Blood Vitality Pill!

Ye Lingshuang remained as cold and ethereal as ever, though a trace of imperceptible fatigue seemed to linger between her brows.

Her gaze swept over the relatively tidy clearing outside the Hall of Discarded Treasures before landing on Li Qingshan, who had emerged from his stone hut upon hearing her arrival.

As she looked at Li Qingshan, a flicker of subtle surprise crossed her cold, clear eyes.

The old man before her, while still possessing a head of white hair and deep wrinkles, carried a spirit and vitality that made him seem like a different person compared to a few months ago.

His eyes, once murky, dull, and heavy with the gloom of twilight, now held a faint, hidden clarity; his back seemed a little straighter, his gait was slow but steady, and the aura of impending decay that had clung to him had faded significantly.

"Li Qingshan?"

Ye Lingshuang's voice remained cold, carrying a note of confirmation.

"Li Qingshan greets Senior Sister Ye."

Li Qingshan bowed in accordance with the sect rules.

He deliberately suppressed the third-layer Qi Refining cultivation within his dantian, revealing only a faint aura that was merely a fraction stronger than that of a mortal.

"Mm."

Ye Lingshuang nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over him once more. "It seems that although this Hall of Discarded Treasures is remote and thin in spiritual energy, it has not caused you to completely despair. Judging by your complexion, you are much better than when you first arrived."

"Thanks to your grace, Senior Sister, I have found some peace here. Daily sweeping and tidying, keeping my bones active, and... in my spare time, I have attempted to practice the Evergreen Technique, which has yielded some meager progress."

Li Qingshan's tone was calm, carrying a perfectly measured hint of excitement and trepidation.

"Oh?"

A clear ripple finally crossed Ye Lingshuang's eyes, replacing her previous indifference. "You... have successfully drawn Qi?"

She found it hard to believe.

A centenarian, in an environment with such thin spiritual energy, had managed to draw Qi into his body using only a basic cultivation method? It was simply contrary to common sense!

"This disciple is dull-witted. After months of bitter practice, I have luckily... luckily stepped into the first layer of Qi Refining."

As Li Qingshan spoke, he carefully released a sliver of the weak, wood-attribute spiritual energy he had suppressed to the limit, masquerading it as the first layer of Qi Refining.

Ye Lingshuang stepped forward, her fair fingers lightly tapping his wrist.

A strand of pure, gentle spiritual energy probed into Li Qingshan's body.

This time, Li Qingshan was well-prepared.

He kept the vast majority of his cultivation firmly locked deep within his dantian, allowing only that sliver of fake first-layer energy to flow slowly through a few of his most superficial meridians, while simultaneously exposing the reality of his withered, blocked meridians and failing vitality.

Ye Lingshuang's spiritual energy circulated through his body once before she quickly withdrew it.

The surprise on her face turned into realization, which was then replaced by a deeper sense of pity.

"It is indeed the first layer of Qi Refining... wood-attribute energy."

She sighed softly, "To succeed in drawing Qi at your age and in this environment is truly not easy. It seems your Heavenly Spiritual Root does possess some miraculous quality after all, allowing you to forcibly break through the shackles of this decaying shell."

Her tone held a hint of admiration, but it was mostly filled with regret: "It is a pity that your meridians are too severely blocked and your foundation of vitality is nearly exhausted. This first layer of Qi Refining is likely your limit. To go any further would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

However, being able to draw Qi into your body to cleanse some of the filth from your flesh and strengthen your physique, thereby extending your life by a few years, can be considered a stroke of fortune amidst misfortune."

Ye Lingshuang's words were exactly what Li Qingshan had hoped for.

She had indeed failed to see through his intentionally hidden third-layer cultivation.

"I understand. To catch even a glimpse of the immortal path is already a great stroke of luck; I dare not ask for more. Thank you, Senior Sister, for guiding me here that day."

Li Qingshan bowed again, his tone sincere.

Watching him calmly accept reality, the ripples in Ye Lingshuang's heart caused by the discovery of a Heavenly Spiritual Root gradually subsided.

After a moment of contemplation, she took a small white jade bottle from her storage bag.

"Although your immortal path is hopeless, drawing Qi into your body may slightly extend your lifespan. These are two mid-grade Blood Vitality Pills; they can replenish your vitality and may be of some help to you, perhaps allowing you to live another year or two."

She handed the jade bottle over.

Li Qingshan took it with both hands, feeling the warmth of the jade.

His heart stirred; these Blood Vitality Pills were quite precious. The pills he had consumed previously were all low-grade, while mid-grade pills were intended for cultivators in the middle stages of Qi Refining, from the fourth to the sixth layer.

Moreover, if these Blood Vitality Pills were enhanced by the Wish-Fulfilling Gourd, their value would skyrocket.

More importantly, this was a signal of goodwill from Ye Lingshuang.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Senior Sister!"

Li Qingshan bowed solemnly.

He had not expected Ye Lingshuang to bestow a mid-grade pill right from the start.

In the world of immortal cultivation, magical artifacts, talismans, pills, and formations were all divided into five tiers, corresponding to the five major realms of cultivation.

Each tier was further divided into low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and top-grade.

A mid-grade pill was something only those in the middle stages of Qi Refining were qualified to consume, making it quite precious.

Not to mention that the Blood Vitality Pill was a type of pill that could both improve cultivation and replenish one's vital essence.

"No need for such formalities."

Ye Lingshuang waved her hand, her gaze turning toward the Hall of Discarded Treasures, which was piled high like a mountain. "I have come this time to perform the routine clearing of discarded treasures, using True Fire to refine away the lingering baleful qi and useless materials within."

"This disciple understands."

Li Qingshan replied, then allowed his face to show a perfectly measured expression of hesitation and earnestness: "Senior Sister Ye, this disciple has one more request... I am well aware that my cultivation is shallow and my path to immortality is bleak.

"Yet, living in this desolate place, it is hard not to feel uneasy. I wonder if Senior Sister might... bestow upon me a few of the most rudimentary defensive spells? This disciple does not seek to defeat enemies or achieve victory, only to barely protect myself should I encounter venomous insects or wild beasts."

Hearing this, Ye Lingshuang's delicate brows furrowed slightly.

She looked at Li Qingshan's aged and earnest face, thinking of his meager first-layer Qi Refining cultivation and his decaying body; indeed, even the most ordinary wild beast could pose a threat to him.

"The practice of spells requires the support of mana. Your mana is weak and your meridians are fragile; forcing yourself to cast spells may harm your own body, and the losses would outweigh the gains."

She reminded him, her tone carrying a note of warning, "Do not be overly ambitious or greedy for quick results."

"This disciple will take Senior Sister's teachings to heart! What I seek are only the most basic, low-consumption spells for self-preservation; I would never dare to be greedy or reckless."

Li Qingshan hurriedly promised, his posture extremely humble.

Seeing his sincere attitude and considering his truly concerning circumstances, Ye Lingshuang finally nodded.

With a light flick of her slender hand, three jade slips of different colors, each emitting a faint spiritual light, hovered before Li Qingshan.

"These three jade slips record three of the most basic spells: Fireball Technique, Feather Flight Technique, and Breath Concealment Technique," she explained, pointing to them one by one.

"The Fireball Technique is an offensive spell that requires drawing upon fire spiritual energy to condense a fireball to strike the enemy. It consumes a fair amount of mana, so you must use it with caution."

"The Feather Flight Technique is a movement spell that can slightly increase your agility, making it easier to run or dodge."

"The Breath Concealment Technique is a support spell used to suppress one's own aura and lower one's presence. It has the lowest consumption and may be the most practical for you."

Upon hearing the words "Breath Concealment Technique," Li Qingshan's heart gave a violent leap; a surge of immense joy nearly shattered the calm expression he was maintaining!

This was the very technique he had been dreaming of!

With it, his confidence in hiding his true cultivation would increase significantly!

He forcibly suppressed his excitement, showing a look of tearful gratitude on his face as he respectfully took the three jade slips with both hands: "This disciple, Li Qingshan, thanks Senior Sister Ye for the grace of this teaching! This disciple will certainly keep your instructions in mind, practice with caution, and never dare to misuse them!"