Staying In The World Of Cultivation

Chapter 2: Little Sun Market

The area where Su Fan is located is in Yong State, located in the northeast of the Western Wasteland. It is home to several mortal kingdoms.

Little Sun Faction is located within the territory of Chu Kingdom, which has a surprisingly large land area, even larger than the Huaxia in the previous life, with a population of several hundred million.

Chu Kingdom has scarce Spirit Veins, with only five small sects, and the highest cultivation level within the sects is only Foundation Building.

What shocked him was that the other mortal kingdoms in Yong State were much larger than Chu Kingdom.

Moreover, besides immortal sects like Little Sun Faction, there are also demonic sects in other places.

This travelogue was written by an Independent Cultivator who hadn't even left Chu Kingdom, so his perspective and knowledge were limited.

However, there are still some information revealed between the lines.

Su Fan's biggest realization is that this world is really damn big.

In the following days, Su Fan continued to rest and recover from his injuries.

Before being struck by lightning, his previous self had bought some medicine in the market to prepare for emergencies, and now his injuries have finally stabilized.

His originally fragmented body, tattered organs, and disordered meridians have all recovered to a considerable extent.

Although it looks like a mummy, they are actually just some external injuries.

It's just that the bandages have already stuck to the skin, so it would be extremely painful to tear them off now.

He decided to continue wrapping them around his body and slowly remove them after scabs form.

These are the medicinal herbs that can only be found in the cultivation market.

The effects of the "Tianji Bone-healing Ointment" and the "Dragon and Tiger Transformation Powder" are like miracles compared to the traditional Chinese and Western medicines in his previous life.

With such serious injuries in the mortal world, he would have long been buried.

Although his injuries have almost healed, Su Fan doesn't want to go out.

This world is quite chaotic, and now he doesn't even know any defensive spells besides cultivation techniques. How could he dare to go out and take risks?

Su Fan tidied up his belongings.

Twelve talismans.

A rusty sword.

Six tattered old books.

A pile of smelly animal skins and bones.

Several dozen pieces of worldly gold.

And his last savings, six pieces of spirit stones and several dozen pieces of spiritual currency.

The spirit stones are only the size of a thumb, with a pure and flawless surface, emitting a translucent halo like glass, as if containing a flowing spring.

The spiritual currency is about the same size as normal copper coins, made from the cut corners of spirit stones, with scattered and thin spiritual energy.

The spiritual currency only circulates among the lower-level Independent Cultivators, and sect disciples disdain to use it.

In addition to these, there are still half a barrel of Spirit Rice, a pile of firewood, and half a jar of pickled vegetables for daily necessities.

Su Fan sighed in his heart. After twenty years of cultivation, he only managed to accumulate such a small amount of wealth. It's really...

"The future looks bleak..."

He picked up a few tattered books and flipped through them one by one.

"Qi Refining Early Stage Spells Detailed Explanation," "Compendium of Hundred Herbs," "Monster Compendium," "Cross Training Body Tempering Art," "Rank One Talisman True Explanation," "Miscellaneous Talks on Artifact Refining."

The first priority is to learn some defensive spells.

Su Fan picked up "Qi Refining Early Stage Spells Detailed Explanation" and was quite disappointed after reading it.

In the early stage of Qi Refining, there aren't many spells, and they are all auxiliary spells, with no attack or defense spells.

He originally thought that cultivators would fight using fireballs and wind blades, or Law Weapons and Law Treasures flying everywhere.

After reading this book, Su Fan realized that he had been thinking too much.

In the early stage of Qi Refining, the cultivator's divine sense is weak, and they can't control Law Weapons at all. They also don't have much spiritual power, so they can't use attack or defense spells.

The main means of fighting, besides using talismans, is to wield a magic sword and engage in close combat.

This is not what immortals are like; it's more like a fight in the underworld.

Su Fan took out a dozen talismans from his storage bag. Each talisman is a little over three inches long and a little over an inch wide, made of either talisman paper or talisman skin.

Except for one "protective talisman," the rest are not that great.

Although it's called a protective talisman, it's actually a low-grade talisman that can only defend against mundane knives and arrows.

Three "speed talismans" are used for traveling quickly.

Three "Rejuvenation Talismans" are used for healing.

There are also three "silencing talismans" for concealing oneself.

The remaining two "evil-warding talismans," I don't know what they are used for.

Could they be used to deal with ghosts?

Or maybe I should learn a few more auxiliary spells to have as much protection as possible.

"Light Body Technique" is a spell for escaping, so I must learn it.

"Aura Examination Technique" can observe the flow of spiritual energy. It may seem insignificant, but it's actually very useful.

"Concealment Technique" is a spell for hiding oneself, so I definitely have to learn it.

That's about it. It's not good to be too greedy.

I should also find a worldly sword technique for close combat in the market.

In the end, it's because my cultivation level is too low.

As a Qi Refining second level cultivator, I can only be bullied wherever I go.

Su Fan let out a sigh of relief and began to concentrate on studying several spells.

To his surprise, as soon as he started studying "Light Body Technique," he gained some insights into spells and memories of practicing and casting spells.

He suppressed his excitement and continued studying the next two spells.

The results were very pleasing. Memories of "Aura Examination Technique" and "Concealment Technique" also appeared in his mind.

Chanting the incantation and performing the hand seals, his body suddenly felt lighter. With a light leap, he had already entered the kitchen.

Covering a distance of four to five meters in just one step.

[Light Body Technique +1]

He left the house and with a light jump, his body soared into the air and landed lightly on the roof.

[Light Body Technique +1]

Su Fan suppressed the urge to become a little flying hero and forced himself to calm down.

If the early stage spells of Qi Refining are already so amazing, how powerful must the mid-stage spell, Wind Riding Technique, be?

Thinking of this, Su Fan couldn't help but be filled with longing for the future.

After all, they are immortals. Even an ordinary auxiliary spell is so astonishing to mortals.

Once again, he performed the hand seals and chanted the incantation, activating his spiritual power.

[Aura Examination Technique+1]

The scene suddenly changed, and the whole world turned black and white. Colorful and diverse aura floated between heaven and earth.

On the distant Shao Yang Mountain, a bright aura shone dazzlingly. That was the direction of the Little Sun Faction's mountain protection formation.

Next, he tried the Concealment Technique and completed it effortlessly.

Three consecutive spells opened Su Fan's eyes wide.

So this is the world of cultivation.

No wonder countless Independent Cultivators would rather endure hardships in the Little Sun Faction's market than return to the mortal society.

It should be noted that even a Qi Refining initial stage cultivator, when returning to the mortal realm, is at least considered an upper-class person.

Feeling emotional, Su Fan opened the panel, and the data for the three spells appeared.

[Name] Su Fan

[Sun Lifespan] 36/92 years

[Realm] Qi Refining Second Layer: 99/100

[Cultivation Technique]

1. Primordial Origin Technique (Rank One): 22/100

2. Cross Training Body Tempering Art (Rank Two): 45/200

3. Heavenly Demon Sacred Body Technique (Rank One): 100/100

[Techniques]

1. Aura Examination Technique (Beginner): 1/100

2. Light Body Technique (Beginner): 2/100

3. Concealment Technique (Beginner): 1/100

The auxiliary spells of the Qi Refining initial stage are relatively simple and consume very little spiritual energy.

Coupled with his memory, practicing these spells was like having divine assistance.

Through continuous efforts, in just two days, he had mastered the three spells to a small extent.

But after reaching a small extent, the progress bar for spell proficiency doubled, so it wasn't as fast as when he was a beginner.

Since he had already mastered three spells, it was time to go to the market.

In addition to replenishing some daily necessities, he also wanted to find a sword technique.

Oh, he also needed to buy some Middle Grade attack and defense talismans.

Middle Grade talismans were often expensive, but he couldn't care less.

Without some means of self-preservation, he couldn't even sleep soundly.

Su Fan sighed, took off the storage bag from his waist, and reluctantly exchanged it for spirit stones.

He had only had it for a few days, and now it was gone.

The next morning, just as the sky was getting light, Su Fan got up.

After tidying up his things, he put on his backpack, carried his sword, and then pushed open the door and walked out of the house.

In the early morning, drizzling autumn rain fell like a thin mist, enveloping the Shao Yang Mountain in a hazy rain color.

The sky was gray, and the ground was muddy.

Some fallen leaves were trapped in it, making a faint rustling sound when stepped on.

In the distance, the undulating mountains were the main peak of the Shao Yang Mountain, stretching for thousands of miles.

The ethereal clouds and mist swirl among them, appearing hazy and indistinct.

The market is built at the foot of the mountain, while the Little Sun Faction is situated on the mountain, enveloped by a massive protective formation.

Although the Little Sun Faction, with its thousands of members, is only a small sect.

The Little Sun Market still attracts nearly ten thousand independent cultivators.

Because within a radius of thousands of miles, there is only this one Spirit Vein.

Countless chaotic slums are scattered around the market.

One after another, densely packed self-built houses are haphazardly squeezed together, packed to the brim.

The dilapidated and low-roofed shacks, the muddy and potholed roads, the overflowing sewage.

The air is filled with a strong stench of decay, and one can easily step on fresh excrement if not careful.

On both sides of the road, people occasionally carry chamber pots and skillfully pour them into the ditches by the roadside.

Before long, the fresh air, the fragrance of the earth, and the night fragrance that permeates everywhere gradually blend together.

Although the law enforcement team of the Little Sun Faction patrols day and night, and each slum area has its own spontaneously organized guard team of independent cultivators, the public security situation is still extremely poor.

Bandit cultivators are all desperados, hiding in the densely packed slum areas like hungry wolves.

A slight carelessness, revealing wealth outside, may lead to a tragic accident.

In fact, there are very few law-abiding individuals among the nearly ten thousand independent cultivators here.

In the surrounding mountains, who knows how many corpses are buried, most of them dead due to conflicts between cultivators.

Most independent cultivators are struggling, and many are willing to take risks for a few spirit stones.

Su Fan wears a bamboo hat and a washed-out green Daoist robe, stumbling along in the drizzling rain.

He proceeds cautiously, afraid of unnecessary trouble.

Fortunately, although it is chaotic here, it is relatively safe during the day, with most dangers occurring at night.

He is just a low-level cultivator, clearly a poor person.

As long as he doesn't go out wandering at night, no one will waste their time targeting him.

As he approaches the market, there are more cultivators on the road.

Occasionally, he can even see cultivators riding flying swords whizzing past above his head, causing bursts of exclamations.

The market is located in a town, with only one main street and shops lining both sides.

The street is filled with scattered stalls, offering a wide variety of goods.

In addition to various cultivation resources, one can also buy worldly vegetables, fruits, condiments, pickles, dried fruits, and pastries here.

If judged by worldly standards, these goods are all priced exorbitantly, and the stall owners don't even accept gold, only spiritual currency.

The stall owners and buyers are mostly independent cultivators, who can haggle over a few spiritual coins for a long time.

There are no ordinary people living around the market, and the Little Sun Faction disciples without spiritual roots also live in the mortal world.

He walks along the main street amidst the crowd, constantly entering and exiting various shops.

Su Fan doesn't have anything specific to buy; he is surveying the market to find a suitable livelihood for himself.

He doesn't have much ambition, nor does he want to go out and take risks, let alone engage in fighting and killing every day.

He just wants to be a law-abiding player in life.

Earn a little money, live in his own small house, and quietly cultivate.

Newcomer, new book, please give some encouragement, thank you everyone.

(End of this chapter)