Qi Cultivation Starting from the Repair Panel

The journey from the desolate frontier to the Central Continent is exceedingly long, consuming a vast amount of spirit stones for the teleportation array.

Currently, most of the spirit stones Chu Zheng has accumulated come from exchanging the bones or pelts of mythical beasts he hunted in small marketplaces.

As the light of the transmission array flickered and dimmed, the consumption of spirit stones increased more and more.

After each episode of dizziness caused by the spatial distortion, more and more prosperous cities with increasingly dense spiritual energy appeared before them.

These places were no longer the remote frontier from where they originated, but essential waystations leading to the core area of the Central Continent.

However, the cost of the transmission array far exceeded Chu Zheng's initial estimates, with each activation devouring the spirit stones he had previously accumulated.

Additionally, besides the teleportation array, there were also the meal expenses for Xue Qing, which weren't trivial amounts.

After only traversing four or five teleportation arrays and covering a distance of millions of miles, their reserves of spirit stones had visibly dwindled, becoming alarmingly scarce.

Moreover, the legendary Central Continent realm was still unattainable.

Before a teleportation array, Chu Zheng grasped his storage bag, his brow lightly furrowed. Such a sense of predicament due to the lack of spirit stones was absurdly unfamiliar to him.

Since embarking on the path of cultivation, except for the initial period, resources, cultivation techniques, cave heavens blessed lands, were all easily obtainable for him, and he never had to worry about a few spirit stones.

"Looks like I need to find a way to earn some spirit stones."

Chu Zheng turned to look at Xue Qing, a trace of helplessness in his eyes. Times have changed, and he must quickly adapt.

The two stopped for a short rest in 'Liuyun City,' a large transit city, as Chu Zheng began to devise ways to raise spirit stones for their journey.

The simplest and most direct method was to draw Fu Lu, which was not complicated for him. He could create some basic Fu Lu with ease and exchange them for spirit stones.

However, due to the low grade of the Fu Lu and the current peaceful times with no significant conflicts, business was hard to conduct.

Moreover, there were plenty of similar stalls in the marketplace, leading to intense competition.

The visitors were mostly low-grade loose cultivators with tight budgets, who had many demands and loved to haggle.

Although Chu Zheng had deep insights into the Heaven and Earth Laws, with a solid foundation, and the Fu Lu he crafted far exceeded their level in power and stability, such differences weren't substantial enough for low-grade cultivators who only sought functionality to warrant paying extra.

Occasionally, Chu Zheng would take on work setting up arrays, which paid better, but required substantial effort to survey the terrain and connect ground veins nodes, a very meticulous process.

This experience of calculating every penny for a few spirit stones was unprecedented for him, yet he adapted quickly.

Xue Qing, after considering for a few days, chose a completely different path from Chu Zheng. Her way of raising spirit stones was straightforward but shockingly effective.

She set up an arena in a wide martial square on the east side of Liuyun City, causing quite a stir.

A massive green stone slab, about a zhang high, was slammed into the ground with a thud by Xue Qing, deeply embedding into the earth.

On the slab, a large line was written in beast blood or vermilion:

[Written Contract for Same Grade Martial Competition.]

[Entrance Fee: One Mid-grade Spirit Stone; The Winner Takes a Thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones.]

Xue Qing stood with her arms crossed beside the slab. Her stature was petite, with a youthful face, dressed in a rough cloth outfit washed to whiteness, appearing out of place compared to the cultivators around her wearing magic robes or carrying magic artifacts.

However, her clear eyes shone brilliantly, like two cold stars, surveying the crowd gathering around without a trace of fear, looking somewhat eager to try.

A thousand mid-grade spirit stones was a fortune to most cultivators in Liuyun City, equivalent to ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, making the temptation substantial.

"Such a big claim for someone so small. Can you even produce a thousand mid-grade spirit stones?"

A burly great man spoke up first, his entire body pulsing with blood and gang qi, his voice booming as he scrutinized the cloth-clad Xue Qing with thick skepticism in his eyes.

Facing the skepticism, Xue Qing didn't even lift her eyelids, her tone indifferent: "If you defeat me, you will naturally have it. If not, what does a thousand mid-grade spirit stones matter to you?"

"Let me give it a try!"

Before the great man could speak, a grim-faced young sword cultivator stepped out from the crowd, casually tossing a sparkling mid-grade spirit stone at the base of the green stone slab next to Xue Qing.

As soon as he spoke, the long sword in his hand was already drawn, bringing forth a chilly gleam straight at Xue Qing's throat, swift and fierce with no intention of holding back.

A cry of surprise erupted around as if already imagining the scene of this little girl bleeding on the spot.

In the next instant, Xue Qing's gaze brightened slightly, lifting her hand slowly with an action as simple as could be.

As the sword tip was about to reach her, she just slightly turned her body, and the swift-as-lightning sword grazed past her neck. At the same time, her right hand ghostly reached out, capturing the young sword cultivator's wrist holding the sword with precision.

Crack—

A sickening sound of bone cracking rang out clearly.

The young sword cultivator let out a muffled grunt, the long sword flying from his hand, his wristbones shattered.

Before he could react, Xue Qing sharply raised her knee and thrust her foot forward.

A terrifying, unstoppable colossal strength instantly slammed into his chest. His entire body was launched like he had been struck by a raging beast, his chest bones entirely crushed; he rolled more than ten zhang away, landed heavily, cradling his twisted and deformed wrist in agony, unable to rise for the moment.