Starting Cultivation During a Trip

This is an unbreakable chain of contempt, with very few exceptions.

In the early years, Shi Shougong also wanted to enter the Mountain and Sea Desperate Realm to cultivate. Although the competition pressure there was immense, it was a better training ground for demons.

However, later on, he abandoned this idea.

”When I first became a demon, I once wandered around outside Ailao Mountain but didn’t dare to go in,” Shi Shougong’s eyes flashed with a trace of fear.

He was born on the border of Dian Nan, originally a lizard that turned into a spirit monster. Later he encountered a mountaineer who got lost, suffered from hypothermia in the mountain, and was on the brink of death. He got lucky and took over his body.

In fact, for a spirit monster to become a demon and gain a human form, there are generally two paths: either by a coincidence like Shi Shougong’s, which is essentially free, or by forcefully taking, which is most abhorred and forbidden by the Daoist Sect. If discovered, it results in death.

Initially, after Shi Shougong became a demon, he also thought about entering Ailao Mountain to train and cultivate.

After all, places like Ailao Mountain, Changbai Mountain, and Kunlun Mountain hold the same status among demons as the famous mountains of the Ten Great Taoist Sects do in the hearts of Daoists, serving as sacred places for advancement and enhancement.

However, he merely circled the outside before giving up.

The faint aura emanating from the mountain made him shiver; it was an almost animalistic instinct perceiving the danger of life and death. If he went in, he would be like bait for fishing.

”Demons capable of cultivating in the Mountain and Sea Desperate Realm indeed have a proud capital... but they will also descend to the secular world every so often,” Su Shiyu said softly.

”Why?” Zhang Fan asked.

”Spirit monsters and ghosts, like Daoists, also need resources for cultivation,” Shi Shougong said sternly.

Just like Daoists, when they first undergo Primordial Spirit Awakening and step into the Qi Cultivation phase, transporting Spiritual Qi and accumulating True Yang only requires secluded arduous practice.

As they progress further, more Great Medicine and Exotic Treasures are needed for supplemental cultivation.

For example, Liu Xingyu’s Crimson Palace Li Fire technique was only completed by supplementing with a Continuing Yang Grass. If he relied solely on secluded arduous practice, it would take at least an extra three to five years.

Those spirit monsters and ghosts, hidden in deep mountains and vast swamps, besides supplementing with lunar essence, would also find many Great Medicines and Exotic Treasures over the years. Apart from keeping what they can use for themselves, they would venture into the Red Dust to exchange for some exotic treasures needed for cultivation at the black market.

Like the Brain Worms that Shi Shougong supplements with, which he buys from the black market.

Reptilian spirit monsters and ghosts love supplementing with Exotic Insects, which greatly benefit their Primordial Spirit and aid in the practice of various demon techniques.

Brain Worms are not considered rare; every month, there is a supply available at the black market, although one needs to spend money to acquire them.

Shi Shougong usually sells reptiles and feed online, specializing in various types of geckos and frogs. His account on DouLe is called ”Strange Pet House,” and he has over half a million followers, with monthly net profits of 50-60 thousand.

With his financial capacity, he can supplement with two to three Brain Worms every week, which increases his cultivation speed by 20-30%.

”How much does one Brain Worm cost?” Zhang Fan curiously asked.

Inspired by the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Shield, Zhang Fan also had the idea to enhance the power of the Fire Dragon Pill Sword.

With Zhang Fan’s current cultivation level, he could condense one ”Fire Dragon,” but to condense more would require the aid of Exotic Treasures and Great Medicine.

Just like the Continuing Yang Grass that Liu Xingyu used; all things are divided into Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements, and wood can generate fire. Generally, exotic herbal medicines can enhance the fire.

However, Zhang Fan’s Fire Dragon Pill Sword is not an ordinary True Flame, and the Exotic Treasures and Great Medicine needed aren’t easy to come by. Apart from the channel, price is also very crucial.

So, he needed to find out clearly.

”One Brain Worm is three thousand eight,” Shi Shougong replied.

”Not too expensive.”

Now, Zhang Fan’s bank account also had a six-figure balance; he had become quite well-off.

In the past, his monthly salary would only be enough to buy one Brain Worm, with the rest barely enough for him to eat instant noodles for a month.

”These are consumables, useful only in large quantities, so they’re cheap,” Shi Shougong shook his head and said.

Spending three thousand eight on one Brain Worm, he would spend over forty thousand a month just buying insects. Looked at that way, it’s expensive.

Moreover, he could only get such a preferential price because he was familiar with the market.

”If it’s a new face, one costs five thousand eight,” Shi Shougong said seriously.

”Why so much more expensive?” Zhang Fan pursued.

”New faces involve taking risks,” Su Shiyu explained.

Even though it’s called the black market, there are indeed many rules, the first being that goods cannot be sold to ordinary people.

Though ordinary folks generally have no access to such channels, some clueless ones might break the rules and resell to ordinary people.

Such items, once touched by ordinary people, often lead to disaster.

For instance, the Brain Worm could turn an excellent student into a delinquent, and getting involved would ruin one’s life.

”A few years back, a woman bought a Beitai on the black market and ended up deceiving more than thirty men within half a year, absconding with millions, causing a vile impact.”

”As a result, because of this incident, there was a crackdown; the black market was closed for half a year, causing severe losses, and when it reopened, half the vendors had left,” recalled Shi Shougong.

The so-called Beitai is an exotic treasure, said to belong to an ancient exotic beast called Beitai, rumored to be closely related to wolves, with extremely short legs, often hidden in mountains and ancient caves, very rare.

It is said that a Beitai’s fetus is a priceless treasure, which if consumed with herbal decoctions, can attract the opposite sex, bringing forth numerous offspring.

”So generally, they don’t trade with new faces; either it’s old introducing new, or selling at a higher price.”

Shi Shougong is evidently seasoned in dealing with the black market, quite experienced.

”You can also buy from the Daoist Alliance, though their prices are higher,” Su Shiyu added.

At the Daoist Alliance, one Brain Worm costs sixty-eight hundred.

”That much more expensive?”

”Naturally, the Daoist Alliance has taxes to pay,” Su Shiyu said matter-of-factly.

In fact, even Night is not bright deals in this kind of business, but much more legitimately.

Of course, for many varieties, Night is not bright does not have the license, especially for Exotic Insects like the Brain Worm that have harmful control restrictions, which cannot be randomly sold.

That is the advantage of the black market; regardless of licenses, you can buy anything as long as you have money.

”The authorities don’t care?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help but ask.

”Care?” Shi Shougong laughed.

”Brother Fan, you are a Great Cultivator and should know that isolated Yin doesn’t thrive, nor does isolated Yang... without black, where would white come from, and without white, where would black come from...”

”These two are inseparable.”

Su Shiyu spoke ambiguously, but Zhang Fan showed a look of deep thought.

He remembered Jiang Hu had mentioned that last year, White Crane Temple held an auction where there was a Talisman from Dragon Tiger Mountain, something that originated from the black market but became legitimized and the provenance clear once auctioned, allowing normal transactions.

”Interesting,” Zhang Fan’s eyes lit up.

”Do you have any routes that could open my eyes?”

”Brother Fan wants to stock up?” Shi Shougong chuckled, ”I heard a special type of insect has arrived at the black market, and I just happen to want to check it out.”

”Is it safe? Reliable?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help but ask.

After all, it was the black market, and since it was his first time going, he couldn’t help but feel a bit apprehensive, much like going to an upper floor of a bathhouse for the first time —— both nervous and expectant.

”Rest assured, it’s absolutely reliable. The store I frequent has connections and has been in the Yujing black market for over a decade without ever having an issue.”

Saying this, Shi Shougong turned around, searched a drawer beside a cabinet, pulled out a business card, put it on the table, and pushed it to Zhang Fan.

Zhang Fan picked up the card and, after glancing at it, was stunned.

At this moment, he realized how deep and murky the waters here were...

This world is just a theatrical troupe, truly not as simple as black and white.

”Hong San!?”