Chapter 45: Five Elements Scale Armor Technique (Please Follow! Please Collect!)

"I never expected this cave to become a temporary safe haven."

In the Spirit Bee King's cave, Yunhe sat cross-legged with several storage bags laid out before him.

One of them belonged to Zhou Shouxin.

Three belonged to three cultivators who tried to attack him during the market riot, their cultivation bases roughly at the fourth qi refinement layer.

Two more were the storage bags of the two robber cultivators who rode a flying boat.

"This time I truly surpassed the 'Eight-Bag Elder'."

He self-mockingly joked.

He didn't want it either, but somehow some people always insist on provoking him.

"Ah, the helpless 'unboxing'."

No one knows how much of his helplessness is genuine.

Removing the spiritual power seals on the storage bags is also a hassle, but fortunately most of the bags' owners are weaker than him; even the stronger ones are only slightly stronger, after all they are all mid-stage cultivators.

Velvety black clouds covered most of the moon, yet a reddish tint of moonlight slipped through, illuminating the scene as if narrating tonight's turmoil.

After spending considerable time, Yunhe finally erased the spiritual power seals on all the storage bags and dumped everything out.

Just the low-grade spirit stones alone numbered nearly three hundred!

Most of them came from the two robber cultivators at the sixth qi refinement layer.

From the large amount of miscellaneous items dumped from their storage bags, it's clear that the two had already plundered many people before targeting him.

Besides the low-grade spirit stones, Yunhe even found a mid-grade spirit stone!

This was the first time he had seen a mid-grade spirit stone since arriving in this world.

Compared to low-grade spirit stones, the mid-grade spirit stone looks even purer, almost crystal-clear and translucent; if not for the faint breath-like aura flowing within, Yunhe might have believed it was just a crystal.

One mid-grade spirit stone equals one hundred low-grade spirit stones.

In other words, the total gain from spirit stones alone this time is nearly four hundred!

Even Yunhe, who occasionally acts as a robber cultivator either voluntarily or involuntarily, and who has been hoarding a large amount of red-pattern spirit honey, has never seen so many spirit stones before.

"Moreover, mid-grade spirit stones have a different significance; they might save a life at a critical moment."

Although both low-grade and mid-grade spirit stones contain considerable spiritual power, aiding cultivation and serving as an emergency source when spiritual power is depleted,

but the spiritual power contained in mid-grade spirit stones is purer and easier to absorb compared to low-grade ones.

However, those who aren't truly wealthy rarely use spirit stones in such a manner.

Afterward.

Yunhe then organized several stacks of talismans, most of which are supportive, with a few usable in combat.

And not a few magical artifacts.

Among them, six are first-tier low-grade magical artifacts and three are first-tier mid-grade magical artifacts, most also coming from those two robber cultivators.

What Yunhe values most, without doubt, is that flying boat.

A first-tier mid-grade magical artifact, the Ink Cloud Boat.

Although it shares the same first-tier mid-grade magical artifact classification as Wang Jinglan's Green Bamboo Boat, Yunhe can still clearly feel the gap between the two flying boats.

If a comparison were made, the Green Bamboo Boat would likely be a top-tier flying boat among first-tier mid-grade magical artifacts, whereas the Ink Cloud Boat might merely reach the threshold of that tier.

In speed, sturdiness, and some auxiliary functions, it falls considerably short.

But to Yunhe, it is nothing less than a timely gift in the snow.

He had been worrying about how to leave the River Creek Market area and reach Hongye City; with this Ink Cloud Boat, his speed would likely increase considerably, and the likelihood of encountering danger on the road would also decrease significantly.

After all, regardless of anything else, the chance of encountering demonic beasts in the air is much smaller.

Moreover, with the Ink Cloud Boat, when facing some cultivators whose strength is troublesome but who lack flying magical artifacts, he would undoubtedly gain an advantage in mobility.

Of course, spirit stones and magical artifacts inevitably come with some jade slips containing techniques and cultivation methods.

Most of them are quite ordinary.

Some cultivation methods are even inferior to his practiced 'Gold Water Element Classic'.

But there is one technique that makes Yunhe somewhat tempted.

It is precisely the defensive technique the burly man employed, which condenses into something resembling pangolin armor, recorded on a jade slip.

"It is still a deficient technique."

Yunhe rubbed his chin after placing the jade slip on his forehead.

"Even if it's deficient, judging by the burly man's posture after using it, its defensive capability is not weak."

This technique, originally named the Five Elements Scale Armor Technique.

It requires the aid of demonic beast essence blood for cultivation, the best naturally being beasts of the Five Elements Scale Armor type.

After mastery, its defensive capability depends on the user's cultivation base, proficiency with the technique, and the level of the demonic beast essence blood employed.

The Five Elements Scale Armor Technique can be divided into five techniques, each corresponding to a different elemental scale armor defense.

According to the jade slip, if one can gather the essence blood of five elemental scale-armored demonic beasts, this technique can be cultivated to perfection.

However, the portion the burly man possesses is merely the Metal Element Scale Armor Technique within the Five Elements Scale Armor Technique, which requires the aid of metal-attribute demonic beast essence blood for cultivation.

"It's still a decent defensive technique; without the Black Water Banner, breaking it would be difficult."

Metal fears fire; the weakness of this technique is fire-attribute techniques or artifacts.

But when facing wood-attribute techniques or artifacts, it can unleash its greatest power.

And once all five elements are gathered, there is virtually no weakness; it can only be broken by brute force.

"Quite a bountiful harvest."

After tallying the storage bags, Yunhe sighed with emotion.

No wonder so many cultivators, during the market turmoil, cannot resist the urge to loot.

If one's strength is sufficient, or luck is good enough, grabbing a few more—without saying anything else—will definitely make the subsequent cultivation path much smoother.

Unfortunately, gains and dangers coexist; who knows how many people are ending up making wedding clothes for others.

After tallying the harvest.

Yunhe, sitting cross-legged in the cave, made a simple plan for what he needed to do next and his goals.

First, he would discard all useless magical artifacts and junk, exchanging them for spirit stones, for elixirs that aid cultivation, or for magical artifacts better suited to him.

Moreover, the red-pattern spirit honey he had stockpiled for a while could also be exchanged for a considerable number of spirit stones.

"It would be best if he could exchange for a cultivation method."

As his cultivation base increased, Yunhe increasingly felt that the Gold Water Element Classic was ordinary—its cultivation speed was slow, it lacked suitable techniques, and its combat power was too weak.

"Moreover, the Three Yang Heavy Water needs to be refined; tempering the body is better done earlier, and it is also a decent means against enemies."

"Find a weaponsmith to forge the black-shelled gold-thread scorpion's carapace into a magical artifact."

"This 'Golden Scale Armor Technique' could also be tried for cultivation, though obtaining the essence blood of metallic demonic beasts is probably not easy."

"Of course, the most important thing is still to find a safe place to settle, preferably where he can keep bees."

Although he had just harvested a large batch of spirit stones, Yunhe clearly knew that relying solely on these spirit stones, let alone reaching Foundation Establishment, even achieving Qi Perfection was impossible.

He must not forget the basis of livelihood just because of sudden wealth.

Although leaving the River Stream Market meant losing the best beekeeping spot, as long as there is a place with relatively abundant spiritual energy, Yunhe estimates the red-pattern spirit bees could each month bring him at least five jars of red-pattern spirit honey, or even more.

That would be a monthly income of at least twenty-five low-grade spirit stones.

"The way of talismans must not be neglected."

Opening a new avenue to earn spirit stones, so that losing the beekeeping site would not cut off his income source.

Moreover, if he achieves minor success in the way of talismans, the talismans he crafts could also become one of his means against enemies.

"Thinking about it this way, besides cultivation, there really are quite a few things to do."

He rubbed his temples.

"I wonder how Liu Hongyong and Uncle He are doing."

Thinking about talismans, Yunhe couldn't help but think of Liu Hongyong and the others.

He could barely take care of himself, let alone look after others.

"All he can do is pray for good fortune."

Two days later.

Although he had the Mo Yunzhou to avoid ground demonic beasts, aerial demonic beasts were sometimes harder to deal with.

For example, on the way Yunhe encountered a first-stage-late hawk, extremely fast and very agile; in the sky Yunhe could do nothing against it, not even the red-pattern spirit bees could catch up.

In the end, having no choice, he landed and used the Earth Escape Technique to evade, losing many red-pattern spirit bees before escaping danger.

Fortunately, he successfully reached Hongye City.

Yunxian Lou.

"Daoist friend, you don't know: beneath Hongye City there is merely a non-tiered spirit vein, which the Situ and Shanggong families have seized; as loose cultivators we can only rent a cave dwelling to barely cultivate, and even if cave dwellings are in demand, we might not even be able to rent one."

A plump cultivator in a Daoist robe sat opposite, one hand holding a horsetail whisk, the other a chicken leg, chatting away while still eating.

"No wonder." Yunhe took a sip of tea.

No wonder after entering Hongye City he felt the spiritual energy there could not be called barren, but only slightly better than the wilderness, incomparable to River Stream Market.

Moreover, unlike River Stream Market, Hongye City not only has cultivators but also ordinary people, a place where cultivators and mortals coexist.

It is said that within the Qingyu Domain there are no fewer than five cities like Hongye City; they are the gateways where the Qingzong Sect interacts with the mortal world, and every five years when the Qingzong Sect opens its mountain gates to recruit disciples, it often uses cities like Hongye City as a stepping stone.

"However, we Qi-stage loose cultivators have low spiritual energy requirements, so Daoist friend need not worry about this." The plump Daoist, chewing meat, spoke clearly without any vagueness.

Hearing this, Yunhe could only smile helplessly.

Qi-stage cultivators have low spiritual energy requirements, but that does not mean they have none, especially for someone of low aptitude like him.

Furthermore, without spiritual energy, how could the red-pattern spirit bees gather red-pattern spirit honey?

Without red-pattern spirit honey, the spirit stones on Yunhe's person would eventually run out.

"If Daoist friend truly wants to find a place with abundant spiritual energy, you might consider Qingshan City—it actually has a second-tier spirit vein!"

Seeing Yunhe's meaning, the plump Daoist blinked and said.

Qingshan City is where the Qingzong Sect is located, at the true center of the Qingyu Domain, and it is at least several hundred li from Hongye City.

Having traveled the hundred-li distance from River Stream Market to Hongye City, Yunhe felt awe at the thought of a five-hundred-li journey.

"The spirit stones on hand are still enough, so there's no rush."

Yunhe pondered in his heart.

"At the very least, he must first refine the black-shelled gold-thread scorpion's carapace into an artifact, or buy a magical artifact with sufficient defensive power, before considering how to leave Hongye City."

"Many thanks, Daoist friend." Yunhe rose and bowed.

The plump Daoist waved his hand, "Daoist friend, don't be polite; actually, I should thank you for this meal."

Saying that, he shoved another chunk of meat into his mouth.

Yunhe's brow twitched slightly.

He drew in a slight breath and asked again:

"May I ask, Daoist friend, do you know if there is a master weaponsmith in Hongye City?"

The plump Daoist's hand paused, and he gave Yunhe a rather strange look.

Until Yunhe felt a little creeped out in his heart, this person used his fatty hand to wipe his oil-smeared mouth and, with a somewhat ingratiating smile, said:

"Daoist friend, look, isn't this a coincidence?"

(End of chapter)