Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

An hour passed, and he had successfully collected eight portions of Moonlight Moss, the wooden box brimming with spiritual energy. The valley remained silent, save for the rustling of the leaves in the wind and the sound of his own heartbeat.

However, just as he approached the ninth clump of moonshine growing beside a huge hollow of a dead tree, something unexpected happened!
"squeak--!"

A sharp screech ripped through the night sky, and several dark figures suddenly sprang out of the hollow of the withered tree, rushing towards him with lightning speed! They were the Shadow Bats! They were not large, with a wingspan of only a foot or so, but their fangs were sharp, and they could emit sound waves from their mouths that disturbed the mind. Moreover, they moved in groups and were extremely difficult to deal with.

Fu Shaoping was prepared. The moment he heard the sound of the wind, he retreated rapidly! At the same time, his Spirit Shield Technique was activated, and a layer of light blue light shield protected him.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!" Several demonic bats crashed into the spirit shield, making dull thuds. The spirit shield shook, but did not break. However, the sharp sound waves pierced through the spirit shield and went straight to his brain, causing Fu Shaoping to feel slightly dizzy.

"I can't just defend passively!" His mind raced, and he suppressed his discomfort, pointing his fingers like swords as he unleashed a series of powerful strikes with his Gengjin Finger technique!

"Chuck! Chuck! Chuck!"

Three condensed golden finger-forces pierced through the air, accurately striking the three demonic bats charging at the forefront. The finger-forces pierced their bodies, and the demonic bats screamed in agony, fell to the ground, twitched a few times, and then remained still.

But there seemed to be an endless number of demonic bats in the tree hole, and even more dark shadows swarmed out, a dense, dark mass, probably numbering in the dozens! They flew around Fu Shaoping at high speed, their hissing echoing, forming a disruptive sonic field, while constantly colliding with the spirit shield.

The light of the spirit shield dimmed at a visible speed, and the consumption of true energy increased dramatically! Once the spirit shield shattered, the consequences of being approached by so many demonic bats would be unimaginable!
Fu Shaoping remained calm and composed under pressure. While maintaining his spiritual shield, he observed the flight path of the demonic bats. He discovered that although these bats were numerous, they seemed to be attacking with a certain order, centered around the withered tree hole, rather than in a completely chaotic manner.

"Capture the king first? Or... a feint attack?"

His gaze swept over the clump of moonlight moss that was so close yet out of reach, and then he looked at the tree hole from which demonic bats kept emerging. He immediately made a decision.

He suddenly leaped to the side and rear, seemingly trying to escape the battle. The swarm of demonic bats was indeed drawn, screeching as they gave chase. However, Fu Shaoping's body twisted strangely in mid-air, his Wind Control Technique pushed to its limit, drawing an arc and rushing towards the hollow of the withered tree!

At the same time, he used both hands to unleash a barrage of attacks, not at the demonic bats, but at the several huge stalactites hanging above the tree hole!

"Boom! Click!"

The boulder was broken by the wind and crashed down towards the entrance of the tree hole with tremendous force!
This caught all the demon bats completely off guard! They let out terrified screechs, abandoned their pursuit of Fu Shaoping, and desperately tried to return to their nest, their formation instantly thrown into chaos!

Seizing the opportunity, Fu Shaoping moved with lightning speed, instantly appearing beside the clump of moonlight moss. With a flick of his jade shovel, he plucked it whole and placed it in the wooden box. The movements were swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

At this moment, the falling rocks had blocked most of the tree hole entrance, and the remaining demon bats circled and hissed anxiously outside, but dared not approach the "evil star" that had destroyed their nest.

Fu Shaoping dared not linger, for who knew if there were even more powerful creatures inside the cave? He immediately used his Wind Control Technique to quickly collect the other Moonlight Moss that had been marked along the previously planned route. During this time, he only encountered a few scattered demonic bats, which he easily dealt with.

When twenty-two intact and vibrant Moonlight Moss specimens lay quietly in the wooden box, Fu Shaoping no longer hesitated. He flashed away and quickly retreated out of the valley.

Be cautious when you come, and decisive when you leave.

As he stepped out of Youyue Valley and felt the relatively fresh air outside again, the eastern sky was already turning a pale white.

This mission, though fraught with some excitement, was ultimately safe. Not only did we successfully complete the gathering objective, but we also gained two extra resources and accumulated valuable experience in combat with monsters, especially strategies for dealing with gregarious monsters.

He glanced back at the valley, still appearing eerie and dark in the morning light, a slight smile playing on his lips. Then he turned and sped off towards the Cloud Mist Market.

It's time to collect his first official reward in this world. Forty low-grade spirit stones will be the first important cornerstone on his path of cultivation.

As dawn broke and the thin mist lingered, Fu Shaoping hurried along, arriving at Yunwu Pavilion once again before the morning crowds of the market had gathered.

The hall was much quieter than yesterday, with only a few cultivators handling their affairs at the counter. The kind-faced middle-aged deacon from yesterday was still on duty, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw Fu Shaoping return so quickly.

“Steward, I’m here to hand over the ‘Gather Moonlight Moss’ mission.” Fu Shaoping walked to the counter and handed over the mission jade slip and the wooden box containing the moonlight moss.

The middle-aged deacon took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and confirmed the mission information. Then he opened the wooden box, and a cool, pure spiritual energy immediately filled the air. He carefully examined the moonlight moss inside, and saw that the twenty-two moss specimens were intact, with a rich blue-green color, and a moon-like shimmer on their surface, full of spiritual energy. They were clearly top-quality specimens that had been recently picked and properly processed.

"Twenty-two portions? The task requires twenty portions." The steward looked up at Fu Shaoping.

"Yes, we collected two extra portions." Fu Shaoping said calmly, "If your esteemed establishment requires them, we can purchase them together at the agreed price."

The steward nodded, a genuine smile appearing on his face: "Superior quality, well preserved. Fellow Daoist, you are indeed efficient." As he spoke, he took a small gray cloth bag from under the counter and then a ledger from the shelf behind him, where he made some notes.

"The task reward is forty low-grade spirit stones, plus two portions of moonlight moss for four low-grade spirit stones each, for a total of forty-four low-grade spirit stones. Please count them, fellow Daoist." The steward pushed the gray cloth bag in front of Fu Shaoping.

Fu Shaoping took the cloth bag, which felt heavy in his hand. He probed inside with his divine sense and saw forty-four neatly cut, rhomboid crystals that shimmered with a soft light. They were low-grade spirit stones! The rich spiritual energy could be faintly felt even through the cloth bag.

"The amount is correct." Fu Shaoping felt relieved and carefully put away the spirit stone bag. This "huge sum" instantly relieved him of his financial embarrassment. "Is this your first time visiting Cloud Mist Market, fellow Daoist?" The middle-aged deacon seemed to be in a good mood and took the initiative to speak. "Your skills are remarkable. Although the task of collecting Moonlight Moss was not difficult, to be able to collect so much so quickly and intact amidst the surrounding demonic bats shows your strength. May I ask your name? If there are similar tasks in the future, I may directly seek you out."

Fu Shaoping's heart stirred slightly, knowing that this was a gesture of goodwill from the other party, and also a recognition of his abilities. He pondered for a moment, then gave an alias he had already thought of: "My surname is Mo, and my given name is Chen." He took the "Mo" from "Shen Mo" and the "Chen" from "the mortal world," both to conceal his identity and to align with his aspirations for cultivation in this world.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Mo." The steward noted it down and then took out a slightly smaller cyan jade token from under the counter and handed it to Fu Shaoping. "This is my Cloud Mist Pavilion's 'Benevolent Faith Talisman.' Holding this talisman to accept missions can sometimes provide some convenience, or allow you to receive some suitable missions first. If you need to accept missions in the future, you can use this talisman."

"Thank you, Steward." Fu Shaoping accepted the cyan jade token, knowing that this was a preliminary recognition from the Cloud Mist Pavilion. Although he was only a "believer" on the outermost perimeter, it was still a good start.

Leaving Cloud Mist Pavilion, carrying forty-four low-grade spirit stones, Fu Shaoping felt his steps were lighter. He didn't immediately return to the inn, but instead went back into "Hundred Herbs Pavilion".

This time, he generously purchased three bottles of Qi-restoring pills (costing fifteen spirit stones) for emergencies. He also inquired about any follow-up techniques to the "Azure Profound Breathing Technique" or similar Foundation Establishment stage techniques. Unfortunately, the shopkeeper explained that Foundation Establishment stage techniques were rare and not sold in the pavilion; they might only appear in the Cloud Mist Pavilion's scripture repository or at large auctions, where the prices would be astronomical.

Fu Shaoping wasn't discouraged; this was to be expected. Instead, he spent ten spirit stones to buy jade slips containing information on identifying spirit herbs, illustrations of low-level demonic beasts, and descriptions of common dangerous areas in the Cloud Mist Mountains. Knowledge is power, and it's also the foundation for survival and finding opportunities.

Afterwards, he went to the "Divine Weapon Pavilion." Magical artifacts were expensive; even a low-grade first-tier flying sword started at twenty spirit stones, and defensive artifacts were even more pricey. After careful consideration, he decided that his current offensive capabilities, including the Gengjin Finger and defensive skills, were sufficient. Ultimately, he spent five spirit stones to purchase a pair of low-grade first-tier Swiftwind Boots. These boots were inscribed with lightness runes, slightly increasing movement speed and evasion ability, and their effect was even better when combined with the Wind Control Technique, making them quite cost-effective.

After his shopping spree, he had 14 spirit stones left out of the original 44. He didn't touch them; he needed to keep them for room and board and for his daily cultivation.

Back in the quiet room of "Qingyuan Residence", Fu Shaoping sat down cross-legged, with the spoils of this mission laid out in front of him: the remaining fourteen spirit stones, three bottles of Qi-restoring pills, a pile of knowledge jade slips, a pair of Swift Wind Boots, and the "Good Faith Talisman" of Cloud Mist Pavilion, which represented preliminary recognition.

He picked up a low-grade spirit stone and held it in his hand. Pure spiritual energy slowly flowed into his meridians, doubling his cultivation speed.

"Finally... I've established a foothold in this realm." Fu Shaoping thought with emotion. From entering the market penniless to now possessing spirit stones, pills, magic artifacts (low-grade albeit), and a stable source of quests, he only took a few short days.

But this was just the beginning. His cultivation at the fourth level of Qi Refining was still too weak, the Foundation Establishment technique was still a long way off, and the speed at which he earned spirit stones was far from keeping up with the consumption of long-term cultivation.

He cast his gaze out the window at the bustling market. It was a place brimming with opportunity, but also with competition and danger. He needed to increase his strength more quickly, acquire more resources, and find ways to connect with higher-level circles in order to obtain the Foundation Establishment Method.

The successful completion of his first mission was like a shot in the arm, giving him ample confidence. In the days that followed, he would operate under the name "Mo Chen," appearing frequently on the Cloud Mist Pavilion's mission list, traversing the perilous terrain of the Cloud Mist Mountains, and using his strength and wisdom to gradually establish a deeper foundation in the cultivation world.

His path, illuminated by the faint glow of the spirit stone, is steadily extending forward.

With the successful experience of his first mission and the starting capital of forty-four spirit stones, Fu Shaoping (Mo Chen)'s living conditions in Yunwu Market changed significantly. He was no longer the cautious and penniless newcomer he once was, but began to systematically manage his identity as "Mo Chen".

Solid Foundation: The Cycle of Tasks and Cultivation

He canceled his stay at the "Qingyuan Residence" and instead rented a room with a simple spirit-gathering array. Although the daily rent was as high as two low-grade spirit stones, his cultivation efficiency improved significantly. For him, who urgently needed to improve his strength, this investment was essential.

In the following months, he led a regular and fulfilling life:

• Accepting quests: He frequently visited the Cloud Pavilion, and relying on the "Good Faith Talisman" and the good reputation he established from his first quest, he prioritized accepting quests of moderate difficulty and reasonable rewards.

He entered the Moon Valley again, and based on his previous experience, he collected Moonlight Moss more efficiently. He even figured out the activity patterns of the Demon Bats and avoided most of the risks.

He had taken on the task of escorting herbalists into the outer reaches of the mountains to collect common medicinal herbs. Although the reward was not high (ten spirit stones), it was safe. During the mission, he used his spiritual sense to discover and secretly collect several more valuable auxiliary medicinal herbs.

He also took on the task of clearing out the low-level corpse puppets that were entrenched at the entrance of the mine. Geng metal is extremely yang and sharp, and it is very effective in dealing with these evil things. He completed the task cleanly and efficiently.

Unwavering Cultivation: Upon returning from his daily missions, he would meditate and cultivate his Qi in the Spirit Gathering Chamber. With the aid of low-grade spirit stones and the activation of the "Azure Profound Breathing Technique," his cultivation steadily improved. Although he was still some distance from the fifth level of Qi Refining, his true Qi became increasingly condensed and powerful, and his control over spells became more refined. The newly purchased Swift Wind Boots, combined with his Wind Control Technique, made his movements even more unpredictable and elusive.

• Assimilate knowledge: In his spare time, he would read the jade slips he had purchased, cramming on knowledge about spiritual herbs, demonic beasts, geography, materials, and so on in this world. His powerful divine soul allowed him to have a photographic memory, and combined with his own travel experiences, he quickly transformed this knowledge into practical understanding.

Impressions of "Ink Dust":

After several missions, the name "Mo Chen" gradually left an impression on the lower-level stewards and some of the resident rogue cultivators of the Cloud Mist Pavilion:
• Reliable strength: Although only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, he possesses considerable combat ability, especially adept at dealing with demonic beasts and evil spirits, and has a high mission completion rate.

• Acts cautiously: Accepts tasks within one's capabilities, never acts rashly, prepares thoroughly, and rarely gets into dangerous situations.

• Quiet and reserved: Rarely interacts with others except for necessary business dealings; has a mysterious background.

• Some wealth: Being able to rent a quiet room with a spirit-gathering array for a long time, they are clearly not among the most impoverished rogue cultivators.

This low-key and reliable impression brought him many advantages. Sometimes, stewards would proactively recommend cost-effective missions to him, and occasionally, familiar rogue cultivators would want to team up with him, but he mostly declined, citing his "habit of traveling alone." (End of Chapter)