Infinite Professions-Chapter 145 - 63: Cultivation Realm
Shen Hex sat on the Iron-Feathered Eagle, using the Spirit Control Technique to mobilize his Spiritual Power, while simultaneously activating his Martial Arts Primordial Skill, injecting it into the Storage Pouch. Soon, he saw the golden thread swim like a dragon, opening the tightly sealed bag.
With a swift investigation through Spiritual Thought, he discovered a space about ten cubes in size. It held various items neatly organized, without needing any effort from him.
After some counting, he arrived at a conclusion.
First were the Dharma Artifacts. Ding Shengji’s wealth was impressive. Apart from the Thunderfire Magic Sword and the Profound Gold Magic Shield used earlier, there were a few Middle-Grade Dharma Artifacts and an Upper-Grade Dharma Artifact used for escape—the Flying Heaven Shuttle.
Secondly, there were pills and talismans, along with consumables like Spirit Stones. Since he used such a technique as Thunderous Frenzied Dragon, Ding Shengji was killed instantly, so many pills and talismans couldn’t be used, and the Spirit Stones were piled high, about over five thousand.
For a Third-stage Qi Refining Cultivator, this wealth was considered extremely opulent.
Shen Hex, though not having ventured into the Cultivation Realm, had encountered Cultivators. After all, during this period, he operated under the name of the Fishing Elder, committing several major cases in the Dongting Five Prefectures, annihilating multiple gangs and noble families, inevitably attracting the attention of Cultivators.
He captured a few early on, using some not-so-pleasant methods to interrogate information about the Cultivation Realm and some cultivation-related knowledge from their mouths.
Therefore, Shen Hex also had some understanding of the value of these Dharma Artifacts, talismans, pills, and Spirit Stones.
In two words—opulent!
The value of Ding Shengji’s Dharma Artifacts, talismans, pills, and Spirit Stones had already surpassed that of ordinary Qi Refining Cultivators, almost matching those from a Foundation Establishment background.
Why so opulent?
Soon, Shen Hex found the reason among a heap of Cultivation Technique Jade Scrolls.
"Thunderfire Thunderbolt Technique!"
"Basic Refining Technique!"
"Basic Talisman Making Technique!"
"Array Dao Introduction!"
"Yin-Yang Great Sorrow Poem..."
After reading this pile of Cultivation Technique Jade Scrolls, Shen Hex’s doubts were resolved.
This Ding Shengji turned out to be an Artifact Refiner!
Pill Talisman Array is a prominent field in cultivation, known as one of the four main origins of Hundred Skills of Cultivation.
No matter if one is a Pill Master, Talisman Master, Artifact Master, or Array Master, as long as one succeeds in any skill, they can stand firm in the Cultivation Realm, even achieve prosperity and build a legacy.
This Ding Shengji was an Artifact Refiner, a talented Artifact Refiner with Thunder-Fire Spiritual Roots. His artifact refining skills had reached Tier Three, able to craft Upper-Grade Dharma Artifacts. The Thunderfire Magic Sword was his masterpiece.
Apart from that, he also had a sect. Though only a Foundation Establishment Sect, as a core member he received significant cultivation, so his Storage Pouch contained not only various pills and Spirit Stones for cultivation but also many talismans and Dharma Artifacts for protection and survival.
It was only because Shen Hex’s Xingyi Divine Martial was powerful enough to pierce shield and break spell, killing him in one strike; otherwise, in a fierce battle, even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator might not leave him his life.
This shows the benefit of having the "Artifact Refiner" identity.
"Three Upper-Grade Dharma Artifacts, the Thunderfire Sword and Profound Gold Shield have been damaged by me, although not completely destroyed, but are no longer useful as they are, needing to be recast."
"The Flying Heaven Shuttle, however, remains intact, but since it’s stolen property, the person behind it has a sect. Adding the lure of Dongting Fishing Elder and Immortal Fate treasure, it’s best not shown lightly, even those Middle-Grade Dharma Artifacts can’t be easily sold."
"Luckily the pills, talismans, and Spirit Stones don’t have this issue and can be directly used, just need to discern the drug properties, distinguishing Poison Pills from Spirit Pills as well as talisman types."
"As for the remaining..."
Shen Hex’s gaze shifted to the remaining items, mostly materials and miscellaneous items.
Materials need not much explanation. As an Artifact Refiner, collecting materials is a professional instinct, and Ding Shengji was no exception, storing a large amount of Spiritual Objects, varying in grade and type.
Shen Hex picked a few suitable gold wire items to reinforce his fishing rod, leaving everything else untouched for later.
Among the remaining miscellaneous items, he searched again and eventually found an ancient book.
"Xiake’s Travelogue"
It turned out to be a geographic book compiled by a Cultivator, recording the customs, cultures, and anecdotes of various countries and regions.
Shen Hex then took out a map, laying it flat on the eagle’s back, and compared it with the contents of the Xiake’s Travelogue.
This map he drew himself, cross-verifying information interrogated from several Cultivators, eventually forming this map marked with places of the "Cultivation Realm."
Though called the Cultivation Realm, it was only a few marketplaces.
According to the Xiake’s Travelogue and those Cultivators, the inner lands were mostly mundane areas, with only a few places with High Tier Spirit Veins occupied by major Golden Core Sects, serving as forbidden mountain gates, off-limits to outsiders.
Only some inferior Spirit Lands are opened as marketplaces or occupied by small Foundation Establishment Sects and Foundation Establishment Clans.
Still, there’s no difference, as those small Foundation Establishment Sects and Foundation Establishment Clans, to earn Spirit Stones, will open Spirit Lands as marketplaces, where unsected Loose Cultivators mainly gather.
But this is just the inland Cultivation Realm. Rumor has it the overseas land is abundant with Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirits, more flourishing in cultivation, not only having Core Formation Cultivators but also Nascent Soul Old Monsters, even legendary Divinity Transformation Ancestors, and various Immortal Islands with ancient heritage and numerous relics for exploration.
However, the author of Xiake’s Travelogue had not witnessed it firsthand, and those Cultivators Shen Hex interrogated had also merely heard about it, leaving the truth uncertain. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
Shen Hex also has no immediate plans for exploration. The inland has the Three Kingdoms and Five Sects, the five major sects having Core Formation individuals, enough to keep him busy for a while. Dealing with these, exploring overseas can wait.
...
Shen Hex compared for a while, and finally fixed his gaze on a specific place.
Red Maple Valley!
This place is located within the vast mountain range at the border between the Chen and Xing Countries. Originally, it was a low-tier spirit land where loose cultivators gathered, and later evolved into a marketplace, jointly managed by several Foundation Establishment powers without any single dominant force, thereby attracting more loose cultivators.
A small retreat in the forest, a grand retreat in the marketplace.
This place is perfect!
After determining his direction, Shen Hex immediately urged the Iron-Feathered Eagle to head towards Red Maple Valley.
Thus, half a month later.
The vast mountain range, mysterious and deep, aside from venomous snakes and fierce beasts, was also shrouded in miasma.
Human traces here had long vanished, even hunters and woodcutters dared not venture deeply.
Only occasionally was Spirit Light seen flickering, as if immortals were walking within.
Aboard the Iron-Feathered Eagle, Shen Hex sat steadily as a mountain, concentrating Spirit Control Power in his eyes, and soon found a peculiar location amidst the vast mountains and forests, immediately directing the Iron-Feathered Eagle to descend.
"Screech!"
The Iron-Feathered Eagle descended, revealing swirling mists, mountains unlike mountains, forests unlike forests.
He had evidently entered an array formation.
But it was neither dangerous nor complex; as soon as Shen Hex opened the Eye of the Spirit-control, a meandering path surfaced amidst the forest.
Placing the Iron-Feathered Eagle into a Beast Taming Bag contributed by the Scattered Wealth Boy, Shen Hex then followed the meandering path.
Soon, he came upon a mountain with a small opening at its base, seemingly emitting a faint light. Shen Hex stepped inside, initially narrow space barely fitting a person, then after a few dozen steps, it suddenly opened up.
Shen Hex entered and took a breath of the air, immediately perceiving a difference. The Heaven and Earth Primordial Spirit was much fuller, making him feel entirely comfortable, his hundred meridians all at ease.
Continuing forward, Shen Hex encountered an archway, beneath which stood two men dressed in uniform, resembling city guards.
Approaching them, one person raised his hand to block Shen Hex’s path.
"Entrance fee of ten Spirit Stones!"
Seeing the situation, Shen Hex spoke no words, directly handing over ten Spirit Stones.
The person received the Spirit Stones, and took out a jade token, continuing as part of routine business: "It contains ten strands of Spiritual Qi, consuming one strand per day. The valley has patrol enforcement; those who exhaust their Spiritual Qi must promptly replenish or leave the valley, else face harsh penalties and severe punishment if they linger without authorization."
Shen Hex nodded, took the jade token, and entered the valley.
Passing through the archway, the mist completely dissipated, revealing a pastoral landscape before Shen Hex’s eyes.
This was a valley—a remarkably large valley.
Within the valley, fields lined both sides with only a central dirt road, looking quite simple, quite rustic, differing greatly from the envisioned beauty of the Cultivation Realm.
Both sides of the farmland were distinctly marked, with orderly furrows, wherein many farmers diligently worked, appearing indistinguishable from secular rural scenes.
But appearance was all it was, soon enough an old farmer was seen at the field’s edge, forming a hand seal to invoke Magical Power: "Let the rain fall!"
With a light shout, the winds and clouds rapidly gathered, and a small drizzle rich with Spiritual Qi descended over the field, nourishing the rice clearly grown as a spiritual plant.
"Drink!"
Elsewhere, another farmer shouted sternly, two fingers forming a sword to shoot out a beam of golden light, striking down a peculiar locust within the field, then hurried forward to collect it into a pouch.
A scene both strange and common.
Returning his gaze, after performing the Small Cloud Rain Skill, that old farmer did not leave but directly sat down in front of a small house by the furrowed field, taking out a tobacco pipe and smoke pouch, and puffing clouds and mists, occasionally squinting at his spirit field, eyes reflecting the joy of an imminent harvest.
Shen Hex withdrew his gaze, not bothering the man, continued forward on his journey.
While the old farmer behind did not notice anything, merely cast a puzzled glance, and then withdrew his gaze, resuming puffing clouds and mists.
Shen Hex continued ahead, passing vast fields, finally seeing a marketplace, where numerous pavilions stood tall, and though not bustling with carriages and horses, it was certainly busy and bustling with people.
What was even more peculiar was, outside the marketplace, there were a cluster of low dwellings, looking very shabby, even carrying a hint of "shantytown" flavor. Inside, people moved about, children played, clothes were seen drying, showing no difference from secular households.
Shen Hex did not linger, walking into the marketplace, greeted by a scene of lively noise, Spirit Light flickering on both sides of the street, upon closer look it was indeed the signboards of various shops.
"True Talisman Pavilion!"
"Returning Pill Tower!"
"Fire Refining Hall!"
"..."
Aside from the various signboards, the people on the road also varied, including monks, nuns, Taoist priests, and sorcerers, as well as scholars, knights, hunters, fishermen, and farmers, including some women clad in light gauze garments, enchanting and charming.
