“Hehe… I did not realize winter was already upon us.”0

Luo Chen stepped into the tailor’s shop with an easy smile, brushing the fine snowflakes from his robe as the door closed behind him. A faint sigh escaped his lips, carrying with it the weight of memories.0

The last time winter arrived… felt like a lifetime ago.0

So much had changed in a single year. If he were to sit by a warm stove and recount it all, he would not even know where to begin. Back in May of last year, he had still been lingering at the third stage of Qi Refinement. Now, not two years later, he had already stepped into the ninth stage and was preparing to attempt Foundation Establishment. The speed of his progress would have been enough to stun even the most gifted of disciples from the major sects. But none of this had come without cost.0

The sheer quantity of spirit resources he consumed each day, sustained across hundreds of days, would have been enough to make even a seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivator blanch. Only because Luo Chen had a keen sense for making money could he sustain such rapid cultivation.0

With these thoughts turning in his mind, Luo Chen greeted the old woman who managed the tailor shop, offered the prearranged phrase, and donned his mask before stepping once again into the underground hall of the Precious Dragon Black Market.1

It was the second month since...0