Jia Ren had learned about Bizarre Demons from the notes of Lingxi, and one piece of information had made a deep impression on him.

Bizarre Demons cannot be killed!

He had initially assumed this conclusion, recorded by Lingxi Shangren, was merely due to the latter's limited power and knowledge. The Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre had been sealed by a Nascent Soul Late-stage Cultivator. If that cultivator could have killed the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, why would he have gone to the extra trouble of sealing it?

The Black Blood Bizarre seemed to be a product of a broken seal, as was the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre.

Jia Ren came to understand the cruelest truth of this world. No matter how powerful a Cultivator was, they could not truly slay a Bizarre Demon. The only effective method was to seal them.

Sealing, breaking seals… it was an endless cycle. This was a vicious loop; Cultivators did not want Bizarre Demons to proliferate, yet they had no choice but to engage in this Sisyphean task.

Nascent Soul Cultivators were beings he could only look up to, far beyond his reach. If even they couldn't truly destroy Bizarre Demons, then he…

Perhaps he could!

Jia Ren recalled the Evil Warding Talisman. After being elevated to the Extraordinary Saint Level, it could inflict violet fire damage on Bizarre Demons—something unprecedented. Improving other methods of Warding Off Evil to a high Proficiency Level didn't mean there was no chance of killing Bizarre Demons. He would achieve what others could not!

There was only one reason Bizarre Demons couldn't be killed: insufficient strength! If one were powerful enough to destroy even the world, he refused to believe a mere Bizarre Demon couldn't be obliterated!

He happened to be the person with the best chance to achieve this.

Jia Ren took a deep breath, a wave of determination sweeping away his dejection. Before achieving his goal, he had to do everything in his power to survive. Only by living would he have opportunities; only by living would there be hope.

Having encountered Bizarre Demons consecutively, he knew their threat level was far higher than that of Cultivators. His primary means of survival would focus on the Evil Warding Artifact, the Xuan Yang Fire Spirit Pendant, and a First-Order, Superior Grade Formation: the Seal-Demon Formation. As for Spells, he would prioritize learning the Xuan Shui Escape technique for evasion.

The most critical thing, however, was to enhance his strength.

After his Cultivation Level broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, Elixirs specifically for Qi Refining Cultivators were useless. The difference in Spiritual Power quality between Qi Refining Stage Cultivators and Foundation Establishment Cultivators was too great. The effect of taking a Qi Refining Elixir was even less than that of opening the Heaven and Earth Bridges and absorbing the Spiritual Energy of the world. He didn't need to worry about accumulating Elixir toxins and impurities in his body from consuming such Elixirs.

He couldn't rely too much on meditative cultivation. The best cultivation site a Loose Cultivator could obtain was a Cave in the Market; its Spiritual Energy couldn't compare to that of a Sect. As a Loose Cultivator, one couldn't hold overly high expectations for a Blessed Land of Cave Heavens.

Jia Ren was of average talent. Without external aid and lacking cultivation bottlenecks, relying solely on meditative cultivation, he could reach Foundation Establishment Completion within his lifetime without issue.

The only issue was... it would take too long. At least a hundred or two hundred years.

He had to try his best to find Elixirs to aid his cultivation.

Jia Ren left his dwelling and headed straight for Tianbao Pavilion.

"Do you have any Elixirs for use by Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators?"

Elixirs for Foundation Establishment Cultivators?

The shopkeeper, hearing the inquiry, approached, his attitude becoming extremely respectful. "Senior Shi, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. Tianbao Pavilion only sells Ju Yuan Ling San at most; we don't stock Elixirs for Foundation Establishment Cultivators."

"The Spiritual Medicines required for Foundation Establishment Stage Elixirs must be at least a hundred years old, and some even require several hundred years. Spiritual Medicines are precious and scarce, so such Elixirs are not easily sold."

"If Senior Shi were to join a Sect, he could receive one Spirit Consolidating Pill every month and also exchange Sect contributions for Elixirs. Foundation Establishment Cultivators within a Sect often help each other out..."

The familiar recruitment pitch surfaced again. Resources for the Foundation Establishment Stage had high barriers to entry and were difficult to obtain in the Market. Joining a Sect was the quickest shortcut.

"What about the Xuan Yang Gem and the Redflame Spirit Bird Essence?"

Having to give up on Elixirs, he now sought the Xuan Yang Gem and the Redflame Spirit Bird Essence instead.

"Does Senior wish to refine an Evil Warding Artifact?"

"Xuan Yang Gems are precious and usually not for sale. However, selling a few pieces to you, Senior, is not a problem. It's just that the quantity is limited, and the cost is high. Each palm-sized Xuan Yang Gem costs two thousand Spirit Stones."

"Regarding the Redflame Spirit Bird Essence, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Senior. Tianbao Pavilion doesn't have this item."

"I'll take however many Xuan Yang Gems you have."

If it weren't for his breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage and Yuding Sect's continued desire to win him over, it would have been difficult to purchase any Xuan Yang Gems. Jia Ren wasn't going to waste this precious opportunity and decided to take them all.

He obtained three Xuan Yang Gems of slightly varying sizes, each piece nearly identical, costing a total of six thousand Spirit Stones.

The price was indeed steep!

Holding a Xuan Yang Gem, he felt it radiate a gentle aura, but other than that, there was nothing remarkable about it.

"Does your shop have Xuan Ming Stone, Jade Inkstone Rock, Green Xuan Steel...?"

Previously, Jia Ren would have visited two or three more shops, buying his desired materials separately. He did this out of fear that someone might deduce what he intended to create and target him. Now, having reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, few in the Market, apart from the Yuding Sect and families with Foundation Establishment Cultivators, would be willing to provoke him. These powers even wanted to extend an olive branch and were unlikely to offend him easily.

Jia Ren couldn't be sure how long he would stay in Jade Cauldron Market and was always prepared to flee at a moment's notice. In that case, why bother exhausting himself, shadowboxing with imagined enemies?

"Senior also understands Formations? The other materials are manageable, but the Xuan Ming Stone is a bit troublesome. It's a special material for Warding Off Evil. This item is scarce even in Sects, and I need to consult my superiors."

A Sound Transmission Talisman was dispatched, its fiery light streaking into the distance.

The shopkeeper busied himself preparing the materials. The cost for the Formation-setting materials alone, excluding the Xuan Ming Stone, already exceeded two thousand Spirit Stones. Jia Ren was making these preparations in advance to ensure he could gather the necessary materials for the Seal-Demon Formation should he need to flee.

Formations could only be described as expensive. Loose Cultivators lacked the resources to train an Array Master, and even clans had to pool all their strength to do so. Only Sects possessed a relatively large number of Array Masters.

He didn't have to wait long. The Foundation Establishment Cultivator surnamed Liu, whom he had met once before, drifted over.

"Greetings, Daoist Liu. I must also thank you for the information on the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre you provided; it truly eased my mind considerably," Jia Ren said, cupping his hands towards Daoist Liu in sincere gratitude.

"Daoist Shi, you're too polite. Yuding Sect has yet to thank you for the information you provided about the Bizarre Demon. Should the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre invade Yuding Sect's territory, the consequences would be unimaginable." Liu then turned to the shopkeeper. "Is this how you treat a guest?! Daoist Shi is a distinguished guest of Yuding Sect! Daoist Shi, please, come with me to the third floor. Feel free to ask for anything you need."

Jia Ren was invited to the third floor of Tianbao Pavilion. The room featured elegant architectural elements, folding screens, incense burners, and paintings. He glanced twice more at a painting of a beautiful woman in purple gauze hanging on the wall before quickly averting his gaze.

Emerald green Spiritual Tea, Spiritual Fruits of various colors and shapes, and specially made pastries were all brimming with Spiritual Energy. He lifted the teacup and took a light sip. Rich Spiritual Power and a delicate fragrance spread across his palate, making his mouth water.

"Excellent tea!"

"If Daoist Friend likes it, I'll send you two canisters."

"Then I shall thank you, Daoist Friend."

"I have yet to ask, is Daoist Shi an Array Master?" Daoist Liu's eyes blazed with an earnest gaze.

A Foundation Establishment Stage Array Master? he thought. That was undoubtedly the kind of talent Yuding Sect dreamed of recruiting.

"I've only recently acquired a legacy of the Formation Path. After successive encounters with Bizarre Demons, I've taken an interest in the Seal-Demon Formation."

Daoist Liu frowned slightly and advised, "Daoist Shi, mastering Formations has always been difficult. Ordinary people may spend decades, even centuries, without grasping its essence. Yuding Sect has seventy-three individuals studying Formations, but the vast majority are mere apprentices. Those who can be considered true Array Masters are only about a dozen. The Array Masters capable of setting up the Seal-Demon Formation are exceedingly rare."

"It's commendable that Daoist Friend is keen on learning Formations and mastering a Cultivation art. However, starting directly with... the Seal-Demon Formation might be somewhat hasty. This material is also exceedingly rare within the Sect. However, we can sell you one piece of Xuan Ming Stone."

One piece of Xuan Ming Stone? Jia Ren thought. Still, having one is better than none.

"One Xuan Ming Stone costs eight thousand Spirit Stones."

Upon hearing the price, Jia Ren was slightly stunned, seriously doubting his ears.

The price is outrageous!

Both the Xuan Yang Gem and Xuan Ming Stone were materials for Warding Off Evil, but the price difference was too vast.

"Daoist Friend, please don't misunderstand and think I wish to sell this to you at an inflated price," Liu explained. "Any material for Warding Off Evil that is associated with Bizarre Demons commands a high price. Moreover, other such materials at best provide protective and repelling effects against Bizarre Demons. The Xuan Ming Stone, however, is the core of the Seal-Demon Formation and can be used to refine Magic Artifacts for sealing Bizarre Demons. No power would easily part with such an item."

The Xuan Ming Stone can be used to refine Magic Artifacts for sealing Bizarre Demons? Jia Ren mused. Even Rhinoceros Horn, precious for crafting Evil Warding Talismans, was far less valuable than the Xuan Ming Stone.

"Daoist Liu, I'll remember this favor," Jia Ren said with sincere gratitude.

He understood that Yuding Sect had offered a piece of Xuan Ming Stone for two main reasons. Firstly, they wanted to build a good relationship with him, hoping he would join their Sect. Secondly, Yuding Sect was primarily an Alchemy Sect. While they might have a legacy of Artifact Refining, they were certainly not as proficient in it. Thus, the Xuan Ming Stone's primary role in the Sect was for setting up Formations. By offering the Xuan Ming Stone, they also intended to gauge his true proficiency in the Formation Path.

Jia Ren paid the Spirit Stones and received a stone as black as ink, appearing like an ordinary Inkstone. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, who could have imagined this item would sell for the exorbitant price of eight thousand Spirit Stones? Such a price was enough to buy a Top-grade Magical Instrument of superior quality.

The requirements for setting up the Seal-Demon Formation were undoubtedly too demanding. The material costs alone amounted to ten thousand Spirit Stones.

Finally, Jia Ren purchased materials for ten Spirit Gathering Arrays, spending another thousand Spirit Stones. The Spirit Gathering Array, being a basic Formation, could serve as an introduction to the Formation Path and also improve his own cultivation environment.

The Spirit Stones in his possession were dwindling at a visible rate.

They're being spent too quickly! Jia Ren felt as if he were staring into a black hole that devoured Spirit Stones. He had initially thought the large sum of Spirit Stones obtained from the Spirit Stone Vein would allow him to spend freely for a long time. He hadn't expected to feel financial pressure so soon after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage.

The two sat and discussed the Dao, exchanging experiences. To be precise, it was mostly Daoist Liu guiding Jia Ren, helping him unravel the intricacies of the Foundation Establishment Stage. Having someone to offer pointers made a significant difference compared to being a Loose Cultivator. After just a short conversation, much of the fog surrounding his cultivation path lifted.

After conversing for half a day, both host and guest were well pleased.

"Daoist Jia, in a month, fellow Daoists will organize an exchange meet for Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the Market. Be sure not to miss it."

After Jia Ren was seen off, on the third floor, a stunningly beautiful female Cultivator in a purple gauze dress emerged from the painting on the wall.

"I always felt he saw through my disguise... How confident are you in recruiting him? Why not leave him to me?"

"It's hard to say. This person clearly maintains a sense of detachment from Sects. However, now that he's witnessed the disparity between Sects and Loose Cultivators, I'd say there's a seventy percent chance of bringing him into the Sect."

"Qiu Rong, are you perhaps interested in this man? Sacrificing a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from our own ranks just to recruit a Loose Cultivator isn't worth it."

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