For the rest of the day, Zhao Zuo tested his new physical strength. His speed at forging Spirit Iron had noticeably increased, each hammer strike carrying more force. He could now forge two pieces of Refined Iron in a row before feeling even slightly fatigued.
This was a huge improvement. The time he spent forging Spirit Iron each day was further reduced, leaving Zhao Zuo with more time for his Cultivation.
To avoid drawing attention, he adjusted his daily forging count back to six. After accounting for the cost of his Spirit Rice, this left him with an extra Spirit Stone.
By performing at a level similar to everyone else, he wouldn't have to worry about attracting unwanted greed.
It wasn't a loss for him; he could simply dedicate the extra time to advancing his Cultivation.
Zhao Zuo packed his daily schedule. His time was split between Qi Cultivation and Body Refining Cultivation, practicing how to draw Spirit Pattern Paths, repairing the Lower Grade Magical Artifacts he owned, and upgrading his Sky-Breaking Saber.
In the blink of an eye, four days passed. Zhao Zuo swallowed his second Purifying Spirit Pill, and after completing its refinement, his Cultivation took another great leap forward.
He was now one step closer to the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, but that wasn't the only benefit.
Additionally, a portion of his Creation Points had been absorbed by his soul, leading to a significant increase in his comprehension. While practicing the basic Qi Cultivation spell, he frequently experienced moments of insight, and his speed of absorbing Spiritual Power increased once more.
This was a clear benefit of enhanced comprehension—an all-around improvement in his ability to learn and understand. There might be other advantages as well, but he had no way of confirming them for the time being.
With both Purifying Spirit Pills consumed and the Golden Body Technique steadily improving after breaking through its bottleneck, the main goals of his secluded cultivation were complete. All that remained was to upgrade his Clear Heart Jade Pendant.
Selling the repaired Magical Artifact would earn him enough Spirit Stones to buy the materials for the Clear Heart Jade Pendant's upgrade. However, such a sum would easily attract unwanted attention, meaning he would have to accept a certain amount of risk.
After a few minutes, Zhao Zuo finally made his decision.
There were two reliable channels for selling Lower Grade Magical Artifacts. The first was the Earth Fire Forging Hall, an affiliate of the Moyun Sect. The second was the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, a merchant guild with nearly a thousand years of good standing.
Zhao Zuo couldn't yet gauge the Moyun Sect's reputation, but his previous dealings with the Spirit Treasure Pavilion had all been problem-free and quite pleasant.
'They wouldn't throw away a thousand-year reputation for a few dozen Spirit Stones.'
'The biggest problem now is explaining where the Magical Artifact came from,' he thought. 'After all, I'm not an Artifact Refiner.'
"It might be a little dangerous, but how could there be Cultivation without any risk at all?"
Having made his decision, Zhao Zuo no longer hesitated.
Zhao Zuo went to the exchange hall, converted all his Black Iron Coins into Spirit Stones, and left the Earth Fire Forging Hall. He had decided to do business with the Spirit Treasure Pavilion again. While the Moyun Sect was the dominator in this region, their methods were known to be cold and cruel.
The truth was, what really angered Zhao Zuo was that he himself was one of the exploited, low-level Loose Cultivators.
That afternoon, Zhao Zuo went to the exchange hall and traded for five Spirit Stones. It was a decent haul. He then headed straight for the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, planning to acquire another ace up his sleeve.
Business at the Spirit Treasure Pavilion was as brisk as ever. More than thirty people filled the first-floor hall; some were selecting Pill Medicines, others were comparing Magical Artifacts, and a few were trying on Magical Robes for size.
Zhao Zuo felt a little lost, as if he had returned to his previous life, browsing in a shop. The scene was somewhat familiar, yet also profoundly strange. 'Too bad I can never go back.'
"Sir, are you looking to purchase Pill Medicines, or a Magical Artifact?"
The speaker was a woman in a cyan robe, a gentle smile gracing her features. She stood about five-foot-five with a classic oval-shaped face, her eyes as deep and bright as the moon. Her entire demeanor was one of refined elegance.
She was beautiful, but in a completely different way than Qing Ci. Her eyes seemed to curve into a permanent, sweet smile. Her figure was slender, with long, straight legs.
"I'm looking for a Supporting Magical Artifact that can alter one's appearance, for no more than forty Spirit Stones."
Zhao Zuo couldn't help but reflect internally. 'Both are businesses, but the difference in service between Core Heart Hall and Spirit Treasure Pavilion is night and day.' At least from this woman, he sensed not a trace of condescension. 'No wonder the Spirit Treasure Pavilion is the top merchant guild in all the surrounding kingdoms.'
"This way, please. You can call me Qingzhu, sir."
The two walked over to a counter in the Magical Artifact section, where she first gestured for Zhao Zuo to take a seat.
Qingzhu then glided toward the storage area behind the counter.
True to form, Qingzhu didn't keep him waiting. She returned in under a minute, standing just a few feet away from him on the other side of the wooden counter. A faint, soothing scent of sandalwood drifted through the air.
Qingzhu first took a square of yellow silk from her Storage Bag and spread it smoothly across the counter's surface.
SWISH.
For a brief moment, it was as if a light flashed and vanished. A thin, skin-like mask appeared on the counter. It looked extremely delicate, its features blurry, resembling those of a middle-aged man around forty. The eye sockets were hollow, yet they seemed to shimmer with a faint, clear light.
"Based on your request, sir, this item is the closest match. However, its price is a little higher than your budget," Qingzhu began, smiling.
"This Magical Artifact is called Hundred Transformations. It is woven from the silk of a Hundred-Year Spirit Silkworm. When placed on your face, it will automatically conform to your skin. Infusing it with your Mana allows you to alter your features. Please note, however, that it can only store one appearance at a time. If you decide to change it, it will be very difficult to restore the previous one. It is a Lower Grade Magical Artifact."
The explanation was thorough, covering its materials, method of use, and drawbacks.
"It can be used for disguise, which is exactly what I need. What's the price?" Zhao Zuo was extremely satisfied. As his right hand lightly touched the surface of the Hundred Transformations, it felt cool, creating the eerie illusion of touching real skin.
A transparent panel flickered into view. 'This item can be upgraded,' Zhao Zuo noted with an internal nod.
"The Hundred-Year Spirit Silkworm is quite rare, and the weaving process is incredibly difficult. The price is forty-five Spirit Stones."
"Could you perhaps lower the price a little?" Although tempted, Zhao Zuo still wanted to test the waters and haggle.
"Since you asked, sir, I can certainly take off three Spirit Stones."
Qingzhu gave a dazzling smile and casually held up three slender, fair fingers, waggling them playfully in front of Zhao Zuo. The gesture was undeniably cute, but Zhao Zuo remained completely unmoved.
"Make it a little cheaper, and I'll buy it."
"Very well, I will lower the price to forty Spirit Stones," Qingzhu said with a charming laugh, before adding, "But sir, that is the absolute lowest I can go."
"Then it's a deal. However, I'd like to trade this for it, and you'll need to add five Spirit Stones."
Zhao Zuo was quite satisfied with that price. He opened the bundle on his back halfway, reached in, and pulled out the fully repaired Mountain-Breaking Awl.
Now that it was repaired, the Mountain-Breaking Awl looked much heavier. Spiral patterns were carved into its surface, running from the tip to the base. Though forged from Spirit Iron, it now carried an earthy-yellow luster.
Weighing nearly five times as much as a typical Lower Grade Magical Artifact, it looked incredibly intimidating.
"The Mountain-Breaking Awl?" Qingzhu stared at the Magical Artifact on the counter, surprised. She had sensed that Zhao Zuo's Cultivation was only at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer; logically, he shouldn't possess such a lethal weapon.
"That's right, the Mountain-Breaking Awl." Zhao Zuo saw the surprise in her eyes. 'Showing her the Mountain-Breaking Awl was a risk, after all.'
...