Chapter 853 - 410: Making Up for Updates..._2

Chapter 853: Chapter 410: Making Up for Updates..._2

The spiritual energy within this fist-sized object is so abundant that one can sense it from several yards away; it is definitely not comparable to a Low-grade Spirit Stone, nor a Middle-grade Spirit Stone.

It is most likely a Top-grade Spirit Stone.

Why say most likely? Because no one has ever seen a Top-grade Spirit Stone.

Yet everyone knows the value of a Top-grade Spirit Stone—a single Top-grade Spirit Stone is worth a thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones.

"Risk it all!"

Grinding his teeth, the middle-aged Loose Cultivator forcefully swung the door open and rushed toward the enormous Top-grade Spirit Stone with the speed of a leopard.

In an instant, the Top-grade Spirit Stone landed in his hand.

Through the crack in the window, Wen Jiu could see the fortunate smile on his lips. However, just as he turned to flee, a Black Shadow suddenly dashed out and landed next to the middle-aged Loose Cultivator with lightning speed.

When the shadow stopped to reveal its human form, the middle-aged Loose Cultivator’s neck had already been bitten off, but his hand still tightly clutched the Top-grade Spirit Stone.

As if unwilling.

As if regretful.

No matter what’s there, the middle-aged Loose Cultivator quickly fell silent.

Afterward, he was like livestock, dissected by that entity and enjoyed like a sumptuous feast.

The blood spilled over the ground, staining the street and that Top-grade Spirit Stone that everyone had their eyes on.

Seeing this scene, Wen Jiu shivered.

Just as he was about to look away, that fiend gave a bloody smile toward his window.

Wen Jiu felt his hair standing on end, quickly withdrew his gaze, and leaned against the wall, his heart in turmoil.

At that moment.

His understanding of the wickedness of this world deepened.

Apparently, they not only use words to tempt or disguise as beauties to lure, but also use treasures to exploit human greed.

In the original memories, he had only heard of such things but never seen them, yet he witnessed it firsthand today.

"Does this world even allow people to live?"

This fiend is not only strong.

But also possesses a clever mind.

It’s truly damned!

After calming down for a while, Wen Jiu turned to rinse rice and prepare a meal, trying to force himself not to think about the sight he just saw.

Yet that eerie, sinister smile lingered in his mind.

Like a nightmare.

At this moment, a thought emerged.

Could there be a fiend that even an Exorcism Talisman can’t stop?

If such fiends existed.

Wouldn’t it be the end?

No one knows how many fiends lurk in the night. Once the protection of the Exorcism Talisman is lost, low-level Cultivators like him would surely die.

Although, according to the original memories, such a situation never occurred, after seeing the scene earlier, Wen Jiu dared not fully trust the accuracy of these memories, considering the limited scope of experiences.

"But given my current situation, all I can do is pray and hope such fiends don’t appear."

With a sigh, Wen Jiu stopped overthinking and resumed rinsing rice and cooking.

But, just as before, even if he tried not to think, his mind continued to be flooded with various thoughts.

If only he could find a sect to join.

A sect would surely be much safer compared to Black Water Town.

"However... how would a sect accept someone mundane, like me, still at Qi Cultivation First Layer in his thirties?"

After a sigh.

The helpless situation completely dissipated Wen Jiu’s thoughts, and he focused on tending the fire and cooking.

Watching the flaming red blaze in the stove, Wen Jiu lost himself in thought, as if seeing Blue Star in his childhood. Also with a mud stove, also tending a fire, but back then the fire truly warmed him.

The flame in this world doesn’t even have the power to calm him.

Fortunately, not long after, the aroma of Spirit Rice drifted from the pot and lingered around the Good House, significantly intensifying his hunger.

Whether because of witnessing tonight’s tragedy personally or feeling hungrier than yesterday, Wen Jiu felt today’s rice tasted even better.

Once the water and Spirit Rice in the pot had turned thick, Wen Jiu hurriedly put out the fire, leaving the stove with a small flame.

But didn’t fully extinguish it.

As he likes crispy rice, he wanted to cook it a bit longer.

A quarter of an hour later, Wen Jiu removed the cloth strip from the pot lid, lifted the lid, and a cloud of aroma and thick steam engulfed him. The fragrance chased away all unease under his growling stomach.

No matter what.

There’s food.

There’s shelter.

He’s still alive now.

And that’s enough.

After serving a pound of rice into a bowl, Wen Jiu began to cook vegetables.

Fortunately, the oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar in this world aren’t expensive, and every time the merchant team from Black Water Town visits a mundane land, they bring back plenty. Moreover, fiends and demons won’t destroy crops, allowing for some vegetable cultivation.

The original had planted plenty of greens, probably due to being in the Cultivation Realm, they grew quite rapidly; harvesting one day, they might regrow the day after or two days later.

Once he finished a plate of oil-drenched greens, Wen Jiu sat down to eat quietly. With a spoonful of Spirit Rice, refreshing aroma spread, instantly enlarging his hunger. After a spoonful of Spirit Rice, the hunger was again wiped out.

Even paired with greens, Wen Jiu ate happily, not only because of hunger but because Spirit Rice and vegetables truly were delicious.

Previously, he didn’t particularly like eating vegetables.

The reason being they weren’t that tasty.

Lacks the aroma of meat.

But in this world, a bite of greens and a bite of Spirit Rice is indeed irresistible.

And this is just Low-grade Spirit Rice, if it’s Middle-grade Spirit Rice or better, who knows how delicious they’d be.

And that Demon Flesh.

Can’t say what it tastes like.

But now, he can only imagine; he can’t afford either.

Soon, after finishing a pound of Spirit Rice and a plate of greens, Wen Jiu patted his full belly, unable to resist a joyful smile.

The feeling of being full is wonderful.

A full stomach erases worries.

...

After eating.

Wen Jiu began his cultivation.

Still practicing lying down to absorb Qi, while the Spiritual Qi transformed by inferior Spirit Rice continued to circulate within, slowly advancing the progress of the Changmo Technique.

However, such changes are exceedingly weak.

But Wen Jiu wasn’t in the least anxious, not only due to the daily settlement panel’s presence but also because he had become accustomed.

In Blue Star, efforts may not necessarily yield results, striving doesn’t promise success, those four words ’hard work pays off’ had long become empty talk. Not only this, but leaders and those capitalists would still PUA you.

Your failure is due to your lack of effort. You feel something is expensive because you’re not earnestly working.

After trying hard and becoming trapped in the rat race, Wen Jiu recognized his ordinariness and mediocrity, and stopped reading inspirational literature.

Some things, indeed, aren’t gained through effort alone.

Effort doesn’t necessarily secure rewards.

Thus, slow cultivation is entirely acceptable to him.

No matter how slow.

As long as there’s progress, it’s fine.

Better than working like a machine in Blue Star.

Not to mention progress.

Even hope seemed out of sight.

Only waiting to be overtaken by younger generations years later.

...

In the following days.

Wen Jiu lived a routine life, working as a Demon Slayer during the day to earn money, and cultivating at home at night.

No wave of disturbance.

Fortunately peaceful.

To Wen Jiu, this was the best possible life.

Ordinaryness is truth.

And the Demon-solving Knife Technique soon broke into the Middle Realm.

Upon its entry into the Middle Realm, Wen Jiu’s efficiency in dissecting Demon Corpses improved by thirty percent, and his strength and speed increased somewhat. Where before it took eight hours to dissect a demon, now it took less than six hours.

This way, it allowed for an additional two hours of cultivation time.

Yet cultivation wasn’t as smooth as advancing the Demon-solving Knife Technique; once experience points reached one hundred, further progress stalled. The reason being Wen Jiu hadn’t successfully cultivated the Second Layer of Long Path Technique, hence he could only wait for this layer’s accomplishment.

However, this process was destined to be slow.

For being thirty years old and still at Qi Cultivation First Layer not only signifies poor aptitude but also inherently lacking insight.

Luckily, the cultivation of the Second Layer of Long Path Technique also has an experience progress bar, cultivation gains experience, reaching two hundred marks the completion of cultivation.

Once successfully cultivated, it will be the time to step into Qi Cultivation Second Layer.

Wen Jiu wasn’t worried at all about it.