thefictionvixens Chapter 214 Refusing to Get Freebies
Chapter 214 Refusing to Get Freebies
Chapter 214 Refusing to Get Freebies
Life gradually returned to normal.
During his daily cultivation, Chen Yi would set aside time to absorb even a fraction of the Xuan Tian Qi.
As he absorbed more energy, his perception of the天地之气 (heaven and earth energy) became increasingly acute, and the information he could capture became more diverse.
From initially only being able to sense the vague aura of major events, to now being able to discern the subtle changes in the flow of spiritual veins, and even faintly perceiving the fluctuations of magical power emitted by cultivators in the distance during their practice.
What surprised him even more was that, in the cave halfway up Star Peak, every night he could sense a faint starlight descending from the sky and slowly merging into the mountain.
This star peak seems to possess a unique magnetic field, naturally attracting the power of stars and significantly enhancing the efficiency of cultivating the "Star Technique".
However, whether one can effectively absorb this stellar power depends entirely on the cultivator's talent and comprehension; not everyone can benefit from it.
Currently, there is no Nascent Soul cultivator stationed at Xingfeng, and the only Golden Core peak cultivator, Ping Xingye, has gone to the Qi Kingdom to carry out a mission.
This state of "no high-level cultivators vying for resources" actually benefited Chen Yi, allowing him to absorb the power of the stars to aid his cultivation without interference.
Months ago, after discovering the advantages of Hu Mingyue's "Moon Manual," Chen Yi proactively went to the sect to apply for a copy of the "Star Manual."
However, according to the sect's rules, he can only receive the first three levels of content at present, which is just enough to cultivate to the Core Formation stage.
His primary cultivation method has always been the "Taiyi Longevity True Record," which he would not easily change. His study of the "Star Manual" was more for the purpose of learning from its techniques and supernatural powers.
After in-depth study, Chen Yi discovered that the value of the "Star Manual" far exceeded his expectations.
In particular, once the cultivation technique reaches the third level, a divine escape technique called "Star Escape" will be unlocked, whose speed and agility are in no way inferior to the Wind and Thunder Escape he currently possesses.
In addition, the attack techniques in "Star Technique", such as "Meteor Arrow Rain", are extremely powerful, no less than the sword moves of pure metal sword cultivators. These can enrich his combat methods.
"If we can combine Star Escape with Wind and Thunder Escape to evolve a brand new 'Star and Thunder Escape,' we might be able to master a fourth-tier escape technique while still in the Core Formation stage."
This was Chen Yi's initial motivation for cultivating the "Star Technique".
He never imagined that after cultivating the Star Technique to a certain level, he would seek out a fairy who cultivated the Moon Technique to become her Daoist partner.
By leveraging the power of the star and moon origins from dual cultivation to accelerate his own advancement, he believed that relying on his own strength to steadily improve was far more reliable than depending on external forces.
However, Chen Yi was also clear about the true advantages of the Star Moon Technique as a dual cultivation method. In addition to the fact that the "Star Moon Fusion" could unleash power beyond one's level during battle, its special dual cultivation method was extremely helpful for cultivators to break through levels.
For example, if a cultivator practicing the "Star Technique" were to engage in dual cultivation with a female cultivator practicing the "Moon Technique" before attempting to break through to the Core Formation stage...
The star and moon power accumulated by the other party is stored in the body and will be released when the core is formed. The effect of this star and moon power is comparable to a top-grade core-forming spiritual object. It can not only increase the probability of core formation by more than 10%, but also enhance the quality of the core power, making the formed golden core more refined.
Of course, this transmission of star and moon power requires absolute commitment from the other party. Cultivators who practice the "Moon Technique" need to suspend their own cultivation progress and focus on accumulating moon power. It can take anywhere from ten to several decades to accumulate enough power to assist in breaking through to a higher level.
In other words, only those key figures who have not engaged in dual cultivation with others for more than ten years can provide such powerful star and moon energy.
Only now did Chen Yi truly understand what Venerable Xinghe meant when he said "the greatest benefit of the Star Moon Sect."
It doesn't simply refer to the exquisite technique, but rather to this dual cultivation method that can assist in breaking through cultivation levels.
For cultivators eager to break through their cultivation level, this is undoubtedly an extremely attractive opportunity.
The Star Moon Technique, while nourishing a cultivator's foundation, also subtly enhances their appearance and temperament.
As a result, throughout the entire Star Moon Sect, all the cultivators are handsome men and beautiful women.
Especially on Moon Peak, the number of female cultivators practicing the "Moon Technique" is significantly greater than that of male cultivators on Star Peak;
Furthermore, the sect highly encourages dual cultivation between men and women, and the practice of dual cultivation is prevalent. The atmosphere is also more open than that of other sects. It is extremely common for cultivators to become Daoist partners and cultivate together if they are compatible.
In the past few months, apart from two mid-stage Core Formation elders, no other high-level cultivators at Star Peak have practiced the "Star Technique," which has given Chen Yi a unique advantage in terms of resources.
With his rudimentary ability to "perceive the heavens and earth," he could accurately capture the moments when stellar energy was at its peak, further enhanced by the system's absorption capabilities.
The amount of stellar power he absorbs daily has reached the level of a top-tier sect genius, even surpassing what Ping Xingye did at the same level back then.
Such efficient absorption allowed his Star Technique cultivation to improve at a visible speed, and he quickly broke through to the second level. The star power accumulated in his body also became increasingly abundant.
However, at present, this star power can only support the casting of second-tier spells or be used for dual cultivation transmission.
Chen Yi already had a plan: he intended to formally begin cultivating the "Star Escape" only after the "Star Technique" had advanced to the third level.
As for other offensive spells, he didn't intend to spend too much time studying them in depth. For him, improving his escape techniques was far more important than having another means of attack.
Besides the "Star Manual," Chen Yi also never stopped refining his lightning-based martial arts techniques.
He devoured and absorbed the Thunder Armor Beast's core bit by bit, and as the core's power merged into his body,
Both the natal thunder talisman and the thunder whip talisman on the golden core have acquired more patterns unique to the ancient thunder spirit.
The overall power of lightning-based techniques has increased to a higher level, and it is also closer to the origin of the ancient lightning spirit path.
He also absorbed most of the spiritual energy within the Thunder Armor Beast's crystal armor.
The lightning crystal armor he has now condensed within his body is of significantly higher quality than the lightning crystal armor he condensed only on his arm back at Lightning Peak, which was used to probe for lightning pools.
It uses fewer lightning crystals, but their arrangement is more sophisticated, resulting in a significant improvement in defensive effectiveness.
Chen Yi had specifically tested this; if all the lightning crystals were concentrated in vital areas such as the chest, abdomen, and back,
It can temporarily conjure a set of lightning crystal armor with a defensive strength reaching the late stage of the third tier.
This level of defensive capability is almost comparable to a mid-grade defensive magic weapon!
With the support of a mid-grade third-tier spiritual vein, Chen Yi no longer needed to be as frugal as before when cultivating the "Taiyi Longevity True Record".
His three-patterned Purple Extreme Golden Core was operating at full power, and the amount of mana he absorbed and exhaled each day was even more than that of an ordinary mid-stage Core Formation cultivator.
To ensure his own cultivation, he even forbade his two spirit pets from absorbing spiritual energy from the spiritual veins during his cultivation time. Even so, the small spiritual veins in the cave were still somewhat overburdened and could barely support his cultivation needs.
Fortunately, this small cave dwelling was separated from the third-grade mid-level spiritual vein cave dwelling where Ping Xingye lived when he was in the mid-stage of Core Formation, and the internal spiritual vein is connected to the main vein.
Whenever the spiritual energy of the cave's spiritual veins is insufficient, the main vein will automatically transfer some spiritual energy to replenish the consumed energy.
Ping Xingye's former third-grade mid-level spiritual vein cave has not been inhabited by any Core Formation cultivator for decades. It is now mostly inhabited by his family members, disciples, and subordinates.
Ping Xingye is currently on a mission in Qi and has not yet returned. Even if these people notice something unusual about the spiritual veins and spiritual energy, they cannot say too much and can only acquiesce to Chen Yi's use of them.
These exceptionally favorable conditions allowed Chen Yi's cultivation progress to be rapid. Both his cultivation techniques and combat abilities were steadily improving, and he was getting closer and closer to reaching the peak of the early Golden Core stage and touching the threshold of the middle Golden Core stage.
As for the cultivation of Chen Yi's two spirit pets, although they did not fall behind because Chen Yi needed to prioritize the use of spiritual energy from the spiritual veins during his cultivation, they did not fall behind.
Chen Yi specially prepared high-quality Tier 3 Beast Pills for them, using raw materials from his past reserves as well as rare materials purchased in Moon Lake Immortal City.
These beast pills are extremely effective, greatly improving the cultivation efficiency of spirit pets. However, they are consumed at a rapid rate, and at the current rate of use, the stock will be depleted in at most three years.
Chen Yi already had a plan for this: three years later, he would send the Crimson Soul Sparrow and the Treasure-Seeking Rat out to train and find and prepare the materials needed for the Beast Pills on their own, which would not only improve their survival skills but also reduce his own resource pressure.
Over the past few months, Chen Yi's puppet and beast pill manufacturing business has gradually opened up. Although it is not large in scale, it has allowed him to make a name for himself within the sect.
The second-tier superior-grade puppets he undertook, though not top-level, were highly practical due to their comprehensive functions and excellent craftsmanship. They could serve as pathfinders during explorations and provide support in both offense and defense during combat.
Not only do many Core Formation cultivators have a demand for these puppets, but Foundation Establishment cultivators within sects also regard them as important defensive items, resulting in a strong demand.
The only problem was Chen Yi's price. In addition to the basic raw materials needed to make the puppets, he also demanded that the materials for third-tier or near-third-tier puppets be used as the labor fee.
However, the materials for third-tier puppets are scarce and expensive, which has deterred many cultivators who need them. As a result, in the past few months, fewer than five people have come to Chen Yi to purchase puppets.
The business of selling beast pills is not progressing quickly; so far, Chen Yi has only sold one bottle of third-tier beast pills.
Fortunately, the beast pills he made were far more effective than ordinary pet food. They could quickly improve a pet's cultivation level after consumption, and had no side effects. The feedback after selling one was excellent.
Although the Star Moon Sect does not take beast taming as its core tradition, there are quite a few cultivators who own spirit pets. As its reputation spreads, the demand will surely increase.
Seven months after arriving at the Star Moon Sect, Chen Yi received a message from Yue Qingqiu, inviting him to the Sect Master's Council Hall for a chat.
He arrived at the sect leader's council hall on time. Inside, Master Xinghe was already seated in the main seat, while Yue Qingqiu stood to the side.
At this moment, Yue Qingqiu was wearing a moon-white sect robe, with delicate silver star patterns embroidered on the hem, which swayed slightly with her movements;
Her long hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin, revealing her smooth forehead and slender neck;
Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows as beautiful as distant mountains, and her clear eyes held a faint moonlight that was both aloof and dignified. Her overall demeanor was like a plum blossom under the moon, elegant yet proud.
Upon seeing Chen Yi arrive, both men stood up to acknowledge him.
"Master Chen, I didn't expect you to be a second-tier high-grade puppeteer. Why didn't you mention it before?"
Master Xinghe spoke first, a gentle smile on his face, but his tone betrayed a hint of surprise—clearly,
The high-grade second-tier puppets that Chen Yi made have received positive feedback within the sect, and even the sect leader has heard about it.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yi waved his hand gently, his tone humble:
"It's just a second-tier skill, not worthy of being called high art. It was just something I did casually in my spare time during my cultivation, and it's not worth mentioning."
Xinghe Shangren and Yue Qingqiu exchanged a glance, both lost in thought:
It's unclear whether Chen Yi was genuinely modest or deliberately hiding his true abilities.
It's important to understand that puppet-making is an extremely niche skill in the cultivation world, far more difficult to master than the conventional arts of alchemy, talisman making, artifact crafting, and array formation. Its value is even higher than Chen Yi's third-tier spiritual cooking skills.
The status of a second-tier superior puppeteer within the sect is not much lower than that of an ordinary third-tier spirit chef; it is by no means a trivial matter.
After a brief silence, Master Xinghe changed the subject and got to the point:
"Master Chen, to be honest, the second-tier superior puppet you provided is indeed of very high quality and has complete functions, which is very much in line with the needs of the sect disciples."
However, recently some disciples have reported that when you craft puppets, in addition to charging for basic materials and compensating for losses, you also require quasi-third-tier or third-tier puppet materials as a labor fee.
He paused, his tone tinged with a hint of probing.
"The materials for these third-tier puppets are relatively rare and expensive. I wonder if we could discuss exchanging this labor fee for something of equal value?"
For example, the sect has a fairly sufficient reserve of third-tier pills.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yi slowly shook his head, his tone gentle yet his attitude clear:
"To be honest, Sect Master, I am currently trying to break through to the third-tier puppeteer level. In the subsequent refining process, I urgently need third-tier puppet materials as support, which is why the labor fee specifies such materials."
Moreover, the creation of the puppet was not written into the original contract; it was a task that Chen undertook privately. The sect disciples could choose whether or not to have it made by me, and it was not a mandatory requirement.
Therefore, the form of the labor fee is indeed not negotiable, and we hope the owner will understand.
Xinghe Shangren sensed the firmness in Chen Yi's words and knew there was no turning back. He could only sigh and nod in understanding.
When cultivators attempt to master higher-level skills, their need for specific resources is often extremely urgent, and forceful intervention is more likely to cause resentment.
Yue Qingqiu, standing to the side, suddenly let out a soft "Eh," her gaze falling on Chen Yi, and asked with a hint of curiosity:
"You're aiming to become a third-tier puppeteer? With your current skill level, how confident are you?"
These words also roused Xinghe Shangren's spirits.
The value of a third-tier puppeteer far surpasses that of a second-tier puppeteer. In the cultivation world, a cultivator capable of consistently producing third-tier puppets holds a status even higher than that of an ordinary third-tier spirit chef.
If Chen Yi succeeds, it will undoubtedly be a great help to the Star Moon Sect, which is much more important than worrying about the form of the labor fee.
Chen Yi carefully considered his answer, his tone somewhat conservative:
"If the materials are sufficient, I am confident that I can refine a near-third-tier puppet within five years."
As for truly advancing to a third-tier puppeteer, I already have a foundation in culinary arts, and some experience in formations and weapon crafting. Assuming a stable supply of materials for third-tier puppets...
There might be an opportunity to make a breakthrough in the next ten to twenty years.
Chen Yi had deliberately kept his words to himself.
In fact, thanks to his superhuman spiritual strength, his meticulous control over energy, and his accumulated experience in formations and weapon crafting,
Chen Yi was already able to process the core components of a third-tier puppet, and theoretically had the ability to make a third-tier puppet, but he had not been able to gather enough third-tier materials.
As for the near-third-tier puppet, he currently has a mechanical rat-shaped puppet that has already been crafted in his storage bag, but he is unwilling to reveal his strength too early.
"good!"
Upon hearing this, Venerable Xinghe immediately made a decision, his tone filled with excitement.
"If Elder Chen can consistently produce near-third-tier puppets, or even successfully advance to a third-tier puppeteer in the future, then the sect will find a way to coordinate the necessary materials for you!"
"As long as you can cultivate talent in puppet making for the sect, or provide sufficient puppet support, the sect will never treat you unfairly."
Afterwards, Venerable Xinghe exchanged a few more pleasantries, inquiring whether Chen Yi was settling into life at the sect, whether he was experiencing any difficulties in his cultivation, and how his progress with the "Star Technique" was.
They even jokingly asked him if he had any female cultivators he liked, and if he was willing to find a Daoist partner or concubine within the sect.
Chen Yi responded to each question, saying that everything was fine, but he politely declined to discuss matters between men and women, saying that he only wanted to focus on his cultivation at the moment and would not consider such worldly affairs.
Upon seeing this, Master Xinghe couldn't help but chuckle, his words carrying a hint of knowing humor:
"Xiao Chen, it seems you haven't mastered the Star Technique yet and haven't experienced the benefits of dual cultivation. Perhaps you'll change your mind when you reach a higher level in the future."
"Alright, there's no rush. Let's talk about it later."
After the meeting, Chen Yi returned to his cave dwelling and continued to focus on cultivation and puppet research.
In the blink of an eye, almost two years have passed.
On this day, Hu Mingyue's voice came from outside the cave: "Uncle Chen, the sect's True Person Yuqiong has come to visit, and she has brought a female disciple with her. They are waiting in the outer hall at the moment."
Chen Yi's cave dwelling has now taken on a clear layout. The outer area is within the second-tier spiritual vein range and serves as the living and cultivation place for Hu Mingyue, two Foundation Establishment apprentices, and more than ten Qi Refining servants.
Over the past few months, although Chen Yi hasn't explicitly stated it, he has entrusted Hu Mingyue with the notification and arrangement of all matters, large and small, concerning the cave dwelling.
This inadvertently placed her in the position of "chief steward," but since her cultivation level was still low, only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, Chen Yi did not give her a clear title for the time being, so as not to cause dissatisfaction among other cultivators.
The inner area is Chen Yi's core cultivation place, occupying the core area of a third-grade mid-level spiritual vein. Even the caves and nests of the Crimson Soul Sparrow and the Treasure-Seeking Rat have been transformed here by him.
To ensure safety, he also set up a third-order illusion array inside the area, with special restrictions hidden within the array.
If a cultivator forcibly breaks through with their divine sense, the formation will automatically shatter, leaving obvious traces.
This design serves both to block the prying eyes of Core Formation cultivators and to give a warning to Nascent Soul cultivators:
Although a Nascent Soul cultivator could force a breakthrough, it would inevitably damage the formation. Unless the two sides had completely fallen out, even a Nascent Soul ancestor of a sect would not rashly do such a disrespectful thing.
Chen Yi straightened his robes, got up, and walked towards the outer hall.
In the main hall of the outer area, he met the visitor:
Yuqiong Zhenren sat upright on a cushion next to the guest seat, while her third-tier spirit pet, the white-winged pegasus, stood obediently outside the hall, its silvery-white wings gleaming with a faint spiritual light.
Standing beside him was a female disciple in the late Foundation Establishment stage, whose appearance and figure were both excellent. She was dressed in an exquisite light pink disciple robe, and two jade hairpins were inserted in her hair bun, indicating that she had dressed up carefully.
More than four months ago, Master Yuqiong purchased a bottle of Tier 3 Beast Pills from Chen Yi through her disciple.
At this moment, Chen Yi's gaze swept over the white-winged pegasus outside the hall. He saw that it was full of energy, its demonic power was strong, and its blood and qi were abundant. It was obviously the effect of long-term consumption of high-quality beast pills.
It's likely that Master Yuqiong only came to visit in person because she had tasted the benefits.
"Master Yuqiong is a guest from afar, please have a seat."
"Mingyue, go and pour a cup of spiritual tea for the True Immortal and this Senior Sister." Chen Yi smiled and raised his hand, his tone gentle, leading the two to the guest seats.
Yuqiong Zhenren gracefully took her seat. She appeared to be in her early thirties. Although not a young girl, she wore a magnificent robe embroidered with cloud patterns, exuding the dignified air of a mature woman.
He laughed and said, "I'm sorry to have disturbed Master Chen's cultivation today."
During the pleasantries, Master Yuqiong first praised Hu Mingyue for her beautiful appearance and steady demeanor, and then emphasized the excellent effects of the beast pills refined by Chen Yi, noting that her own White-Winged Pegasus had made significant progress in cultivation after consuming them.
After that preamble, she finally got to the point and explained the purpose of her visit:
She wanted to commission Chen Yi to make a second-tier high-grade puppet, and also buy three bottles of third-tier ordinary beast pills. As she spoke, she took out a blue cloth bag from her storage bag and handed it to Chen Yi.
Chen Yi took the cloth bag, scanned it with his divine sense, and then slowly shook his head, his tone calm but tinged with doubt:
"Fellow Daoist Yuqiong, this storage bag only contains the basic materials needed to refine puppets and beast pills. It seems that the labor cost requested by me when I issued the mission is not included?"
Upon hearing this, Jade Qiong Zhenren revealed a meaningful smile. She first glanced at Hu Mingyue, who stood behind Chen Yi like a maid, before slowly speaking:
"I observe that the maidservant beside Master Chen has a pure and innocent aura, seemingly a virgin. Perhaps she hasn't yet grasped the essence of the 'Moon Mantra' and hasn't experienced its wonders?"
She turned to the side and pointed to the female disciple beside her.
"This is my disciple, Su Wan. She's fairly good-looking."
More importantly, she has cultivated the Moon Technique to the peak of the second level, and is especially skilled at assisting male cultivators in cultivating the Star Technique.
and……"
Yuqiong Zhenren paused deliberately, her tone carrying a hint of ambiguity:
"She has devoted herself to spiritual practice for the past decade and has not had much close contact with men."
"I have accumulated a considerable amount of pure Moon Spirit Essence, which will greatly benefit my breakthrough in cultivation."
After saying that, she gave a knowing look, her eyes full of implications.
Su Wan, standing beside her, blushed at the opportune moment, lowered her head, and looked embarrassed, her fingertips gently twisting the hem of her clothes, as if she were extremely shy.
But then she secretly raised her eyes, her peach blossom eyes filled with a hint of probing and expectation, secretly sizing up Chen Yi, displaying her charming demeanor.
Chen Yi didn't even activate his "Perceive Heaven and Earth" ability to verify whether Su Wan was truly as Yu Qiong Zhenren had said, "not having touched a man in the past ten years"—he didn't care about such things anyway.
In his eyes, Master Yuqiong's intentions were all too clear: he wanted to use "dual cultivation assistance" to replace the labor fee, which was essentially his way of getting his high-level beast pills and puppets for free.
Over the past two years, Chen Yi has cultivated his Star Technique to the peak of the second level, so his need for the Moon Spirit Essence of the Foundation Establishment stage is not great, and the effects of dual cultivation with younger female disciples are not as good.
Besides, he didn't intend to rely on the Star Technique to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
Having figured out the other party's intentions, Chen Yi's gentle expression faded, replaced by a serious one, revealing clear displeasure. He replied firmly:
"I apologize, but when I joined the Star Moon Sect, I only wanted to focus on my cultivation and improve my level. I had no interest in dual cultivation."
If Master Yuqiong truly wishes to commission a puppet or purchase beast pills, please provide sufficient third-tier mid-grade demon beast essence materials as a labor fee, as previously agreed.
If the material requirements cannot be met, this deal is unlikely to be completed.
(End of this chapter)