Immortal Road.

"Am I turning into a seahorse?"

The Venerable Zouwu was incredulous. He was used to having hands and feet, and now that he had lost them all, he was very unaccustomed to it.

Even to scratch an itch, it has to stretch out its tail to do so!

Fortunately, this tail is incredibly flexible and connected to the spine, allowing it to draw upon the power of the entire spinal dragon!
Therefore, the attack method must be whipping people with the tail.

In addition, it has a small fan-shaped fin on its back, which it uses to move and fly.

Lin Shan and his group of spirit pets just watched as the Zouwu Venerable's fins trembled incessantly, and it swam upright with its head held high, buzzing and circling in front of them.

"."

Does this thing really have combat capabilities?

Can it still be used as a mount?

"Young master, I really want to change back, is there any way?"

The Zouwu Venerable was on the verge of tears, feeling that this little bean sprout was too straightforward, and wished to transform back into his magnificent steed.

But the true spirit bloodline is right here; how can you say you can change it just because you want to?
Lin Shan beckoned it over, wanting to test if it could be ridden. If it didn't even have the most basic function of being a mount, there was no need to keep it.

Whether you roast it or fry it, it's better than raising a useless person!
"!!!"

The Zouwu Venerable guessed the intention and was so frightened that his soul almost left his body.

It quickly fanned its little electric motor, trotted over, curled its tail into a circle behind it, and invited Lin Shan to sit on it.

"Young master, look, you can sit here now! My dorsal fin can even fan you, how refreshing!"

You know what, it's cool, but it's not prestigious!

Everyone else rides tall, magnificent horses, but I ride a seahorse.

Is this even possible?!
Fortunately, in order to survive, the Zouwu Venerable performed his unique skills with great effort, revealing that he also possessed innate supernatural abilities, such as turning beans into soldiers.

His abdomen bulged, and with a deep breath, he could spew out countless small seahorses, ranging from those at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages, each releasing corrosive acid that had been verified to be able to pile up and corrode various spiritual objects or restrictions.

Seahorses reproduce by males, so when the Zouwu Venerable switched species, he instantly became a father and had a whole bunch of sons!

Moreover, it can be recycled at any time, and its reproductive function is quite explosive.

Seeing how pitiful the guy looked, Lin Shan sighed, softened his heart, and let him go, pulling back the drool that was about to spill from the corner of his mouth.

"Alright then, if you still have True Spirit bloodline next time, I'll find a way to change your race again."

The Zouwu Venerable was overjoyed and hurriedly kowtowed repeatedly.

I've acquired a bunch of spirit pets.

Lin Shan then returned to Xiaorong City.

After living here for sixty years, I have become quite familiar with the area. I turned left and right along the street, entered a market, and then found a shop.

The servant at the gate recognized him.

"Senior Xiongxiong?"

"lead the way!"

Lin Shan walked straight in. The servant knew where he wanted to go, so he went to the back room, opened the floor, and revealed a dark hole.

As you descend the steps, the braziers on both sides of the wall automatically ignite, illuminating the path below.

After about ten steps, we arrived at the tunnel, passed through three corners, and entered a small underground room where two people were chatting.

Upon seeing someone enter, the leader was slightly surprised, and then apologized to the person next to him.

"Fellow Daoist Gong, I have a guest here. I'll reconsider the matter you mentioned and let you know as soon as I have any news."

The man didn't mince words; he immediately stood up to take his leave, adding a final word of advice before departing.

"Fellow Daoist Xing, make your decision soon, for opportunities don't wait for anyone."

After saying that, he brushed past Lin Shan and went out through the tunnel.

"Who is this?"

Lin Shan asked curiously, pulled up a chair and sat down, and there was Xing Shuzi sitting opposite him.

Over the years, he has also settled down in the Immortal City and continued to do his old business of running a black market. The shop mentioned above is a joint venture with Lin Shan, which is used to sell some common pills.

Over the years, Lin Shan's alchemy skills have improved. With his high comprehension and the alchemy inheritance from Xing Shuzi, he is now able to refine sixth-grade pills. He even took the time to take the exam for a Grandmaster title at the Pill Pavilion.

These are just practice pieces I made on a regular basis, and it would be a shame to throw them away, so I decided to put them in a shop to sell.

Xing Shuzi would also throw in some of his own refined pills, but the quantity was obviously small, as his main focus was on the hidden black market below.

There are too many alchemists in the Immortal City, more than you can count on two hands. Each of them is in charge of a different shop, and the market is so competitive that they simply can't compete with others.

Therefore, the medicine shop was just a front, actually used to cover up the black market underneath.

In comparison, the black market was much more profitable. After gradually expanding her channels and attracting customers, Xing Shuzi slowly built up her wealth through this.

Lin Shan, on the other hand, consumed a large amount of medicinal herbs while learning alchemy. In order to cultivate himself into a grandmaster, he spent countless amounts of money, almost emptying his previously accumulated wealth.

However, the spirit plants planted in the Spirit Nourishing Pearl are growing vigorously. After years of slow propagation, they have gradually reached a considerable size, which can meet his daily alchemy needs, but they are still a bit short of being able to advance to the next level.

"Just a second-generation immortal who tries to extort money from me because he has connections."

Xing Shuzi succinctly dismissed the issue, stating that his black market business and illicit profits would inevitably attract envious and covetous individuals who would try to gain a share without lifting a finger, relying on their powerful backers.

As a seasoned veteran, he's encountered this kind of situation many times and knows how to handle it.

Lin Shan didn't ask any more questions after hearing this, because he knew he couldn't help with that anyway.

He is now all alone in the Immortal Realm. To be honest, Xing Shuzi is one of his few friends. Of course, this friend may not be reliable, but the two are currently still in the cooperation stage.

"Have you made any progress on that batch of medicinal herbs I asked you to inquire about last time?"

"Yes, the price they offered is a bit high, it depends on whether you can accept it."

"Price is not a problem, just get it to me first."

Lin Shan has recently become obsessed with alchemy, feeling that he has some potential. The key is that the Myriad Forms Star Flame of Spirit Fire in his possession can increase the success rate of pill making while randomly improving the quality of the pills.

That is to say, occasionally a critical hit will occur, resulting in the refinement of a top-quality pill!

If he were to become a supreme master, wouldn't he be making a fortune?

However, advancing to the next level isn't easy. Materials are a major hurdle for all Void Transformation stage cultivators. Even Xing Shuzi doesn't have that many materials, and refining seventh-grade pills is only an occasional occurrence. "You kid, you only spend and don't earn. You've poured so much money into pill refining over the years. I'm afraid you've almost squandered all the gains you made from Elder Chuyun of Qiyun Ridge, haven't you?"

Xing Shuzi shook his head, feeling that he was a spendthrift. He kindly advised him that haste makes waste, and that he himself had become a supreme master after a thousand years of hard work. How could anyone achieve this in a mere sixty years?
"It's alright. My spirit tree is growing well recently, and I still have some branches and leaves that I can sell."

"You mean the Ancient Tree of Illusions, right?"

Xing Shuzi gave a helpless, bitter smile.

"You've broken branches and sold them off several times, and now the market demand for this material in Xiancheng is saturated. There won't be any buyers who need it in the short term. Besides, I advise you not to go too far. You've probably stripped that tree bare!"

The Phantom Tree has always been a tool tree, constantly being cut down and sold for money, and it has suffered under the care of its master, Lin Shan.

Upon hearing that the market for seventh-tier Illusionary Spirit Wood was saturated, Lin Shan frowned. At the moment, he really had no other way to make money.

A while ago, I received a message from Master Jinchi, asking me to go fishing again. In addition, the fish meat of the Golden Scale Dragon Fish has been completely digested, so it's time to start a new fishing mode.

"I'll figure out the money. Brother, could you cover the cost of the medicine for me first? I'll pay you back soon."

"alright."

Xing Shuzi was quite considerate; even though he was being extorted by the second-generation immortal, he still paid out of his own pocket to help Lin Shan purchase goods, which shows that the two have been very close over the years.

The main reason is that he is optimistic about the future development of this kid. In just sixty years, he has already broken through to the middle stage of the Void Realm and his cultivation level has surpassed his own!

With such talent, investing appropriately in the early stages is not a bad thing.

"Brother, I know you've reached a bottleneck in alchemy. Here are two seventh-grade pill formulas; I'll give them to you to practice with."

After speaking, two jade slips were handed over, which were none other than the Chaolingshe Pill and the Xingxiang Pill!
"Although the pills are not very effective, they are enough to help you pass the seventh-grade alchemist qualification."

Lin Shan was overjoyed to receive it and bowed deeply to express his gratitude.

Sure enough, when the time is right, heaven and earth lend their strength!

Once your cultivation level improves and your potential is fully realized, people around you will naturally try to curry favor with you, befriend you, and actively add to your success, all in an effort to gain your favor.

To be honest, Xing Shuzi wouldn't lose anything by copying these two pill formulas. Helping to purchase some medicinal herbs would be a small favor. If he could make this kid owe him a favor, then he would definitely be making a profit.

Lin Shan knew this too, but favors were meant to be quickly converted into cash, so he could make things easier for himself as soon as possible and repay them later when the opportunity arose.

"Well then, brother, I'll be going now. Contact me next time if you need anything."

"Walk slowly without sending."

After Lin Shan left, Ji Xuanjun emerged from behind the curtain.

The secret room was extremely quiet; you could hear a pin drop.

"The Yin-Yang Annihilation Path will soon issue a recall notice, and all disciples outside the Path will be required to return to the Path to receive the summons. The Annihilation Trial is about to begin."

"Oh? So that means..."

"I can no longer stay by your side; I must go back to accept the trial arrangements."

Xing Shuzi nodded thoughtfully, knowing that this trial was related to Ji Xuanjun's future path. It was said that the competition inside was extremely cruel, like raising poisonous insects, and only those who survived would be qualified to enjoy the feast.

"That clone of the Bear Mountain Master seems to also be from the Yin-Yang Nirvana Path?"

"He should go back too, then we can test the waters."

A strange black and white light flashed in Ji Xuanjun's eyes.

"It would be best if he were willing to cooperate; otherwise, we'll become enemies!"

"Be careful, this kid's cultivation has progressed very quickly, we are no match for him anymore, it's best not to provoke him if possible."

"Don't worry, if we can't afford to mess with his main body, why should we be afraid of his clone?"

Lin Shan left the shop, walked around dozens of blocks, and waited at another restaurant in the west of the city.

About half an hour.

The old Taoist priest Jinchi arrived late.

"Haha, Brother Xiongshan, what brings you here? Have you finally figured things out and are getting ready to go fishing?"

The main reason why Lin Shan confessed his identity to him over the years and changed back to the alias Xiong Shan Shangren was that Xing Shuzi himself had gradually gained a foothold in Xiao Rong City. He could not continue to use the other party's name, otherwise who would be responsible if something happened?

After all, he was honest and law-abiding, while that guy ran a black market. He was afraid of getting into trouble and getting himself implicated, so he switched back.

"I was in seclusion before, busy cultivating and tinkering with alchemy, so I didn't have time. Now that I've come out of seclusion, I've come to find you, brother."

"Yes, I've heard about what happened to you."

Although Xiaorong City is large, the number of cultivators in the Void Realm can be counted on one's fingers. Anyone with a bit of inside information can still hear some rumors and commotion.

"Recently, a large amount of Illusionary Spirit Wood has flooded the market, causing a sharp drop in the price of illusion-related spiritual materials and treasures, impacting all industries in this category. I'm afraid this is your doing?"

"Oh? That's such a big impact!"

Lin Shan was slightly surprised. The other party had even dug up the Illusionary Spirit Wood. It seemed that his actions had gone a bit too far. He had to stop now.

"Brother, I'm not trying to be mean, but if you're short on cash, come fishing with me. Disrupting the market will only make you a target of resentment."

Jinchi Daoist seems to have matured a bit over the years, and appears to have made quite a few connections. He speaks with an air of maturity and is noticeably more confident.

"However, we two brothers have now reached the mid-stage of the Void Realm, which is not considered weak at this level. Basically, if we don't provoke others in the Immortal City, others won't provoke us either."

Lin Shan looked him up and down.

Jin Chi Lao Dao indeed possessed a profound aura and had broken through his realm thanks to the flesh of the Golden Scale Dragon Fish. The pool at the mid-stage of the Void Realm was three times larger than that at the early stage, which meant that his strength had tripled. Wasn't that a sign of his confidence?
"Brother, before we go fishing, there's something I forgot to ask you. How's the refining of that Xuan Tian spiritual treasure coming along?"

Before going into seclusion, he spent a lot of money to commission the supreme master of weapon crafting in Xiaorong City to refine his fish scales and skin so that he could forge two Xuan Tian spiritual treasures for self-defense.

Nowadays, he relies on supernatural powers, but he lacks some spiritual treasures.

The reason for delaying the enhancement of his natal spirit treasure was to test the waters first and see how skilled the weapon refiner was. If he was capable, he would then hand over his natal spirit treasure to the other party for offline enhancement, which would also save him some ancient charm.

To everyone's surprise, when the old Taoist priest Jinchi heard his question, he panicked and his eyes started to dart around, clearly indicating that something had happened!
"Hey bro, don't rush with the Xuan Tian Ling Bao thing. Let's go fishing first. I've recently set up a few fishing spots, and the fish there are really good and plump."

"Stop talking nonsense, are you hiding something from me?"

Lin Shan's eyes flashed with hostility; clearly, such a small action couldn't escape his notice, and he instantly sensed something was amiss.

Under his repeated questioning, the old Taoist priest Jinchi had no choice but to tell the truth.

It turns out that not long ago, the master craftsman of the weapon-refining industry in Xiaorong City absconded with all the money without any warning!
You heard right, a supreme master willingly gave up his career and the connections he had built up in the city over the years, and just ran away like that!
Jinchi Daoist was also often concerned about his fish-skin soft armor. He went to check on the progress many times, but was always turned away by the other party. However, when he went there a while ago, he suddenly found that the other party had run away, and he was stunned on the spot.

"I've been secretly investigating for some time now, planning to tell you once I had some leads, but who knew you would just emerge from seclusion." (End of Chapter)