Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

When it was time for Han Qing to come to class, he didn't show up.

Li Yuan waited for half an hour before going out to the Ziyuan Trading Company.

Manager Han was flipping through the account books behind the counter when he saw Li Yuan enter, and his expression became somewhat unnatural.

"Senior Li..." He closed the ledger and rubbed his hands together.

"Where is Han Qing?"

Manager Han lowered his voice a little.

"I didn't let him go."

He glanced at Li Yuan, his tone somewhat troubled.

"Senior is now a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Han Qing is only at the third level of Qi Refining, and he can't even draw a fireball talisman properly. It's not appropriate for him to continue learning from you, Senior."

Li Yuan glanced at him.

The difference in status between Foundation Establishment cultivators and Qi Refining cultivators is a real chasm in the cultivation world. Manager Han used to be a peerless rogue cultivator with him, but now that he has reached Foundation Establishment, the other party's mentality is naturally different.

"It's alright. Let him continue," Li Yuan said. "Teach him the way you normally would; there's nothing wrong with it."

Manager Han was taken aback for a moment, then his expression relaxed.

"Well... thank you, senior, but I don't have time these next couple of days."

Li Yuan nodded, placed a batch of talismans on the counter, collected the spirit stones, and left the Ziyuan Trading Company.

When he returned to the courtyard, a cultivator from the Wang family came to visit and invited Li Yuan to visit the Wang family the next day.

The next morning, Li Yuan left the south gate of Yunyangfang Market and walked along the official road towards the Wang family.

The Wang family's residence was located about forty miles southwest of Yunyangfang City, in a fortified village built against a mountain.

Li Yuan used his Divine Speed ​​Steps to travel, and arrived in less than an hour.

The fortified village was larger than Li Yuan had anticipated.

A gray-white stone wall encloses a courtyard about a hundred feet in circumference, with cultivators patrolling back and forth on the top of the wall. Behind the fortress is a low spiritual mountain, with the entrances to several cave dwellings on its slopes.

At the gate of the fortified village, a man stood waiting.

It's not Wang De.

An elderly man in his sixties, with a gaunt face and upright posture, wore a dark gray robe with very faint dark patterns embroidered on it.

Foundation Establishment cultivator.

His spiritual pressure was calm and heavy, even deeper than Chen Yi's.

The Wang family patriarch.

As Li Yuan approached, the old man took two steps forward and bowed to him.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I have long admired you. I am Wang Ting'an, the head of the Wang family."

His attitude was extremely enthusiastic. Unlike Ji Huaiyuan's formality when they first met, Wang Ting'an's enthusiasm was more outgoing, with a smile on his face, as if he were welcoming an old friend he hadn't seen for many years.

"You're too kind, Senior Wang," Li Yuan returned the greeting.

Wang Ting'an stepped aside to make way for Li Yuan and led him into the fortified village.

The layout inside the fortress was much more refined than it appeared from the outside. The main hall was spacious and bright, with tables and chairs made of spirit wood and several paintings of spirit beasts hanging on the walls.

A long table was already set with food and wine.

These were no ordinary dishes. They included spirit beast meat, spirit fish, spirit rice, and several plates of sliced ​​spirit fruit.

There are many varieties of spiritual fruits, each with a different color, arranged in an exquisite white porcelain dish.

Wang Ting'an invited Li Yuan to take a seat, then sat opposite him, with Wang De standing beside him.

"Fellow Daoist has come from afar, please have some tea and refreshments first."

Wang Ting'an pushed a cup of spiritual tea in front of Li Yuan.

The two ate and chatted, mostly exchanging polite greetings—about the Wang family's recent situation, the changes in Yunyang Market, and the excitement of the Immortal Sect Conference.

Wang Ting'an is very good at speaking; he is neither overly enthusiastic nor awkward, and he has a perfect sense of rhythm.

Li Yuan listened and ate at the same time.

The spirit beast meat tasted good, and the spiritual energy concentration of the spirit rice was much higher than that of the rice bought in the market.

Upon tasting the spiritual fruit, Li Yuan picked up a small, dark red fruit and put it in his mouth. The flesh was sweet and melted in his mouth, and a warm spiritual energy spread from his stomach.

Then pick up the second one.

This one is light gold, a size larger than the dark red one, and has a layer of extremely fine fuzz on its surface.

The moment the finger touched the fruit peel, the panel popped up.

[Equipable item detected]

[Item Attribute Level: White]

[Note: Items not belonging to the user cannot be equipped, and detailed information cannot be viewed.]

White entries.

Li Yuan casually stuffed the spirit fruit into his storage bag, then picked up another one and took a bite.

After chatting for a while, Wang Ting'an got down to business.

"Fellow Daoist, the Wang family has a favor to ask."

He put down his teacup, and his tone became more formal.

"The Wang family has been cultivating the spirit fields for many years, and they have always used their own spirit water talismans to nurture them. However, the only talisman maker in the family who could draw spirit water talismans passed away last year, and the output of the spirit fields has decreased significantly over the past year."

"The Spirit Water Talisman is a second-tier talisman, and it is difficult to draw. Even a first-tier cultivator needs the assistance of an array to draw one or two."

He looked at Li Yuan.

"Fellow Daoist, have you already learned how to draw spirit water talismans? The Wang family would like to ask you to supply us with spirit water talismans; the price is negotiable."

"Okay." Li Yuan nodded.

"Once the success rate stabilizes a bit more, we can start supplying goods."

Wang Ting'an's smile deepened.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist. The Wang family will certainly not shortchange you on the price."

After chatting for a while, Li Yuan got up to say goodbye.

Wang Ting'an personally escorted them to the gate of the fortified village, bowing respectfully as he saw them off.

After walking a distance and confirming that no one was around, Li Yuan took out the pale golden spiritual fruit from his storage bag.

Wang Ting'an personally escorted them to the gate of the fortified village, bowing respectfully as he saw them off.

After walking a distance and confirming that no one was around, Li Yuan took out the pale golden spiritual fruit from his storage bag.

Fingertips touch the fruit peel.

[Equipable item detected: Spirit Golden Fruit (Complete)]

[Equipment Attribute Preview: Cultivation Acceleration (White) - The speed of spiritual energy circulation will increase during cultivation, and will increase over time, but will not exceed 50%]

[Preview of conditions for permanentization: Cultivation level reaches the late stage of Qi Refining, and one cultivation technique reaches mastery (0/2)]

[Current equipment slots are full (5/5). Replace current equipment?]

White text. Cultivation speed increased.

During cultivation, the speed of spiritual energy circulation increases rapidly, reaching a maximum of 50%.

Conditions for permanentization: Reaching the late stage of Qi Refining and achieving mastery of a cultivation technique.

Li Yuan's current cultivation level is at the Foundation Establishment stage, far exceeding the late stage of Qi Refining. His Spirit Guiding Technique is already perfected, far exceeding the Great Completion stage.

Both conditions are met.

With a thought, Li Yuan unloaded an item from his current equipment inventory.

Equip the Spirit Golden Fruit.

The conditions for permanent "Cultivation Acceleration (White)" have been met.

Is it permanent?

Yes.

[Permanentization successful]

[Accelerated Cultivation (White) has become a permanent entry]

[Equipment consumed]

The spiritual fruit transformed into a pale golden light in his palm and entered his body.

The change was immediately noticeable. The speed at which spiritual energy circulated through the meridians increased slightly. This effect would grow stronger over time, increasing to a maximum of 50%.

Another permanent attribute for accelerated cultivation has been added.

Li Yuan reorganized his equipment inventory and continued on his way.

When we arrived at the gate of Yunyangfang City, we could see a person standing inside the gate waiting in the distance.

Chen Yi.

The elders of the Yuanyang Sect, dressed in dark blue robes, stood under a stone pillar beside the city gate with their hands behind their backs.

Seeing Li Yuan enter the city, Chen Yi walked towards him.

"Fellow Daoist Li, may I speak with you in private?"

The two walked along the side street for a while, then turned into a quiet alley.

Chen Yi stopped and turned around.

There's something I need to tell you.

His tone was more serious than when he was in the council chamber last time.

You should know about the conflict between the Wang and Li families.

Li Yuan nodded.

"You are now a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and you just visited the Wang family."

Chen Yi looked at him.

"Normal interactions are fine, but there's one thing you absolutely cannot do: don't participate in the conflict between the Wang and Li families as a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

He pulled his hand out from behind his back and placed it in front of his chest.

"The conflict between the Wang and Li families is currently kept at the Qi Refining stage. Although their Foundation Establishment ancestors dislike each other, they haven't broken off relations. If a Foundation Establishment cultivator were to directly intervene in a Qi Refining stage battle, the nature of the conflict would change."

He paused for a moment.

"Once the conflict between Foundation Establishment cultivators escalates, the situation will be very difficult to manage."

Li Yuan did not refute. He had never intended to get involved in the affairs of the Wang and Li families.

"I will not participate."

Chen Yi nodded, his expression softening somewhat.

"Alright. If you need anything, you can ask the Yuan Yang Sect. The position of Protector isn't given for nothing; the sect will help if it can."

Li Yuan thought about it.

"Evil Stone".

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow slightly. "A cursed stone?"

"I need to use malevolent energy for my cultivation. Malevolent stones are the most convenient source of malevolent energy."

Chen Yi pondered for a moment.

"Yuanyang Sect doesn't have any Fiend Stones in stock. The demand for them is too small; no one would hoard them."

He thought for a moment, then continued.

"But there are some in the Ghost Mist Forest."

He glanced southwest.

"You've been to the mines in Ghost Mist Forest, haven't you? There's a vein of evil stone in those mines. What was previously open to independent cultivators was only one end of the vein, the shallow part."

He held up one finger.

"The vein splits into two ends. The shallower end has low-grade and small reserves of evil stones, mainly for lone cultivators in the Qi Refining stage to mine. The other end extends deep into the Ghost Mist Forest, with high-grade and large reserves, but the concentration of evil energy and the strength of the demonic beasts in the surrounding area are also much higher."

He lowered his fingers.

"The depths are too dangerous for Qi Refining stage cultivators, which is why they've never been opened. But you're a Foundation Establishment cultivator now, so the monsters deep inside are nothing to you."

He explained the terms.

"You can mine it yourself, or you can hire someone to dig it up. Thirty percent of the produce will go to the Yuanyang Sect, and the rest is yours."

"You can mine freely, but you can't disturb other cultivators. There are still quite a few rogue cultivators mining spirit iron ore on the shallower side, so don't get into conflicts with them."

Li Yuan nodded.

The conditions aren't too harsh. Paying 30% is a normal rule; Ghost Mist Forest is nominally under the jurisdiction of Yuan Yang Sect, so paying taxes on mining is only natural.

Chen Yi added another sentence.

"By the way, do you know the history of that place, Ghost Mist Forest?"

"have no idea."

Chen Yi rubbed his chin, as if considering how much to say.

"The Yuan Yang Sect doesn't have complete records of the specifics. But based on some remaining clues, we can infer that Ghost Mist Forest wasn't always like this. That area was originally the headquarters of a sect."

He paused for a moment.

"A sect with a Nascent Soul stage cultivator in charge; our secret realm also originated from this sect."

He glanced at Li Yuan.

"As for whether there are any other remnants deep in the Ghost Mist Forest, no one can say for sure."

Li Yuan kept this information in mind.

The ruins of a Nascent Soul stage sect. There may be other remnants deep within the Ghost Mist Forest.

Thank you.

Chen Yi waved his hand, turned around and walked down the alley.

Li Yuan stood in the alley for a while, thinking, and then went back to the courtyard.