Pill Alliance

Chen Sheng had gained some experience in long-distance travel.

After passing through several mortal nations, crossing endless yellow sands, the journey remained peaceful and uneventful.

A month later.

Chen Sheng successfully arrived near the Immortal City.

Fenghua Immortal City.

The towering city stretched for hundreds of miles, like an ancient beast crouching upon the earth.

A visible, ever-flowing halo of light enveloped the city walls.

This was a third-grade grand formation!

Such grandeur was not the least bit inferior to Linglong.

The city regulations were strict; no one was permitted to fly at high altitude without special authorization.

Chen Sheng controlled the Azure Cloud Shuttle and began descending slowly from a mile outside the Immortal City.

He then followed the long stream of people into the city in an orderly manner.

Fenghua Immortal City.

Thousand Stars Workshop, at a tavern.

Chen Sheng listened as a Qi Refinement Early-stage waiter who worked as a Know-It-All introduced the city's circumstances to him.

People like this had spent years moving about the city and were well-informed, which was why they dared take on this kind of business.

"The Immortal City has a total of one hundred and eight workshops: thirty-six inner workshops and seventy-two outer workshops."

"The seventy-two outer workshops enjoy first-grade Spiritual Veins and are mostly inhabited by Qi Refinement cultivators."

"The thirty-six inner workshops enjoy second-grade Spiritual Veins and contain the shops and cave abodes of Foundation Establishment seniors."

Chen Sheng nodded lightly upon hearing this, then asked about several other matters.

Such as the distribution of various factions, gathering points for commonly used supplies, public security, and regulations...

The waiter was extremely familiar with these matters and answered in a clear, organized fashion.

He even threw in many minor details for free.

For example, which areas had the most mortals, where Talismans and Weapons were sold at the fairest prices, and the key locations patrolled by the Guard Team...

Chen Sheng took a sip of tea, his gaze thoughtful.

He had gained a preliminary understanding of this Immortal City.

"Not bad."

Chen Sheng nodded and casually flicked out two Low-grade Spirit Stones that glimmered faintly.

The waiter caught them with quick hands. His smile bloomed like a chrysanthemum as he repeatedly bowed.

"Oh! Thank you for the reward, Senior! You're truly generous!"

After leaving the tavern.

Chen Sheng planned to leave Thousand Stars Workshop.

This workshop ranked at the very bottom among the seventy-two workshops.

Only several branches of first-grade low-tier Spiritual Veins ran beneath the ground.

Most of the people here were Qi Refinement cultivators in the early or middle stages, supporting their families through small businesses.

There were also annex residences belonging to great clans, where they settled collateral family members without Spirit Roots so they could live in peace and prosperity.

Chen Sheng had come for cultivation.

Though he had only just arrived.

He still needed to extricate himself from this barren outer district as quickly as possible and find a true place for cultivation.

He walked through the streets of Thousand Stars Workshop amid a bustling crowd.

The shops on both sides mostly sold low-grade pills, crude Talismans, and unremarkable Dharma Artifact blanks.

Chen Sheng even saw several schools, from which came the sounds of mortal children reciting scriptures.

This was vastly different from the outskirts of Linglong Immortal City, which were almost entirely filled with Rogue cultivators risking their lives or Monster Hunting Teams.

Chen Sheng compared the differences between the two in his heart and quickly came to understand.

"Compared to Linglong, Fenghua Immortal City is far more inclusive. Even mortals live here."

"This is also related to the environment. Linglong backs onto the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, where bloodshed and opportunity fill every corner."

"It draws powerful Rogue cultivators from all over, who come here to hunt demons, seek pills, and climb toward higher realms."

"If someone weak dared go to Linglong, they would probably be devoured without even leaving a scrap of skin before reaching the city."

"Fenghua Immortal City, on the other hand, lies right under Qinghua Sect's nose."

"It is more like a massive ecosystem carefully planned and managed in layers by Qinghua Sect."

"The upper layer absorbs nourishment, the middle layer maintains operations, and the bottom layer contributes labor and basic resources."

"Under the powerful constraints of the sect's will, it maintains a relatively stable order."

"It is rather similar to Thousand Mechanisms Workshop. Both belong to Qinghua."

Thinking this.

Chen Sheng smiled faintly.

"Stability is good. Stability is good!"

"I like stability!"

Chen Sheng did not expect to soar to the heavens in a single leap.

As long as he could accumulate steadily, that was enough.

Jiuhua Workshop.

It ranked firmly among the top three of the seventy-two workshops.

Several first-grade high-tier Spiritual Veins lay underground, along with a faint branch of a second-grade low-tier Spiritual Vein.

The spiritual energy density far surpassed that of Thousand Stars Workshop.

The streets were visibly wider and cleaner.

The Guard Team was stronger, and patrols were more frequent.

The cultivators here were generally at Qi Condensation Sixth or Seventh Level and above.

There was no shortage of Qi Condensation Perfection cultivators.

At this moment.

The one guiding Chen Sheng was a formally registered middle-aged Broker from Jiuhua Workshop, at Qi Condensation Seventh Level.

He wore a smile and appeared very professional.

They were inspecting cave abodes!

Chen Sheng had not been particularly satisfied with any of the cave abodes they had viewed earlier.

Until this one.

The cave abode was located on a northwestern street.

The Spiritual Vein node was of exceptional quality.

The instant Chen Sheng stepped inside, dense and pure fire and earth spiritual energy rushed toward him.

The interior was spacious, with a Quiet Room for cultivation and the beginnings of an Alchemy Room, which could be arranged as he pleased.

Chen Sheng circulated his spiritual sense and carefully examined the direction and intensity of the Spiritual Vein node's flow. Gradually, he was moved.

The Broker observed his expression. Seeing Chen Sheng linger for so long, he hurriedly began praising the place.

"Fellow Daoist truly has a sharp eye. This Spiritual Vein lies at the convergence of several Spiritual Veins. Its spiritual energy can be called top-notch, fully comparable to a somewhat inferior cave abode in the inner city."

"If Fellow Daoist is willing to rent it, it will only cost three hundred Spirit Stones a year. That is absolutely a fair price!"

The Broker held up three fingers, his face wearing an expression that said, "You've stumbled upon a huge bargain."

Chen Sheng nodded lightly.

Although he felt the price was not expensive.

A bargain still had to be struck.

He quickly began picking faults with practiced words.

In the end, they settled on a price.

Two hundred and twenty Spirit Stones per year, rented for ten years straight!

Not long after.

The money and property changed hands.

Chen Sheng entered his own cave abode.

It was quite large, comparable to a luxurious residence in the mortal world.

"The spiritual energy here is sufficient for cultivation before Foundation Establishment!"

Chen Sheng was very satisfied and even named the cave abode with great interest.

—Heart-Seeking Hall!

He then casually patted his Storage Bag.

He took out a Formation Disk and Formation Flags.

He set up a formation in the cave abode's Core Area.

Not long after.

The cave abode's core cultivation area became shrouded in clouds and mist, while the spiritual energy gathered even more densely.

Chen Sheng waved a Formation Flag and adjusted the place where the spiritual energy converged.

He shook his head, somewhat dissatisfied.

"This middle-grade formation is still lacking. The Immortal City has more channels; I should be able to buy a better formation."

"In a few days, I'll replace it with a high-grade formation."

Thinking this.

Chen Sheng immediately sat cross-legged on a Cattail Mat and began his cultivation for the day.

Four hours later.

Only when he felt a faint swelling pain in his meridians did Chen Sheng stop.

His spiritual sense sank into his Storage Bag as he began taking stock of his possessions.

A lifetime of one hundred years.

Chen Sheng had not lived it idly.

Even after deducting daily expenses and the cultivation needs of his family's Juniors...

Over time.

He had accumulated an astonishing amount of wealth.

"The Dharma Artifacts from my previous life are sufficient. I do not have many daily cultivation pills left and need to replenish them."

"More than three thousand Spirit Stones were spent on the Spirit Gathering Array during my more than twenty years of seclusion."

"I just paid another two thousand Spirit Stones to rent this cave abode."

"I have twenty-one thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones remaining. I can buy one Foundation Establishment spirit item."

Chen Sheng nodded lightly.

"With my aptitude, one Foundation Establishment spirit item may not be enough to ensure success."

"It would be best if I also had a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"I still need to make money!"

In the blink of an eye, another half month passed.

Heart-Seeking Hall.

A brand-new Formation Disk replaced the old one.

Chen Sheng's ten fingers formed Hand Seals in rapid succession.

His mana linked to the Formation Flag nodes with the precision of threads.

Buzz—!

Pale red and bluish-white spiritual light instantly filled the entire cave abode like a thin veil, eventually turning into faint clouds and mist.

A powerful Spirit Gathering vortex formed within.

It further purified and restrained the already dense spiritual energy of the cave abode, ultimately gathering it in the cultivation chamber.

From the outside, it merely appeared wreathed in mist, yet killing intent was concealed within, containing the force of wind and fire hidden in the fog.

"Wind-Fire Revolving Array."

A high-grade composite formation.

It possessed the four great functions of killing, trapping, defense, and Spirit Gathering.

Chen Sheng sold his previous formation.

Then added another fifteen hundred Spirit Stones before finally purchasing it.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"This formation is sufficient for now!"

"When my cultivation is higher in the future, I can find a higher-grade Formation Disk to replace it."

Several days later.

The reception hall of Heart-Seeking Hall.

The clouds and mist of the Wind-Fire Revolving Array enveloped the entire cave abode, carrying an inscrutable air that discouraged prying.

The fragrance of Spiritual Tea drifted through the hall.

The three neighbors came by at his invitation, two men and one woman.

Gu Taohua, Qi Condensation Eighth Layer, a Mid-grade Formation Master. Widowed early, she had a young daughter, Gu Caiju, and ran a shop.

Wang Juhui, Qi Condensation Eighth Layer, a High-grade Talisman Master. She was alone and often frequented places of vice, cooperating with several shops.

Li Rulong, Qi Condensation Perfection, City Guard Captain. He too came from a minor clan, with his wife and daughter still living in the clan.

Over the course of their interactions,

Chen Sheng revealed his identity as a High-grade Alchemist. Young as he was, he had already reached the Qi Condensation Late-stage, and his future was boundless.

All three intended to befriend him.

Chen Sheng also wanted to become more familiar with these local powerholders. Only by building a network and exchanging what they had could information channels flow more freely.

Wang Juhui was enthusiastic:

"Daoist Chen, you are so young, yet you are already a First-grade High-grade Alchemist. How disrespectful of me, how disrespectful!"

Chen Sheng, meanwhile, praised her skill with talismans:

"Master Wang of Jiuhua Workshop is the truly renowned one."

Wang Juhui waved her hand, the corners of her lips unconsciously lifting.

"Not at all, not at all."

Gu Taohua smiled warmly.

"The formation around Daoist Chen's cave abode seems quite extraordinary."

"If you ever need a Formation Disk nurtured or improved, why not discuss it with me?"

Chen Sheng smiled lightly.

"Certainly, certainly."

After some idle conversation, they gradually grew more familiar.

Li Rulong asked casually,

"Could Daoist Chen perhaps be a descendant of the Lanri Chen Clan?"

Chen Sheng waved a hand.

"I merely have mortal blood ties. I am a collateral branch of a collateral branch, not even recorded in the clan genealogy. I cannot be considered a Chen Clan descendant."

Gu Taohua immediately chimed in.

"Daoist Chen is too modest. No matter how distant the connection, blood cannot be severed. In the end, you are still kin."

"With talent like yours, if you wish to return to your ancestral roots one day, all you need do is send word in. Would you really need to fear that no elder of the main branch would value you?"

Wang Juhui nodded in agreement.

"Exactly!"

"It is good to be a child of a great clan. You can casually speak with Foundation Establishment seniors."

"When it comes time to advance, you will enjoy every advantage."

Though Li Rulong said nothing from the side, his eyes showed that he held a similar view.

In an Immortal City with such rigid hierarchies, the halo of a great clan naturally came with convenience and intimidation.

Chen Sheng wore a humble smile but said nothing, allowing them to speculate as they pleased.

The Chen Clan's Tiger Skin was still quite intimidating!

However,

based on the information Chen Sheng had gathered from various places over this period,

his thinking had changed drastically from before.

Now,

Chen Sheng did not want to deal with the "main branch of the Lanri Chen Clan."

There were several reasons for this.

First: the Chen Clan's rules were strict, its control harsh, and it placed supreme importance on Spirit Root aptitude.

Second: the Chen Clan excessively exploited collateral descendants, emphasizing "dedication" while devoting all resources to cultivating a few Dao Seeds.

Third: the Chen Clan's False Core Ancestor was nearing the end of his lifespan. He had only thirty to fifty years left before passing away.

Lastly, and most importantly,

—Chen Sheng had a better choice!

The Fenghua Alchemy Alliance.

An organization personally founded by Daoist Longxu, Hall Master of Qinghua Sect's Alchemy Hall and a third-tier Grandmaster Alchemist.

It was an affiliated force of the Qinghua Sect, upholding the creed: "Discuss Dao through alchemy, gather materials and nurture talent."

It essentially encompassed every alchemist in the Immortal City.

Its management was far looser than that of a sect, and far fairer than that of a clan!

The Pill Alliance offered a relatively complete path of "advancement."

Within the Pill Alliance,

members could exchange "contribution points" for more profound technical inheritances, Pill Formulas...

If they were exceptionally outstanding,

they could even use this as a stepping stone to join the Qinghua Sect's Alchemy Hall.

During this period,

Chen Sheng considered his foremost goal,

as well as his corresponding advantages.

His thoughts gradually became clear:

"My foremost goal now is to advance to Foundation Establishment."

"Of my three talents, my Low-grade Spiritual Root is unfavorable for advancement and can only hold me back."

"The other two are beneficial."

"Alchemy in particular. My talent for alchemy has greatly increased, and I also possess nearly a century of alchemy experience from my previous life. It can be called my greatest advantage."

"I must magnify this advantage."

"The Pill Alliance is the best choice. It can maximize the value of my Way of Alchemy and convert it into Foundation Establishment resources."