https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-94-Something-s-Off-with-Your-Style/12831593/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-96-Spirit-Eyes-Planted-Gazing-Through-the-Earth-s-Veins/12831595/
Chapter 95: Nutrition is Non-Negotiable
Chapter 95: Nutrition is Non-Negotiable
I’ll explore the other areas later!
Standing at the dark entrance of the mine tunnel, I was faced with three more forks.
Without hesitation, Luo Chen turned around and walked back.
This mine tunnel network was vast and extended deep underground, clearly not something that could be explored in a short time.
That’s enough for today.
Recalling the pangolin puppet, Luo Chen relied on his memory to quickly return to the stone house.
He chipped off a piece of stone and embedded it in the open entrance, then cast a Cleaning Spell on himself.
Feeling refreshed, he pushed open the stone door.
“My dividends from last month?”
Luo Chen eagerly took the bag, which contained a pile of spirit stones. After counting, there were 650 spirit stones.
His initial excitement dimmed slightly.
“Is the dividend less than usual?”
Seeing his expression, Gu Caiyi asked curiously.
Luo Chen nodded first, then shook his head.
“It’s a bit less, but not by much.”
Although he didn’t handle the specific sales of the Wondrous Pill last month, as a pill refiner, he naturally knew the costs and output.
Each day, he operated two furnaces in the morning and afternoon. The mid-grade pill cauldron could refine two sets of materials, while the two purple cloud copper furnaces each handled one set.
With his later advancement to Master-level proficiency in the Wondrous Pill, he ended up with a thousand pills.
These pills varied in quality, with upper, middle, and lower grades.
After Mi Junping’s pricing strategy, the profits varied.
But in the end, he should have received around 4,000 spirit stones, minus 600 for the raw materials, leaving a profit of 3,400.
His share of the dividends should have been around 700.
Now, it was 50 less.
Gu Caiyi handed him a list and said, “This is the list from Hall Master Mi, detailing the expenses for the pill hall cultivators, the three shops, and the pill protection team.”
“These expenses are deducted from the profit and are shared equally.”
“Of course, the dividends alone aren’t enough to cover everyone’s wages, so the headquarters subsidizes a portion.”
As he listened, Luo Chen carefully examined the list and finally nodded.
This was actually within his expectations, so he wasn’t angry.
Right now, he was calculating something else.
If he hadn’t joined the Mountain Breakers, how many spirit stones would he have earned last month?
Without the three pill furnaces, the raw materials provided by the Mountain Breakers, and a team of fire workers and apprentice alchemists to help refine pills, not to mention someone to sell them, he could only operate two furnaces a day. Even if his proficiency increased quickly, it wouldn’t reach Master level.
Calculating all the conditions, Luo Chen arrived at a number: 800.
Yes, if he relied solely on himself, his net profit last month would have been 800 lower-grade spirit stones.
In comparison, it seemed he lost 150 spirit stones by joining the Mountain Breakers.
But the accounts couldn’t be that simple!
“Besides the dividends, I also have a fixed monthly salary of 400 spirit stones worth of Qi Nourishing Pills, even if they are distributed.”
This additional income alone offset his loss and even put him in the profit.
“Mass refining increased my proficiency, giving me solid experience and achievement points.”
This also had to be considered.
Moreover, the Qingyuan Pill Manual, Hundred Herbs Guide, and the incomplete formula for the Mystic Passage Pill were worth thousands of spirit stones!
Most importantly, the Mountain Breakers’ prestigious reputation and the support of cultivator Mi Shuhua were invaluable. They protected him from the envy of other cultivators when he was at a low level.
For example, the trouble with Gao Tingyuan was personally resolved by Mi Shuhua.
After some thought, Luo Chen couldn’t help but smile.
“Indeed, my decision back then was right.”
“While it seems like being a tool isn’t very free, the benefits, in the long run, are absolutely worth it.”
“Moreover, my monthly benefits have increased, haven’t they?”
Luo Chen picked up another item in the bag.
It was a wooden box. Opening it, he found twelve neatly arranged slender incense sticks.
“Soothing Incense!”
Gu Caiyi was surprised.
Mi Shuhua had acted quickly and really sent Luo Chen this.
Closing the box, Luo Chen nodded in satisfaction.
This was a genuine good thing, something he had experienced firsthand.
A box of Soothing Incense was worth 120 spirit stones and was a powerful tool for low-level cultivators!
With this incense, his cultivation speed would increase significantly, allowing him to run his life essence technique four to five more times a day without his spirit suffering from fatigue or pain.
Of course, his physical body would also need a lot of nutrition to keep up with his spirit.
The first time he received Soothing Incense, Luo Chen had to use each stick over two to three days.
This was because his nutrition at the time couldn’t keep up.
But now, we have money!
With the dividends and his previous savings, he had, for the first time, broken the thousand mark through his own efforts.
1,300!
This was his net worth, not counting various external resources.
And nutrition?
He now had some methods to handle it.
Putting away the Soothing Incense, Luo Chen pulled Gu Caiyi and hurriedly headed out.
"Time to clock out! Time to clock out!"
Gu Caiyi was a bit bewildered, "But we’re supposed to start the furnace and refine the elixirs this afternoon, right?"
"What’s the rush? And today we refined the Jade Marrow Pill, which will keep that old man happy for a couple of days."
Luo Chen snorted, "I, Luo Chen, only show up for work to clock out. Overtime is not in my character."
With that, he turned around and shouted towards the Alchemy Hall.
"Brothers, we’re on vacation today! Come in early tomorrow, okay?"
The newcomers, who were struggling to familiarize themselves with the Jade Marrow Pill’s ingredients and the precise control of the fire, erupted in cheers.
They shouted, "Long live the Hall Master!"
"See? No one wants to work overtime."
Gu Caiyi blinked her eyes. But isn’t this considered skipping work? How can it be called overtime?
Luo Chen didn’t care. She was just a silly girl.
Back at the Heavenly Fragrance Tower, she used to work night shifts and was brainwashed by those sect capitalists.
...
Luo Chen wasn’t really trying to be lazy by leaving early.
The main reason was that he usually started his day early and returned home late, which meant he would miss the daytime market.
In the cutthroat, cold-hearted world of cultivation, most people don’t do business at night.
So, the best stuff is usually available during the day.
Luo Chen was afraid that if he delayed any longer, he wouldn’t have anywhere to spend his spirit stones.
Under the puzzled gazes of his bodyguards, Luo Chen hurriedly brought Gu Caiyi back to the inner city.
Then, he dove straight into the South City Loose Cultivator Market.
The Dahuang Market now had more and more cultivators, with a stable population exceeding twenty thousand.
There were also two small Foundation Establishment-level cultivation families nearby, each with a few thousand people.
It was rumored that the Jade Tripod Sword Sect was still moving more people here. Besides the hundreds of thousands of ordinary people, cultivators were also moving in by family units.
It’s safe to say that the Dahuang Market was becoming increasingly prosperous.
Along with the South City Loose Cultivator Market and the central commercial street, two more trading centers had emerged.
One was the White Stone Plaza outside the Dao Discussion Platform, where Yuan Xiaoyue sold her immortal bean popcorn.
The other was in the north of the city, a small commercial street designated for the Broken Mountain Gang’s shops.
The shops on this street were different from those on the central commercial street, which were mostly run by small families and small sects, without any major sect backing.
Luo Chen planned to visit this area when he had the time.
But today, his main destination was the familiar South City Loose Cultivator Market and the central commercial street.
"First-stage Dragon Bone? That’s just a fancy name. It’s just the bone of a swamp crocodile!"
"But killing one of those things does require some skill. I’ll take one!"
"What? Just a bit of bone, and you want three spirit stones? Are you crazy? I’m not buying that!"
Luo Chen shouted, pulling Gu Caiyi away.
The loose cultivator behind them gritted his teeth, "Fellow Daoist, please come back. Let’s talk this over. How about this, I’ll sell it to you for two spirit stones. I really can’t go any lower. This dragon bone weighs over thirty pounds."
Luo Chen reluctantly returned, grudgingly pulling out the spirit stones while nitpicking.
It’s not like it’s demon beast meat!
It’s severely damaged, and only a few pounds are usable.
The loose cultivator selling the bone looked as if he had lost his mother.
What a cheapskate!
If it weren’t for the fact that swamp crocodile bones were hard to sell, he wouldn’t have sold it for two spirit stones.
Gu Caiyi watched with interest. Luo Chen had just received a substantial dividend, but he still lived frugally.
Of course, it could also be his nature to never lose in a deal, always haggling over prices.
Next, Luo Chen went on a shopping spree in the center of the loose cultivator market.
He even gave Gu Caiyi a list, instructing her to alert him if she saw any of the items on it.
They spent three hours shopping in the South City, and then headed straight to the central commercial street, where they made large purchases at the Spirit Source Shop, the Hundred Herbs Hall, and the Spirit Medicine Pavilion.
When they returned to the courtyard, Gu Caiyi was shocked by the total cost.
"Luo Chen, you spent three hundred spirit stones today?"
Luo Chen nodded and hurried into the house.
Gu Caiyi was still in awe. Luo Chen always seemed so frugal, often splitting a spirit stone into two.
But when it came to spending spirit stones, he didn’t seem to hold back at all.
It was truly contradictory.
Contradictory?
Luo Chen knew he wasn’t.
He worked his hardest to earn spirit stones, and when it came to unnecessary expenses, he was more frugal than anyone.
But when it came to his cultivation, he was more generous than anyone.
He had already bought five bottles of Qi Nourishing Pills, which were quite expensive, when he was at the fourth level of Qi Cultivation.
Thud!
The Purple Cloud Copper Furnace landed directly in his alchemy room.
He lit the fire, added water, and poured in a bottle of Xiantian San (Prenatal Powder) worth ten spirit stones, stirring it carefully.
Then, he added various herbs, and finally, the seemingly small but actually thirty-pound swamp crocodile bone.
"Boil for three hours, and I should have a batch of Primordial Essence Liquid to refine the Green Origin Pill."
Luo Chen sighed in relief, feeling quite excited.
The Green Origin Pill Refinement Guide contained a lot of information, including the basics of alchemy, refining techniques, and some small formulas for alchemists.
These weren’t official pill formulas, but if used regularly, their effects were not inferior to first-stage pills.
The Primordial Essence Liquid was one of these.
Absorbed through a medicinal bath, it allowed alchemists to absorb a large amount of essence energy and become more sensitive to the power of the herbs.
Qing Yuanzi's original intention was to allow alchemists to gain the latter effect, enabling them to better perceive the changes in the medicinal power of the pills during the alchemy process.
However, Luo Chen was more interested in the former effect.
A large amount of primordial energy—wasn't that exactly what his physical body needed for nourishment? Of course, there were other ways to supplement nutrients.
Luo Chen walked into the kitchen, set up a large pot, and threw in all the vegetables, bones, and monster meat he had bought.
"Today, we're having a big hotpot stew!"
"We're missing some noodles, so I'll use these large tendons instead!"
He tossed in a bunch of clean monster tendons, then clapped his hands.
All that was left was to wait for the food to be ready!
...
...
Night fell.
The couple returned home together!
Qin Liangchen walked down the alley, with Murong Qinglian holding his arm.
"The dividends from last month have come in. The Apothecary Hall gave us three hundred spirit stones, and the Alchemy Hall gave us one hundred. The biggest income still comes from our spirit fish business. Besides supplying the Zhongding family, we've reached a timed supply agreement with another cultivation family, earning us over five hundred spirit stones."
"And how about you, my love?"
Qin Liangchen's face turned red as he blurted out a number, "Three hundred!"
As the pillar of the family, earning less than half of what his wife did was both embarrassing and infuriating.
Murong Qinglian said with a smile, "Don't be upset. You were the one who conquered the Spirit Fish Lake, and I'm just helping you manage it."
Despite her words, Qin Liangchen still felt a twinge of discomfort.
Being an elder with no real power didn't bring in as much as he had hoped.
However, there was another way to look at it. If he hadn't taken the position, Murong Qinglian wouldn't have become the head of the Apothecary Hall.
"Once we save a few more months' worth of spirit stones, we'll send them to Xiaohu."
Qin Liangchen suddenly said, his gaze lingering on the dark alley ahead, filled with longing.
"I wonder how Xiaohu is doing at Luoyun Sect. Have the pills we left him run out? How is he getting along with his fellow disciples?"
Murong Qinglian listened quietly.
Their family was a bit unusual. Although Qin Liangchen was the pillar of the family, most external matters were handled by Murong Qinglian.
Qin Liangchen wasn't like a typical strict father or husband; he was more emotionally expressive.
Even when their son was around, he would often lift Xiaohu up and fly him around, regardless of Xiaohu's embarrassment.
"Old Qin, I heard the guild recently acquired a high-grade metal-type magical weapon, a giant sword, which suits your fighting style perfectly."
"Why don't we buy it?"
Qin Liangchen was surprised. "Shouldn't we save the spirit stones for Xiaohu?"
Murong Qinglian shook her head. "We should save, but not now. He's only at the initial Qi Condensation stage and won't need many resources."
"But you're different. You still have a chance to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, and you need a powerful magical weapon."
"If you ever reach Foundation Establishment, Xiaohu will have more clout in the sect!"
Hearing this, Qin Liangchen took it to heart and nodded after a moment.
"You're right. I still have a Foundation Establishment Pill from Uncle Mi, and I can't waste it."
After saying this, he quickly kissed Murong Qinglian, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around.
"You're so kind, my love. When you're nearing Great Perfection, I'll definitely help you reach Foundation Establishment!"
Murong Qinglian wiped the saliva from her face and pulled away, blushing and angry.
"You old pervert!"
Laughing and scolding, they entered the courtyard, where a rich aroma greeted them.
It was a bit pungent and made them want to sneeze, but the aroma also made their mouths water.
"Brother Qin, Sister Murong, you're back!"
"Come and have some hotpot. I've set aside bowls and chopsticks for you."
Luo Chen enthusiastically welcomed them and kicked Bai Meiling, who was gnawing on a bone, to make room.
Gu Caiyi set out two more sets of utensils and poured them a cup of wine.
Murong Qinglian was surprised. "Did you all strike it rich? You're eating so well."
In the courtyard, a stove was set up with a large iron pot filled with ingredients.
Bubbles of red broth bubbled up, making it look especially inviting.
Gu Caiyi laughed. "Our little Hall Master Luo struck it rich, so he's treating everyone to a feast."
It was indeed a feast.
The pot was filled with mostly monster meat, and some of the vegetables were enhanced with spirit energy.
This pot alone would cost at least five spirit stones.
If sold to the Zhongding family, it could easily fetch fifty to a hundred without any exaggeration!
The key was that Luo Chen had added a lot of spices, giving it a Sichuan-style spicy flavor.
When Qin Liangchen and Murong Qinglian sat down and started eating, they enjoyed it thoroughly.
The spicy flavor was incredibly appetizing!
Although they weren't used to spicy food, cultivators' constitutions were strong, and an occasional taste wouldn't hurt.
The monster meat was very tough, but Luo Chen had gained some experience handling it while refining Spirit Suppressing Pills.
Thus, he managed to create a hotpot with a mix of tough and tender textures, suitable for the cultivation world.
Seeing everyone enjoy their meal so much, Luo Chen's initial regret over spending five spirit stones vanished.
He was a frugal person, but he was very generous when it came to cultivation.
For true friends, if he lacked the means, it was one thing, but if he had the resources, he never hesitated to share the benefits.
These neighbors were gradually becoming his true friends.
In his early days, Gu Caiyi had answered many cultivation questions for him, helped him contact a pill furnace, shared fruits, and today, without hesitation, gave him a martial arts manual.
Bai Meiling and Feng Xia didn’t interact as frequently due to their fixed work schedules. However, whenever Luo Chen occasionally visited the Hundred Herbs Hall to purchase raw materials, they would secretly pick out some high-quality herbs for him.
As for Qin Liangchen and his wife, they were even better to him. They guided Luo Chen in his magical arts, gifted him puppet toys, and even sent him a bowl of the second-stage tiger bone medicinal broth, which helped him successfully break through to the fifth level of the Qi Refinement stage. They also provided him with a lot of support within the Broken Mountain Gang.
Luo Chen kept track of all these little acts of kindness in his heart. In the past, he didn’t have the means to reciprocate, so he mostly benefited from their generosity. But now, he was no longer as desperate. Treating everyone to a good meal was still within his means.
“Alchemical refinement?”
“Haha, when I become a second-stage alchemist, I’ll definitely refine Foundation Establishment Pills for everyone!”
“But the material costs will be on you, of course. I’ve heard the main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills are particularly expensive.”
Luo Chen boasted confidently, and everyone laughed along.
Qin Liangchen, being the good big brother he was, praised Luo Chen, saying that refining Foundation Establishment Pills was no big deal and that he should aim for the Crimson Cloud Pill used for the Golden Core stage.
Luo Chen, of course, couldn’t let the moment pass, and he boldly mentioned the Spirit Transformation stage.
The courtyard was filled with a joyful atmosphere for a while.
...
After the laughter died down, it was time for the cultivators to enter their intense training sessions. Everyone returned to their respective homes, claiming they were resting, but in reality, they were all pushing themselves to the limit.
Luo Chen was the most intense of them all!
He plopped himself into his Purple Cloud Copper Cauldron, which he affectionately called "iron pot stew."
“Hiss, it’s not hot!”
Luo Chen’s facial expressions were a mix of pain and determination. He had simmered in the Essence Cultivation Spirit Liquid for the entire afternoon and half the night, fully activating its medicinal properties. This was the perfect time to absorb its essence.
Luo Chen sat quietly, allowing the powerful essence to seep through his skin and into his organs. The Eternal Spring Art was already in motion.
After soaking for about an hour, Luo Chen took out a Qi Nourishing Pill and swallowed it, then continued running the Eternal Spring Art.
Another hour passed, and he lit a Calming Incense. His exhausted spirit, like a dry stream, was rejuvenated by the incense, becoming refreshed and energetic once more.
“Another one!”
The night flew by in this manner. When Luo Chen emerged from the Purple Cloud Copper Cauldron, the pot of Essence Cultivation Spirit Liquid had turned clear and transparent. All the essence had been absorbed by him.
Looking at the scene, Luo Chen was deep in thought.
“Mortals divide cultivation realms by Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Spirit Transformation.”
“But in ancient times, Qi Refinement practitioners followed the path of refining essence into qi and qi into spirit.”
“This pot of blood essence not only sustained five additional cycles of the Eternal Spring Art but also strengthened my physique and increased my spiritual energy.”
Feeling the fullness and vitality within him, Luo Chen stretched lazily. What a wonderful night!
He opened his attribute panel.
【Lifespan: 27/75】
【Spirit Roots: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth】
【Realm: Qi Refinement 6th Level: 5/100】
【Cultivation Technique: Eternal Spring Art (Master): 627/1000】
【Spells: Perfect Fireball Spell, Free and Easy Wanderer (Master): 870/1000, Wind Control Art (Master): 600/1000, Attraction Spell (Master): 721/1000, Binding Spell (Perfect): 430/500, Spirit Eye Spell (Perfect): 490/500, Cleansing Spell (Perfect): 350/500, Healing Spell (Beginner): 15/100, Breath Concealment Spell (Beginner): 78/100, Mountain Splitting Palm (Beginner): 1/100】
【Skills: 1st Stage Alchemist: Abstinence Powder (Master): 910/1000, All Wonders Pill (Master): 600/1000, Jade Marrow Pill: 20/100】
【Achievement Points: 13】
After a quick scan, Luo Chen had a clear understanding of his current state. There were no significant changes in his spells, except for the addition of the beginner-level Mountain Splitting Palm.
In terms of skills, the Jade Marrow Pill had been successfully refined, yielding 20 pills and adding 20 points to his proficiency.
These were all expected.
What Luo Chen was most concerned about was the realm progress bar!
He remembered clearly that before last night’s practice, the progress bar was at 【4/100】. That was the result of ten days of diligent practice, including daily consumption of Qi Nourishing Pills and running the Eternal Spring Art, after breaking through to the sixth level of Qi Refinement.
In that time, he had only progressed from 1 to 4.
But last night, he had increased his progress by a full point in just one night!
“Last night’s expenses: two Qi Nourishing Pills, one Calming Incense, and a portion of Essence Cultivation Spirit Liquid. Altogether, that’s about forty spirit stones.”
Upon calculating this, Luo Chen couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath. That amount of spirit stones would last any mid-stage cultivator a month. But for him, it was just one night!
Although the progress was astonishing, if he continued at this rate, he could advance to the seventh level of Qi Refinement in just three months.
Three months to break through an entire minor realm—what kind of cultivation genius was that?
But it was all thanks to the spirit stones!
“This won’t do. My body is consuming too many cultivation resources.”
“But I don’t know the specific benefits yet.”
“I need to find a way to verify this or compare myself with others.”
(End of Chapter)
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