Chapter 109: The Battle of Qi
Yi Tian and his companions obtained six superior blood crystals, each worth dozens to hundreds of premium elemental stones. Most notably, Yi Tian sensed immense power emanating from each of these blood crystals, rivaling that of elemental crystals in intensity.
However, because the energy within blood crystals carried a trace of the ferocity of fierce beasts and was somewhat impure and mottled, their market value remained low. Compared to elemental crystals, blood crystals were extremely cheap.
Without hesitation, Yi Tian allowed the Starry Mud clone to absorb all six superior blood crystals. For the black Starry Mud clone, the six blood crystals only deepened its color slightly, causing no significant change.
Once Yi Tian became aware of the blood crystals’ existence and their low price, he immediately set to work. He purchased dozens more blood crystals from the Four Seas Trading Company, Tianfang Tower, Tianfeng Imperial Market, and other places within the imperial capital, nearly exhausting all his superior elemental stones.
Though blood crystals contained formidable energy, their applications were limited. Moreover, blood crystals were not scarce; countless mid-level fierce beasts were slain each year, flooding the market with these crystals.
After the Starry Mud clone consumed dozens of blood crystals, it exhibited a noticeable transformation: its black surface gleamed with a deeper luster. Yi Tian tested this and discovered the clone’s speed in refining the Great Sun Heavenly Skill had markedly accelerated.
Having completed his activities in Tianfeng Gorge, Yi Tian resolved to continue refining the Great Sun Heavenly Skill. By comparing it with ancient heavenly skills like the Sun Shooting Heavenly Skill, he realized his own Great Sun Heavenly Skill was still far from reaching its utmost potential.
Meanwhile, Yi Feng, Yi Shan, Yi Kuang, and Yi Hong took the opportunity to explore the outskirts of the imperial capital. Yi Li, uninterested, remained in the manor cultivating.
Yi Tian did not reprimand them; after all, being overly tense was unhelpful for cultivation. They had been tirelessly battling fierce beasts and traveling extensively, so a bit of leisure was well-deserved.
Still, Yi Tian greatly admired Yi Li’s diligent cultivation. Only with such unwavering resolve and focus on the path of cultivation could one go far.
Yi Tian entered seclusion within the manor. His consciousness descended into a Starry Mud clone, beginning day after day of ongoing refinement.
The Great Sun Heavenly Skill’s refinement deepened continuously.
Finally, one morning about ten days later, the Starry Mud clone suddenly emitted a mysterious aura. The surrounding void shimmered brilliantly, like a miniature sun bursting forth.
At that moment, anyone observing Yi Tian’s clone would see it had become translucent, with bright points representing spiritual acupoints connecting to form intricate runes. Countless runes combined into two complex divine patterns, resembling twin small suns illuminating one another.
At the breakthrough in refining the Great Sun Heavenly Skill, Yi Tian felt an unfathomable power emerge. His Great Sun True Essence instantly transformed, doubling in condensation.
“Finally, I’ve ascended a new level!”
A smile crept onto Yi Tian’s clone’s face, clearly pleased.
Since first refining the Great Sun Heavenly Skill one to two years ago, he had continually worked on its subsequent stages. After many days of effort, today marked a clear metamorphosis of the skill into something even more profound and mysterious, with the number of spiritual acupoints increasing from 3,600 to 7,200.
The strength of the Great Sun True Essence more than doubled.
If previously Yi Tian’s Great Sun Heavenly Skill was like a single sun, now it was as if two suns fueled the engine, elevating both the quality and power of his True Essence to a higher tier.
This breakthrough greatly bolstered Yi Tian’s confidence in future refinements.
He also realized even heavenly skills have vast differences in quality and rank.
Having pushed the Great Sun Heavenly Skill to the dual-sun stage, Yi Tian found further refinement of the Starry Mud clone increasingly arduous, so he paused.
Returning his consciousness to his body, Yi Tian began cultivating the newly enhanced dual-sun Great Sun Heavenly Skill.
As he cultivated, he felt the Great Sun True Essence within him condense steadily, growing ever tougher, hotter, and more destructive.
He could sense his strength gradually increasing.
Just as Yi Tian concluded cultivation and stepped out of seclusion, he was surprised to find Yi Shan and the others had returned.
Looking up, Yi Tian noted it was midday.
“Why are you back so early?” he asked curiously.
Lately, Yi Feng, Yi Kuang, Yi Shan, and Yi Hong usually returned near dusk after roaming the imperial capital, sampling the signature dishes of countless taverns, always coming back satisfied yet eager for more.
Today, their early return genuinely surprised Yi Tian.
Upon hearing this, Yi Feng and the others’ expressions darkened immediately.
“What’s wrong?” Yi Tian asked, sensing something amiss, for their faces would not look so grim otherwise.
Yi Shan chuckled and said, “Those two got thoroughly beaten today and were so pissed off at a little girl that if we hadn’t held them back, they might have come to blows.”
Yi Hong then helplessly recounted the entire affair.
It turned out that today Yi Feng and the others had gone to the Drunken Immortal Tavern.
This tavern was among the finest in the imperial capital, admitting only high-ranked warriors. A single meal cost several hundred to a thousand inferior elemental stones—a lavish expense.
Yet despite the cost, business was booming.
Firstly, the tavern boasted top chefs who crafted unparalleled delicacies using fierce beasts, fierce birds, and various spirit herbs. These dishes were not only nourishing but had effects rivaling some elixirs, without adverse side effects.
Secondly, and most important, the tavern brewed Drunken Immortal Wine using rare spirit fruits and herbs. This wine was so prized that even humanoid-tier experts could become intoxicated.
Drunken Immortal Wine also had the power to cleanse bones and wash marrow, comparable to mid-grade spirit pills, commanding a steep price—several hundred superior elemental stones per pot.
Moreover, the tavern limited sales to one pot per month, sold by auction to the highest bidder.
Yi Feng and the others naturally wanted to taste this legendary wine. Today happened to be the auction day, so they arrived early.
For these humanoid-tier warriors, securing a pot was easy. Even a few hundred superior elemental stones was astronomical to most martial artists; only a few dozen people across the imperial capital's major factions could afford it.
Furthermore, these elite few seldom competed for a pot; frequent consumption of Drunken Immortal Wine was beyond even many nobles' means.
Thus, monthly auction pressure was minimal.
Yi Feng and his three companions were determined to win, willing to spend over a thousand superior elemental stones without hesitation.
But just as they were about to seal the deal, a dark horse appeared—a little girl no older than fourteen.
A fierce bidding war erupted over the pot, prices climbing rapidly.
During the contest, both sides exchanged barbs, adding sparks to the conflict.
In the end, the little girl shattered all previous auction records, winning the pot for a single elemental crystal.
This utterly infuriated Yi Feng and Yi Kuang.
The girl’s price of one elemental crystal completely trounced their bid of two thousand superior elemental stones.
An elemental crystal was priceless, often fetching offers of hundreds of thousands of superior elemental stones.
Yi Kuang and Yi Feng, unable to accept this, returned to the manor simmering with rage.
Previously, they had wielded dozens of elemental crystals and would not have minded, but having exhausted their crystals through cultivation recently, they could not bear being outdone and scorned by a mere little girl.
Thus, they returned in a foul mood.