Chapter 1: Rogue Cultivator Chen Ji
In the 95,447th year of the New Dao Calendar.
Southern Wasteland, Tianyuan Region, Qinghe Market, North Second District.
The cold was oppressive, and the icy wind cut like knives.
It was the depths of winter, and the howling wind sounded like the roar of a deity, filling people's hearts with unease.
In the cold wind, a thin and frail figure walked along a snow-covered road.
"Hurry up, try to sell a few more."
Chen Ji looked up at the sky. It was already Mao hour (5-7 AM), and those who rose early had likely already set up their stalls.
"Ah, I never thought that even after transmigrating, life would still be like this."
Chen Ji quickened his pace, sighing inwardly.
Even during the most difficult days after graduating in his previous life, he didn't have to wake up at six in the morning to set up a stall to make a living.
Now, after transmigrating, he was living this miserable life.
"Life is hard, and cultivating immortality is even harder."
Since transmigrating to this world of cultivation, Chen Ji had gone from initial excitement to eventual numbness.
The only thing that remained was a deep sense of "familiarity."
In his previous life, he was a low-level worker. In this life, he had transmigrated into a low-level rogue cultivator in the market.
On weekdays, he barely scraped by with his crude talisman-making skills. Aside from the necessary meditation, Chen Ji hardly rested at all.
Yet, even so, he still ended up as a "moonlight clan" (spending all his earnings each month).
Renting a cave dwelling cost money. Talisman paper and cinnabar cost money. Setting up a stall required paying a "stall fee," and the market collected a "transaction tax." Add to that daily expenses for food, clothing, and the wear and tear of magical tools and robes.
Calculating it all, it was as if the most precise calculation had been made—every month, his income and expenses balanced out almost exactly.
His cultivation progress was slow, and his spirit stone earnings were meager.
Chen Ji had even considered giving up the path of immortality, returning to a mortal kingdom, and living out his life as a wealthy man with a harem of wives and concubines.
In the end, Chen Ji abandoned that thought.
After all, in terms of enjoyment, even an emperor in ancient times couldn't compare to an ordinary modern person.
However, the temptation of the supernatural and immortality kept Chen Ji from letting go.
Thus, Chen Ji gritted his teeth and persevered until today.
Arriving at his stall, Chen Ji sat cross-legged on the ground without any semblance of an immortal's grace. He spread out his stall cloth and laid out the talismans he had drawn the previous day.
A dozen or so "Vajra Talismans," the most basic talismans, common goods, but also bestsellers.
Though ordinary, they were affordable, had a wide audience, and stable sales.
...
"Talisman seller, give me a Vajra Talisman. Same as before, put it on my tab."
A delicate voice suddenly rang out. Chen Ji looked up and was immediately greeted by a large expanse of snow-white softness, swaying before him.
A loose Daoist robe with a high slit reaching up to the thigh, deliberately bending over in front of Chen Ji.
Recognizing the person by their flesh, Chen Ji immediately knew who it was.
"Sister Jiang, including this time, you've now owed me a total of thirty Vajra Talismans, adding up to exactly six spirit stones.
How about settling the debt this time?"
Chen Ji pulled out a Vajra Talisman of poorer quality and handed it over.
"Little brother, what are you talking about? What's the relationship between us? In half an hour, come find me, and I'll 'settle the account' with you properly, letting you have some fun too."
Jiang Yun'er extended a slender finger, biting her lip, and flirtatiously lifted Chen Ji's chin. The ample bosom beneath her loose Daoist robe, revealed by her bending over, jiggled slightly.
Chen Ji ignored her, only tightening his grip on the Vajra Talisman, not letting go, and exerting more force: "Sister Jiang, let's settle it first. My stall is a small business, and it's not good for you to keep owing me."
Seeing Chen Ji's lack of interest, Jiang Yun'er straightened up, no longer giving Chen Ji a free show.
"Hmph, heartless man. If it weren't for your handsome looks, I wouldn't have let you see so much for free."
With that, Jiang Yun'er tossed some spirit stones onto the stall and walked away, swaying her hips.
Putting away the spirit stones, Chen Ji couldn't help but curse the original owner of this body for being an idiot.
A cultivator who practiced seduction and sold her body had bewitched the original owner to this extent. Just a few flirtatious glances and a glimpse of some flesh had cost nearly thirty talismans.
Disgusting!
He was a fine young man from the 21st century, loyal to the Party and patriotic, with a heart as pure as iron.
After transmigrating, his Dao heart remained steadfast. How could he be weighed down by lust?
Moreover, this was a critical period when he was short on spirit stones. Chen Ji was really tight on funds.
"But... having said that, they really are big, as big as watermelons. No wonder her business is booming."
Following Jiang Yun'er's figure, Chen Ji noticed a scruffy, skinny old man with a pockmarked face standing at the corner.
Chen Ji recognized him—Qu Hua, an old widower with not much life left. He had failed to forcibly break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining years ago, damaging his body.
Now, with only a few spirit stones left, he spent his days indulging in pleasures.
"Tsk~, this money isn't easy to earn. You even have to bring your own medicine."
Indeed, people are pushed to their limits. If not for the harshness of the world, Chen Ji would never have thought that Vajra Talismans could be used like this.
Compared to the high-end "Zhongmiao Pills," Vajra Talismans were much cheaper.
"You're not even agreeing to this? Are you even a man?"
Suddenly, an old, astonished voice rang out.
Chen Ji turned his head and met Old Lin's surprised gaze.
"With a low-grade mixed spiritual root, what's the point of pretending to have a firm Dao heart? You're just fooling yourself. Your cultivation progress is so slow because you're pent up. Find her to 'unblock' yourself, and maybe you'll have a breakthrough, hehe."
Looking at the old man's missing front teeth, his words whistling through the gaps as he chuckled lecherously, Chen Ji could only sigh:
"Shameless old man."
Though Old Lin was vulgar and had a mouth full of nonsense, he was on good terms with Chen Ji. Both were rogue cultivators with adjacent stalls, and over time, they had become friends.
"Counting Jiang Yun'er's payment, I've sold a total of eight spirit stones today. Adding what I've saved, that's forty-six low-grade spirit stones, making a total of fifty-four."
Ignoring Old Lin's teasing laughter, Chen Ji calculated his accounts in his mind.
"'Gathering Qi Talismans' are different from Vajra Talismans. Ordinary yellow paper and cinnabar won't suffice. They require 'spirit paper' and 'monster blood.'"
"According to the 'merchant house' prices, two stacks of spirit paper cost twenty spirit stones, and a jar of the lowest-grade monster blood costs thirty spirit stones."
"Adding it up, that's about fifty spirit stones. Based on the stall prices, it might be a bit cheaper."
"That's enough!"
Old Lin was right. His cultivation progress was too slow. If things continued like this, forget about "Foundation Building"—he might not even reach the late stage of Qi Refining before his lifespan ran out.
Relying solely on Vajra Talismans was only enough to survive. It wouldn't help his cultivation at all.
The Gathering Qi Talisman was the "first bucket of gold" Chen Ji had decided on for himself. Only with the Gathering Qi Talisman could he possibly go far on the path of cultivation!
"The first lever to move my Dao path!"
The Gathering Qi Talisman, as the name suggests, had the effect of "gathering and condensing spiritual energy," speeding up a cultivator's absorption of spiritual energy.
It was one of the best aids for Qi Refining cultivators.
However, its difficulty in creation was high. Among first-grade talismans, it was one of the most challenging, requiring a high level of talisman-making skill to produce.
The Gathering Qi Talisman not only aided his cultivation but also had a much higher profit margin than Vajra Talismans.
Calculating it out, a single low-grade Gathering Qi Talisman yielded a profit of one spirit stone!
With his low-grade mixed spiritual root, without ample spirit stones, breaking through would be too difficult!
In the "Wealth, Companions, Dharma, Land" hierarchy, wealth ranked first.
Without resources, even those with high-grade spiritual roots could stagnate in the Qi Refining stage, unable to build their foundation.
Let alone someone like him.
Resolving himself, Chen Ji took out a "Talisman Manual" and slowly flipped through it. Among the several talisman-drawing methods recorded within was the Gathering Qi Talisman.
"Ah~"
Seeing this "Talisman Manual," Chen Ji felt a strange emotion. After all, the original owner of this body had traded his life for it.
Suppressing his emotions, Chen Ji's eyes flickered, like a stone dropping into water, causing ripples.
In a daze, it was as if ink had spread before his eyes.
[Name: Chen Ji]
[Lifespan: 27/77]
[Spiritual Root: Metal 17, Wood 26, Water 18, Fire 23, Earth 16]
[Realm: Qi Refining Third Layer]
[Cultivation Technique: Longevity Spring Art]
[Spells: ...]
[Skills: ...]
...
This was Chen Ji's greatest confidence in attempting the Gathering Qi Talisman!