Three Years, Ninth Level of Qi Refining

Liu Yuanming nodded slightly and cupped his hands in thanks to the little girl, saying, "Thank you, Deacon Ao."

Wang Mengde quickly bowed as well, his voice respectful. "Thank you, Steward Ao."

The little girl ignored their thanks, patted the Storage Bag at her waist with her small hand. The Storage Bag, which was almost half the size of her body, was tied around her thin waist and looked quite comical.

A flash of inspiration struck her, and paper and pen appeared in her hand.

That paper was no ordinary paper, but spiritual paper, pale gold in color, with a faint spiritual light flowing across its surface;

That pen was no ordinary pen, but a Spirit Brush, with a jade-green handle and a nib that gleamed with a faint silver light.

She spread the spirit paper on the trunk of a Spirit Tree beside her, and only by standing on tiptoe and stretching out her small arms could she barely reach it.

She leaned against the tree trunk, pen in hand, writing, her little face tense and serious.

With a flourish of his brush, lines of tiny, elegant characters appeared on the spiritual paper, each character containing a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy.

In no time at all, the two loan agreements were completed.

She peeled the contract off the tree trunk, tiptoed, and handed the two copies to Wang Mengde, her voice crisp and clear. "Take a look. If there are no problems, Soul Oath."

Wang Mengde took the contract with both hands and read it carefully.

The contract clearly states that twenty Vermilion Fruit, each worth 2,300 Spirit Stone, and ten Jade Spirit Fruits, each worth 3,700 Spirit Stone, are worth a total of 83,000 Spirit Stone, with an annual interest rate of 1%.

Repayment will begin after 20 years, with one-thirtieth of the total principal and interest repaid annually, and the debt will be fully repaid within 50 years.

If the debt is not repaid on time, we will seek repayment from Liu Yuanming and the Liu Immortal Clan.

The terms are clear, the rights and responsibilities are well-defined, and there are no traps or shady dealings.

After reading it, Wang Mengde nodded and handed one of the contracts back to the little girl.

The little girl took the contract, put it into her Storage Bag, then put her hands behind her back, looked up at Wang Mengde with a serious expression, and said in a clear but solemn voice, "Make Soul Oath."

Wang Mengde took a deep breath, raised his right hand, pointed three fingers to the sky, and said in a steady and solemn voice, "I, Wang Mengde, swear by my soul that I will repay the principal and interest on time as agreed in the contract today, borrowing twenty Vermilion Fruit and ten Jade Spirit Fruits from the Spirit Fruit Orchard of the Evergreen Sect."

If anyone disobeys, may they be struck down by heaven and earth, their soul scattered and never to be reincarnated.

After Wang Mengde finished making his Soul Oath, the little girl nodded in satisfaction, a look of approval on her face.

She patted her Storage Bag with her small hand, and in a flash of inspiration, two spiritual fruits appeared in her tiny palm.

A bright Vermilion Fruit, the size of a fist, almost twice the size of her small fist, was held in her two small hands.

A bright green Jade Spirit Fruit, slightly smaller than Vermilion Fruit, is entirely emerald green, crystal clear, like a fine piece of jade, and exudes a sweet fruity fragrance.

She handed the two spiritual fruits to Wang Mengde and said crisply, "Come and collect them once a month from now on. Come by this time next month."

Wang Mengde accepted the spirit fruit with both hands, carefully put it into his Storage Bag, then clasped his hands in a respectful bow. "Thank you, Deacon Ao."

The little girl glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Her small figure flashed and disappeared from the spot in an instant.

Only a faint chill remained in the air, along with a barely perceptible fragrance of ice lotus.

She disappeared so quickly that Wang Mengde almost thought he was hallucinating. The three-year-old girl, the little adult with her hands behind her back and a serious expression, vanished silently into the morning light like a gust of wind.

Wang Mengde stood there, looking in the direction the little girl had disappeared.

This Deacon Ao looks like a three-year-old child, but he has a terrifying cultivation level of Great Demon Middle Stage. He does things decisively and efficiently, without any hesitation.

He was decisive when refusing and equally decisive when agreeing. He wrote the contract, demanded Soul Oath, and gave the spiritual fruit—all in one smooth motion, without any unnecessary words.

That little adult-like demeanor, with his hands behind his back and a serious expression, was both funny and awe-inspiring.

Liu Yuanming looked in the direction the little girl had disappeared, nodded slightly, then turned to Wang Mengde and said, "Let's go."

Wang Mengde responded and followed Liu Yuanming out of the Spirit Fruit Orchard.

Fifteen minutes later, the two arrived in front of a magnificent building.

The main hall is entirely constructed of bluestone, and there are ninety-nine steps in front of it, each step covered with densely packed runes that shimmer with a faint spiritual light in the morning light.

Above the main gate hangs a huge plaque with three large characters: Alchemy Hall.

This is the location of the outer sect's Alchemy Hall the Evergreen Sect, and also where Li Yunshu usually conducts his affairs.

Liu Yuanming led Wang Mengde up the steps, through the palace gate, and into the main hall of the Alchemy Hall.

The hall was brightly lit, and the floor was paved with large pieces of green jade bricks, each of which was polished smooth as a mirror.

A faint medicinal fragrance filled the air, a mixture of various spirit medicine and medicines that invigorated the senses.

The pillars in the hall are carved with various spiritual herbs spirit medicine, which are lifelike. Some are in bloom, some are bearing fruit, some are entwined with vines, and some have branches and leaves spreading out.

Liu Yuanming did not linger in the hall, but walked straight through it and went up the stairs to the second floor.

The second floor was much quieter than the first floor. The corridor was lined with individual quiet rooms, each with a wooden sign hanging on its door.

Liu Yuanming walked to the innermost quiet room and knocked on the door.

"Come in." A gentle female voice came from inside the door.

Liu Yuanming pushed open the door and entered, with Wang Mengde following behind him.

In the center of the room was a large rosewood table, behind which were rows of tall medicine cabinets covered with densely packed labels listing the names of various spirit medicine.

A person was sitting behind the desk.

That person was Li Yunshu, who had participated in Wang Mengde's dao companion formation ceremony a few days ago.

The head of the Alchemy Hall on Azure Cliff Island, with Foundation Establishment Early Stage, was wearing a light blue robe today, with a Lingzhi Herb pattern embroidered on the hem. She held a white jade whisk in her hand and was looking down at some document on the table.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Liu Yuanming walk in. She immediately stood up from behind the desk, quickly went to greet him, and put on a warm smile.

"Senior Brother Liu, you've arrived?" Her voice was gentle, with a hint of respect, as she bowed to Liu Yuanming.

Liu Yuanming waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to be so polite.

"Junior Sister Li, I apologize for disturbing you." He spoke calmly, his tone even, and without beating around the bush, he got straight to the point. "My disciple Five-Element Spirit Root, but her cultivation speed is too slow."

I need some Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill and Spirit-Treasure Pill to break through to the peak of Qi Refining.

I brought him here because I wanted to ask you to lend him some money, and I'll act as his guarantor.

Li Yunshu turned her gaze to Wang Mengde and sized him up.

Her gaze was gentle, without scrutiny or contempt, only the kindness of an elder looking at a younger person.

She smiled slightly, nodded, and then turned to Liu Yuanming: "Senior Brother Liu, you're too kind. I don't have many spirit pills on hand. If it were someone else, I certainly wouldn't lend them to me. But since you've come, I'll naturally give you face."

However, according to the rules, not only is a guarantor required, but collateral is also needed, along with a certain amount of interest, and Wang Mengde must also Soul Oath.

Liu Yuanming nodded slightly, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Li Yunshu, and said in a calm yet somewhat solemn tone, "Thank you, Junior Sister. I know the rules, and naturally I won't make things difficult for you. Just follow the rules."

He paused, glanced at Wang Mengde sideways, a hint of satisfaction and pride in his eyes. "My disciple is a second-tier advanced talisman master. He can draw second-tier advanced Spirit Shield Talisman with a success rate of up to 90%. I can vouch for it with the Spirit Shield Talisman he draws over the next sixty years."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunshu turned her gaze to Wang Mengde, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She looked at Wang Mengde again, her gaze no longer merely that of an elder looking at a junior, but now with a hint of scrutiny and seriousness.

A second-tier advanced talisman master with a 90% success rate in drawing Spirit Shield Talisman. Although she wasn't a talisman master, she had been in the Evergreen Sect for many years and had seen and experienced a great deal, so she naturally knew what this number meant.

For an ordinary second-tier advanced talisman master, a success rate of 40-50% in drawing second-tier advanced Talisman is already quite good; reaching 60% indicates exceptional talent; and 70% is extremely rare.

This young man in front of me has a 90% success rate.

Liu Yuanming, this son-in-law, truly possesses remarkable Talisman.

Li Yunshu sighed inwardly.

If the other party really has a chance to advance to the Foundation Establishment, then they might be able to become a third-tier rune master.

A third-tier talisman master is someone who can draw third-tier Talisman, and their status is comparable to that of a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Even if one cannot Foundation Establishment, a second-tier advanced talisman master at the Peak Qi Refinement still possesses considerable ability to repay debts.

With his 90% success rate in creating talismans, the profits from drawing Spirit Shield Talisman over a year are quite considerable.

She withdrew her gaze, looked at Liu Yuanming, pondered for a moment, and said, "There aren't many Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pills and Spirit-Treasure Pill left; we'll have to give them to him in batches."

Liu Yuanming nodded, his tone calm yet revealing a hint of experience. "Of course."

All elixirs can develop resistance; their effectiveness is greatly reduced if taken continuously in a short period.

Giving them in batches is just right.

Li Yunshu pondered for a moment, tapped her fingers lightly twice on the table, then raised her head, her gaze lingering on Liu Yuanming and Wang Mengde's faces for a moment before she slowly said, "Use the sixty-year-old Spirit Shield Talisman collateral, and lend him one hundred Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill and twenty Spirit-Treasure Pill."

One percent interest, to be repaid after ten years.

Liu Yuanming clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thank you, Junior Sister."

Wang Mengde also bowed, his voice respectful and steady. "Thank you, Master Li."

Li Yunshu waved her hand, indicating that they didn't need to be so polite.

She took a stack of spirit papers from the table and a Spirit Brush from the pen holder. The pen's handle was as green as jade, and its tip gleamed with a faint silver light.

She picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and with a flourish, lines of tiny characters appeared on the spiritual paper. The characters were neat and elegant, each containing a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy.

She wrote quickly, and in no time, the two contracts were completed.

She handed the contract to Wang Mengde, her tone gentle yet serious. "Take a look. If there are no problems, sign and affix your seal, then Soul Oath."

Wang Mengde took the contract with both hands and read it carefully.

The contract clearly states that there are one hundred Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill, each with a market price of six hundred Spirit Stone, totaling sixty thousand Spirit Stone;

Twenty Spirit-Treasure Pill, each worth two thousand Spirit Stone, totaling forty thousand Spirit Stone.

The two items total 100,000 Spirit Stone, with an annual interest rate of 1%.

Repayment will begin after ten years, with one-fiftieth of the total principal and interest paid annually, and the debt will be fully repaid within sixty years.

If Spirit Shield Talisman to settle the debt, it will be calculated at 80% of its market value.

If you fail to repay on time, the interest will double.

As the guarantor, Liu Yuanming is jointly and severally liable if the borrower is unable to repay the loan.

The terms are clear, the rights and responsibilities are well-defined, and there are no traps or shady dealings.

Using Spirit Shield Talisman to settle the debt at 80% of the market price is a fair deal. After all, sects also need costs and channels to recycle Talisman, and 80% is the industry standard.

After reading them, Wang Mengde nodded, picked up a pen from the table, signed his name on both contracts, and pressed his fingerprint on them.

Li Yunshu took the contract, glanced at it, nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Wang Mengde, her tone gentle yet serious. "Swear Soul Oath."

Wang Mengde took a deep breath, stepped back, and stood in the center of the quiet room.

He raised his right hand, three fingers pointing to the sky, his voice steady and solemn, echoing in the quiet room. "I, Wang Mengde, swear by my very soul that I will repay the principal and interest on time, as agreed in the contract, by borrowing one hundred Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill and twenty Spirit-Treasure Pill from the Evergreen Sect Alchemy Hall. If I break this contract, may I be struck down by heaven and earth, my soul scattered and never to be reincarnated."

After Wang Mengde finished making his Soul Oath, Li Yunshu reached out and patted her Storage Bag. In a flash of light, a white jade bottle and a green jade bottle appeared on the table.

The white jade bottle contained ten Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pills;

The jade bottle contained two Spirit-Treasure Pills.

She pushed the jade bottle toward Wang Mengde, her tone gentle. "This is the first batch: ten Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pills and two Spirit-Treasure Pills."

The rest, you can come and collect it once a month.

Wang Mengde accepted the jade bottle with both hands, carefully placed it into his Storage Bag, then clasped his hands in a respectful bow. "Thank you, Hall Master Li."

Li Yunshu waved her hand and smiled slightly, "No need to thank me, thank your master instead."

"If it weren't for his guarantee, I wouldn't dare lend you so much."

Wang Mengde turned to Liu Yuanming and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master."

Liu Yuanming waved his hand and said calmly, "Cultivate diligently."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Liu Yuanming and Wang Mengde took their leave.

The two walked back along the narrow stone path.

As Wang Mengde passed through the Spirit Fruit Orchard, he couldn't help but glance at the spirit fruits hanging from the branches, secretly making plans in his mind.

Twenty Vermilion Fruit, a thousand Jade Spirit Fruit, one hundred Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill, two thousand Spirit-Treasure Pill, plus the twenty Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill that Liu Yiyi gave him, as well as dual cultivation and Spirit Stone cultivation, these resources are enough for him to push his cultivation to a considerable height.

When I returned to the attic, Liu Yiyi was watering the flowers in the yard.

She wore a moon-white dress, her hair was casually tied up with a wooden hairpin, and a few stray hairs fell beside her ears, gleaming softly in the morning light.

Seeing Wang Mengde return, she put down the kettle she was holding, quickly walked over, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment before she smiled slightly, "You're back? Did you manage to borrow it?"

Wang Mengde nodded, reached into his Storage Bag, took out a jade bottle, poured out a Spirit-Treasure Pill, and handed it to her. "This is for you."

A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Yiyi's eyes, but she immediately frowned slightly. "Keep it for yourself."

Wang Mengde placed the jade bottle into her hand, his voice soft but brooking no refusal. "I have more. As your cultivation improves, your Yin-Nature Power will become stronger, which will also benefit me."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiyi's cheeks flushed slightly. She did not refuse any further and put the pill into her Storage Bag.

The two stood in the courtyard for a while, exchanged a few words, and then Wang Mengde turned and walked into the pavilion, heading straight for the underground cultivation chamber.

Wang Mengde sat cross-legged on the futon and took out a jade bottle from his Storage Bag.

He poured out the Spirit-Treasure Pill.

The pill was a pale gold color, a size larger than the Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill, with nine clear pill patterns on its surface. Each pill pattern shimmered with a faint spiritual light and emitted a rich spiritual energy fluctuation.

The fragrance of the elixir is delicate and refreshing, invigorating the spirit.

Wang Mengde put the Spirit-Treasure Pill into his mouth.

The moment the pill entered the mouth, a cool, sweet sensation melted on the tip of the tongue, then transformed into a surge of powerful spiritual energy that exploded within the abdomen.

The spiritual power was far more abundant than that of the Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill, flowing like a surging river through his meridians.

The spiritual power of the Spirit-Treasure Pill is not as gentle as that of the Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill. Instead, it carries a sharp and fierce energy, like a drawn sword that rampages through the meridians.

Wang Mengde gritted his teeth, formed hand seals, and exerted all his strength to activate the Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula.

When the Cultivation Method was pushed to its limit, it was as if an invisible hand had sprung up in the Dantian, grabbing the violent spiritual energy and forcibly dragging it into the circulation of qi.

One week.

Two cycles.

[The Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula +20]

[Spirit Power Cultivation +20]

Wang Mengde repeatedly circulated his cultivation Cultivation Method, refining and absorbing the medicinal power of the Spirit-Treasure Pill.

Time passed quietly during his cultivation. After an unknown amount of time, he opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

He had already refined and absorbed all the medicinal power contained in that Spirit-Treasure Pill.

He used his divine sense to look inward and found that the spiritual energy in his Dantian was much stronger than before.

My spiritual power has increased by ninety-six points.

Ninety-six points.

Wang Mengde was secretly amazed.

One Spirit-Treasure Pill is actually equivalent to four Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pills.

If one were to cultivate using Low-Grade Spirit Stone, those ninety-six points of spiritual power would require over a hundred days of arduous training.

It only took a little over half an hour to refine this Spirit-Treasure Pill.

After meditating for a moment, Wang Mengde took out a Jade Spirit Fruit from his Storage Bag.

The Jade Spirit Fruit is entirely green, crystal clear, like a piece of fine jade. It feels slightly cool to the touch and emits a sweet fruity aroma.

He took a bite.

In an instant, a sweet sensation exploded on the tip of my tongue.

The taste of the Jade Spirit Fruit is completely different from that of the Vermilion Fruit; the Vermilion Fruit is a scorching sweetness with a fiery intensity.

The Jade Spirit Fruit has a cool sweetness, like the clearest spring water in a mountain stream, or like the first dewdrop condensed on a bamboo leaf on a late autumn morning—clear, sweet, and refreshing.

The fruit pulp melts in your mouth, turning into a cool juice that slides down your throat and into your stomach, leaving a cool trail wherever it goes, like an invisible ice line extending from your throat all the way to your stomach.

The taste of the Jade Spirit Fruit is truly rare in the world.

The thought flashed through Wang Mengde's mind, but he quickly forgot about it.

The moment the fruit entered my stomach, a cool yet rich spiritual energy spread throughout my body.

That spiritual energy was neither as scorching and violent as the Vermilion Fruit, nor as sharp and aggressive as the Spirit-Treasure Pill. Instead, it was gentle and enduring, like a quietly flowing river, unhurried yet containing immense power.

He activated the Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula, guiding the spiritual energy into his meridians, allowing it to circulate slowly along the circulatory pathways.

The spiritual power of the Jade Spirit Fruit is gentle and docile. It does not require much effort to guide and will flow along the meridians on its own, circulating again and again. With each circulation, it is refined a little, becoming purer and more condensed, and finally flows into the Dantian, merging with the spiritual power in the Dantian.

[The Luan-Phoenix Harmony Formula +35]

[Spirit Power Cultivation +35]

One week.

Two cycles.

Wang Mengde repeatedly circulated his Cultivation Method, refining and absorbing the medicinal power of the Jade Spirit Fruit.

He then bit off another piece and began to refine it.

As the last wisp of spiritual energy was absorbed into his Dantian, he opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them.

He had already refined and absorbed all the medicinal power of the Jade Spirit Fruit.

He used his divine sense to look inward and found that the spiritual energy in his Dantian had become much stronger.

My spiritual power has increased by 115 points.

One hundred and fifteen o'clock.

Wang Mengde secretly clicked his tongue in amazement.

This single Jade Spirit Fruit actually increased his spiritual power by over a hundred points.

With a Vermilion Fruit, a Jade Spirit Fruit, a Spirit-Treasure Pill, a Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill, plus dual cultivation and cultivation with Spirit Stone, his spiritual power has increased by 352 points in the past few days.

However, whether it's a spiritual fruit or a spiritual pill, taking them consecutively in a short period of time will significantly reduce their effectiveness.

The Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill requires a one-month interval, the Spirit-Treasure Pill requires a forty-five-day interval, the Vermilion Fruit requires a two-month interval, and the Jade Spirit Fruit requires a three-month interval.

Even so, at this rate, it won't be long before he reaches the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

In a quiet room on Azure Cliff Island.

Wang Mengde sat cross-legged on a futon, with a large rosewood table in front of him.

The table was covered with pale gold spirit paper, and next to it were neatly arranged Spirit Brush, spirit ink, spirit inkstones and other talisman-making tools.

His spiritual energy fluctuations were steady and profound, far surpassing what they were three years ago; he had clearly reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement Refining.

After three years of arduous cultivation, with over thirty Seven-Pattern Spirit-Nurturing Pill, eighteen Vermilion Fruit, eight Jade Spirit Fruits, and eighteen Spirit-Treasure Pill, plus dual cultivation with Liu Yiyi and Shen Qingyue, and cultivation with Medium-Grade Spirit Stone, his cultivation level rose from the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement Refining all the way up, and finally broke through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement Refining two months ago.

He has reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement, just one step away from the Peak Qi Refinement.

Wang Mengde took a deep breath, cleared his mind of distractions, reached out and took a piece of spirit paper from the table, flattened it, and pressed it down.

He picked up the Spirit Brush, dipped it in spirit ink, and held the tip three inches above the spirit paper, concentrating his mind and calming his spirit.

Three breaths later, he moved.

The pen tip falls, gliding across the paper like flowing clouds and running water, without the slightest hesitation.

His wrist moved freely, his brushstrokes sometimes strong and powerful, sometimes as light as a feather, the spiritual ink flowing from the tip of the brush, leaving a faintly glowing mark on the spiritual paper.

Those marks were not ordinary ink stains, but runes formed by spiritual energy. Each stroke contained pure spiritual energy, flowing slowly across the spiritual paper.

Over the years, he has drawn no fewer than thousands of Spirit Shield Talisman, and has long since etched every detail of this Talisman into his very being.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

Halfway through the third breath, the final stroke was completed.

The spirit paper shone brightly, all the rune lines lit up at the same time, and golden spiritual light flowed and intertwined on the surface of the rune, eventually converging into a complete spirit shield pattern. The light flashed and disappeared into the Talisman Paper.

A second-tier advanced Spirit Shield Talisman has been drawn.

The whole process took no more than three and a half breaths.

It's unbelievably silky smooth.

Wang Mengde put down his Spirit Brush and picked up the Spirit Shield Talisman to examine it carefully.

The runes on the talisman are smooth and natural, the spiritual energy is evenly distributed, and the spiritual light is contained and does not leak out. It is of excellent quality and can be identified as a top-grade item.

He nodded in satisfaction and put the Spirit Shield Talisman into his Storage Bag.