Level Two

Blood Essence—it had appeared in such a way.

Ji Yuan's first reaction was that this truly was a world of cultivation... With a casual gesture, he drew the Blood Essence over.

Half a tael of Blood Essence was only about the size of a billiard ball, and it still felt faintly warm in his hand.

Even without refining it into cultivation pills, simply swallowing it would likely have excellent healing effects.

If he sold it, this half-tael of Blood Essence would be worth ten Spirit Stones. Ji Yuan did indeed intend to sell it, but not now. He planned to stockpile more before going, lest frequent visits draw attention.

After examining it for a while, Ji Yuan took out a Jade Box and stored it away.

He looked at the Panel. The Spirit Effect and upgrade requirements for the Level Three [Pigsty] had both appeared.

[Pigsty: LV3]

[Spirit Effect: Produces 1 tael of Jade-Grease each month. After a Spirit Pig is slaughtered, its heart will definitely yield one "Aperture-Tempering Pearl"]

[Upgrade Requirements: Middle-Grade Spirit Stone ×50, Earthcore Molten Rock ×5 jin, refine Qi-Blood Pill (not achieved)]

Jade-Grease??

Ji Yuan had never seen it, but he had heard people discussing it at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. It was a fine treasure capable of repairing cracks in Dharma Tools and even Dharma Treasures!

For instance, if a Dharma Treasure was damaged in battle, one could either carefully nurture it with spiritual power or find an artifact refiner to remelt and repair it.

Nurturing it back to health himself was far too slow, while finding an artifact refiner was troublesome and would cost many more Spirit Stones besides.

Many times, the costs of patching and mending it were enough to buy an entirely new Dharma Treasure.

But Jade-Grease could perfectly solve both of those problems. Its only flaw was its meager output—just one tael a month, and only one jin after ten months.

The second Spirit Effect was the "Aperture-Tempering Pearl." Ji Yuan had never heard of it.

But judging from the effects of the Level One and Level Two [Pigsty], as well as its name, it should still be related to Body Refining?

Even if it was not, it should be a fine item capable of nourishing one's acupoints.

Overall, the Level Three [Pigsty] was highly effective, though its upgrade requirements were more difficult. Never mind the required Spirit Stones and Earthcore Molten Rock—the final requirement, refining Qi-Blood Pills... It seemed that besides being a Talisman Master as a side profession, he would have to take up alchemy as another.

That was fine. He could treat it as preparation for refining Foundation Establishment Pills in advance.

With his head full of fantasies, Ji Yuan rose and stretched, then turned to glance at the Red-Crowned Chicken, which had already recovered more than half its strength.

Mm... He would come take another dose of cockscomb blood in a few days.

Ji Yuan had already experienced the wonders of this stuff. Naturally, he could not let it go.

Afterward, he washed up and changed into clean clothes. That night, he unusually did not cultivate. Instead, he gave up the twenty-percent spiritual energy bonus and simply lay down on his little bed.

As he brewed up sleepiness, Ji Yuan also reviewed this life-and-death battle.

In the end, it came down to one thing: in spell battles, what one fought with was resources and methods!

The Whitewater Flying Sword that could withstand the Yin Ghost Banner head-on, the Water Drop Finger that strangled Yin Ghosts, the cockscomb blood that broke the Formation, the Water-Escape Talisman for fleeing, the Demon-Subduing Talisman that suppressed the Ghost Island Master.

And finally, the Deathbringer Needle that claimed his life.

With so many methods at his disposal, if he had lacked even one of them, Ji Yuan might have become another drowned ghost in Cloud-Rain Marsh.

If there was a weakness, it was still his lack of offensive methods. Water Drop Finger alone was already insufficient to sustain battles between cultivators in the Middle Qi Refining Stage.

So after selling his haul at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion tomorrow, he still needed to buy the second layer of Water Drop Finger and see whether there were any other suitable techniques.

As he pondered, Ji Yuan gradually drifted into sleep.

Meanwhile.

On the waters outside Black Mist Island in Sophora Shade Ward, two Spirit Vessel Flying Boats were moored.

A man and a woman stood aboard the Flying Boat.

If Ji Yuan had been there, he would have recognized that the female cultivator standing on the Flying Boat was the peach-blossom-eyed woman he had seen last time at Shop No. A-18.

"The black mist... has dispersed."

Du Wanyi looked at the famed Black Mist Island before her and spoke with slight surprise.

"Mm. That Old Ghost is dead."

Yao Jingfeng, clad in a dark robe, folded his arms before his chest. A faint smile flickered in his eyes. "That kid from Zengtou City seems to be only at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refinement, right?"

Du Wanyi turned to look at him. "You mean he killed Old Ghost?"

"Mm."

Yao Jingfeng nodded, without explaining how he knew.

But since he had said so, Du Wanyi believed him.

"Who could have imagined that the Ghost Island Master, who possessed a Formation, would die at the hands of an unknown brat?"

"Do not worry. Someone with such methods cannot remain obscure. We will likely learn his great name very soon."

Yao Jingfeng sighed. "Never mind the world at large—even in our tiny Cloud-Rain Marsh, geniuses are as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river."

Du Wanyi deeply agreed. "To possess such strength in the Middle Qi Refining Stage, becoming a late-stage cultivator in the future is practically a nail hammered into a board. Should we invite him to join us early?"

"There is no rush. We can discuss it once he reaches the late stage. Besides, he is from Zengtou City. If we meddle rashly, we may provoke Blind Qin's displeasure."

"Then waiting a little longer is fine..."

After saying that, Du Wanyi turned toward Yao Jingfeng. "You should be able to join the Water Dragon Sect next year, right? Has Senior Brother Huang arranged everything for you?"

At the mention of this matter, Yao Jingfeng rarely showed a hint of a smile. "Do not worry. We all came from Cloud-Rain Marsh, so we will certainly look after one another."

"That would be best."

Du Wanyi nodded lightly.

Early the next morning, after Ji Yuan collected today's Spirit Egg and the Blood Essence worth ten Spirit Stones, he sailed to Zengtou City.

He first sold the Coldblood Perch he had caught midway at the Fish Pen, earning a modest eighteen Spirit Stones.

Only then did he head to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Given the goods he intended to sell today, only the Hundred Treasures Pavilion could afford to take them all.

He first went to the Dharma Tool section. Under the gaze of the Water Dragon Sect cultivator on duty, he took out the Spirit Vessel he had obtained from Wei Caishan.

"Twenty Spirit Stones." The cultivator on duty gave it a casual glance.

Ji Yuan then took out the White Boat after erasing its mark. Only then did the cultivator on duty become more serious. After a brief inspection, he gave an appraisal. "Twenty-seven Spirit Stones."

Both were low-grade Spirit Vessels, yet Ji Yuan's White Boat was worth a full seven Spirit Stones more.

"Deal."

Just as the cultivator on duty was preparing to pay the Spirit Stones, Ji Yuan took out the Ghost Island Master's damaged Dharma robe, along with the Skeleton Token he had used for protection.

"Mm?"

The moment those two items appeared, it was obvious that they had been seized through murder and plunder.

Thus, the cultivator on duty gave Ji Yuan a more careful look. Especially after seeing Ji Yuan's age and appearance, he said with interest, "You are quite ruthless."

"Work hard, and you may still have a chance to become our junior brother."

"Thank you for the praise, Senior." Ji Yuan cupped his hands, neither servile nor overbearing.

"Seventy-six Spirit Stones in total. Selling?"

After inspecting each item, the cultivator on duty gave Ji Yuan the final price.

"Selling!"

Ji Yuan had no objections to the price. Once he had sold these goods, he had initially planned to sell off the unnecessary cultivation pills and Talismans as well. But on second thought, he was not short of money at present, so it was better to keep them. They might come in handy someday.

At last, he arrived at the technique section. The cultivator on duty there was still the same white-haired old cultivator from last time.

But the old man clearly did not remember Ji Yuan. He glanced up, then let his head droop again. "What do you want?"

Ji Yuan stepped forward with a slight smile. "May I ask, Senior, whether you have the second layer of Water Drop Finger?"

"Water Drop Finger, second layer?!"

Both terms were familiar, but put together, they were rather rare. The white-haired cultivator thought for a moment. He had served at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for more than a decade, yet he seemed never to have heard anyone ask for the second layer of Water Drop Finger.

Only then did he sit up straight and examine Ji Yuan closely. After a long while, he finally remembered, then slapped his palm and laughed.

"So it is you, brat."