Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 400 Changqing Shangren
Even a Core Formation True Person is considered an upper-class cultivator in the Great Swamp cultivation world. No matter where they go, they will not be bullied. Except for mindless barbarians, they will not easily offend ordinary people or forces, even if they are not on good terms with them.

Inside the inner city of Funiu Immortal City, in the City Lord's Mansion, True Person Fengyin smiled warmly and nodded repeatedly to the white-haired Li Ji'an and Ning Sujin before him.

"It is our honor that you two fellow Daoists have chosen our Immortal City and wish to reside here permanently. However, the core Heavenly Pool area is not open to the public. We hope you will understand!"

Master Fengyin is the eldest disciple of Master Funiu. He is at the mid-stage of Core Formation and has reached the end of his cultivation path. He is tactful in dealing with matters and steady in handling affairs. He guards the inner city of the Immortal City.

He treated Li Ji'an with utmost courtesy and without the slightest airs.

However, Li Ji'an's exposed aura of a lower-level True Core cultivator, coupled with his concealed bone age, was not enough to impress the other party, who decisively rejected Li Ji'an's request to settle in the quasi-fourth-tier spiritual vein dojo.

"I wonder if your city's esteemed retainers can reside at the Tianchi Dojo?" Li Ji'an asked again calmly.

Master Fengyin smiled slightly and asked instead of answering, "What skills is Fellow Daoist Changqing proficient in?"

Today, Mount Funiu is maintained entirely by the lineage of Master Funiu, and thus it continues to attract visitors.

From servants to those who offered sacrifices, there was always a constant presence of them.

For those at the Core Formation stage, they are mostly treated as guest advisors, primarily to accumulate combat strength and defend Funiu Mountain.

A near-fourth-tier spiritual vein is an extremely precious cultivation resource in the entire eastern part of the Great Swamp cultivation world.

More than two hundred years ago, before Master Funiu advanced to the late stage of Core Formation, he was constantly fought over by various forces.

You finish your performance and I will take the stage.

Fortunately, this place is far enough away from other superior spiritual veins and dojos that forces without a strong foundation will find it difficult to establish their dominance here, while forces with a strong foundation are generally too far away from this place.

Aside from temporarily occupying the area or intervening in some commercial industries, they mostly support agents vying for dominance in the region, without abandoning their original ancestral businesses.

Only Master Funiu, with his late-stage Core Formation strength, refused all attempts to bribe him from external forces, single-handedly suppressing the entire city, thus securing his rule over this land.

Of course, there are also rumors that Master Funiu was previously supported by a certain force, but after being promoted to Master, he turned his back on them.

In short, over the past two hundred years, Master Funiu has been at the height of his power, but there have still been many powerful forces exerting their influence in secret.

In order to ensure the long-term prosperity of Funiu Immortal City, the city, which already had a shallow foundation, could only cultivate its own resources while recruiting external forces.

However, the top combatant here is Master Funiu. In terms of combat strength alone, no one is qualified to become a retainer. The highest honor is that of a first-class guest elder.

Besides combat prowess, skilled masters from various industries are also the primary targets for recruitment.

However, the skill requirements for various industries have now been raised to a very high level.

Guest masters need at least a near-third-tier skill, while strategic skills such as alchemists, formation masters, talisman masters, and weapon refiners require at least a second-tier advanced skill. As for auxiliary professions such as physicians, plant masters, and beast tamers, the requirements are even higher.

As for the offerings that Li Ji'an mentioned, there are currently only three people in Funiu Immortal City.

Firstly, a third-tier advanced alchemist.

Secondly, a third-tier intermediate array master.

Third, quasi-level four physicians.

Master Fengyin asked Li Ji'an with a smile, but in reality, the moment Li Ji'an stepped into the City Lord's Mansion, he had already obtained a series of information about Li Ji'an's arrival.

Someone also gave a detailed report about the treatment of the barbarians in the desert city two months ago.

To think that a mere second-tier medical skill could be offered as a tribute at Mount Funiu is truly wishful thinking.

"I am an expert in talismanic arts!" In order to cultivate his near-fourth-tier spiritual veins and Golden Core, Li Ji'an chose a trump card that was not currently of great importance.

As soon as Li Ji'an opened his mouth, Master Fengyin had already prepared his reply: "Fellow Daoist, please. I am a quasi-fourth-level physician from Funiu Mountain... Hmm? What? Fellow Daoist is also a talisman master?"

However, he only realized halfway through the sentence that Li Ji'an was skilled in talisman arts, and was instantly surprised.

Alchemy, artifacts, talismans, and arrays—spiritual talismans are arguably the most direct, simple, clear, and effective means of combat.

Therefore, Funiu Mountain has always valued talisman masters.

Unfortunately, talisman masters rely too much on talisman materials for practice, and in the Huangtian Domain, especially in the Funiu Mountain area, talisman materials are extremely scarce. Even local talisman masters at the lower levels do not have many materials to practice with.

This has resulted in the absence of any high-level talisman masters native to the area.

Funiu Mountain once purchased a batch of high-grade talisman materials from Wanshang Domain at a high price in an attempt to attract high-level talisman masters, but to no avail.

"I've spent almost the entire first half of my life on talismans," Li Ji'an nodded affirmatively.

"Oh? May I ask Fellow Daoist Changqing, what level and grade is your talisman skill?" True Person Fengyin remained warm, but his attitude had clearly changed slightly.

Li Ji'an smiled faintly: "I am not very talented, barely at the intermediate level of the third rank."

"A mid-level third-tier talisman master?" Master Fengyin could no longer sit still; his smile deepened. "Fellow Daoist Changqing is truly talented!"

"Then what about this offering?" Li Ji'an asked directly.

"Fellow Daoist, rest assured, my Funiu Mountain is already lacking in high-level talisman masters, and is more willing to treat you with great courtesy. If what you say is true, a third-level intermediate talisman master is enough to become a respected figure in my Funiu Mountain..." True Master Fengyin said without hesitation, without any intention of bargaining, showing his sincerity.

However, he paused slightly halfway through his sentence.

At the same time, Ning Sujin had already sensed a subtle fluctuation of divine sense.

Immediately afterward, Master Fengyin changed the subject: "However, the core dojo of Tianchi is an important place for my sect. It contains the core of this great formation. In order to prevent those with ulterior motives from plotting against us, the qualifications for offering sacrifices must be personally granted by our master. Please forgive us, fellow Daoist."

Li Ji'an nodded: "That's how it should be."

Seeing that Li Ji'an showed no impatience, Master Fengyin felt slightly relieved, then said with some embarrassment:

"Unfortunately, Master has been in seclusion for ten years, and it is uncertain when he will emerge. I would like to ask you to stay in the inner city for the time being. Once Master emerges, he will definitely meet with you immediately."

"Oh? That's quite unfortunate." Li Ji'an frowned slightly.

Master Fengyin's eyes flickered, and he hesitated several times as if he wanted to say something but then stopped, clearly wanting to persuade him to stay. However, he ultimately held back and didn't say anything more.

"Since that's the case, I won't force you." Li Ji'an immediately stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to the other party, and turned to leave.

"Fellow Daoist Changqing..." True Person Fengyin wanted to persuade him to stay, but he had some concerns, and in the end he could only watch him leave the City Lord's Mansion.

As soon as Li Ji'an left, Master Fengyin immediately transmitted his voice: "Master, our Funiu Mountain is currently in dire need of manpower, especially high-level talisman masters..."

Before he could finish speaking, another kind voice rang out in his mind: "Foolish child, this Changqing Zhenren, or more accurately, Changqing Shangren, is a person whose coming to our Funiu Mountain is fraught with unpredictable cause and effect. We must be cautious!"

"Master? Does that mean... he's actually at the late Core Formation stage?" Master Fengyin was shocked.

At the same time, the thought of recruiting them instantly froze in my mind.

"Hmph, it seems those people are getting more and more impatient." He then snorted coldly.

"Hehe, silly child, if it were those forces, how could they be so crude? Since he is a superior being disguised, he naturally knows that I can sense it." The kind voice smiled gently.

"My mind is in turmoil." Master Fengyin smiled self-deprecatingly, realizing that he had overlooked such a simple truth for a moment.

"Then... since it's not someone from those powerful forces, are we just going to give up on a high-level talisman master like this?" After a moment of contemplation, he asked again with doubt.

His first reaction was that his master was wary of a Core Formation cultivator and worried that the other party would take his place. However, he then thought of his master's character and magnanimity and dismissed the thought.

"Of course not, but before that, we should at least figure out the cause and effect, and whether our Funiu Mountain can handle it." The kind voice rang out again.

"Disciple understands!" Upon hearing this, True Person Fengyin instantly understood his master's meaning.

The Core Formation Master was already a peak existence here, yet he still disguised himself to come. Since he was not an enemy with ulterior motives, he must be burdened with karma.

If one tries to escape grudges, the karmic consequences at that level would be too great for Mount Funiu to bear.

If one can live out one's days in peace and tranquility, that is something one could never have wished for.

However, Core Formation Realm experts are extremely rare in the world; there are only a handful in the entire Yellow Heaven Domain, and most of them are in the Joyful Union Sect.

The most likely candidate is a former supreme elder of one of the major sects in the Tiancang Domain.

If they are indeed former members of sects in the Heavenly Azure Domain, they would naturally welcome them with open arms.

After all, the Corpse Puppet Sect had been infiltrating for many years, and the purge had long been over. Moreover, it had no connection with forces like Huang Tianyu.

Thinking of this, Master Fengyin hurriedly chased after him.

A moment later, just as Li Ji'an was about to leave the inner city, he caught up with him.

"Fellow Taoist, please stay!"

A smile appeared on Li Ji'an's face: "What advice does the Lord of Fengyin City have for me?"

"Fellow Daoist Changqing, you flatter me. I am truly ashamed. It is an honor for my Funiu Mountain that you have come to visit. Unfortunately, my master is currently in seclusion. After much deliberation, I humbly request that you give my Funiu Mountain a chance." Master Fengyin's demeanor changed drastically.

"Lord of the City is too modest. This old man is in his twilight years and only desires a stable place to live out his remaining years. Since Venerable Funiu is in seclusion, it is simply that our time has not yet come, so let's leave it at that." Li Ji'an waved his hand with a smile.

"I humbly request that you stay in the inner city for a while. I have already informed my master that he will likely emerge from seclusion soon," Master Fengyin said sincerely once again.

Li Ji'an frowned slightly, then turned to look at Ning Sujin beside him.

"In that case, my wife and I will stay here for a while."

(End of this chapter)