Eighth Level of Qi Refining

Huang Xiuyun was currently at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and her stall was laid out with several wine pots.

Shen Long never expected that Huang Xiuyun would also come to Yunmeng Mountain; it seemed the Immortal Ascension Assembly had attracted quite a few itinerant Qi Refining cultivators.

"Fellow Daoist, would you like to buy some spirit wine? I have both spirit wine for advancing cultivation and for restoring mana."

Huang Xiuyun said enthusiastically.

Chen Li had brought her to Yunmeng Mountain, hoping she could join a major power and have a better future.

"Fairy Huang, do you have any spirit wine for virility?"

A rough male voice rang out.

Huang Xiuyun looked toward the source of the voice and saw a burly man in a yellow shirt with a full beard. The man carried a long yellow saber on his back, and there were some brown bloodstains on his clothes.

"Su Xiong, if you're buying, buy. If not, don't cause trouble."

A refined-looking young man in white said.

Su Xiong glared at the young man in white and mocked, "Li Xiao, I'm talking to Fairy Huang, what business is it of yours? Fairy Huang isn't anyone to you."

"I just don't like the way you act, is that not allowed?"

Li Xiao retorted.

"I only have spirit wine for restoring mana and advancing cultivation; I don't have anything else."

Huang Xiuyun quickly tried to smooth things over.

Su Xiong was the captain of a monster-hunting team with a cultivation base at the ninth level of Qi Refining, whom Huang Xiuyun could not afford to offend. Li Xiao was an itinerant cultivator at only the seventh level of Qi Refining, so he did not fear Su Xiong.

Su Xiong snorted coldly, said nothing more, and strode away.

"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Li."

Huang Xiuyun expressed her gratitude.

"It's nothing. In the Marketplace, he wouldn't dare act recklessly."

Li Xiao comforted her.

Shen Long paid no attention and strode away, wandering around.

He saw many good things, but he did not make any purchases; he was merely broadening his knowledge and expanding his horizons.

After strolling around the plaza, he returned to the Gathering Immortals Inn.

Shen Long sat cross-legged on the wooden bed and took out a Qi Nourishing Pill, placing it into his mouth.

The medicinal pill melted upon contact, and a surge of spiritual energy rose in his abdomen; he quickly channeled his cultivation technique to refine it.

A nine-story golden pavilion stood with the three large characters "Purple Maple Pavilion" written on its plaque. The main doors were wide open, and several cultivators were entering and exiting.

This was a shop opened by the Chu Clan, selling weapons.

On the ninth floor, Chu Wenbin and a ruddy-faced old man in golden robes sat around a cyan tea table, sipping tea and chatting.

"A wasted trip; just more useless clues."

Chu Wenbin sighed.

"It cannot be called a wasted trip. At the very least, we can rule out that this person is in Qing Prefecture. The ancestor said that as long as we can find this person, no matter the cost, it is worth it."

The old man in golden robes said.

Chu Tianshan, Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

"A lot of cultivators have come to this Immortal Ascension Assembly. The Yang Clan brought quite a few juniors; it seems the competition at this assembly will be even more intense than the last."

Chu Wenbin said with a frown.

The Mystic Yang Sect might have limits on the number of disciples they accept, and the number of recruits varies each year. The more cultivators who participate in the Immortal Ascension Assembly, the greater the competition.

"What is there to fear? Yanran and the others are quite good; joining the Mystic Yang Sect will not be a problem. Whether they can go further depends on them as individuals."

Chu Tianshan said dismissively.

"That is true. I wonder how many good seedlings will appear at this Immortal Ascension Assembly. At the last one, the Mystic Yang Sect received a cultivator with Heaven Spirit Roots. If nothing goes wrong, it will be no problem for that person to reach the Golden Core stage."

Chu Wenbin's face was full of envy.

The Chu Clan only had two clansmen with Dual Spirit Roots, who were being groomed as successors; the Chu Clan had never produced a clansman with Heaven Spirit Roots.

Chu Tianshan nodded and said, "Indeed! The Immortal Ascension Assembly is an opportunity for the five major powers to recruit disciples, and it is also our chance to collect good items. I hope we can collect a few high-year spirit herbs."

More than half a year passed quickly. In a guest room at the Gathering Immortals Inn.

Shen Long sat cross-legged on the wooden bed with his eyes slightly closed, and some blue specks of light drifted about the room.

As he inhaled and exhaled, the blue specks of light seemed to be guided, flowing continuously toward his mouth and nose.

Before long, all the blue specks of light had poured into his body.

Shen Long opened his eyes and let out a long, turbid breath.

"Eighth level of Qi Refining!"

Shen Long's face beamed with joy. It had taken him nearly four years to advance from the seventh level to the eighth, a feat only made possible by consuming several Qi Nourishing Pills; had he relied solely on bitter cultivation, he would not have reached this stage.

With this, Shen Long finally met the requirements to take on an apprentice.

Feeling refreshed by the good news, Shen Long took out the Spirit Control Tower and channeled his mana into it.

A powerful suction force pulled him into the Spirit Control Tower. As he stood beside the Spirit Control Pool, the Iron Tail Scorpion let out an excited hiss, its massive pincers waving incessantly.

Over the past six months, Shen Long had fed it two bottles of Spirit Feeding Pills, yet it remained at the First Rank Middle Stage. Raising spirit insects was simply too expensive.

On second thought, if two bottles of Spirit Feeding Pills were enough to advance it to the First Rank Late Stage, then cultivating spirit insects would be far too easy.

Shen Long took out a blue jade bottle and cast a spell on it. The bottle suddenly glowed with a dazzling blue light, expanding rapidly in size before spewing out a stream of blue mist. As the mist dissipated, a three-foot-long blue spirit fish appeared on the ground, still flopping about.

The Iron Tail Scorpion reacted quickly. Its tail stinger flickered like a gray-white streak, striking the blue spirit fish on the head while its pincers clamped down on its body.

The blue spirit fish did not die immediately and struggled violently. The Iron Tail Scorpion's tail stinger vibrated continuously, leaving multiple tiny bloody holes in the fish's head.

After a while, the blue spirit fish stopped moving.

The Iron Tail Scorpion's massive pincers easily sliced open the blue spirit fish's belly, tearing off a large chunk of flesh to stuff into its mouth.

Spirit Feeding Pills were too expensive at twenty-seven spirit stones each, so Shen Long had to be frugal. Buying it a First Rank Early Stage spirit fish every so often was still acceptable.

Before long, the blue spirit fish had been completely devoured by the Iron Tail Scorpion.

Shen Long exited the Spirit Control Tower, ate a little, changed his appearance, and left the Gathering Immortals Inn to wander the streets.

As the Immortal Ascension Assembly drew near, a large number of cultivators flocked to Yunmeng Mountain, making the area even more prosperous. Merchants seized the opportunity to promote their goods, and various factions held auctions, bringing out many fine items to attract cultivators to bid.

While passing through a fork in the road, Shen Long frowned as a young woman in a red dress walked toward him.

Li Yue, it's actually her!

Shen Long's brow furrowed. Li Yue was a member of the Chen Xiong Monster Hunting Team, and Shen Long had killed her younger brother.

They had ambushed Chen Xiong and the others, but Li Yue was the only one who had escaped. He hadn't expected her to come to Yunmeng Mountain as well.

This was truly a case of enemies meeting on a narrow path. With both foes and friends arriving at Yunmeng Mountain, he wondered if Qin Qing would show up too.

Shen Long kept his expression calm as he brushed past Li Yue.

A cup of tea's time later, Shen Long arrived at the Free Trade Square, walking around to look at the sights.

There were many more small stalls here than before. The fee to set up a stall for a month was five spirit stones; the rent was incredibly expensive, with every inch of land worth its weight in gold.

Shen Long strolled along, and before long, he stopped in front of a small stall. The stall owner was Ye Yutang, and the stall was filled with various First Rank talismans.