Cultivating Immortality: Starting from Ferrying Passengers

Chapter 118 Breaking Through the Bottleneck
The iron cage was lifted, revealing a naked, unconscious female cultivator. Fang Jingxuan followed her gaze and found her to be indeed very beautiful.

A female cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining is only worth a little over three thousand low-grade spirit stones. Fang Jingxuan felt that the effects of this cauldron were definitely not as good as the Breakthrough Pill.

Because female cultivators themselves are also valued at a premium, her primordial yin essence is at most equivalent to, or even less than, a Breakthrough Pill.

At this moment, Fang Jingxuan remained extremely calm, even somewhat indifferent. He felt no pity for the female cultivator, only cold calculation.

It seems that after living in Baishan for many years, I've begun to get used to it.

Fang Jingxuan silently watched the sudden surge in the auction. Soon, the price of the female cultivator was driven up to over four thousand low-grade items.

Finally, a cultivator paid nearly five thousand low-grade spirit stones to gain ownership of the female cultivator.

After the interlude ended, everyone returned to calm. When the closed auction concluded, Fang Jingxuan was somewhat disappointed to find that his bid of two thousand low-grade spirit stones had not secured him the Breakthrough Pill.

Two thousand low-grade pills! And yet, they couldn't even buy a single Breakthrough Pill. Upon hearing this news, Fang Jingxuan was filled with impotent rage.

It seems that the demand for this Breakthrough Pill is really high; one pill is hard to come by, equivalent to more than two high-grade magic artifacts.

After learning about the market situation, Fang Jingxuan had a better understanding of the situation. He had thought that with more than 6,000 yuan in his pocket, he could get whatever he wanted, but now he realized that 6,000 low-grade items were nothing these days.

Recalling how content he was with earning just a few hundred low-grade spirit stones when he was in the early stages of Qi Refining, Fang Jingxuan couldn't help but smile.

The resources required in the later stages of Qi Refining suddenly increase significantly. In comparison, the meager earnings in the middle stages of Qi Refining are barely enough to make a living.

Having failed to acquire the Breakthrough Pill, Fang Jingxuan set his sights on the large Spirit Control Bag. Without Tuo Yuan by his side, he felt as if he were going out without clothes on.

However, given Tuoyuan's current size, it would need at least a spirit-controlling bag that is five zhang in size to feel comfortable inside.

Furthermore, considering the possibility of Tuoyuan's future growth, it's necessary to leave some room for maneuver, making the eight-zhang-square spirit-controlling bag the most suitable option.

However, the price of a Spirit Bag doubles for every increase in size, and a Spirit Bag suitable for Tuoyuan must be very expensive.

The next morning, Fang Jingxuan was escorted out. After removing the Ghost Cloak from his body, Fang Jingxuan found himself in an unfamiliar body of water.

It seems there are many exits in this black market, and the cultivators inside never encounter them when they go out.

Touching the newly acquired spirit-controlling pouch, Fang Jingxuan felt his heart bleeding. Raising spirit pets was expensive. No wonder so many cultivators he encountered didn't carry spirit pets with them.

This spirit-controlling bag is eight zhang in size and is only suitable for water-type spirit beasts to live in. Fang Jingxuan searched for a long time before finding a suitable one, spending 1,300 low-grade spirit stones for it.

I only spent less than 500 low-grade items to buy the Tuoyuan back then, but now it costs 1,300 to buy a Spirit Control Bag. It's outrageous.

Fang Jingxuan mentally complained about the prices in Baishan. As his cultivation level increased, the spirit stones he had would have to be spent in units of thousands.

This isn't even the late stage of Qi Refining yet. How many spirit stones would be enough when it comes to acquiring Foundation Establishment Pills?
Thinking about these things, Fang Jingxuan returned to his small courtyard and called Tuoyuan over to help it get used to its new home.

After the enormous abyss was placed into the small spirit-controlling pouch at his waist, Fang Jingxuan couldn't help but sigh, "The cultivator who crafted this spirit-controlling pouch is truly a genius."

At this moment, Fang Jingxuan had two spirit-controlling pouches at his waist. One was larger and black, containing Tuoyuan, while the other was purple, containing Liugu.

Fang Jingxuan had previously considered keeping the two spirit pets together in one spirit bag, but later felt that this was not appropriate.

It's not worth risking many hidden dangers just to save a few hundred low-grade spirit stones.

After deducting the spirit stones spent on the Spirit Control Bag, Fang Jingxuan now has five thousand low-grade spirit stones in his possession.

The original estimate was 2,000 for a Breakthrough Pill, but now it's estimated that 2,500 will be needed to secure it.

With this, the remaining three stones have been reduced to two, slightly decreasing the chances of breaking through the barrier. Thinking of this, Fang Jingxuan's eyes darkened, and he couldn't help but think of that damned Wu Laosan.

Should we do another vote?

For a moment, Fang Jingxuan's heart was filled with restless desire.

The black market will open again in ten days. After Fang Jingxuan has been inside once, he won't need to contact Lao He again.

Moreover, after Fang Jingxuan spent some spirit stones in the black market, a corresponding record appeared on the number plate in his hand.

According to the cultivators in the black market, if he accumulates ten thousand low-grade items, the level of his token will be upgraded accordingly, and at that time, some other areas of the black market will be opened to him.

Fang Jingxuan then asked, "After ten thousand low-grade items, what is the next grade?"

After hearing this, the cultivator said something that made Fang Jingxuan feel heartbroken: after ten thousand, there would be one hundred thousand, one million, and then ten million.

If you reach the tens of millions level, then a Golden Core cultivator will come to serve you.

Well, Fang Jingxuan has certainly broadened his horizons. Ten million—he can't even imagine how much land all those low-grade spirit stones would take up if piled up together.

In the following days, Fang Jingxuan stayed secluded in his mansion, eagerly awaiting the day the black market would reopen.

During this period, Fang Jingxuan began to consciously prepare talismans and combat supplies.

If two Breakthrough Pills still can't help him break through the barrier, then there's no other way. For the sake of spirit stones and to break through his realm, he has no choice but to resort to entrapment again.

Time flies, and ten days later, Fang Jingxuan once again boarded a small awning boat and arrived at the black market.

Compared to last time, Fang Jingxuan was more confident this time. Besides the fact that he was used to it, the two spirit-controlling pouches at his waist played a significant role.

Arriving at the pill auction area again, the Breakthrough Pill was indeed on display again. This time, Fang Jingxuan directly entered the amount of 2,500 low-grade spirit stones.

After a two-hour wait, the auction ended, and a black-clad cultivator from the black market found Fang Jingxuan.

"Sir, you have successfully bid for the pill. Please follow me to this side for the handover."

Fang Jingxuan followed the other party to a secret room, where a cultivator was waiting with a small box in his hand.

Upon seeing Fang Jingxuan, he promptly opened the box, revealing a pill wrapped in layers of talisman paper.

"This is the Breakthrough Pill, and it has been tested in our black market and confirmed to be safe. Customers can take it now or choose to take it back."

If you choose to take the elixir here, you can use this secret room for ten hours free of charge.

It's unexpected that the black market offers this kind of service. They probably did it because they were afraid Fang Jingxuan would be robbed as soon as he went out, so eating him directly was the safest option.

Fang Jingxuan has been stuck at a bottleneck for almost a month now. He was well prepared, so he no longer hesitated and chose to take it on the spot.

After the men in black left the black market, Fang Jingxuan untied the layers of binding the pills and examined them closely.

This Breakthrough Pill looks ordinary, but upon closer inspection, this pill, about the size of a longan, contains an extremely explosive spiritual energy. It is clear that this spiritual energy is intended to break through one's bottleneck.

Now that things had come to this, Fang Jingxuan did not hesitate. After arranging the items for his fellow practitioners, he swallowed them whole, then sat cross-legged and began to focus all his efforts on breaking through the bottleneck.

(End of this chapter)