Cultivation: I Can Solidify Equipment Attributes

Li Ze’an’s expression darkened, but he didn’t speak immediately, instead taking a moment to choose his words.

"This person is a Demon Cultivator."

His tone wasn’t angry, but rather a calm statement of fact.

"He’s been using my aura to move about and has caused quite a stir. Rumors have been spreading that a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Li family has been seen in certain places, meeting with people of unknown origin. The Li family’s reputation has been damaged, and several of our partnerships have run into problems because of it."

He looked at Li Yuan.

"If you should see this person, Fellow Daoist, I implore you to help kill him. His cultivation is at the Early-stage Foundation Establishment, but he has a way to disguise his aura, so you’ll need to be extra cautious."

Li Yuan didn’t rush to speak.

Li Ze’an continued, "If you succeed in killing him, the Li family will make it worth your while."

He took a wooden box from his storage bag, opened the lid, and placed it on the stone surface between them.

The box was lined with crimson velvet, upon which two medicinal pills lay side by side.

The pills were of exceptional quality. They were perfectly round and full, with a faint, fiery red sheen. Their medicinal fragrance was rich but not overpowering. The patterns on their surface were clear and uniform—one look was enough to tell they were superior pills crafted by a master’s hand.

"One Tier Two Middle Grade pill, Fire Attribute," Li Ze’an said. "As a token of our gratitude."

Li Yuan’s gaze fell on the two pills.

His Tag Sense automatically activated within a three-foot radius, and the fluctuations from both pills reached him at nearly the same time.

Blue.

Both were blue tags.

Li Yuan didn’t reach out to touch them right away, but glanced at Li Ze’an instead.

"What kind of pills are these?"

"Red Flame Condensing Essence Pills," Li Ze’an said. "They’re Tier Two Fire Attribute pills. Consuming one greatly increases the efficiency of your Fire Spiritual Power circulation, and it has an excellent supportive effect when practicing Fire Element Cultivation Techniques."

He pushed the wooden box a little closer to Li Yuan.

"The Li family paid a considerable price to acquire these two pills from a Pill Master. Among Tier Two Middle Grade pills, their quality is considered superior."

’Two Tier Two pills with blue tags.’

Li Yuan spoke.

"There’s no need to look for him. I’ve already killed that Demon Cultivator."

Li Ze’an’s movements froze for a moment.

"What?"

"Someone came here earlier, pretending to be a Loose Cultivator and wanting to trade Evil Qi with me. He reeked of Demonic Qi, and his aura was identical to yours."

"We fought," Li Yuan said. "And I killed him."

Li Ze’an’s eyes widened slightly. He then took a deep breath, an expression of clear joy spreading across his face.

"You’ve... already killed him, Fellow Daoist?"

"The body is still here. I’ve kept his storage bag and personal effects."

Li Ze’an stood and gave Li Yuan a deep bow.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist! This person has been a plague upon the Li family for a long time. If not for your intervention, who knows how long this problem would have persisted."

He straightened up, took one of the pills from the wooden box, and presented it to Li Yuan with both hands.

"This pill is a gift of thanks from the Li family. You must accept it, Fellow Daoist."

Li Yuan accepted the pill.

The pill was faintly warm in his hand. A steady, dense wave of Fire Spiritual Power pulsed from his palm. The blue tag’s fluctuations grew clearer, but he would need to equip the item to view the details of its effect.

Li Yuan glanced at the other pill remaining in the wooden box.

’The condition to make All Rivers Flow to the Sea permanent surfaced in his mind. Consume two Tier Two pills of opposing attributes at the same time.’

’Now that he had this Fire Attribute pill, he just needed to find one with the Water Attribute.’

’But this pill has a blue tag. The tag’s effect and its permanency condition are still unknown, but it would most likely be a great help to him.’

"Li Dao You," Li Yuan began, "could we make a trade for the other pill left in the box?"

Li Ze’an was taken aback for a moment. He looked at the pill in the box, then back at Li Yuan.

"Well..."

He pondered for a moment.

"I won’t take Spirit Stones for it," Li Ze’an said. "Fellow Daoist, you’ve done the Li family a great service. A transaction with Spirit Stones would feel too impersonal."

He thought for a moment, his tone turning more serious.

"However, the Li family has recently run into a situation where we need a helping hand."

"What is it?"

"Lingxi Valley," Li Ze’an said.

"The Li family plans to clear an area in Lingxi Valley of Demon Beasts and build a place to raise Spirit Beasts. That area has a lot of Demon Beasts, and the Li family doesn’t have enough people to do it alone, so we need to recruit extra help."

He looked at Li Yuan.

"If you are willing to lend a hand when the time comes, Fellow Daoist, this pill can be considered an advance payment. Of course, we’ll be recruiting others as well. You won’t be going alone."

’Lingxi Valley.’

Li Yuan recognized the name. Lingxi Valley was located next to the Ghost Mist Forest, not far from his encampment. The other side of the Ghost Mist Forest was the Withered River Shoal. The three locations were adjacent to one another, with the Ghost Mist Forest in the middle.

’Clearing out Demon Beasts with a group... It’s not too risky.’

"Alright."

Li Ze’an’s expression relaxed. He took the remaining pill from the wooden box and handed it to Li Yuan.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist. I’ll notify you of the specific time and arrangements in advance."

Li Yuan took the second pill and put it away safely.

Li Ze’an asked a few more questions about the Demon Cultivator, and Li Yuan briefly explained about the aura-simulating Array Bead and the vial of blood. Li Ze’an’s expression turned grim as he listened. He nodded, saying he would go back and have the Li family investigate the source of the blood leak.

The two exchanged a few more words before Li Ze’an rose to take his leave, departing along a small path through the Ghost Mist Forest.

Li Yuan returned to the center of the clearing and sat down.

He took the two Red Flame Condensing Essence Pills from his storage bag and placed them in his palm.

The two pills lay side by side in his hand, their fiery red glow seeming to swirl under his Spiritual Power perception. The blue tags’ fluctuations emanated from both pills at once, their frequency and intensity almost completely identical.

Li Yuan placed a finger on the pill in his left hand.

[Equippable Item Detected: Red Flame Condensing Essence Pill (Intact)]

[Equipment Tag Preview: Flame Essence Refinement (Blue)—Doubles proficiency growth rate when practicing Fire Element Cultivation Techniques. Increases the power of Fire Element Magic by thirty percent.]

[Permanency Condition Preview: Master one Fire Element Cultivation Technique, and reach Mid-stage Foundation Establishment (0/2).]

[Current equipment slots are full (5/5). Replace a currently equipped item?]

’A blue tag. Flame Essence Refinement.’

Both effects were extremely practical. His Red Fire Skill was only at the introductory level; with the acceleration from this tag, the time it would take to master it could be cut by more than half. The thirty-percent increase to the power of his Fire Element Magic was a direct boost to his combat strength. The Fireball Technique and the Fire Python Skill were both Fire Element Magic, and when stacked with the bonus from his Flame Marrow Physique, the total power of his fire attacks would reach a very respectable level.

There were two conditions for permanency: mastering a Fire Element Cultivation Technique and reaching Mid-stage Foundation Establishment. If he mastered the Red Fire Skill, he would satisfy the first condition. Reaching Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, however, would take more time.

Li Yuan put down the first pill and picked up the second.

The information that appeared on the panel was identical.

The tags on both pills were the same: Flame Essence Refinement.

Li Yuan put the two pills away.

The permanency condition for All Rivers Flow to the Sea was to consume two Tier Two pills of opposing attributes. He already had the Fire Attribute pills; now he just lacked a Tier Two Water Attribute pill. Once he acquired a Water Attribute pill, he could consume one of each simultaneously and fulfill the condition.

Li Yuan made a mental note of this and stood up.

The sky had not yet completely darkened. While there was still some time, he decided to patrol the area around his encampment.

He would also test the combat effectiveness of his Demonic Qi.

His previous use of Demonic Qi to corrode stones at the encampment was just a simple test; he had yet to try it in an actual fight.

Li Yuan walked north along the perimeter of his encampment, passing through a grove of withered trees.

His passive, Enlightened Spiritual Sense covered a fifty-zhang radius, and his Divine Sense extended even further, to over a hundred zhang. The Demon Beasts deep within the Ghost Mist Forest began to stir at dusk, and in the distance, he could sense the auras of several wandering Tier One Demon Beasts.

Li Yuan locked onto the nearest one.

It was a Tier One Middle Grade Gray-maned Wolf, squatting under a withered tree and gnawing on something.

Li Yuan stopped thirty zhang away.

He raised his right hand, not gathering Spiritual Power, but instead drawing a wisp of Demonic Qi from deep within his body.

The Demonic Qi seeped from the spaces between his muscle fibers, gathered in his palm, and condensed into a dark current of air.

Li Yuan pushed the mass of Demonic Qi toward the Gray-maned Wolf.

He didn’t use the framework of any Magic, but simply released the Demonic Qi.

The Demonic Qi dispersed quickly in the air, lacking the speed and cohesion of Magic cast with Spiritual Power. After drifting more than ten zhang, it had already scattered into a thin mist that landed on the Gray-maned Wolf’s back.

The Gray-maned Wolf’s fur bristled. It turned its head toward Li Yuan and let out a low roar.

But a change was occurring on its back.

Where the Demonic Qi touched its fur and skin, the fur swiftly withered and discolored. Dark brown splotches appeared on the surface of its skin, as if it had been burned by some kind of acid.

The Gray-maned Wolf let out a pained howl and rolled on the ground, trying to rub off the strange sensation on its back.

But the corrosion had already seeped beneath its skin.

Li Yuan observed the Gray-maned Wolf’s reaction.

’The corrosive effect of Demonic Qi can indeed harm living creatures directly, without needing to be condensed into a Magic form for impact like Spiritual Power. As long as the Demonic Qi makes contact with a target, the corrosion happens automatically.’

’But the concentration of the dispersed Demonic Qi is too low, so the damage is limited.’

’There must be Magic that Demon Cultivators use; I just don’t know any yet.’

Li Yuan stood and ended the Gray-maned Wolf’s suffering with a single Fireball Technique.