Chapter 8: 'Living long is the real skill.

"Actually, it's quite good."

Chen Qiu noticed Fat Long's thoughts and, looking down at Huang Shikai who was embedded in the ground in front of him, he whispered, "Everyone's Initial Entry is random, which, in a way, means that the path to ascension has opened up quite a bit."

"Even mortals now have the opportunity to cultivate."

"Otherwise, if the path was completely sealed off, the class system of this world would be far too harsh, and people like us, the common folk, would suffer tremendously."

He realized that the young master in front of him might not be very smart, for he couldn't understand why the young master would expose his own entry. If he had kept his mouth shut, they would have no idea what the man's entry was.

It might take a good while to figure out.

Perhaps before the hour in the small world ended, they still wouldn't have understood, and would actually let this young master leave alive.

But since the young master had blurted it out himself, they no longer needed to investigate.

While signaling the Wolf King to start digging, he walked over to the few corpses nearby and methodically removed their Storage Bags.

Digging a hole wasn't too much trouble at all.

Why did this guy think he was invincible?

...

Soon—

Chen Qiu had sorted out all his gains from the occasion.

Three Yellow Level lower-grade mental methods, and one Yellow Level Mid-grade mental method.

Three Yellow Level lower-grade Cultivation Techniques.

Seven Spiritual Treasures emitting faint glimmers.

As well as nine Storage Bags and a dozen pieces of Silver.

"Struck it rich, struck it rich, this time I've really struck it rich!"

Fat Long's whole body looked towards the pile of treasures in front with lips trembling from excessive excitement, his voice shaking with extreme agitation, "Five months... All the wealth I've accumulated in these five months isn't even close to one percent of what's here!"

"How did I suddenly strike it rich? Let me think this through."

"Let's start with the prices."

Chen Qiu glanced at the Wolf King, who was still vigorously digging beside him, and looked towards the pile of treasures. He carelessly placed the wood-cutting knife in his bosom, inwardly alert. Although he had no intention of killing Fat Long and swallowing all the gains for himself, he still had to guard against Fat Long.

He felt grateful to Fat Long and had a good impression of him, but when the stakes are too high, people can easily lose their reason.

"Huff!"

Fat Long took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart, "A normal Cultivation Technique can be recorded and, if the owner is willing, can be circulated among countless people. But, Brother Chen Qiu, do you know why the Cultivation Techniques in the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm provoke so many to risk their lives for them?"

"After all, they are just some Yellow Level lower-grade techniques. In the markets of the Cultivation World, such a technique would cost only 10 pieces of Silver, not too expensive."

"Although they are all common goods, 10 pieces of Silver indeed can buy a Yellow Level lower-grade technique."

"Cultivation of a technique requires time and comprehension."

"The depths of Cultivation of a technique reveal greater power, divided into Entry, Minor Achievement, Great Achievement, Advancing and Great Perfection five levels."

"Normally, to cultivate a Yellow Level lower-grade technique to the Great Achievement Realm and unleash almost all the power of the technique, at least an entire year of arduous Cultivation is required!"

"However, the techniques produced in the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm come with a Heavenly Dao Blessing. Each technique can be learned by only one Cultivator, embedded in a Jade Scroll, burned after reading. Once learned, you start at the Great Achievement Realm!"

"And the speed of cultivating to the Great Perfection Realm is also four to five times faster than those ordinary techniques!"

Fat Long paused for a moment, his eyes brimming with excitement as he stared intently at the few Jade Scrolls on the ground, "That's why the techniques produced in the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm are extremely rare and priced so high!"

"A Yellow Level lower-grade technique from the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm is priced at 3 Spirit Stones!"

"A Yellow Level lower-grade mental method, priced at 3 Spirit Stones!"

"A Yellow Level Mid-grade mental method, priced at 10 Spirit Stones!"

"All these Spiritual Treasures are Yellow Level lower-grade, each priced at 5 Spirit Stones!"

"Storage Bags aren't worth much. Excluding the Storage Bags, all these items together are priced at 63 Spirit Stones!!!"

Chen Qiu nodded slightly and whispered, "How much is one Spirit Stone worth in currency?"

"One Spirit Stone can be exchanged for 100 taels of silver, one tael of silver is equal to 1,000 wen, so one Spirit Stone can be exchanged for 100,000 wen."

"..."

Chen Qiu remained silent and didn't speak any further, as he knew little about the prices in this world. He only knew that he could rent a decent cottage within the courtyard for 300 wen and buy a meal of good pig's head meat and burning liquor for less than 100 wen.

He had to work hard chopping wood all day just to earn a dozen wen.

Even though he had learned how to kill yesterday, he had only gained a little over 2,000 wen.

But all the items in front of him added up to a total of 6,300,000 wen.

Considering that he earned 20 wen per day from chopping wood, he would need to chop wood non-stop for a full 315,000 days, which amounts to exactly 863 years, to amass that much money.

And now—

He had merely entered the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm, killed some people, and picked up some treasures.

He had bypassed 863 years of taking the wrong path.

After a long while, Chen Qiu suddenly spoke, "Chopping wood indeed isn't a very promising career."

"Cutting down people has a much better cost-effectiveness ratio."

"Hehe."

Meanwhile, Fat Long, who had been originally excited, suddenly gave a few dry laughs, "That... Brother Chen Qiu, you really shouldn't harbor such thoughts. You must know that those who kill will ultimately die by the sword. We can't just look at the gains before us; we also have to consider those who died because of these treasures."

"A total of 100 people, and only the two of us are left."

"Think about how terrifying the mortality rate is. This path might lead to quick riches but more likely to a quick death!"

Just then—

"Nonsense, I'm not dead yet!"

At the side, Huang Shikai, who was barely holding up and visibly scared, shouted loudly, "Brothers, I was wrong, please spare my life! I will surely repay you once we get out! We all are people of the Jianghu, show some mercy!"

Considering the digging speed of the Wolf King beside him, he'd be dead before the small world even closed.

"Not to worry, you'll be quick too."

Fat Long casually rolled his eyes at Huang Shikai, then shifted his gaze and seriously looked at Chen Qiu, continuing, "Brother Chen Qiu, the both of us indeed had our fortune today, and there are some things I still want to tell you; you definitely cannot let today's quick riches cloud your judgment."

"Honestly, there were more than a dozen people who entered this world with me."

"The strongest among them even managed to reach Foundation Establishment in just the third month."

"But five months passed, and I am the only one still alive."

"In the path of cultivation, speed of cultivation, no matter how fast, is not really power. Only living long enough, that's the true skill."

"..."

Chen Qiu kept silent and didn't speak but after a pause, he looked up into Fat Long's earnest eyes and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile, "You really are very afraid of dying."

"Of course, who isn't."

"Look."

Chen Qiu glanced at the corpses not far away and casually said, "They weren't afraid."

"So they died, and I'm alive!"

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore."

He didn't continue delving deeper into the topic but instead looked at the pile of treasures before them like a small mountain.

"Let's divide it, you tell me, how should we split this?"

...

ps: Thanks to the boss 'Niaraeth' for the 10,000 starting coins tip, as well as bosses 'Realized' and 'Sleepy Bear' for their coin tips and monthly ticket support, the new book has set sail, thank you for the support.