Three years passed in the blink of an eye, and Wang Hao—now twenty-three—had grown even more handsome, his temperament refined and calm.
"Open the panel!"
🌿 Name: Wang Hao
📅 Age: 23
🔮 Cultivation: Qi Refinement – Level 6 (299/380)
📚 Technique: True Illusory Heart Scripture of Red Lotus and Wood – Level 2
💧 Mana: 298/298
🔬 Abilities:
Alchemy: First-Order, Superior Grade
Talisman Crafting: First-Order, Low Grade
Spells: Fireball (Master) Entangling Technique (Master) Wood Shield Technique (Master) Tethering Technique (Master) Light Body Technique (Master)
Divine Powers: None yet
In three years his strength had progressed steadily. Frequent spell practice refined his mana, smoothing his path to Sixth-Level Qi Refinement.
He'd mastered six spells, elevated his alchemy to First-Order Superior, and was now refining Yellow Dragon Pills. In talisman crafting he had just begun—able only to draw Evil-Expelling Talismans and Purification Talismans. To earn money, he would need to reach First-Order Medium and produce offensive and defensive talismans like Fireball Talismans!
As for his farm, he had developed sixteen plots—more than half—eight of which had been upgraded to red earth. If he devoted himself to planting spirit rice for stone exchange, he could harvest up to 7,200 jins per month—equivalent to 720 low-grade spirit stones. With Spirit Talisman Herb, that value doubled; planting second-order herbs in red earth would yield even more.
However, Green Bull Market lacked demand for such volume, and Wang Hao wished to stay under the radar. Thus, 80% of production went to farm upgrades, 1.5% to alchemy and talismans, and only 0.5% to stone exchanges—still netting him nearly 100 spirit stones monthly.
Part of this income maintained his Spirit Gathering Formation, part bought travel talismans, and the rest fed his spirit companion!
After two years of care, the mysterious egg had finally hatched—and to his surprise, out came a gold-eyed duck!
With limited knowledge, Wang Hao did not know the creature's origin or if it would evolve to second order. Even as a first-order spirit beast, a flying mount alone was worth over 120 spirit stones!
Qi Refiners cannot fly, but a spirit beast mount can carry its master and even save their life in perilous moments!
The golden duck, however, had a voracious appetite. Each morning it pecked at his bowl to wake him—and refused spirit rice, demanding demon-beast meat and spirit fruits instead.
Since meat was far more expensive than spirit rice—and the duck ate twenty jins every three or four days—Wang Hao spent nearly 40 spirit stones monthly just to feed it.
Still, he believed that one day the duck would evolve and become a powerful ally.
One day, after feeding the golden duck, Wang Hao heard the gate restriction lift. Opening the door, he found two young cultivators in Wang-clan attire—a tall, muscular young man with thick brows and a body-strengthening air, and a petite young woman with round features and bright, large eyes.
"How may I help you?" Wang Hao asked.
The young man hesitated, but the young woman smiled and said:
"Fifth Brother, we are cultivators of the Wang family. I am Wang Wenmei—ranked Ninth. You may call me Ninth Sister."
She gestured to the young man:
"This is Seventh Brother, Wang Wenzhi!"
Seeing Wenmei's introduction, Wenzhi inclined his head in greeting.
"Greetings, Fifth Brother."
Wang Hao frowned, puzzled. The original owner of this body had long been despised by the Wang clan, and since taking over, Wang Hao had only met Wang Yanfeng. Why would the family now send young kin to seek him out?
"'Fifth Brother' is the fifth in age in the Wen generation," Wenmei explained.
Wang Hao was not inclined to mistreat them—his grievances lay with the clan elders, not these youths. Still, he thought, "Just because you call me brother doesn't mean I consider myself part of this family."
"What do you want with me?" he asked coolly.
The two seemed to be following orders. Undeterred by his coldness, they continued:
"Second Uncle has become a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He will hold his Ceremony next month and asked us to invite you to attend!"
"Foundation Ceremony?" Wang Hao calculated quickly. Now at Sixth Level Qi Refinement, it was time to acquire the next levels of his Red Lotus and Wood Scripture—a chance to see Old Wang again. But he needed clarity.
"Did this invitation come directly from Old Wang?"
"Old Wang?" they exchanged glances.
"Wang Yanzhao," Wang Hao clarified.
Surprised, the youths responded in unison:
"Yes, Second Uncle asked us to invite you. In ten days, the market garrison cultivators will return to the mountains for their shift change. Fifth Brother may accompany them."
"Will Eighth Uncle go to the mountains as well?"
"Yes. Eighth Uncle has always been on good terms with Second Uncle, so he'll return to congratulate him."
"Understood. I'll meet Eighth Uncle at the pill shop in ten days. My home is a bit messy, so I won't receive you properly. Farewell."
Wang Hao closed the door without ceremony.
Outside, the two young cultivators exchanged looks.
"That Fifth Brother is truly extraordinary," Wenmei commented with an apologetic smile.
"Hmph, we were so polite, and he…" Wenzhi grumbled.
"Seventh Brother, watch your words. Second Uncle is now a Foundation cultivator and cares deeply for this Fifth Brother!"
Wenzhi pouted but fell silent.
"Besides," Wenmei sighed, "if you'd been abandoned by your family and lived alone in the market for over twenty years, wouldn't you harbor some resentment?"
"Yes… I heard he has Five Spiritual Roots, yet he's reached Sixth Level Qi Refinement. He must train relentlessly every day."
The two felt both embarrassed and admiring—ashamed of their own lax cultivation despite far better conditions.