Cultivation starts from devouring the Dao fruits

Two days later.

"Low-grade Poisonous Spirit Root (100/100)."

"I can finally promote my Spirit Root, although it's a Poisonous one!"

Zhao Yu's mind stirred, and he chose to evolve his Spirit Root.

A tremendous surge of heat erupted from within Zhao Yu, nourishing his Spirit Root and initiating its evolution.

Two hours later, countless impurities were expelled from Zhao Yu's body, leaving him reeking terribly.

"Mid-grade Poisonous Spirit Root (0/1000)."

"My Spirit Root has finally advanced! Eternal life is possible! Eternal life is possible!"

Zhao Yu opened his eyes, filled with excitement and exhilaration as he looked at his upgraded Spirit Root.

The better a cultivator's Spirit Root, the stronger their innate talent for cultivation. Cultivators with Earth Spirit Root or Heavenly Spirit Root do not need a Foundation Establishment Pill to successfully establish their foundation.

A cultivator with a high-grade Spirit Root has a 70-80% chance of successful foundation establishment after using a Foundation Establishment Pill, a mid-grade Spirit Root gives a 40-50% chance, and a low-grade gives only a 20-30% chance.

"Uncle, you smell!"

While Zhao Yu was reveling in his excitement, Li Xianjiao, who was nearby, climbed out from a blanket on the ground, covering her little nose and staring at him with big, watery eyes.

"I'm going to take a bath right now!"

Zhao Yu's smile froze, and he coughed lightly before stepping out of the tent. After bathing and changing clothes, he returned inside the tent to start practicing the Earth Elemental Skill.

"After advancing my Spirit Root to mid-grade, my speed of cultivating the Earth Elemental Skill has only increased by thirty percent! Indeed, I need to advance my Earth Attribute Spirit Root since my main cultivation technique is the Earth Attribute-based Earth Elemental Skill."

After completing a cycle of cultivation, Zhao Yu felt a slight disappointment. Although the speed of his cultivation had improved after the Poisonous Spirit Root was upgraded to mid-grade, the increase was not as significant as he had hoped.

Li Xianjiao, possessing a Water Attribute Heavenly Spirit Root, is a cultivation prodigy, and her practice of Water Attribute techniques naturally progresses rapidly. However, practicing techniques of other attributes would yield much worse results.

Zhao Yu took out a mirror and glanced at it, the corners of his mouth curving into a slight smile, "But, I have become even younger!"

After this transformation of his Spirit Root, Zhao Yu appeared to be only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and was bursting with vigor, a stark contrast to when he had just transmigrated, showcasing the allure of cultivation.

Three days later, the caravan finally emerged from the Canglong Mountain Range.

Vast expanses of farmland appeared before Zhao Yu and his group, where a crowd of ragged farmers were diligently tilling the soil.

"I'm leaving! Take care!"

Su Bingyun gave Zhao Yu a deep look, turned around decisively, leaving behind only her resolute silhouette.

Zhao Yu quietly watched Su Bingyun's retreating figure without a word.

Li Xianjiao tugged at the hem of Zhao Yu's clothes, her innocent face questioning, "Uncle, aren't you going after her?"

"Go after her for what? The eldest sister of the Cang Spirit Sect, an Earth Spirit Root genius not even twenty years old. If I do not achieve foundation establishment, no matter how much I curry favor, it is wasted effort! My goal is still immortality! If the blossom stands out, the butterfly comes on its own! I should focus on becoming the best version of myself!

Let's go!"

Zhao Yu gave one last deep look at Su Bingyun's silhouette, took Li Xianjiao's small hand firmly, and resolutely walked in another direction.

Li Xianjiao's lips slightly lifted, her mood exceptionally good, holding Zhao Yu's hand tightly.

After walking about ten kilometers, Zhao Yu suddenly stopped, looking toward a forest and said, "My friend, you have been following us for quite a while now, what exactly do you want?"

From within the forest, Mu Song emerged, staring intensely at Zhao Yu, his eyes flickering with greed, "Zhao, hand over all the valuables you possess, and I can let you live. Otherwise, today will be your day of doom. Without Lady Su to protect you, you are nothing!!"

Zhao Yu's eyebrows slightly furrowed, he frantically activated the Vajra Dragon Elephant Art, channeled his mana, and executed the Flying Dagger Technique, the high-grade earth attribute magic sword in his hand shooting towards Mu Song like a flying dagger.

"A mere Qi Refinement Level Four trash, dares to strike at me? You're seeking death!"

Mu Song's face suddenly changed dramatically, and he immediately sacrificed a mid-grade magic artifact level blue magic sword, which emitted a blue spiritual light to shield him.

Clang!

The two magic swords collided, emitting a crisp ringing sound. The spiritual light from the blue sword collapsed, striking Mu Song heavily in the chest.

A terrifying force transmitted from the blue magic sword, directly causing Mu Song's ribs to break — he was blown backwards and fell to the ground.

A shadow flickered slightly, and Zhao Yu appeared in front of Mu Song, thrusting with a mid-grade magic artifact Earth Sword — the long sword flashing like lightning, instantly decapitating Mu Song, with blood splattering all around.

Zhao Yu calmly analyzed, "Qi Refinement late stage cultivators are indeed tricky, I had to use all my strength just to kill him! If there were two or three late stage Qi Refinement cultivators attacking me, I would have to fight desperately!"

After carefully checking Mu Song's storage bag, Zhao Yu found thirteen mid-grade spirit stones, one hundred thirty-seven low-grade spirit stones, many spirit grasses, spiritual medicines, spirit talismans, spirit pills, and six first-rank low-grade magical instruments.

Zhao Yu thought to himself, "This Mu Song must have also been a bandit, or perhaps, he had gained quite a bit during the chaos at the Market of Little Black Mountain."

After killing Mu Song, Zhao Yu left the area with Li Xianjiao.

Cang Country, Changyang County, midway up Jiu Chen Mountain.

"This place is the Jiu Chen Mountain Market, which is also controlled by the Changyang Ling family."

Zhao Yu looked at the thick fog surrounding the market and curiosity flashed through his eyes, "This is the Illusory Mist Formation! Once a mortal enters, they would be deluded and trapped in illusions."

Zhao Yu took Li Xianjiao's hand, activated his mana, and stepped into the fog.

As soon as Zhao Yu entered the fog, his vision blurred, and a path appeared in front of him.

On either side of the path were large spirit fields where some spirit farmers were casting spells to cultivate spirit rice.

Zhao Yu walked along the path and, after a short while, a vast market appeared in front of him.

Zhao Yu entered the market and after touring around, noticed that there were fewer cultivators in the Jiu Chen Mountain Market compared to the Market of Little Black Mountain, and their cultivation levels were generally weaker.

The buildings in the Market of Little Black Mountain were smaller, while those in the Jiu Chen Mountain Market seemed spacious and grand, with wide intervals between them.

In terms of prices, the prices of demon beast materials, spirit grasses, spirit pills, and demon beast meat in the Jiu Chen Mountain Market were higher than in the Market of Little Black Mountain, but the prices of talismans were slightly lower.

The concentration of spiritual energy in the Jiu Chen Mountain Market was significantly lower than in the Market of Little Black Mountain. The spirit vein in the Market of Little Black Mountain was of the first-grade top level, whereas the spirit vein in the Jiu Chen Mountain Market was only about mid-level first grade.

Once Zhao Yu arrived at the center of the Jiu Chen Mountain Market, an eight-story luxurious building appeared in his sight, with the plaque of the Changyang Ling family hanging above it.

After registering at the building with Li Xianjiao, they each received a token and Zhao Yu rented a cave mansion within the Jiu Chen Mountain Market at the rate of sixty spirit stones per year.

"This cave mansion isn't bad, it's quite spacious! It's a pity that the concentration of spiritual energy is far less than in the cave mansions of the Market of Little Black Mountain!"

Zhao Yu looked at the cave mansion, which was twice as large as the small courtyards in the Market Center District of Little Black Mountain and elegantly furnished, a hint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.