Jinyong City.

One of the five great cities of Great Yu.

At the same time,

it borders on the Southern Barbarian Land.

This city is about five times the size of Min Nan City; every ten years, the Liuyun Immortal Sect sends stewards here to Jinyong City to recruit disciples with Immortal Roots!

Youths from all over Great Yu and neighboring nations, boys and girls alike, either traveling alone or led by their elders, flock to Jinyong City.

The year's end is near.

Jinyong City is packed; business at restaurants and inns is absolutely booming.

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage (Third Layer 512/4000)]

"My cultivation experience is moving at a turtle's pace..."

Chang'sheng sat in an inn, staring at the cultivation column on his panel. At the same time, he rubbed his temples and frowned.

He'd trekked more than a month from Min Nan City, cultivating the Fire Element Technique at night, absorbing whatever Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi he could get—which was almost nothing—and barely made any progress at all. The Tiger Blood Pill had completely lost its effect on him, and no matter how many he swallowed, there was no response.

Chang'sheng quietly opened his pack and took stock of his belongings.

The Cloud-Piercing Bow, a gift from Wenjing, and a Nameless Scroll obtained from Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall.

The White Cloud Pattern Token he got from Gao Yang at Gao Family Manor.

The Dragon Blood Pill Formula and Nourishing Spirit Pill Formula from Hundred Herbs Hall.

A round gold token with the character "Martial," a piece of dark turtle shell from Wei Wuji at Golden Saber Sect, the Dawn Blade, and a stack of Martial Arts Secret Manuals.

"I really need to figure out how to get some Spirit Stones!"

After reviewing his stash, Chang'sheng sighed. Without Spirit Stones, his cultivation experience in the Qi Refining Stage just couldn't improve!

"Back then, at my First-class Peak, I couldn't open this thing. Now I'm Qi Refining Third Layer. Maybe I should try infusing some magical power?"

Chang'sheng casually picked up the scroll, examined it, then suddenly had a bright idea. He activated the Fire Element Technique, wrapped the scroll in a thread of magical power, and tried twisting open the cap on one end.

Suddenly, Chang'sheng felt the scroll in his hand heat up. At the same moment, a deep, ancient, and barely audible voice rang in his ear. "Come closer... Come... closer..."

"Where did that voice come from?"

Chang'sheng furrowed his brows and looked around. There was no one else in the room but himself, so he muttered, "Am I hallucinating?"

"Come... come closer... This old man will grant you great creation..."

Just then, that voice sounded again.

"The scroll?!"

Hearing the voice once more, Chang'sheng instantly looked at the scroll in his hand, shuddered, and hurled the scroll aside. It rolled to the foot of the table, and the voice stopped.

"It's that scroll... definitely something weird about it..."

Chang'sheng stared at the scroll for ages, but it didn't react. He thought to himself, "There's a voice inside this scroll? Maybe there's an old monster's soul sealed here?"

As a transmigrator, Chang'sheng had read plenty of cultivation novels.

Thinking of that...

Chang'sheng's heart clenched tightly.

With his current strength, he didn't even have a single Spirit Stone. How could he afford to mess with the old monster in there?

"Should I ditch it?"

Chang'sheng thought it over and mused, "No, earlier when I held the scroll, there was no voice. The moment I infused magical power, that voice showed up! I should hold onto it. Maybe when I'm strong enough, I'll open it?"

At this, Chang'sheng carefully wrapped the scroll in cloth. He didn't hear the voice again.

"Forget it. I need to go out and eat something to calm down!"

Chang'sheng took a long breath, packed up his belongings, slung them onto his back, and said to the Little White Fox, "Xiaobai, you stay at home. I'll bring you back some fruit and ginseng soup."

"Ying ying ying!"

Xiaobai poked its head out of the cage, squeaking, looking quite displeased.

"Oh right, I'll just call you Xiaobai from now on. 'Little White Fox' is too much of a mouthful!"

Chang'sheng shut the door and headed out.

"Ying ying ying!"

The White Fox looked a little wronged.

........

Celestial Fragrance Pavilion.

The most famous restaurant in eastern Jinyong City, with three floors and a massive footprint.

At noon, the place was nearly packed.

Chang'sheng sat alone at one table, ordered braised beef, pork kidneys, grilled wings, and a few other dishes, chewing slowly and looking out the window at a shop with a lantern hanging over the door. He couldn't help but pause, muttering, "Time flies. It's almost New Year's again."

Chang'sheng was flooded with emotions.

This time last year, he was just a sickly wretch, and now, one year later, he'd set foot on the path of cultivation immortality!

He'd become a Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator!

"Huh? A cultivator!"

Suddenly, Chang'sheng spotted a skinny, short-bearded middle-aged man stewing over his wine, looking troubled. Most importantly, Chang'sheng sensed the presence of magical power on the man!

The magical power wasn't strong, about Qi Refining First Layer, on the verge of breaking through to the Second Layer.

This was the first cultivator Chang'sheng had run into since arriving in Jinyong City.

"Why not see if I can ask him for some info?"

Chang'sheng looked over at the short-bearded man, intrigued.

He was totally fumbling his way into cultivation and knew nothing about the Cultivation Realm. Running into a Qi Refining First Layer Daoist here seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask some questions.

Just then, the man seemed to sense Chang'sheng's gaze and looked over. He didn't say anything and kept drinking.

At that moment,

the waiter walked past Chang'sheng. Chang'sheng called him, pulled out a piece of silver, and said, "Bring me a jar of Intoxicating Brew and send it to that guest over there."

"Certainly, sir!"

The waiter nodded and hurried off to deliver the wine.

Half an hour later.

Chang'sheng finished eating, packed up a jar of soup, and left the restaurant. Suddenly, a voice called out behind him, "Thanks for the wine, brother!"

"You're welcome. My name is Wei Wuji. Pleased to meet you, Daoist friend!"

Chang'sheng turned and saw it was the short-bearded middle-aged man who'd been drinking alone. He cupped his fists in greeting, making sure to restrain his magical power so it matched the man's level.

He didn't give his real name, choosing instead to use "Wei Wuji" from Golden Saber Sect.

"So, Brother Wei is also a cultivator! My apologies!"

Seeing the Qi Refining Second Layer aura on Chang'sheng, the short-bearded man looked surprised and cupped his hands in return. Earlier, he hadn't noticed any aura on the young man, meaning Chang'sheng must have mastered a Qi Concealing Technique.

"Daoist Zhu, you're too kind. Actually, I wanted to ask you a few things! Do you have a moment?"

Chang'sheng smiled faintly.

"Oh? May I ask what you wish to know, elder? As long as Zhu Zhishan knows, I'll tell you everything I can!"

Zhu Zhishan replied.

The two immediately returned to the restaurant, picked a private spot, ordered two jars of wine, and began chatting over drinks.

"Daoist Zhu, I just arrived in Jinyong City, and you're the first cultivator I've seen. So I wanted to ask—is there anywhere here cultivators can exchange goods?"

Chang'sheng asked.

This was urgent for him, since he only had silver, not Spirit Stones.

The Fire Element Technique and Fire Bomb Technique couldn't be simplified.

Only by simplifying them could he quickly grow stronger!

If he found a place for cultivators to trade, maybe he could procure some Spirit Stones.

"A place for cultivators to trade? Daoist friend, you must mean the Independent Practitioner Marketplace? I do know of one. It's fifty miles south of Jinyong City, in a valley, and it's a low tier marketplace for loose cultivators. It opens at the start and middle of every month. If you have things to sell, or want to buy cultivation items, you can check it out!"

Zhu Zhishan thought for a moment, then answered.

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