Chapter 57: Fifth Level of Qi Refinement (Additional Chapter, Seeking Readers!)

In the world of cultivation, spirit stones are money.

That thing can't be eaten or drunk, and although it contains abundant spiritual energy, it is full of impurities.

Cultivators would never dare to absorb it directly unless they were in a life-or-death situation.

In most cases, it is used by major forces to activate formations and control large magical treasures.

As for the legendary top-grade spirit stones, the internal spiritual energy is refined to an extremely pure state, allowing cultivators to absorb it directly.

However, such good things are not something ordinary cultivators can come into contact with.

Putting aside top-grade spirit stones, ordinary spirit stones, due to their scarcity, can indeed serve as a universal currency.

Moreover, the right to issue this currency is basically in the hands of major sects.

The reason is simple: the more powerful a sect, the better the spirit veins it can occupy.

And spirit stones are produced from various spirit veins.

Currency, on Earth, actually has no intrinsic value.

It is more a representation of a country's credit, which is built on strong national power and abundant resources.

When a country's credit is bankrupt, the currency is just a pile of waste paper.

In this world of cultivation, the principle is similar.

Sects are so powerful that when they set the settlement of cultivation resources to be in "spirit stones," ordinary cultivators can only accept it.

Not only accept it, but also strive with all their might to earn enough spirit stones.

The conflict between the Great River Gang and the Mountain Breaker Gang is for the resources in the mountains, which represent spirit stones.

At this moment, the leader of the Great River Gang, Wang Haichao, sent off a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a weary expression.

"Finally, we've reached an agreement."

"As long as we win the life-or-death battle the day after tomorrow and gain control of the resource channels in the mountains, the Lianyun Merchant Alliance has promised to hand over the waterway transportation of the other four market towns to us."

Below him was the second-in-command of the Great River Gang, Gao Tingyuan.

Hearing this, Gao Tingyuan was also incredibly excited.

Just the waterway transportation of the Great River Market alone had made the Great River Gang extremely profitable, even supporting Wang Haichao's daily cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage.

If they could also take over the waterway transportation of the other four market towns, how much more would the Great River Gang earn?

At least enough to support one or two more Foundation Establishment cultivators!

Seeing his excitement, Wang Haichao frowned slightly but quickly smiled.

"Xiao Gao, you've been with me for so long, it hasn't been easy."

"After we secure the four waterway transportation rights, I will do my best to buy you a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Gao Tingyuan was overjoyed and quickly bowed deeply.

"To serve the boss, I am willing to die!"

Wang Haichao tugged at the corners of his mouth and changed the subject.

"How about it, are you confident in the life-or-death battle the day after tomorrow?"

The list of eighteen participants for the Dao Discussion Platform's life-or-death battle had already been submitted.

However, the order of their battles was still kept secret.

In other words, Gao Tingyuan might face the Seven Tigers of Mountain Breaker or the Two Knives.

Involving life and death, Gao Tingyuan's excitement faded, and he became serious.

"As long as I don't face Xu Renke with the Broken Blade, I won't lose!"

Wang Haichao understood this very well.

Xiao Gao is very strong, especially on the Great River, earning him the nickname of River Dragon.

But the Dao Discussion Platform has a limited environment, and if he faces Xu Renke, he might lose.

"Do you have confidence in the others?" Wang Haichao asked.

Gao Tingyuan confidently said, "Among the other eight, the Seven Tigers of Mountain Breaker, only the Heart Devouring Tiger and the Mountain Descending Tiger have some strength, but I am not afraid of them. The Sick Tiger was once strong, but after his cultivation path was cut off, he indulged in pleasure, and I surpassed him a few years ago."

"What about the Jade-Breaking Tiger?"

"Haha, just a young punk."

"No, I mean the previous Jade-Breaking Tiger."

Gao Tingyuan was taken aback, "He's back?"

Seeing his expression, Wang Haichao shook his head, "It seems you're not very confident, but don't worry. With nine people, the chances of you facing him are low, and I have arranged for others."

Hearing the words "others," Gao Tingyuan's expression turned gloomy.

Originally, in the Great River Gang, he was the second strongest after the leader Wang Haichao.

But recently, a few late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators had emerged, each with formidable strength, greatly threatening his position.

"Perhaps they are people secretly supported by the Lianyun Merchant Alliance. I hope they will go back where they came from after the life-or-death battle," Gao Tingyuan thought.

Suddenly!

Wang Haichao's face changed, and he suddenly stood up, reaching out to grab something.

But he grabbed nothing.

Whoosh!

A sharp whistle, and a small sword gleamed and embedded itself in front of his desk.

On the small sword, a yellow talisman floated without wind, followed by a cold and stern voice.

"Control your people, don't cause trouble in the inner city."

It was a unique flying sword message from the Jade Tripod Sword Sect, more effective than ordinary sound transmission talismans.

Wang Haichao's face turned pale.

Slowly lifting his head, he stared at Gao Tingyuan.

"Did you send people to the inner city?"

Gao Tingyuan was also frightened.

The small sword was too fast.

If it wanted to kill him, it would have been effortless.

After all, even the Foundation Establishment cultivator Wang Haichao couldn't catch it when caught off guard.

From this, it was clear that the person who sent the flying sword message was at least at the Foundation Establishment stage.

He forced a smile and said, "Boss, I only sent two people to investigate Luo Chen, the one related to my junior brother's death."

"Useless and trouble-making things!"

Wang Haichao cursed and then angrily said, "Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble before the matter is settled?"

Gao Tingyuan dared not speak, just lowering his head.

Taking a deep breath, Wang Haichao knew he still needed the other party's help, so he suppressed his anger and said, "I'll say it again, no trouble in the inner city until the Golden Core Elder of the Jade Tripod Sword Sect leaves, and be more restrained in the outer city."

"Understood, boss!"

"You can go now, prepare well for the life-or-death battle."

After he left, Wang Haichao rubbed his temples.

Then, from his storage bag, he took out a list.

"This guy's ambition is growing bigger and bigger. Keeping him around might be a problem in the future!"

Getting off the large boat, Gao Tingyuan's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Just then, Duan Sanfu approached, and he slapped him.

"Where's Skinny Monkey?"

Duan Sanfu was stunned and subconsciously replied, "He stayed in the inner city, watching that guy."

"Are you sure he hasn't been exposed?"

"Shouldn't have, shouldn't have! And even if he was, it's no big deal."

Slap!

Another slap.

"Useless and trouble-making things."

Gao Tingyuan stormed off, leaving Duan Sanfu standing there, with symmetrical red handprints on both cheeks.

Two days later, the entire Great River Market, with its two to three thousand cultivators, was in motion.

Putting aside their current tasks, they headed towards the inner city.

Today was the grand opening ceremony of the Dao Discussion Platform, a top-tier event in the area.

Even if they couldn't enter the Phoenix Landing Mountain to observe, being able to feel it up close was still a good thing.

Moreover, it was said that the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion had set up a gambling den in the inner city, and would open betting on the eighteen life-or-death battles between the two gangs.

The minimum bet was one spirit stone, with no upper limit.

Even the poorest cultivator could afford one or two spirit stones.

If they couldn't watch, betting on the outcome would still count as participating in the grand event.

Years later, it could be a great topic of conversation.

In the courtyard in the north of the city, Murong Qinglian got up early and began preparing her husband Qin Liangchen's attire.

In the courtyard, Bai Meiling and Feng Xia were somewhat gloomy.

They couldn't go to the scene; the city would be crowded today, making it a perfect day for the Hundred Herbs Hall to do business.

The two workers couldn't leave.

Accompanied by Murong Qinglian, Qin Liangchen, dressed in a new magical robe, walked out.

"Big Brother Qin, you must win!"

"Old Qin, may you triumph and return safely!"

Qin Liangchen laughed heartily, "Sure, I'll throw a feast when I come back, and we'll all have a good meal."

Just as he was laughing, the door of the opposite house suddenly opened.

A young man in gray clothes, with a wooden hairpin in his hair and his long hair tied back, walked out.

Qin Liangchen's eyes lit up, "Xiao Luo, did your realm advance?"

"Thanks to the bowl of tiger bone soup from Sister-in-law, I also benefited from Big Brother Qin."

Luo Chen smiled, and the aura of the Fifth Level of Qi Refinement faintly fluctuated.

Just now, his cultivation progress bar had broken through to one hundred, advancing from the Fourth Level of Qi Refinement to the Fifth Level.

And what he said was true.

In the past two days, he had taken three Qi Nourishing Pills, gaining three points of progress.

Cultivating the Eternal Spring Technique, he gained even more spiritual energy.

And the final change was brought about by that small bowl of tiger bone soup.

In addition to strengthening his blood and qi, it also contained a lot of spiritual energy.

After refining it for two days, he finally succeeded!

Qin Liangchen patted Luo Chen's shoulder and laughed heartily, "Great! Great! Your realm advancement is a big event, and it will bring me good luck. I will surely defeat the enemy today!"

Thank you to Daodao Zhi Jian for the 1500 Qidian coins, Qingyue Yijiu for the 100 Qidian coins, and to myself for the 100 Qidian coins.

(End of Chapter)