There is a hurdle between the third and fourth layers of Qi Refining—a small barrier between the early and middle stages of the Qi Refining phase.

Whether she could maintain her current cultivation speed after stepping into the fourth layer of Qi Refining, Bai Sui still didn’t know, but she vaguely felt it would become harder.

After all, stages differed, and the “thickness” and marginal sense exhibited by each layer also varied.

To borrow a fashionable phrase from economic discourse, it was “diminishing marginal effect.”

With the same amount of effort, the subsequent payoff after reaching a certain stage would grow smaller and smaller. It wasn’t a lack of effort, but the difficulty of overcoming each step was increasing.

But no matter. Meals must be eaten one bite at a time, and the road must be walked one step at a time.

Making daily progress was already a very pleasant thing.

Why be overly picky and discontent?

* * *

At the beginning of the eleventh month, winter’s chill set in, and the temperature grew ever colder.

On the mountain path from the forest leading to Spirit Water Village, Bai Sui strode along singing songs, stepping and bobbing as she waved the machete in her hand.

The little basket on her back was heavy, containing quite a few “beast treasures” from first-order demonic beasts.

So-called beast treasures were the more valuable parts of demonic beasts, usually usable as medicine.

Bai Sui had read the introduction in the Chronicles of the Xuanming Continent. Depending on their rarity, the beast treasures of first-order demonic beasts could sell for anywhere between two to twenty spirit stones.

That was no small wealth!

There was a saying: the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish! Danger often accompanied opportunity. As long as one was willing to risk their life, opportunities to earn money were everywhere!

However, because an adult first-order demonic beast was usually equivalent to a human cultivator at the third layer of Qi Refining, realistically speaking, generally only cultivators at the fourth layer of Qi Refining or above dared to hunt them with peace of mind.

This objectively created a wealth gap among human cultivators.

The result was that cultivators above the fourth layer of Qi Refining were often not short of money, while those below the fourth layer, limited by insufficient cultivation, usually led tough and miserable lives.

Cultivators at the third layer could still manage—at worst, they could call on friends, form groups to create wealth, or if all else failed, guard residences for high-level cultivators or serve as a manager in a mortal village. But those below the third layer were stuck—neither able to reach the high nor willing to accept the low, only capable of doing low-end tasks. After deducting the cost of daily cultivation supplies, they could barely scrape by.

At this moment, Bai Sui’s basket held four pieces of beast treasures from first-order demonic beasts. The rest was demonic beast meat she couldn’t bear to throw away.

She planned to bring this demonic beast meat back and entrust the Tian family to sell it for her.

Truth be told, though the Tian father and son were merely ordinary hunters, they occasionally accompanied cultivators into the mountains to provide guiding services. When splitting the gains, they naturally never got the beast treasures, but they often obtained the meat of some low-level demonic beasts.

Because they frequently cooperated with cultivators, the Tian family had some connections in Jade Pool Market. The “rare goods” they had sold on the last trip to the market were also accumulated in this way—to put it plainly, it was demonic beast meat.

Bai Sui had already thought of an excuse: she would say that when she went into the mountains, she encountered a hunting squad, later joined them in several hunts, and was given a share of the demonic beast meat.

Perfect!

When she returned to Spirit Water Village, it was already afternoon.

At the village entrance, Bai Sui ran into Manager Liu.

When she arrived, Manager Liu was speaking with several merchants hauling handcarts. Both sides were using rather intense language, haggling with necks stiffened over differences of fractions and cents. But when the deal was finally struck, they smiled at each other, and the atmosphere returned to a harmonious state.

Bai Sui was grateful to Manager Liu. She felt that though his cultivation wasn’t very high, as a cultivator he could still show kindness to ordinary people, not looking down on them from a superior position, not treating them with prejudice—showing that he was honest and sincere, a man of good nature.

Honestly, it was precisely because of the presence of Manager Liu, a cultivator at the third layer of Qi Refining, that Spirit Water Village was objectively spared from many sordid affairs. If someone else were playing his role, Bai Sui didn’t believe this village could have maintained its current peace and prosperity. At the very least, two years ago, she would have struggled to settle here.

Whether a team is strong depends on the lead sheep; whether a train runs fast depends entirely on the engine; a boat carrying a thousand catties relies on the one at the helm. Whether the atmosphere was good or bad, Manager Liu, as a cultivator at the third layer of Qi Refining, held enormous sway and played a crucial “leading” role.

Manager Liu hadn’t seen Bai Sui in a while. Today, seeing her return carrying “heavy loads,” her clothes stained with traces of blood, he knew she had been in the mountains.

Only this time, it seemed she’d gotten into something quite big.

He smiled and said, “Little girl, I haven’t seen you all these days. I thought you’d been taken away by Manager Li of the Crimson Sun Sect.”

Hearing this, Bai Sui knew he was referring to the Crimson Sun Sect’s disciple recruitment. Indeed, since that spirit root testing day, many children had been taken in by the Crimson Sun Sect and “mysteriously vanished.”

“Manager Liu jests. I’m just an ordinary country girl; how could I be chosen by a big figure from the Crimson Sun Sect?”

“You’re anything but ordinary!”

Manager Liu shook his head with a faint smile. “I’ve met countless people in my years, more than the salt you’ve eaten. You, little girl, are cunning and shrewd—nothing like what a ten-year-old should be.” He paused, then asked, with some surprise, “What, did the spirit root detection results not turn out ideal?”

Bai Sui shook her head. “The results were okay—metal, fire, wood triple spirit roots—but still not enough to enter the Crimson Sun Sect.”

Manager Liu mused for a moment. “Having spirit roots is a good thing. As for entering the sect or not, nothing can be forced.”

“Mm.” Bai Sui nodded.

There was a moment of silence between them.

“By the way,” Manager Liu suddenly said.

“Hm?” Bai Sui looked up.

Manager Liu smiled and said, “You disappeared for nearly a month. I was thinking that if you truly had been taken away by Manager Li of the Crimson Sun Sect, I’d have to take back the house you’re living in. But since I see you’ve returned today, then this season’s rent, is it not…”

As he spoke, he extended his right hand and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together.

Bai Sui suddenly understood.

So Manager Liu was talking about the rent.

“Manager Liu, rest assured. Once I go home and put my things away, I’ll bring over the next season’s rent to you right away!”

“Mm, excellent, excellent!”

Manager Liu laughed heartily.

Then, looking at Bai Sui’s bloodstained clothes, he frowned. “There’s one more thing—don’t blame this old man for nagging. In the end, you, girl, are only ten years old. If you want to go into the mountains in the future, it’s safer to go with adults. Remember not to be reckless, and there’s no need to get yourself so disheveled every time. In the end, your life is your own. If you don’t cherish it, can others do it for you?”

He knew Bai Sui wasn’t injured, but that didn’t mean she’d be so lucky every time.

As the saying goes, a man who often walks by the river will eventually get his shoes wet. She was still so young, her days ahead were long; she couldn’t entrust her safety to luck.

“Alright, Manager Liu, thank you for the advice. I’ll take care,” Bai Sui said, understanding his goodwill.

Then Bai Sui bid Manager Liu farewell.

She went home first, found a place to store the beast treasures and demonic beast meat, then got a change of clothes and took a good bath.

Once she was clean, she took out three hundred patterned coins from a hidden compartment, ready to bring them to Manager Liu.

The monthly rent was one hundred wen; one season, three months, was three hundred wen.

To the current Bai Sui, three hundred wen was hardly worth a second thought.

Because she had found a new “path to wealth”—hunting first-order demonic beasts at the boundary between Spirit Water Peak and Mengyang Mountain, then selling the beast treasures and demonic beast meat.

There was no denying it: this was a way to earn money far faster and more promising than “chopping firewood” or “gathering mushrooms.”

The only downside was that it was more dangerous.

But as the saying goes, without weathering wind and rain, how can one see a rainbow? Without experiencing failure, how can one speak of success? In the end, the cultivation world was a great environment fraught with crises. Rather than fighting cunning and powerful enemies in the future, it was better to practice now on these weak first-order demonic beasts.

Manager Liu hadn’t expected Bai Sui to come pay the rent so quickly. But seeing the now-washed girl, looking rather delicate and cute, he couldn’t help but smile in a good mood.

An honest and trustworthy girl was the most endearing!

If everyone were like her, his job would be too easy.

Manager Liu set aside the work at hand, accepted the money, and in front of Bai Sui, wrote her a “receipt” for the payment.

“Here, this is the receipt for the next season’s rent. Take it.”

“Okay, Manager Liu.” Bai Sui reached out, took it, glanced at it casually, then folded the receipt and put it into the pocket of her outer garment.

With that business concluded, she said goodbye, ready to take her leave.

‘What a good girl.’ Watching Bai Sui leave, seeing the girl’s retreating figure, Manager Liu sighed with emotion in his heart, then turned back to his own work.

* * *

Bai Sui, meanwhile, returned home once more, but didn’t stay long before lifting her basket and heading to the Tian household.

This time, her luck was good—both Uncle Tian and Tian Dong were at home.

Seeing Bai Sui come over carrying a large basket, they were both very surprised.