Chapter 20
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Chapter 20: Advancement
Wang Chen truly couldn’t comprehend the mindset of the Yunyang Sect’s higher-ups.
Encircling the Yunyang Spirit Land, the outer sect region had cultivated hundreds of thousands of acres of spirit fields.
These spirit fields annually produced enough not only to sustain over a hundred thousand sect disciples but also to provide essential cultivation resources for cultivators, martial artists, and miscellaneous workers affiliated with the Yunyang Sect and the families of true and elder masters.
A populace without grain cannot remain peaceful.
This axiom holds equally true in the world of cultivation.
While cultivators can satiate their hunger with tribute rice from the Mortal Realm, the absence of spiritual energy nourishment from spiritual rice would inevitably lead to a significant decline in their cultivation speed and efficiency.
How then could the hearts of the people remain steady?
Currently, with a vast number of spirit fields plagued by insect calamity, the Yunyang Sect had surprisingly delayed taking any action.
It was utterly baffling.
Yet, no matter how much Wang Chen pondered, he was merely a lowly young cultivator.
There was little he could do.
Indeed, having learned from past experiences of being targeted for his wealth and life, even if Wang Chen could make a difference now, he preferred not to draw attention and become a target for others’ envy!
The carriage clattered along, reaching speeds of seventy miles per hour on the broad, smooth road.
Thanks to the abundance of cultivators, the infrastructure in the world of cultivation was exceptionally robust.
They carved paths through mountains and erected bridges over rivers; without the need for reinforced concrete or modern machinery, skilled artisans could lay down a ten-local-head-long road overnight using various magical techniques.
A standard road could accommodate six Dragon Scale Horse carriages side by side, with the road’s smoothness and durability rivaling that of highways in the earthly realm.
Wang Chen had witnessed the second-generation cultivators of Yunshan City "racing" on these roads more than once!
The Dragon Scale Horse carriage moved swiftly.
Despite several stops along the way, within less than half an hour, a majestic city came into view before Wang Chen.
Yunshan City, one of the three outer sect cities of the Yunyang Sect and the site of the outer sect headquarters!
Then, they encountered a traffic jam.
Backed by the Tianyun Mountain range, Yunshan City boasted three city gates, each a convergence point for several roads.
The carriage Wang Chen rode traveled along a road leading to the west gate.
Two miles from the city gate, the road was already congested to the point of being impassable, with numerous carriages tightly packed together.
The coachmen were loudly cursing.
The passengers, long accustomed to such scenes, quickly disembarked to proceed on foot.
Wang Chen naturally followed suit.
Upon reaching the city gate, he presented his identity token to the guards and smoothly entered the city.
As an Outer Sect Disciple of the Yunyang Sect, he was exempt from any fees to enter or exit Yunshan City.
However, for loose cultivators, the entry fee was one spirit fragment!
Despite the high barrier, countless loose cultivators still flocked to the city.
Because Yunshan City is the most prosperous "immortal city" within a thousand miles, boasting a population of hundreds of thousands.
Here, one can find the largest marketplaces, brothels, gambling houses, wine shops, and tea houses…
As long as your storage bag is filled with enough spirit stones, you can acquire techniques, elixirs, magical tools, talismans, spiritual food, and even maidens—everything you could possibly desire.
Most importantly, Yunshan City is a haven of safety.
Many loose cultivators risk their lives in the outer realms year after year, all for the chance to indulge in a night of revelry within the city!
Wang Chen navigated through the bustling crowd and made his way directly to the northern part of the city.
In the northern area, nestled against the mountains, there are hundreds of cultivating caves operated by the outer sect headquarters, offering rental services to both disciples and loose cultivators.
Despite the steep prices, the demand is incredibly high.
Wang Chen was fortunate today; upon his arrival, there were still a few caves available.
These caves are categorized by quality.
The finest ones are reserved for Purple Palace masters, while the majority cater to high-level and mid-level Qi Training cultivators.
A cave suitable for a mid-level Qi Training cultivator costs fifteen spirit fragments per day.
The modest amount of spirit stones left to Wang Chen by the previous owner was barely sufficient for half a day’s rent.
Wang Chen clenched his teeth and paid thirty spirit fragments to secure the cave for two days.
Wang Chen has never been one to pinch pennies; he knows when to spend generously.
For instance, in his past life, when purchasing a house, his savings were meager, yet he didn’t hesitate to empty his bank account and even took out a loan to cover the down payment.
As a result, before the house was even handed over, the housing prices had nearly doubled!
He didn’t mind spending a third of his savings to rent a cave, aiming to break through to mid-level Qi Training.
Upon entering the cave he had rented, Wang Chen immediately felt "intoxicated."
The spiritual energy within the cave was overwhelmingly abundant.
Every hair on Wang Chen’s body stood on end, as if he had immersed himself in a hot spring, warming him from head to toe.
It was akin to sipping a thousand-year-old immortal brew, leaving him lightheaded and feeling as though he were transcending.
This sensation occurs when someone accustomed to a low spiritual energy environment suddenly finds themselves in a high spiritual energy setting.
Drunk on spiritual energy.
It took Wang Chen the duration of an incense stick to adjust.
He silently acknowledged that the expenditure on spirit stones was well worth it.
After sealing the cave’s entrance, he settled onto the meditation cushion and began to circulate his energy.
Time is spirit stones.
The sooner one overcomes the bottleneck, the more time they have to stabilize their realm.
It’s akin to earning additional spirit stones.
Despite this, Wang Chen did not immediately allocate points to the Five Element Technique to complete his advancement.
The original owner had been stuck at the bottleneck of the third level of Qi Training for a long time, having attempted several breakthroughs without success, and had accumulated a profound foundation.
Now, Wang Chen had enhanced his root bone and comprehension by a specific number, and had rented a sect cave.
Under these circumstances, relying on the Cultivation Panel to level up made him feel utterly inadequate!
The crucial point is that advancing from the third to the fourth level consumes 1 point of Heavenly Merit.
When advancing from the fourth to the fifth level, the required Heavenly Merit points increase to 10!
Moreover, Wang Chen suspected that the 6 points of Heavenly Merit he had mysteriously obtained were likely the result of killing that traveling merchant.
If Heavenly Merit truly had to be earned through killing, it would be far more difficult to acquire than Virtue.
Not to mention 10 points; even 1 point is exceedingly precious!
Wang Chen wanted to save that 1 point of Heavenly Merit for the leap from the fourth to the fifth level, or even for advancing from mid-level to higher level.
Closing his eyes, he expelled all distracting thoughts from his mind.
He entered a state of cultivation, forgetting both self and the world.
Pure magical energy flowed silently through his meridians, nourishing his five organs and every part of his body as the technique circulated.
When the magical energy in his dantian reached its peak, Wang Chen began his breakthrough without hesitation.
A blocked meridian was pierced through with unstoppable force.
There was not a moment of stagnation; the process was smoother than he could have imagined!
Wang Chen shuddered and suddenly opened his eyes.
His eyes gleamed with a blade-like brilliance, and tiny spiritual lights illuminated the cave.
He had succeeded!
【Name: Wang Chen】
【Lifespan: 17/90】
【Cultivation Level: Fourth Realm of Qi Training】
【Body: 4】
【Root Bone: 3】
【Comprehension: 3】
【Spirit: 3＋8】
【Technique: Five Element Technique (Level Four): 0/400】
…
Without consuming a single point of Heavenly Merit, Wang Chen had successfully advanced to mid-level Qi Training.
His lifespan increased by 5 years, and his spirit also increased by 1 point.
Moreover, Wang Chen could feel that his dantian had expanded significantly, allowing him to store more magical energy.
His meridians had also become more resilient!
He believed that if he unleashed the advanced level Metal Finger Technique with full force, using tenfold magical energy would no longer cause him such severe harm.
It could be said that Wang Chen’s overall combat ability had improved considerably.
The only issue was that he had too few combat skills.
But this problem would soon be resolved!
