Bashui Immortal City

Zhou Er (he) thought clearly about his future plans and decided to search for useful items in Jiaolu Market, hoping to find some useful attributes.

Jiaolu Market opened every two days, and tomorrow was the day the market would be open.

The next day, Zhou Er headed to the market.

The market was located at the junction of the inner and outer city districts. Most of it was selling demonic beast meat, with a few scattered shops, all belonging to the Lu Family.

Inside, there were shops selling pills, talismans, and one selling artifacts.

Zhou Er walked into the shop selling artifacts. Inside, there were only artifact fragments and low-grade artifacts. Mid-grade artifacts and above were put away.

"Fellow Daoist, what would you like to buy?"

A man in the Qi Refining Mid-stage greeted him. This person was from the Lu Family.

"I'm just looking around."

Zhou Er (he) said, and then he saw an Antler Bow.

[Antler Bow: A bow made from the antlers of a Great Horned Deer, capable of withstanding up to Two Thousand Jin of force.]

[Equipping grants the attribute: Arm Strength Doubling.]

[Arm Strength Doubling: Doubles the strength of the arms.]

[Solidification Condition: Archery Mastery.]

[Equip?]

"This is a specialty of our Jiaolu Market, the Antler Bow, made from the antlers of a Great Horned Deer. Although this Antler Bow is not ranked, it is much more powerful than ordinary mortal bows and arrows."

The man from the artifact shop explained.

"Then it shouldn't be expensive!"

Zhou Er (he) said.

After all, it wasn't an artifact, so it shouldn't cost hundreds of Spirit Stones.

"It's not expensive, it only costs thirty Spirit Stones."

The man said with a smile.

"I'll look at other things."

Zhou Er (he) nodded and saw another item.

A deerskin armor.

[Deerhide Armor: Leather armor made from the hide of a Great Horned Deer.]

[Equipping grants the attribute: Tough Skin.]

[Tough Skin: When in a defensive stance, your skin becomes as tough as deerhide.]

[Solidification Condition: Withstand three thousand moderately intense attacks.]

[Equip?]

This leather armor is also good, it can increase defense.

"How many Spirit Stones for this Deerhide Armor?"

Zhou Er asked.

"This Deerhide Armor is cheap, only twenty Spirit Stones."

The man held up two fingers.

Fifty Spirit Stones in total, one hundred and fifty First-grade Talismans.

"Do you accept talismans?"

Zhou Er asked.

"Of course, we do."

The man nodded.

Zhou Er took out five stacks of talismans from his Storage Bag. They were all Fireball Talismans, thirty per stack, for a total of one hundred and fifty.

Seeing the talismans, the man immediately recognized Zhou Er's identity.

"Senior must be Cang Er, the Talisman Master!"

"Yes!"

Zhou Er nodded.

"Since Talisman Master Cang is gracing us with his presence, I must give Talisman Master Cang some gifts, otherwise the Patriarch will surely blame me."

The man immediately went into the back room and found some Tung Oil, and a bag of arrows.

"Talisman Master Cang, this Tung Oil is for maintaining the Antler Bow and Deerhide Armor. These are Wolf-Tooth Arrows, made from the fangs of a Bright Moon Wolf, and they can easily pierce the hides of most First-grade Demonic Beasts."

There were five Wolf-Tooth Arrows in total. Judging by their appearance, they were indeed extraordinary.

"Thank you, Shopkeeper!"

Zhou Er said gratefully.

Afterward, he thought that if he wanted to solidify the attributes of the Antler Bow, he would need to master archery first, so he asked:

"Does the Shopkeeper know anyone in Jiaolu Market with excellent archery skills?"

"There are many people with excellent archery skills in our Jiaolu Market. Our Lu Family's Third Elder, Lu Changgeng, and Wang Tao from the outer city are both very good at archery."

The man recommended two people.

Jiaolu Market was located in the mountains and forests, and there were often people with excellent archery skills.

"Does the Shopkeeper know where Wang Tao lives?"

Zhou Er asked.

The Lu Family's Third Elder was not easy to invite.

"This, I naturally know."

The Shopkeeper pointed the way for Zhou Er.

Zhou Er obtained the Deerhide Armor and the Antler Bow. After equipping them at home, he immediately followed the direction indicated by the shopkeeper of the magic item store and found Wang Tao's home.

However, Wang Tao was not at home. According to a neighbor, he had gone hunting and would likely return in three to five days.

Seeing this, Zhou Er could only return home and visit again in a few days.

The Antler Bow could not be rushed for now, but the attributes of the Deerhide Armor could be started.

[Deerhide Armor: Leather armor made from the hide of a Great Horned Deer.]

[Equipping grants the attribute: Tough Skin.]

[Tough Skin: When in a defensive stance, can make the skin as tough as deerhide.]

[Solidification Condition: Endure three thousand attacks of moderate intensity.]

Enduring attacks seemed to require cooperation, but Zhou Er could complete it alone.

The force of action is mutual. When Zhou Er hit the sandbag and the tree stump, he also felt the recoil force.

Thus, he went outside Jiaolu Market, found a Crooked Neck Big Tree, clenched his fists, and punched it repeatedly, with increasing force. The tree also vibrated more and more violently.

[Tough Skin: When in a defensive stance, can make the skin as tough as deerhide.]

[Solidification Condition: Endure three thousand attacks of moderate intensity. (1/3000)]

Seeing that the solidification progress had begun to increase, Zhou Er stopped increasing the force and continued to beat the tree according to this pace.

After pounding it hundreds of times, Zhou Er's knuckles began to ooze blood.

At this moment, Zhou Er circulated the Water Healing Technique, consuming spiritual energy to heal the small wound. After healing, he continued to strike the big tree fiercely.

Three days later, Zhou Er delivered his final punch, and the Crooked Neck Big Tree fell with a crash.

Zhou Er's skin, under the enhancement of qi and blood, became incomparably tough.

When returning to the market, Zhou Er found Wang Tao.

Wang Tao was a silent man, not one to initiate conversation, answering only when asked.

Zhou Er had to speak first:

"Fellow Daoist Wang, I want you to teach me archery. I'll give you ten Fireball Talismans, and you teach me for a day, how about it?"

"Alright!"

Wang Tao nodded. Anyway, the Hunting Team needed a period of rest after hunting Demonic Beasts, so teaching Zhou Er for a day or two wouldn't delay anything.

The next day, the two arrived outside the market and found an open space. Using a large tree as a target, they began practicing archery.

Wang Tao was somewhat shocked to see Zhou Er using Wolf-Tooth Arrows, which were not cheap, just for archery practice. However, he said nothing and taught Zhou Er archery techniques to the best of his ability.

Such as how to hold the bow, feel the wind direction, how to adjust, and so on.

After learning the techniques for a day, Zhou Er no longer asked Wang Tao to teach him, but instead came out to practice by himself.

Although he had learned the techniques, any Skill required countless repetitions until one truly mastered the subtle Details, only then could one achieve great success.

This always required time, and repeated practice, to hone.

Zhou Er then practiced daily, made talismans, and practiced the bow, his life revolving around these three points.

Occasionally, when he carried his Deer Antler Great Bow back, he would visit the market in the town.

Unfortunately, the Cultivators in Jiaolu Market were too poor, and there were no good Items, let alone useful Attributes.

A month later, Zhou Er's Archery Skill reached great success, and he successfully solidified the Arm Strength Doubling Attribute.

Originally, his arm strength was already close to a thousand jin. Now, with the Arm Strength Doubling Attribute, it directly increased to two thousand jin.

Now, even fighting a Fierce Tiger head-on would not be a problem for him.

He now not only mastered many Spells but also possessed an incredibly powerful Physical Body.

Although he hadn't tested his strength, Zhou Er could roughly estimate that ordinary Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators could no longer deal with him.

However, it was not yet time for Zhou Er to be complacent.

Those Foundation Establishment Experts (he) who projected their Spiritual Sense outwards, and those Golden Core True Persons (he) who condensed Golden Cores, were beings who could crush him with a flick of their fingers.

If that weren't the case, he wouldn't have nervously fled from the Xiayun Sect.

He still needed to seize this time to accumulate strength.

After cultivating for another half a year in Jiaolu Market, Zhou Er broke through to the ninth level of Qi Refining, reaching the Late-stage Qi Refining.

In the Late-stage Qi Refining, his magic power could circulate throughout his entire body, which was more than a notch faster than the Minor Circulation before.

Moreover, this Full Body Circulation could proceed slowly even without sitting in meditation to cultivate, recovering spiritual power.

Upon reaching Late-stage Qi Refining, his Endurance had increased by more than a notch.

At this point, he could already perform Sword Flight.

Zhou Er didn't have any usable magic artifact Flying Swords on hand, only a Copper Ring. Although he could also use the Ruyi Ring, its speed was ultimately a bit slow and not satisfactory.

However, it was still alright. When his cultivation deepened in the future, he wouldn't even need Flying Swords. He could summon a mass of clouds and ride them, performing Cloud Riding, traveling ten thousand miles a day.

The current Zhou Er clearly couldn't do that.

Having broken through to Late-stage Qi Refining, Zhou Er no longer wanted to linger in Jiaolu Market. The Development Prospects here were too weak, so it was better to leave as soon as possible.

Over this past year, he had also left quite a few Talismans for Jiaolu Market, and he didn't feel he had wronged Jiaolu Market's Nurturing.

As for his destination, Zhou Er had already decided. Three thousand li west of Jiaolu Market, within the Chu State, there was an Immortal City, Bashui Immortal City.

If he continued to stay in Jiaolu Market, he wouldn't even be able to get a Foundation Establishment Pill.

It was better to part on good terms. This time, Zhou Er didn't leave stealthily. Instead, he found Lu Tong and told him about his decision to leave.

"Brother Lu, thank you for taking care of me this past year. I am now in Late-stage Qi Refining and wish to seek an Opportunity for Foundation Establishment, so I naturally cannot stay in Jiaolu Market."

Zhou Er said with a slight regret.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, Xiao Nan and Xiao Yunji have not yet learned the Talisman Making Skill. Why don't you stay a few more years, Fellow Daoist Cang, and teach them before leaving? You can't just give up halfway. My Lu Family is willing to give Fellow Daoist Cang some extra Offering annually."

Lu Tong wanted to persuade him to stay.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, my mind is made up. I did break my promise regarding teaching Lu Nan and Lu Yunji talisman making back then. Xiao Nan does have some Comprehension. I will leave behind some Talisman Making Insights. If Xiao Nan wishes to study them, he can slowly research them by comparing them with the insights. If he has questions, he can ask Elder Chen. Additionally, these Three Hundred Talismans are my compensation."

Zhou Er took out a thick book of Talisman Making Insights and several stacks of Talismans.

Lu Tong looked at the Talismans and understood. He nodded and said:

"Then I will not stop Fellow Daoist Cang anymore."

Lu Tong didn't doubt that the Talismans in Zhou Er's hands were enough to blow up the entire Jiaolu Market.

The Old Ancestor often goes into seclusion. If things got ugly, they wouldn't have absolute confidence in taking down Zhou Er.

Moreover, Zhou Er was considerate. Before leaving, he left behind his Talisman Making Insights and a large batch of Talismans.

Besides leaving Talismans, Zhou Er also exchanged them for One Hundred Spirit Stones.

Zhou Er worried that once he reached Bashui Immortal City, the people there might not accept Talismans anymore, which would be inconvenient for him.

After tidying up his affairs at Jiaolu Market, Zhou Er packed his Luggage and headed towards Bashui Immortal City.

Stepping on his Ruyi Ring, Zhou Er took a little over a day to reach the vicinity of the Immortal City.

Before him lay Wangyue Lake, the largest lake in Chu State.

Bashui Immortal City was situated on a Small Islet in the lake, surrounded by water on all sides. Its City Wall was towering, and the Water Surface was shrouded in Clouds and Mist, making it mysterious and unfathomable.

Zhou Er lingered on the Shore. Just as he was about to fly across the Lake Surface on his Ruyi Ring, a Cultivator stopped him:

"Fellow Daoist, do not attempt to fly across forcefully. The rules of Bashui Immortal City state that cultivators below Foundation Establishment are not allowed to fly near the Immortal City."

Zhou Er looked at the Young Cultivator sitting not far away.

This person was at the Qi Refining Mid-stage and had a Foxtail Grass in his mouth.

"Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist. My name is Cang Er. I wish to go to Bashui Immortal City. If I can't fly across, how am I supposed to Cross this Lake Surface? I can't possibly Swim Across, can I!" Zhou Er said.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, my name is Ye Yichen. From your appearance, you are clearly not from Bashui Immortal City. Wait here with me, and a Ferryman will arrive in less than half an hour," Ye Yichen said, spitting out the Foxtail Grass from his mouth with a smile.

Zhou Er stood on the Shore and waited. During this time, he chatted with Ye Yichen and learned about his background.

He was the Son of a Rogue Cultivator from Bashui Immortal City. His Parents made a living by raising Spirit Fish for the Xie Family, one of the Four Great Families of Bashui Immortal City.

He had recently participated in the Ascension Conference, jointly hosted by the Three Great Immortal Sects of Chu State, but had returned in defeat.

The so-called Ascension Conference was essentially a Disciple Assessment, just phrased more pleasantly.

The reason Ye Yichen participated in the Ascension Conference was, in essence, to Try One's Luck.

If he stayed in Bashui Immortal City, he could only inherit his Parents' Profession and raise fish for the Xie Family.

Young people all have Ambitions and want to Venture Out. If they fail, they can only return in Disgraceful defeat.

As they chatted, a Black Dot swam towards them from the Lake Surface, growing larger and larger.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, the boat has arrived."

Ye Yichen said.

"It only costs one spirit stone to go to Bashui Immortal City, don't give him too much."

Before the boat arrived, Ye Yichen instructed.

There was more than just Bashui Immortal City as a force in the lake; there were also over a dozen large and small families settled on small islands in the lake, surviving on the resources of Wangyue Lake.

Zhou Er nodded and took out the spirit stones in advance.

Before long, an old man wearing a straw cape and hat stopped in front of the two.

"Where are you two going?"

The old man asked.

"Xie Family Fishery."

Ye Yichen said. The fishery was not within the immortal city, but on a small island under the jurisdiction of the Xie family. It was a bit farther away and required two spirit stones.

"Bashui Immortal City."

Zhou Er took out one spirit stone as Ye Yichen had instructed.

"You're closer, I'll take you to Bashui Immortal City first."

The old man said.

The old man's ferry boat was made of a special material and possessed spirituality, seemingly a magical artifact.

He hadn't felt it from afar, but now that he was on the boat, Zhou Er clearly felt that the boat's speed was extremely fast.

Sitting on the boat gave Zhou Er the feeling of speeding in a cruise ship.

Before long, Zhou Er arrived at the small continent where Bashui Immortal City was located.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, perhaps we will meet again when I come to the immortal city another day!"

Ye Yichen did not disembark and waved goodbye to Zhou Er from the boat.

"There will be plenty of time!"

Zhou Er also said with a smile.

Afterward, Zhou Er walked towards Bashui Immortal City.

The city wall of the immortal city was dozens of meters high, magnificent and imposing.

As soon as they reached the city gate, two practitioners wearing blue and white uniforms flew down from the city wall on their swords and said:

"Who goes there? Entry requires an inspection."

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.