Wang Chen really couldn't understand the thoughts of Cloud Sun Sect's higher-ups.
Around the Cloud Sun spiritual lands, the Outer Sect area had cultivated hundreds of thousands of mu of Spirit Fields.
The annual yield of these Spirit Fields, apart from supplying more than a hundred thousand sect disciples, also provided the most basic cultivation sustenance for cultivators, martial artists, and servants attached to the Cloud Sun Sect, as well as the True Person and Superior families.
A nation unsettled without grain.
This principle was equally valid in the realm of immortal cultivation.
Although cultivators could fill their stomachs with the Tribute Rice of the mortal world, without the nourishment of Spiritual Energy from Spirit Rice, the speed and efficiency of cultivation would surely decline sharply.
How could the people remain content?
Now that a large amount of Spirit Fields had been afflicted by pestilence, the Cloud Sun Sect had yet to take action.
Incomprehensible.
But no matter how incomprehensible it was to Wang Chen, he was merely a low-level cultivator.
He really couldn't do much.
In fact, with the lessons learned from being targeted for his wealth and life, even if the current Wang Chen could do something, he wouldn't want to stand out and become the target of others' covetousness!
The carriage glittered, reaching a speed of seventy yards on the broad and flat Chi Path.
Due to the presence of many cultivators, the realm of immortal cultivation had very powerful infrastructure capabilities.
Carving through mountains and bridging over waters, craftsmen proficient in various spells could lay down ten miles of Chi Path in a single night without steel, concrete, or modern machinery.
A standard Chi Path could accommodate six Dragon Scale Horse carriages side by side, and its smoothness and durability were in no way inferior to Earth's highways.
Wang Chen had seen more than once the second-generation cultivators in Cloud Mountain City speeding along the Chi Path!
The Dragon Scale Horse carriage was fast.
Although there were several stops along the way, in less than half a two-hour period, a majestic city appeared before Wang Chen's eyes.
Cloud Mountain City, one of the three Outer Sect cities of the Cloud Sun Sect, and the location of the Outer Sect Main Hall!
Then they hit traffic.
The Cloud Mountain City, backed by the Heaven Cloud mountain range, had three city gates, each a convergence point for several Chi Paths.
The carriage Wang Chen was riding was on the Chi Path connecting to the west gate.
Two miles away from the city gate, the road was already jam-packed, with a large number of carriages crowded together.
The coachmen were all cursing.
And the passengers, already used to it, dismounted and walked the rest of the way.
Wang Chen naturally followed suit.
Upon arriving at the city gate, he showed his Identity Plaque to the guards and smoothly entered the city.
As an Outer Sect disciple of the Cloud Sun Sect, he did not need to pay any fees to enter and exit Cloud Mountain City.
But for Loose Cultivators, the entrance fee was a Lower Spirit stone!
Despite the high barrier, countless Loose Cultivators still flocked to it.
Because Cloud Mountain City was the most bustling "Immortal City" within a thousand miles, with a population in the hundreds of thousands.
Here, there were the largest marketplaces, Courtesan Houses, gambling dens, liquor stores, tea houses...
As long as one's Storage Bag was full of Spirit Stones.
Then Cultivation Techniques, Pills, Magic Artifacts, Talismans, Spirit Food, Courtesans—you name it, they had it.
Most importantly, Cloud Mountain City was very safe.
Many Loose Cultivators risked their lives in the Outer Domain all year round, just to enjoy a night of indulgence in the city!
Wading through the bustling crowd, Wang Chen headed straight to the north of the city.
In the mountain-adjacent northern part of the city, hundreds of Cave Mansions for cultivation had been developed, managed by the Outer Sect Main Hall, offering rental services to sect disciples and Loose Cultivators.
Despite the hefty price, the business was incredibly booming.
Wang Chen was lucky that day, as there were still a few vacant Cave Mansions when he arrived.
The Cave Mansions were also graded.
The best ones could be used by Purple Mansion Superiors for cultivation, while most were suitable for mid and high-tier Qi Cultivation cultivators.
A Cave Mansion satisfying mid-tier Qi Cultivators for cultivation charged a daily rent of fifteen Lower Spirits.
The Spirit Stones left by the previous owner were only enough for half a day's rent.
Wang Chen gritted his teeth and spent thirty Lower Spirits for two days' rent.
Wang Chen was never one to nitpick over money; when it was time to spend, he could be quite generous.
For instance, in his past life, he didn't have much savings when buying a house, but he didn't hesitate to clear out his bank account and borrow more to make the down payment.
The outcome was that before the house was handed over, its price nearly doubled!
And he was renting the Cave Mansion to breakthrough to mid-tier Qi Cultivation; spending a third of his savings did not trouble him at all.
By the time Wang Chen arrived at the Cave Mansion he had rented,
he was immediately "intoxicated."
The spiritual energy in the Cave Mansion was too abundant.
Wang Chen's body hair relaxed, and he felt as if he were soaking in a hot spring, warm from head to toe, as though he had just drunk a cup of thousand-year-old immortal brew, blissfully drifting as if about to ascend.
This was what happened when someone who had lived in a Low Spirit area suddenly moved to one with high Spiritual Energy.
The intoxication of spiritual energy.
It took Wang Chen the time of one incense stick to adapt.
He couldn't help but silently praise the worth of the Spirit Stones he had spent.
After sealing the door of the Cave Mansion, he sat on a cushion and began his practice, circulating his energy.
Time equaled Spirit Stones.
The sooner he broke through his bottleneck, the more time he would have to consolidate his realm.
That meant earning more Spirit Stones.
Even so, Wang Chen didn't immediately add points to his Five Elements Skill to complete the advancement.
The previous owner had been stuck at the third tier of Qi Cultivation for a long time, and after several failed breakthrough attempts, his accumulations had become very profound.
Now that Wang Chen had added points to both Root Bone and Comprehension, and had rented a sect Cave Mansion,
He would have felt too weak if he still relied on the Immortal Cultivation panel to level up in such circumstances!
The key point was that advancing from the third to the fourth tier cost 1 Heavenly Merit point.
Therefore, when advancing from the fourth to the fifth tier, the needed Heavenly Merit points would be 10!
Moreover, Wang Chen suspected that the 6 points of Heavenly Merit he inexplicably possessed were most likely the result of his killing that Traveling Merchant.
If Heavenly Merit really had to be acquired through killing, then it was much more difficult to earn than Human Virtue.
Not to mention 10 points, even 1 point was precious!
Wang Chen wanted to save the 1 point of Heavenly Merit for advancing from fourth to fifth tier, or perhaps from the middle to high tier.
He closed his eyes, pushing all distracting thoughts and worries out of his mind.
He entered a state of cultivation where he became oblivious to everything else.
Pure mana silently flowed through his meridians, permeating his organs and limbs as directed by the cultivation technique.
When the mana in his Dantian was raised to its peak, Wang Chen began to break through without hesitation.
An obstructed meridian was forcefully penetrated, as if breaking through bamboo.
There was not the slightest stagnation, and the process went smoother than imagined!
Wang Chen's body shook, and his eyes suddenly opened.
His eyes sparkled with brilliance, and dots of spiritual light illuminated the Cave Mansion.
He had succeeded!
[Name: Wang Chen]
[Lifespan: 17/90]
[Cultivation Level: Qi Cultivation Tier 4]
[Physique: 4]
[Root Bone: 3]
[Comprehension: 3]
[Divine Soul: 3+8]
[Cultivation Technique: Five Elements Skill (Tier 4): 0/400]
...
Without spending a single point of Heavenly Merit, Wang Chen broke through to the middle tier of Qi Cultivation in one go.
His lifespan increased by 5 years, and his Divine Soul gained 1 point.
Additionally, Wang Chen could feel that his Dantian had expanded considerably, able to hold much more mana.
His meridians had become sturdier as well!
He believed that even if he activated his Great Achievement-level Geng Metal Finger with full mana, the damage would not be as severe as before.
One could say that Wang Chen's overall combat strength had significantly improved.
The only issue was that he possessed too few combat skills.
But that would be resolved soon!
-----------
The second release is here, asking for your votes.