Eternal Life Begins with Learning

"One Lower Spirit Stone allows you to stay in the Marketplace for one day. If you exceed the time limit, you must pay more Spirit Stones promptly. Violators will be imprisoned for three months!"

Entering the Black Market, he heard a familiar phrase.

Chu Mu glanced at the slouching man standing at the entrance to the Black Market. He casually tossed out a Spirit Stone and took the ring that represented his allotted time.

He was now in the Jade Emperor Black Market, the closest one to Jade Emperor Valley. Like the Fengming Mountain Black Market, it was also located inside a mountain.

However, the cave before him appeared to be a natural cavern.

Lava crystals, like ice, hung from the cavern’s ceiling, glittering with magnificent colors under the light.

Beneath the ceiling, the layout was similar to the Fengming Mountain Black Market. However, perhaps because it was newly built, it was a bit tidier.

Low-rise buildings were arranged in a grid pattern beneath the dome. Perhaps due to the prosperity of Jade Emperor Valley, the foot traffic in this Black Market was noticeably heavier than at the Fengming Mountain Black Market.

For some unknown reason, the moment he entered this Black Market, even knowing it was undoubtedly connected to the Longevity Sect, he still felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He felt a sense of relief and ease.

The Black Market represented disorder and freedom.

Yet this disorder and freedom were, paradoxically, governed by the strictest order in the Cultivation Immortal Realm.

After all, every Cultivator who came to the Black Market valued its secrecy and freedom.

If that secrecy and freedom were ever compromised, the credibility of the Black Market would plummet.

The hidden masters of the Black Market, in order to protect their interests, would do everything in their power to maintain its order and reliability.

The most chaotic Black Markets were often the safest places—far safer than any of the public Marketplaces.

Individual interests and collective interests are two completely different concepts.

And this Jade Emperor Black Market represented the interests of a Golden Core True Master.

’Very safe, very comforting.’

Strolling down the street, stopping here and there, his mood on this trip to the Black Market was clearly different from his last visit to the Fengming Mountain Black Market.

Without the urgency of last time, he was naturally in the mood for some leisurely browsing.

As his mind calmed, he seemed to notice many more things.

A more authentic version of the Cultivation Immortal Realm seemed to manifest before his eyes.

For example, there was a stall selling the souls of Cultivators. The soul of a Qi Cultivation First Layer Cultivator was priced at ten Lower Spirits.

There was also a stall selling slaves. Dozens of men and women knelt by the roadside. Under his Divine Sense Perception, he could tell they were all accomplished martial artists with strong Qi Blood. There were even some at the Divine Appearance level among them. The prices weren’t high; in fact, they were extremely cheap!

After wandering for a while, Chu Mu stopped in front of a stall selling Imperial Gazettes.

He had a long-term subscription to the Imperial Gazette, but the ones at this stall seemed quite different from what he was used to.

"What are these Imperial Gazettes?"

Chu Mu asked.

"I compiled them myself. They record some of the major events that have occurred in the Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World over the past hundred years."

"The price is cheap, just one Lower Spirit."

the old man explained with a cheerful laugh.

Chu Mu tossed out a Lower Spirit.

"Alrighty then, Daoist Friend, take it."

The old man gave a fawning smile and handed over a thick volume of the gazettes.

Taking the Imperial Gazette, Chu Mu tossed it into his Storage Talisman and continued down the street. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Chu Mu’s objectives were clear.

First, Puppets; second, Body Refining; third, Elixirs; and fourth, fundamental cultivation knowledge.

These four items were his main objectives for this trip to the Black Market.

The first two were especially critical.

Chu Mu had already made up his mind: if he couldn’t achieve his goals at the Jade Emperor Black Market, he would go to other Black Markets. He wouldn’t return until his objectives were met.

Breaking them down further, his goals became even more specific.

For Puppetry Skill, he needed the foundational prerequisite knowledge: Artifact Refining Skill and its related fundamentals.

For Body Refining, he already had the Wild Bull Technique. If possible, he wanted to acquire other Body Refining Techniques for comparison to broaden his understanding.

Of course, the most important thing was to buy Elixirs to support his Body Refining Cultivation. If he could, it would be best to acquire one or more Pill Recipes for Body Refining support and then purchase all the necessary ingredients.

As for Elixirs in general, he would take the opportunity to acquire other Pill Recipes and foundational knowledge related to Alchemy, such as information on Spirit Medicines, to deepen his understanding of the Alchemy Skill.

The final category, fundamental cultivation knowledge, was aimed at broadening the scope and depth of his knowledge.

This included knowledge like basic Fire Attribute Runes related to the Fireball Spell he practiced, basic knowledge of Arrays and Restrictions, and experiential notes on Qi Cultivation and Body Refining Cultivation...

The existence of his "Spiritual Radiance" meant that his path of Cultivation was destined to be completely different from that of other Cultivators.

He needed to collect a relatively complete system of knowledge about the Cultivation Immortal Realm and then use the effect of his "Spiritual Radiance" to build a profound understanding of the path of Cultivation.

Only then, with his Pseudo Spirit Root aptitude, could he go further and stand more firmly on this path.

It was a process of collecting, understanding, and applying knowledge.

And the high cost of knowledge undoubtedly meant it would be an extremely difficult process.

A single lap around the Marketplace cost him several hundred Lower Spirits.

In return, he obtained a Jade Scroll recording basic Fire Attribute Runes, a book detailing one hundred common Spirit Ores of the Cultivation Immortal Realm, a detailed guide to cultivating the Flame Decision, and a volume analyzing the growth years and medicinal effects of Spirit Medicines.