Naturally, Li Xue and her companions inquired carefully about how to obtain cultivation techniques. Tang Yiran looked at them with a hint of surprise before explaining earnestly, "Cultivation techniques are of paramount importance, especially after one passes the introductory phase of the third level of Qi Condensation!"
He glanced at them and continued, "Generally, techniques are classified into four grades. Top-tier techniques are found only within the Five Great Sects and are the most precious. High-grade techniques are primarily held by the Five Great Sects, though some middle-tier sects possess them as well. Mid-grade techniques are available in every middle-tier sect and even some small cultivation families. Low-grade techniques are the most common; everything sold in the market stalls consists of low-grade techniques. For a cultivator, the technique is everything—a high-grade technique allows one to achieve twice the result with half the effort."
Li Xue and the others were struck by a sudden realization. They had originally intended to simply buy a technique to practice, but it seemed they needed to reconsider.
Seeing that they truly knew nothing, Tang Yiran felt a secret sense of pride. In his family, his cousins always called him a greenhorn; seeing people even more inexperienced than himself today made him feel much better.
The three returned to the Ji family shop to rest. Back in her room, Li Xue’s mind was far from calm. She had planned to buy a Qi Condensation technique to help Li Lin break through to the fourth level, but she could no longer be so casual about it. The quality of a technique directly affected the speed of cultivation. If she wanted to obtain a good one, she had to reach the Yunjin Sect as soon as possible. Li Lin had already wasted a lot of time and could not afford further delay. Thus, she made up her mind: she would earn spirit stones as quickly as possible, find the Yunjin Sect’s representative branch in the inner region of Beast Spirit Mountain, and head to the sect immediately.
The next day, Li Xue sought out Ji Rufeng. She briefly explained why they needed to go to the Yunjin Sect and asked for his opinion. After hearing her out, Ji Rufeng’s jaw dropped. The Yunjin Sect! It was one of the Five Great Sects, a place countless cultivators dreamed of entering. To think he was lucky enough to encounter such an opportunity—this could potentially shave hundreds of years off his journey toward the Great Dao. He could not suppress the wild joy in his heart, which drew amused smiles from Li Xue and Li Lin.
"Cough, cough... I lost my composure for a moment," Ji Rufeng said sheepishly.
"What we need most right now are spirit stones," Li Xue said. "To teleport to the inner region of Beast Spirit Mountain, we need to pass through three teleportation arrays. That will cost roughly sixty lower-grade spirit stones."
"Mhm, I’ve already thought about that," Ji Rufeng replied. "I’ll go to the materials shop in the Tang Family Market to inquire. Tang Yiran mentioned they post tasks for gathering materials. If we take on several, the three of us at the third level of Qi Condensation should be able to handle quite a few."
"I agree. Shall we head out then?" Li Xue asked. Her style was to execute a decision the moment it was made.
Ji Rufeng was also a man of action. The three immediately went to the Tang Family Market to accept tasks. With the trade fair ongoing for these three days, the market was bustling, and many low-level cultivators were seen walking the streets.
Small markets like the Tang Family Market primarily collected low-level materials. These materials were inexpensive, and any cultivator with a bit of wealth wouldn't waste time gathering them. Consequently, low-level materials were often in high demand in the market. This provided poor cultivators with opportunities to earn spirit stones, which was why there were fixed collection points for such materials even in these peripheral small markets.
Li Xue and the others went from shop to shop, quickly accepting over a dozen different gathering tasks. Among them was a request for a material called Spirit Grass. Spirit Grass was used to craft dharma robes—the sect uniforms worn by outer disciples of small and medium sects—and possessed a certain degree of defensive power. Spirit Grass was purchased by weight; one hundred catties earned two spirit stones. It grew in abundance at a place called Plum Valley Shoal. The shop even provided a map with the location clearly marked.
Another task involved collecting the pelts of Black Martens. The Black Marten was a Level 1 spirit beast, equivalent to a cultivator at the second or third level of Qi Condensation. One pelt was worth two spirit stones, and the Black Martens happened to live very close to Plum Valley Shoal. Li Xue and the others decided to focus on these two materials first. They would pick up any other materials they found along the way but wouldn't go out of their way for them.
Before setting out, preparations were necessary. Both Li Xue and Li Lin had storage bags, but their internal space was limited. Li Xue’s bag was slightly larger, holding about ten square meters of space, which should be enough for several hundred catties of Spirit Grass. Li Lin’s bag had at most five square meters of space. Ji Rufeng had no storage bag at all, but his Dragon-Binding Rope could be used to bundle and carry one or two hundred catties of goods.
Ji Rufeng also prepared about ten days' worth of rations. Until one reached the Foundation Establishment stage, one could not fully achieve inedia; food was still required over long periods.
Once they had studied their route, the three set off.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 功法 | Cultivation Technique | Methods used by cultivators to harness energy and advance their level. |
| 芝草 | Spirit Grass | A material used for weaving dharma robes. |
| 梅谷滩 | Plum Valley Shoal | A location where Spirit Grass and Black Martens are found. |
| 乌貂 | Black Marten | A Level 1 spirit beast. |
| 辟谷 | Inedia | Also known as Bigu; the ability to live without eating, usually achieved at Foundation Establishment. |
| 法衣 | Dharma Robe | Protective clothing worn by cultivators. |
| 斤 | Catty | A traditional unit of weight (approx. 0.5 - 0.6 kg). |
