I Live Forever In The World of Cultivation World - Chapter 15: The Honored Guest Hall

In the cultivation world, in the Vast Earth Sect, and within Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, strength in cultivation was the ultimate standard for measuring everything.

The stronger one’s cultivation, the more resources they could command. With more resources, the number of spirit stones they could earn naturally increased.

Take He Song, for example. At the first level of Qi Refinement, his identity as a Spirit Planter limited him to managing five acres of spirit farmlands.

Those five acres yielded him an annual income of only 150 spirit stones.

Of that, 120 spirit stones had to go toward paying rent for his lodging.

This left him with just 30 spirit stones to use freely.

However, once He Song advanced to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, becoming a true mid-stage Spirit Planter, the number of farmlands he could manage would increase.

At that time, his annual income would significantly surpass what he earned now.

Still, this was not something to dwell on just yet.

Although he had just reached the third level of Qi Refinement, He Song felt he was still some distance away from breaking through to the mid-stage.

Rising from his meditation mat, He Song happily brewed himself a pot of fine tea.

Over the past five years, influenced by Wei Fan and Meng Guan, his tea-making skills had improved dramatically.

He had also developed a deeper appreciation for tea.

He Song now understood which teas were of high quality, which ones were better consumed sparingly, and which had special effects. Through trial and error over the years, he had mastered these nuances.

It was no surprise that he had grown fond of tea and made it a habit to indulge from time to time.

“Qi Refinement, third level… While still at the bottom of the cultivation world, it’s a definite improvement over where I was at the first level. At least I now have more tools at my disposal.”

Over the past five years, He Song’s role as a Spirit Planter had earned him 150 spirit stones—30 per year.

After deducting expenses for food and occasional visits to Wei Fan and Meng Guan, He Song had been frugal with the remainder.

Instead of squandering his spirit stones, he had diligently saved them.

Now, his savings had reached a respectable sum of about 100 spirit stones.

Though being a Spirit Planter had provided He Song with many benefits in the past, he knew it was not a long-term path.

As someone who sought immortality, how could he settle for a life of farming?

The cultivation arts included alchemy, artifact forging, talisman crafting, formation setting, beast taming…

Each one was far more appealing than simply tending farmlands.

The only reason He Song had continued as a Spirit Planter was due to his low cultivation level, which restricted his access to other paths.

Following the trajectory of his predecessor’s life, he had naturally fallen into this role.

But if asked to remain a Spirit Planter forever, He Song would flatly refuse.

After all, what kind of immortal cultivator spent their days farming?

With this in mind, saving spirit stones to purchase introductory books on the other cultivation arts had become one of He Song’s main goals.

“My soul is stronger than that of other cultivators, which allows me to learn spells faster. If I begin studying the other cultivation arts, I should have an even greater advantage than others, right?”

Sipping his tea, a thought flickered through He Song’s mind.

The idea of immediately heading to the Spirit Techniques Pavilion to select books on cultivation arts took root and quickly grew into an irresistible urge.

After all, over five years, He Song had saved up more than 100 spirit stones, giving him the means to pursue this new aspiration.

Based on He Song’s prior understanding, introductory books on cultivation arts generally cost around 100 spirit stones each, similar to the price of cultivation techniques.

Now that his cultivation had advanced to the third level of Qi Refinement, He Song found his daily life monotonous and dull. If he wasn’t tending to spirit farmlands, he was meditating to cultivate.

It was a routine that had grown tiresome.

“It’s about time I found something new to occupy myself—a way to learn a skill that can help me earn more money!”

A determined light flashed in He Song’s eyes.

He stood abruptly, stowed all his spirit stones in his sleeve, and strode out of his home with purpose.

Walking through the bustling stalls of the market district, He Song made his way toward the Spirit Techniques Pavilion.

Dressed in the attire of a Spirit Planter, He quickly drew respectful glances from the surrounding wandering cultivators.

After five years, He Song had grown accustomed to these looks of awe.

Within the Immortal Market, the gap in status between internal market personnel and wandering cultivators was as vast as the heavens and earth.

However, He Song was well aware that outside the market, this status could just as easily bring about disaster.

The reverence shown by the wandering cultivators wasn’t for He Song himself—it was for the Immortal Market that backed him.

It had little to do with his personal abilities.

Stepping into the Spirit Techniques Pavilion, He Song hadn’t even had the chance to look around when a familiar voice reached his ears.

“Daoist He, it’s been a while! This humble one, Ping’er, greets you. Have you come today in search of a specific technique?”

The speaker was Ping’er, the same beautiful female cultivator who had greeted He Song during his first visit to the Spirit Techniques Pavilion.

Cultivators had excellent memories. Even if decades had passed, they could recognize someone they’d met only once.

Moreover, if they memorized a person’s aura, they could identify them even after centuries or millennia, regardless of how much their appearance might have changed.

That was why, even though five years had passed since He Song had last set foot in the Spirit Techniques Pavilion, Ping’er still recognized him.

Five years had passed, but neither He Song’s appearance nor Ping’er’s had changed in the slightest.

In the cultivation world, eternal youth was the norm. Most cultivators, even those in their hundreds, maintained youthful appearances.

Only outliers like Meng Guan, who enjoyed presenting himself as an old man, chose otherwise.

Because of this, He Song had never worried about his appearance over the past five years.

“Greetings, Daoist Ping’er,” He Song said with a slight bow. “I’ve come today to look at introductory books on cultivation arts.”

He had no reason to hide his purpose. After all, this was exactly why he was here.

However, just as He Song finished speaking, a flicker of surprise crossed Ping’er’s face.

It disappeared as quickly as it came.

“Daoist He, please follow me to the Honored Guest Hall,” Ping’er said softly, leading the way.

As Ping’er guided He Song, her mind was filled with curiosity.

Introductory books on cultivation arts, priced at over 100 spirit stones each, were not something just anyone could afford.

Especially not someone like He Song, a relatively new arrival to the Immortal Market with only five years under his belt and cultivation still at the third level of Qi Refinement.

How had he managed to save such a large sum of spirit stones in just five years?

“Does he not use spirit stones for cultivation?” Ping’er wondered. “Or perhaps he stumbled upon some fortuitous opportunity and obtained them by chance?”

In the cultivation world, spirit stones served as both currency and a vital resource for cultivation.

Using spirit stones for cultivation significantly accelerated the process, which was why they were considered the universal hard currency in the cultivation world.

This dual nature of spirit stones was also the source of Ping’er’s confusion.

Like He Song, Ping’er was an internal market employee, receiving a monthly stipend of two spirit stones along with free lodging. Her duties included assisting cultivators in selecting techniques from the Spirit Techniques Pavilion.

Every month, she immediately used her stipend to cultivate, aiming to advance her own cultivation as quickly as possible.

Because of this, she had never been able to save any significant amount of spirit stones.

That someone like He Song could save 100 spirit stones in just five years was incomprehensible to her.

“Could there really be someone who chooses not to use spirit stones to advance their cultivation, just to save up and buy things instead?” she thought incredulously.