Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Return of the Trials (Please Continue Reading)
Translator: 549690339
Cultivation knows no time.
One year later.
In a courtyard of Little Lingxu Peak, quiet chamber.
Han Yi silently opened his eyes, with the spirit light rippling in his eyes. Numerous spirit stones, including middle-grade and low-grade ones, were shattered by his side.
Han Yi’s face looked somewhat helpless.
“I miscalculated. It’s been a year, and I’ve consumed all middle-grade spirit stones and even all low-grade spirit stones, but my cultivation base has only reached the peak of the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation.”
“With this crappy aptitude of mine, if I really stick to the rules and scrimped on low-grade spirit stones for my cultivation, I wouldn’t be able to reach the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation in this lifetime.”
“My path should be called the Road of Whaling.”
Actually, before his closed-door cultivation, Han Yi had calculated that the 150 middle-grade spirit stones would definitely be enough for him to cultivate to the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation.
However, after reaching the late stage of the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation, the growth of his inner mana became slower and slower, and the proportion of wasted spirit energy from the spirit stones became even higher.
He did not foresee this situation.
As a result, he used up all the middle-grade spirit stones and only reached the realm stage of 97/100. Helplessly, he had to use low-grade spirit stones, which resulted in even slower progress. Until just now, he finally consumed the last low-grade spirit stone.
Moreover, at the critical moment of the breakthrough, he lacked spirit stones on his body. He was not at ease in making the breakthrough, after all, after the breakthrough, he still needed spirit stones to consolidate his cultivation base.
Han Yi looked at the pale red panel in front of his retina. He complained but his inner heart was still delighted. After all, he was now just one step away from the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation.
[Realm: Sixth Layer of Qi Cultivation (99/100)]
“The promotion to the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation is coming soon.”
“I don’t even have a single spirit stone on me now, 1 need to figure out a way to make money.”
“Once 1 breakthrough to the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation, I will immediately grind away the divine consciousness restrictions in those four storage bags. There must be a lot of spirit stones inside, which would be enough to support my continued cultivation.”
Han Yi had not forgotten that in Tianqing City, he had confiscated four storage bags. Among them, the storage bag of the cold and gloomy youth who owned the Golden Light Shuttle would definitely be a big surprise.
As for how to make money, Han Yi had a preliminary idea.
The most direct way was to sell the artifacts and spiritual talismans on him.
In his hands, he has an artifact – the Shadowless Sword, as well as a set of Wind Demon Daggers. Selling either would be enough to support his breakthrough to the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation.
But he couldn’t bear to part with them.
These artifacts have been almost refined by him, and they were closely integrated with his skills, allowing him to exert great power with them.
Besides, he also had various spiritual talismans in his hand, which he had bought from Jiulong Business firm after purchasing artifacts. Even the first-stage, top-grade Yin Thunder Talisman was there. Selling them would easily provide enough spirit stones for his cultivation.
But after thinking about it, he did not consider selling the spiritual talismans.
The first reason was that he wasn’t in a hurry. The more critical the moment, the more composed he needed to be.
The second reason was that his control over the suddenly increased mana in his body was at its weakest. Before breaking through, he had to stabilize it.
And the most direct way for him to stabilize his mana was through pill refining.
In the process of refining pills, it was necessary to constantly infuse mana into the pili furnace to control subtle changes. This method was the most direct and effective way to stabilize mana.
So Han Yi chose the third method.
That was pill refining.
He could sell some unused pills on his body for refining materials, and then start refining pills again.
In this way, he could make a profit from spirit stones to support his critical breakthrough, as well as enhance his control over mana through the pill refining process.
Two birds with one stone.
After one year, Han Yi left the courtyard. On Little Lingxu Peak, there was an array covering it, making it spring all year round. If cultivators wanted a change in their environment’s seasons, they could purchase an array and install it in their own courtyard, so that their courtyard would have different seasonal scenery.
Han Yi had no such need. He focused on cultivation and did not deliberately pursue external things.
He first went to the Red Sun Fang market, Jiulong Business firm, sold some pills, and exchanged them for a batch of Gold and Silver Pill refining materials.
Since he was wearing a mask that concealed his breath, his somewhat unstable breath at the peak of the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation was not detected by He Fangwei.
One week later.
Han Yi refined ten furnaces of Gold and Silver Pills, with three successes – one per furnace. With a success rate of 30%, thanks to his experience during the first refining, his success rate had become much more stable.
He went back to the Red Sun Fang market and sold the Gold and Silver Pills. This time, He Fangwei offered him a discount of 180 spirit stones for each pill. After all, they were already familiar with each other, and after the artifact transaction, their mutual trust was even stronger, so He Fangwei gave him a discount.
Five hundred and forty spirit stones were now all the spirit stones that Han Yi had on him.
Han Yi returned to Little Lingxu Peak, and before he reached his courtyard, he encountered the peak master, Li Heng.
Li Heng looked at Han Yi with a gleam in his eyes and a hint of a smile on his face.
“Congratulations, Junior Brother Han, you have reached the pinnacle of the sixth level of Qi Cultivation. Soon you will take a crucial step to enter the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation. It’s truly a cause for celebration.”
After leaving the market, Han Yi would take off his mask. If he encountered a cultivator in the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, they could easily discern his realm at the peak of the sixth level of Qi Cultivation.
Before Han Yi could respond, Li Heng continued:
11
By the way, Han Yi, in three days, the batch of disciples who participated in the Cave Heaven trials will return from Qianzhou. The sect has organized a viewing for the inner and outer disciples to watch their progress. At that time, an Illusion Fairy Mirror will be placed here in the peak master’s hall for viewing.”
“Remember to come.”
“Take this opportunity to witness the prowess of the Inner Peak prodigies, so you’ll have a target when you enter the Inner Peak.”
After saying this, Li Heng passed by Han Yi.
Han Yi stood there, frowning in thought before deciding to watch the viewing in three days. The sect’s intention was to let over a hundred thousand inner and outer disciples see the results of the Cave Heaven trials, thus inspiring them and setting a benchmark to create a positive atmosphere within the sect.
This approach was something Han Yi was familiar with from the experiences of his previous life in modern society, whether it was in companies or social organizations.
Standing there, Han Yi thought about it. Although the process of refining pills had improved his ability to control mana, the improvement was not significant. He felt that he should take his time and not be too hasty. He decided that spending half a month adjusting his mentality and preparing for the final breakthrough would be the best choice.
Moreover, he was also curious about the Cave Heaven trials and wanted to see the results after a year of trials.
After returning to his courtyard, Han Yi began to polish his mana. His method of polishing mana was to control the Shadowless Sword and the Wind Demon Dagger.
Over the past year, Han Yi had spent most of his time cultivating his techniques and absorbing Spirit Energy. However, he was aware of the principle of moderation and thus practiced Sword Control Skill, controlling the Shadowless Sword or the Wind Demon Dagger to consume his mana whenever he felt his internal mana was saturated and would be ineffective if he continued absorbing.
After more than a year of nurturing and using the weapons, Han Yi was now able to control two Wind Demon Daggers simultaneously.
That’s right, two daggers.
This set of Wind Demon Daggers was a medium-grade artifact, crafted by a Golden Core Stage Artifact Refiner from the Wild Tool Sect. Among medium-grade artifacts, it was considered exceptional, far surpassing the dagger set Han Yi had obtained from Jiang De in Mengshan City.
Powerful artifacts required even more abundant mana and more precise control to wield.
Being able to control two Wind Demon Daggers simultaneously had already reached Han Yi’s target.
Three days later.
When he arrived in front of the peak master’s hall as scheduled, he saw that many disciples had already gathered there, discussing in small groups.
Han Yi joined two of his junior brothers who had come to chat with him, and they stood together.
He looked in the direction where Peak Master Li Heng was and saw that besides Li Heng, there were a few other Late Stage Qi Cultivation managers whom he rarely saw during normal days.
In the Xuandan Sect, the structure of the Outer Peaks had the peak masters managing the affairs of a peak. In the Outer Peaks, only the peak masters who ranked in the top thirty were Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, while others, like Li Heng, were at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Cultivation. Even those ranked beyond the top hundred were just ordinary cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Cultivation.
Below the peak masters were the managers. Most managers were Inner Peak disciples who applied for a transfer.
Sometimes, Inner Peak disciples with average qualifications, or who had grown old or suffered injuries that severed their Immortal Affinity would change their roles to Outer Peak managers, focusing on managing the affairs of the sect.
The number of managers varied across different Outer Peaks. Peaks like Little Lingxu Peak had no more than ten managers, while the number one Outer Peak, Little Golden Crow Peak, had not only numerous managers but also several vice peak masters.
The Inner Peaks had a different management system.
The managers beside Li Heng noticed Han Yi’s gaze and looked back. They nodded and greeted him politely since he was a disciple about to enter the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation and join the Inner Peak.
Han Yi returned the courtesy and then looked up towards the Cloud Sea in front of him.
At this moment, the Cloud Sea outside Little Lingxu Peak was replaced by an illusory mirror image. This was a projection created by a medium-grade artifact, the Illusion Fairy Mirror, and it showed a view of the main peak of Xuandan Sect, Xuandan Peak.
Xuandan Peak was the main peak of the sect, where the sect’s secret treasury and core inheritances were held. Under normal circumstances, only the sect master, the Supreme Elders at Golden Core Stage, and Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators could enter.
Since joining the sect, Han Yi had never been there.
Today, he had hoped to catch a glimpse of the main peak’s scenery through the Illusion Fairy Mirror, but the mirror only projected a vision of an Immortal Peak shrouded in clouds and mist, revealing nothing extraordinary, which left him somewhat disappointed.
He withdrew his gaze, about to close his eyes to rest for a while.
Suddenly.
A disciple standing next to him said in a deep voice, “They’re here.”
Han Yi looked up again and saw an Immortal Boat cutting through the Cloud Sea like a streak of light, landing on the main peak within the projected mirror image..
