The moment the words "Earth Treasure" were spoken, the very air in the office seemed to grow heavier.
Spiritual Objects are divided into different grades.
The highest grade are Celestial Spirits—miraculous creations of heaven and earth. These items are often born alongside great destiny, are incredibly rare, and are largely monopolized by the Royal Family and top-tier Immortal Gates.
Next are Earth Treasures, nourished by Earth Veins and formed over countless years.
Only then come the common Spiritual Objects one might occasionally find in the Marketplace.
The first two types of Spiritual Objects are exceptionally scarce. Even within the Prefecture City’s Treasure Pavilion, they are often listed for a price but are never in stock, unobtainable to anyone without great merit.
At a signal from Zhang Cheng, Chu Bai slowly peeled off the seal and opened the stone box.
In that instant, a heavy, substantial fluctuation of Qi, tinged with a sharp metallic ring, swept through the room.
Within the box lay a piece of dark gold metal, its surface covered in patterns resembling mountain ranges. It was deceptively heavy, and faintly exuded a power that seemed to suppress all the Spiritual Qi in the area.
"This item is called Mountain-Suppressing Platinum, an exceptionally rare Earth Treasure-grade Spiritual Object."
Zhang Cheng explained from the side, his tone tinged with awe. "It contains incredibly pure Earth Qi and carries with it a subtle suppressive quality."
"It is an excellent choice for either nourishing an earth-element Dharma Artifact or for refining one’s own Five Elements Spiritual Power by drawing on its inherent qualities. The Merit Department has truly been generous this time."
Chu Bai stared at the Mountain-Suppressing Platinum, feeling the profound and immense power contained within. ’This is incredible.’
He was currently at Qingfeng Courtyard, arduously cultivating the Microscopic-level Guiyuan Technique. In his Five Elements cycle, although Spirit Soil supplemented his Earth Qi, if he could use this Earth Treasure to anchor the core, the density of his Magical Power would surely rise to a whole new level.
This reward was more than just recognition for his achievements over the past year; it was a hefty investment in his future attempt to ascend the Heaven-Scaling Ladder and obtain a Cyan Talisman three years hence.
Chu Bai closed the stone box and gave Zhang Cheng a solemn bow, his voice clear and firm.
"I gratefully accept this reward!"
After Chu Bai accepted the reward, Zhang Cheng didn’t let him leave right away. Instead, his expression turned serious as he gave his instructions. "The New Year is approaching, and the people of Anping County have a custom of setting off firecrackers to cleanse impurities and ward off Demons."
"While those sulfur and saltpeter contraptions are little more than a comfort and won’t startle a true Demon, the widespread fires and chaotic Spiritual Mechanism create the perfect opportunity for lurking evils to exploit."
Zhang Cheng rose and walked to the window, gazing at the red lanterns hanging outside. His voice grew low. "In past years, some Demons have always tried to take advantage of this lax period to devour Essence Blood and survive the cold winter."
"I’ve spent the better part of a year implementing reforms, and many eyes are on us. So, for these last few days, patrols absolutely cannot be relaxed. Understand?"
"I understand. I will personally lead the patrols and ensure the people have a safe and peaceful New Year."
Chu Bai bowed slightly. ’I must be vigilant.’
After leaving the office, Chu Bai headed straight for a restricted area of the Evil Suppression Department—the Secret Technique Vault.
Clutching the Token given to him by Zhang Cheng, he stepped into the building, which was filled with the scent of sandalwood and the faint hum of an active Array.
In the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty, though Secret Techniques, Cultivation Techniques, and Magic Techniques might sound similar, they were in fact worlds apart.
Common Magic Techniques like Fireball and Spirit Water Needle were simply applications of Magical Power. Secret Techniques, however, were "secret" because they could often touch upon the very essence of a Cultivator.
The Guardian Scripture Chu Bai had obtained upon graduating from the Daoist School, for example, directly targeted one’s Divine Thought—something no ordinary Magic Technique could hope to achieve.
Now, three Jade Scrolls lay before him, each corresponding to one of the three Secret Techniques housed by the Anping Evil Suppression Department.
The first was titled *Lingxi Exorcism*, which focused on sensing fortune and avoiding calamity. The second was *Hidden Shadow*, for concealing one’s aura.
The last was the *Iron Bone Casting Body Technique*, which focused on tempering the physical body, honing every inch of flesh, muscle, and bone.
Chu Bai stood before the three Jade Scrolls, fingertips gently tracing their surfaces as he sank into deep thought.
’*Lingxi Exorcism* is good, certainly, but my General Star Enters Life Fate Chart already gives me a degree of intuition when it comes to danger.’
’*Hidden Shadow* is even more tempting. As a Demon-slaying Captain, being able to conceal my presence would make my missions far more efficient.’
In the end, however, Chu Bai’s gaze settled on the *Iron Bone Casting Body Technique*.
’Most Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators pursue the power of their Magic Techniques and the size of their Spiritual Power reserves. Very few are willing to put in the grueling effort to specifically focus on Body Refinement.’
’After all, time, energy, and resources are all limited, and there aren’t many such techniques to begin with.’
Chu Bai was well aware of his own shortcomings.
Although his body had been nourished by Spiritual Qi as his Realm increased, making him far stronger than a mortal martial artist, a Magic Cultivator’s physical form was still a relative weakness in a battle against a peer.
If a Demon got too close, or if he were caught in an ambush, he would be easily injured.
’The *Iron Bone Casting Body Technique* may involve a painful and slow process, but it can fundamentally increase my body’s capacity.’
’My Guiyuan Technique is already at the Microscopic level, and my Spiritual Power surges with incredible speed. If my body isn’t tough enough, it will become a bottleneck, limiting the technique’s true potential.’
After weighing his options, Chu Bai decisively picked up the Jade Scroll containing the *Iron Bone Casting Body Technique*.
A Secret Technique dedicated to tempering the physical body was a rare find. ’It must be fate that I’ve encountered it.’
’However...’ Chu Bai thought, putting away the Jade Scroll and glancing back at the one for *Hidden Shadow*, which shimmered with a faint light. ’Next time I earn enough merit, I’ll definitely come back for that concealment technique.’
With the Earth Treasure, Mountain-Suppressing Platinum, in his possession and a Body Secret Technique in hand, Chu Bai’s steps were steadier than ever as he walked out of the vault.
After leaving the County Captain’s Office, Chu Bai returned to the Demon-slaying Team’s duty room and summoned Feng Qin and Hu Hao.
"The New Year is almost here. The people are praying for blessings and warding off evil, and the city is bustling."
Chu Bai pointed to a map of Anping County on his desk, his gaze cold. "Feng Qin, take an elite squad and focus your patrols on the firecracker shops and taverns on North Street and in the West Market. The vital energies there are in chaos, making them prime targets for opportunistic Demons."
"Hu Hao, take the second squad into the market in plain clothes. Keep an eye on the stalls selling incense and candles for offerings. If you notice any unnatural gusts of cold wind or if the Spiritual Mechanism feels off, don’t tip our hand. Send a signal immediately."
Sensing the growing authority in Chu Bai’s presence, Feng Qin and Hu Hao both cupped their fists in a solemn salute. "Yes, sir!"
To his two subordinates, their captain had just received an "Excellent" rating from the Merit Department and was clearly on the rise. Following such a promising leader, they were naturally determined to give one hundred and twenty percent.
Once all the duties had been assigned in an orderly fashion, Chu Bai finally returned to Qingfeng Courtyard as dusk settled.
As he pushed open the main gate to Qingfeng Courtyard, the din of the bustling city was instantly silenced, blocked out by the Five Elements Gathering Spirit Array within.
The Grand Array had been running for over a month now, and the air within the courtyard had taken on a faint, milky-white mist—a clear sign that the Spiritual Mechanism had reached an incredible density.
Chu Bai stepped into his Cultivation Room. He didn’t immediately begin to meditate, but instead carefully retrieved the stone box containing the Mountain-Suppressing Platinum.
In the dim light, the dark gold Earth Treasure emanated an oppressive aura as heavy as a mountain.
Chu Bai took a deep breath and, guiding it with his Divine Thought, slowly placed the Mountain-Suppressing Platinum onto the "Earth" position at the heart of the Cultivation Room’s array.
Previously, this spot had been occupied by the Half-Pond Mud he had purchased from the Treasure Pavilion. While it provided enough Spiritual Qi, it was impure and unstable.
But the moment the Mountain-Suppressing Platinum was set in place, a sudden change swept through the room!
A low RUMBLE echoed through the Cultivation Room, as if an invisible mountain had just settled into place within the void.
The once-unsteady flow of the Five Elements Array now seemed to have found its backbone. The light, dancing streams of five-colored light instantly grew stable and condensed.
The Earth Element Earth Qi produced by the Earth Treasure manifested as an incredibly pure, dusky yellow, as heavy as lead, yet it spread with a silent, nourishing influence.
Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water...
With the Earth core fortified by the Earth Treasure, the circulation speed of the entire Five Elements Gathering Spirit Array surged by more than thirty percent!
More importantly, the suppressive quality of the Earth Treasure purged the last trace of volatility from the Spiritual Qi it produced, making it exceptionally docile.
Chu Bai immediately sat cross-legged, and the Microscopic-level Guiyuan Technique roared to life within him.
The sensation was completely different from before.
If before it had been like swimming upstream in a creek, now he felt as though he were at the center of a vortex in a vast ocean. Five Element Spiritual Energy from all directions surged madly into his body through every pore.
Guided by his Microscopic Divine Thought, this dense Earth Qi and Spiritual Mechanism was precisely dismantled, reassembled, and finally transformed into streams of pure Spiritual Power, which flowed into the great river of his Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer meridians.
’What an incredible Earth Treasure, and what a magnificent Spirit Gathering Array!’
Chu Bai felt his Spiritual Power increasing at a rate that was nearly visible to the naked eye, and a profound sense of certainty settled over him.
’At this rate, my cultivation speed will skyrocket...’
’Foundation Establishment is now within reach!’

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