DIV Chapter 54: Astonishing Gains

Zheng Jinbao's voice trembled as he stammered out the location of his hidden treasures.

"I did indeed hide many treasures, they're... they're in this storage bag."

"Hmm?" Li Chang'an frowned slightly, staring at the storage bag in his hand.

He had already searched this storage bag thoroughly. Aside from a few hundred spirit stones, the rest were all mundane objects.

"I'm not lying to you, they really are inside," seeing that Li Chang'an seemed not to believe him, Zheng Jinbao hastily added.

"There's a bracelet inside, also a storage treasure, but it can't be opened with magical power, it requires spiritual power."

"Oh?" Li Chang'an's mind stirred.

The next instant, a dark green bracelet appeared in his hand.

This bracelet looked nothing special on the surface, seemingly just an ordinary mundane item.

Li Chang'an hadn't paid it any attention before.

Now, hearing Zheng Jinbao's explanation, he examined it again and finally discovered a clue.

On the bracelet, there was a tiny silver dot almost imperceptible to the eye.

"Another one of these silver dots," Li Chang'an was surprised.

Previously, he had found a bargain at the black market, a damaged formation flag.

On that flag, there had also been such a silver dot.

It contained a space within, discoverable only through spiritual power.

"These treasures are truly strange, I almost missed it," Li Chang'an silently extended a thread of spiritual power, touching the silver dot on the bracelet, and indeed discovered a special space.

Within it were piled large quantities of treasures, worth far more than those in the storage bag.

Spirit stones alone exceeded two thousand!

Additionally, there were quite a few magical artifacts, pills, talismans, techniques, and spells, their value temporarily difficult to estimate.

"Quite a haul indeed!" Li Chang'an silently marveled.

Zheng Jinbao was merely at mid-stage Qi Refining.

But his wealth far exceeded those two late-stage Qi Refining robber cultivators from Black Wind Mountain!

"This fellow is insatiably greedy and blinded by profit. In his years as steward, who knows how many corrupt dealings he's done. But now... all the wealth he accumulated through greed belongs to me," Li Chang'an was thoroughly satisfied.

With this windfall, his plans for Foundation Establishment would be much easier.

He looked at Zheng Jinbao and asked again, "This bracelet is rather peculiar, where did you obtain it?"

"The ancient secret realm," Zheng Jinbao answered honestly.

This bracelet had been brought out from the secret realm by some rogue cultivator.

After changing hands several times, it came to him.

"The secret realm again," Li Chang'an pondered.

The damaged formation flag he'd bought at the black market had also been obtained by the vendor from the secret realm.

There might be more such treasures in the secret realm.

"Why did ancient cultivators specifically create magical artifacts driven by spiritual power?" Li Chang'an found it strange.

Could it be that in ancient times, spiritual power, like magical power, could be cultivated?

"Forget it, these matters are too distant, focus on the present," Li Chang'an shook his head and gathered his thoughts.

He settled down and began carefully identifying the treasures in the bracelet.

"Two first-tier superior-grade magical artifacts, one offensive and one defensive, both fire element treasures. Not very useful to me, but valuable. I'll find time to sell them at the black market."

"Five mid-grade magical artifacts, also all fire element."

"Quite a few low-grade magical artifacts as well..."

Just the quantity and quality of magical artifacts alone would amaze many late-stage Qi Refining experts.

Additionally, there were large quantities of expensive pills.

The Zheng family was, after all, a pill-refining family, and Zheng Jinbao was considered a core member of the Zheng family.

The pills stockpiled in his storage space made even Li Chang'an secretly amazed.

"This is a first-tier superior-grade pill called Clear Spirit Pill, essentially an advanced version of Qi Nurturing Pills, suitable for late-stage Qi Refining. For someone at mid-stage Qi Refining like Zheng Jinbao to consume these is truly extravagant."

"This Spirit Awakening Pill is also a first-tier superior-grade pill, with effects of awakening the mind and clarifying the spirit, quite expensive."

"Eh, there's even a Cloud Breaking Pill!"

Li Chang'an's eyes lit up with joy as he took out a small pill bottle.

Inside the bottle was indeed a Cloud Breaking Pill!

This type of pill could help mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators break through to late-stage Qi Refining, worth far more than the other superior-grade pills.

At the last auction, a Cloud Breaking Pill had sold for the high price of nine hundred fifty spirit stones!

Higher than the value of many superior-grade magical artifacts.

After all, cultivation advancement was permanent, while magical artifacts were merely temporary external possessions.

"I have no use for this Cloud Breaking Pill, but it should fetch a good price at the black market," Li Chang'an pondered.

Breaking through from mid-stage to late-stage Qi Refining using pills would cause one's potential to decline, affecting future Foundation Establishment.

He put away the Cloud Breaking Pill and continued cataloging other treasures.

"Quite a few mid-grade and low-grade pills too, I won't need to buy pills for a long time to come."

Besides pills, the quantity of talismans was also considerable.

Most were life-saving talismans.

Zheng Jinbao clearly knew he had offended many people, which was why he'd bought so many life-saving talismans.

It was just that he hadn't had the chance to use them before falling into Li Chang'an's hands.

"No matter how good treasures are, one must have the opportunity to use them," Li Chang'an couldn't help but sigh.

With insufficient strength, what use were countless treasures?

After finishing the talisman count, Li Chang'an began examining the numerous techniques and spells.

"All fire element techniques and spells, not very useful to me."

Suddenly, his gaze paused.

"Eh... this is..."

Li Chang'an's mind stirred.

A jade slip immediately appeared in his hand.

This jade slip contained a technique called "Demon Blood Body Tempering Art."

"It's actually a body refining technique!" Li Chang'an's eyes brightened, feeling delighted.

He had searched both the black market and the regular market for a long time, never finding a body refining technique.

He never expected to obtain one from Zheng Jinbao!

Li Chang'an held the jade slip, browsing for a moment before his joy dimmed somewhat.

He frowned slightly, thinking it a pity.

"This body refining technique isn't complete, only containing first-tier content, cultivatable at most to first-tier peak."

First-tier body refining corresponded to Qi Refining cultivators.

Second-tier corresponded to Foundation Establishment.

According to legend, reaching second-tier body refining allowed one to withstand attacks from Foundation Establishment masters with the physical body alone.

"Forget it, I shouldn't be greedy. First-tier peak is sufficient," Li Chang'an set down the jade slip with a light sigh.

First-tier peak body refining cultivation would make his qi and blood far exceed cultivators of the same realm.

When breaking through to Foundation Establishment, he wouldn't need to worry about the "essence" barrier.

Li Chang'an looked at Zheng Jinbao and asked, "Since you have a body refining technique, why didn't you cultivate it?"

"I tried, but it was too painful," Zheng Jinbao shook his head repeatedly.

"My aptitude isn't good, and my chances of Foundation Establishment are slim, so why suffer like that?"

"Don't want to suffer?" Hearing this, Li Chang'an couldn't help but laugh.

The path of body refining was indeed extremely painful, but which cultivator couldn't endure hardship?

Seeking immortality through cultivation was inherently going against heaven.

This path inevitably involved suffering.

"With such a mindset, no wonder you haven't broken through to late-stage Qi Refining," Li Chang'an looked Zheng Jinbao up and down.

This fellow lived in luxury every day, his face full of fat, living like a wealthy lord. Where did he resemble a cultivator?

He probably hadn't put his mind on cultivation at all.

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