I Live Forever In The World of Cultivation World - Chapter 10: Unexpected Change

Aside from learning about the factions surrounding the Vast Earth Sect, He Song also gained insights into the sale of spells and cultivation techniques.

In the cultivation world:

Cultivation techniques were not particularly valuable.

High-level cultivators could freely create techniques and disseminate them, resulting in an abundance of methods for every attribute.

The price of an average technique hovered around 100 spirit stones, which wasn’t considered expensive.

However, within the territories controlled by major sects or noble families:

Techniques developed by their own sects or clans were often sold at shockingly low prices.

For instance, the Thick Earth Technique that He Song cultivated was created by a powerhouse of the Vast Earth Sect and could be practiced up to the peak of the Golden Core Realm.

Yet within the sect’s territory, a version of the Thick Earth Technique suitable for cultivation up to the ninth level of Qi Refinement only cost a single spirit stone.

Such situations were not uncommon.

Nearly all sects adopted similar practices within their territories due to the benefits it brought:

Most sect or family techniques included subtle mechanisms that required practitioners to purchase specific resources for faster progress in the later stages of Qi Refinement.

Without these resources, one’s cultivation speed would slow to a crawl compared to others.

This ensured a steady stream of spirit stones from wandering cultivators.

If a wandering cultivator managed to reach Foundation Establishment by chance, joining the sect that developed their technique would be the most logical choice.

This spared them the trouble of switching to a new technique or relocating. Moreover, the sect would often offer higher-level techniques as an incentive.

This created a strong pull for wandering cultivators to join.

These benefits ensured that techniques like the Thick Earth Technique were sold cheaply within the sect’s territory, while other techniques in the Spirit Techniques Pavilion were priced uniformly at 100 spirit stones each, making them comparatively expensive.

As for spells:

Spells were largely monopolized by sects and noble families.

The spells made available to wandering cultivators were often not very advanced.

Spells suitable for Qi Refinement cultivators were relatively complete, as their power was limited.

But for Foundation Establishment, access to spells became much more restricted.

To acquire a full suite of Foundation Establishment spells, one typically had to join a sect or noble family.

Even so, Qi Refinement-level spells contained restrictions in their jade slips, preventing them from being transmitted to others after learning.

This explained why Ping’er had not given him any special instructions before leaving.

Purchased spells could only be used by the buyer.

He Song became deeply engrossed in the books before him.

The foundational knowledge of the cultivation world flooded his mind, giving him a far deeper understanding of the world of cultivation.

For several days, He Song spent his time either performing the Spirit Rain Technique at the spiritual farmland or reading books at the Spirit Techniques Pavilion.

As a result, he grew increasingly familiar with this world of cultivation.

This pattern continued until a few days later.

That day, the glow of small, bean-sized lamps lit up around He Song.

The gentle, flickering lights illuminated the area around him.

Putting down the book in his hands, He Song stretched in satisfaction and turned to look around.

At this moment, the sky outside had already begun to darken.

Within the Spirit Techniques Pavilion, countless small lamps lit up the vast room, making it almost as bright as daytime.

Seeing this, He Song didn’t hesitate to rise and head out of the pavilion.

After days of reading, He Song had browsed all the books about basic cultivation knowledge in the Spirit Techniques Pavilion.

At this point, his understanding of the cultivation world was no less than that of a clan cultivator or even a sect disciple.

Satisfied, He Song left the Spirit Techniques Pavilion.

The street outside, once bustling with market stalls, was now nearly deserted. Most cultivators who set up their stalls had already packed up and left.

Though there was no official curfew in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market at night, the dim hours carried a lurking danger. Who could say what kind of ruthless individuals might be hidden in the darkness?

While the Enforcement Squads kept an eye on the streets, their coverage was never flawless.

Avoiding nighttime outings had become an unspoken rule among cultivators.

Passing through the market area, He Song quickened his pace.

Luckily, the market wasn’t far from his residence.

Pushing himself, he managed to reach the entrance to his home just before the sky fully darkened.

However, just as he reached for the door to enter, a set of rapid footsteps suddenly echoed from behind him.

Tap, tap, tap!

The sound of hurried steps grew closer, quick and relentless.

He Song’s expression changed in an instant.

For days, he had been returning home at this hour without incident. His initial vigilance had gradually waned over time, and tonight, he had let his guard down.

Inwardly, He Song berated himself for his carelessness.

He should have stayed alert at all times!

The suddenness of the sound and its direction—it was clearly heading straight for him.

Though startled, He Song didn’t panic. He quickly reached into his sleeve and pulled out two crumpled Thick Earth Talismans. But before he could activate one, the sound had already reached his side.

A faint breeze passed by, carrying with it a sharp, metallic scent of blood.

A primal sense of being hunted made He Song’s heart pound.

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

This person was not someone he could contend with!

Instinctively, He Song prepared to activate his Thick Earth Talismans, hoping to buy enough time for the Enforcement Squads to intervene.

But before he could act, a weak voice sounded beside him:

“Don’t panic, Daoist He. It’s me, Lin Cong.”

The voice was unmistakably Lin Cong’s, though it lacked the robustness of their previous encounters.

Even so, He Song did not let his guard down.

Pouring his spiritual energy into the talisman in his hand, he triggered its effect.

In the blink of an eye, a yellowish-brown barrier enveloped him.

The Thick Earth Barrier, activated by the talisman, was a defensive shield.

Though it appeared fragile, it was deceptively sturdy. Even a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator would need some time to break through it.

For an early stage Qi Refinement cultivator, shattering it outright was near impossible.

Only after ensuring his own safety did He Song let out a sigh of relief. His gaze turned to the person who had approached him.

It was indeed Lin Cong, the burly wandering cultivator who lived next door and made his living hunting demonic beasts.

Lin Cong’s physique was as imposing as ever, but his current state was anything but. His face was pale, and his demeanor showed exhaustion and weakness.

A closer look revealed heavy injuries on Lin Cong’s body.

His chest was splattered with blood, as though it had been sprayed by countless droplets. The pungent smell He Song had noticed earlier clearly originated from this.

What caught He Song’s attention most was a visible indentation in Lin Cong’s chest, suggesting severe internal damage. Though the wound no longer bled, it was likely that his internal organs had been affected.

Seeing Lin Cong’s current state, He Song’s heart settled slightly.

Thank goodness. At least he wasn’t here to harm me.