Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

Chapter 489 Garrison

It was already late at night when we returned to Wulinfang City.

The market was sparsely lit, and the patrolling cultivators walked back and forth on the street. When they saw Li Yuan's escape light land, they respectfully bowed.

Li Yuan went directly to the main hall.

Xu Zhang was still awake, sitting in the side hall flipping through a stack of documents. Seeing Li Yuan enter, he immediately stood up.

"The shopkeeper is back. I've already received news about the Mingyuan Chamber of Commerce."

Li Yuan sat down in the main seat: "Did the president tell you?"

"Yes, it's a message." Xu Zhang closed the document in his hand.

"I've reviewed the framework for cooperation; the terms are much better than in the early stages of Misty Forest Market. However, there's one thing the guild leader hasn't mentioned: where should the branch market be located?"

"It's not decided yet."

Xu Zhang nodded and did not ask any further questions.

Li Yuan thought for a moment. Choosing a location required on-site investigation of the terrain, population flow, distribution of spiritual veins, and the situation of surrounding forces in various parts of Liangzhou, and there were indeed many things to consider. He still had a lot of things to do, so there was no need to spend too much energy on choosing a location.

"I'll leave the site selection to you," Li Yuan said.

Xu Zhang agreed: "I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

After a brief chat about the recent business situation of the market, Xu Zhang took his leave.

Li Yuan returned to the secluded cultivation room and closed the stone door.

In the days that followed, Li Yuan devoted all his energy to cultivation.

Since I first learned the Burning Wood Everlasting Spring Technique, it has been hanging in my equipment slot, and the blue attribute of the Life-Giving Flame has been continuously providing a spiritual power recovery bonus through the fire-wood mutual generation cycle.

Li Yuan sat down cross-legged and began to fully circulate the Burning Wood Everlasting Spring Technique.

Fire and wood elemental energies circulate in parallel within the meridians, alternating and advancing along the routes indicated by the cultivation technique. Each time a major cycle is completed, the two energies converge in the dantian, forming a brief cycle of mutual generation.

The circulation in the initial stage is not yet stable, and there is often a slight repulsion at the point where the fire and wood spiritual energies meet in the dantian. However, as the number of cycles increases, the repulsion gradually weakens. The flow path of spiritual energy is polished smoother and smoother with each repetition, and the connection at the meeting point becomes tighter and tighter.

The combined effect of the learning speed bonus from "Ten Thousand Methods Practice" and the green attribute for skill advancement significantly increases the speed at which proficiency is accumulated.

Seven days later.

The fire and wood cycle in the dantian completed a qualitative leap. The two spiritual energies no longer repelled each other at the point of convergence, but naturally merged, diverged, and merged again, like two streams flowing into the same river mouth and then separating to go in different directions.

The frequency of the cycle stabilized, and Li Yuan no longer needed to guide it deliberately.

[The Everlasting Spring Incantation of Burning Wood: Proficient]

The efficiency of spiritual energy recovery has increased again. The "Flame of Life" attribute itself provides a 50% bonus to spiritual energy recovery. After the skill proficiency improved from beginner to expert, the efficiency of the cycle increased further. Three more days passed.

Footsteps sounded outside the main hall.

Ji Wenyuan's voice came from outside the door: "Master, Zhou Mingyuan, the sect leader of Yuanyang Sect, has come to visit."

Li Yuan slowly finished his practice and pushed open the door to the secluded training room.

In the main hall, Zhou Mingyuan was already seated in the guest seat, without any attendants. He had changed out of his sect leader's robes into an ordinary gray-blue long gown, making it seem as if he had rushed over.

Upon seeing Li Yuan emerge, Zhou Mingyuan stood up and bowed.

"Fellow Daoist Li, there's something I'd like to ask for your help with."

"Please speak." Li Yuan sat down opposite him.

Zhou Mingyuan didn't beat around the bush: "We need someone to oversee things at Kugu Ridge."

"To oversee operations?"

"Just keep an eye on things," Zhou Mingyuan emphasized. "No need for combat; we can avoid conflict if it arises. I only need one Golden Core cultivator to stay there and maintain order."

Li Yuan looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Zhou Mingyuan sighed: "Besides me, the sect only has four Golden Core cultivators, and we really can't spare anyone right now."

Li Yuan considered it for a moment.

"Can."

Zhou Mingyuan's face lit up with joy: "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Li. The supplies for the outpost will be arranged, and spirit stones and resources will be allocated monthly."

After the two discussed some details, Zhou Mingyuan took his leave.

Early the next morning, Li Yuan set off for Dry Bone Ridge.

Kugu Ridge is located in the northeast of Liangzhou, about two hundred miles from Wulin Market. It is a low hilly area stretching for dozens of miles with little undulation, but the rock strata contain a large number of second-tier spirit material veins, making it one of the few stable resource producing areas in Liangzhou.

Li Yuan's escape light landed on a high ground on the west side of the Dry Bone Ridge.

The moment his feet touched the ground, his divine sense swept around.

Three streams of spiritual energy at the Golden Core level were distributed in different locations on the Dry Bone Ridge.

Two streams of dark energy emanated from the northeast, carrying distinct demonic fluctuations. These were from the Yuan Sect. Two mid-stage Golden Core cultivators were positioned not far apart, presumably stationed together.

A stream of spiritual energy emanated from the due north direction, its fluctuations calm and steady. Tianyue Sect. Mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

To the due east, there was an extremely faint fluctuation, not from a Golden Core cultivator, but from the collective aura of a dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered together. These Foundation Establishment disciples from various factions were responsible for daily resource gathering and message relay.

Li Yuan followed the direction of the aura of the Golden Core cultivator from the Tianyue Sect.

The outpost was located halfway up a low hill on the north side of Dry Bone Ridge. Several simple stone houses were built against the mountain, surrounded by a defensive array. The array was not of high quality, about mid-grade second rank. It was enough to block the intrusion of low-level demonic beasts and rogue cultivators, but a Golden Core cultivator could break it with ease.

Two Yuan Yang Sect disciples, both at the late Foundation Establishment stage, stood at the entrance of the stone house. Upon seeing Li Yuan approach, they quickly bowed.

"Li Gongfeng".

Li Yuan nodded and went into the stone house.

The furnishings inside were extremely simple: a stone bed, a stone table, and several boxes of supplies piled in the corner. On the stone table sat a pot of cold tea and several communication jade slips.

The mid-stage Golden Core cultivators of the Tianyue Sect are already waiting.

A man who appeared to be in his forties leaned against the wall, wearing the dark blue robes of the Tianyue Sect. His face was indifferent, and his aura was restrained. When he saw Li Yuan enter, he merely nodded slightly as a greeting.

"Chen Qi. Tianyue Sect."

"Li Yuan".

The two exchanged no further pleasantries.

Chen Qi gave a brief introduction to the current situation at Kugu Ridge.

"Many forces are involved in the struggle. Yuanzong and Shamozong are on one side, Tianyuezong and Yuanyangzong are on the other. In addition, Qishuizong,..."

Representatives from the Bitan Sect also arrived, and several other smaller sects were observing the situation. The news had spread that the resources of Kugu Ridge were more abundant than previously estimated.

"Qishui Sect?" Li Yuan asked.

"From Yunzhou," Chen Qi said calmly.

"Originally, the Qishui Sect was almost squeezed out of Yunzhou by the Shamo Sect, but news of the death of a Golden Core cultivator in the Shamo Sect at some point has spread. Now the Qishui Sect is slowly pushing outwards and also wants to take advantage of the situation."

"They sent a Golden Core cultivator?"

"No. There are only a few late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators who have occupied a small area on the outskirts to mine."

Li Yuan wrote down this information.

The situation at Kugu Ridge is more complex than expected. Multiple forces are intertwined, but the core conflict remains the standoff between Yuanzong and Tianyuezong.

Other forces are either not strong enough or are just there to pick up the scraps, and cannot influence the overall situation.

After explaining the situation, Chen Qi returned to his stone house without further conversation.

Li Yuan settled down at the post.

The spirit-gathering array surrounding the outpost was operating, but its effectiveness was mediocre. The array was only a mid-grade second-tier formation, and the spiritual energy concentration wasn't much higher than the outside environment. It was significantly less effective than when he cultivated in seclusion near the market or spiritual veins.

In terms of resources, every few days a Foundation Establishment cultivator would transport a batch of supplies from the rear. These included spirit stones, pills, and talismans, all of second-tier quality. There were no third-tier resources whatsoever; the Yuan Yang Sect's resources couldn't support them.

Li Yuan didn't care about these things. His own personal spiritual veins and the passive recovery from the Myriad Spirits Returning to the Meridian were enough to maintain the spiritual energy needs for his daily cultivation, so he didn't rely on external spirit-gathering arrays.

In the days that followed, Li Yuan cultivated at his post during the day and monitored the overall dynamics of the Dry Bone Ridge with his divine sense at night.

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