With the arrival of autumn and the farewell of spring, a year had flown by. During that time, Wang Hao had made significant progress in his cultivation, drawing very close to the Fifth Level of Qi Refinement. Logically, he should have remained in seclusion to attempt the breakthrough. However, the grand fair for the auction of Foundation Establishment Pills was approaching, and the market was busier than ever. Wang Hao decided to join the excitement, hoping to find some spirit herbs needed to refine his own Foundation Establishment Pill.
Moreover, the auction would not only offer the pills but also many other rare treasures. It was time to gather spirit stones and prepare!
That year, Wang Hao had made little headway in the art of talisman crafting. The reason was simple: he had no brushwork experience, neither in this life nor the last. The first step—mastering calligraphy—would consume too much time, a luxury he could not afford. For now, he abandoned it. If later his cultivation stalled at the end of Qi Refinement, he could resume learning while gathering Foundation Pill ingredients.
On the other hand, his alchemy skills advanced rapidly. After reaching a 60% success rate in producing Fasting Pills, Wang Hao began attempting Spirit Gathering Pills. After dozens of failures, he finally succeeded. Now he no longer needed to buy pills to cultivate: his farm production was more than enough—and he still had a surplus! He had amassed over thirty vials, which could be traded for nearly a thousand spirit stones.
At present, the farm boasted nine plots: one occupied by the Golden Silk Spirit Damask Tree; three growing herbs for Spirit Gathering Pills; one reserved for spirit rice; and the remaining four dedicated to Spirit Talisman Herb. Wang Hao maximized its high profitability to expand his cultivable area.
The cost to unlock new plots rose progressively. The tenth plot would cost 1,075 spirit stones. Wang Hao had already noticed the pattern: an arithmetic increase—plot n costs the previous plot's price plus 25 × (n – 2). Moreover, after the sixth plot, he could begin upgrading existing plots to red earth. The first upgrade cost 500 spirit stones; the second, 700.
He had already upgraded one plot, with excellent results: it could grow second-order herbs, and maturation was accelerated—double the speed of ordinary plots, or twenty times real-world speed!
This made Wang Hao rethink his strategy. As long as new-plot costs exceeded upgrade costs, it was more advantageous to invest in upgrades. Unfortunately, he'd spent heavily on early expansions, wasting many spirit stones. Otherwise, he would already have three red-earth plots!
After reviewing his reserves, Wang Hao set out.
The twenty-yearly Foundation Pill auction had a massive impact on Qingniu Market. In the month leading up to it, the temporary population swelled from ten thousand to nearly fifty thousand.
These outsiders did not come only for the auction—but to capitalize on the crowd and sell their wares!
First, Wang Hao visited the Wang family pill shop, where he met Wang Yanfeng. He sold him ten vials of Spirit Gathering Pills. More than that would raise suspicion—after all, a First-Level alchemist's status could not justify hoarding so many rare ingredients.
Yanfeng naturally encouraged him, praising his progress.
But Wang Hao had other plans: he wanted to attend the auction alongside Yanfeng.
Cautiously, he asked:
"Eighth Uncle, has the family decided who will participate in the auction?"
"Hmm? You want to attend the auction?" Yanfeng chuckled and shook his head. "I was wondering why you came to see me today. So that's it! Heh, Eighth Uncle here thought you just missed me…"
"Oh no, Eighth Uncle! You know I'm dedicated to cultivation. I spent the whole year in seclusion and, as soon as I emerged, came to speak with you. As for the auction… I just wanted to broaden my horizons."
Yanfeng smiled and nodded:
"Indeed, your father asked me to keep an eye on you. You've been obedient, rarely leaving home, which saved me a lot of trouble. Very well—I will represent the Wang family shop at the auction, so you can accompany me. It begins in five days. Be ready and stay home that day—I'll send someone to fetch you."
"Thank you, Eighth Uncle!" Wang Hao bowed. "By the way, since the market is so lively, I'd like to buy some spirit herbs…"
Before he finished, Yanfeng waved him off:
"Alright, alright—you've been in seclusion long enough and now want to splurge on purchases? Go ahead, but be careful not to cause trouble!"
"I would never give you any trouble, Eighth Uncle!" Wang Hao promised and hurried out.
Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at a large square, packed with stalls.
Here, no fee was charged for setting up a booth, but space was fully occupied. Wang Hao had to pay two spirit stones to a traveling cultivator for a spot.
He fashioned an improvised sign that read:
"Spirit Gathering Pills – Exchange for First- or Second-Order Seeds or Saplings!"
Soon, he drew attention. Many approached to inquire about price. At first, Wang Hao sold a few vials cheaply, but realized most customers only wanted to pay in spirit stones—and few valued seeds.
He then changed tactics:
"Exchange only—no sales!"
As a result, traffic at his stall dwindled. Some customers grew irritated, but with market guards nearby, none dared make a scene. They could only grumble and leave.
"Cultivator friend, how much for these pills?" came a soft, melodious voice, soothing to the ear.
Wang Hao looked up to see a young woman of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a yellow dress, her skin as white as snow, cheeks rosy like peach blossoms, and eyes as clear as spring water.
It was the most beautiful woman Wang Hao had seen in this world. He froze, mesmerized.
"Cultivator friend? Are you going to sell or not?" The girl frowned and chided him in a cold voice, breaking his trance.
Wang Hao snapped back to reality, suppressing his dazed expression. He was no longer the old, infatuated Wang Hao—women only distracted from cultivation!
"Ah, of course they're for sale, but the price isn't cheaper than the shop's. Actually, it's more advantageous if you have rare seeds or saplings for exchange."
"So… how shall we trade?" the young woman asked curiously.
"It depends on what you can offer. Common items aren't worth it, but if you have special seeds—like Foundation Pill ingredients—we can negotiate accordingly. I can even pay a premium for rarities!" Wang Hao explained with a smile.