Chapter 59: Chapter 57: Preparation Ji An nodded firmly: "Staying in the sect is certainly safe, but reaching Qi Refining Perfection without a Foundation Establishment Pill is just wasting time. I’m now at the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining stage; I’ve diligently practiced Magical Combat Techniques over the past two years without any slack. If I prepare two more Magical Artifacts, my apparent combat power will not lose to those veteran demon-hunting disciples. As long as I experience a few real battles, I can rapidly complete the transformation from novice to seasoned warrior." The earlier you advance to the Foundation Establishment stage, the more the sect values you, and wasting time is not worthwhile. Even among cultivators at the First-Layer Foundation Establishment stage, the treatment they receive differs. Right now, he’s using all his strength to reach the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining stage; it’s easy to imagine how difficult it will be to continue after the Foundation Establishment stage. Going out to hunt demons, encountering spirit medicines along the way is also a major gain. If one is lucky to find the main ingredient for a Foundation Establishment Pill, they can get priority in obtaining the pill. "Sigh..." Wei Songnian sighed lightly, his excitement waning a little. If his family hadn’t suddenly given him substantial support this time, he would have needed several more years to gather enough Contribution Points. He stopped speaking and started counting Talismans. "Lower grade Talismans, 56 pieces, each priced at 20 Spirit Crystals; Middle Grade Water Curtain Talismans, 14 pieces, each at 40 Spirit Crystals; Middle Grade Geng Metal Talismans, 11 pieces, each at 35 Spirit Crystals." Wei Songnian murmured, calculating quickly: "A total of 20 Spirit Stones and 65 Spirit Crystals. Given Junior Brother’s current Talisman-Making skill, if there’s enough Talisman Paper and Talisman Ink, he won’t earn Spirit Crystals slowly." Ji An shook his head and smiled: "With a larger increase in consumption, Talisman prices have risen a bit, but various materials have also gotten more expensive. The sect has many Qi Refining disciples, and there are quite a few Talisman Makers; it’s not a monopoly business and not hugely profitable—it’s just earning some hard-earned money." "Senior Brother, do you know any Artifact Refiners well, to ask about the price of Magical Artifacts for me? I want to purchase a Middle Grade Defensive Magical Artifact and a Lower Grade Attack Magical Artifact. It’s best if the Defensive Magical Artifact is shield-shaped, and the Attack Magical Artifact I’d prefer to be a heavy-type, like a hammer, mountain, and river seal, or similar." The only Artifact Refiner he knew was Zhang Yuanshan, but he was always at Mo Ya Mountain, making communication costly. Ji An’s mind connected momentarily with the Stone Turtle. [Magic Techniques: Object Control Technique (Perfection 27%) Wind Control Technique (Minor Achievement 75%) Water Curtain Technique (Perfection 11%) Geng Metal Finger (Great Success 87%)] Cultivators often prefer to use Magical Artifacts because they consume less magical power when wielding them; if they haven’t thoroughly mastered the magic techniques, using a Magical Artifact is more reliable. Most Qi Refining disciples prefer weapons like swords or blades for Attack Magical Artifacts, as these are quicker to wield, which relatively causes more damage, and heavy-type Magical Artifacts consume more magical power to wield. Ji An’s Geng Metal Finger was nearing perfection. If he focused more on practicing it in the coming days, reaching the Perfection Level, it could completely replace middle to lower-grade sword-type Magical Artifacts. Once he practiced the Wind Control Technique to a Great Success level, the power of the techniques he mastered would be sufficient for survival; all he lacks is experience. Wei Songnian nodded slightly: "I’ll ask Senior Brother Cui Yuan. His Magical Artifacts are slightly more expensive than market price, but the quality is well-reputed. Are you in a hurry, Junior Brother? If you want a rush order, you’ll need to spend some extra Spirit Crystals." "No rush. As long as the two Magical Artifacts are ready within half a year." Ji An replied. He hadn’t dealt with Senior Brother Cui before, so if he wanted to buy Magical Artifacts, he had to pay on the spot and couldn’t defer payment. In another month or two, once he harvested this season’s Jade Corn and Talisman Grass and earned Spirit Stones, he’d have enough Spirit Crystals to purchase the Magical Artifacts. "Alright, I have it in mind. Let’s drink some wine. I’ve exchanged it for a Foundation Establishment Pill and have no large expenses for the time being. Junior Brother, if you’re short on Spirit Crystals, I can help you out a little." Ji An lifted his wine cup and said with a smile, "Thank you, Senior Brother." ... After a hearty food and drink, Ji An bid farewell to Wei Songnian and headed straight to Cui Bamboo Peak. Zhao Mengyao, dressed in a blue gauze skirt, walked gracefully over: "Judging by the dates, Junior Brother Ji should be coming next month. Why are you visiting me today?" Her features were like a painting, and the joy in her eyes couldn’t be concealed. After some maneuvering by her family, she would obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill after five more years. With her top-grade talent, possessing a Foundation Establishment Pill gives her at least an eighty percent chance of reaching Foundation Establishment. Ji An’s eyes lit up, and he grinned foolishly: "I missed you, Senior Sister." The girl’s figure had become more curvaceous, and with her exceptional Immortal Cultivator physique, her skin was as smooth as white porcelain, causing his mind, rarely seeing a female cultivator, to wander. "Bah!" Zhao Mengyao rolled her eyes, pretending to sneer: "As if I don’t know you! Tell me, what is it." She knew that aside from cultivating Spirit Fields and making Talismans, this Junior Brother spent almost all of his time practicing techniques in his little courtyard with almost no leisure activities. Witnessing him grow from an ordinary disciple with no backing to what he had achieved today, she genuinely admired him. "I came specifically to Cui Bamboo Peak to see you, of course. Also, since I’m here, I want to buy some medicinal herbs." Ji An paused and then said: "Senior Sister, I haven’t seen Senior Brother Chu River for the past few years; do you keep in touch with him?" "Senior Brother Zhang helped connect with a well-reputed demon-hunting squad. One of the squad members fell in action, and Chu River filled the vacancy. They’ve been stationed at Mo Ya Mountain these past two years, reportedly with good gains. What are you planning?" Ji An shared the information he’d acquired and his intention to participate in demon hunting. Zhao Mengyao frowned slightly, then sighed softly after a while: "Indeed, the competition for Foundation Establishment Pills is getting fiercer, and it’s good to plan ahead. What do you intend to do by contacting Chu River? You mentioned you also have to tend to your Spirit Fields, so you can’t participate in demon hunting year-round." "A mature squad won’t allow you to join unless you find teammates whose schedules align with yours, or you wait for a squad to temporarily recruit members. However, if you don’t know these temporary squads well, I advise you not to join them. Some people may seem nice in the sect, but who knows how they might change in the wild." "What Senior Sister says makes sense. I just want to join Senior Brother Chu’s squad in my free time to learn some experience, or get Senior Brother Chu to introduce me to a reliable squad that happens to have an opening." Ji An said, among the people he knew, only Chu River was actively fighting at the demon-hunting front, so naturally, he turned to Chu River for assistance. "Junior Brother, how is your Magical Combat skill? Have you prepared the Magical Artifacts?" "I’m in the process of acquiring Magical Artifacts, and I’ve been diligently practicing spells for Magical Combat these past two years with considerable progress. However, lacking real combat experience, my combat skills are probably quite ordinary." Most people, no matter how well they train, would still be novices on the battlefield, and it is only through the test of fire and blood that they can become elites. Ji An raised his eyebrows and smiled: "Senior Sister, I have an advantage, don’t you remember my Beast Taming? The Spirit-Seeking Rat is now a Fifth-Layer demon beast; it has collected anything with slightly more Spiritual Qi within a few miles around my bamboo residence."