"When Er Niu returns, I need to repay these spirit crystals immediately. Carrying a debt always makes me uneasy."
Before heading home, Lin Chang'an first went to look for Er Niu, only to find he wasn't in. Left with no choice, he turned back and went home. On the way, he bought ten catties of demonic beast meat.
Despite it being the middle of the night, Lin Chang'an was wide awake, excitedly fiddling with his new storage pouch.
Watching his Green Bamboo Sword repeatedly appear and disappear from the pouch, the smile on Lin Chang'an's face never faded.
"A storage pouch… I can't believe I finally own one of these treasures."
It wasn't that he couldn't afford one before—it was simply too extravagant and unnecessary. But times had changed.
Looking at the talismans spread across the table, Lin Chang'an glanced at the darkened sky outside. His expression turned serious.
"With my current cultivation level, selling premium talismans at the market still carries risks. It's safer to raise my cultivation first. After all, I have some status now."
He was no longer the nameless rogue cultivator who had to risk his life hunting demonic beasts for a single spirit crystal.
Isn't life just a journey of continuous growth?
That night, Lin Chang'an slept soundly for the first time in a while, clutching his storage pouch like a precious treasure.
A few days later...
Golden Light Talismans were pasted all over his door and windows.
Lin Chang'an sat cross-legged in the center of the room, hands forming seals, his five hearts facing the heavens.
Under the operation of the wood-attribute cultivation technique Everlasting Spring Arts, his breath aligned with the very rhythm of nature. At last, he reached a critical point.
Boom!
Like silent thunder, a barrier shattered within him.
A rush of power surged through every bone and muscle. His entire body felt rejuvenated, brimming with strength.
At the same time, spiritual energy within his body roared like a torrent. Lin Chang'an stabilized his thoughts and circulated Everlasting Spring Arts until, after several cycles, his energy gradually settled.
After a long while—
He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and opened his eyes.
"Twenty years cultivating... now at the age of forty, I've finally reached mid-stage Qi Refining!"
The fourth layer of Qi Refining—the threshold to the mid-stage—he had finally crossed it.
His emotions were mixed, his expression filled with the bitterness of long struggle and the joy of achievement.
But as he felt the profound transformation within his body, he took a deep breath.
"So this is the mid-stage of Qi Refining. No wonder people say reaching the fourth layer is the true first step on the path of immortality."
His five senses had sharpened manyfold. A new clarity had settled in his mind. Long-faded memories from his previous life were now startlingly vivid.
"Enhanced senses, refined body and mind... so this is the real difference between cultivators and mortals!"
His spiritual energy had become denser—after the breakthrough, it had nearly doubled.
[Name: Lin Chang'an]
[Lifespan: 40/98]
[Realm: Qi Refining 4 (0/100)]
[Cultivation Technique: Everlasting Spring Arts (Proficiency: 8/1000)]
The status panel also reflected the change.
The breakthrough in cultivation was expected. His lifespan increasing by ten years was understandable too—his Everlasting Spring Arts had always had rejuvenating and longevity-enhancing properties.
What surprised him most was that his cultivation technique's proficiency had also increased.
"Breaking through to the fourth layer gave me a deeper understanding of Everlasting Spring Arts. Since I experienced it firsthand, the insight it brought significantly increased my mastery."
After pondering for a moment, Lin Chang'an realized the reason.
The technique's proficiency reflected his understanding and comprehension of it—in short, his perception.
"The speed of cultivation isn't just limited by spirit roots. Comprehension matters too. The deeper my understanding of the technique, the more I can make up for my spiritual root deficiencies."
Confidence lit up his eyes.
After reaching the fourth layer, Lin Chang'an felt much more secure. He even treated himself to some spiritual fruits he'd normally never splurge on.
A breakthrough like this deserved a celebration.
Afterward, he settled back into a steady routine of drawing talismans, cultivating, and occasionally studying his technique in depth.
Days passed peacefully. Half a month later, Er Niu finally returned.
"Brother Lin!"
"Er Niu, you're finally back."
Grinning from ear to ear, Er Niu entered carrying two jugs of spirit wine.
Upon stepping inside, he instinctively noticed the stew of demonic beast meat on the stove and a few rare spiritual fruits on the table.
His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but with two decades of cultivation experience, he was no longer the naïve farm boy he once was.
"Brother Lin... you broke through!"
Turning to Lin Chang'an, he noticed the vague yet profound aura around him—definitely not the same easily readable third-layer aura he used to sense.
"I bought a Golden Marrow Pill from Zhenbao Pavilion recently. I was lucky enough to break through," Lin Chang'an said with a modest smile, though he couldn't hide the pride tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Er Niu was overjoyed, clapping him heartily on the shoulder.
"That's amazing, Brother Lin! Now we can settle down and cultivate in this market together."
Despite the years, Er Niu remained the same sincere and loyal friend.
He placed the wine on the table, beaming with excitement.
"Today these two jugs of spirit wine are just in time to celebrate your breakthrough!"
It was rare in the cultivation world to find a friend who truly understood you. The two of them deftly set the meat and fruit on the table and sat down to drink.
Lin Chang'an took the chance to repay the spirit crystals he'd borrowed.
Without a word, they raised their cups and drank the first round in one go before beginning to eat.
"Brother Lin, first your talisman skills advanced, and now your cultivation too. It really proves how Everlasting Spring Arts rewards patient accumulation. Your future on the path of cultivation looks very promising!"
Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile. He wasn't going to pretend humility—this was something worth being proud of.
For late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, perhaps it was insignificant. But for rogue cultivators like them, who had clawed their way up from the bottom, every step forward was hard-won and worth celebrating.
After a few rounds, a flushed Er Niu opened up.
"If you ask me, Brother Lin—with your ability to make premium Golden Light Talismans, you already have the skill of crafting mid-grade Tier 1 talismans. Now that your cultivation's improved, you should seriously consider it."
"I understand," Lin Chang'an said, his tone solemn.
His premium Golden Light Talismans were technically still low-grade Tier 1. Even though they were close to mid-grade, there was still a clear gap—especially in value.
In the cultivation world, the widely circulated talismans were all low-grade Tier 1. Anything above that was monopolized by sects or cultivation clans.
Would valuable techniques like those be freely available to outsiders?
Er Niu may have looked simple, but he was anything but dull—he hid great wisdom behind a humble face.
They exchanged a look and smiled knowingly.
Nothing more needed to be said.
Lin Chang'an understood: if he wanted to learn the art of crafting mid-grade Tier 1 talismans, it would come at a price.
At his age, joining a sect was unrealistic. At best, he could serve as a talisman master within a sect's affiliated businesses.
The other option was to align himself with a cultivation clan.