The Alchemy Hall, Alchemy Apprentice!

Ye Lingshuang sent out a signal to rendezvous with the sect's cultivators.

Her official story was that the Foundation Establishment martial uncle had fallen to the strange Demonic Cult Talisman Treasure while saving her, and that she had managed to kill the heavily wounded enemy by relying on a life-saving item bestowed by her master, before going into hiding to heal.

Regarding Li Qingshan, she only mentioned that he had been alert enough to help her hide, omitting his true strength and the specific details of the battle.

Although everyone felt the process was perilous, seeing Ye Lingshuang's severe injuries and knowing the gravity of the Demonic Cult Talisman Treasure, they did not press for further details.

Qingyang Market had suffered heavy losses and required reconstruction and reorganization.

Li Qingshan's garrison mission ended prematurely as a result, and he returned to the Spring Autumn Sect alongside Ye Lingshuang and the others.

Upon returning to the sect, Li Qingshan made subtle inquiries about Zhang Hongxiu.

Ye Lingshuang understood Li Qingshan's concerns and smiled slightly, "Do not worry! Zhang Hongxiu entered seclusion a few days ago to prepare for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm! It won't be easy for her to emerge for several months!

As for you, she has likely forgotten about you already and shouldn't come looking for trouble! If she truly does, leave everything to me!"

"Many thanks, Senior Sister Ye!"

Li Qingshan said gratefully.

He felt a sense of relief, but immediately grew vigilant again.

She has entered seclusion... that is good, at least I am safe for the moment, but I cannot let my guard down. I cannot pin all my hopes on Ye Lingshuang.

Li Qingshan thought to himself, yet the pressure had not diminished in the slightest. If she succeeds in her Foundation Establishment and comes looking for me after emerging, how am I to resist? I must find a way to improve my strength, or even... reach the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Foundation Establishment was the first massive chasm separating the immortal from the mortal.

One required the assistance of a Foundation Establishment Pill to significantly increase the success rate.

However, the Foundation Establishment Pill was incredibly precious and strictly controlled by the sect, primarily distributed to inner sect elite disciples and those with deep backgrounds.

As an outer sect disciple who was ostensibly only at the sixth level of Qi Refining and over a hundred years old, it was nearly impossible for him to obtain one through normal channels.

After pondering for a long time, Li Qingshan once again sought Ye Lingshuang's help.

"You want to go to the Alchemy Hall?"

Ye Lingshuang looked at him with some surprise.

Although the Alchemy Hall was an important department, ordinary disciples who entered usually only performed menial tasks like processing medicinal herbs or guarding alchemy furnaces.

"Yes, Senior Sister."

Li Qingshan said respectfully, "I am advanced in age and the path of cultivation is difficult. I have developed some interest in the way of alchemy, thinking that perhaps I could learn a thing or two in the Alchemy Hall to refine some pills for longevity and vitality in the future. Moreover, the Alchemy Hall has abundant spiritual energy, which is more suitable for recuperation."

The reason he gave was logical and perfectly matched the mindset of a hundred-year-old cultivator.

Ye Lingshuang recalled the "Foundation Establishment cultivator's legacy" he had obtained; perhaps it contained some pill recipes that had piqued his interest. To her, this small favor was merely a trivial matter.

She nodded, "Very well. The Alchemy Hall is indeed quieter. I have some friendship with an elder there and can arrange for you to enter as an alchemy apprentice to learn the art of alchemy slowly!

Cultivate diligently. If you can break through to the late stage of Qi Refining, I will find a way to make you an inner sect disciple!"

An alchemy apprentice?

Being able to learn alchemy was perfect.

After all, with the Wish-Fulfilling Gourd, he didn't need to worry about the success rate of alchemy; even if he refined a failed pill, to him, it would be a top-grade spiritual pill.

More importantly, Ye Lingshuang had actually given him a promise to make him an inner sect disciple once he reached the late stage of Qi Refining.

An increase in status was always beneficial.

At the very least, Zhang Hongxiu would not dare to deal with an inner sect disciple so casually.

He suppressed the excitement in his heart and bowed, "Many thanks for your kindness, Senior Sister!"

Several days later, Li Qingshan was successfully transferred to the Alchemy Hall as an alchemy apprentice.

The Alchemy Hall was located halfway up a spiritual mountain.

The main hall was towering and majestic, shrouded by a massive formation barrier. The fire-attribute spiritual energy here was incredibly abundant, carrying a sense of scorching heat.

The Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall was named Qi Lie, a cultivator at the Golden Core stage who was also an elder of the Spring Autumn Sect; he was usually not present in the hall.

The Alchemy Hall was managed by several deputy hall masters at the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

The outer sect disciples in the Alchemy Hall were all alchemy apprentices; only those who truly graduated and could independently refine first-grade high-tier spiritual pills were considered true alchemists and could become inner sect disciples.

Every alchemist in the Alchemy Hall held a high status, and some were people even the deputy hall masters dared not offend.

After all, the Alchemy Hall was the "God of Wealth" for the Spring Autumn Sect, refining a vast quantity of spiritual pills for the sect every year.

The news of Li Qingshan's transfer to the Alchemy Hall was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake; while it didn't stir up massive waves, it caused ripples.

After all, the news of the "hundred-year-old Heavenly Spirit Root" had already spread throughout the entire Spring Autumn Sect, causing many to sigh in regret upon hearing it, while many more responded with cold sneers and mockery.

Many were waiting to see when this hundred-year-old Heavenly Spirit Root would fade into obscurity.

But no one expected that not only was the old man not dead, he was alive and kicking, and had now even transferred into the Alchemy Hall.

A hundred-year-old man coming to be an alchemy apprentice? This had become a joke within the Alchemy Hall.

"Have you heard? That old man Li who burned trash at the Hall of Discarded Treasures somehow got lucky and transferred to our Alchemy Hall!"

"He's a Heavenly Spiritual Root, so what if he's a hundred years old? Who's to say he won't be able to tread the immortal path and become a Nascent Soul ancestor?"

"Hahaha, you're killing me—a Nascent Soul ancestor? I'm afraid he'll die of old age before he even breaks through the late stage of Qi Refining!"

"Exactly! This Old Man Li is just delusional; plenty of people are waiting to see him make a fool of himself!"

"Over a hundred years old and he comes to be an alchemy apprentice? Does he even recognize the basic spiritual herbs? He'd better not mistake a Purple Monkey Flower for foxtail grass and toss it into the furnace!"

"I heard he has a very close relationship with Senior Sister Ye, and that she's the one who arranged for him to be here!"

"So he's a nepotism hire?"

"I suspect Senior Sister Ye just took pity on him and found him a quiet place to wait for death. What a waste of resources..."

Discussions of this sort were things Li Qingshan could vaguely hear every single day.

His expression remained unchanged, as if those whispers and the looks of disdain—both overt and covert—had nothing to do with him; he simply arrived on time every day at the remote courtyard and attached alchemy room assigned to him, silently performing his allotted chores.

Cleaning out furnace residue, sorting and processing basic medicinal herbs, and hauling fuel.

His state of mind was as steady as a rock.

A century of tempering in the mortal world had long since worn away his temper; these few snide remarks were nothing more than a breeze brushing against his face compared to the hardships he had once endured.

However, the reality was that no alchemist was truly willing to take him on as an apprentice at his advanced age.

The path of alchemy required sharp divine sense, precise control of spiritual power, and a vast amount of time for practice and trial and error; no one believed a hundred-year-old man still possessed any potential.

After all, there were at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, alchemy apprentices in the Alchemy Hall, and those lucky enough to be taken on as personal apprentices by an alchemist were the fortunate few.

Most could only handle menial labor.

Li Qingshan was not discouraged; he completed his work step by step and then diligently cultivated.

He was already at the ninth level of Qi Refining, just one step away from breaking through to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

This step was crucial, and he had plenty of patience.

Just as Li Qingshan thought he would truly spend a year here silently doing chores before seeking another way, a turning point appeared.