Corner Worm, Hundred-Year Grass, White Corn, Spirit Musk, Sky Fragrance Wine...

The formula had changed significantly, with a more intricate production process, and the difficulty had slightly increased. Most importantly, the cost was higher, at least five times that of before. The overall production process hadn't changed much, and soon, the new bait was created.

The Spirit Attracting Bait was brownish in color and had an incredibly rich fragrance. No sooner had the bait been made than the Spirit Fish somehow sensed it. It leaped out of the tank and made a beeline for the nearby Spirit Attracting Bait.

The bait's luring effect is significantly improved, and its range has also increased considerably, Jia Ren noted. He slapped the fish back into the tank and scattered a few pellets of bait.

The Spirit Fish quickly swallowed the Spirit Attracting Bait, as if it were devouring Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

With the Spirit Eye Technique activated, Jia Ren observed the changes in the Spirit Fish. He could clearly feel the Spirit Fish's internal energy had grown stronger. The Spirit Attracting Bait stimulated the power of its bloodline, causing its scales to develop specks of dark luster.

Is this stimulating the evolution of the Spirit Fish?

The changes were visually apparent, and Jia Ren used the Spirit Eye Technique to capture every transformation.

No wonder the Yuding Sect is interested in the Bait Tempting Technique. Though its effect might not compare to that of the Spirit Attracting Bait, it must have a similar impact.

Is this the secret to the Spirit Fish biting so quickly?

Could it transform ordinary fish into Spirit Fish?

Jia Ren was no novice to the Cultivation World. He was well aware of the immense value of bait that could enhance the quality of Spirit Fish. Although it worked exclusively for Spirit Fish, its effects were astounding.

He was not stingy, tossing nearly a hundred pellets to the Green Scaled Carps, only stopping when they could eat no more.

The carp's belly swelled to three times its normal size, nearly bursting from the bait. Jia Ren returned it to the tank, its aura deep and heavy as it digested the medicinal power of the Spirit Attracting Bait.

The inky scales gradually spread over more of its body. Once the ink-colored scales had entirely replaced the green ones, the time for metamorphosis would come.

Is this stimulating its ancestral bloodline to awaken, transforming it into the lower-grade Spirit Fish known as the Ink Jade Crucian?

The Ink Jade Crucian, unlike the Green Scaled Carp, was considered an entry-level Spirit Fish, worth many times more. Transforming an ordinary Spirit Fish into an entry-level Spirit Fish was a route to significantly increasing one's wealth.

The future looks promising.

Jia Ren estimated the cost. The new bait pellets were more than double the size of those he used to sell, and with the increased price of materials, the cost was about one Spirit Stone per pellet. Whether it's successful or not, I'll have to wait until tomorrow, he thought, then closed his eyes for meditative cultivation, waiting through the night.

The water in the tank churned, and a half-foot-long Ink Jade Crucian excitedly slapped the surface, as if expressing the joy of its metamorphosis.

The Spirit Fish's transformation was successful!

The Spirit Attracting Bait had an extraordinary effect, succeeding on the first trial.

With an investment of two Spirit Stones, he had obtained an Ink Jade Crucian weighing two pounds. Based on current market rates, it could likely sell for five Spirit Stones. Buying fish and feeding them allowed one to turn a tidy profit with ease, which was quite nice.

Is it time to return to being a fishmonger?

Jia Ren wasn't overly interested. Selling Spirit Fish in the Market wasn't a bad idea, but the problem was... he couldn't explain their origin. One or two sales might be fine, but over a long period, he would definitely draw unwanted attention. The Five Elements Sect had purchased the Bait Tempting Technique formula before, and he believed they would eventually uncover its secrets. A large number of high-quality Spirit Fish could easily lead people to associate them with an enhanced version of the bait. That would bring complications.

Forget selling fish. I'm not short on Spirit Stones, and there's no need to take the risk.

Could the Ink Jade Crucian continue to advance?

Would the Spirit Attracting Bait still be effective in prompting evolution?

Jia Ren tried tossing a few more pellets of Spirit Attracting Bait. While the Ink Jade Crucian still ate them, it no longer showed the previous frenzy—it seemed to have lost the magic that had driven its evolution. Whether the Spirit Attracting Bait could still facilitate the promotion of Spirit Fish remained unclear, but with a large amount of bait on hand, there was time for slow experimentation.

Green Scaled Carps are the most worthless of Spirit Fish. There are other species to experiment with. The better the quality of the Spirit Fish, the greater the change.

Take the Black Dragon Loach, for example. It's rumored to have a diluted Flood Dragon Bloodline. If the Black Dragon Loach were to transform, what kind of Spirit Fish would it become?

There was a wide variety of Spirit Fish, with countless non-entry-level species mostly used for consumption, and a very few for alchemy and medicine making. The Spirit Attracting Bait, used to prompt the transformation of rare Spirit Fish, held boundless value.

I wonder if the effect that induces the evolution of Spirit Fish could also be effective on higher-grade ones?

Maybe I could change my profession to become a master of fish ponds or a Fish Controller, ruling the world with fish.

Fish Controller?

Insect Control...

Jia Ren's eyes brightened as he thought of Spirit Insects. If he could create a special medicine that induced the metamorphosis of Spirit Insects, wouldn't the insects he controlled undergo earth-shattering changes?

Is the Spirit Attracting Bait effective on insects?

Jia Ren summoned the Corner Worm King and fed it the Spirit Attracting Bait. The Corner Worm King showed little interest. Under Jia Ren's command, it ate the Spirit Attracting Bait but showed no sign of change.

It failed...

The Spirit Attracting Bait (for fish) was, after all, a special bait carefully crafted for fish, affecting only their kind. It was to be expected that it would not work on insects.

However, Jia Ren hadn't given up hope. If he could use the Spirit Attracting Bait as a reference, success wasn't necessarily impossible. For someone else, creating such a pill from scratch, without luck, would be an insurmountable challenge in their lifetime. With the help of the Proficiency Panel, given enough time, Jia Ren had a real chance of success.

He had no leads yet on a pill to induce Spirit Insect metamorphosis, and the Spirit Attracting Bait couldn't be directly copied. The Bait Tempting Technique itself had been developed by referencing bait from his previous life; it wasn't created from nothing. To create a Spirit Attracting Bait specifically for Spirit Insects, it would be best to draw inspiration from elixirs used for feeding Spirit Insects, like the Spirit Nourishing Pill from Thousand Beasts Mountain.

This item was a secret medicine of Thousand Beasts Mountain, used to feed Spirit Insects and Spirit Beasts to accelerate their growth. The nurturing chapter of the Insect Control Scripture had relevant records, stating that the Spirit Nourishing Pill could be used to accelerate a Spirit Insect's maturation into adulthood. The Spirit Nourishing Pill was a special secret medicine, and its formula was not recorded in the Insect Control Scripture.

I wonder if there are any survivors from Thousand Beasts Mountain; they should have Spirit Nourishing Pills, right? Jia Ren couldn't help but think of the Thousand Beasts Mountain cultivators who had died due to the Puppet Bug. After so many tribulations, finding a cultivator from Thousand Beasts Mountain in the Great Wilderness Market would not be easy.

The Five Elements Sect destroyed Thousand Beasts Mountain. Perhaps they collected the formula for the Spirit Nourishing Pill. When I see Yang Bingzhi later, I can ask him to find a way to get it for me, he thought. With the Spirit Nourishing Pill as a reference, his success rate would be greatly increased.

Jia Ren was in seclusion, studying the Mysterious Water Pill Recipe and the True Water Refinement Technique, striving to master their fundamentals as soon as possible. There were too many techniques to master, and clearly not enough time. Having never systematically studied alchemy before, getting started with the Mysterious Water Pill Recipe was proving quite difficult. Luckily, Jia Ren had several Forbidden Pills from the Chang Le Gang, which could be used as a starting point for learning the Burning Spirit Pill.

Just then, a knock came from the door outside.

"Is Daoist Shi there?"

Remembering what his neighbor had said the day before, Jia Ren stopped his cultivation, hid his valuables, and then opened the door.

"Daoist Shi, you finally came out."

"Let me introduce you," the neighbor said enthusiastically. A beautiful female cultivator followed behind him. "This fellow Daoist is named Wang Mingyan. She was born into a Foundation Establishment family. The Wang Family recently moved their entire clan to the Great Wilderness. For some unknown reason, they suffered a calamity, and the whole clan was slaughtered. Only she, having gone to the Great Wilderness Market, was lucky enough to escape."

This woman possessed a dazzling elegance and an extraordinary appearance; among the female cultivators Jia Ren had seen, very few could compare with her. Her face was haggard, her expression numb. Wang Mingyan was originally to be married off for an alliance, preparing to marry into another family. Her clan met with disaster and was annihilated. The family she was to marry into, fearing entanglement, directly called off the marriage, and thus she lost her foundation.

Regardless, life had to go on. Without her family to rely on, possessing beauty but no power, she had to quickly find support for herself to survive.

Her eyes swept over Jia Ren's handsome face, her attitude softening slightly before she began to appraise him intently. His appearance is good, far beyond my expectations, she thought. Next are the key considerations: strength and wealth. Those two are crucial. Appearance is a bonus, so other essential requirements can be somewhat lowered. Qi Refinement Seventh Level... barely acceptable. His strength isn't too weak.

Wang Mingyan's gaze lingered on the Storage Bag at Jia Ren's waist and his Taoist Robe, her expression souring slightly. A three-cubic-meter Storage Bag and a low-grade Robe, she noted. In a word: poor.

"What do you do for a living, Daoist Shi?" Though it was a question, her gaze drifted to the still-damp Blank Talisman Paper inside the room. The Wang Family had a heritage of Talisman Masters. Unfortunately, she had no talent for the Path of Charms. Moreover, as a daughter destined to be married out, it was impossible for her to learn Talisman Crafting.

"Are you a Talisman Master?" The status of a Talisman Maker is noble; I could accept that, she mused.

"Not a Talisman Master. I'm just capable of making Blank Talisman Paper." Jia Ren's gaze briefly scanned Wang Mingyan; this woman's appearance and temperament were both pleasing.

"How much do you earn?"

"My monthly income is four to five Spirit Stones. After paying rent, there's not much left."

The income is low, Wang Mingyan thought. Rent in Black Street Alley is three Spirit Stones a month, so an income of four or five Spirit Stones leaves almost no surplus. Such meager earnings!

What's the use of just being handsome? she scoffed internally. The Jade Face Pill I take every month costs ten Spirit Stones, not to mention the expense of elixirs for cultivation. How could this person possibly afford it?

"Brother Li, this won't do," Wang Mingyan said, her face unpleasant. She had only come because she heard the other party had a good income.

Her standards were high. Initially, she sought male cultivators proficient in the Four Arts of Cultivation. Unfortunately, in the Great Wilderness Market, those proficient in the Four Arts of Cultivation were mostly old men. Her only option seemed to be becoming someone's concubine, but she still had her pride and was unwilling to suffer such humiliation.

Neighbor Li quickly smiled, "Daoist Shi has decent strength. I can take him to hunt demonic beasts in the Great Wilderness. With good luck, there's an income of several dozen Spirit Stones per month."

"You can also learn to make Talisman Paper with him; it's a skill. From then on, the man manages external affairs, and the woman manages internal affairs."

Wang Mingyan was tempted. The only problem was that hunting demonic beasts was dangerous; it was uncertain if one would return alive. Besides, she thought, it's not me who would be taking the risks.

"What do you think, Daoist Shi?"

"Hunting demonic beasts is too dangerous! I won't enter the Great Wilderness. Making Talisman Paper is fine; as long as I have enough Spirit Stones for myself, that's good enough."

Hopeless! Wang Mingyan thought.

"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first," she huffed, turning on her heel to leave.

Without a doubt, the matchmaking attempt had failed.

"Daoist Shi," the neighbor lamented, "the chance to marry a female cultivator from a family was right in front of you! How could you not cherish it?"

Jia Ren had little interest in such a mercenary woman.

After sending away the two unwelcome guests, he closed the door to craft talismans.

All these trivial matters have nothing to do with me. Focused cultivation is the true path.

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