To put it in more data-driven terms, the total amount of Mirage Qi energy inside Hua Jian was one hundred.
She could choose how much Mirage Qi energy to release each time, and when the Mirage Qi left her body to create its hallucinogenic effects, it would naturally diminish.
After just these few experiments, the Mirage Qi energy within Hua Jian had dropped by nearly half, and its recovery speed was astonishingly slow.
Hua Jian waited for a long, long time before she felt the missing Mirage Qi energy grow by even a little.
To fully restore the power she just consumed would probably take dozens of days…
“So it’s a super-powerful ultimate move, but the cooldown is insanely long?” Hua Jian had a rough idea about this new ability.
Thinking this, she turned her head to look at Linglong on the other side.
“No wonder this power comes from Mirage Incense. Ordinary Antidote Pills can’t resist its effects at all.” The Saintess held a bottle of pale green pills in her hand.
In the last experiment, she had successfully used the pill’s effect to resist the confusion caused by Mirage Qi.
But the pill she used was a specialty of the Yaoci Holy Sect, a Spiritual Medicine famous throughout the entire cultivation world.
Hua Jian’s Mirage Qi was defeated by this pill, and it was a loss she could accept. After all, this pill was worth far more than the Mirage Qi Pill she just took.
“Since you’ve obtained this power, let’s discuss how to scout out that Spirit Beast Lair.”
According to the agreement Linglong and Hua Jian made not long ago, after Hua Jian mastered the power of Mirage Qi, she needed to help Linglong lure away the powerful Spirit Beast in the Secret Realm, so Linglong could investigate the Spirit Beast Lair.
“I don’t think we need to rush. My Mirage Qi energy needs some time to recover. At least after a month, I’ll be confident enough to lure that Spirit Beast away for a sufficient amount of time.”
Hua Jian actually had very few trump cards in her hand. Did she study all sorts of unorthodox methods because she liked them?
No, it was because she was poor. She couldn’t afford all those upright, prestigious things.
She also wanted to wear an awesome Spiritual Garment and carry an invincible Ling Sword into the Secret Realm, chopping down anyone who annoyed her.
But both Spiritual Garment and Ling Sword were money-eating monsters— there was no way a bottom-tier cultivator like her could afford the upkeep.
Even her Spirit Techniques were just a handful of common ones, only good for a bit of control and little else.
As for the Escape Technique… That just came with her Cultivation Method, and besides making her look good when running away, it had no other merits.
After Hua Jian finished explaining her situation, Linglong’s gaze instantly filled with immense pity.
Having grown up in the Saint Sect and never lacking Cultivation Resources, Linglong couldn’t imagine how hard life was for a bottom-tier cultivator like Hua Jian.
The most miserable junior sister she’d ever seen only had to work odd jobs in some Sect shops because the Sect’s monthly Cultivation Resources weren’t enough.
But Hua Jian was even worse off than that junior sister. At least the junior sister had a Cultivation Method and Spirit Techniques— Hua Jian had nothing.
“Don’t look at me like that. My situation is actually pretty normal.” Being stared at like this by Linglong made Hua Jian a bit uneasy.
“Most cultivators’ Cultivation Methods are simplified ones spread by your Saint Sect. If I didn’t have my Inherited Cultivation Method, I’d probably be learning your Sect’s Cultivation Method too.”
Compared to other, even more unfortunate Loose Cultivators, Hua Jian was actually doing pretty well.
At least she was cultivating her own method, not some simplified Sect method.
Not that those methods were bad, but they really only worked for getting started.
If you wanted to progress further, you’d have to look elsewhere for higher-level Cultivation Methods, and that was no easy task.
“If you’re lacking Cultivation Resources, why not join a Sect? Your talent is quite good— even the Saint Sect wouldn’t turn you away.” Linglong asked in confusion.
This was what puzzled her the most. For Hua Jian to break through to the Ling Master Realm at her age— she was definitely a little prodigy.
For a genius like that, joining a Sect should be a piece of cake. Yet Hua Jian was choosing to make money in a Secret Realm instead.
How many Spirit Stones could she earn in three months? Probably not even as much as a big Sect would hand out in Cultivation Resources in a single month.
“In Yaoci, even our lowest-level ordinary disciples get a monthly Cultivation Resource allowance of…” Linglong counted on her fingers, listing out all the Cultivation Resources ordinary disciples in Yaoci received.
Converted to Spirit Stones, it was a full five hundred Spirit Stones.
Of course, these resources couldn’t truly be sold for Spirit Stones, and the Yaoci Holy Sect didn’t spend that much to acquire them.
Those low-level pills—Refining Alchemists in the Saint Sect could make a whole batch in one go, and the cost was just the ingredients.
“I’d love to join a big Sect, but I’m worried that once I’m in, I’ll lose my freedom.” Hua Jian scratched her head sheepishly.
Maybe it was all those novels she read before transmigrating, but her impression of Sects in the cultivation world wasn’t very good.
She felt that joining a Sect would mean getting tangled up in endless trouble.
Someone like her, with no connections and nothing going for her but her looks, would definitely end up as cannon fodder in a big Sect.
So she’d rather be a free Loose Cultivator, earning a little hard money in the Secret Realm. At least she could come and go as she pleased.
After hearing Hua Jian’s explanation, Linglong’s eyes were filled with disbelief.
So this was the reason she wouldn’t join a Sect? It was the first time Linglong had heard such an excuse.
“Um… Sects are actually pretty free, as long as you follow the Sect’s rules.”
Linglong didn’t know what other Saint Sects were like, but the atmosphere within the Yaoci Holy Sect was indeed relaxed and joyful.
The sisterhood among disciples was passed down as tradition from long, long ago, and competition wasn’t fierce.
“Of course you’d say that. You’re the Saintess, a super VIP, a super genius. Who would dare mess with you?” Hua Jian snorted, making it clear she didn’t believe Linglong’s words.
Trying to trick me into being cannon fodder in a Sect? No way!
Once our cooperation in this Secret Realm is over, you go your way and I’ll go mine. Let’s forget each other and never meet again!
“I’m just a big loser who can’t get into a Sect, Saintess Daren, so please don’t worry about me.” Hua Jian stretched lazily and walked to the other side of the cave to sit down. “It’s getting late, let’s cultivate. I have to get up early tomorrow to make money.”
Absorbing Mirage Qi took so much time, so Hua Jian had to work twice as hard in the coming days to make up for all that lost time.
Seeing Hua Jian’s determined expression, Linglong could only think that this girl must be a little crazy.
She’s working so hard, has such determination, yet doesn’t want to join a Sect. Linglong really didn’t know how to judge Hua Jian anymore.