"Alchemist Zhou, your skills are extraordinary. Lin Yuanru is impressed!" Lin Yuanru heard this and was overjoyed.

A single furnace producing three genuine Foundation Establishment Pills; even in White Cloud Immortal City, only those two Tier Two High-Grade Alchemists can consistently achieve such a level.

For a regular Tier Two Alchemist, generally, two genuine pills would be produced from a furnace of materials, with a bit of luck, perhaps an additional inferior pill.

As for three genuine pills, that would only happen under the fortuitous combination of favorable conditions.

After this matter, they gained a deeper understanding of Zhou Xun's character.

If Zhou Xun were to be greedy and embezzle one pill, and tell them he only refined two, the Lin Family wouldn't doubt him in the slightest.

They would even be grateful to Zhou Xun for his assistance!

"It was just luck, just luck!" Zhou Xun was also quite delighted. The first time he used the Spirit-Encompassing Reishi for refining and could yield three genuine pills, it exceeded his expectations. Initially, he thought there would be an inferior pill.

Zhou Xun then came to Lin Yuanru's Cave Mansion, where the two began to discuss the path to cultivation during the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Though called a discussion, it mostly involved Lin Yuanru speaking, with Zhou Xun listening. This

was Lin Family's way of returning the favor.

As a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Lin Yuanru's cultivation experience could save Zhou Xun many detours.

After half a day, Zhou Xun gained abundant insights, stood up, and took his leave.

...

Returning to his temporary Cave Mansion.

This is a Tier Two High-Grade level Cave Mansion, which remains rare even within the Lin Family.

If the Wu Family hadn't been expelled, Zhou Xun wouldn't have the chance to enjoy it.

Entering the Cultivation Room, Zhou Xun sat cross-legged and took out the Tier Two Top-Grade Azure Sky Flower.

He intended to seize this opportunity to refine it into his Lifebound Spirit Plant.

Drawing out a trace of Essence Blood, he began the refinement.

Following steps similar to those used when sacrificially refining Yuan Condensing Grass.

After half a day, Zhou Xun successfully refined it, establishing a faint connection between himself and the Azure Sky Flower.

Immediately after, Zhou Xun projected a wisp of Divine Sense into the Azure Sky Flower, marking the start of long sacrificial refining.

Based on previous experience, Zhou Xun estimated that success would come in twenty days.

Afterward, Zhou Xun could use the "Soul Absorption Secret Technique" within the cultivation method to swiftly elevate the tier of his Lifebound Spirit Plant.

Once it attains a Quasi-Third Tier level, Zhou Xun planned to condense its essence, to elevate his Spirit Root Talent to become high-grade.

Achieving high-grade Spirit Root, even if merely 40 points at the lowest, would significantly enhance his cultivation speed.

The sacrificial refining proceeded smoothly, Zhou Xun felt joyous, so he went outside to take a stroll and have a look at Red Leaf Square.

Additionally, he visited the Luliu Lane where he used to reside, hoping to find traces of Shan Xionghai's departure.

...

Luliu Lane.

Looking at the familiar streets, Zhou Xun arrived at the entrance of the Cave Mansion he once rented.

The same door, the same restriction.

Yet, the restriction of this Cave Mansion couldn't obstruct Zhou Xun's Divine Sense.

A brief sweep inside.

The layout was unchanged, a sixteen to seventeen-year-old delicate youth within, at the Peak of Second Layer Qi Refining, currently tending a fire to cook.

In the clay pot, there wasn't much Spirit Rice, just a small handful, it seemed he was indeed very poor.

After eating the Spirit Rice, the youth walked into the Cultivation Room, starting his meditation and cultivation.

Watching the youth's diligent figure, Zhou Xun seemed to see himself from years past.

He stood outside reminiscing about his past for a long time, and despite a few passing Low-Tier cultivators, none could detect his figure.

After a while, Zhou Xun regained awareness, tapped his Storage Bag, producing a book and a Jade Bottle.

It was a set of Tier Two Low-Grade Talisman legacy, along with a bottle of Energy-Introducing Pill.

With a wave, the book and Jade Bottle suddenly passed through the restriction, appearing on the table in the living room.

With his current cultivation and array expertise, such ordinary residential restrictions were ineffective against Zhou Xun.

As some time passed, the youth finished cultivating, emerged, and saw the treasures on the table.

His face showed utter disbelief, after a simple inspection, he was overjoyed, then kowtowed heavily thrice towards the void.

All this, Zhou Xun naturally did not know, and of course, he didn't care, it was merely a casual act.

...

After leaving, Zhou Xun arrived at Shan Xionghai's former residence.

Zhou Xun entered stealthily, as the low-tier restriction here couldn't stop Zhou Xun's intrusion.

In the courtyard, the jujube tree from childhood still stood.

After a brief glance, Zhou Xun descended into the well beneath the tree.

Descending a few feet below, a horizontal passage appeared.

Following the passage inwards to a position five feet in, there was a sturdy wooden door.

With a gentle push, a secret chamber of four to five feet in size appeared before him.

This is precisely the secret chamber in Shan Xionghai's home, with the only entrance being that water well.

Extremely hidden, it's hard to discover unless one truly knows about it.

This secret chamber is used by the Shan family to store precious items, such as demon beast materials that are not immediately sold, and certain equipment used for hunting demon beasts.

The treasures they used to hunt the Golden Spirit Rat back then were taken by Shan Xionghai from here.

The secret chamber, once filled with treasures and equipment, is now empty, with nothing left inside.

The few wooden shelves are intact.

A thick layer of dust settled on them, and a single wipe from Zhou Xun leaves a clear trace.

"This place isn't in disarray, it doesn't seem like it was raided, but rather like a planned departure, it seems Dahai intended to leave Red Leaf Square!"

"Judging by the dust here, it could have been one or two decades at least, it seems he left back then as well!"

Having reached this conclusion, Zhou Xun sighed in relief.

Although he still hasn't located Shan Xionghai, at least he's somewhat assured that he did not perish in the Red Leaf Square unrest, which is a good thing.

Immediately, Zhou Xun planned to leave.

Before leaving, he inscribed a few words on the wall of the secret chamber:

"When next you seek me, don't forget to bring along the Snow Python Rabbit!"

If Shan Xionghai were to return, he would surely understand its meaning upon seeing these words.

...

Upon leaving Luliu Lane, Zhou Xun didn't disturb anyone.

He then headed towards the Eastern Domain of the market.

The buildings along the road remained the same, though many of the signs had been changed.

It was deep autumn, the trees by the roadside withering again, with a few already dried leaves hanging on.

The cold wind breezed through, seeping into Zhou Xun's clothing, but he felt nothing at this moment.

No longer the fallen young man expelled back in the day.

Suddenly, Zhou Xun spotted a shop called "Zhao's Pill Shop."

"Isn't that the shop where Wei Shangyi learned his craft?" Zhou Xun's heart stirred.

As he approached the shop entrance, ready to enter.

He heard a coarse female voice yelling from within.

"Wei Shangyi, you good-for-nothing, you can't even refine a Grain Avoidance Pill, wasting several catties of spirit rice!"

"Please, dear wife, stop it, dear wife!" a voice apologetically pleaded.

"I am now only at First Layer Qi Refining, it's truly difficult to control the pill furnace!" the male voice faded to despair.

"Useless, how could I be so blind to have taken a liking to someone like you..." the woman continued to scold relentlessly.

...

"Yes...yes...it's my fault!"

...

"Hmph...now quickly make some spirit rice, I'm starving!" the woman's voice commanded imperiously.

"Yes...okay, I'll do it right away!" the man responded as if granted amnesty.

...

Zhou Xun paused outside the door, his divine sense sweeping inside, immediately understanding the entire situation.

Inside the shop was a middle-aged man, his face weathered with the years, a look of defeat about him. If not for the faint resemblance in his face to the proud young Wei Shangyi from back then, Zhou Xun wouldn't have believed it to be him.

Examining his body, it seemed as though he had taken some pill to forcefully break through, leading to shattered meridians, damaged dantian, and steadily declining cultivation.

Zhou Xun estimated that within two years, Wei Shangyi's cultivation would be entirely gone, leaving him as an ordinary mortal.

Such damage also severely impacted his lifespan, and with his cultivation lost, he would be very fortunate to live to sixty!

Opposite him was a rugged-looking woman, appearing not very old, but her appearance bore signs of hardship.

Apparently, this woman was his wife.

Without his brother's protection, Wei Shangyi quickly faded into obscurity.

Originally, with his middle-grade spirit root talent, if he followed the cultivation path step by step, reaching Late-Stage Qi Refining was almost certain.

This would have allowed him a privileged life in Red Leaf Square.

Sadly, his nature was impatient, regarding himself as exceptional and superior.

Trapped at the peak of Sixth-Layer Qi Refining, he couldn't resist taking pills to forcefully break through.

Resulting in today's outcome.

Truly a pity.

Seeing Wei Shangyi in such a state, Zhou Xun suddenly lost the urge to kick a man when he's down.

"Very well, the grudge between the Wei Brothers and me ends here!"

He then turned and walked away.

At this moment, his spirit platform clear, his state of mind ascended to a new level!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.