Chapter 48: This Bracelet, I’ll Take It!

“I assure you, this bracelet is of superior quality, or perhaps even a top-tier magic tool….”

“I’ve tested it myself. It can protect the soul, resist attacks from mind-affecting spells, and defend against the negative influences of low-level evil spirits.”

“It can also emit a divine glow that envelops your face, filtering out poisonous gases and the corruption of evil energies.”

“But the most important feature is that when you wear this bracelet, it boosts your cultivation speed.”

“When cultivating with this bracelet, it automatically filters and purifies the spirit qi, saving the time that would otherwise be spent converting it into spirit power.”

“Your cultivation level is the foundation of your cultivation path. With the same amount of time spent cultivating, you can convert more spirit power. This is of utmost importance for any cultivator, as I’m sure you all understand. I went through a great deal to obtain this item.”

Ye Chen, who had just pushed his way to the back of the crowd, had been casually listening to the description of the bracelet’s functions at first. But when he heard that it could enhance cultivation speed, his eyes immediately brightened.

Although Ye Chen was already at the fifth level of Qi Refining, he was still not satisfied with his cultivation speed. He longed for a faster way to improve. Despite consuming high-grade pills every day, he was at his limit. He never imagined there could be a treasure that could boost cultivation speed. This revelation instantly excited him.

But what surprised Ye Chen even more was that the surrounding cultivators, who had been listening intently, seemed to be discussing the speed-boosting function as well. However, Ye Chen didn’t see much interest on their faces. What was going on here? Logically speaking, anyone would be eager for a way to accelerate their cultivation.

It didn’t take long for Ye Chen to figure out the reason for his confusion.

In the crowd, a burly man spoke with a half-smile, his tone seemingly casual: “How much does it increase the speed by?”

At these words, the vendor’s expression immediately grew awkward. It was obvious that these cultivators were not easily fooled.

“I’m at the sixth level of Qi Refining,” the vendor continued, “and with this bracelet, I can increase my cultivation speed by about 5 percent.”

Upon hearing this, many cultivators who had been intrigued, like Ye Chen, immediately showed disappointment.

Ye Chen himself furrowed his brows slightly.

That was only a five percent increase. It was indeed a bit low. After all, high-grade pills could boost cultivation speed by over forty percent.

Ye Chen finally understood why so many cultivators seemed indifferent. A magic tool wasn’t cheap, but what about pills? If this bracelet cost twenty or more middle-grade spirit stones, one could instead buy enough pills to last for decades. For most loose cultivators, spirit stones were precious. Spending decades’ worth of pill money on a magic tool that only increased cultivation speed by five percent seemed a poor investment.

Furthermore, the bracelet’s purification of spirit qi was fixed. For someone at the sixth level of Qi Refining, it might offer a decent speed boost. But for a cultivator at the seventh level, the effect would be even less. When thinking about it this way, the value wasn’t as great as it seemed. The cost-effectiveness was far too low. For the same price, one could buy a few more pills of higher quality.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

…

“So, how much is it?” A cultivator from the crowd asked, breaking the silence. “If it’s cheap, I’ll buy it for my daughter. It could still be useful in the early stages of Qi Refining.”

The vendor, sensing the growing disinterest, gritted his teeth and blurted out the price: “Twenty middle-grade spirit stones!”