Cultivation: From Laborer to Immortal Venerable

"Brother Zhou, congratulations on joining Danbao Pavilion and becoming an alchemy apprentice!"

The person who arrived was Dan Xiong Hai, who couldn't wait to offer his congratulations as soon as the door opened.

"It's still too early to say. Whether I succeed or not depends on the assessment in half a year!" Zhou Xun waved his hand, but a hint of confidence showed in his words.

Not to mention that his current cultivation had already passed the third level of Qi Condensation.

His Spiritual Root aptitude also ranked among the medium grade.

Among the 30 selected individuals, he was already considered to be at the forefront.

What's more, at the third level of Qi Condensation, he already possessed Divine Sense, which was typically only available to cultivators in the late Qi Condensation stage.

This was incredibly helpful, whether for refining medicinal herbs or controlling the heat of the flames.

Zhou Xun warmly welcomed Dan Xiong Hai inside.

Once they were seated, Zhou Xun retrieved a pot of spirit wine and two cups from inside and placed them on the table.

Dan Xiong Hai unceremoniously picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, and downed it in one go, complaining, "Big Brother, you've been keeping this from me for so long!"

"When I suddenly heard your name at the West Plaza today, I was truly shocked!"

Zhou Xun chuckled upon hearing this.

"It's my fault, Brother. How about I punish myself with three cups!"

Saying this, he picked up the wine pot and downed three cups of spirit wine in quick succession.

Dan Xiong Hai wasn't actually blaming Zhou Xun; he was just venting a little.

"Big Brother, for such a joyous occasion, how do you plan to celebrate?"

Zhou Xun was taken aback.

He hadn't really thought about it, but since Dan Xiong Hai brought it up, It was indeed time for a proper celebration.

"I'll invite a couple of friends for a small, intimate celebration!" Zhou Xun replied after a moment of thought.

His original parents had passed away early, and the relationships from the previous generation had long since faded.

After Zhou Xun transmigrated, fearing that familiar people might discover discrepancies, he actively reduced his social interactions.

Apart from going to work at the Mystic Talisman Pavilion, he basically stayed in his room cultivating.

After several years, there were very few people left with whom he still kept in touch.

Even Dan Xiong Hai was someone who often visited him proactively.

"That sounds good. May I ask which day Big Brother plans to hold it?" Dan Xiong Hai naturally had no objections to this.

"I have to report to Danbao Pavilion in three days, so how about tomorrow!" Zhou Xun said after thinking.

He then began to calculate the supplies needed for the small celebration.

"I have plenty of Spirit Rice and Spirit Tea at home, so there's no need to purchase them separately!"

"I only have two pots of spirit wine left, and I still need to buy spirit fruits, demon beast meat, and the like!"

"Leave these to me. I'm very familiar with Shopkeeper Hu at the East Market Spirit Sundries Shop, and I can get a discount!" Dan Xiong Hai said casually.

He and Second Uncle Dan were both demon-hunting cultivators and had frequent dealings with the shopkeeper of the spirit sundries shop.

Zhou Xun nodded.

"Then I'll trouble you, Da Hai!"

After buying the spirit wine, spirit fruits, demon beast meat, and other items, Dan Xiong Hai walked back with large bags.

Familiar neighbors all curiously inquired.

"Da Hai, did you strike it rich? Buying so many spirit items!"

"Haha, you don't know, my Brother Zhou was successfully selected as an alchemy apprentice at Danbao Pavilion. This is for his celebration tomorrow!"

Dan Xiong Hai didn't keep such good news a secret and blurted it out casually.

"Brother Zhou, Zhou Xun?"

"That's right!"

Soon, the news of Zhou Xun's selection as an alchemy apprentice at Danbao Pavilion spread.

The next day, at Zhou Xun's home.

Zhou Xun woke up early and tidied up the room.

Dan Xiong Hai also came to help process the demon beast meat.

Time quickly passed to the second quarter of the hour of the snake (around 10 AM).

A hearty voice came from outside the door.

"Hahaha, young Xun, I heard you were selected for Danbao Pavilion!"

The newcomer was a burly, broad-waisted middle-aged man, around forty years old, dressed like a warrior. His face bore a four or five parts resemblance to Dan Xiong Hai.

"Second Uncle Dan, when did you get back? It's been a year!" Zhou Xun greeted him with surprise and joy.

After his parents passed away, it was largely thanks to the care of this Second Uncle Dan that he was able to continue staying in Red Leaf Square. Otherwise, how could a teenager with a substantial inheritance possibly survive in this wolf-eat-wolf world of cultivation?

The man chuckled, and with a hand as large as a cattail fan, he clapped Zhou Xun heavily on the shoulder. Zhou Xun almost stumbled.

"Not bad, you've grown. It's just that your physique is a bit weak. When you have time, buy a body-refining cultivation technique to practice!"

Zhou Xun smiled and nodded, then gestured towards the room. "Uncle, please come in and sit!"

Inside the room, a table about five feet long was laden with spirit fruits, spirit wine, and delicacies made from demon beast meat and spirit fish.

Upon entering, the middle-aged man didn't sit down. Instead, he patted his waist. With a flash of white light, an ancient wooden box appeared in his hand.

"Uncle doesn't have anything particularly good. I was lucky in the mountains and found a spirit herb. I'm giving it to you to celebrate your joining Danbao Pavilion!"

"Uncle, this... this is too valuable!" Zhou Xun exclaimed. He knew that not just any spirit plant could be called a spirit herb. Each spirit herb was worth at least a hundred Spirit Essence on the market. When they hunted the Goldspirit Rat last time, Zhou Xun had only obtained seventy Spirit Essence, which wasn't even enough to buy the lowest-grade, first-tier, low-grade spirit herb.

"What Second Uncle gives out, he doesn't take back!" the man said, putting on a stern face and feigning anger.

"A gift from an elder, I dare not refuse. Nephew accepts it!" Seeing this, the man nodded with satisfaction and sat down.

As they were chatting idly, the room suddenly darkened. Everyone looked up to see a figure filling the entire doorway.

"Warden Lin, you're here!" Zhou Xun greeted him enthusiastically. He owed a lot to Warden Lin for being able to live here. Otherwise, after being kicked out of Red Leaf Square, Zhou Xun could guess what his fate would have been. Therefore, Zhou Xun felt quite grateful towards the plump warden and had invited him to this small celebration.

"Good, keep up the good work!" the plump warden praised faintly, handing a cloth bag to Zhou Xun.

With the arrival of the plump warden, all the guests Zhou Xun had invited were now present. As they were about to start the feast, another commotion arose from outside.

"Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou!"

Zhou Xun went out to look and saw a youth dressed as a servant, along with a few companions, standing respectfully outside the door.

"So it's you guys. I've already been expelled from Mystic Talisman Pavilion, what are you here for?" Zhou Xun asked coldly. These people had publicly mocked him when he was at his lowest.

"Brother Zhou, we heard you were accepted by Danbao Pavilion and came specifically to congratulate you. I was wrong last time, I had eyes but couldn't see Mount Tai. Please forgive us!" the youth dressed as a servant said with a fawning smile.

"Yes, Brother Zhou, please be magnanimous and forgive us!" the others behind him chimed in.

After speaking, the servant even took out a bulging bag from his embrace and offered it to Zhou Xun. Zhou Xun sneered inwardly. As the ancient saying goes, if you repay kindness with kindness, how do you repay kindness?