Hall of Myriad Treasures

Hall of Myriad Treasures stood on the most prosperous street in the inner city. Five stories high, it looked exceptionally grand in this market district, where most buildings were no more than three stories tall.

Qin Huaian entered Hall of Myriad Treasures. The first floor was divided into sections for pills, talismans, and artifacts, and he headed toward the Dharma Artifact section.

"What does this guest require?" A young cultivator dressed as a clerk came up to him.

"I'd like to sell some ore."

"This way, please." The clerk led Qin Huaian into a small private room similar to those in Precious Splendor Tower, where a middle-aged cultivator sat.

"This is our appraiser, Master Peng. Please hand any items you wish to sell to Master Peng for appraisal."

Qin Huaian had already placed the Red Copper Ore in a storage bag. He took it out and handed it to the appraiser.

The storage bag had no restrictions placed on it. The appraiser sent spiritual power into the bag, took out several pieces of ore for inspection, and said, "Red Copper Ore. 0.6 Spirit Stones per pound."

"Our Hall of Myriad Treasures appraisers always offer fair prices. Shall I calculate the total for you?" the clerk asked.

"Yes, please calculate it."

"Certainly."

After weighing it at the side, the clerk said, "19,455 pounds of Red Copper Ore, for a total of 11,673 Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Guest, here are 116 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and 73 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Please put them away."

"Thank you. Please show me some defensive Dharma Artifacts." Qin Huaian decided to secure his own safety first.

"This way, please." The clerk led Qin Huaian to the Dharma Artifact section.

"This is a one-use defensive jade pendant. When attacked, it can instantly raise a protective barrier capable of blocking a full-force strike from someone at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer. It costs 400 Spirit Stones."

"This is a low-grade Dharma Artifact, the Black Iron Shield. It is forged from black iron and inscribed with a Defensive Array. It can block a full-force strike from someone at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. It costs 1,600 Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"This is the Heavenly Silkworm Jade Robe, a mid-grade Dharma Artifact. It is made from the silk of the second-rank demon beast, the Black Jade Heavenly Silkworm, from the Million Mountains, and is inscribed with a Defensive Array. It can withstand a strike from the Ninth Qi Refining Layer. It costs 5,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

Defensive Dharma Artifacts were simply too expensive—far more costly than offensive Dharma Artifacts of the same grade.

After looking over several more Dharma Artifacts, Qin Huaian ultimately chose the defensive jade pendant and the Heavenly Silkworm Jade Robe. The robe was light and thin enough to be worn underneath his clothes. Defensive Dharma Artifacts might be expensive, but the scene of the original owner being killed by a single punch was still vividly etched in his mind. He had no choice but to take precautions.

Afterward, he bought five Divine Movement Talismans, five Vajra Talismans, and three Shield Armor Talismans. They were all first-rank mid-grade Spiritual Talismans, each costing around 50 Spirit Stones, for a total of 650 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Finally, he selected an offensive mid-grade Dharma Artifact: the Seven-Star Bone-Piercing Needle. It could launch seven small needles forged from Black Iron Essence at once. This artifact's strength lay in its small size and concealment. If an enemy was completely unprepared, it might even allow him to kill across realms. He also bought five hundred matching Black Iron Needles, spending 2,000 Spirit Stones in total.

After leaving Hall of Myriad Treasures, Qin Huaian had 36 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and roughly 7,300 Low-Grade Spirit Stones left. He did not linger in the inner city and returned directly to the cave dwelling he rented.

By the time he returned to the cave dwelling, it was already afternoon. Looking at the low little house and the cramped alley outside its door, Qin Huaian sighed inwardly. Once I earn a little more Spirit Stones, I must move somewhere better.

After returning, Qin Huaian did not rest. He sat cross-legged on a cushion. By now, the Fireball Technique had finished its derivation, and he opened the Data Panel.

Cultivation: Qi Refining (Second Layer 41/100)

Cultivation Art: Azure Splendor Art (Mastery Grade 1/100, can be derived)

Fireball Technique (Mastery Grade 1/100, can be derived)

Qin Huaian sensed the Mastery Grade Fireball Technique. When he condensed a fireball, his spiritual power flowed noticeably more smoothly. The fireball itself was more refined, and its power had grown stronger as well.

At Mastery Grade, the Fireball Technique could condense at most one fireball containing 10% of the spiritual power in his body. Condensing a fireball at maximum power took roughly one breath; if it contained only 5% of his spiritual power, it could basically be cast instantly.

"Continue deriving the Fireball Technique."

Consume 80 Spirit Stones, and the Mirror Body can derive the Fireball Technique to Minor Accomplishment in 4 hours; consume 160 Spirit Stones to halve the time.

"Consume 80 Spirit Stones for the derivation."

His consciousness returned to his main body. Taking out a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, Qin Huaian began circulating the Azure Splendor Art. He found the spiritual power within Mid-Grade Spirit Stones purer and easier to absorb, with an absorption speed roughly half again faster than Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Good stuff. Wouldn't cultivating with Mid-Grade Spirit Stones from now on be much faster? Remembering the 80 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones he had spent at Hall of Myriad Treasures, Qin Huaian's heart immediately ached.

A day later, Qin Huaian opened his eyes. During that time, he had spent another 160 Spirit Stones and eight hours deriving the Fireball Technique to Major Accomplishment. At Major Accomplishment, the Fireball Technique could condense at most one fireball containing 20% of the spiritual power in his body. Condensing one at maximum power took roughly one breath; if it contained 10% of his spiritual power, it took less than half a breath.

With 20% of his spiritual power condensed into a single fireball and unleashed at once, its power was truly terrifying. It could basically be used as a trump card. He opened the panel.

Cultivation: Qi Refining (Second Layer 43/100)

Cultivation Art: Azure Splendor Art (Mastery Grade 1/100, can be derived)

Fireball Technique (Major Accomplishment, can be optimized)

The Fireball Technique had gained an additional option: can be optimized. He silently asked, What does "can be optimized" mean?

Optimization means upgrading and optimizing the current cultivation art. After optimization, the cultivation art can achieve the state most compatible with the host.

"What are the requirements for optimizing the Fireball Technique?"

Consume 1,600 Spirit Stones, and the Mirror Body can optimize the Fireball Technique to Perfection in 16 hours; consume 3,200 Spirit Stones to halve the time.

So many Spirit Stones? This is robbery!

But he had to admit, this function was incredibly powerful. Didn't that mean that any cultivation art, so long as one spent enough, could be cultivated until it matched oneself perfectly?

This should still be limited by the innate quality of the cultivation art itself. No matter how formidable the Fireball Technique became, it was still only the Fireball Technique.

It was like how no matter how brilliant one's archery was, it could not compare to casually picking up a high-powered sniper rifle. So he still needed to seek out more profound and mysterious high-grade cultivation arts. The higher the grade of the cultivation art, the more powerful it would become after being derived to its limit.

Qin Huaian did not choose to optimize the Fireball Technique. Instead, he chose to raise his foundational cultivation art first and speed up his cultivation progress.

"Derive the Azure Splendor Art."

Consume 200 Spirit Stones, and the Mirror Body can derive the Azure Splendor Art to Minor Accomplishment in 12 hours; consume 400 Spirit Stones to halve the time.

"Consume 200 Spirit Stones and derive it to Minor Accomplishment."

After the Azure Splendor Art reached Minor Accomplishment, Qin Huaian spent another 400 Spirit Stones and 24 hours deriving it to Major Accomplishment.

Three days later, while circulating the Major Accomplishment Azure Splendor Art, Qin Huaian found that his speed of absorbing Spirit Stones had increased by roughly another 2.5 times compared to Mastery Grade.

"What are the requirements for optimizing the Azure Splendor Art?"

Consume 4,000 Spirit Stones, and the Mirror Body can optimize the Azure Splendor Art to Perfection in 48 hours; consume 8,000 Spirit Stones to halve the time.

What is a gold-devouring beast? This is one!

He looked at the Data Panel again.

Cultivation: Qi Refining (Second Layer 48/100)

Cultivation Art: Azure Splendor Art (Major Accomplishment, can be optimized)

Fireball Technique (Major Accomplishment, can be optimized)

Qin Huaian checked what remained: 6,450 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Over these past few days, he had not even finished absorbing one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone. If he optimized both cultivation arts to Perfection, it would consume more than half of his remaining Spirit Stones.

You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing the child! Once the Spirit Stones are gone, I'll just earn more! Qin Huaian steeled himself.