Crimson Cloud Immortal City, Guide Bai Qingshuang

Hearing this, Ji Bochang could not help but reveal a bitter smile.

He looked at Ji Haoyuan and said, "That is true, but Haoyuan, have you considered how difficult it would be to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill?

"Leaving aside whether the Ji Family's current Spirit Stone reserves would be sufficient.

"Even if you and I truly managed to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, bringing it back to the family would likely be no simple matter."

Indeed.

A resource like a Foundation Establishment Pill could be considered strategically important no matter where it was found.

Even in a Golden Core Sect such as the Crimson Cloud Sect, ordinary disciples found a single pill harder to obtain than climbing to heaven.

Not to mention outside.

Once someone obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill, Rogue cultivators and others alike would devise every possible means to seize it along the way.

The danger was no less than a life-and-death battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Ji Haoyuan was clearly well aware of this.

But he understood even better that if a person—or a family—wished to break free from hardship and even grow stronger, they had to press forward in the face of adversity.

Above all, they could not lose that sharp spirit of charging bravely onward.

Ji Bochang did not refute him. After thinking carefully for a while, he said:

"If such an opportunity truly arises one day, you and I shall go together.

"In any case, from now on, whatever decision you make, Haoyuan, this old man will give you his full support."

Several days later.

Ji Haoyuan made a trip to the Cloud Iron Ore Vein.

Using the formation materials obtained from those two Demonic Cultivators, together with some of the Earth Spirit Demonic Python's bones, he upgraded the formation there.

He truly raised the formation there to the level of Second Order.

At that point, even if a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator attacked, so long as there were sufficient Spirit Stones, they would find it difficult to breach the formation in a short time.

Ji Haoyuan did not linger long at the Cloud Iron Ore Vein.

After settling matters there, he headed for the largest Immortal City under the jurisdiction of the Crimson Cloud Sect.

Crimson Cloud Immortal City.

Ji Haoyuan had several things to do in Crimson Cloud Immortal City.

First, he needed to dispose of the items on him that he no longer had use for.

Second, he needed to purchase Fire Attribute Spirit Objects to raise his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

He also wished to inquire whether there was any news of Foundation Establishment Pills.

If he could acquire some inheritances related to the Second Order Hundred Arts of Cultivation in the process, that would naturally be even better.

However, things of that sort were like cultivation techniques: ordinary shops rarely sold them.

Everything depended entirely on luck.

"Th-this senior..."

Just as Ji Haoyuan arrived at Crimson Cloud Immortal City, a somewhat cautious voice sounded behind him.

Turning around, he saw a young female cultivator dressed in a water-blue gown. She was lovely in appearance and graceful in figure.

The female cultivator appeared to be around twenty years old and had cultivation at the third level of Qi Refining.

This immediately left him somewhat puzzled.

He did not understand why someone who was clearly a low-level independent cultivator had stopped him.

Perhaps she saw Ji Haoyuan's confusion, or perhaps she feared displeasing a Foundation Establishment senior like him. The instant Ji Haoyuan turned around, the young female cultivator hurriedly said:

"May I ask, Senior, is this your first time in Crimson Cloud Immortal City?

"Do you need a guide?"

"A guide?"

Ji Haoyuan glanced around instinctively.

He discovered that among the crowds passing by, there were indeed quite a few people like this young female cultivator.

Most of them moved among cultivators who had just entered the city.

Yet most of their targets were cultivators in the middle or late Qi Refining stages.

As for someone like this young female cultivator, who had walked right up and called out to a Foundation Establishment cultivator like him, she was currently the only one.

"Um, Senior..."

The young female cultivator quickly continued.

"I am familiar with every aspect of Crimson Cloud Immortal City, and my fee as a guide is not high. Just three—no, just two Spirit Stones will do."

"What is your name?"

Ji Haoyuan did not immediately answer her. Instead, he asked a question.

"My name is Bai Qingshuang. Senior, you can just call me Qingshuang."

The young woman hurriedly replied.

"Bai Qingshuang?"

Ji Haoyuan nodded. Then he took three Spirit Stones from his person and tossed them to her.

"Fine. From now on, you will serve as my guide."

"Yes, yes! Thank you, Senior, thank you, Senior!"

Receiving the three Spirit Stones from Ji Haoyuan, Bai Qingshuang was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed to him.

Some people in the distance, who like Bai Qingshuang also made a living as guides here, saw that a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Ji Haoyuan had actually agreed to let Bai Qingshuang be his guide. Envy could not help but fill their eyes.

Though they had always lived in Crimson Cloud Immortal City and seemed different from cultivators outside.

Only they themselves knew how difficult it was for low-level independent cultivators like them to survive in Crimson Cloud Immortal City.

Unless they were lucky and served their clients well.

The other party might take that into consideration and give them an additional reward.

But no matter how generous such an extra reward might be, it could never compare to serving as a guide for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Even if that Foundation Establishment cultivator ultimately gave no reward at all, as long as one did not displease them, simply having served a Foundation Establishment cultivator would greatly elevate one's standing in this line of work.

Tell me, between a guide who had served a Foundation Establishment cultivator and one who had not, whom would you rather choose as your guide?

"Senior, is there anywhere in particular you would like to go now?"

As they walked along the streets of Crimson Cloud Immortal City, Bai Qingshuang looked at Ji Haoyuan and asked cautiously.

Ji Haoyuan thought for a moment before saying, "Take me somewhere that buys and sells items first.

"By the way, do you know which shop in Crimson Cloud Immortal City has the best reputation?"

"I do, Senior."

Bai Qingshuang nodded repeatedly.

"If Senior wishes to sell or purchase items, Crimson Cloud Treasure Tower and Exquisite Treasure Pavilion are both good choices.

"The former was established by the Crimson Cloud Sect, while the latter is a branch pavilion opened here by the Exquisite Merchant Guild."

"Exquisite Merchant Guild?"

Hearing that name, Ji Haoyuan's heart stirred.

Ji Haoyuan was no stranger to the Exquisite Merchant Guild's great reputation.

More precisely, any cultivator born into a family with a certain degree of status and foundation would not be unfamiliar with the Exquisite Merchant Guild.

It was a merchant guild famed throughout the entire Southern Wasteland Domain.

Its business stretched across numerous powers.

Among them were even Nascent Soul-level powers.

For a merchant guild that could be called such a colossal beast, one could well imagine just how terrifying its foundation was.

Most importantly, the Exquisite Merchant Guild had an excellent reputation, with hardly any negative rumors ever heard about it.

Thinking of this, Ji Haoyuan said to Bai Qingshuang:

"Take me to the Exquisite Treasure Pavilion first."