Broker

In the cultivation world, the requirements for a cultivator's aptitude were actually extremely high.

What showed on the surface was the quality of one's Spiritual Root.

So-called Spiritual Root quality referred to Five Elements Spiritual Roots, Four-Attribute Spiritual Roots, Three-Attribute Spiritual Roots, Dual-Attribute Spiritual Roots, and Single-Attribute Spiritual Roots... Even Spiritual Roots of the same attribute varied in strength. For instance, among those with the same Single-Attribute Spiritual Root, cultivating the same technique with the same resources, some progressed faster while others were slower.

This involved the conversion efficiency of absorbing spiritual energy.

But generally speaking, the cultivation efficiency of a Five Elements Spiritual Root could never compare to that of a Four-Attribute Spiritual Root.

Unless the Five Elements Spiritual Root's conversion rate was superior, while the Four-Attribute Spiritual Root's conversion rate was inferior.

Zhou Changwang did not know whether his own spiritual energy absorption conversion rate was superior or inferior.

But the instant he swallowed the Vitality Pill, he felt that even compared to the legendary Heavenly Spiritual Root with its Single-Attribute Spiritual Root, he was no worse.

A vast and surging tide of spiritual energy erupted within his body.

Then, as his Five Elements Formula circulated, it was continuously converted into spiritual power uniquely his own.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

In only a few dozen breaths, the spiritual power that had been depleted from practicing spells became full again. Then it assimilated even more spiritual energy, transforming it into his Qi Refining cultivation.

Even the speed at which his cultivation technique operated became faster.

Like bamboo split by a blade, it rampaged through the meridians within his body...

Cultivation +1

Cultivation +1

Cultivation +1

...

After merely one full circulation, Zhou Changwang felt his Qi Refining cultivation rise sharply.

However, he did not stop cultivating because of this.

The surging spiritual energy contained within the Vitality Pill was still raging through his body. He had to refine and absorb it as quickly as possible, or it would simply go to waste and dissipate.

Thus—

One circulation, two circulations, three circulations...

Only after a full five circulations—

Did Zhou Changwang stop operating his cultivation technique.

At this time, although his mind was utterly exhausted, the excitement in his heart was beyond words.

He felt incomparably fulfilled.

He hurriedly looked at his Attribute Panel.

Cultivation: Second Layer of the Qi Refining Realm (48/100)

"My cultivation has increased by a full ten points."

A flicker of excitement flashed through Zhou Changwang's eyes.

That was equivalent to ten days of his current cultivation progress.

And that was only because he had been unable to convert it all in time, causing much spiritual energy to escape through his body.

Otherwise, the increase would have been even greater.

At this moment, he still had two Vitality Pills in hand, along with two Yellow Spirit Pills, which were likewise spiritual pills that aided cultivation.

Plus five Mind-Awakening Talismans... Though their effects were not as direct as spiritual pills, they could restore his mind and extend his cultivation time.

"In other words, I should be able to break through and reach Qi Refining, Third Layer very soon."

Zhou Changwang knew very well that for cultivators of immortal techniques, realm and strength were closely intertwined.

Not only would their spiritual power become more abundant, but its quality would also differ enormously.

Early the next morning.

Zhou Changwang used Crescent Rice to cook a pot of Spirit Rice porridge. The spiritual energy was indeed somewhat stronger than that of Spirit Grain Rice, though only to a limited extent. Its texture, however, was genuinely better—soft and glutinous.

Then he went out.

The cultivation world was a mixed crowd where people from every walk of life gathered. In truth, it was simply a somewhat larger martial world.

And in any martial world, there would always be brokers who made money from information.

The reason Zhou Changwang had arrived at the spirit fields so late yesterday was that he had gone to find such a broker.

Unfortunately, an Innate Realm martial artist drew too little attention in the cultivation world. The man had no information at the time and likewise needed time to investigate.

So after leaving home, Zhou Changwang headed straight for the Rogue Cultivator Market at the northwestern corner of the market district, then stopped before a stall selling young spirit beasts.

The stall owner was precisely the broker he had sought out yesterday.

He was said to be a beast handler from the Beast Taming Workshop, with wide connections and well-informed sources.

"Xiu Ge, may I have a word with you in private?"

The other man happened to have no customers at the moment, so Zhou Changwang quickly spoke up.

"The information you wanted has been found.

"But you understand the rules, right?"

Xiu Ge looked middle-aged. His eyes were rather small, yet a faint sharp light lurked within them.

As he spoke, he cast a Soundproofing Spell.

This ensured that no one else would overhear their conversation.

This was also a commonly used spell in the Rogue Cultivator Market. After all, prices here fluctuated greatly, and stall owners served dishes according to the diners—naturally, they had to guard against others eavesdropping.

"I understand."

Zhou Changwang nodded and handed over a Low-Grade Spirit Stone.

Although he had already learned some information from Qian Xiaoyue, this concerned his father after all. Naturally, he needed to know more.

"Over twenty days ago, your father entered Twin Abyss Mountain with Zhao Heng's team. There were five cultivators and three Innate Realm martial artists in total. Your father was one of those Innate Realm martial artists.

"However, Zhao Heng returned seven days ago. Two cultivators and one Innate Realm martial artist returned with him, though all of them were injured.

"In other words, two cultivators and two Innate Realm martial artists remain unaccounted for.

"Your father is one of them."

Xiu Ge swiftly pocketed the Spirit Stone. Without hesitation, he spoke directly, concealing nothing.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Changwang immediately fell silent.

If it had been anywhere else, he might still have held out some hope—hope that his father had merely been seriously wounded and was recuperating in the wilderness...

But Twin Abyss Mountain.

It was a notorious perilous place in the surrounding region. Venomous insects covered the ground, and demon beasts were everywhere. Even on the outskirts, one might encounter a powerful demon beast, much less in the depths, where it was said that Foundation Establishment great demons might exist.

Surviving in the wilderness there was extremely difficult.

There had once been an Eighth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm cultivator who led a team to spend the night there, only for them to be wiped out entirely in a nighttime raid by a group of demon beasts.

"Afterward, I also sought out that surviving Innate Realm martial artist to confirm it.

"At the time, their target had been a Void Spirit Grass deep within Twin Abyss Mountain. Since they had prepared in advance, they succeeded smoothly.

"However, on their return journey, their luck ran out. They encountered a Two-Headed Wolf—and the most troublesome kind at that, an Icefire Two-Headed Wolf. In a single exchange, one Innate Realm martial artist was struck by its flames and burned directly to ashes."

At this point, Xiu Ge paused. Seeing Zhou Changwang's expression change slightly, he gave a teasing smile before continuing, "Don't worry. That person was not your father."

Zhou Changwang raised his eyes and glanced at him. If not for the enormous gap in their strength, he would have wanted to fire a Geng Metal Finger straight into the man's face.

"Then they fought as they retreated. One after another, people were injured and cried out before scattering in flight.

"That martial artist was lucky. The Icefire Two-Headed Wolf did not consider him worth its attention, allowing him to escape disaster.

"He only vaguely saw that your father was following beside a cultivator. But the direction the Icefire Two-Headed Wolf pursued happened to be exactly that one..."

As he spoke, Xiu Ge gave Zhou Changwang a calm glance, then dispelled the Soundproofing Spell and returned to stand behind his stall.