Chapter 99: Chapter 97: All That Commotion, After All, Has Nothing to Do with Her

Song Ciwan sat cross-legged on the pillow in the middle of her small bedroom, activated the Duality Heart Protection Array Plate, and began to sell.

She started by selling a mass of emotional energy from Xie Yunxiang. This particular mass was special—it wasn’t simple "human desires."

Song Ciwan had sold Xie Yunxiang’s "human desires" once before, so she wanted to see what she would get this time.

’Cultivation? Or something else?’

[You have sold the Celestial Demon Sound, a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator’s Heart’s Desire Qi weighing one mace and three cents. You have obtained a Two-star Level Talisman: one Confusion Talisman.]

’A Talisman, not Cultivation!’

’Then again, this mass of qi only weighed one mace and three cents. And it’s not like Xie Yunxiang is some profound master or Hermit. Getting a Confusion Talisman for it is actually pretty good.’

Confusion Talisman: Upon use, the target of this Talismanic Technique will unknowingly have a change of heart, follow the Caster’s guidance, and be at their disposal.

’Huh, this Confusion Talisman seems similar to the "Doubt" Illusion Text I got from Wang Yi, but its effect is actually a little different.’

’It’s also different from the Sun and Moon Transformation Skill. Its effect is closer to purely clouding someone’s mind. For me right now, this Talisman is a nice addition to my arsenal.’

Song Ciwan put the talisman away and then sold the third mass of energy she had obtained from Xie Yunxiang.

[You have sold human desires—the joy, relief, and gratitude of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator—weighing two jin and one tael. You have obtained two years and one month of Cultivation.]

’Two years and one month of Cultivation!’

This was different from before. Previously, when Song Ciwan sold a mortal’s "human desires," the Cultivation she obtained was usually at a rate of one year per jin.

But when the mass of emotional energy came from a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator or a Martial Artist of a similar level, the amount of Cultivation she received would increase tenfold.

One jin of "human desires" could usually be sold for ten years of Cultivation!

’But now, the amount of Cultivation I received has shrunk. I figure it’s because I broke through to the Qi Refining Stage, causing the value of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator’s "human desires" to diminish.’

’Or perhaps it wasn’t that the value of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator’s "human desires" had decreased, but that the substance of a single year of my own Cultivation had increased!’

In a flash, Song Ciwan entered a wondrous, ethereal realm.

A quarter of an hour passed in the real world, but within that wondrous cultivation space, Song Ciwan had already cultivated painstakingly for two years and one month.

And the effect of this cultivation session was vastly different from before.

The biggest difference was that the concentration of Vitality in Pinglan City was so much stronger than in Su Yang City!

Even when she wasn’t in the Wangjiang Mountain Cave Mansion, just cultivating in an ordinary part of the city gave Song Ciwan an exhilarating feeling, like a fish back in water.

Although she had only cultivated for two years and one month, Song Ciwan felt that the results were not the least bit inferior to twenty years of her previous efforts!

The "Dao" and "Strong" Illusion Texts swirled around her like stars, drawing Song Ciwan deeper into the wondrous state of cultivation until she nearly lost all track of time.

What is Sitting and Forgetting?

To gain a new layer of insight with every cultivation session—this, too, is Sitting and Forgetting.

Within the supreme Dao lies serene nothingness. The spirit is utilized without form, and so too are the mind and body.

This, too, is Sitting and Forgetting!

In what felt like no time at all, a quarter of an hour passed. Song Ciwan concluded her cultivation session and slowly regulated her qi.

She felt a sense of fulfillment, as if her cultivation had settled and solidified. Opening her Insight Technique panel, she saw the following:

Song Ciwan: Age: 15 (Lifespan: 200 years)

Main Cultivation Method: Sutra of Sitting and Forgetting (First Layer Mastered 30,101/100,000, Second Layer Beginner 516/1,000)

Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining and Divinity Transformation (Early-Stage Qi Refining 39,628/100,000)

The experience for the First Layer of the Sitting and Forgetting State of Mind had increased by more than three thousand points, the Second Layer by more than two hundred, and her Cultivation Realm had shot up by more than eight thousand points!

This rate of cultivation was undeniably fast; even a typical Celestial Pride would have found it difficult to keep pace.

Once she finished regulating her breath, Song Ciwan felt a faint flicker of joy.

But at the same time, she understood very well that sources of emotion like Xie Yunxiang were not so easy to come by.

The higher a person’s cultivation, the more difficult it was for their emotions to be exposed.

Even in Xie Yunxiang’s case, if she hadn’t given him a helping hand this time, he likely wouldn’t have produced so many masses of emotional energy.

’Going forward, I can’t just keep milking Xie Yunxiang as a source. Aside from the question of whether I’d even succeed, it would be wrong to overdo it.’

’To maintain this speed of cultivation, I’ll have to find new sources.’

Song Ciwan stood up, paced a few circles in the room, stretched her arms and legs, and opened the window to look outside.

The night was dark outside. At some point, the moon had vanished behind the clouds, but the lights of Pinglan City still shone brightly.

Flickering lights danced among the distant, dense rooftops, threatening to drag the silent night down into the hustle and bustle of the Mortal World.

This city was restless, even at night.

It was so lively, but it was also so unfamiliar.

Ultimately, that liveliness had nothing to do with her. She had to remain patient, guard against arrogance, and make her plans carefully.

’Don’t rush. I can’t be impatient.’

Song Ciwan closed the window and resumed her cross-legged position on the pillow.

Her Heaven and Earth Scale still held a few masses of "human desires" from Wang Yi, but Song Ciwan decided not to sell them yet.

Selling Wang Yi’s "human desires" would probably just grant more Cultivation. Her Cultivation had already grown a great deal tonight; she needed to take a moment to consolidate.

’Since I have nothing else to do, and it’s not yet Midnight, I might as well sell some more Dragon Blood.’

Song Ciwan proceeded to sell Dragon Blood twice more, offering one tael each time. In return, she received a total of twenty Fuyuan Pills.

With this replenishment, her supply of Fuyuan Pills was back up to one hundred and six.

She still had over a hundred jin of Dragon Blood, which was more than enough for now. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The Heaven and Earth Scale still had five sales left. Song Ciwan let her mind wander and decided to sell a few odds and ends.

For example, feathers from the Big White Goose.

[You have sold eight mace of feathers from an unranked Demon Beast (white goose) and have obtained one One-star Level Iron Feather Talisman.]

Iron Feather Talisman: Activating this talisman can increase one’s defensive capabilities by fifty percent. Any living creature may use it, but the effect is enhanced when used by a member of the Feather Race. Once activated, if not triggered, the talisman will automatically expire after forty-eight hours.

’Huh, they even have things like this?’

Song Ciwan took the Iron Feather Talisman, walked to the main hall, and went over to the goose cage.

The Big White Goose was sound asleep. Without waking it, Song Ciwan simply held the Iron Feather Talisman in her palm and released a faint pulse of True Qi.

The Iron Feather Talisman instantly transformed into a streak of white light that shot into the Big White Goose’s plump body and vanished without a trace.

The Big White Goose seemed to sense something and twitched its wings slightly.

Of course, it didn’t wake up. It was always a sound sleeper and not easily woken.

A smile touched Song Ciwan’s lips. Her gaze passed through the gaps of the cage to the Big White Goose’s dense feathers, and she couldn’t help but wonder.

’Does Big White... shed much?’

’How many mace of feathers does it lose each day?’

’Should I find something to make its feathers grow more lushly in the future?’

’Hmm... yes... I should probably add that to the agenda. I’ll make a note of it.’