Cultivation begins with ice harvesters

Chapter 14: The Black Market

"The Ice Heart Lake Black Market is about to open? What a perfect opportunity!"

Tong Bingfeng took out a fist-sized card from behind the door. It was a simple invitation with a crude map on the back consisting of only a few strokes.

As a cultivator who has lived on Ice Spirit Island for more than two years, although his cultivation level is not high, he has successfully gained the recognition of certain circles in the local area, especially after successfully passing the test of the patrol guards' extortion and the market management office's attempt to clean up and expel some cultivators.

Tong Bingfeng had only heard of the Ice Heart Lake Black Market before, but had never received an invitation or participated in it in person.

This black market is said to have been jointly established by ten cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refining from different factions, who earn a stable amount of spirit stones by renting out stalls.

The black market doesn't ask about the specific origin of the spiritual items; it can provide a large number of first-tier spiritual items suitable for Qi Refining cultivators, with a complete range of types and cheap prices.

It is said that the reason why the Ice Heart Lake Black Market has been able to operate stably for several years is that at least three of the masterminds behind it are core members of the local Chen family.

"It is said that the Ice Heart Lake Black Market not only sells spiritual items at various stalls, but also has shops that specialize in buying local spiritual items, and the prices are higher than those in the market."

Back in his usual hut where he meditated and refined his spiritual energy, Tong Bingfeng examined the invitation in his hand, but his thoughts had already drifted away.

His eyes flashed with a sharp light, clearly showing that he was still looking forward to the trip to the Ice Heart Lake black market.

The simple hut was, as usual, filled with spiritual energy that had not yet been refined. This energy was released by the first-grade low-level spiritual vein every hour, under the precise control of the Ice Sea Market Management Office.

Relying solely on this small amount of spiritual energy, it would obviously require a significant amount of time to break through the bottleneck, advance to the fourth level of Qi Refining, and step into the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

As a Qi Refining cultivator, one does not have a significant advantage in lifespan compared to ordinary people who have not cultivated. Even at the ninth level of Qi Refining, one's lifespan is at most one hundred and twenty years.

If one were to choose the path of gradual, persistent effort at each level of cultivation within the Qi Refining stage, it would be difficult to reach even the late Qi Refining stage, let alone the unattainable Foundation Establishment stage.

"The monthly rent is one spirit stone, and although the daily amount of spiritual energy is not much, we absolutely cannot afford to waste even the slightest bit. Every little bit counts."

"Circulating the Great Heavenly Cycle is an essential foundational skill for every cultivator during their cultivation process. In addition to refining spiritual energy, it can also effectively hone the mana in the dantian, making it more refined."

A quarter of an hour later, Tong Bingfeng quickly regained his senses. As a qualified Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator, he naturally understood the importance of meditating and circulating Qi through the body.

Guided by divine sense, the internal magical power began to circulate rapidly through the meridians according to the requirements of the cultivation method. An inward-looking attraction drew the spiritual power wandering in the small house into the meridians and dantian. After being purified circle by circle, it turned into a water-blue mist, becoming a component of the dantian's magical power.

Sun rises and sets, day and night alternate, and time flies by.

For three days in total, Tong Bingfeng did not slack off at all. Every day at dawn, he went into the Ice Domain under the cover of night. With his two pairs of big teeth accurately locking onto the ice attribute spiritual power, he steadily hunted down one first-grade low-level water attribute monster every day. He also captured two first-grade low-level crystal shrimps, one first-grade low-level black tiger fish, and nine fresh first-grade low-level algae crystals.

The spirit stones earned from selling the ice harvester's tools were used up to buy spirit talismans, and the spirit stones earned from selling the three crystal shrimp and algae crystals were also exhausted. Only the ice crabs and black tiger fish that were prepared to be sold on the Ice Heart Lake black market remained.

The first-tier low-grade Black Tiger Fish is a water-attribute monster with relatively strong vitality. It feeds on aquatic creatures frozen in ice fields.

Under the refinement of spiritual energy, the black tiger fish has a delicious flavor and contains pure spiritual energy. When it is made into a spiritual fish soup, it has a significant auxiliary effect on the cultivation of cultivators in the early and middle stages of Qi Refining.

In addition, the teeth in its mouth are quite sharp, reaching the threshold of a first-grade low-quality spiritual material, and are sharp and wear-resistant, thus possessing certain value.

The shops in the Ice Sea Market that prepare and sell spirit food valued a whole black tiger fish at only five low-grade spirit stones, far below his expectations. Therefore, he planned to sell it in the Ice Heart Lake Black Market.

"The primary purpose of this trip to the Ice Heart Lake black market is to purchase some spiritual herbs to aid cultivation, as well as talismans needed for later hunting monsters in the Ice Domain."

"If there are still some spirit stones left over, a storage bag is also a must. As a cultivator, how can one lack such a basic and essential tool?"

After taking stock of his most pressing needs, Tong Bingfeng ranked the top two, which must be completed in the shortest possible time.

The night was dark and the wind was high; all was silent.

Walking under the cover of night, clad in black, Tong Bingfeng, along with the ice crab and the corpse of the black tiger fish, followed the map in the invitation toward the location of the Ice Heart Lake Black Market.

Although the Ice Heart Lake Black Market is suspected to be protected by core members of the Chen family, it is still a clandestine entity that can only be held at night and disappears before sunrise.

Thanks to the recent efforts of searching and hunting monsters in different locations within the Ice Domain, I have gained a preliminary understanding of the Ice Domain within a hundred miles of Ice Spirit Island.

Although he had not personally searched for the location of the Ice Heart Lake black market before, he had a basic understanding of its general location.

"Halt! Do you have an invitation? What brings you here?"

Half an hour later, with a shout, Tong Bingfeng successfully arrived at the Ice Heart Lake Black Market, which was the basic check required to enter the black market.

If anyone could enter the black market to trade, the Ice Heart Lake black market would not have been able to remain peaceful for so many years.

"Please check the invitation. I am here to sell the corpses of demonic beasts. Please allow me to pass."

The guardians of the Ice Heart Lake Black Market are genuine mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, each equipped with a standard first-grade mid-level magic weapon, and their combat power should not be underestimated.

Although Tong Bingfeng had an invitation letter, he still dared not be the slightest bit careless in the face of the two guardians under the suppression of their absolute strength.

"The invitation has been checked and is correct. Fellow Daoist, welcome to the Ice Heart Lake Black Market."

"The Ice Heart Lake Black Market will continue until the early hours of the morning. Once the time is up, the bell will ring, the black market will be disbanded, and all cultivators must leave within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

After briefly explaining the rules of the Iceheart Lake Black Market, I said no more and made way for the entrance.

"Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoists. I will certainly abide by the rules of the black market. Farewell."

Concealed by a black robe, Tong Bingfeng bowed and headed straight for the infamous Ice Heart Lake Black Market along a narrow path.