The Qi family brothers, those two venomous snakes, were dead. Jia Ren felt a lightness in his heart, shedding some of the pressure.

After burning Qi Yuhu's body, destroying the restrictions he had set up, and erasing all traces, he hurriedly left.

It was uncertain whether the disciples of the Five Elements Sect carried any special restrictions, such as the Soul Lamp from cultivation legends.

Jia Ren definitely did not want to tally his gains only to be cornered by a Five Elements Sect Cultivator in the cave.

The windfall couldn't be confirmed to be free of dangers and was too risky to bring to the Great Wilderness Market.

Utilizing the Wind Control Skill, Jia Ren flew out for nearly ten miles and found a relatively safe place to stop.

He patted the Spirit Beast Bag, and over a hundred Exotic Black Mosquitoes dispersed in all directions, serving as scouts.

After everything was in place, he finally sat down to count his gains.

Qi Yulong's Storage Bag was damaged, many items were destroyed, and could only be collected into an unused Storage Bag.

Jia Ren poured out the contents of three Storage Bags and began to tally everything together.

The Impenetrable Defense Formation Plate was unscathed; in less than half a day, it had returned to the arms of its original owner.

Thinking back, it was the Solid as Golden Soup Formation that had brought disaster upon him. Without it, the Qi brothers might have lived a lot longer...

Four Superior Grade Offensive Talismans: Green Jade Spirit Sword, Shadowless Sword Talisman, Qing Ling Needle, and Black Gold Spirit Sword.

The Shadowless Sword Talisman and Qing Ling Needle came from Qi Yuhu, while the other two Magic Swords came from Qi Yuhu and an unknown Enforcement Division Cultivator.

Does the Five Elements Sect really favor Magic Swords that much? Anyone who didn't know better might think it's a Sword Cultivator sect.

One Superior Defensive Artifact, the Xuan Guang Shield, came from Qi Yuhu.

Three Demon Binding Ropes (middle-grade offensive Magic Artifacts); one Willow Leaf Flying Talisman; one Brass Mirror Talisman; and one Black Gourd Talisman.

Five Middle-Grade Defense Magical Implements, plus one damaged Middle-Grade Defense Magical Implement, and one middle-grade Robe.

Five bottles of Five Elements Spirit Pills totaling thirty-seven, six bottles of Spirit Enhancement Pills totaling forty-eight, seven Resurrection Pills, nine Vitality Restoring Spirit Pills, and six Purifying Spirit Pills...

A total of 1,576 Spirit Stones and two Fragmented Spirit Stones.

Seven hundred and forty-six catties of White Corn.

Three hundred and sixty-nine catties of Green Bud Rice.

Fifteen Evil Warding Talismans, three Golden Bell Shield Talismans, two Flying Charms, five Fire Serpent Talismans, and three Thunderfall Charms...

There were also various assorted items such as Spiritual Medicine, Monster Beast Meat, and Demonic Beast Materials, in numerous amounts and types.

"Worthy of being a Five Elements Sect Cultivator, quite a valuable haul!"

Each person had at least one Superior Grade Offensive Talisman, several Middle-Grade Defense Magical Implements, not to mention superior-grade Elixirs and high-quality Talismans, quality Spirit Rice, and a considerable amount of Spirit Stones.

Both were Late Stage Qi Cultivators, yet the disparity between a Loose Cultivator and a member of the Five Elements Sect was simply too great!

Jia Ren, close to Yang Bingzhi, knew that an Inner Sect Disciple of the Five Elements Sect received only five Spirit Stones and one Five Elements Spirit Pill monthly. That was a fixed portion that could only be obtained after completing a Sect mission each month.

Want more resources? Either the faction or elder backing you up provides them, or you complete more Sect missions for additional resources.

Why did the three individuals have wealth far exceeding that of an Inner Sect Disciple of the Five Elements Sect?

The answer was the Law Enforcement Office!

To Loose Cultivators, the Law Enforcement Office was nearly universally detested. They claimed to be guardians of order in the Great Wilderness Market but were also the biggest bloodsuckers.

Without power or influence, Loose Cultivators in both the Inner and Outer City often fell victim to extortion and exploitation, which was notorious far and wide.

Putting aside the rest, the Law Enforcement Office even dared to support the Chang Le Gang and tolerate the spread of Forbidden Pills, which showed their true colors.

Jia Ren hadn't been in the Inner City for long, but he couldn't escape being extorted a few times, and the worst of it was almost having his Impenetrable Defense Formation Plate taken.

Qi Yulong left behind Lingering Fragrance Powder, intending to eradicate the rogues without leaving a trace.

Fortunately, he was exceptionally strong. Had he been an ordinary Loose Cultivator, he probably would have fallen into their hands already.

Many of the Enforcement Division Cultivators were just legalized Bizarre Cultivators, and who knows what dirty deeds they had done in secret.

Backed by the towering presence of the Five Elements Sect, the Loose Cultivators could only simmer in silent rage.

If not for the abundance of resources in the Great Wilderness, the Loose Cultivators would have long since fled.

Even so, the number of Loose Cultivators in both the Inner and Outer City of the Great Wilderness Market was less than half that of its peak period.

"All the ill-gotten gains they've scraped together now belong to me!"

Jia Ren rolled up the items on the ground, making sure there were no hidden dangers, and quickly left the area.

He smoothly returned to the Inner City and proceeded with a new registration.

For some reason today, there were unusually many Loose Cultivators checking into the Inner City, forming a long queue.

"Loose Cultivator Shi Bai!"

Upon paying the Spirit Stones, he obtained a new Inner City Token.

Jia Ren learned from his previous lesson, avoiding Smoky Willow Lane, and chose Black Alley instead.

The four alleys of the Inner City were Heavenly Arts Lane, Smoky Willow Lane, Black Alley, and Morning Origin Alley. The first three didn't have many restrictions and were available for Loose Cultivators to live in, with the difference being in the cost of Spirit Stones.

Only Morning Origin Alley was special, as only the families and descendants of the Five Elements Sect could reside there, offering the best environment and conditions in the Inner City.

Having lived in Heavenly Arts Lane and Smoky Willow Lane, the former was alright, but the latter was murky and foul.

Jia Ren had visited Black Alley before; it was where Yang Shengwu and Yun Niang had lived.

Though not as nice as Heavenly Arts Lane, it was certainly better than Smoky Willow Lane.

Jia Ren paid the monthly rent of three Spirit Stones for his new place, cleaned it thoroughly, and replaced the furniture and kitchenware.

He had just set up the Solid as Golden Soup Formation when the female cultivator splashing water next door paused, inadvertently giving him a few more glances.

When she saw Jia Ren looking her way, her cheeks turned red and she quickly picked up her basin and left.

Jia Ren took out the Brass Mirror Talisman and inspected his appearance in the mirror.

Compared to the previously feigned plain appearance, the disguised Shi Bai had a countenance that was handsomely carved from jade, with lips red and teeth white, exuding the charm of a dashing young master.

Female cultivators pay attention to external beauty, and many women even purchase expensive Elixirs like the Jade Face Pill and Hundred Flowers Pill which can affect one's appearance, so over the long term, most are pretty.

It is rare to see an ugly woman in the Great Wilderness Market; at worst they are of average looks.

The female cultivators engaged in dual cultivation are without exception beautiful as flowers.

Male cultivators are not so concerned about their appearance and tend to be more rational in their spending, not wasting precious Spirit Stones on Elixirs that do not enhance their strength.

A man's charm lies not in his appearance, but in his power!

Handsome cultivators do exist, but most of them are concentrated in families and Sects.

In contrast to men who placed little value on looks, Shi Bai was particularly eye-catching.

"Fellow Daoist, are you a new Loose Cultivator who has moved in?"

"Black Alley is mostly occupied by cultivators hunting Magical Beasts or gathering medicinal herbs in the Great Wilderness. Are you a hunter too?"

The female cultivator quickly returned, her appearance refined with just a touch of makeup, adding a few degrees of a gentle allure to her compared to before.

She was like a peacock with spread feathers.

"I arrived at the Great Wilderness Market not long ago, having heard of the many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures here, hoping to make a fortune."

Jia Ren looked somewhat shy, and he stepped back a bit.

Zhu Yuhong's gaze lingered on Jia Ren's face for a few more moments, then she smiled and said, "You've come to the right place. Although the Great Wilderness is dangerous, it's indeed a land of treasures."

"Not long ago, someone dug up a Seven-Colored Spirit Flower that was three hundred years old. It's said to be the main ingredient for the Foundation Establishment Pill and was sold for over 1,000 Spirit Stones."

Zhu Yuhong was quite enthusiastic and seemed very keen on making conversation.

Good-looking men make women take the initiative as well.

A Seven-Colored Spirit Flower? Foundation Establishment Pill?

Jia Ren's interest was piqued, and he quietly waited for what was to come.

He had already reached the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, and with plenty of resources at hand, he believed that reaching the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Complete within one or two years wouldn't be difficult.

At that point, he would have to confront the issue of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

The transition from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment is known as the life-and-death barrier, where hardly one out of ten cultivators might succeed.

If the Foundation Establishment were to fail, the few lucky survivors would also have their core injured. They would require decades of rest, and the chances of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage next time would decrease.

The Elixirs that could increase the chances of Foundation Establishment were few, with the most famous being the Foundation Establishment Pill.

There are very few Loose Cultivators who break through from the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement to the Foundation Establishment Stage, and the key point is the Foundation Establishment Pill.

If one does not wish accidental occurrences during Foundation Establishment, it would be best to find a way to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill.

But it is very difficult for Loose Cultivators to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill!

The quantity of Foundation Establishment Pills is extremely scarce; even a powerful Sect like the Five Elements Sect does not have enough to share, and rarely does it flow outside the Sect.

Refining a Foundation Establishment Pill by oneself? Not to mention the lack of Alchemy skills; the recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill, and all kinds of precious Spiritual Medicine aged for hundreds of years, are enough to deter anyone.

Zhang Yuhong said, deliberately leaning closer to Jia Ren and lowering her voice, "The Five Elements Sect will put a Foundation Establishment Pill for auction at the Great Wilderness Market in half a month from now. This is traditional, done once every ten years."

The fragrant breath was intentionally blown into his ear.

"Is this true?" Jia Ren had been in the Great Wilderness Market for less than ten years and had never heard such news.

Zhang Yuhong snuggled closer to Jia Ren and giggled, "The Great Wilderness Market initially lacked popularity. It was the Foundation Establishment Pill that attracted the crowds."

"Ever since the war between the two Sects, the Market has suffered a severe loss of popularity, so they surely need to take drastic measures. Didn't you notice more cultivators entering the Inner City these days?"

"The Foundation Establishment Pill is a gem that makes people envious, but sadly, it is not a treasure that a Loose Cultivator can compete for."

"Many families will also bid for it. Where do Loose Cultivators have the financial resources to compete?"

Jia Ren's gaze shifted, not expecting to receive information about the Foundation Establishment Pill in Black Alley. It was indeed beyond his expectations.

The biggest problem was how to compete for the Foundation Establishment Pill?

With the dividends from the Spirit Stone Vein due in half a month, compounded with the various Magic Artifacts obtained from the Qi Family Brothers and the Five Elements Sect Cultivator, converting all of these into Spirit Stones wouldn't be a problem, amounting to over 6,000.

With such wealth, he might have a hope of obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill.

But the problem is...

Jia Ren has the financial means to participate in bidding for the Foundation Establishment Pill, but even if he wins it, he might not be able to leave with it safely.

Take it to the Cave for a closed-door practice, and swallow the Foundation Establishment Pill?

Having not yet reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Complete, using the pill would be wasteful, and needlessly revealing such wealth would attract the attention of ravenous cultivators.

Moreover, Jia Ren might not even have the chance for peaceful cultivation.

Order is established on strength. Should one possess a treasure that can drive people mad, those Loose Cultivators daring to risk it all would certainly not be few.

Weighing the risks and benefits in his heart, a barrage of thoughts flashed by, and Jia Ren could only sigh.

He must not get involved with the Foundation Establishment Pill!

Wait for the next one, ten years from now... Jia Ren has a long lifespan; he can afford to wait.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist, for informing me."

Jia Ren noticed the female cultivator sitting closer and closer, almost sticking to him.

Before he could speak, an angry voice came from behind.

"Yuhong, what are you doing?!"

"No wonder you've been dressing so provocatively recently. You're seducing men!"

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