talismans required purchasing Talisman Pen, cinnabar, Demon Beast Essence Blood, and talisman paper. Ye Yuqing had just begun learning the art of talisman making and had invested over three hundred Spirit Stone in the early stages before she could refine a single Fireball Talisman.

Some Qi Refining Cultivator on Azure Cloud Peak invested a lot of Spirit Stone in order to learn how to make talismans. It took them more than 500 Spirit Stone stones to make a single Fireball Talisman. The success rate was abysmal. They continued to practice, but even after spending thousands of Spirit Stone, the success rate was still very low, so they finally gave up.

Some Qi Refining Cultivator want to master a skill and spend a lot of money to learn it, but very few succeed. Most Qi Refining Cultivator fail and waste a lot of Spirit Stone and time.

Shen Long was also aware of his own limitations. He had limited financial resources and few opportunities for trial and error. He was not Ning Qianqian, who didn't have to worry about cultivation resources.

For the vast majority of Qi Refining Cultivator in the Spirit Control Sect, a single mistake could cost them years or even decades of savings, a loss they simply couldn't afford.

The initial investment in any skill is considerable, not to mention that disciples of the Spirit Control Sect also raise Spirit Beast Spirit Insect, making their burden even heavier.

"That's true. I'll keep an eye out for you! I'll let you know as soon as there's a good job, but don't get your hopes up too high. If there really is such a good opportunity, it'll be given priority to the descendants of heroes or the disciples, relatives, and family members of those grandmasters and great masters."

Qian Dafu said.

"I understand, let me think of another way!"

Shen Long agreed.

After chatting for a while, Qian Dafu said goodbye and left.

Shen Long rode his weapon away from Azure Cloud Peak and arrived at the Free Trade Valley, where he strolled around.

He noticed that there were many unfamiliar faces in the Free Trade Valley, probably Qi Refining Cultivator who had been transferred back to participate in the Grand Competition.

Shen Long arrived at the Bluestone Square where the stalls were set up and walked around to take a look.

He suddenly quickened his pace and came to a small stall. The stall owner was a young woman in her prime, dressed in a white dress, with a cultivation level of the sixth level of Qi Refining.

The stall was filled with various items, including ores, spirit medicine, and Monster Beast Material.

Shen Long picked up a piece of golden ore, examined it carefully for a while, then put it down and picked up a piece of dark, unremarkable ore instead, asking, "How much for this piece of ore?"

"This is Ink Cloud Stone, which can be used to refine Mid-grade Magical Tool. Thirty Spirit Stone."

"That's what the Green-Robed Maiden said."

"Thirty yuan? That's too expensive! Your piece of Ink Cloud Stone isn't very big, twenty-five yuan is fine."

Shen Long bargained.

"The lowest price is twenty-eight yuan, no lower than that."

"That's what the Green-Robed Maiden said."

Shen Long didn't haggle any further and readily paid the Spirit Stone.

He strolled around the square, looking at things, but didn't buy anything.

After leaving the Bluestone Square, he arrived at the entrance of a three-story Golden Pavilion with the three large characters "Golden Toad Pavilion" written on the plaque.

This is a shop opened by the Master Golden Toad, and it is usually managed by his disciples.

Shen Long strode in. The lobby was spacious and bright, with many items displayed on the shelves.

Behind the long, blue counter stood several Green-Shirted Attendant, introducing the products to customers.

These Green-Shirted Attendant are all disciples of the Spirit Control Sect. They receive a salary for working here, Free Trade Valley provides some employment opportunities.

Shen Long walked to a counter, took out the black ore, handed it to a Green-Shirted Attendant, and said, "Junior brother, how many Spirit Stone can you offer?"

"This is Ink Cloud Stone. We can offer 25 Spirit Stone, how about it?"

The Green-Shirted Attendant examined it carefully and then spoke.

Shen Long shook his head, indicating that he was not satisfied with the price.

"Twenty-seven, that's the most we can do."

The Green-Shirted Attendant spoke.

"Junior brother, find someone else to take a look! If it's Ink Cloud Stone, I don't need to bring it here to sell."

Shen Long transmitted his voice.

The Green-Shirted Attendant pondered for a moment, then put down the ore and turned to leave.

Not long after, he came over with a man in his early forties wearing a blue shirt.

The man in blue examined the black ore carefully and said, "This is Ink Marrow Stone! Ink Cloud Stone and Ink Marrow Stone are easily confused. Senior Brother, you are very skilled. We are willing to offer 150 Spirit Stone to buy it. What do you say?"

"These are materials for refining High-grade Magical Tool, two hundred."

Shen Long bargained.

"Your piece of Ink Marrow Stone is a bit small, it's not worth that much, one hundred and seventy."

"That's what the man in the blue shirt said."

"Let's each compromise, 190!"

Shen Long said.

"No, 180 is the highest we can offer."

"That's what the man in the blue shirt said."

"Alright! Deal."

Shen Long agreed, and with just a few transactions, he earned 152 Spirit Stone. This was the first time he had made a bargain in more than two years since he started his training.

The man in blue took out 180 Spirit Stone, placed them on the counter, Shen Long, after confirming they were correct, put them into his Storage Bag and left the Golden Toad Pavilion.

Back at his residence, Shen Long entered a secret room, sat cross-legged, and began to cultivate his inner energy.

Before long, a blue glow emerged from Shen Long's body, enveloping his entire body.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Shen Long left Green Plum Courtyard and headed towards the Spirit Meal Pavilion.

After breakfast, he went to the Instruction Pavilion to listen to lectures. After Sun Sen finished his lectures, Shen Long had lunch and went to the Martial Arts Peak to practice the Wind Blade Technique. Then he continued to listen to lectures at the Instruction Pavilion in the afternoon.

Shen Long resumed his previous life, which was rather monotonous but fulfilling.

A month passed quickly, and one noon, Shen Long was having lunch at the Spirit Meal Pavilion.