Just two days.
The news of Shen Xuan's breakthrough spread among the neighborhood.
A sixty-one-year-old old cultivator used an Explosive Spirit Pill to break through to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation!
Such luck made the fellow bottom-tier loose cultivators in the neighborhood envious.
"Fellow Daoist Shen's breakthrough is all thanks to my Profound Water Turtles!"
"Nonsense, Fellow Daoist Shen hasn't bought your Profound Water Turtles for half a year!"
"What do you know! My Profound Water Turtles laid the foundation; Fellow Daoist Shen ate more than twenty of them over the past six months!"
The vendor's words made everyone realize that it seemed to be true.
When Shen Xuan went out, a big crowd had already gathered around him.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, are those Profound Water Turtles really effective?"
Shen Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
However, he kept a straight face and said seriously, "Of course they're useful! Three Spirit Stones for one, you tell me if they're useful or not!"
The crowd burst into laughter!
But indeed, the vendor's Profound Water Turtles quickly became popular.
"Shen Xuan really broke through to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation!"
Ding, the shopkeeper, who was sipping Spirit Tea, spat it out with a "puff" sound.
"An old cultivator over sixty, breaking through to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation with just one Explosive Spirit Pill?"
Shopkeeper Ding was filled with doubt.
Before long, rumors started to spread.
It's said that after Shen Xuan got married, he became adept at maintaining himself, purchasing a juvenile Profound Water Turtle every ten or so days for nourishment.
He also happened to be a Water Cultivator, highly compatible with Profound Water Turtles.
Whether others believed it or not, in the market, the price of Profound Water Turtles visibly skyrocketed.
Juvenile Profound Water Turtles, once priced at just two or three Spirit Stones, rose to three or four.
Adult Profound Water Turtles leapt from twenty Spirit Stones to thirty.
Even so, they were snatched up completely.
Shen Xuan foresaw these rumors.
Reaching the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation would significantly elevate his status.
Though still at the bottom tier, possessing a unique skill would soon attract the patronage of cultivation clans.
Shen Xuan hadn't yet visited the Ding Family shop when Shopkeeper Ding arrived with gifts.
At this moment, looking at Shen Xuan, Shopkeeper Ding couldn't hide his surprise.
"Shen Xuan, did you really break through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer?"
"Thanks to Shopkeeper Ding's Explosive Spirit Pill, I managed a lucky breakthrough," Shen Xuan replied humbly.
Outside, many neighbors were watching.
Having lived here a long time, some even longer than Shen Xuan himself.
For over forty years, Shen Xuan has lived a reclusive life, following a strict routine.
They knew Shen Xuan as an inferior talisman master and an ascetic.
His spirit root was poor, most likely an Inferior Spirit Root.
No one expected that after forty years, at sixty, he would truly break through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer!
"Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation!"
Looking at the familiar handsome face before him.
Shopkeeper Ding vaguely remembered over forty years ago.
The fresh-faced Shen Xuan bought talisman materials from his shop.
Back then, Shen Xuan's talisman success rate was frighteningly low.
Despite that, he persevered relentlessly.
At the time, Shopkeeper Ding had mused to himself.
The Heavenly Dao is ruthless.
Such a diligent and hardy person, limited by his spirit root talent, would in his lifetime be restricted to the Qi Cultivation Third Layer.
Indeed, Shen Xuan was stuck at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer for a full thirty years.
How many thirty years does one have in life!
Unexpectedly, with just one Explosive Spirit Pill, he broke through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.
"The world is full of surprises!" Shopkeeper Ding commented thoughtfully.
He knew very well that the key to Shen Xuan's breakthrough to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer was that Explosive Spirit Pill.
Priced at fifty Spirit Stones.
If Shen Xuan hadn't recently advanced his talisman making skill, enabling him to produce high-quality talismans, he couldn't afford it!
Shopkeeper Ding's thoughts.
Shen Xuan could roughly guess.
Purchasing the otherwise useless Explosive Spirit Pill was just a setup for him breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.
Finally, his efforts culminated in success.
Soon, news of Talisman Master Turtle Shen Xuan breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer spread widely through Cyan Dragon Bay Market.
Many loose cultivators, upon hearing the news, were filled with emotion, some even admiration.
It was incredibly inspirational!
"Over sixty, at his age, he still managed a breakthrough!"
"We can no longer refer to him as Talisman Master Turtle. With his ascetic nature, advancing to a Middle Grade Talisman Master is just a matter of time."
"True. If he becomes a Middle Grade Talisman Master, buying spirit talismans from him would surely be cheaper."
"The Ding Family got lucky! Married a mortal woman, and gained a Middle Grade Talisman Master as a son-in-law for free!"
After Shen Xuan's breakthrough, the meaning attached to Talisman Master Turtle gradually turned into a positive affirmation.
The legend that the Profound Water Turtle could supplement a Water Cultivator spread more widely.
Shen Xuan observed from home for a few days.
Seeing that the market cultivators acknowledged his hard work and didn't raise other suspicions, he finally relaxed.
After all, he'd always been known for going decades with a consistent routine, avoiding vices.
After his advancement.
Shen Xuan began considering the next steps in his cultivation journey.
He had improved his spirit root talent by seizing the talents of demon beasts.
Next, he had to continue acquiring demon beast talents.
Only, he needed to be especially cautious in choosing which demon beasts to target.
While seizing the Silver Jade Fish, he discovered that the Silver Jade Fish also had Water Control Talent.
He followed the plan to seize Invisibility Talent.
With Water Spirit Root enhanced to 10 points, it was now an Inferior Spirit Root.
Theoretically, allowing cultivation up to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer.
If enhanced to 20 points, it would become Middle Grade Spirit Root.
Possibilities opened up for Late Stage of Qi Cultivation.
He might even attempt to reach Foundation Establishment.
While contemplating, someone knocked on the door.
Every cultivator's residence in the market had a small defense array.
The annual rent of twelve Spirit Stones provided a training ground and a degree of safety.
Even Late Stage Qi Cultivators couldn't break into Shen Xuan's residence easily.
Plus, should anything happen, the Ding Family's Law Enforcement Team would quickly respond.
He opened the door to find Zhao Chunsheng and Jiang Xueqi, a couple, standing there.
"Fellow Daoist Zhao, Fellow Daoist Jiang, do you have business with me?"
These were important guests!
"Let's talk inside!"
"Oh, please come in quickly!"
Shen Xuan hurriedly called Ding Yuyao to brew some spirit tea.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, congratulations on breaking through to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation. A small gift, a token of respect."
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhao, Fellow Daoist Jiang."
Shen Xuan accepted respectfully.
It was merely some inexpensive spirit fruits and vegetables.
As Qi Cultivation Late Stage Demon Hunters, taking the initiative to visit to congratulate was quite considerate of Shen Xuan.
"I heard, Fellow Daoist Shen, that you can craft high-quality Breath Concealment Talismans and Invisibility Talismans?"
Zhao Chunsheng took a small sip of the spirit tea brewed by Ding Yuyao and got straight to the point.
"Yes. However, my talisman success rate is not very high."
Zhao Chunsheng nodded, saying, "Fellow Daoist Shen, building up bit by bit, there's no need to rush. In a few days, my wife and I will go hunting in Shadow Forest. Sell me some high-quality Breath Concealment and Invisibility Talismans."
"Alright! How many does Fellow Daoist Zhao need?"
"For such fast-consumption items, as long as the price is reasonable, two to three hundred would work."
Shen Xuan smiled bitterly.
He took out all the high-quality talismans in his storage pouch, over a hundred in total.
"For now, this is all I have."
Zhao Chunsheng scanned with his Divine Sense and found a hundred high-quality talismans, fifty each of Breath Concealment Talismans and Invisibility Talismans.
He was slightly surprised.
Being able to produce so many high-quality talismans at once confirmed the rumors.
This Shen Xuan indeed had some talent in talisman making.