The afternoon went a bit better. Xitu sold 8 Fireball Talismans and 2 Body Protection Talismans, earning 24 Spirit Stones and 6 Spirit Stones respectively.
'Another 30 Spirit Stones in the bag. I'm becoming richer by the day!' he thought excitedly.
After the final sale, Xitu decided to head home early. He wanted to cultivate tonight, aiming for a breakthrough.
On the way back, he noticed a crowd gathering. In the past, he wouldn't have gone snooping around or eavesdropping on rumors. But now, with a path forward, he felt he had the leeway to enjoy life a bit more.
As he got closer, a loud male voice rang out:
"Come here, everyone! This is a newly-born Three-Striped Tiger—a High Rank Magic Beast species, capable of Core Formation Realm strength once fully grown! I was lucky to capture it today. For just 200 Spirit Stones, you can take it home! Raise it for a few months, and you'll have a powerful companion!"
It turned out to be a seller promoting his goods. He held a little tiger cub in his hands. The cub was snow-white, with black dots scattered across its body. It seemed to be a newborn as its eyes hadn't opened yet.
The striking feature was a black marking on its forehead: three claw-like lines stemming from a single point—one straight up, the other two angled outward like the toes of a bird's claw.
That was why it was called the Three-Striped Tiger. Xitu had heard of it before. The mark symbolized its innate ability to recover from fatal wounds and return to full strength within seconds. Each stripe represented one such chance.
A curious onlooker, perhaps a potential buyer, stepped closer and examined the cub. After a while, he asked doubtfully:
"Are you sure this is a Three-Striped Tiger? Its tail is completely white. Shouldn't it be mixed black and white?"
"I'm certain! I found it in a Three-Striped Tiger's den. I had to wait an entire day for the mother to go out hunting!" the vendor insisted.
The crowd began whispering among themselves:
"It's true. I didn't notice it before, but the tail does look off."
"And if it's genuine, why hasn't he sold it to one of the big powers? They'd pay a much higher price."
"Now that you mention it, 200 Spirit Stones is suspiciously cheap. I once saw a High Rank Magic Beast cub go for 500 Spirit Stones at an auction!"
Hearing all the murmuring, the vendor's face darkened. He knew no one would buy it now. Furious, he snapped:
"You're all just country bumpkins! This is clearly a Three-Striped Tiger cub. Only the blinds would fail to recognize it! If you're not buying, get out of the way!"
"Tsk, tsk. A scammer, after all. Can't explain the difference, so now he's shouting at people."
"Show's over, folks. Nothing more to see."
One by one, the crowd dispersed. Xitu lingered a little longer before heading off as well.
'A High Rank Magic Beast cub… I wonder if it's real. But why sell it so cheap? If it's an Excellent Grade, it could rival even a late-stage Core Formation cultivator at full growth,' he mused.
In this world, most things were classified by a ranking system. From lowest to highest: Low, Mid, High, Extreme... Within each rank, there were 3 grades: Normal, Excellent, and Supreme. Higher ranks should exist, but Xitu was not aware of them.
Many factors affected an item's rank, but the most widely accepted one was how it compared to equivalent cultivation levels. For instance, a pill effective only for Vein Opening cultivators would be a Low Rank. A Spirit Artifact usable at its full potential only by a Qi Foundation cultivator would be considered a Mid Rank, and so on.
Typically, Normal Grade items were suitable for the early stages of a realm, while Excellent Grade for the middle stages—occasionally the later stages, and Supreme Grade for the later stages, with the potential to surpass the rank itself.
There were always exceptions, however. Take pills, for example: if the medicinal effect was mild and general, like Qi restoration, even a Vein Opening cultivator could safely use a Mid Rank pill. And if this Mid Rank pill's effect was highly specialized, it could even help a Core Formation expert.
It was a bit different with Magic Beasts, though. There were usually no Low Rank Magic Beasts because even a juvenile had the strength of a Qi Foundation cultivator. Given how quickly they grew, you could never find one weak enough to match the Vein Opening Realm—unless it was a newborn from a Mid Rank species. But even then, capturing one was nearly impossible. During the first few weeks, their parents would protect them closely.
That was why Xitu never dared to go deep into the forest. He couldn't even fight the weakest Magic Beast there. Only his younger, naive self had thought he could stumble upon a lucky opportunity in such a dangerous place.
Lost in thought, he arrived home. After washing up, he had a light dinner as the meal from yesterday still left him a bit full.
After that, he sat down to cultivate. His goal: break through to the 9th stage of Vein Opening Realm tonight. He even decided to use a bottle of Qi Harmonization Pellets—a Low Rank, Excellent Grade pill in case of mishaps.
He rarely used pills to cultivate before. Why? Because he was just that poor. But who said his innate talent was trash? He needed to ensure a smooth breakthrough without risking internal injury or Qi deviation.
Resolute, he swallowed a Qi Harmonization Pellet and sat cross-legged. He inhaled slowly and steadily, clearing his mind of distractions. With nothing to disturb him, he entered meditation swiftly.
With every deep breath, he absorbed Spiritual Energy through his pores. The Five Elements Technique refined it into Qi, which he then circulated through his Twelve Primary Meridians, gently nudging open each acupoint.
Like that, Xitu cultivated deep into the night. When he finally unlocked his 81st acupoint, a small 'Shatter!' echoed in his mind like breaking glass. He opened his eyes, feeling completely refreshed.
"Finally! After consuming 3 Qi Harmonization Pellets, I've broken through! I'm now at the 9th stage of Vein Opening Realm. Qi Foundation Realm is no longer far away!"
After the breakthrough, his body was drenched in sweat as impurities were forced out of his meridians. He heated water over the earthen stove and rewarded himself with a long, hot bath. Clean and relaxed afterward, he finally went to sleep.