Sudden Upheaval

Besides the distribution of forces around the Thick Earth Sect, He Song also learned about the sale of spells and cultivation techniques.

In the cultivation world,

cultivation techniques were not actually very valuable.

High-level cultivators could create cultivation techniques at will and distribute them layer by layer, resulting in an enormous number of techniques of every attribute.

The price of an ordinary cultivation technique was generally around one hundred Spirit Stones, which was not considered expensive.

However, within the spheres of influence of major sects and great cultivation families,

the techniques of one's own sect or family would be cheap beyond belief.

For example, the Thick Earth Technique cultivated by He Song himself had been created by an expert of the Thick Earth Sect and could be cultivated all the way to Golden Core Perfection.

Yet within the Thick Earth Sect's sphere of influence, a Thick Earth Technique that could be cultivated to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer cost only a single Spirit Stone.

Such situations were not uncommon.

Nearly every sect did the same within its own sphere of influence.

The main reason was that the benefits were considerable.

First, nearly all techniques released by sects or cultivation families had hidden contingencies once cultivation reached the Qi Refining Late Stage. One needed to purchase special resources from that sect in order to improve rapidly.

Not buying them? Then just watch everyone else advance by leaps and bounds while your own cultivation speed remained as slow as a turtle's crawl.

This way, they could continuously earn Spirit Stones from Rogue Cultivators.

Second, after cultivating a sect's technique, if a Rogue Cultivator was lucky enough to break through to Foundation Establishment, joining that sect would become their best choice.

There would be no need to switch techniques, no need to leave their homeland, and the sect even had higher-level techniques to offer.

This was an enormous temptation for Rogue Cultivators who had achieved Foundation Establishment.

Third.

It was precisely because of these benefits that the Thick Earth Technique was so cheap within the Thick Earth Sect's sphere of influence.

All the other cultivation techniques in the Spirit Skill Pavilion cost one hundred Spirit Stones per copy, making them comparatively expensive.

As for spells,

most were monopolized by sects and cultivation families.

The spells made available for sale to Rogue Cultivators naturally would not be too profound.

Spells for the Qi Refining stage were fairly complete, since their power was limited.

But upon reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, opportunities to obtain Foundation Establishment spells dropped drastically.

Only by joining a sect or cultivation family could one obtain a relatively complete set of Foundation Establishment spells.

Even so, the Skill Transmission Jade Slips containing Qi Refining stage spells had restrictions on them, making it impossible to pass learned spells on to others.

That was also why Ping'er had left directly without giving any further instructions.

Purchased spells could only be used by oneself.

As He Song read on, he became deeply absorbed in the books before him.

All manner of common knowledge about the cultivation world flooded into He Song's mind, giving him a deeper understanding of it.

For several days in a row, aside from going to the Spirit Field each day to cast the Spirit Rain Technique,

He Song spent all his time in the Spirit Skill Pavilion reading its books.

He naturally became increasingly familiar with the cultivation world he lived in.

This continued until several days later.

On this day, lamps lit up one after another around He Song.

Flames the size of soybeans danced gently, illuminating everything around him.

Setting down the book in his hand, He Song turned his head with satisfaction and looked around.

At this moment,

the sky outside had already begun to darken.

Within the Spirit Skill Pavilion, lamps illuminated the vast room until it was almost no different from daytime.

Seeing this, He Song did not hesitate and headed straight out of the Spirit Skill Pavilion.

After several days of reading, he had gone through every book in the Spirit Skill Pavilion concerning common knowledge of the cultivation world.

It could be said that He Song's knowledge of the cultivation world was now no less than that of a cultivator from a cultivation family, or even a sect disciple.

Leaving the Spirit Skill Pavilion,

the Stall Area outside was now nearly deserted. Most of the cultivators who had set up stalls had already left.

Although Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market had no curfew at night, with the night dark and the wind high, who knew what vicious people lurked in the darkness?

Though the Enforcement Squad patrolled at night, patrols were patrols—there would always be blind spots.

Not going out at night had practically become an unspoken rule among cultivators.

Passing through the Stall Area,

since it was not far from He Song's residence,

He Song hurried back to the door of his house before the sky had completely darkened.

However, just as He Song was about to open the door and return to his room, hurried footsteps suddenly rang out behind him.

Tap, tap, tap!

The hurried footsteps rapidly closed in.

Hearing them, He Song's expression changed sharply.

For several days in a row, he had returned home at this very time without encountering any danger.

At first, he had remained vigilant every day, but today he had ultimately let his guard down.

For a moment, He Song was filled with regret.

I should have remained vigilant at all times!

The footsteps had appeared far too suddenly, and from their direction, they seemed to be coming straight for him.

Though He Song was alarmed, he did not panic. He only had time to pull out the two wrinkled Thick Earth Talismans from his sleeve. Before he could activate them, however, the sound had already reached his side.

In an instant, a faint breeze swept past, carrying a sharp, pungent smell of blood to He Song's nose.

The feeling of being watched by a ferocious beast made his eyelids twitch.

The faint spiritual pressure emanating from the person beside him made every hair on his body stand on end.

This person could not be fought head-on!

However,

just as He Song instinctively prepared to activate the Thick Earth Talismans to stall for time and await rescue from the Enforcement Squad, a voice suddenly came from beside him.

"Fellow Daoist He, don't panic. It's me, Lin Cong." Lin Cong's voice was somewhat weak, lacking the robust strength it had possessed when they met several days ago.

But He Song was not moved in the slightest.

Spiritual power gathered within his body, and a surge of it rushed into the Thick Earth Talisman in his hand.

Almost instantly, an earthen-yellow barrier enveloped He Song's entire body.

This was the defensive barrier that appeared after a Thick Earth Talisman was activated.

Though the barrier looked fragile, its defensive power was actually formidable. Even someone in the Qi Refining Middle Stage would need some time to break it.

For someone in the early Qi Refining stage, breaking through this barrier would likely be no simple matter.

Only after doing all this, once his own safety was assured, did He Song finally breathe a sigh of relief and turn his gaze toward the person before him.

It truly was Lin Cong.

He was the burly Rogue Cultivator who lived next door to He Song, the one who had greeted him before and made his living hunting demon beasts.

Although Lin Cong's build was as burly as before, his expression was now somewhat listless.

Looking carefully, He Song discovered that Lin Cong seemed to be badly injured.

Blood, splattered like raindrops, covered Lin Cong's chest. The pungent bloody smell He Song had caught earlier had likely come from this.

Beyond that, He Song also noticed that Lin Cong's chest seemed to be caved in. No blood flowed from the wound, but his internal organs had likely been injured.

Seeing Lin Cong's dispirited expression, the stone in He Song's heart finally fell to the ground.

Thank goodness. He wasn't coming for me.