Preparing to transfer some methods to Wu Tian, Guizou stopped.

"Kiddo, let me ask you a little question."

Frowning, Wu Tian did not understand why Guizou would act as such, but did not pay it any mind.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Your mother... didn't you say she was crippled at some point? I heard you mumble about it from time to time."

Furrowing his brows further, Wu Tian was at a loss.

"Yes, she had her cultivation base crippled. If not, why would she let herself be burnt?!"

Seeing the young man get agitated, Guizou raised his hand in apology.

"Sorry kid, I just thought that... it was a bit weird."

"Weird? How come? What's weird about this?"

"No need to act like this, I just felt like it made no sense. How strong was she before?"

Twirling his fingers, Wu Tian mumbled with teary eyes.

"Seventh layer Mortal Realm..."

Nodding, Guizou pushed ahead.

"Then kid, let me ask you... how do you cripple a Mortal Realm cultivator's cultivation base? How do you go about doing it?"

Raising a brow, Wu Tian was about to answer when... no words came out.

"You don't know do you? Well you might tell me how you just don't have such knowledge, but let me gift it to you right now."

"You just can't! You can cripple body parts like crushing bones into powder or severing limbs, but you can't cripple their cultivation base!"

Wu Tian's brows about to reach his nose bridge, he stared at Guizou.

"And why is that?"

"Why? How do you cripple something like this? What, do you inject them with impurities? I don't believe that it works like this, and even if it did, they would just need to remove them again."

"Then are you saying mother was not crippled?"

Stroking his beard, Guizou shook his head from side to side.

"No, she was definitely not crippled if her cultivation was really at that level. Maybe she was poisoned, maybe she was cursed, I don't know, but her cultivation was still there."

"Actually, even if she was at the Warrior Realm it would have been impossible to cripple her cultivation. The Warrior Realm is all about raw power, so it also cannot be impeded without poison and things like this."

Raising a brow, Wu Tian parted his lips a few times before finally asking.

"Master... does that mean that no one can ever have their cultivation crippled? Or..."

"The Meridian Opening Realm is difficult to cripple, but not impossible! It just requires strength and precision alongside incredible skill."

"Now let's just go on with our plans, here!" Poking Wu Tian's forehead, Guizou sent the [Spiritual Body Refining Method]. Wu Tian immediately sat cross-legged to recover from the surging memories.

Glancing at him from the side, Guizou opened his mouth.

"It will take a lot more time compared to the Mortal Realm, but not a crazy amount of time. To be honest, the hardest is the external factor. I gave you this method, but I will also use another to help you solidify and better your foundation and its potential. I will use the [Ten Paths Method] that is pill based. For each layer within the Warrior Realm, we will need a special pill. It has no effect on your prowess, but will most definitely increase your potential and talent from the Meridian Opening Realm onwards."

Gulping, Wu Tian's lips quivered.

"Master..."

Noticing his scared attitude, Guizou frowned.

"What is it?"

"Does it... cost a lot of money?"

The corner of his lips twitching, Guizou wanted to smack his head on the spot.

Why does it matter to you? What is a bit of money when you stand at the very top of this world?

"Even if it does, so what? To be honest, I don't believe any alchemist in this lowly Mortal Land to even know about them. They are used in the Fairy Land to nurture young and talented seedlings."

"Even getting your hands on a single one is a true blessing for you, let alone learn how to make them!"

Shaking his head, Guizou continued, his tone solemn.

"The first one is the Purple Star Pill. It requires any Purple Foundation Herb, a low grade Yin Flower, some Nature Seeds and some Blood Powder. Nothing much!"

"Master! Let alone a low grade Yin Flower, just the Blood Powder and Nature Seeds cost an extreme amount of wealth! As for the first herb, I don't even recognize it."

How much can some little Blood Powder and Nature Seeds cost? There is no way right? Those little ingredients can be found anywhere!

Nature Seeds were small brown seeds found all around the world. Just walking in a forest, one would step on them a few times in a matter of hours. As for the Blood Powder, it was simply powder made from blood. Most of the time, just drying some beast blood would do the trick.

Knowing this, Guizou could not believe something so common could cost even remotely anything. Even if the Mortal Land was barren, it was not that desolate!

"Do you remember how much Nature Seeds cost?" Probing the price, Guizou was shocked.

"Around thirty silver coins each seed."

T-Thirty silvers each? That's daylight robbery!!

Cursing the ignorant powers behind this price, Guizou suddenly had an idea.

"Well too bad, since it cost so much, let's just sell some for the other ingredients!"

"Master, are those ingredients that easy to find? If it is so pricey, why would it be common?"

"It's expensive because some greedy bastard is ramping up the price, that's why! Come on! Let's get going, go and explore the forest some more."

A single Nature Seed for thirty silver coins... Normally that amount of money would get you three thousand of them! But now it might work in our favor...

Asking Wu Tian for prices on certain commonly seen herbs, Guizou sighed. Since he began asking, nothing came up as outrageously overpriced.

As Wu Tian walked around, Guizou pointed out ingredients on the ground. After barely a few hours, they harvested over twenty of them! Thinking about the profit, Wu Tian was ecstatic. Since meeting Guizou, his life had taken a turn for the better. This feeling made him respect Guizou even more, thinking of him as his own father.

Master and I managed to get around twenty... that's six hundred silver coins! We could even trade them for six whole gold coins as well!

What six gold coins meant was the potential of purchasing a low grade Mortal artifact. As for a Warrior artifact, Wu Tian was not too optimistic about it. The price difference between a Mortal one and a Warrior one was a hundred fold! A single low grade Warrior artifact often costed around five platinum coins each. Even the lowest of Mortal artifacts was priced around five gold coins.

If we keep it up, I might be able to wield a high grade Mortal artifact in no time!

If they kept collecting Nature Seeds at a rate of twenty a day, gaining thirty gold coins for a high grade Mortal artifact would not be a pipe dream. And if they were willing to spend even more time, in only three to four months, Wu Tian would be able to actually think about Warrior artifacts!

"What are you daydreaming about? These Nature Seeds and couple of Blood Powder sachets will give us enough capital to start purchasing some ingredients."

"Hah..."

Following the forbidden forest's outskirts, Wu Tian managed to find his way back to a small city. If not for his good memory and geographical knowledge, exploring in vain the vast Mortal Land would have been a necessity.

"Master, this city is called the Forbidden City. It is home to adventurers wanting to explore the forbidden forest. Rumor has it that the city lord is around the Warrior Realm himself, but lost to the strongest beast inside the forest."

"Good, even if we anger that city lord, we should be able to live. Find a store that can purchase our ingredients at a high price."

"Yes!"

Walking around the cobblestone paths and shabby buildings of damaged wood and cracked windows, Wu Tian found his way to a shop. Pushing the creaking wooden door open, a bell chimed, alerting the middle aged man behind a counter.

The insides were quite dirty, armor stands and weapon racks displayed randomly amongst shelves of groceries and tools. Wu Tian even saw a bunch of herbs be exhibited in a corner.

"Kid, are you here for directions? What kind of random store is that? Did the owner never settle on a specific trade in his whole life?"

"I don't know, but if I can sell it's good, and if I can't, I can still be recommended another place, maybe."

"Hello sir." Arriving at the counter, ignoring the few people browsing the wares, a middle aged man looked down at Wu Tian.

"Young man, welcome. Is there anything you would like to ask?"

"I wanted to know if you bought Nature Seeds and Blood Powder by any chance?"

"..." Pausing, the middle aged man took out a pair of glasses.

"You want to sell them? Or do you want to know if we have any in stock?"

"I want to sell."

Hearing this, the shopkeeper put the glasses on and nodded, suggesting to see the goods first.

Tiptoeing a bit, Wu Tian deposited a few sachets on the counter.

Did he really need a counter so damn high?! What kind of chair does it have behind it? Is he sitting on a mountain?

"Hmm..." Opening one of them, the shopkeeper took out a brown seed from it. Using his glasses to their full use, he put the seed as close to his eyes as he could, sometimes switching from on eye to the other.

"It does resemble a Nature Seed..."

What do you mean resemble?

"Is there anything wrong?"

"Well, you see... How to put it kindly? We do purchase Nature Seeds, we truly do. But this is... hum... not one of them."

Closing his eyes with a difficulty swallowing a laugh, Guizou was more amused by the mistake than he was angry.

Alright, I saw enough...

"Kid, just forget about this idiot. The Nature Seeds they sell is probably something else. Ask about if they have anything similar to what you showed him."

"Sir, in this case, then what is it?"

"Oh, well your seed is a seed."

Never thought about that, you're so clever sir! So clever I want to drown you into a puddle!

"I see... but what kind of seed, specifically? Because I was certain of them being Nature Seeds!"

Between your judgement, and master's, what kind of fool would I be to trust yours?!

"I think, don't quote me on that please, but I think they are... Id' say... Lesser Earth Seeds..? You know what, in case you really want to know, I would suggest going to the street downtown. When you exit, you take a sharp turn right, then after the fourth you should see it. It has a green herb design on the swing sign. Unless you are blind, you can't miss it!"

"Alright, thanks. So, what about the Blood Powder?"

"Hum..." Opening another sachet, he gently touched the content before putting his fingertip to his eyes. His index finger had a touch of dark brown-red powder on it.

"This is... just blood... turned to powder... It doesn't have the ruby shine nor glistening of gems under the light. This isn't Blood Powder, unfortunately."

Pfff...Ha...

"Hahahaha!! I can't hold it! What kind of moron is that?!" Clutching his stomach while floating in the air, Guizou was dumbfounded.

A powder that was made out of blood. And the shopkeeper dared to tell them that it was not Blood Powder. Guizou was finding it hilarious. However, Wu Tian was not.

Glaring at the shopkeeper, he sighed, taking back his sachets before leaving with heavy steps.