CHAPTER 24: CHAPTER 24: FOURTH-LAYER QI CULTIVATION

"Husband, those refugees are also pitiable. Should we give them some food?"

Jia’Er asked softly. She had experienced hardship before and could empathize, wanting to help the refugees.

"There are too many. I’m afraid if I help a few, a whole group might come." Shen Wang frowned, pondering. He didn’t mind sparing some food; he just didn’t want his peaceful life disturbed.

In his view, these refugees were commoners, and it should be the responsibility of the Sun and Moon Dynasty to take care of them. A cultivator like him shouldn’t meddle.

"Moreover, our place isn’t safe at night. It’s not suitable for them to stay here. Do you really want them to move in?"

Hongping silently agreed; even though there was a cultivator in this place, the nights were indeed unsafe. If the refugees got too close, they might get eaten by the monster.

Jia’Er sighed upon hearing this, "I’m sorry, Husband. It’s my oversight."

"It’s good to have a kind heart. Do what you can within your power."

Shen Wang glanced at Hongping, "After you finish your meal, take some money to the town and prepare some porridge as an offering tomorrow. Consider it as accumulating blessings for our daughter."

"Master, you’re very kind," Hongping praised him.

"There should be no refugees lingering near our residence. Let Liu Shan drive them away later."

Shen Wang instructed. Their ancestral home was established on this mountainside to suppress the ominousness of Grave Mountain, so ordinary people definitely couldn’t stay nearby for long.

Blame it on the fact that this time the Spirit Rice smelled too good, drifting several miles, which had unexpectedly attracted the refugees from outside the town.

After finishing his meal, he went outside and circled the perimeter of their ancestral home and Grave Mountain to ensure no refugees were lingering before returning home to wash his daughter’s diapers.

While halfway through washing.

[You washed diapers for your daughter... Your Water Attribute Magic +1, now 5/100]

Shen Wang glanced at the diaper, surprised, "This time, probably because of washing over a hundred times based on the complete comprehension of Water Spiritual Power, it granted a reward again, which I thought wouldn’t happen."

Shaking his head without much thought, all Shen Wang wanted now was to live a peaceful life, earn Spirit Stones with his skills, protect his daughter with his strength, and raise her well.

As for the enhancement during the process of raising his daughter, everything would naturally happen in due course.

In the afternoon, he used ten sheets of low-grade Talisman Paper and only managed to make three Silver Radiance Talismans.

The Talisman Paper he bought at the second stall was indeed of inferior quality. If it weren’t for his ample experience in making Silver Radiance Talismans, he might not have successfully made even three.

In the evening, Shen Wang practiced as usual.

As his Dantian recovered another portion, Shen Wang had an insight, quickly taking out a Spirit Stone to hold in his hand.

The majority of the Spirit Stones were of the Earth Attribute, with fewer of Water, Gold Attributes, and very rare Fire, Wood Attributes, which only existed in special environments.

The Earth Attribute Spirit Stones are the currency circulating in the Cultivation Realm, while other types are somewhat more expensive. Under the same conditions, one Fire Attribute Spirit Stone can be exchanged for 9 Earth Attribute Spirit Stones, and peculiar Spirit Stones like Wind and Thunder Attributes are even more valuable, with an exchange ratio exceeding 100.

In reality, the exchange ratios of different Spirit Stones can change based on supply and demand, with Earth Attribute Spirit Stones being the most stable, experiencing the least fluctuation, and naturally becoming the most widely circulated currency, followed by Water Attribute Spirit Stones.

These Spirit Stones circulate more widely in regions abundant in water sources, and it’s said that they even replace the Earth Attribute currency to become the mainstream cultivation currency in marine territories.

He resides in a continental region, where the Earth reigns supreme.

The Earth generates all things, and aside from those cultivators restrained by the Earth, it is suitable for most cultivators, including Shen Wang’s cultivation.

Of course, using a Wood Attribute Spirit Stone directly would be best, but that’s a privilege for those sect geniuses. For him, the cost is too high, making it unaffordable at this moment.

Holding the Spirit Stone, the abundant Spiritual Qi was absorbed by him, far denser than the outside world, naturally bringing more excellent cultivation effects.

As one Spirit Stone dimmed, he took out another. Three Spirit Stones consumed in succession, and as dawn approached, his aura suddenly surged, forming a halo blended with green and red.

Amidst this halo, Shen Wang’s entire being floated, with a much stronger Spiritual Power swiftly flowing through his body and enveloping him entirely.

"Finally broke through!"

Shen Wang opened his eyes, the light in his pupils bright, a smile appearing on his lips.

By consuming three Spirit Stones and with more of his Dantian recovered, his Wood and Fire mutually-generated Spiritual Qi increased greatly, successfully breaking through from the third-layer Qi Cultivation to the fourth layer.

Still at one level, the advancement from the third to the fourth layer is far more significant than that from the second to the third, representing his transition from early-stage Qi Cultivation to mid-stage.

His overall Spiritual Power quantity doubled, the quality improved, and his strength surged in tandem.

"Still in the fourth layer of Qi Cultivation, my current dual-attributed Spiritual Power is about three times stronger than my former single-attribute Spiritual Power!"

Shen Wang felt his power, excitement in his eyes, "It’s entirely comparable to the geniuses with dual Spirit Roots, just slightly inferior to those with mutually-generating dual Spirit Roots."

If he could integrate another attribute, he believed he could rival a Celestial Spirit Root.

However, this step would undoubtedly be challenging, as adding another attribute would involve conflicting situations, increasing the difficulty significantly. Without a solid grasp, he wouldn’t attempt it lightly.

Currently, he focused on steady progress, earning Spirit Stones patiently to ensure his cultivation didn’t fall behind.

After his breakthrough, with an increase in total Spiritual Power and enough Talisman Paper, his daily talisman-making doubled, consuming twenty sheets a day.

A week passed, and once the Talisman Paper was exhausted, he made another trip to Baixi City, besides exchanging some Spirit Stones for cultivation, he also planned to buy a Crystal Fishing Rod, so his daughter could watch fish lying down without always having to get up.

Upon entering the city, he asked in several secular jewelry stores but found nothing, eventually having to visit the Celestial Travel Trading Company.

Paper Kite recognized Shen Wang and greeted him proactively, "Sir, we meet again. What do you need this time?"

"I want a Crystal Fish Tank. Do you have one here?"

Shen Wang actually preferred a glass fish tank, but this item needed special refining, making it more expensive. Natural crystal-carved fish tanks were somewhat cheaper.

"A magical artifact?"

Paper Kite assumed it was a special device for raising Spirit Fish.

"No, just an ordinary fish tank." Shen Wang shook his head, as he just kept ordinary goldfish, not requiring an artifact-level fish tank; even if it was needed, he couldn’t afford it right now.

Even a simple magical artifact would cost over a hundred Spirit Stones, unaffordable for any Qi Cultivation Cultivator without substantial wealth.

"Oh, maybe you need to check. We don’t sell them here."

Paper Kite apologized.

"No worries, just ask for me. It only needs to hold water and allow a view of the fish through the tank."

Shen Wang wasn’t in a hurry. If he had Earth Fire, he could try to refine a glass fish tank himself using sand.

"Alright, I’ll register for you right away, sir."