Chapter 97: Qi Refinement Level Eight

Since cultivators on Cold Blood Peak practice ice-attribute cultivation methods, Ghost Eyes are also beneficial for them.

Wang Yu referenced the price of Cold Blood Pills when selling Ghost Eyes of varying qualities, pricing them slightly lower.

Peak quality sold for 550 spirit stones.

High quality sold for 500 spirit stones.

Medium quality sold for 350 spirit stones.

These prices were quite fair, 50 spirit stones cheaper than comparable elixirs, indicating a fair practice.

Any late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators with some means in Spider Mountain would sell their surplus Ghost Eyes to ensure efficient resource utilization.

Initially, only a few people occasionally came to inquire, but gradually, more and more showed up. This was because no matter how many were requested, Wang Yu could always provide them, as if he possessed an endless supply of Ghost Eyes.

For larger purchases, Wang Yu was even willing to offer discounts, making him very approachable.

Even if they didn't need them personally, hoarding some and selling them at a high price to fellow disciples upon returning to the sect would be profitable. Unlike profound essences, these items could be preserved for decades.

Even when dried, they still held alchemical value, so there was no concern about selling them.

Of course, time cost also needed to be considered.

The spiritual energy supply in Spider Mountain was not abundant enough, sometimes requiring spirit stones to replenish cultivation losses. Therefore, whether to hoard or not depended on one's capacity.

Wang Yu simply had too many, so selling a few was no big deal. After all, spirit stones looked clean and pristine, much more appealing than the dark, murky Ghost Eyes. Either way, he wasn't at a loss.

Maintaining this rhythm, his second year in Spider Mountain quickly passed, and another rotation arrived; it was his turn to tend to those few acres of land.

It was now September of Wang Yu's eleventh year as an outer disciple.

That day, inside the stone house shrouded in blood mist, Wang Yu, who was cultivating, had fine beads of sweat on his forehead. He was facing a critical point in his breakthrough; originally, he would have had to wait several more months for a chance to advance.

However, as he refined the improved Cold Blood Pills, he became increasingly proficient. Recently, he had refined a large amount of medicinal power, causing his cultivation to surge, reaching the critical threshold for a breakthrough.

Three hundred strands of spiritual power!

If converted to the early Qi Condensation stage, this would be thirty thousand wisps. At that time, merely ten wisps were enough to break through to the second level of Qi Condensation, and a hundred wisps for the third level.

From this, it was clear that his cultivation base had undergone a monumental transformation compared to his weaker days.

Pop—

An invisible sound seemed to echo as he broke through the boundary, and his aura intensified, even his spiritual sense growing stronger.

The advancement in realm brought comprehensive improvements.

"Qi Condensation Level Eight, finally broken through."

After circulating his energy for several more grand cycles to stabilize his realm, Wang Yu finally stood up.

He clenched his fists, revealing four prominent veins that resembled magnificent coiled dragons—the result of the spiritual strength cultivated from the *Flood Dragon Vigor* technique.

The so-called Nine Dragon Active Veins had already been cultivated to the fourth vein, a feedback from the fourth placement slot. Simultaneously, this cultivation method had reached the grand completion stage.

If he could acquire fresh dragon-species essence blood, his own cultivation would be even faster than what the placement slot provided—this was the transformation brought by a completed cultivation method.

This also highlighted the difference between body refining and Qi cultivation methods.

Unfortunately, he currently lacked such resources. Once he found them, he might consider freeing up the slot to improve other aspects.

Upon reaching grand completion, *Flood Dragon Vigor*, like *Cold Blood Art*, would require twenty years in the placement slot to further increase its upper limit, so there was no rush for that.

The standard for Qi Condensation Level Eight was three hundred strands of spiritual power. To break through to Qi Condensation Level Nine, seven hundred strands were needed, and to reach grand completion of Qi Condensation, a thousand strands.

Only then could one attempt Foundation Establishment.

At the current efficiency of the placement slot, reaching Level Nine would take 27 years, and then another 20 years to reach grand completion, totaling nearly 50 years…

Even with the improved Cold Blood Pills, it would still take nearly 40 years, and that's assuming he reached the maximum benefit. He was currently twenty-eight and a half years old, meaning he would hit the Foundation Establishment bottleneck around seventy. This was fifty percent faster than a Triple Spirit Root cultivator, but still more than thirty percent slower than a Dual Spirit Root cultivator.

However, for someone with a crippled spirit root, this was an astonishing speed. Seventy years old—he would be old by then. The maximum lifespan for a Qi Condensation cultivator was only one hundred and fifty years.

Very few lived to that age; most would pass away around one hundred twenty or thirty, due to hidden injuries sustained in youthful combat, damage caused by aggressive cultivation, and so on.

Few cultivators ever reached their true lifespan limit, and he had even burned some of his own lifespan.

For a moment, he wasn't sure whether to be joyful or sad, falling silent for a long time.

Wang Yu had no immediate solution. Once the ten-year Spider Mountain mission ended, and the Demonic Embryo Profound Origin Secret Incantation also reached completion, his next step after returning to the sect would be to use a slave-capture mission as an excuse to return to the Taihu Spirit Domain.

Before Foundation Establishment, his aptitude definitely needed to be improved.

This way, he could also use high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills to quickly achieve a breakthrough in that realm. If Qi Condensation cultivators were mere ants, Foundation Establishment cultivators could at least make their voices heard.

At the very least, he would escape the bottom tier, no longer needing to constantly plot and fear offending someone, which could lead to eternal damnation.

"Also, concerning the sect, the struggles between the true disciples must be constantly monitored, otherwise... the plan will be difficult to achieve."

Suppressing his inner joy, Wang Yu returned to his diligent cultivation routine. He drank a cup of tea, rested for half an hour, and then plunged back into his quiet room.

Ten days later, loud shouts came from outside.

"Senior Brother Wang, I'd like to purchase some Ghost Eyes…"

Unbeknownst to him, Wang Yu had been elevated to the status of a senior brother. He temporarily dispersed the blood mist formed by the array, quickly walked out, and asked concisely:

"How many do you need, Junior Brother?"

The person wore the standard outer disciple uniform, with an unremarkable face, except for his bright eyes, which were likely a change brought about by consuming Ghost Eyes.

After consuming ten Ghost Eyes, Wang Yu's eyesight significantly improved. When combined with his Lunar Nether Pupils, the enhancement was complementary, making them even more practical in combat.

This junior brother was only at Qi Condensation Level Five, and seemed a bit short on funds.

"Senior Brother Wang, could I exchange 500 spirit stones for three high-quality Ghost Eyes?"

Wang Yu frowned. Wanted them for free? Impossible!

"I'm not trying to get them for free. I have a piece of information that Senior Brother might find very useful," the person quickly explained, fearing a misunderstanding.

"What information? Is it sect-related?" Wang Yu asked calmly, but saw the other party hesitate, stammering out:

"I don't know if it counts as internal information, but it's related to Foundation Establishment."

Wang Yu realized his misunderstanding; not everyone knew he had offended Wei Chong.

"Tell me. If it's worth its value, I can give you not just three, but five. But if it's a Foundation Establishment secret I already know, you'll get none."

"This…"

After a moment of hesitation, the person gritted his teeth and said, "I trust Senior Brother."

Oh, since entering the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect, apart from the spirit slaves in the stone house area, he had never met anyone so simple and straightforward.

"It's like this, Senior Brother. I heard you were promoted from a spirit slave and consumed a significant amount of your lifespan, so your aptitude must be somewhat lacking."