Chapter 589: Late Stage of Qi Refining (Supplementary for 4800 monthly votes last month)

Inside the Cave Abode's cultivation room.

Aaron sat cross-legged and began to break through the barrier.

Regarding the three ways to break through a bottleneck, the one he favored most was naturally the first!

In any case, it was just a matter of grinding away slowly; there was no need to fear spending time. Who knew, perhaps on some day or another, a flash of inspiration would strike, and he would break through!

As for how many years it would consume, did he care?

"Besides... I don't think I have ever encountered a true bottleneck yet..."

He circulated the Dharma Power of the "Hunyuan Art," looked inward at his entire body, and launched an assault against one barrier after another.

That bottleneck, which had already been ground down to be paper-thin, immediately crumbled under this final bit of force.

In an instant, he broke through to a brand-new realm!

At this moment, Aaron finally broke through the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and successfully entered the realm of the Qi Refining Late Stage!

Aaron could not help but fall silent.

As for the true "Nine-Eyed Begonia"? It was a divine object that existed only in legends... at least in the Lin Kingdom Immortal Cultivation World, no Immortal Cultivator had ever seen one.

Because it is easy to raise! It does not have high requirements for the Spirit Qi environment! This is the most important prerequisite!

Besides that, once this "Nine-Eyed Begonia" reaches one hundred years of age, an eye pattern will grow on its leaves. "Nine-Eyed Begonia" under a hundred years old are not exactly everywhere, but they are not particularly cherished either.

And according to Aaron's observations, even toward his own beautiful wives and concubines, Donglong actually did not have much affection; what he loved most was still his son born in his old age.

And one-eyed or two-eyed Begonias are among the main and auxiliary ingredients for many precious Qi Refining stage Spirit Pills.

After revealing to old man Donglong that he did not have much money and could not continue to live in the market for long, Aaron sent the drunk old man away.

Aaron raised his own questions.

Aaron took the paper bag filled with seeds and thanked him sincerely.

Aaron opened the Forbidden Technique and let Donglong in.

"Everything is prepared for, and nothing is left to chance... I must establish secret Spirit Medicine planting bases, and there must be many of them; the sooner, the better!"

Old man Donglong's nose was a bit red, and his courage grew: "Then let this old man be so bold as to ask, Brother Yu, how old are you?"

"Easy to say, just passed one hundred and fifty... I could be your ancestor!"

He had long yearned for this boutique Magic Tool shop in the market. It was said that the master Artifact refiner in charge possessed a family craft that had been passed down for several generations, and every Magic Tool forged was a boutique!

"Fifty, huh..." Old man Donglong's eyes were blurred with drunkenness: "Not old, not old... If you can cultivate to the Qi Refining Tenth Layer before sixty, there is still a glimmer of hope for Foundation Establishment!"

Aaron gathered all the items in the Cave Abode into his Storage Bag, and he simply threw the Token in his hand onto the stone table.

Aaron's expression shifted, and he became interested.

Aaron watched the flirtatious woman leave, weighed his Storage Bag, and could not help but sigh inwardly: "Zhou Laoyezi is truly young at heart despite his age... The key is that his income is abundant, which is why he can spend like this..."

Three or four-eyed Begonias would make even a Foundation Establishment Foundation Establishment Dashiu green with envy.

"Alas... I really cannot afford it."

After all, it was not a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment; there was really nothing to be proud of.

To put it plainly, it was just brewing a large amount of Spirit Rice into wine, which could then be carried around and stored for a long time.

"So that's how it is..."

They are often insufficient even for their own use and are extremely difficult to let flow outward.

If he didn't leave soon, the Dongmen family patrol might come to chase people away in a few days.

It would be best if it could be potted, something he could carry away in his arms!

Or... a Cave Abode-type Magic Tool that could house living things and produce its own Spirit Qi?

Well, the former special Spirit Medicine seeds might still be found, but the latter was entirely Aaron overthinking things.

"Good... after the increase in Dharma Power, manipulating Magic Tools is indeed more handy; this is a mutually reinforcing matter!"

"The most critical issue is still the Spirit Qi problem... Many Spirit Medicines will wither and die directly if they are not nourished by a Spirit Vein... And eighty percent of Spirit Veins are already occupied; there is no share for me! Besides that... the defense and secrecy of the medicine garden are also a problem; I cannot work for the benefit of others..."

"I am truly sorry, today won't work, I still have things to do."

Alas... still no Spirit Stones.

"Being poor is just miserable!"

Just as he was preparing to go out for a stroll, he saw a beautiful woman with a swaying water-snake waist walking out of the Cave Abode of the old Talisman Master Zhou.

Aaron had just broken through, and that powerful Dharma Power overflowing from his body shocked the old man greatly.

Aaron put the Spirit Medicine seeds into his Storage Bag, a smile appearing on his face.

He had even understated it, deducting one hundred years.

Both he and Donglong were people with empty pockets; it was impossible to eat Spirit Food or visit brothels every day.

However, he was on good terms with Donglong for a different purpose, as he had his eye on the other's skills as a "Spirit Planter."

As for high-grade or even top-tier Magic Tools?

Aaron shook his head and spoke of the situation outside.

Just as Aaron was lost in thought, Donglong's voice came from outside the door.

However, how others spend their Spirit Stones is their own business.

"Brother, wait a moment, I will go get you some wine..."

He had been looking for a defensive Magic Tool to make up for his own lack of defense.

Therefore, he mostly entertained guests in his Cave Abode.

Although Aaron was certain he would be able to reach Foundation Establishment, he wore a bitter smile at this moment: "Foundation Establishment Foundation Establishment Dashiu? This is truly something I dare not even think about, dare not think about... Even the Dongmen family, how many Foundation Establishment Foundation Establishment Dashiu do they have?"

The price of a Low-grade Magic Tool is around ten Spirit Stones, and second-hand ones are discounted further.

Old man Donglong swung a small paper bag in his hand and laughed: "This old brother won't drink yours for nothing... I have managed to get you the seeds of that 'Nine-Eyed Begonia'..."

Chunhuaniang's eyes rippled: "Won't you invite this concubine into your abode to sit for a while?"

Hmm, during this period, he wandered the marketplace every day and finally managed to strike a deal at a relatively cheap price, securing a secret recipe for brewing 'Huiyuan Wine'.

After all, with his Spirit Root aptitude, thinking about Foundation Establishment and the like could only be done in his dreams...

The previously smiling face of old man Donglong suddenly became extremely solemn.

Pfft!

A streak of black light flashed, and a corner of the stone table in the small courtyard was sliced off.

"Making friends is about sincerity; there's no such thing as climbing the social ladder or not..."

"So it is Brother Yu..."

Furthermore, he did not have much Spirit Stone left for rent renewal, so he immediately began to consider the issue of leaving the marketplace.

Even though one can use a Foundation Establishment Pill to assist in Foundation Establishment, it is recognized in the Immortal Cultivation World that it is best to consume this pill before the age of sixty; once past sixty, one's essence, energy, and spirit begin to decline, and the chance of Foundation Establishment becomes quite slim.

Although it was indeed slow, at least he hadn't been led astray by any worldly Qi to suffer a Qi deviation...

He didn't know how much the other party was inwardly badmouthing Aaron for being stingy, only looking and not buying.

This 'Nine-Eyed Begonia' was one of the few types of Spirit Medicine he had identified as most suitable for his own cultivation after much inquiry.

Aaron laughed and said.

In fact, he had been very interested in this shield for a while.

"A powerhouse at the Qi Refining Late Stage... can directly join the Dongmen Family to become a Guest Elder, permanently obtain a Cave Abode, and receive a stipend of Spirit Stones every year..." Old man Donglong's face revealed an expression of extreme envy.

"Hehe, I actually do know about this. As for the Foundation Establishment big shots of the Dongmen Family, there are only two. One is the family Ancestor, who is said to be in seclusion year-round and might already be a great expert at the middle stage... Besides that, there is the Head of the Family, 'Dongmen Hong'... *hic*... And in recent years, the Dongmen Family has produced another cultivation genius named 'Dongmen Xue', who has Dual Spirit Root aptitude and took less than thirty years to cultivate the Foundation Cultivation Method to the realm of Great Perfection, just waiting for a Foundation Establishment Pill!"

Aaron inwardly badmouthed him, and after purchasing the Mystic Turtle Shield, he only had two Spirit Stones left on him, enough to make even a rogue cultivator weep!

After Aaron secretly envied him, he arrived at the 'Refining Fire Furnace'.

On this day.

"This Mystic Turtle Shield has finally dropped in price..."

Even for a Foundation Establishment family like the Dongmen Family, obtaining a single Foundation Establishment Pill is an incredibly difficult task.

He was preparing to go to the mortal world to slowly plant and experiment.

That is something only a Foundation Establishment big shot can use.

Unfortunately, defensive Magic Tools are more expensive than offensive ones, and it originally required eleven Spirit Stones.

"But it doesn't matter... The Lin Kingdom imperial family has already taken action, and in another few years or a dozen years, the world will be pacified."

Ever since he brewed this wine, old man Donglong had been thinking about it and would come over to visit from time to time, wanting to beg for some wine to drink.

"Brother Yu, this old brother has come to beg for wine again."

"Even if you break through, aren't you and I still fellow Taoists?"

Now that the outside world is in chaos, to be honest, he really doesn't want to go hide in a city.

In fact, within a Golden Core Sect, only those who reach Foundation Establishment before the age of forty are considered to have a real future!

And those geniuses can even succeed in Foundation Establishment in their twenties, making countless Loose Cultivators feel all sorts of envy, jealousy, and hatred...

"Isn't this Lady Chun?"

The expression on his face couldn't help but freeze; when did this master change his temperament? This was a full ten Spirit Stones!

'I am about to leave the valley to face the wind and rain; converting Spirit Stones into combat power is the most urgent matter!'

After breaking through to the Qi Refining Late Stage, Aaron's purpose for renting the Cave Abode had been achieved.

Feeling the Dharma Power within his dantian sea increase by almost thirty to forty percent, Aaron thought thoughtfully: "The Qi Refining Late Stage is indeed already a master among ordinary Immortal Cultivators... I can go directly to the Dongmen Family to be a Guest Elder and have no worries about food and clothing from now on!"

Of course, it could also be that these marketplace Loose Cultivators are ignorant, but it is enough to show the rarity of Spirit Medicine approaching a thousand years!

And the only force in the Immortal Cultivation World that can stably provide Foundation Establishment Pills is likely the Golden Core Sect.

Aaron inwardly retorted, while sighing on the surface: "The cultivation method I practice has a Youth Preserving effect, so I look young, but I am actually fifty..."

No choice!

The inheritance of the Four Arts of Cultivation is too hard to obtain, so he can only break through in fields others look down upon!

Spirit Farmer, or rather, the technique of planting Spirit Medicine, is Aaron's goal!

"In fact... I am very suitable for planting Spirit Medicine, because the older the Spirit Medicine in the Immortal Cultivation World, the more precious it is, and I absolutely have the patience to wait for the Spirit Medicine to slowly mature, or even become hundred-year, thousand-year, or ten-thousand-year Spirit Medicine!"

"Many thanks!"

Aaron greeted him with a smile.

'However... that is a matter for the future. My Foundation Cultivation Method isn't even at Great Perfection, why consider the matter of a Foundation Establishment Pill?'

"Yes, yes, the shopkeeper is in a hurry to purchase a batch of precious ores..." the shop assistant explained, then saw Aaron take out the Spirit Stones: "I'll buy it!"

Old man Donglong didn't care about this at all.

Aaron poured the wine, and he and Donglong drank three bowls.

"Speaking of which... why is the Spirit Qi in the mortal world so thin?"

His 'residency period' had expired, and this Token was now useless.

Immortal Cultivators are mostly very indifferent when facing matters outside of cultivation.

Begonia flowers over five hundred years old are something even a Golden Core Ancestor would covet.

Under the command of his Dharma Power and intent, this small black sword expanded rapidly... and kept moving within the courtyard.

Aaron scanned the counter, his gaze moving down from the 'Basalt Shield', 'Water Origin Bead', and other Mid-grade Magical Tools, arriving at the Low-grade Magical Artifact area.

Aaron had been collecting Spirit Medicine seeds, especially varieties that did not have high requirements for the Spirit Qi environment.

'Strictly speaking... using a Low-grade Magical Artifact at the Qi Refining Late Stage is a bit shabby... A master at the Qi Refining Late Stage or Great Perfection should use a Mid-grade Magical Tool.'

"And piloting the 'Iron Leaf Boat' can also be maintained for over half an hour... I truly possess long-term mobility..."

That comical look of a gluttonous old drunkard having a craving attack made Aaron feel much better when he recalled it.

And after waiting for so long, he finally encountered a price reduction.

Alas... no Spirit Stones!

"Spirit Veins have always only been born in deep mountains and old forests, places rarely visited by humans; this is common knowledge in the Immortal Cultivation World... As for why? No one knows." Old man Donglong said with a smile: "I have heard a theory, though... in the secular world, there are too many mortals, and the Qi of the red dust is impure, disrupting our cultivation."

This Chunhuaniang, he had indeed met her when he went to criticize things with old man Donglong back then.

"I rented this Cave Abode originally just to break through in my cultivation technique... and finally achieved success in these past two days..." Aaron revealed a look of deep emotion.

"At the time of my one hundred and fiftieth birthday, I finally broke through to the Qi Refining Late Stage; it was not easy!"

When at the critical moment of Dharma Power exhaustion, drinking a mouthful of Spirit Wine can replenish a great deal of Dharma Power.

"Oh?"

But once it reaches the level of a Mid-grade Magical Tool, the price suddenly rises, generally requiring fifty Spirit Stones to purchase!

Aaron truly could not afford it.

Perhaps among the sect Disciples, there are wealthy ones at the Qi Refining Great Perfection who use High-grade Magical Tools, but among the Loose Cultivators, Aaron had not seen a single one!

After all, even if a High-grade Magical Tool has formidable power, one must have sufficient Dharma Power to wield it!

And as for the power of a Mid-grade Magical Tool, Aaron had never even seen it!

Aaron walked into the 'Refining Fire Furnace', and the shop assistant was already familiar with him, merely cupping his hands slightly: "Customer, please make yourself at home..."

Aaron basically did not believe it, after all, he started his cultivation in the mortal world.

Even a family genius like Dongmen Xue was still waiting for a Foundation Establishment Pill!

"Just wait... eh? You... broke through?"

In reality, Aaron truly did not want to leave; after all, this place was safe, cultivation was fast, and the female cultivators spoke very pleasantly...

'Of course... I will certainly fail at the beginning, but I can find some environments with relatively dense Spirit Qi... or even use Spirit Stones to create one myself? It doesn't need to be too big, just very miniature will do... the most important thing is safety!'

His lifelong pursuit was probably just this.

He stood up, came to the courtyard, and took out his Low-grade Magical Artifact—the 'Black Wood Sword'.

"Fellow Daoist..." A look of gratitude appeared on Donglong's face: "It is I who am climbing high, climbing high indeed!"

Aaron came to the kitchen and looked at his few large vats.

Aaron held the Black Wood Sword in his left hand and gripped the Mystic Turtle Shield in his right sleeve, ready at any moment to use the 'Camouflage Barrier' to hide and escape... he walked out of the market cautiously.

After leaving the market, he immediately threw out the 'Iron Leaf Boat', channeled his Dharma Power, and left at full speed!

(End of this chapter)