Yi Tianxing did not belittle Western cultivators simply because he was an Eastern cultivator. On the Eternal Continent, cultivation realms were the same—divided into the Sea of Divinity Realm and the Life Aperture Realm. These realms measured one's cultivation level, strength, and battle prowess.
However, due to the differences in cultivation methods and the powers produced, their combat abilities varied. Differences naturally emerged—some methods were superior, others inferior.
At the very least, Battle Qi was too violent—it harmed both foes and the user. Yi Tianxing had no interest in it.
"Mages are somewhat interesting," he mused. "They can cast spells even in the Sea of Divinity Realm, and not just one, either. But compared to equivalent Life Aperture powers, the effectiveness of these spells is greatly inferior—only on par with talismans. Compared to genuine Life Aperture divine abilities, there's a big gap. Still, the fact that spells can be used freely at the Sea of Divinity Realm is an advantage."
He thought back to the mages. Although the power of their spells was roughly equal to talismans of the same rank, they had the advantage of versatility and spontaneity. In the eyes of ordinary people, casting a spell was akin to witnessing a deity's power—transcendent and awe-inspiring. When used cleverly and in combination, these spells could produce all sorts of incredible effects and battlefield miracles.
Yi Tianxing didn't yet fully understand the secrets of mages, but he had a faint suspicion—they might be constructing spells similarly to how talismans were drawn.
In a direct fight between cultivators of the same level, mages might even gain the upper hand—unless the opponent had sufficient means to counter them. If one had enough talismans, the outcome would be hard to predict. Victory would depend on one's combat intuition and adaptability. However, if an Eastern cultivator had awakened their Life Apertures, that would surely tilt the balance in their favor.
In short, cultivation realms could be higher or lower, combat power stronger or weaker—there was no absolute supremacy. Western cultivators shouldn't be underestimated.
In the Eternal Continent, the cultivation system—whether Battle Qi, magic, immortality cultivation, or martial arts—was unified under the Sea of Divinity and Life Aperture realms. This wasn't by chance but rather a rule imposed by the Dao of Heaven and perhaps even higher cosmic will. Various cultivation paths were like branches growing from the same trunk—each allowed to flourish in its own way.
These thoughts only spun through Yi Tianxing's mind for a moment before he suppressed them. Some things didn't need overanalyzing—as long as they were useful to him, that was enough.
Clearly, he had no intention of switching to Battle Qi or magic. But when facing enemies, knowing them was key to never losing a battle.
"I wonder what loot those two idiots left behind for me. Hopefully not just their clothes."
Yi Tianxing turned his gaze to the remains left behind by Grull and Yorkris, who had perished and turned to light. He was curious about the battlefield rules of the Martial Arts Tournament—did death erase everything the loser had?
Without delay, he first walked to the spot where Gru had died. His clothes were nothing special—just regular fabric, neither enchanted armor nor magical equipment.
Worthless.
Yi Tianxing casually poked it aside with his battle spear and discarded it. He had no interest in hoarding someone else's clothes.
But beneath the clothes lay a small pile of items.
The first thing that caught his eye was a beast-hide contract scroll, radiating with magical light—clearly a Pet Contract. This was a standard item issued to every contestant by the tournament organizers. Yi Tianxing had received one when falling from the sky at the start—it had mysteriously appeared in his arms.
"So it is possible to acquire pet contracts by killing other participants."
This was a great item—truly a rare treasure. With it, one could contract a pet or mount—a loyal partner that would fight to the death alongside its master. Yi Tianxing had already used one to contract Green Emperor, so he fully appreciated its value. Without hesitation, he stored it in his Spirit Pearl space.
Next came several more items.
One stood out immediately—a block of silvery-white metal, about the size of two or three fists, glowing with an otherworldly luster.
Mithril: A top-tier refining material. Can be used to forge various magical tools and divine weapons. Suitable for enchantments and rune inscriptions. Extremely durable yet light as a feather—tough as dragon scales, cold to the touch, and amplifies divine abilities and true Qi. Grade: Upper Heaven-tier.
Yi Tianxing naturally pulled out his Wordless Heavenly Tome, which immediately revealed the identity and properties of the ore.
"Mithril, huh? That's rarer and more valuable than gold—a truly top-tier material. Just a bit of it can vastly enhance a weapon or artifact's potential. Didn't expect Gru to be carrying such a huge piece. Seems like those Western cultivators have some treasures on them. But now, it's mine."
Smiling with delight, he stored the Mithril in the Spirit Pearl. It was a rare gem—one that could be used to refine high-grade treasures. In Western legends, Mithril was used to forge divine artifacts.
Wildwind Battle Qi: Sea of Divinity-tier Battle Qi technique. When mastered, Battle Qi becomes as violent as a storm. Enables comprehension of the Dao of Wind.
A Battle Qi manual followed—a technique of decent grade and potential. Yi Tianxing gave it a cursory look before tossing it into his Spirit Pearl. He had no plans to cultivate it but would preserve it in the Scripture Pavilion to enrich its collection.
Holy Light Cross Slash: Battle technique. Unleashes Battle Qi in a unique way to release a cross-shaped sword light. Strong in both offense and defense. At mastery, forms Holy Light Sword Intent, especially effective against undead and immortal creatures. Grade: Mid Profound-tier.
Another manual—this time, the technique Gru had used: Holy Light Cross Slash. Not bad at all. A solid technique.
"He really brought all his important gear with him. Tried to rob me and got cleaned out instead. Serves him right," Yi Tianxing said with a grin. "Such generous fools—I welcome more of them."
Unfortunately, that was all Gru left behind.
He turned to the spot where Yorkris had fallen, near a large tree.
His robe was just a standard mage's robe—nothing magical. Yi Tianxing discarded it just as casually.
Two items remained.
One was a magic staff, its tip set with a glowing gemstone—clearly not an ordinary weapon.
Firefly Staff: Made of oak, inlaid with a Firefly Gem. Enhances spellcasting speed and spell power. Grade: Third Yellow-tier.
Then came the real prize:
Dimensional Space Pouch: Contains a small pocket dimension capable of storing a limited amount of items. Crafted using Dimensional Stone. Holds up to 3 cubic meters of space.
While the staff was interesting, it was the Dimensional Space Pouch that really caught Yi Tianxing's attention. A true storage artifact. Though its capacity wasn't huge, it was undeniably practical.
"That mage must be rolling in his grave. A Dimensional Space Pouch! If he had any treasures, they'd be in here. Who knew an idiot like him had such a rare item? Though not a naturally born artifact, it's still a manmade storage treasure."
The pouch had a spiritual imprint from Yorkris—but that was instantly shattered by Yi Tianxing.
As the interior opened up, Yi Tianxing saw:
Crystals. Piles of them.
Thousands, by his estimate—likely sourced from a crystal mine. Crystals, or magic stones in Western terms, were core cultivation resources.
For Yi Tianxing, these weren't rare—he had his own crystal mine. Crystals could even be minted into Eternal Coins, allowing for infinite cycles of usage.
Even so, the wealth Yorkris had amassed was clear.
Then, he found more:
Crystal Meditation Method: A mage's mental training technique. Allows one to open the Sea of Divinity and condense magical power. Requires strong spiritual talent.
Foundations of Magic ConstructionFireballWind BladeIce BladeEarth SpikeWind ShieldFlame Repulsion Ring
Each book contained a spell model—a different form of magic. Each represented a learnable spell.