As Ning strolled through the lively market, the air buzzed with the cries of disciples hawking their wares, each trying to outshout the next.

  With spiritual stones finally jingling in his pouch, Ning felt a rare sense of stability.

  After all, as the saying goes, "With a weapon in hand, murderous intent naturally rises."

  He wasn't a murderhobo, of course. But after being broke for so long, having a bit of wealth naturally made his hands itch to spend it.

  "Behold! Feathers of the majestic Flamingo! A rare and coveted ingredient for fire practitioners. Get them now, only 50 spirit stones!" one disciple called out, showcasing a bundle of vibrant, fiery feathers.

  "This brother, look at Cloud Pine Sword. Don't be fooled by its normal appearance, I am telling you this sword is virtually famous in the Eastern Region. I can see that your forehead is shining brightly; this sword must be destined for you."

  "Sister, your beautiful appearance can only be matched by this dress made from the dragon silkworm. This is a high-grade material, it is very smooth... This handsome senior brother, do you want this dress for your lover? This dress is perfect as a gift -eh, you are single? Poor you~"

  The senior brother, "...."

  "Hair Growing Pill! Hair Growing Pill! This is the newest pill made by a renowned alchemist. This brother, I can see that you are bald, your exquisite temperament would be further pronounced with long, smooth hair. Once you take this pill, a dragon among men will be born~"

  "...I am sorry. This bald head is just a wig."

  "?!?"

  It was the first time Ning had come to the market, so he was quite shocked to see its state. Unlike the fabled immortal scenes described in books, it resembled more of a vegetable market.

  Soon, Ning found his destination.

  A tabletop-sized brown animal hide was spread across the bluestone slabs, displaying a dazzling array of items, each bearing small labels with their names and prices.

  Compared to other locations, this place was more "high-end," to say the least.

  Talisman paper, talisman ink, elixirs, talisman implements, various herbs, minerals, and other raw materials, though numerous, were all neatly organized, without a trace of clutter.

  "Oh my! This is a rare guest," Fang Zhu said with a smile, clearly polished from years of customer interaction.

  "Greetings, Brother Fang." Ning cupped his hands and greeted the smiling merchant.

  "So, are you here to buy something? If you have any questions, feel free to ask," Fang Zhu said, spreading his hands to showcase the numerous items.

  "Senior Zhou recommended me this place. I'm here to buy some pills to increase my cultivation."

  "Pills?" Fang Zhu mumbled, then took out two bottles. "For the early stage of Qi Condensation, the Red Bud Pill is the most suitable. It has fewer impurities and can be absorbed within three days, though it costs a bit more. The Blue Dew Pill is cheaper, but it has slightly more impurities and takes about five days to be completely absorbed."

  Red pill or blue pill? This is giving major Matrix vibes…

  Of course, without showing his thoughts, he asked, "What's the price, Brother?"

  "Red Bud Pill is fifteen spirit stones, and Blue Dew Pill is eleven."

  Ning thought for a moment.

  Wei Zhusang had given him a hundred spirit stones, so he needed to ration them carefully.

  "Five Red Bud Pills and two Blue Dew Pills."

  "Alright," Fang Zhu said cheerfully, expertly wrapping the pills in white paper. "Junior Brother, you seem to have succeeded in earning a lot."

  Ning had once asked Fang Zhu about ways to earn money quickly. He had even inquired whether there were places in the sect where he could obtain a loan. Unfortunately, Fang Zhu only knew of a few shady lenders who charged outrageous interest. Ning quickly dismissed the idea, and that was the end of it.

  "I just borrowed from my friends." Ning smiled.

  "It seems you have quite a silver tongue, junior brother." Fang Zhu knew that all of Ning's friends were recently made, so making them lend some spirit stone was quite a feat.

  Ning's eyes brightened.

  You've activated my trap card. I was just waiting for you to ask. How else could I show off?

  "I don't have the talent for that," Ning said modestly. "Fortunately, I was able to reach Minor Success in the Small Cloud Rain Technique, so I managed to borrow them."

  Fang Zhu's eyes flashed with surprise. Ning had only been cultivating for two months but had already reached Minor Success. That showed this junior brother was quite extraordinary.

  Fang Zhu's thoughts turned quickly. He immediately identified Ning as a long-term customer. With high talent in spell cultivation, his harvest from spiritual farming would naturally not be low.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Smiling, Fang Zhu said, "Alas, Junior Brother is quite talented. Since you've achieved some success, how could I, as your Senior Brother, not show some appreciation?"

  With those words, Fang Zhu picked out some black incense from among the goods and handed it to Ning. "These are Spirit Incense, which can help improve the quality of meditation. This is for you, Junior Brother."

  Ning looked surprised and waved his hands. "How could I, Senior Brother? These must be quite expensive."

  Anything that could facilitate cultivation was never cheap.

  Fang Zhu simply chuckled and waved dismissively. "This Spirit Incense only costs five spirit stones. Consider them a gift from me."

  Glancing at Fang Zhu's "I was just waiting for you to refuse so I could boast about the value of the goods" expression, Ning almost couldn't help but mutter,

  You dare use my own spell against me, Potter?

  Of course, Ning's hands weren't slow. He pocketed the Spirit Incense and spoke with conviction, "Alas! It would be disrespectful to refuse. For future purchases, I'll be sure to buy from Senior Brother."

  Fang Zhu smiled at this. Though young, this junior brother's way of handling relationships was quite mature.

  Then he paused, as if remembering something. "Since you've reached Small Success in the Small Cloud Rain Technique, you can apply to learn another farming spell. So, what do you want to learn, Junior Brother?"

  Ning paused at that.

  Thanks to Old Zhou's guidance, Ning was already familiar with the available spells.

  There was Scorching Purge, used to burn away weeds and pests. The Soil Refining Technique, which improved and balanced soil quality. The Golden Finger Technique, designed for precise planting by piercing the earth and burying seeds at the correct depth.

  Alongside these were the Small Cloud Rain Technique, the foundation of spiritual irrigation, and the Withering and Flourishing Technique, which could only be learned upon reaching the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.

  Together, these five spells formed the core of basic spiritual farming.

  Oh, how he wanted to choose Scorching Purge, to burn away those pesky weeds without breaking his back.

  But unfortunately, he was still rational enough.

  With almost teary eyes, Ning spoke firmly, "Brother, please apply for the Soil Refining Technique."

  ...

  Returning home, Ning glanced at the weeds that had grown tall once again and almost couldn't resist the urge to march back and ask for the Scorching Purge spell.

  But he quickly calmed himself. Now that he had the pills, his priority was cultivation. He wouldn't have enough time to devote to a new spell the way he had with the Small Cloud Rain Technique.

  Choosing Scorching Purge just to deal with weeds would be shortsighted; Soil Refining would help far more in the long run by improving the land's fertility.

  Sigh

  "What's done is done. Let's focus on trying the effect of the pill instead." Ning quickly redirected his focus. It was not his style to constantly brood over past things, but to focus on moving forward.

  Ning took out the Red Bud pill.

  From the outside, it looked harmless enough, just a smooth, glossy red sphere, faintly translucent under the light, with a soft herbal fragrance rising from it. Almost like one of those fancy vitamin capsules back on Earth.

  Ning knew how to consume it. Just gulp it down.

  Apparently, the pill's spiritual essence was sealed in a thin shell that dissolved best under spiritual circulation. If chewed, it could stick to the teeth or gums, causing some of the medicinal qi to leak or scatter before it could be properly absorbed.

  Even a fraction of waste was disrespectful for those spiritual stones.

  After psyching himself up for a moment, Ning popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it whole, forcing it down with a gulp.

  The moment it entered his stomach, a surge of warmth spread through his body like he had just downed a mouthful of molten honey. His meridians tingled, and a faint buzzing sensation began to pulse behind his navel.

  Boom!

  A burst of spiritual energy flowed through his body. Ning quickly used 'Pure Qi Sutra' to digest the influx of energy. His body seemed to slightly swell, but with proper control, he swiftly got under control.

  After exactly one hour and eleven minutes.

  Ning opened his eyes and let out a turbid breath.

  'Panel'

  [1st Stage of Qi Condensation(42-> 43/100)]

  Ning's eyes shone glancing at the rapid improvement. The efficiency was almost doubled. This was so going to make his numbers go brr...

  "Alas! One pill in and I am already addicted."

  ...

  A/N: Don't do drugs, unless you get superpowers. Like every superhero movie ever...

  Thanks for reading~