Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 154: Chapter 42: Stabilizing Cultivation

Half a month later, Li Ji’an entrusted Steward Qi to help prepare, and sincerely sought advice on matters related to Xiaoqing, a loose cultivator in Foundation Establishment.

After all, despite living through six lifetimes, this was the first attempt at Foundation Establishment, lacking experience.

When everything was ready, under the guidance of Steward Qi, Li Ji’an set off to visit the core talent area, taking with him some recently refined early second-tier Pill Medicine.

”Fellow Daoist Gou, I’ve long admired your reputation. The Alchemist across the way specially comes to visit.” He first went to the residence of Gou Puppet Master opposite, positioned one foot outside the door, using Magical Power to amplify his voice and announce his identity.

After a short period, the door of Gou Mansion opened, and a wooden puppet appeared behind the door; soon, a somewhat low voice emanated from its wooden mouth: ”Alchemist Li, a pleasure to meet you, I currently can’t leave, what brings you to my door?”

Li Ji’an nodded: ”I apologize for disturbing you, Fellow Daoist Gou. At the end of the month, I sincerely invite various Fellow Daoists to Xiaoqing at my residence. Would you have time?”

After speaking, he delivered the invitation and a porcelain bottle containing a Pill Medicine to the puppet’s hand.

”Alchemist Li is too kind, Gou will definitely attend.” The puppet accepted the invitation and the porcelain bottle, cupping its hands in salute.

”Then I shall await your presence. Farewell.”

As the door closed, a trace of envy appeared in Li Ji’an’s eyes.

When he had just moved here six months prior, Steward Qi had asked whether he needed to recruit maidservants to manage the residence.

After all, the residence was very large, complete with pavilions and water kiosks, and it contained many flowers, grasses, and trees, which required significant effort to manage.

But to prevent revealing his hidden abilities, Li Ji’an had refused.

At this moment, seeing the wooden puppet in Gou Puppet Master’s mansion, he was quite envious.

He had even conceived the feasibility of having Rejuvenation guarded by puppets.

However, the Puppet path was too scarce; having lived in Immortal City for over a decade, he had yet to encounter any heritage of puppets for sale.

So now, he could only pin his hopes on this Gou Puppet Master.

Following the same approach, visits to the eight mansions in the core talent area were completed, all met with affirmative responses.

Including Alchemist Zou from the first mansion, perhaps due to the last time Li Ji’an addressed him as Master Zou, he was very enthusiastic this time, even promising that if Li Ji’an couldn’t complete a transaction in the future, he could come to him.

Besides these neighbors, Li Ji’an also sent a Communication Talisman to Xiao Changfeng, informing him of this matter, but received no reply.

After going through Foundation Establishment two years ago, Xiao Changfeng was assigned by the Sect and hadn’t been heard from since, unsurprisingly.

Lastly, he entrusted Steward Qi to send someone to Liu Family’s station within Immortal City with an invitation, fulfilling his promise made to Liu Jiuqian during Foundation Establishment.

As for Nine Tripods Commerce Association, since all Commerce Associations in Immortal City had agreements with Biyun Sect not to interfere with local affairs or get involved in local cultivation matters, such an event was not suitable for their participation.

On the day of the end of the month,

To Li Ji’an’s surprise, besides the invited guests, many uninvited guests also arrived.

Among the dozen guests, five were Foundation Establishment Wanderers, the rest were from some Foundation Establishment Clans within Cangyun State, with clear intentions to establish Pill Medicine transactions.

Each visitor brought gifts, and the one Li Ji’an cared most about, Gou Puppet Master, did not disappoint, gifting him a basic, simplified puppet along with its Puppet Control Technique.

Such basic puppets have no combat power, only able to perform miscellaneous tasks, but the cost isn’t low, with material expenses reaching dozens of Spirit Stones, plus needing Spirit Stones as an energy source.

However, their utility was less than that of ordinary beings in a gathering area, so there’s essentially no market.

This is also the reason why Puppet Masters are so scarce; it’s impossible to sustain oneself solely through their craft.

Liu Jiuqian had the highest status among all guests, youngest Foundation Establishment Elder of the Five Great Clans, further known for his outstanding appearance, charisma, and networking skills with many True Disciples from the Sect.

His gift was the heaviest, a bottle of Spirit Beast Essence Blood with Upper Grade bloodline.

It is an essential auxiliary ingredient for refining certain early second-tier Pill Medicine.

He also expressed a clear intention this time; as the clan’s Honored Alchemist was nearing the end of his lifespan, apart from regular transactions of Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation elixirs in the future, they hoped to collaborate with the clan’s Beast Pill Pill Masters to develop some special Beast Pills.

This piqued Li Ji’an’s interest somewhat.

However, Liu Jiuqian seemingly looked down upon the class of Li Ji’an’s Xiaoqing, handing over the gift and having exchanged greetings, and then was the first to leave.

After his departure, the exchanges among the remaining attendees were a bit more relaxed.

Ultimately, they exchanged Communication Talismans and ended in Perfection.

This marked the complete stabilization of Li Ji’an.

With the Alchemy skill capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills, a skill only senior second-tier Pill Masters possess, and Little Fire Spirit whose Pill Fire rivals second-tier middle stage, his success rate and quality of refined early second-tier Pill Medicine far surpasses ordinary second-tier Pill Masters.

By opening the furnace six times a month, he can earn five hundred Spirit Stones, completely meeting the needs for cultivation and living.

Leaving him more time and energy to research talismans.

A year quickly passed.

”Poof~” On this day, as the last transaction was about to conclude, a wisp of green smoke mercilessly rose.

This year, the inheritance of Second Tier Talisman is basically well understood.

Regarding the strokes, sketches, fusion of the divine soul, and even sensing the Heaven and Earth Spirit Mechanism, it’s almost mastered.

However, the only issue is that the thick and long-lasting magical power required for drawing Second Tier Talismans is still somewhat insufficient.

For now, for some simple Second Tier initial talismans it’s fine, but once it involves slightly more complex attack, defense, and similar talismans, the magical power can be a hindrance, leading to a lower success rate.

Materials for a single Second Tier early stage talisman cost over a hundred spirit stones, and since starting practice three months ago, there’s been nearly monthly losses.

This time, another loss of one talisman.

”I still need to rely on the Law Storage Pill!” Li Ji’an adjusted his breath for several hours, having no choice but to take an early-stage Pill Medicine to nourish magical power.

This pill can extend dantian magical power by thirty percent, effectively improving magic power durability.

”Swish~” With a flash of lightning, this time it finally succeeded.

A Second Tier early-stage Thunder Talisman, Upper Grade, with the power of a full strike of early Foundation Establishment Stage thunder attribute magical power, it has a strong restraint effect on gold element magical power.

This is the third successful crafting of a Second Tier attack talisman in a year.

Additionally, there’s one Moon Blade Talisman and one Golden Cone Talisman.

With these three talismans, if caught off guard against cultivators like Zheng Tianxiang of the early Foundation Establishment Stage, there is a chance to kill with one blow.

Putting away the new trump card, Li Ji’an glanced at the Fire Spirit beside him.

This past year, whenever he took out that Inheritance Jade Talisman to study, the Little Fire Spirit would be attracted to it, often staying on it to absorb its aura.

Eventually, Li Ji’an determined that it was likely the magical power aura of that ancient Elder Shen contained within the Jade Talisman that benefited it.

”Alright, the aura is now consumed. Go back to your stone.” Li Ji’an waved his hand to put away the Inheritance Jade Talisman, then flicked his hand to throw the Fire Spirit onto the stone obtained from beneath Flame Mountain back in the day.

According to the Fire Spirit itself, it was probably nurtured and born from this stone.

Yet, since returning that year, Li Ji’an has researched all the materials he could find.

None had deeper descriptions of Fire Element Holy Spirits, let alone stones capable of birthing Fire Element Holy Spirits, which were unheard of.

Over the years, he has studied this basin-sized black-red stone multiple times, with no results.

Only half a year ago did he realize that his current dantian magical power could no longer nourish the Fire Spirit, so he took it out for the Fire Spirit to reside on.

The Fire Spirit residing there has a restorative effect.

”Uncle Li, Sister Hua is here again.” At this moment, Xiaoqiao’s voice came from outside.

Upon hearing this, Li Ji’an’s eyelids slightly twitched but he ultimately stood up and left the secret chamber.

Entering the main hall, he immediately saw the robust figure like that of an iron mountain.

It was indeed the Artifact Refiner from the next door, Hua Hongling.

A year ago, Xiaoqing, the first time he met Hua Hongling, was somewhat surprised.

She is two years younger than Li Ji’an and had already established her Foundation ten years prior, largely because she had shown exceptional talent in artifact refining from a young age, and she is not strictly a loose cultivator since she was taken in by her master from a young age.

Her master is also a late Second Tier Artifact Refiner, quite famous in Celestial Origin Province.

With considerable means, her master provided Hua Hongling with very good cultivation conditions.

For reasons unknown, she was sent here, becoming a well-regarded Artifact Refiner within Immortal City.

However, she is famously ill-tempered; once a client was dissatisfied with a commissioned Magical Artifact and was chased by her wielding a hammer for most of Immortal City, only stopped by the intervention of a Fake Pill Elder from Biyun Sect.

When Li Ji’an first moved here, Steward Qi specifically warned him about her.

Yet, in just one year.

”Brother Li, did I disturb you?” Seeing Li Ji’an arrive, she immediately trotted over to greet him.

The ground shook as she moved.

Li Ji’an hurriedly stopped her: ”No disturbance, no disturbance, Fellow Daoist Hua, what brings you here?”

”It’s just about that thing.” Hua Hongling showed a hint of shyness.

Li Ji’an took a deep breath: ”Fellow Daoist Hua, previously I have stated, our interactions should be sincere and candid, just be as you are usually, please don’t do this.”

”To be honest, regarding the type of Pill Medicine Fellow Daoist Hua seeks, I really have no ideas, and I am afraid to disappoint you.”

Initially, Hua Hongling also had a temperamental demeanor towards Li Ji’an; at the start when Li Ji’an wanted to purchase a self-defense Magical Artifact, she was irritable.

It wasn’t until half a year ago when a female cultivator brought her own herbs and asked Li Ji’an to help refine a furnace of Bone Changing Pills that Hua Hongling’s attitude drastically changed.

She has been persistently asking Li Ji’an if he could help her make a pill to shrink her body these past months, for which she promised to craft a top-grade Magical Artifact for him.