Qi Refining Eighth Layer

Huang Xiuyun was currently at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, and several wine jugs were displayed on her stall.

Shen Long had never expected Huang Xiuyun to come to Yunmeng Mountain as well. It seemed the Immortal Ascension Assembly had drawn quite a few Qi Refining rogue cultivators.

"Fellow Daoist, would you like to buy some spirit wine? I have spirit wine that can increase spiritual power and restore spiritual power."

Huang Xiuyun said warmly.

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

"Fairy Huang, do you have any spirit wine that strengthens yang?"

A rough male voice rang out.

Following the source of the voice, Huang Xiuyun saw a yellow-shirted big man with a face full of bristling whiskers. He carried a yellow long saber on his back, and there were some brown bloodstains on his clothes.

"Su Xiong, buy something if you want to buy. If not, stop making trouble."

A refined-looking young man in white said.

Su Xiong glared at the white-robed young man and sneered, "Li Xiao, I'm talking to Fairy Huang. What the hell does it have to do with you? Fairy Huang isn't yours."

"I can't stand the way you behave. Is that not allowed?"

Li Xiao retorted.

"I only have spirit wine for restoring spiritual power and increasing spiritual power. There's nothing else."

Huang Xiuyun hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

Su Xiong was the captain of a Monster Hunting Team and possessed Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivation. Huang Xiuyun could not afford to provoke him. Li Xiao was a rogue cultivator at only the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, yet he was not afraid of Su Xiong.

Su Xiong gave a cold snort, said nothing more, and strode away.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Li."

Huang Xiuyun thanked him.

"It's nothing. He wouldn't dare act recklessly in the Marketplace."

Li Xiao comforted her.

Shen Long paid them no attention. He strode away and began wandering around.

He saw quite a few good items, but he bought nothing, merely broadening his knowledge and opening his eyes.

After making a round through the square, 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 in his mouth.

The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth. A surge of spiritual qi rose in his abdomen, and he hurriedly circulated his cultivation technique to refine it.

A nine-story Golden Pavilion stood there, its plaque bearing the three words "Purple Maple Pavilion." Its doors stood open, with cultivators constantly entering and leaving.

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

On the ninth floor, Chu Wenbin and a golden-robed elder with a ruddy complexion sat around a green tea table, drinking tea and chatting.

"We made a trip for nothing. It was another useless lead."

Chu Wenbin sighed.

"It can't be called a wasted trip. At least we can rule out the possibility that this person is in Qing Prefecture. The old ancestor said that as long as we can find this person, any price is worth paying."

The golden-robed elder said.

Chu Tianshan, Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

"A great many cultivators came for this Immortal Ascension Assembly. The Yang Clan brought many juniors with them. It seems the competition this time will be even fiercer than last time."

Chu Wenbin said with a frown.

The Mystic Yang Sect might have a limit on the number of disciples it accepted, and the number recruited each year varied. The more cultivators attended the Immortal Ascension Assembly, the fiercer the competition became.

"What's there to fear? Yanran and the others are quite capable. Joining the Mystic Yang Sect won't be a problem. As for whether they can go farther, that will depend on themselves."

Chu Tianshan said indifferently.

"That's true. I wonder how many good seedlings will emerge at this Immortal Ascension Assembly. At the last Immortal Ascension Assembly, the Mystic Yang Sect recruited a cultivator with Heavenly Spirit Root. Barring accidents, entering the Golden Core Realm will not be a problem for that person."

Chu Wenbin's face was filled with envy.

The Chu Clan had only two clansmen with Dual Spirit Roots, both raised as successors. Never had the Chu Clan produced a clansman with Heavenly Spirit Root.

Chu Tianshan nodded. "Yes! The Immortal Ascension Assembly is an opportunity for the Five Great Powers to recruit disciples, and also an opportunity for us to gather good things. I hope we can collect several high-year spirit herbs."

More than half a year quickly passed. At the Gathering Immortals Inn, inside a certain guest room.

Shen Long sat cross-legged on the wooden bed with his eyes slightly closed. Blue motes of light drifted through the room.

As he inhaled and exhaled, the blue motes seemed to be guided, streaming one after another toward his mouth and nose.

Before long, every blue mote had entered his body.

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

"Qi Refining Eighth Layer!"

Shen Long revealed a delighted expression. It had taken him nearly four years to advance from the Qi Refining Seventh Layer to the Qi Refining Eighth Layer. During that time, he had consumed some Qi Nourishing Pills. Had he relied solely on bitter cultivation, he would not have been able to advance to the Qi Refining Eighth Layer yet.

With this, Shen Long met the requirements for accepting disciples.

A happy occasion refreshed the spirit. Shen Long took out the Spirit Control Tower and infused it with spiritual power.

A powerful suction force pulled him into the Spirit Control Tower. Standing beside the Spirit Control Pool, he heard the Iron Tail Scorpion let out an excited hiss as its pair of enormous pincers waved without pause.

Over the past half year, Shen Long had fed it two bottles of Spirit Feeding Pills, yet it was still at the first rank middle stage. Raising spirit insects truly burned through spirit stones.

Thinking about it, if two bottles of Spirit Feeding Pills could let it advance to the First Rank Late Stage, then raising spirit insects would be far too easy.

Shen Long took out a Blue Jade Bottle and cast a spell into it. The Blue Jade Bottle immediately lit up with a dazzling blue light, its size swelling dramatically as it sprayed out a blue glow. When the blue glow dispersed, a blue spirit fish about three feet long appeared on the ground, still lively and kicking.

The Iron Tail Scorpion reacted swiftly. Its tail stinger suddenly flicked, turning into a grayish-white line that struck the blue spirit fish's head, while its two pincers clamped onto the fish's body.

The blue spirit fish did not die immediately. Its body struggled violently as the Iron Tail Scorpion's stinger kept trembling, leaving several tiny bloody holes in the blue spirit fish's head.

After a while, the blue spirit fish stopped moving.

The Iron Tail Scorpion's giant pincers easily sliced open the blue spirit fish's belly. It tore off a large chunk of flesh and stuffed it into its mouth.

Spirit Feeding Pills were too expensive, costing twenty-seven spirit stones each. Shen Long had to be more frugal. Buying it a first rank early stage spirit fish every so often was still acceptable.

Before long, the Iron Tail Scorpion had eaten the blue spirit fish clean.

Shen Long left the Spirit Control Tower, ate something, altered his appearance, and left the Gathering Immortals Inn to wander the streets.

As the Immortal Ascension Assembly approached, huge numbers of cultivators rushed to Yunmeng Mountain, making Yunmeng Mountain even more prosperous. Some merchants took the chance to promote their wares, while some factions held Auctions and brought out many fine items, attracting numerous cultivators to bid.

As Shen Long passed a fork in the road, he frowned. A young married woman in a red dress was walking toward him.

"Li Yue, it's actually her!"

Shen Long frowned. Li Yue belonged to the Chen Xiong Monster Hunting Team, and Shen Long had killed her younger brother.

When they had ambushed Chen Xiong and the others, Li Yue alone had escaped. He had never expected her to come to Yunmeng Mountain as well.

This was truly a narrow road for enemies. Both foes and friends had come to Yunmeng Mountain. He wondered whether Qin Qing would come too.

Shen Long's expression remained calm as he passed Li Yue, nearly brushing shoulders with her.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Shen Long arrived at Free Trade Square and looked around.

There were many more small stalls here. Setting up a stall for one month cost five spirit stones. The rent was too expensive; every inch of land was worth its weight in gold.

Shen Long wandered and looked around. Before long, he stopped before a small stall. The owner was Ye Yutang, and several First Rank Talismans were displayed on the stall.