[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-treasure-immortal-basin":3,"chapter-the-treasure-immortal-basin-the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-26":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Treasure Immortal Basin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2355209,4608,"Chapter 26: Can","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-26",26,"\u003Cp>He Pingsheng followed the direction indicated by the Qi Refining third-layer disciple and indeed spotted a staircase in a corner of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, younger brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng bowed in thanks, then walked toward the staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He climbed the stairs and reached the second floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He entered a room first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside sat an old man clad in gray robes; He Pingsheng could not discern his cultivation base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the old man’s sharp gaze swept over He Pingsheng and said, “Fourth layer? First time here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng replied respectfully, “Yes, this junior is here for the first time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for such formalities!” the gray-robed elder waved his hand. “You’re Qi Refining fourth layer, I’m Qi Refining ninth layer—there’s a gap, but we’re both in Qi Refining. Call me Senior Brother from now on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I couldn’t possibly bear the title ‘Elder’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Senior Brother!” He Pingsheng quickly corrected himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gray-robed elder said, “Go in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That hurdle was cleared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng exhaled in relief, bowed again politely to the gray-robed elder, then turned and stepped into the second-floor hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second floor was the same size as the first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it lacked the bustling crowds of the first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a dozen disciples moved among the various shelves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Younger brother…” A Qi Refining fifth-layer disciple approached He Pingsheng with a slight smile. “Here to purchase items?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng said, “No… this junior is here for the first time—I’ll just browse for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine!” the man said. “Browse all you like. If you find something you like, you can buy it—each item has its price marked beneath it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng thanked him and began wandering alone through the vast second floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were other cultivators on the second floor, but not many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For He Pingsheng, the ideal would be to buy some dud elixirs at an extremely low price, then use the Treasure Basin to enhance their quality before using them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he knew this was a fantasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Exchange Hall would never sell dud elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then maybe inferior Pill of Gathering Qi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope the price isn’t outrageous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng first walked along the shelves, and soon reached the [Elixir Shelf].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive shelf was filled with all kinds of elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pill of Gathering Qi, Golden Bone Elixir, Nourishing Primordial Elixir, Marrow-Washing Elixir, Grain Grain Bigu Elixir!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so on…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most numerous were Grain Grain Bigu Elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng checked: one furnace of Grain Grain Bigu Elixirs cost 800 contribution points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One furnace meant twelve pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grain Grain Bigu Elixirs cannot aid cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they have one advantage: they eliminate the need for food and drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Refining disciples must juggle eating, drinking, and other mundane tasks while cultivating; with Grain Grain Bigu Elixirs, they can avoid these distractions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swallowing one pill allows a person to go a full month without food or drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One furnace of Grain Grain Bigu Elixirs can sustain a cultivator for a year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after seeing the price, He Pingsheng admitted he couldn’t afford it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too expensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only a thousand-odd contribution points total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to look at the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inferior Pill of Gathering Qi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was far pricier than Grain Grain Bigu Elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it was a cultivation elixir that enhanced one’s base, it couldn’t be compared to the crude Grain Grain Bigu Elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t sold by the furnace—but by the pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One inferior Pill of Gathering Qi cost two inferior spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they didn’t accept contribution points—only spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng wanted to buy some Pill of Gathering Qi, but he had no spirit stones either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, as a disciple of a “cultivation clan,” He Pingsheng knew exactly what spirit stones were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit stones were special rocks; each inferior spirit stone was roughly the size of a jujube, divided into five elemental types—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—each containing distinct Five Phases spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could aid cultivation and serve as energy sources for arrays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could also power certain flying magic treasures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to their wide utility, they had become the universal currency of the cultivation world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng had seen them before—after his parents died, their home had dozens, later stolen by unknown individuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single one remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother…” He Pingsheng approached the sales clerk and asked, “How many contribution points for one spirit stone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh…” The green-robed disciple smiled. “Younger brother, you don’t know—contribution points and spirit stones can’t be freely exchanged.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Some items require only contribution points, but precious items demand spirit stones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood!” He Pingsheng wasn’t foolish—he grasped it instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng continued examining the shelves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pill of Gathering Qi, inferior: two spirit stones per pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden Bone Elixir, inferior: one spirit stone per pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marrow-Washing Elixir, inferior: five spirit stones per pill!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these elixirs required spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng’s gaze shifted and noticed some herbs near the shelves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Seven-Leaf Spirit Herb]: ten stalks: one spirit stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Spirit Apricot]: ten fruits: two spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Immortal Bamboo Shoot]: ten shoots: one spirit stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Zhu Fruit]: ten fruits: three spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven-Leaf Spirit Herb, Zhu Fruit, Immortal Bamboo Shoot, and Spirit Apricot—these four were all first-grade herbs, and together they formed the ingredients for [Pill of Gathering Qi].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant these herbs were enough for ten furnaces of [Pill of Gathering Qi].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buying them all would cost only seven spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If all ten furnaces succeeded—even if all were inferior—that would yield one hundred twenty pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each worth two spirit stones—that’s two hundred forty spirit stones total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sssss…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to seven spirit stones in materials, that’s over thirty times markup?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alchemy success rates are low; for some alchemists, ten batches of materials yield only one furnace of elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then those twelve pills could sell for twenty-four spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even then, the markup is still threefold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But alchemy isn’t that simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides materials, you need an alchemy furnace, an alchemy formula, and flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary outer disciples never get access to the alchemy chambers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if you tried alchemy at home, your success rate would drop tenfold or more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So He Pingsheng immediately abandoned the idea of buying materials to make elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key point—he had no spirit stones anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng shook his head and walked away from the elixir shelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s check out other areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Basic Sword]: Grade-One magic treasure, price: sixty spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Green Wood Shield]: Grade-One magic treasure, when deployed, defends against attacks from cultivators of the same level, price: one hundred thirty spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ice Needle Talisman]: Grade-One talisman, when used, summons ice needles equivalent to a full-power strike from a Qi Refining seventh-layer cultivator, price: sixty spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly excellent items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad—he couldn’t afford them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's truly unaffordable.\u003C\u002Fp>",1124,"2026-06-21T04:08:57.694Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b7ed33fe46aea5e1ea9705ab732afe9fd42203e23b393211369f59b1041beb4c","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-27","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-25",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-treasure-immortal-basin-cover.jpg"]