Chapter 331: Chapter 2 – Gains and Losses of 9 Years_1

“Nine years…”

Wang Ba looked at his reflection in the water mirror. His visage remained unaffected since nine years ago, except for a faint indistinct stability in his eyes.

He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

After escaping from the Tianmen Cult, after many twists and turns, he and Bu Chan had arrived at the Baiyun Prairie.

This area was located at the intersection of the borders of Yan State’s three major sects and was also located in the southeast corner of Yan State.

Not only was it close to the three major sects but also not far from the south of the Chu Dynasty in Yan State.

Due to its unique location, many treasures of the sects and the Chu Dynasty would end up here.

However, for a rogue cultivator, it was an unfriendly territory under the watchful eyes of the sects.

But since the Kingdom of Immortals and the Incense Fire Dao had previously invaded Wei State, it had finally aroused the unanimous opposition of the powers within the Chu Dynasty. Yan State, being a vassal state of Chu, naturally could not escape. The four famous sects in Yan State were all conscripted. Large numbers of disciples were forced to go to the front lines in Wei State to fight the Incense-burning Dao Cultivators.

The rogue cultivators in Yan State also got a reprieve and quickly gathered and expanded in Baiyun Prairie.

Of course, there were also many rogue cultivators who saw an opportunity and went to the front lines of Wei State, killing enemies and earning credits to obtain treasures granted by the Chu Dynasty.

Against this backdrop, after deep contemplation, Wang Ba ultimately chose to settle here temporarily.

The reason was simple. He had not forgotten the agreement he made with Tang Ji in the Linglong Ghost Market about the ‘Class III Spirit Beast’ years ago.

Once he cultivated a Class III Spirit Beast, he would be able to enter the third stage of the Linglong Ghost Market and become a VIP guest there.

In times of crisis, he could also receive the protection of the Linglong Ghost Market.

Being born in chaotic times, affiliating himself with power was the only rule of survival.

The Linglong Ghost Market was the greatest power he had access to.

Baiyun Prairie was within Yan territory, not only facilitating his quick access to the Linglong Ghost Market, it also enabled him to exchange cultivation resources with nearby cultivators and distance himself from the Tianmen Cult, located in the northwest corner of Yan State.

There was no better place than this at present.

The only thing that puzzled him was that in the Yan State, there seemed to be no trace of followers from the Tianmen Cult. He had hardly seen anyone from Tianmen Cult even in the conscription teams of the Chu Dynasty.

After making some inquiries without any accurate news, he had to let the matter go.

But, now he was not afraid anymore.

After all, this place was at the junction of the three major sects. If a Golden Core Craftsman of the Tianmen Cult came here, the people of the three major sects could not sit still even before he took action.

And if someone below the Golden Core came…

Wang Ba shook his head.

He didn’t mean to boast but after improving both the strength and depth of his mana these nine years, as long as he had time to cast his spells, there were very few foundation establishment competitors that he would be wary of.

Well, except for Zhao Feng.

But Zhao Feng, who had yet to come out of the Linglong Ghost Market might already be Golden Core Craftsman once he came out. He couldn’t be considered a foundation establishment competitor anymore.

Of course, Wang Ba’s attention at the moment was not on this, it was mainly on his own cultivation and the cultivation of spirit beasts.

Over nine years, his progress in cultivation was fairly commendable. Not long ago, he had successfully reached the middle stage of foundation establishment. Just that the progress on the spirit beasts was…

At this thought…

Wang Ba shook his head in disappointment and walked out of his room.

In his sight was an expansive pasture, a small lake.

Further away was lush greenery and a Class II spirit field filled with Thousand God Trees, and a Class I spirit field planted with various spirit plants.

On the edge, there were also several massive houses.

However, these houses were a bit peculiar, they were not connected to the ground, but stilted.

Beyond the pastures, the lake, the houses, and the spirit fields, there was a large defensive formation barrier separating this place from the outside world.

Wang Ba had spent a hefty amount of money to purchase this lower-grade Class III incomplete defense formation from a degrading sect cultivator he stumbled upon in the Linglong Ghost Market.

Unless given permission by Wang Ba, it is nearly impossible for anyone below Class III to break through unless a large number of cultivators form an array and attack together.

At this moment, the open field was dotted with various spirit beasts. Seeing Wang Ba emerge from his house, they instantly raised their heads and looked at Wang Ba.

There were common ones like Spirit Chickens, apes, pigs, sheep, cattle, dogs, and there were also White Pythons, Six-winged Flying Locusts, Gold Body Tigers…

There was a wide range of species, but the number was not large.

The fluctuation of spiritual power in these spirit beasts was the weakest at class II, middle grade.

Most had reached class II, top grade.

Without exception, there was not a single spirit beast among these whose aura had reached Class III.

“Class III…is too difficult.”

Looking at the blissful and simple-minded spirit beasts before him, Wang Ba sighed helplessly.

He had originally thought with Jia 15 present, continuously mating its offspring with spirit chickens in combination with his lifespan breakthrough, he could swiftly reach Class III.

But he eventually underestimated the huge gap between Class II and Class III.

All spirit chickens that he attempted to advance with the lifespan breakthrough method went under Golden Core Thunder Tribulation.

Those spirit chickens that were previously just poultry did not even make it past the first tribulation thunder and directly turned into ashes.

Even the few Phantom Chickens that Jia 15 finally bred could only endure six or seven tribulation thunders before being crushed.

Despite his heartache, Wang Ba persisted multiple times.

Even at the cost of a lot of money and going through the trouble of asking people to buy him other Class II, top-grade spirit beasts, he attempted to advance them with the lifespan breakthrough method.