**Primordial Liquid: The True Currency of Cults** Primordial Liquid (元液) is one of Xianxia’s most efficient cultivation resources: pure essence of natural energy that requires zero refinement, instantly absorbed into the meridians with zero burden. In *Desolate Era*, it’s the gold standard among immortals and wealthy cultivators. Ji Ning found a mere twenty to thirty jin in a hidden mine chamber—barely enough to push through to Zifu and stabilize himself. Now he sees Beishan Hu spend a hundred taels (roughly ten jin) just for a musical companion. That’s **one third of all the liquid that changed his life**, thrown away on a whim. This contrast drives home the theme of resource inequality central to Xianxia’s progression fantasy. For the common cultivator, every drop is a stepping stone; for a marquis’s son, it’s pocket change to flex on a rival.
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Definition
**Primordial Liquid: The True Currency of Cults** Primordial Liquid (元液) is one of Xianxia’s most efficient cultivation resources: pure essence of natural energy that requires zero refinement, instantly absorbed into the meridians with zero burden. In *Desolate Era*, it’s the gold standard among immortals and wealthy cultivators. Ji Ning found a mere twenty to thirty jin in a hidden mine chamber—barely enough to push through to Zifu and stabilize himself. Now he sees Beishan Hu spend a hundred taels (roughly ten jin) just for a musical companion. That’s **one third of all the liquid that changed his life**, thrown away on a whim. This contrast drives home the theme of resource inequality central to Xianxia’s progression fantasy. For the common cultivator, every drop is a stepping stone; for a marquis’s son, it’s pocket change to flex on a rival.
Story context
Welcome to the economic heart of Xianxia worldbuilding, fellow Daoists! Chapter 0145 pulls us into the Carefree Grotto’s Treasure Contest—a no-holds-barred auction where the currency is Primordial Liquid and the stakes are pride among the Anchan Commandery’s top-tier young masters. Ji Ning gets a front-row seat to see just how deep the pockets of a marquis’s son run, and it’s a humbling reality check for our sword-wielding protagonist. The chapter is a masterclass in status clash and wealth display: two Beishan clan scions, Baiwei (warm and open) and Hu (vicious and petty), go head-to-head over a simple request to host the Qin Fairy, driving the price to a jaw-dropping hundred taels of Primordial Liquid. For Ji Ning—who broke through to Zifu with less than ten jin of the stuff—this is a stark revelation of the gulf between a tribal genius and the immortal nobility. Buckle up: the real game of thrones here is fought with treasure bids, not sword swings.
Why it matters
- **Ji Ning’s world-views are shifting fast**: He’s been the big fish in a Yan Mountain pond, but now he’s seeing the ocean. Watch how he processes this wealth gap—it’s not envy, but a cold calculation of how far he still has to climb. - **Beishan Hu vs Beishan Baiwei**: Hu is the classic bully young master—loud, vicious, and reliant on his father’s shadow. Baiwei is the generous, strategic counterpoint. Their dynamic sets up a power axis beyond Ji Ning’s immediate conflict. - **The Auction as Worldbuilding**: Treasure Contests (争宝会) are a staple Xianxia trope—they introduce rare artifacts, showcase resource hierarchies, and create opportunities for surprise bids, social sabotage, or hidden identity reveals. Pay attention to every treasure that flashes by; some may return later in the story.
Quick facts
Source novel
Desolate Era
First appearance
A Hundred Taels of Primordial Liquid
Chapter references
1
Type hints
primordial liquid, beishan hu, beishan baiwei
Guide tags
wealth gap, auction, young master rivalry
Appears in chapters
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