CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41 GREATLY INCREASED LIFESPAN_1

"Finally, it’s done!"

Jia Ren carefully scraped the Turtle Spirit Ointment from the pot, leaving not a single bit behind.

Afterward, he washed the pot with clean water, and even the water shimmering with a greasy sheen had some minor effects.

The Turtle Spirit Ointment was hard-earned and thus treasured greatly.

I wonder how effective the Turtle Spirit Ointment will be?

I hope it hasn’t wasted the Spirit Rice I spent and the three days of hard work.

More than twenty catties of turtle meat yielded just ten small bottles of ointment, each one exceedingly precious.

With the still-warm porcelain bottle of Turtle Spirit Ointment in hand, Jia Ren was full of anticipation.

The Turtle Spirit Ointment, designed specifically for the Turtle Spirit Technique, had obvious advantages, including its simple production.

One did not need to be an Alchemist to make it, so the barrier to entry was very low.

The downside was equally clear: it wasn’t a Spirit Pill and couldn’t be stored for long.

If left for an extended period, its efficacy would decrease significantly.

As an exclusive secret medicine for the Turtle Spirit Technique, the Ointment was ineffective if taken by itself. It had to be used in conjunction with practicing the Turtle Spirit Technique to be effective.

To ensure the medicine’s potency was maximized, Jia Ren couldn’t wait to return to his Cultivation Room and adjust his state for cultivation.

Downing a bottle of Turtle Spirit Ointment, he felt the slightly greasy ointment slide down his throat. It tasted alright, similar to unset meat jelly.

Jia Ren swallowed the Turtle Spirit Ointment in one gulp and even washed the bottle with water and drank that too.

In a moment’s time, he felt a warm and comfortable sensation in his belly, as if he had just had a satisfying meal.

At the beginning of his cultivation, Jia Ren felt a difference from his usual meditation practices; the normally sluggish Turtle Spirit Technique was like a runaway horse, operating at high speed.

The effect was far beyond any Elixir he had taken before, at least three times that of the Spirit Bud Elixir.

Jia Ren could clearly feel his cultivation progressing rapidly, constantly improving.

Six hours later, the effects of the ointment were fully absorbed.

His cultivation progress increased by 15 points, his cultivation technique’s Proficiency Level by 20 points, and his lifespan by just over a year—far exceeding his expectations.

Haha, there are still nine bottles left. If I use up ten bottles of Turtle Spirit Ointment, wouldn’t that add more than a decade to my lifespan?

The Turtle Spirit Ointment has indeed lived up to my expectations!

The Turtle Spirit Ointment was extraordinary, particularly for Cultivators practicing the Turtle Spirit Technique, far surpassing ordinary Elixirs.

Bottle after bottle, his cultivation speed was like being aided by a divine force.

Time flew by quickly during cultivation, and before he knew it, three days had passed.

All ten bottles of Turtle Spirit Ointment were used up, not a drop left in the bottles.

In total, this had added 152 points to his cultivation progress, 203 points to his cultivation technique’s Proficiency Level, and most importantly, it had extended his life by 12 years.

Standing up, Jia Ren felt the rich Tortoise Spirit Energy within his body. Excited, yet there was also a sense of loss in his heart.

The effect of the Turtle Spirit Ointment was indeed impressive, and the speed of cultivation was astonishing.

Unfortunately, the quantity of Turtle Spirit Ointment was still too small.

If he had enough Turtle Spirit Ointment, Jia Ren was confident he could reach the Late Stage Qi-Refining in a short period.

Jia Ren’s thoughts shifted, and the Proficiency Panel appeared.

[Name: Jia Ren]

[Lifespan: 30/92]

[Realm: Fifth Layer of Qi Refining (159/500)]

[Cultivation Technique: Turtle Spirit Technique, Fifth Layer (211/500)]

[Spell: Wind Control Skill: Grandmaster (768/1600)]

[Fireball Technique: Proficient (56/200)]

[Spirit Eye Technique: Master (13/400)]

[Spirit Shield: Proficient (47/200)]

[Sun Locking Technique: Master (196/400)]

[Return to Origin Sword Qi: Proficient (148/200)]

[Gather Water Spell: Beginner (30/100)]

[Tempting Bait (Fish): Grandmaster (Limit) +]

[Insect Control Technique (Spirit): Grandmaster (Limit II)]

[Insect Commanding Technique (Contract Spirit Seal): Great Master (2/800)]

[Metal Finger Technique: Great Grandmaster (1887/3200)]

[Turtle Breath Technique: Great Master (765/800)]

[Turtle Prime Spirit Armor: Beginner (42/100)]

Skill Breaking Point: 2.035

His Cultivation Level broke through to the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, adding five years to his lifespan. After consuming Turtle Spirit Ointment, he gained an additional twelve years of life, bringing his lifespan up to ninety-two.

As long as he stabilized, he could live to nearly a hundred years old.

His Skill Breaking Points had reached 2.035. Unfortunately, aside from the Bait Tempting Technique, there were no other skills to break through.

Ignoring the Bait Tempting Technique, it isn’t worth enhancing.

I lack enough proficiency to break through the Insect Control Technique.

Jia Ren focused his energy on the Turtle Breath Technique, causing the progress in his Wind Control Skill cultivation to slow. He would take his time with it.

The tunnel excavation must be about done by now!

Walking through the tunnel, Jia Ren saw two newly added passages.

He hadn’t been idle during the days spent crafting Turtle Spirit Ointment and cultivating. He had already dispatched Corner Worms to probe the locations of Elder Wu’s and Si Mingkong’s underground chambers and to excavate corresponding passages.

Whenever Jia Ren wished, he could connect them.

Their dwellings would become new exits for the tunnels.

"Well done!"

Jia Ren took out five catties of Spirit Rice to make Spiritual Liquid, rewarding the Corner Worms.

Consumption of Spirit Rice is too great.

Jia Ren consumed three catties of Spirit Rice daily, while the Corner Worms and other Spirit Insects consumed nearly seven catties, totaling ten catties of Spirit Rice per day.

He still had four hundred catties of Spirit Rice, which could last a little over a month at most.

Either increase income or cut expenses.

Increasing income meant finding ways to obtain more Spirit Rice; cutting expenses meant reducing the number of Corner Worms.

Spirit Rice was hard to come by, Jia Ren didn’t have many Spirit Stones, and didn’t want to take risks, so increasing income was hopeless.

Only cutting expenses remained.

The construction of the tunnel is almost done; it’s time to... kill the donkey once it’s done grinding the mill.

The Corner Worms had made significant contributions, but for the sake of long-term considerations, their numbers had to be reduced.

He stored the Turtle Demon Blood and had the Exotic Black Mosquitoes feed on Corner Worms’ blood instead, striving to reduce their numbers to... a hundred.

Before reducing their numbers, he would use the remaining utility of the Corner Worms to continue expanding the scale of the tunnels.

He aimed to create a sprawling underground maze with countless paths.

By that time, even if dozens of Five Elements Sect Cultivators entered the underground, they wouldn’t be able to catch him.

First, I’ll pay a visit to the two new neighbors.

The two new tunnels were dug, corresponding to Si Mingkong’s number four tunnel and Elder Wu’s number five tunnel.

Jia Ren was most concerned about Elder Wu and Talisman Crafting.

I wonder if it’s possible to secretly learn how to craft the Demon-Spotting Talisman?

Previously, he had considered trading for the Demon-Spotting Talisman crafting technique from Elder Wu, which was not an easy task.

Since ancient times, Spells and teachings were not passed on lightly.

Even a common blacksmith or tailor taking on an apprentice required the signing of a master-apprentice contract with numerous restrictions.

The same held for Talisman Crafting; unless driven to desperate straits, Elder Wu would never sell the technique easily.

Jia Ren believed that he wasn’t the only Loose Cultivator with similar intentions, but feared they had ended in failure.

If I could use the small hole for prolonged observation, I might have a chance.

Getting something for nothing would be the best outcome.

If I manage to learn and achieve something later, I can compensate Elder Wu.

With this thought, Jia Ren entered the number five tunnel first, headed for Elder Wu’s residence.

The number five tunnel was not completely connected to Elder Wu’s dwelling; a mud wall, still nearly seven meters thick, separated them. This wall had a tiny hole left in it.

The hole was usually blocked, only to be opened by the Corner Worms upon Jia Ren’s arrival.

Peering through the hole, Jia Ren could barely make out Elder Wu’s underground chamber.

Perhaps by luck, Elder Wu was hunched over a flat table, holding a Talisman Brush and crafting a Spirit Talisman.

As he was only adept in Demon-Spotting Talismans, naturally, those were what he was making.

The position where Jia Ren was stationed wasn’t bad—the pattern being crafted on the Talisman Paper could be partially seen.

Unfortunately, crafting talismans was much more difficult than he had imagined.

He only saw Elder Wu’s brush move like dragons and snakes, continuously outlining enigmatic symbols on the Talisman Paper. The attempt to craft a Demon-Spotting Talisman... ended in failure.

As an outsider, it was even more puzzling to watch.

It seems I still need to find a way to obtain the talisman crafting technique.

Jia Ren’s plan to stealthily learn had fallen through, and he returned in disappointment.

It’s time to take revenge!