Cultivation begins with ice harvesters

Chapter 3: Qi Refining Powder

"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. Before having sufficient means to protect oneself, there must be absolutely no leaks about the changes to Big Teeth."

"For a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining to possess such abilities is akin to a child carrying gold in a bustling marketplace, easily attracting the greedy and wicked gazes of other cultivators."

"In future ice harvesting, the amount of high-quality spiritual ice collected must also be controlled within a reasonable range that relies on luck."

Feeling the bottle of low-grade first-level Qi Refining Powder in his arms, Tong Bingfeng gained a new understanding of the value of Big Teeth and made up his mind to keep the secret more carefully in the future.

If it weren't for the recent guidance from Big Teeth, which allowed him to obtain a certain amount of high-quality spirit ice each time, he would never have been able to accumulate enough spirit stones to exchange for a bottle of Qi Refining Powder in such a short period of time.

After finishing his shopping, Tong Bingfeng did not return directly to the small courtyard where he was renting a place. Instead, he turned around and headed in another direction.

In the market, he chose a small shop called "Liu's Refining Shop" and paid thirty spirit crystals to have his iron hammer and copper chisel, which were essential for collecting ice, polished. Only then did he turn around and leave satisfied. By then, the spirit crystals he had accumulated over the past few months were basically used up.

The refined iron hammer and refined copper chisel are merely the simplest entry-level first-grade magic tools. However, each piece of high-quality ice containing a certain purity of spiritual power is as hard as steel. Mortals without spiritual power simply cannot complete the task of collecting spiritual ice.

Under such high-intensity and high-frequency mining conditions, some degree of damage to the iron hammers and copper chisels is inevitable.

In order to ensure the long-term use of these two indispensable magical tools for ice harvesters, it is natural to carry out necessary repairs in a timely manner.

Despite its name, Liu's Refining Shop does not actually have any real refiners in charge and lacks the ability to refine magical artifacts. In most cases, they can only do some repair work to earn spirit crystals.

Most of the religious artifacts sold in their shops were purchased from certain channels; they simply bought low and sold high to make a profit from the price difference.

The two shops that Tong Bingfeng visited were located in relatively remote areas, and were mostly frequented by independent cultivators in the early stages of Qi Refining who lived in the area and had no money.

The Ice Sea Market, which truly belongs to the Foundation Establishment stage Chen family, the master of Ice Spirit Island, consists of more than three hundred shops selling different spiritual items.

The market offers a plentiful supply of spiritual items ranging from low-grade first rank to high-grade second rank, and occasionally even third-rank spiritual items suitable for Golden Core cultivators.

"This bottle of Qi-refining powder only has a slight burnt smell and is generally emerald green in color. The amount of erysipelas it contains is relatively small, and its overall quality is similar to that sold in the market shops."

"Old Zhang, you weren't exaggerating this time. The price of three spirit stones and fifty spirit crystals is quite reasonable."

After finishing his miscellaneous tasks, Tong Bingfeng returned to the courtyard and examined the Qi-refining powder in the jade bottle. He was quite satisfied with its quality.

After all, a bottle of Qi-refining powder costs a full five spirit stones when purchased from a regular market shop. For ice harvesters, it is only possible to taste it when their cultivation is about to advance and they have reached a bottleneck in their cultivation.

"After refining this bottle of Qi Refining Powder, my cultivation at the third level of Qi Refining should be significantly improved. I just don't know if I can reach the threshold of the fourth level of Qi Refining."

Tong Bingfeng rubbed the small jade bottle in his palm, but his eyes flashed with a terrifying light.

Only in this relatively safe little world could Tong Bingfeng tear off the cover covering his body and reveal his true nature.

The usual submissiveness, opportunism, and petty greed are merely survival skills developed through the struggles of the cultivation world.

Although the first-grade low-level Qi Refining Powder is only an entry-level spiritual medicine, it is still carefully blended and refined from a variety of first-grade low-level spiritual medicines, and each Qi Refining Powder contains a certain amount of spiritual power.

A bottle of Qi Refining Powder contains fifteen pills. If used properly, each pill can be refined and taken at the right time to exert its intended effect. Given that he is already at the late stage of the third level of Qi Refining, the possibility of him reaching the threshold of the fourth level of Qi Refining is not small.

"In a quarter of an hour, the courtyard will begin supplying spiritual energy, which will last for three hours. This is the perfect time to refine the Qi-refining powder."

"The combined effect of spiritual power and elixirs will always be greater than the sum of its parts."

Tong Bingfeng sat cross-legged on a simple futon, calming his mind and starting to operate according to the circulation route recorded in the cultivation method "Water Spirit Technique". He captured the scarce spiritual energy between heaven and earth to strengthen the pitiful meridians in his dantian, which were like a babbling brook.

According to the regulations of the market, the small courtyard he rented on the outermost edge could only be supplied with spiritual energy equivalent to a first-grade low-level spiritual vein for three hours each day.

This is an indispensable feast for every low-level cultivator who rents a place here every day, and no waste is allowed during the entire process.

As for the "Water Spirit Technique" he cultivates, it can be described as the most widely circulated and common cultivation method in the Northern Frontier Sea. It mainly focuses on refining water spiritual power. Its only advantage is that it is balanced and peaceful. As long as it is passed down according to the established meridians, there is no risk of going into qi deviation.

"Buzz"

A quarter of an hour later, a buzzing sound came from under Tong Bingfeng's buttocks. It was as if a floodgate had been opened in this simply furnished room, and the originally thin spiritual energy was effectively and quickly replenished.

The concentration of spiritual energy in the entire room increased at a speed visible to the naked eye. Tong Bingfeng, who was circulating the Great Heavenly Cycle according to the requirements of the Water Spirit Technique, naturally noticed this change immediately.

The body, seated cross-legged on the futon, was immediately and effectively relaxed under the nourishment of spiritual energy. During the Great Circulation, it greedily absorbed the spiritual energy in the room into its meridians. After rounds of effective purification, the energy flowed into the dantian like a swallow returning to its nest.

"Buzzing"

After a cup of tea, a clear buzzing sound came from his room again, but this time the sound did not come from the futon under his buttocks.

Instead, it was the walls, doors, and windows of the house that, as the spiritual energy dissipated, although only equivalent to a low-grade first-level spiritual vein, had a quantity of spiritual energy far exceeding the refining speed of a Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator like Tong Bingfeng.

To prevent the leakage of spiritual energy, Tong Bingfeng specially purchased a set of simple, first-grade low-level spirit-binding array flags from the market.

This set of array flags consists of four flags, one main and three auxiliary. Although it is only an entry-level array flag, it is priced as high as twelve low-grade spirit stones.

Of course, the so-called Spirit Binding Array only has the most basic functions. It is a practice work of an introductory array master and does not have any other abilities whatsoever.

"With the body relaxed, the mind excited, and spiritual energy abundant, the time has come; it is the perfect moment to refine the Qi Refining Powder."