Plundering the Heavens

Chapter 11: Cultivation Resources

I see, so this is the completed version of Qing-Yuns Qi Formation. It was already well after nightfall, yet Fang Xing was still awake and sitting cross-legged on his bed with a thin booklet in front of him. Hed received this completed version after becoming an outer court disciple, and although the differences between this one and the last werent huge, this version included such things as how to use Spirit Stones to help increase the flow of Qi. The elders of the sect had even left various comments and methods of training as well.

The simplified version handed down to daotongs was only there to see if someone was able to cultivate any Qi at all, so there were no in-depth analyses of the tiers and stages. Besides, regular daotongs would be sent down to the villages after working at the sect for ten years, causing the simplified version to make its way into the hands of ordinary people. By not including more details, comments, and methods, there was no risk of exposing the precise methods the Qing-Yun Sect used for cultivation.

Not even the outer court disciples had it easy. If they didnt break through into tier two within three years, they would be sent down to the village just like the daotongs. Furthermore, even if they made it through, they would only be given another three years for tier three, and five years after that for tier four. The sect was not a charity that kept freeloaders.

The sect wouldnt force anybody to leave, but those who decided to overstay their welcome would have the resources they received drastically cut. In order to obtain all the resources required to advance from that point on, the disciple would need to either accept dangerous sect missions or apply for work at one of the various departments for a petty amount of resources and wages, like Yu Sanliang who worked at the Miscellaneous Department.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Still sitting cross-legged, Fang Xing closed his eyes and began to practice cultivation. Beside him, a red Spirit Stone began to float into the air and brightly shine to the rhythm of his breath.

This was a method described in his new manual. It was possible to practice cultivation much faster and smoother with the aid of an outside spiritual source, such as a Spirit Stone.

Ever since Fang Xing had become a genuine disciple at the sect, he no longer used the method of Hwajin. The destruction it caused to his body far outweighed the gains; if he were to continue consuming Hwajin, it was unlikely hed live past twenty years of age. It was nothing more than a shortcutboth to cultivation and to the end of his life. Even at his current age, strands of gray hair could already be seen thanks to how often hed used the weed.

For those who were endowed with great aptitude, Qi could be easily accumulated through simple breathing exercises even without any external help, although this was unfortunately not the case for those like Fang Xing. Without using the weed, the next fastest method was through Spirit Stones or medicinal pellets and elixirs, but pellets and elixirs were far more difficult to obtain, so most cultivators typically only used them to break through a bottleneck. A Spirit Stone, on the other hand, contained a large amount of concentrated Qi within itself, and the method described in the new manual allowed Fang Xing to draw out the Qi from the Stone and use it while practicing cultivation.

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This method didnt harm the users body like Hwajin did; on the contrary, this method would actually improve his mind and health, increasing lifespan and longevity. Although this method was far more gentle, however, it was also much slower to achieve higher tiers than the method using Hwajin, and Spirit Stones were perhaps more valuable as a currency than as cultivation materials. To lavishly rely entirely on Spirit Stones would usually need an entire family fortuneor sometimes even the support of entire clans and sectsto maintain such monstrous consumption.

Even with that being said, it was definitely far more appealing than dying at the age of twenty!

As of right now, Fang Xing was still quite new to this method, and he looked slightly troubled after estimating the stone would likely last no more than ten days at his current rate. With the small amount of Qi hed accumulated so far, if he did not accumulate more within fifty days, his progress would actually start to regress.

It was similar to when someone had just eaten. They would have energy for the rest of the day, but if no one fed them for the next few days, they would no longer have any more energy. Worse still, they would likely have even less energy than what theyd started with.

It was already Yu Sanliangs seventh year in the outer court anddue to his own lack of resourceshed gotten close to the second tier but had never actually managed to make it through. Thered already been two times he was nearly sent down to the village, but both times he somehow managed to bribe his way to remain and was now working ever so cautiously and conscientiously at the Miscellaneous Department. It was unfortunate that the more he did so, the less likely he would be able to gain extra income for the purpose of cultivation or have any time to actually practice Qi.

No, I cant be like this forever or Ill turn into another Shixiong Zhu. I must do something Fang Xing spoke softly to himself. He suddenly opened his eyes and the Spirit Stoneno longer shining with a bright red lightdropped into his lap.

Laying the Spirit Stone in his palm, Fang Xing began to think to himself,Theres over thousands of outer court disciples, and Im sure there are plenty with rich families and clans behind them. The majority are likely D-Ranked, but theyre rich; even if they run out of Spirit Stones, they can afford it with silvers and golds. But Im penniless.

Unless.

The bright moon hung innocently above the entire land of the Qing-Yun Sect. Most of its pupils were either heavily asleep or quietly practicing their breathing exercises, and no one would have imagined that their ten-year-old shidi was scheming something involving their fortunes at that very moment.

Shidi Fang! Are you there?

Two weeks had passed since Fang Xing became a real disciple at the sect, and his single Spirit Stone was already completely used up. Just as Fang Xing was staring blankly into space, someone from outside had called his name: it was none other than the plump Daoist Yu Sanliang with a jug of wine and a bundle covered in lotus leaves in his hands.

Although Yu Sanliang was always seen bossing around the daotongs, no one within the outer court circle seemed to want to befriend him; not only was his cultivation level incredibly low, but he was also quite poor. Now that the enmity between him and Fang Xing had melted into friendship, hed been coming over to drink and chat, and it was already the second time hed come to visit in the past couple of weeks. The rest of the disciples laughed at him, ridiculing him for befriending a ten-year-old child, especially since Yu Sanliang was well in his thirties, yet he didnt mindhed never had someone he could eat, drink, and laugh with until now.

Come on in, Shixiong Zhu! Fang Xing warmly invited Yu Sanliang inside, but the boys body was so lazy that only his mouth bothered to move.

Ive told you so many times: my name is not Zhu, its Yu! Why cant you remember it? As Yu walked in, he placed the wine and the bundle of lotus leaves on the table. Once the leaves were unwrapped, a whole roasted chicken was revealed, and Fang Xing began to send the meat down his throat even before Yu Sanliang had filled up the wine.

By the way, Shixiong Zhu, what did you say about this Black Market thing among us outer disciples? Even with his mouth half full, Fang Xing couldnt hold back his question any longer.

Its not Zhu, its Yu! Look at my mouth when I speak Yu ! Yu Sanliang shaped his mouth like a fish, but then continued, About that Black Market, well, even within the outer court, there are plenty of people with money or some pretty neat stuff they dont need. A group of them started this Black Market where everyone can exchange for the stuff they actually need.

The sect rules dont actually allow private exchange markets since were supposed to exchange for items we need with the sect, but the exchange rates are so much worse and the items required for exchange are not always what we have or can easily get. And then theres also those people who want to get rid of things they obtained through irregular methods so the Black Market happened.

No one knows who you are. Everyone goes disguised and nobody will ever ask for your identity or how you got the item.

I see. Keep an eye out for the next Black market for me, Fang Xing requested while nodding his head.

Why the hell do you need to know? Do you even realize how poor you are? Are you going to magically find something valuable to trade now? Do you know whos been paying for all of your expenses in the past month! Yu Sanliang raised his voice while pouring more wine into Fang Xings bowl.

Just do as I say. Its only like a hundred silver taels; how stingy can you get! Just you wait, Ill give you back double.

One hundred and ten ! Tch, I dont care if you give it back to me or not anymore; its my fault for giving it to you in the first place. Lets just drink.