Chapter 76

Wei Lian left.

It was impossible for Wang Chen not to feel a hint of loss in his heart.

Humans are not emotionless like grass and trees; half a month of cohabitation had led him to develop a considerable fondness for this simple and kind-hearted girl who was more eloquent than flowers.

Although this fondness was not of a romantic nature.

With Wei Lian’s company, Wang Chen’s life undoubtedly gained a splash of color.

Moreover, Wei Lian took care of most of the household chores, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and could add a touch of grace to the evening.

Her sudden departure truly made Wang Chen feel a bit unaccustomed.

However, this faint melancholy was quickly expelled from the sea of Wang Chen’s heart.

He exhaled and brought up his cultivation panel, adding one point to his attributes.

[Comprehension: 5]

After wiping out the Taize Three Friends, Wang Chen had earned 12 points of Heavenly Merit.

This increased his Heavenly Merit total to 14 points.

He could add a point to each of the three major attributes again, except for Root Bone!

His first choice was naturally Comprehension.

However, Wang Chen did not immediately add the Heavenly Merit he had gained to Comprehension.

Because he wanted to see if there were any more thieves coming to deliver their heads.

What if he could accumulate 100 points of Heavenly Merit and add them to Root Bone? Wouldn’t that be even better?

In Wang Chen’s mind, the ranking of the four major attributes was Root Bone, Comprehension, Divine Soul, and Physique, respectively.

Root Bone was the most important!

This also fully complied with common cultivation knowledge.

Obviously, Wang Chen was overthinking it, as he didn’t manage to earn another point of Heavenly Merit until Wei Xiong appeared.

So now, he could only spend it on Comprehension.

Actually, Comprehension was extremely good, too, as it could improve the level cap of spells cultivated by one’s own strength.

It greatly reduced the consumption of Human Virtue.

What Wang Chen never expected was that the moment he added that one point to Comprehension, his mind went completely blank.

In an instant, his Divine Soul seemed to be thoroughly cleansed.

A level of clarity and transparence he never experienced before!

Soon after, Wang Chen’s consciousness returned to his body and countless insights surged up in his Sea of Consciousness.

He quickly reviewed the cultivation techniques and spells he had practiced.

Five Elements Skill, Heavenly Dragon Vajra Method, Geng Metal Finger, Spirit Light Shield Armor, Fire Crow Technique…

Wang Chen found many problems!

At this moment, he had a clear understanding in his heart.

Although the cultivation panel could help Wang Chen rapidly improve his realm and spell levels, it could not accumulate the profound experience in cultivation, naturally leading to numerous issues.

If Wang Chen were to use his Geng Metal Finger at the Great Achievement level to compete against another cultivator of the same realm and skill level.

Just comparing this spell, he would almost have no chance of victory.

What he lacked was experience.

To resolve these issues, besides repeatedly refining his skills, Comprehension was the most crucial!

If Comprehension were powerful enough, one could even modify cultivation techniques to perfectly match oneself.

And now, Wang Chen could understand this.

This was entirely thanks to the one point of Comprehension he just added!

This is called “enlightenment.”

5 points of Comprehension meant that Wang Chen’s innate attribute had reached an important threshold.

He felt that he had indeed added this point of Comprehension too late!

So in the following days,

Wang Chen, apart from running to Cloud Sun City to purchase a batch of cultivation materials,

And materials to repair the doors and windows of the house,

did not go out anymore.

He secluded himself in the underground chamber, starting from the beginning to sort through the cultivation techniques he had practiced.

He also allocated a portion of time to brush up on his skill proficiency in creating talismans while refining the two magic artifacts he had just acquired.

Time flew by, and before he knew it, December had arrived.

Recently, several heavy snowfalls had occurred.

Outside and inside the gates of the Cloud Sun Sect, everything was covered in a blanket of white, making the scenery much more desolate.

The Spiritual Rice planted in autumn had already been harvested, and the best season for hunting and gathering was over, with most lower-tier cultivators hibernating at home in a cat-like state during winter.

With the change of season, the liveliness of Cloud Mountain City plummeted, leading to the female cultivators of the Numerous Fragrances Pavilion, who worked part-time there under the Hehuan Sect, to all board the Four Seas Commerce Association’s flying warships to the warmer south in search of Spirit Stones.

But by mid-December, Cloud Mountain City suddenly became bustling with extraordinary liveliness.

To be precise, the excitement was outside Cloud Mountain City.

Because the annual Heaven Cloud Immortal Gathering had commenced!

Every year, from mid to late December, the numerous Immortal Cities built around the vast Heaven Cloud Mountain Range would open their markets to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.

The millions of Loose Cultivators from the Outer Domain, as long as they held a Path Token, could set up booths in the Immortal Gathering to buy or sell various items.

Cultivators from various sects would also swarm in, ready to spend large sums to purchase New Year’s goods!

How could such an Immortal Gathering not be lively?

Even Wang Chen, who had been in hibernation for half the winter, left his lair

to join in the bustling atmosphere.

This was actually quite normal, even Golden Core True Persons weren’t truly detached from worldly affairs, and in many ways, most cultivators were not much different from ordinary mortals.

Especially for those lower-tier cultivators who had worked hard all year, they were looking forward to celebrating a joyous and auspicious New Year.

To soothe their weary souls.

All beings suffer, and cultivators are no exception!

When Wang Chen arrived at the outskirts of Cloud Mountain City by Dragon Scale Horse carriage, he saw tents pitched on every available patch of land, even encroaching on a large number of Spirit Fields.

But the Spirit Fields were all empty now, and the land was frozen solid, so it didn’t matter how they were used.

Countless sect cultivators and Loose Cultivators mingled among them, some shouting loudly, some haggling, and some disputing noisily; the bustling vitality made this winter’s day feel less cold.

Despite the hustle and bustle, the order within the Immortal Gathering was orderly.

That was because among the thronging crowds, squads of cultivators from the Guard Hall patrolled back and forth.

Anyone who dared to cause trouble here would consider it a light punishment to be sent to labor in the mines!

Wang Chen strolled through the marketplace with keen interest.

His supplies were quite abundant; he had nothing particular he wanted to sell, nor much he wanted to buy.

He was purely tired of the mold that threatened to grow from staying in the underground chamber and needed the vitality here to refresh himself.

And the diverse array of stalls with their myriad peculiar items within the Immortal Gathering was indeed a sight for Wang Chen to behold.

On ordinary days, Loose Cultivators wanting to sell items

would, apart from trading among themselves, only be able to sell to shops within Cloud Mountain City.

To enter the city, they would first be skinned alive by the entry fee, then heavily underpaid by the shop owners.

And they had no choice but to accept it.

The Immortal Gathering was different, though.

Here, anyone could set up a stall for free, without any entry fees, rent, or taxes.

The Cloud Sun Sect even provided security services free of charge.

Many Loose Cultivators took the opportunity to take out the items they had gathered throughout the year, hoping to sell them off for a prosperous New Year.

However, with so many setting up stalls, the competition was fierce.

Giving buyers the chance to find great deals.

In the memories of Wang Chen’s original self, there seemed to be many stories about such Immortal Gatherings.

Some were true and some were fantastical, involving incredible finds like obtaining Magical Treasures!

Wang Chen felt such stories were as ridiculous as the antiques in Panjiayuan, even less trustworthy than annual reports from A-share listed companies.

He ignored the enthusiastic sales pitches of numerous Loose Cultivators.

Purchasing only a pair of couplets and some New Year window paper cutouts and other decorations.

But one stall stopped Wang Chen in his tracks!

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