There were many people in the Trade Union like Seraphina Vale, responsible for trading with cultivators. Although they received a monthly stipend, it wasn't high and couldn't meet their cultivation needs.

Tips from guests were one of their additional sources of income. Of course, those like Seraphina Vale who were willing to lower themselves to serve guests had another way to earn money.

Everyone in the Trade Union came from rogue cultivator backgrounds and had been impoverished before joining the Union. They understood the cruelty of the cultivation world and the difficulty of survival better than any other cultivator. So, serving guests wasn't something hard to accept; it was all forced by circumstances.

Walking out of the Providentia Merchant Alliance, Leaf Gray sighed.

He had originally intended to ask if those few storage bags could be sold, but he ended up forgetting because of Seraphina Vale.

It felt awkward to turn back now; he could only wait for the next time. He had originally planned to set off for The Vermilion Guild headquarters, but now it seemed there was no need to rush.

He had some good items on hand. Fully digesting them and converting them into his own cultivation was the right path. With higher cultivation, the journey would be safer.

As for staying at the Providentia Merchant Alliance, Leaf Gray didn't consider it. He was currently strapped for cash. The price of one spirit stone per night might not seem like much, but if he stayed for many days, it would become a huge expense.

With four spirit stones left, Leaf Gray followed his memory from the day and found a pill shop. He spent two spirit stones to buy two Spirit Nurturing Pills, then returned to the street where he had set up his stall during the day.

He casually took out a few pieces of ore from his storage bag and set them up, then sat down cross-legged and took out a spirit stone.

This was the first time he had obtained a spirit stone; this thing could assist cultivation.

He had already tried cultivating by taking pills; now he wanted to try cultivating with the help of spirit stones to compare and see the efficiency. If the efficiency was acceptable, he wouldn't need to spend spirit stones on spirit pills in the future.

Although he hadn't used spirit stones for cultivation before, he hadn't eaten pork but had seen pigs run. During the day, he had seen many stall owners here cultivating while holding a spirit stone and selling their goods, looking very relaxed.

Now, learning from their example, Leaf Gray discovered one benefit of cultivating with spirit stones.

That was, he could interrupt his cultivation at any time. Unlike taking spirit pills, where the pill's power dissolves in the abdomen, and if not guided in time, it can cause the pill's power to accumulate.

Using spirit stones for cultivation was different. If something came up, he could directly interrupt his cultivation without any negative effects.

The street was extremely lively at night too, with cultivators coming to ask the price from time to time. Leaf Gray handled it the same way as during the day and miraculously completed a transaction, selling one piece of ore for five spirit stones.

By daybreak, Leaf Gray stopped this cultivation session, opened his palm to look at the spirit stone, which had only shrunk a small circle. Then, checking the increase in spiritual power in his tenth spiritual aperture, Leaf Gray frowned slightly.

After a night of experimentation, he drew several conclusions.

Cultivating with spirit stones was safer than using spirit pills. Firstly, the cultivation process could be interrupted at any time. Secondly, cultivating with spirit stones had no hidden dangers; in this aspect, it was the same as absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

But in terms of efficiency, it was far inferior to taking spirit pills.

Perhaps it was due to his own talent problem, making it difficult to guide spiritual energy into his body. Leaf Gray felt that with his current cultivation efficiency, he would probably need to cultivate tirelessly for several days to consume one spirit stone.

Other cultivators might be more efficient, but it definitely couldn't compare to taking spirit pills.

As for cost-effectiveness...

The value of one spirit stone was basically equivalent to one Spirit Nurturing Pill. The increase in spiritual power after consuming one spirit stone was roughly similar to the increase from consuming one Spirit Nurturing Pill, so the cost-effectiveness was about the same.

Through this test, Leaf Gray understood why everyone needed to exchange spirit stones for pills to cultivate. In terms of efficiency, taking spirit pills was indeed higher, naturally making them more popular.

Dawn was approaching. Leaf Gray packed up his stall and left the market.

Since he was unwilling to spend money unnecessarily on accommodation at the Providentia Merchant Alliance, he could only find another place.

He planned to return to his previous cave in Jade Mountain. It was relatively safe there, and he wouldn't be disturbed while cultivating.

The reason he didn't leave at night was mainly that traveling at night was unsafe.

Before leaving, he spent two spirit stones to buy a lot of food. Hunting in the mountains was time-consuming, and there weren't many animals left in that area.

Taking stock of his current assets: forty-seven Spirit Nurturing Pills, five lower-grade spirit stones, nearly thirty spirit talismans, six healing pills, nearly thirty pieces of Metamagnetic Ore of various sizes, some ores whose names Leaf Gray didn't know, and four sets of spare clothes.

Compared to when he first entered the Spirit Creek Battlefield, his assets were similar, but his cultivation had improved tremendously.

Leaf Gray believed that if he could convert all the things in his hand into cultivation, he could probably advance several layers in the Spirit Creek realm.

However, these things couldn't be rushed; he needed to proceed gradually.

Many cultivators were entering and leaving the market, most traveling in groups, but there were also lone wolves like Leaf Gray, all rogue cultivators with no one to care for them.

The time Leaf Gray left the market was just before dawn. Being alone, he inevitably had to be more cautious.

He successfully entered Jade Mountain and ran all the way, even deliberately taking a few detours to make sure no one was following him, then proceeded along the path out of the mountains.

Before noon, Leaf Gray returned to his previous cave.

To his surprise, there was movement in the cave. He carefully crept in, holding a spirit talisman ready to strike. Looking closely, he was so angry he almost twisted his nose.

In the cave, a snow-white figure was lying on the ground, snoring soundly. Who else could it be but the big tiger?

Evie floated out from the big tiger's forehead, and she and Leaf Gray stared at each other. The situation was somewhat awkward.

"What are you doing in my home?" Leaf Gray questioned.

Evie also asked, "Didn't you leave?"

"I'm back!"

A moment later, the big tiger's massive figure dashed out of the cave, turned back, and roared at Leaf Gray. On the tiger's head, Evie was indignant, gritting her teeth: "Big liar! Faithless and unjust!"

"Get lost!" Leaf Gray's shout came from inside the cave.

After driving away the spirit and tiger who had occupied his nest, Leaf Gray ate something and then entered a cultivation state.

He first took out the two Spirit Nurturing Pills he had bought with spirit stones and took one. After the pill's power dissolved in his abdomen, he guided the spiritual power into his spiritual apertures.

The spiritual power in the tenth aperture slowly accumulated.

After the power of one Spirit Nurturing Pill was completely consumed, Leaf Gray opened his eyes and discovered a problem. The efficacy of this Spirit Nurturing Pill he bought from the market seemed not as good as those given by the Sect Master. The difference wasn't huge, but it did indeed exist. This could be inferred from the amount of spiritual power accumulated in his spiritual apertures.

Without stopping, he took the other Spirit Nurturing Pill. After the pill's power was completely consumed, he became even more certain of this result.

Then he took out a Spirit Nurturing Pill obtained from the Providentia Merchant Alliance and took it.

After comparison, he finally concluded that Seraphina Vale hadn't lied to him. The Spirit Nurturing Pills from the Providentia Merchant Alliance were indeed better than those sold outside, equivalent to those given by the Sect Master.

So it seemed he hadn't wasted his money. In the future, when buying spirit pills, he should still go to the Providentia Merchant Alliance, as the quality was at least guaranteed.