The Hometown Reunion

After buying two bottles of Qi Nurturing Pills, Li Chang'an left the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

He returned to his room.

He poured out a round pill and swallowed it.

The dense Spiritual Energy dissolved and spread through his limbs and bones in an instant.

Li Chang'an immediately circulated his Cultivation Method.

About fifteen minutes later.

He slowly exhaled, sensed the growth of his Mana, and sighed from the bottom of his heart.

"Resources are truly far too important on the path of cultivation."

A single pill could replace a long period of bitter cultivation!

If he had possessed pills to assist him over the past ten years, he might have broken through to the Mid Qi Refining stage long ago!

Over the next half month.

Li Chang'an sometimes used pills to aid his cultivation and sometimes practiced Talisman Drawing.

As time passed, his Talisman Crafting grew increasingly mature.

He almost never failed anymore.

"It should be time to try drawing a Premium Grade Talisman."

Li Chang'an pondered.

Talismans were divided into ordinary and Premium Grade.

The Talismans he had drawn before were all of ordinary quality, which was why Shopkeeper Qian had judged them to be "average."

The power contained in Premium Grade Talismans was greater than that of ordinary Talismans, and their prices were also much higher.

Li Chang'an regulated his breathing and rested for a while.

Just as he was preparing to try.

Xu Fugui suddenly arrived.

After this period of recuperation, his injuries had already recovered considerably.

He had come to tell Li Chang'an some news.

"Big Brother Li, have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"That fellow Chu Daniu sure is lucky. He actually obtained the Legacy of a Low-grade Skill!"

"Oh?"

Li Chang'an was slightly stunned. It seemed he was not the only one with good luck.

That was normal enough.

Everyone had their own opportunities.

"What kind of Legacy?"

"The Legacy of Spirit Wine Brewing."

Brewing wine was considered an intermediate art among the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.

Spirit Wine was not a necessity for cultivators.

Although it could not compare with Talismans, it was still quite good.

After all, not everyone could obtain the Legacy of a skill.

Xu Fugui was extremely envious.

He also longed for a skill, but he had always sought one without success.

"By the way, Big Brother Li, we've been in the Marketplace for ten years now. Chu Daniu invited several of us Hometown Fellows to get together. He said he would treat us."

"Get together?"

Li Chang'an thought for a moment.

He had not gone out in quite some time. It was also time to meet some old friends and strengthen their ties.

Sometimes, one more friend meant one more road forward.

As long as the Hexagram Image was normal, he would go.

"When are we meeting?"

"Tomorrow evening, at the Cloud Arrival Restaurant."

"All right, I know."

After chatting for a while, Xu Fugui said goodbye.

Li Chang'an closed the door.

He took out Talisman Paper and Spirit Ink again and began trying to draw a Premium Grade Talisman.

He concentrated completely, his gaze focused. His arm moved slowly and steadily as he gradually outlined the patterns on the Talisman Paper.

It did not take long.

Li Chang'an stopped and looked at the unfinished product on the table, shaking his head slightly.

"Failed."

He was not discouraged.

After all, it was his first attempt. Both success and failure were within his expectations.

After regulating his breathing for about the time it took an incense stick to burn.

He gripped the Talisman Brush tightly and began his second attempt.

This time.

Everything went smoothly.

"Success!"

The corners of Li Chang'an's lips lifted slightly as he picked up the Talisman on the table.

Premium-grade Frenzied Blade Talisman!

Its power was greater than that of an ordinary Frenzied Blade Talisman.

Although it was still a Low-grade Talisman, it could now pose a slight threat to cultivators in the Mid Qi Refining stage.

Li Chang'an had no intention of selling this kind of Talisman for now. After all, the Spirit Stones he obtained from selling ordinary Talismans were already enough to satisfy his basic cultivation needs.

He planned to keep the Premium Grade Talismans for his own use for the time being.

"I need to create a complete set of Premium Grade Talismans, mainly covering offense, defense, and escape."

Li Chang'an had already made plans.

At present, he had a complete set of ordinary Talismans on him. His combat strength was far greater than before, making him exceptionally powerful among Rogue Cultivators in the early Qi Refining stage.

Once the complete set of Premium Grade Talismans took shape.

Even if he faced a cultivator in the Mid Qi Refining stage, he would have some confidence.

Of course.

Unless absolutely necessary, he would never fight someone above his level.

"Fighting and killing isn't good. If I really have to fight, I'll bully someone whose cultivation is lower than mine—preferably much lower."

Li Chang'an thought to himself.

After regulating his breathing for a moment.

He continued moving his brush and began drawing the next Talisman.

Time slowly passed.

Before he knew it, another day had reached the Midnight Hour.

The Hexagram Image refreshed.

It still displayed "Neutral," neither trouble nor fortune.

"Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any major problem."

Li Chang'an relaxed and planned to attend the gathering tomorrow evening.

The following day, toward evening.

The Cloud Arrival Restaurant, private room on the second floor.

Li Chang'an arrived on time.

Including him, only four people were attending the gathering.

The other three were Xu Fugui, Chu Daniu, and Sun Yulan. All of them came from the same Mortal Kingdom.

In fact, there had originally been more than four. Several others had passed away because of various misfortunes.

"Only ten years into cultivation, and more than half of my old friends have already withered away."

Li Chang'an let out a quiet sigh.

The Cultivation World was rife with danger. One never knew whether tomorrow or an accident would arrive first.

As they spoke of their departed friends, all four were filled with emotion.

Afterward.

They began discussing their current circumstances.

Originally, the four of them had been more or less alike.

But now.

With a skill to rely on, Chu Daniu was no longer an ordinary Rogue Cultivator.

The topic of conversation gradually centered on Chu Daniu.

"Da Niu, I'm truly envious of you!"

Xu Fugui spoke sincerely.

If nothing unexpected happened, the gap between them would only grow wider in the future.

"I was merely lucky."

Chu Daniu smiled calmly.

He had originally been a farmer's son.

Ten years ago, Li Chang'an had led Xu Fugui and the others in seeking the path to immortality. They had passed through the village where he lived.

He had resolutely decided to join their quest for immortality. In the end, his wish had come true: he became a cultivator, an Immortal exalted high above the Mortal World in the eyes of ordinary people.

Now that he possessed a skill as well, his status had surpassed that of an ordinary Rogue Cultivator.

His temperament was also quite different from before. His words and actions carried a little more composure.

"Da Niu, you'll have to look after us more in the future!"

The only woman among the four, Sun Yulan, said with a light laugh.

She had originally been a fisherman's daughter.

Back then, because of her outstanding looks, she had caught the eye of a local tyrant.

The tyrant wanted to marry her, but when she refused, he prepared to force himself on her.

At that critical moment.

Li Chang'an happened to pass by. Seeing what was happening, he stepped in and killed the tyrant with three punches!

After that.

She had also joined the group seeking immortality and come with them to the Marketplace, where she had remained until now.

"Big Brother Chang'an, don't stay cooped up in your room all day. Go outside more often. Perhaps you'll encounter the opportunity meant for you."

Sun Yulan's eyes glimmered as she looked at Li Chang'an, complicated emotions rising in her heart.

Back then.

Li Chang'an had been the Big Brother of them all.

He had always stood at the front, shielding them from wind and rain, leading them over mountains and across ridges, overcoming one difficulty after another, and ultimately helping every one of them find their Immortal Destiny.

At that time, Li Chang'an's image in her heart had been extraordinarily tall.

It had seemed that there was nothing in this world he could not accomplish.

As for Li Chang'an.

She had always harbored feelings she could neither explain nor make clear.

But now.

Sun Yulan had long since understood.

The all-powerful Big Brother Chang'an in her heart was merely one ordinary Rogue Cultivator among countless others.

The hazy feelings of her youth had gradually been diluted by the passage of time.

Looking at his ordinary appearance, Sun Yulan let out a melancholy sigh inwardly.

"Alas..."

The Li Chang'an of today had already faded into the crowd.

His talent was poor, and he was unwilling to venture outside and take risks. He was destined to achieve little in this life.