“Now that you’re here, keep your mouth shut and your head down. Just focus on raising the Spirit Chow for the Immortals. Do a good job, and you’ll enjoy plenty of benefits. Hell, play your cards right, and one day you might even become an Outer Sect Deacon like me.” “Yes, yes, of course. This […]

“This creature is the Rare Fowl. It is no mortal bird; it possesses spirituality. Mating and reproduction are notoriously difficult, and hatching is equally arduous. Therefore, you must tend to them with the utmost care.” “Their feed consists of a precise mixture: bran from Spirit Grain, Spirit Bean Cake, crushed Spirit Stone powder, and meal

Old Man Sun shook out his tattered Daoist robe and tottered back toward his bedroom, his movements slow and shaky. Before he disappeared inside, he threw a final sentence over his shoulder. “You don’t need to count. There are exactly thirty-two hens here capable of laying eggs.” He paused, then added, “The one in your

It wasn’t until the laborer disciple delivered the fresh sacks of chicken feed and the crates of discarded spirit insects that the tension in the air began to settle. Yet, Old Man Sun still stood there, brow furrowed, unable to wrap his head around the situation. “How did it suddenly lay an egg… Could my

For the next few days, Wang Ba sat on his hands. He didn’t dare absorb or deposit a single second of Lifespan. He was waiting for Old Man Sun to leave. Only after the old man was gone could he truly feel safe enough to run the manor according to his own designs. Forcing himself

“This technique… it doesn’t cultivate a single drop of Immortal Qi!” Wang Ba stared at the golden page, his brow furrowed. Even with his limited knowledge, he knew that the foundation of any cultivator was ‘Qi’—the energy born after stepping into the Qi Refining realm. It was the fuel for flying swords, fireballs, and every

Wang Ba squatted before the coop, running his hands over the four transformed chickens. No, strictly speaking, these could no longer be considered Rare Fowl. They were Spirit Poultry. Their feathers, once a dull, dusty grey-black, now shimmered with iridescent streaks of color that caught the sunlight. They held themselves with a haughty, spirited energy,

Deacon Li waddled away, his large belly swaying with every step. It was clear the man was very satisfied with his “gift.” Wang Ba, on the other hand, was miserable. He was penniless. Burying his frustration, he focused on finishing the day’s chores. As dusk began to settle, he tucked a few Rare Fowl eggs

Wang Ba returned to the mountain manor, but he did not rush back to the market immediately. Patience was key. He waited several days, letting the anticipation—and perhaps his own nerves—settle. Only when the market was nearing closing time did he strap a covered basket to his back, containing a single male Spirit Poultry, and

Wang Ba felt the surging power coursing through his body and the density of his newly solidified muscles. For a moment, he was tempted to push the Physique Strengthening Scripture straight to the Fourth Layer. But he held back. “What if I break through and Deacon Li notices?” “How would I explain it?” “Mastering the

“Huh? My Lifespan… it went up?” Wang Ba’s sharp eyes caught the discrepancy immediately. Before he had considered upgrading the Physique Strengthening Scripture, his remaining Lifespan had been exactly 125.1 years. But after a single night, the counter now read 125.3 years. It was a minuscule increase—merely 0.2 years—but it screamed for attention. “I didn’t

The first surprise of the day was an egg. A chicken laying an egg was the most normal thing in the world. However, upon closer inspection, Wang Ba realized this was no ordinary egg. It was a fertilized Rare Fowl egg. And the sire was a male Spirit Poultry. A few days ago, shortly after

Time was running out. Deacon Li was scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Despite the looming deadline, Wang Ba moved with methodical calm. He fermented the chicken feed, fed the flock, and swept the coop, ensuring every chore was completed to his usual standard. By the time he finished, evening had set in. The market would be

The middle-aged shopkeeper stopped bustling about. He sat back, looking calm and composed, waiting for the last easy mark of the day to return. “Trying to bargain with me? Hah! Now you won’t even get eight-tenths of a Spirit Stone!” “Sigh, this South Lake Market is getting less and less profitable.” “Once I save up

“Cough… cough…” “Deacon Li, sir… this is the tribute for the month. Please… take inventory.” Wang Ba bowed low, his body racked with coughing fits. His face was a mask of sickly pallor, the aftermath of a terror that had drained him to his core. Deacon Li stood with his hands clasped behind his back,

“Rare Fowl!” “It’s actually here!” Wang Ba was overjoyed. His fingers trembled slightly as he eagerly flipped to the page describing the Rare Fowl. Daoist Horn-Pot did not mince words, stating his thesis right from the start: “All birds under the heavens trace their bloodlines back to the primordial era of the Phoenix and the

His eyelids felt heavy, as if weighted down by lead. Yet, the sound of a voice—drifting in and out of focus—forced him to struggle against the darkness. He pried his eyes open, greeted only by a blurry, spinning world filled with shadowy figures… Suddenly, he felt strong hands hoist him upright. His vision slowly sharpened.

The chick was still too young to determine its sex. It had only just hatched, its warm, yellow down still damp from the egg. It stared up at Wang Ba with a foolish, innocent gaze, completely devoid of fear, occasionally letting out a soft chirp. It quickly identified its mother and flapped its tiny wings—round

Alpha-Five had completed his lifespan breakthrough. To say he was majestic would be an understatement. He was awe-inspiring. His feathers were a glossy, burnished russet, shimmering under the sun. His comb was a vibrant, dripping crimson, standing tall like a bloody crown. In the drab, filthy coop, he was a singular stroke of brilliance. He

Wang Ba trailed behind Shopkeeper Lu, winding through the backyard of Lu’s Grain Depot. Past the clucking coops and grunting sties, they finally halted before a sealed, windowless room. The darkness inside was absolute—a heavy, suffocating pitch-black that seemed to press against his eyes. Wang Ba’s heart began to hammer against his ribs. Paranoia, sharp

“That’s it!” The realization hit Wang Ba like a bolt of lightning. The Tendon-Severing Nematode! Shopkeeper Lu’s description of the parasite’s effects replayed in his mind. If these worms functioned similarly to the Meridian-Unblocking Grass seeds—violently tearing through blockages—could they be used to trigger a Bloodline Breakthrough in Rare Fowl? Sure, the nematodes were crude,

“It’s… actually fine?!” Wang Ba frowned, staring at the rooster in genuine disbelief. It wasn’t that he wanted the Rare Fowl to roll around in agony. He was simply worried that the Tendon-Severing Nematode hadn’t done its job. If there was no reaction, there was no effect. And without effect, a Bloodline Breakthrough was a

“Yes. I only received the news yesterday.” Deacon Li looked grim. “They say a vicious criminal broke into Old Man Sun’s residence in the dead of night. He was tortured to death—brutally. His newly wedded concubine and over a dozen servants… none were spared. It was a slaughter.” Li paused, his voice dropping lower. “The

Wang Ba waited patiently for several days. Only when he was certain the heat had died down did he pack four male Spirit Poultry—drained of their excess Lifespan—into a bamboo basket and head for Lu’s Grain Depot at the West Garden Market. He didn’t wear a disguise, but he kept his head down, blending into

“First-grade mid-tier!” Wang Ba stared at the plume of smoke, his eyes widening as a brilliant white light surged from within. Although he had his suspicions, seeing the undeniable proof of Alpha-Five’s rank shattered his composure. Alpha-Five, however, remained completely oblivious to its sudden elevation to the status of a mid-tier Spirit Poultry. It simply

The air reeked of trouble. Wang Ba couldn’t put his finger on it—the information he had was too fragmented—but his instincts were screaming that something was wrong. Without answers, his only option was to prepare. He needed to get stronger. He reviewed his arsenal. The only thing that offered him a sliver of protection was

“He already had a Spirit Root?!” The revelation struck Wang Ba with the force of a physical blow. It was just as shocking as the day he first learned the Physique Strengthening Scripture could supposedly help a mortal forge a Spirit Root. His mouth went dry, and his mind reeled, buzzing with a chaotic swarm

“Unless… what?” Wang Ba waited, but Old Hou’s mouth clamped shut. “Don’t stop there! You can’t just leave me hanging like that!” Wang Ba pressed, his patience snapping. But no matter how hard he pushed, Old Hou remained as tight-lipped as a dead clam. In fact, realizing his own resolve was crumbling under Wang Ba’s

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I really didn’t mean to blow your roof off!” A young girl in a purple Daoist robe stood amidst the debris, bowing repeatedly. Her skin was fair, but her face was smudged with soot and dust, and her hair was a bird’s nest of disarray. She looked utterly wretched, her voice

After a fierce round of haggling. Wang Ba swept the inventory clean, returning in high spirits with forty-six sick chickens in tow. Due to the extreme scarcity of spirit food like Rare Fowl, the price for these diseased birds was far from cheap. In fact, it was comparable to the cost of a healthy male

“Seventh Uncle, Brother Wang is here to see you.” Wang Ba’s arrival seemed to send a ripple of unease through the entire courtyard. As he passed, he noticed windows in the surrounding rooms being eased open just a crack. Behind those slivers of darkness, he could feel eyes watching him—gazes heavy with tension and fear.

In that split second, Wang Ba’s mind churned. He lived a life of extreme seclusion within the Sect. The number of people who knew his name—and could match it to his face—could be counted on one hand. Deacon Li, Old Hou, Niu Yong, Old Man Sun. Even Shopkeeper Lu had always addressed him as “Brother

Evening. South Lake Market. The Vendor District. Gou Mu, his back permanently hunched, skillfully swept the scattered assortment of books from his stall into a wooden chest. The miscellaneous volumes fit perfectly, filling the container to the brim without a gap. Though he was over fifty years old, Gou Mu still hauled this heavy box

Whether this was truly the handiwork of “Rat-Head” Gou Mu or not, the craftsmanship was undeniable. The map was concealed with terrifying subtlety. Even with Wang Ba’s enhanced senses, he wouldn’t have noticed a thing without scrutinizing every square inch. The creator had clearly poured immense effort into the deception; an ordinary person would have

“Ascension Society Manager?” Wang Ba blinked, his face a mask of polite confusion. He looked as if the title meant nothing to him. But beneath the bewildered exterior, his heart was pounding like a war drum. Since his brush with death against Zhao Feng, Wang Ba had learned his lesson well. He now kept his

“He looked. I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist.” In a secluded mountain col overlooking Farmstead Ding Eighty-Seven, Yu Changchun held a shimmering water mirror in his palm, a smirk playing on his lips. The rippling surface displayed a crystal-clear image of Wang Ba, eagerly flipping through the pages of the manual. Beside Yu

“Volume One of the Buried Bone Secret Technique is the bait. Volume Two is the hook… The Ascension Society certainly knows how to play the game.” Wang Ba saw through Yu Changchun’s intentions at a glance. Yet, he had to admit that while the method was simple, its effectiveness was brutal. Putting himself in their

This third-generation little hen was wretchedly cheeky, yet in terms of appearance and demeanor, she was clearly a cut above her father, Alpha-Five. Although Wang Ba was seething with annoyance, he couldn’t resist reaching out to stroke her neck. The little hen revealed a hint of enjoyment, rubbing her small head affectionately against Wang Ba’s

The Yin Spirit power could only deceive the senses; it could not erase physical reality. To an observer, Wang Ba appeared as a pocket of empty air, but his physical body remained solid flesh and blood. If that Rare Fowl slammed into him, the impact would be undeniable. With the heightened senses of a Qi

“Brother, what’s the price on this Gold-Infusing Grass?” “Two fragments of Spirit Stone a stalk. Two-year vintage. Hey! Hands off if you aren’t buying!” At the herb corner of the South Lake Market, the stall owner reached out and slapped the back of a customer’s hand. The customer—a man so emaciated he looked like skin

“My big brother has been missing for nearly two days. My uncle reported it to the External Affairs Hall and the Punishment Hall, but there’s still no news. Brother Wang, if you know anything—anything at all—please tell me. The Niu family will reward you heavily.” The speaker bore a striking resemblance to Niu Yong, carrying

“That chicken-raising laborer… is certainly cautious.” Perhaps due to the recent death of Liu Changfeng, Yu Changchun’s demeanor was noticeably graver than before. He pondered for a moment before continuing. “However, the moment we left yesterday, he couldn’t wait to start studying the secret technique. I observed him for the better part of the day;

“He Lin is… one of us?!” Yu Changchun could hardly believe his ears. “How… how could I not know about this?!” Li Zhi’s eyes filled with amused mockery. “Are you sure you truly didn’t know?” “If I knew, would I have let the puppet run his mouth like that? Do I look like I have

The Myriad Beast Department was vast, its seven divisions—Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, and Geng—sprawling across the entire periphery of the Eastern Sage Sect. Countless desolate hills were dotted with manors belonging to these seven sections. Some raised Precious Pigs, others tended to cattle, sheep, ducks, geese, or even Spirit Insects. However, the largest

Following the breakthrough in the Physique Strengthening Scripture, a surge of power flooded Wang Ba’s frame. Whether it was raw strength or reaction speed, the improvement was drastic. Although the cramped room didn’t allow him to fully test his limits, the sensation of his body rapidly toughening was undeniable. However, Wang Ba did not let

“Hey, Old Hou! Don’t be in such a hurry to leave!” “Look, just answer me one thing: for this bone replacement, does it work with the bones of any Spirit Beast? I want to try it myself first.” Wang Ba seemed completely oblivious to the lethal change in Old Hou’s demeanor. He grabbed the old

Separated by the rippling surface of the Water Mirror, Yu Changchun watched intently. Despite his sharpened senses as a cultivator, the magical surveillance only offered a visual feed; he had to rely on intuition to judge the rest. Within the reflection, Wang Ba rolled across the dirt floor, wailing in agony, his body contorted in

A cold sweat still clung to Wang Ba as he recalled the brush with death he had just survived. Old Hou had a bone hidden in his sleeve! His senses, sharpened far beyond those of a mortal, had instantly picked up on the anomaly. More specifically, he had felt the pulse of dense Spiritual Qi

Tonight’s luck was mediocre at best. Wang Ba had to expand his search radius, running to several distant farming sections just to fill his quota. The furthest leg of his journey brought him dangerously close to the Sect’s boundary. Through the darkness, he spotted figures patrolling the perimeter—Outer Sect disciples. There were more of them

By the time Wang Ba reached South Lake Village, the landscape had undergone a complete transformation. Perhaps to accommodate the influx of new Laborer Disciples, over a dozen rows of brand-new, hastily constructed wooden shacks had sprung up out of thin air in just a few days. Wang Ba observed the area from a distance.

Wang Ba would never know exactly what kind of man Lu Yuansheng had been. But through Senior Brother Zhao, he had caught a glimpse of the former First Disciple’s shadow—a legacy of charisma and honor that made one yearn to have met him. As for Zhao Feng’s kindness, Wang Ba etched it firmly into his

“Are you done staring?” The sudden, sharp voice startled Wang Ba. He hurriedly turned toward the source of the sound. Not far away, a youth of seventeen or eighteen, clad in a pristine white robe, was glaring at him with undisguised impatience. “Answering the Immortal Master, this lowly one has seen enough. Truly, enough.” Wang

Under the silent veil of night, streaks of multicolored light occasionally slashed across the heavens, outshining the stars and leaving the firmament dim in their wake. Watching through the lattice of his window, Wang Ba lowered his head and sighed heavily. With so many Qi Refining disciples patrolling the skies, how was he ever supposed

“Immortal Master Shi… is calling for me?” Wang Ba blinked, unable to quite believe what he was hearing. “If not you, then who? Your luck has finally arrived!” Tao Yi was positively vibrating with excitement. He gave Wang Ba’s arm a slap hard enough to sting. “You rascal, I really couldn’t tell you had this

On the road back to Ding-Eighty-Seven Manor, Tao Yi’s words echoed relentlessly in Wang Ba’s mind. The revelation struck him with the force of a physical blow: the city that had been slaughtered to the last man—all one hundred and twenty thousand souls—was the exact location he had chosen for his sanctuary after fleeing the

“Substitute Death? Binding a living vessel?” Wang Ba stared at the glowing screen before him, genuine astonishment flickering in his eyes. He hadn’t expected that accumulating ten thousand years of Lifespan would unlock an additional reward. Although this [Substitute Death] divine ability required a steep cost of 1,000 years of Lifespan to bind a creature,

“What is wrong with him?” As Wang Ba stepped into the manor, the first thing he saw was Chu Erniu sitting alone beneath the eaves. The young cultivator was wailing, his face twisted in grief as if mourning a dead parent. Gone was the arrogance and self-importance typical of a Sect disciple; in its place

Chu Erniu’s violent outburst caught Wang Ba completely off guard. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t just surprise; it was disbelief. He had never imagined Chu Erniu would attack him, simply because there was no logical reason to do so. He had stayed in his lane. He had been invisible. So when the standard-issue magic sword came

Bam! Before Wang Ba could even react to the noise, the door of the central house flew open. A figure shot out like a bolt of lightning, crossing the courtyard to the manor’s entrance in the blink of an eye. It was Senior Brother Shi. But this was not the haughty, imperious cultivator who had

[System Notice: Source is of the same species. Absorption backlash triggered.] [Status: Infected with ‘Prion of Longevity’.] [Lifespan Deduction: -204 Years.] [Current Remaining Lifespan: 591.3 Years.] Wang Ba stared at the translucent blue screen hovering before his eyes, his expression darkening. He was not a bloodthirsty man. In fact, he wouldn’t deny that he was

“Chu Batian is dead.” The words hung heavy in the air. A Sect disciple loomed over Wang Ba, his gaze sharp and probing. “When was the last time you saw him?” “Chu… Immortal Chu… is dead?!” Wang Ba’s face twisted into a mask of pure shock. Internally, however, his mind was racing, a tempest of

A glacial chill settled into Wang Ba’s marrow. He guessed it! He actually guessed it! Wang Ba’s mind raced. He had covered his tracks perfectly. He had acted the part of the terrified victim flawlessly. So how? How could Zhao Feng possibly know? And if he knew, why the charade? Why let the square-faced disciple

The moment that voice pierced the air, an image instantly popped into Wang Ba’s mind. He snapped his head up. Sure enough, a familiar figure in purple robes was surfing on a magic sword, carving a crooked, drunken path through the sky. She left a jagged afterimage in her wake before— Bang! She plummeted headfirst

Wang Ba stood before the towering mountain gate, his neck craned back as far as it would go. Beyond the colossal stone archway, piercing through the sea of clouds, floated islands of rock crowned with magnificent palaces. They drifted in and out of the mist like celestial dreams, ethereal and majestic. Wang Ba considered himself

If he hadn’t been shoved toward Ye Lingyu by that group of terrified cultivators, Wang Ba—paranoid and cautious to a fault—would never have set foot in the Wind Sun Market. But since he was here, and since Ye Lingyu had conveniently wandered off, handing him the perfect window of opportunity, he wasn’t going to let

The market was a river of noise and motion, bustling with cultivators. Wang Ba scanned the rendezvous point again. Still no sign of Ye Lingyu. He couldn’t afford to loiter any longer. He had secured the Spirit Root Talisman and the cultivation manuals; his personal goals were met, and his satisfaction was immense. Now, the

Retracing his steps, Wang Ba quickly arrived at the rendezvous point he had agreed upon with Ye Lingyu. From a distance, he spotted her standing there. Her shoulders were slumped and her expression was downcast, as if she had been waiting for an age. The moment Wang Ba saw her, she spotted him in the

“This… is for me?” Wang Ba stared at Ye Lingyu in disbelief. How did she know I wanted a Spirit Beast Bag? Wait, that’s not the point. This is a Spirit Beast Bag! It’s worth seven or eight hundred Spirit Stones! Despite the sudden windfall, Wang Ba didn’t let greed cloud his judgment. He hesitated,

Lin Yu was as captivating as ever. She spotted Wang Ba from a distance and immediately ducked her head, trying to hide. But Wang Ba’s senses were sharp. Before she could look away, he had already noticed the redness and swelling around her eyes. She had clearly been crying just moments ago. His mind instantly

“Only ‘Novice’?” Wang Ba stared at the Lifespan cost listed on the panel, baffled. He couldn’t understand why the Yin Spirit Great Dream Scripture had instantly boosted him to the First Layer, while the Ren Water Four-Defense Art stopped at mere entry-level mastery. However, Wang Ba possessed a singular virtue: he never wasted time obsessing

Yu Changchun?! The name struck Wang Ba like a physical blow. The frenetic busyness of the past few days, combined with the sudden disappearance of the Ascension Society, had almost made him forget that sinister figure existed. But Old Hou’s sudden warning sent a jolt of pure crisis through Wang Ba’s veins. Don’t run around

When the conversation turned to Daoist Horn-Pot, the cultivator surnamed Shi wore an expression of sheer, unadulterated pride—as if he personally shared in the ancient master’s glory. Although Wang Ba was inwardly impatient, he could only force himself to maintain a facade of humble interest, listening as the man droned on. As it turned out,

A fine, cold drizzle pattered against the earth, shrouding the world in a grey mist. Wang Ba moved like a phantom, stepping cautiously through the ruins of a deserted courtyard in South Lake Village. He stopped before the mouth of a dry well—the entrance to the escape tunnel dug by ‘Rat-Head’ Gou Mu. He paused,

Wang Ba lay flat in the damp darkness of the tunnel, freezing his muscles until he resembled a corpse. His mind raced, a chaotic storm of calculations and fears. Suddenly, the Yin Spirit Power within his consciousness began to scream. The rotation speed was unprecedented—violent and terrifying. In the blink of an eye, Wang Ba

At the critical junction between life and death, Wang Ba did not hesitate. With a focused thought, he triggered the jade pendant, unleashing the single strand of Sword Qi stored within. And Zhao Feng’s Sword Qi delivered a surprise that defied all logic. The ochre-robed cultivator, whose Spiritual Power fluctuations had just sent shivers down

“It’s Elder Qin!” “Elder Qin has joined the fray!” Amidst the chaos and blood, the disciples of the Eastern Sage Sect—who had been steadily losing ground—erupted in cries of desperate joy. The Heavenly Gate Sect’s assault had been too sudden, too clinical. The Sect’s protective mountain formation had collapsed almost instantly, breached before the alarm

Wang Ba stared at the wet, gory smear that used to be Tao Yi. Beside him, all color drained from Lin Yu’s face. She looked on the verge of collapsing. Wang Ba, however, felt a sudden clarity. He recalled Ye Lingyu’s passing comment—that the Evil-Asking Sword could sense many things. In that instant, the pieces

“Zhao Feng!” Wang Ba spun around, relief washing over him. A familiar, stern figure was striding through the air, descending like a god. His face was the same, but the aura radiating from him felt undeniably different. If the Zhao Feng of the past was a naked blade—sharp, aggressive, and piercing—the man before him now

The voice was a spark in a keg of gunpowder. It hit the Heavenly Gate Sect cultivators like a potent stimulant, instantly igniting their blood. Morale, which had been wavering under Qin Heng’s dominance, exploded. Fanaticism replaced fear. Even those on the brink of death began to fight with suicidal ferocity, trading injuries to drag

If one were to look down from the heavens, the sight would be breathtaking. Countless pillars of purple light erupted from the earth below. They didn’t rise from grand halls or sacred peaks, but from the humble corners of the sect—manors, marketplaces, and villages. The four major market towns birthed the thickest columns, glowing with

Blood rained from the sky. Qin Heng, the Golden Core powerhouse whose strength was second only to the Sect Leader, died without fanfare. There was no earth-shattering explosion, no final defiant roar. Just a sickening crunch and a silent, limp fall. “Master!” Below, Zhao Feng’s eyes turned glacial. He wanted to scream, to fly up

Rain drifted across the mountain, a cold, gray veil over the slaughter. “Senior Brother Lu… so it really is you.” Zhao Feng stared at the black-robed cultivator standing before him. The man’s face was shrouded in shadows, indistinguishable, but Zhao Feng’s eyes held a complex mix of recognition and sorrow. Silence stretched between them, heavy

Wang Ba whipped his head toward the voice, his eyes widening in disbelief. The newcomer possessed an ordinary face, yet his long beard drifted ethereally in the wind, giving him the sage-like demeanor of an immortal descended from the heavens. It was Yu Changchun, the manager of the Ascension Society. No—to be precise, it was

The manor was thick with the scent of bitter medicine. Every member of the Lu Clan lay prostrate on the floor, trembling violently, not daring to twitch a muscle. Since the previous night, when strange disturbances echoed from the sect’s borders, their manor had been completely surrounded by a group of cultivators. What followed was

Despite his burning curiosity about what exactly Zhao Feng had hidden inside his body, Wang Ba forced himself to prioritize survival. He stowed the Yellow-Throated Stone Turtles safely into his Spirit Beast Bag and began scouting the area. It didn’t take long to find a suitable location—a wide, well-ventilated clearing right on the edge of

A familiar figure stood at the entrance of a shop, peering hesitantly inside. She wore the white robes of an Eastern Sage Sect disciple. Her features were as striking as ever, though her eyes were dim and her face noticeably haggard. Yet, this weariness only enhanced her allure, lending her a fragile, pitiable beauty that

“I searched the Myriad Beast Department and managed to scrounge up quite a few scrolls. I picked out several related to raising chickens specifically for you.” Yu Changchun’s face was wreathed in smiles as he withdrew a stack of books and scrolls from his Storage Bag. Wang Ba accepted the bundle with a look of

The Record of the Wind Bird’s Southern Journey chronicled the travels of a cultivator named Yan Shu, who traversed the southern realms atop his spirit beast, the Wind Bird. It was, in essence, a travelogue. The pages were filled with thrilling tales of encountering Demonic Sects, narrow escapes, and romantic trysts with local beauties that

The looming sect mission weighed on Wang Ba’s mind like a stone. It didn’t help that Yu Changchun, who had solemnly vowed to arrange a simple task for him, turned out to be completely unreliable. The man hadn’t brought back a single scrap of useful information. Amidst these days filled with anxiety, Wang Ba finally

“Cultivation chambers? Built directly on a Spirit Vein?” Wang Ba’s interest was instantly piqued. Seeing the hook sink in, the old woman’s grin widened, revealing yellowed teeth. She gestured eagerly toward the other side of the market. “Fellow Daoist, just follow me. You’ll understand once you see it!” Curiosity getting the better of him—and knowing

Shadows flickered near the perimeter of the chicken farm. Wang Ba’s hackles rose instantly. He went still, his breath shallowing as he prepared to release Alpha-Seven from the spirit beast bag at a moment’s notice. Simultaneously, he crushed a communication talisman in his palm, sending a silent signal to Yu Changchun while he suppressed his

“Mandatory Mission…” “Purge the remnants of the Eastern Sage Sect operating near the sect’s borders?” “Requirement: Each participant must retrieve proof of at least one kill related to the Eastern Sage Sect remnants… Duration: Six months.” Wang Ba stared at the glowing text floating above his Heavenly Gate Token, his expression darkening. The Heavenly Gate

Cultivation in the Qi Refining realm boiled down to two fundamental tasks. First: The continuous refining and compression of Spiritual Power. Second: The relentless expansion of the Dantian. The former was the metric by which the ten layers of Qi Refining were measured. Every time a cultivator successfully compressed their entire reservoir of gaseous Spiritual

A knock echoed against the heavy wooden door. Wang Ba frowned, puzzled. Due to the Heavenly Gate Sect’s mandatory purge mission, the Stone Cave Dwelling district was a ghost town. Most tenants had already departed, venturing into the wilderness to hunt down remnants of the Eastern Sage Sect. The few who remained were hermits like

“Fellow Daoist…” Startled by the heavy knock, Wang Ba cracked open the wooden door. A gray-robed figure stood in the corridor. His features were obscured by a shifting haze, and his presence was so faint that without visual confirmation, Wang Ba’s spiritual senses would have registered nothing but empty air. The discrepancy between sight and

“Senior Brother wants to establish a Spirit Plant farm here?” Bu Chan walked a wide circle around the designated plot, repeatedly thrusting her fingers deep into the soil to test its quality. When she returned, she shook her head. “The Spiritual Qi here is too thin. It cannot support a Spirit Field. Without the nourishment

Under the meticulous care of Bu Chan and her team, the one-acre plot of spirit soil adjacent to the chicken farm had undergone a transformation. The air above it hummed with rich, revitalized Spiritual Qi. The Green Fire Spirit Berry seeds, planted only days ago, had already taken root. The once barren, pitch-black earth was

“Fellow Daoist, we meet again.” The old woman’s eyes lit up the moment she spotted Wang Ba. Wang Ba’s eyelids twitched. He was about to feign ignorance and walk away when the management deacon of the Wood Tower Dwelling spoke up, his tone indifferent. “You know each other? Perfect. You take him. Building Bing, sixth

[Target Lifespan: 149.7 Years] Wang Ba withdrew his hand from the warm, feathered head of the High Grade Spirit Poultry and nodded in satisfaction. A Middle Grade Spirit Poultry possessed a lifespan of roughly 120 years. These High Grade specimens, however, pushed close to 150. Calculated conversion: Consuming one High Grade Spirit Poultry would grant

Whoosh. A sharp whistle cut through the air by the shores of South Lake. A figure clad in black combat gear leaped nimbly from a flying sword, landing softly in front of the chicken farm. The newcomer possessed sharp, handsome features, though his brow was knotted with a lingering, murderous aura. It was the look

Wang Ba did not rush to the Spirit Water Courtyard. The eggs laid by Alpha-Seven had begun to hatch. He needed to verify immediately if any of the new chicks were “Phantom Chickens.” “Phantom Chicken” was the classification he gave to mutants like Alpha-Seven—birds that possessed blinding speed and lethal beak-and-claw strength. Initially, he believed

The appointed time for the transaction had passed. Wang Ba watched Cultivator Yan hurry away, disappearing into the crowd. As the man’s figure vanished, Wang Ba’s mood plummeted like a stone dropped down a well. Yan had called it “hearsay.” But rumors didn’t spring from nothing. Given Yan’s grave expression and the urgency of his

The purple spirit beast suspended in the sky was, unmistakably, Fan Ming. Squinting against the glare, Wang Ba could just make out the dark, heavy chains woven from mist and Qi that bound the creature tight. It was completely immobilized. All it could do was struggle feebly and emit low, vibrating roars of impotence. Wang

Wang Ba stood motionless, his mind reeling. From the moment he was coerced into joining the Heavenly Gate Sect, he had known exactly what it was: a demonic sect that devoured people without spitting out the bones. But knowing it intellectually and seeing it viscerally were two different things. For nearly four years, he had

His spirit roots had improved. It was still a four-attribute root, far from genius territory, but the uptick in cultivation speed was noticeable. For Wang Ba, that was enough. After several days of intense, uninterrupted training, a transmission talisman broke his concentration. “Yu Changchun wants a meeting?” Wang Ba’s eyes lit up. “He must have

Yun Caixiang’s intelligence struck a chord in Wang Ba’s heart. He couldn’t help but recall the Shield-Armored Giant-Headed Turtle he had once seen in the Wind Sun Market. It was a Middle Grade specimen, massive in size, comparable to his own mutated turtle, Rice Bucket. But unlike Rice Bucket, who was naturally gifted in Water-attribute

“Senior Brother, are these… Shield-Armored Giant-Headed Turtles?” Inside the chicken farm, Bu Chan stared curiously at the four pitch-black spirit turtles Wang Ba had just pulled from his Spirit Beast Bag. Wang Ba gave a slight nod. Without wasting a moment, he extracted the lifespan from all four turtles, storing it away before dropping them

“Wang Ba!” The name cut through the noise of the crowd. Even though Wang Ba knew he was a nobody—a transparent figure in the grand scheme of the Sect—his heart instinctively clenched. Risk assessment: Exposure. Bai Yu paused, his gaze locking onto Wang Ba. A flicker of surprise passed through the Blood Bone Path cultivator’s

The tide of battle on the island turned with terrifying abruptness. High above the lake, the matriarch of Mirror Moon Manor rode a stream of red silk like a dragon, effortlessly suppressing Chief Steward Lu Yuansheng. Her face was twisted in a cold, triumphant sneer. “Heh. You didn’t expect this, did you?” “Ever since your

The divine light struck Wang Ba. At that exact moment, the bone fragment in his hand flared to life, resonating with the others nearby. A spectral barrier rose around the cultivators linked by the White Bone Formation. The formation acted as a circuit, instantly distributing the crushing force of the impact across everyone in the

Not long after Wang Ba returned to the Eastern Sage Garrison via the teleportation array, Yu Changchun hurried over. Seeing that Wang Ba was disheveled but otherwise completely intact, Yu Changchun’s expression shifted from surprise to delight. “I knew it! Fellow Daoist is truly a man blessed with fortune.” Wang Ba’s spirits were low, but

What exactly would hatch from the union of a Phoenix Feather Chicken and a Singing White Chicken? Wang Ba was consumed by curiosity. Yet, when the shells finally cracked and the wet, chirping life emerged, he was caught off guard. Normal chicks were born with fluffy, pale yellow down. This hybrid, however, was covered in

Yu Changchun remained oblivious to Wang Ba’s internal shock. Instead, he continued his lecture with the earnestness of a weary veteran. “Fellow Daoist, take my advice: do not be greedy for speed. The Heavenly Gate Sect possesses many techniques that offer rapid advancement, but speed now comes at the cost of stagnation later.” “Think about

“Dare I ask, friend, what business brings you here?” Although he had no idea why this mysterious cultivator had suddenly appeared, Wang Ba took the initiative to break the silence. The cultivator in gray robes slowly turned around to face him. His features were blurred by magic, a standard disguise similar to the ones used

Yin Spirit? Dream Lord? The words struck Wang Ba like a physical blow, instantly dragging his mind to the Yin Spirit Great Dream Scripture he cultivated. Memories of Old Man Sun flooded back. Years ago, when Wang Ba first entered the Eastern Sage Sect, Old Man Sun had been a kind, if mysterious, elder. Shortly

Ning Daohuan sat cross-legged on the mountain peak, his brow furrowed in a tight knot. The news that the Incense Path had surfaced near the Eastern Sage Sect’s old stronghold injected a new sense of urgency into his plans. After a moment of contemplation, he issued instructions to the guards standing nearby. They bowed and

The reproductive rate of the Shield-Armored Giant-Headed Turtles was abysmal. Four females had produced a grand total of ten eggs. Worse, the incubation period was excessive. A standard Yellow-Throated Spirit Turtle took roughly three months to hatch. These had taken far longer. A universal trade-off, Wang Ba noted internally. The higher the biological grade, the

“Fellow Daoist Wang, I trust you have been well?” Cultivator Yan approached with a warm smile, proactively cupping his hands in greeting. Wang Ba felt a twinge of disappointment—he had hoped for a customer with deep pockets—but he adjusted his expression instantly. “Fellow Daoist Yan,” Wang Ba replied, his smile practiced and professional. “You’re here

The Poultry Farm. Wang Ba lay on his spotless wooden bed, letting out a long, luxurious sigh. Even as a cultivator, the simple pleasure of lying down was unmatched. It was freedom. The spirit fields outside no longer demanded he pull weeds by hand, inch by painstaking inch. He no longer had to dance around

“My great-grandmother passed this down to me. Senior Brother… could you keep it safe for me?” At the door of the wooden hut, Bu Chan offered the ancient ring with both hands. Her face wore a bright, brave smile, but her eyes betrayed her fear. Wang Ba stood inside, looking silently at the tarnished metal