Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

After returning to the shop, Li Yuan closed the door, temporarily removed the Blood Clotting Pill, and took out the animal hide to equip himself.

The moment the entry took effect, Li Yuan's perception changed.

Everything around me gained more depth.

The previous amplification of spiritual perception and aura memorization allowed him to sense the existence and characteristics of auras, but with the addition of hidden aura detection, the dimension of perception has increased by one layer.

He could distinguish which auras were neutral, which were wary, and which were hostile.

The settlement was densely packed with the auras of independent cultivators, most of which were neutral. In the distance, two auras carried a faint wariness, but it wasn't directed at him; rather, it seemed more like their alertness towards the surrounding environment.

The effect of reducing his presence was also in effect. Li Yuan tried adjusting the intensity; at maximum, his presence on a perceptual level was significantly reduced. Turning it off to minimum restored normal levels.

Li Yuan adjusted the intensity to a low-to-medium level, which would be sufficient for daily use.

The conditions for permanentization are the eyes of nine kinds of demonic beasts.

Li Yuan rummaged through the storage bag.

Among the materials left behind from the previous hunting of monsters were quite a few eyeballs.

The old rule of the demon-hunting team is to take the valuable parts first. Eyeballs are generally not worth much, but Li Yuan habitually kept some.

After searching through it, I found six kinds in the storage bag.

Three more are needed.

Li Yuan went out to the stall area.

The monster material stall has everything, but the eyeballs are the least valuable part, costing only one or two spirit stones a pair.

Li Yuan spent five spirit stones to buy the eyeballs of three different demonic beasts: the black-horned toad's, the stone-armored tortoise's, and the wind hedgehog's.

Back at the shop, I closed the door.

Nine different kinds of demonic beast eyeballs were placed on the table. Li Yuan put the first eyeball into his mouth.

[Permanentization Progress: 1/9]

The second one, the third one, the fourth one, the fifth one.

Swallow the last one.

[Permanentization Progress: 9/9]

[Permanentization successful]

[Hidden Insight (White) has become a permanent entry]

[Equipment consumed]

One slot in the equipment inventory is empty.

Just as Li Yuan was preparing to continue his cultivation, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

When I opened the door, it was Wang Lu.

This time, Wang Lu's expression was relatively normal, without the panicked look he had last time, but he wasn't exactly relaxed either.

"There's something I need to tell you," Wang Lu said as he entered the room, standing up without sitting down. "Master He Dan has arrived at the outer edge of the secret realm."

"Master He Dan?"

"Yes, it's that Foundation Establishment alchemist from Yunyang Market."

Wang Lu said.

"We don't know what he's doing here. Maybe he's gathering herbs, or maybe he has something else to do. But since he's here, the Wang family hopes you will continue to provide him with divine talismans."

"This time, we won't use the Wang family's funds."

Wang Lu said.

"Alchemist He will provide the materials himself, and he will also give you the payment directly. The Wang family will not interfere; you only need to maintain your relationship with Alchemist He."

Li Yuan thought for a moment and nodded.

The collaboration with Master He Dan has always been profitable, as the compensation he receives is never low. Moreover, with Li Yuan's current talisman-making skills, the success rate of refining divine talismans is even higher than before.

Where does he live?

"To the west of the settlement, near the entrance to the secret realm, there's a separate courtyard. Take this with you."

Wang Lu took out a small wooden plaque from his sleeve and handed it over. It had a simple rune engraved on it. "There's a restriction outside his courtyard. You can only enter if you have this."

Li Yuan took the wooden plaque and put it into his sleeve.

Wang Lu didn't stay long; he gave a few more instructions and then left.

That afternoon, Li Yuan went to the west side of the settlement.

Master He's courtyard is not hard to find. Two hundred steps west of the entrance to the secret realm, there is a secluded courtyard with a gray stone wall that is a bit higher than the wooden sheds and stone houses next to it.

There was a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from the top of the wall; it was a restriction that wasn't too strong, but was enough to block cultivators in the Qi Refining stage.

Li Yuan held the wooden sign up to the door. The spiritual energy fluctuations of the restriction paused slightly, and then a gap opened.

The courtyard gate was ajar; I pushed it open and went inside.

The courtyard was small, with a stone table and two stone stools in the middle, and several sealed wooden boxes piled in the corner. The door to the main house was open, and the aroma of herbs wafted out, rich and complex.

Master He Dan sat on a bamboo chair inside the main room, holding a white porcelain teacup in his hand, drinking tea.

He looked to be in his sixties, with gray hair but good spirits, and bright but small eyes.

Here, Master He Dan concealed the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to the extreme.

If Li Yuan hadn't known his identity, he would have been almost indistinguishable from an ordinary old man based solely on his perception.

When Master He saw Li Yuan enter, he didn't get up. Instead, he took something out of his sleeve and casually tossed it to Li Yuan.

Li Yuan reached out and caught it.

One pill.

It is about the size of a thumb, light blue in color, with a layer of extremely fine spiritual patterns flowing on the surface, and is in excellent condition.

Semi-transparent text emerged.

[Equipable item detected: Jade Breakthrough Pill (Complete)]

[Equipment Attribute Preview: Spiritual Power Enhancement (Green) - Increases spiritual power circulation speed by 20%, spiritual power recovery speed by 20%, and spiritual power enhancement speed by 20%]

[Preview of conditions for permanentization: Attempt to break through a major realm, or accumulate ten years of cultivation]

[Equipped?]

Green attribute. Each of the three spiritual power-related attributes receives a 20% increase, with a substantial effect.

The speed of spiritual energy circulation affects the efficiency of spell casting and cultivation, the speed of spiritual energy recovery affects the endurance after combat and cultivation, and the speed of spiritual energy enhancement is directly related to the speed of cultivation growth.

The speed of spiritual energy circulation affects the efficiency of spell casting and cultivation, the speed of spiritual energy recovery affects the endurance after combat and cultivation, and the speed of spiritual energy enhancement is directly related to the speed of cultivation growth.

Each of the three items accounts for 20%, which is not amazing on its own, but the effect is very substantial when put together.

There are two paths to permanent attainment. Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage counts as one attempt, regardless of success or failure. Alternatively, one can diligently cultivate for ten years, at which point the conditions will be automatically met.

The former depends on when to attempt the Foundation Establishment stage, while the latter takes too long; ten years is too costly.

Li Yuan carefully put away the pills and looked up at Alchemist He.

"It's not a particularly effective breakthrough pill, but I sense your aura is stable, so I reckon it will work."

Master He took a sip of tea. "Consider this an advance payment to you. It can help you break through to the late stage of Qi Refining."

"If you're lucky enough to break through and reach the late stage of Qi Refining, making talismans will be much easier."

He put down his teacup and pointed to the wooden box in the corner.

"The materials are in the box, for making talismans. This time we're making divine talismans, thirty-five in ten days."

Thirty-five talismans in ten days, averaging three and a half talismans a day. Given Li Yuan's current level of mastery in talisman making and his success rate in refining divine talismans, this quantity is not easy, but it's not impossible for him to meet the deadline.

"After this batch is finished, there will be three more batches, with a similar quantity to this one."

Master He's tone was calm, as if he were explaining a trivial matter that wasn't worth much explanation.

"Once all four batches are completed, the debt for the Breakthrough Pills will be cleared."

"Okay." Li Yuan nodded.

He walked to the corner and opened the wooden crate to check the materials.

The materials needed for refining divine talismans—talisman paper, spirit ink, spirit-guiding sand, and soul-stabilizing powder—are all available, and their quality is even half a grade better than what the Wang Family Talisman Hall provides.

The amount of materials provided was also generous; based on Li Yuan's current success rate, there would still be some left over after completing thirty-five sheets.

Li Yuan picked up the wooden box, nodded to Master He, and turned to leave the courtyard.