Druid Fairy

Chapter 136 The fifth level of Qi refining
News of the beast plague swept through the entire Songling Prefecture overnight.

The once quiet stone-paved road is now filled with students hurrying by.

They gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves, their usual composure and ease replaced by barely suppressed anxiety.

"Have you heard? The protective formation of Qingyun Mountain was breached by demonic beasts in less than half a month!"

"That's not all! My second uncle sent word from the prefecture that there are powerful demons comparable to the ninth level of Qi Refining in this beast tide, and even several immortal masters have perished!"

"Oh my god, this is terrible, what should we do?"

Panic spread like a plague, and along with it, the price of elixirs skyrocketed.

Qi Gathering Pills, Rejuvenation Pills, Detoxification Pills... These basic pills, which usually lie untouched on the shelves of the Pill Pavilion, have now become highly sought-after commodities.

The price changed three times a day, soaring from one low-grade spirit stone to five low-grade spirit stones and still being hard to find.

The Dan Hall was packed with people.

The alchemy disciples were surrounded by a large group of anxious students.

"They're all gone! Today's supply of pills is already sold out!"

"Get in line! Trying to cut in line? No way!"

"Take it or leave it. It's five low-grade spirit stones for one now, but it'll be more than that tomorrow!"

Looking at this chaotic scene, Li Mengze frowned, his heart filled with worry.

'Father, Mother, Grandpa, Grandma...'

Although he never doubted his father's abilities, the beast calamity was no small matter; swords and blades have no eyes, what if...

No, I can’t think about it any more.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his worries and transforming them into an unprecedented driving force.

He needs spirit stones, lots of spirit stones, to buy more medicinal herbs, refine the best pills, and deliver them to his family.

'This might... be an opportunity.'

Li Mengze looked at the students who were dejected because they couldn't get the pills, and a thought popped into his head.

He quietly took out several bottles of "flawed" Qi-gathering pills that he had deliberately refined during his daily practice.

These pills only had one or two lines of cinnabar pattern, and their color was somewhat dull, which he deliberately did to conceal his true abilities.

"This senior brother."

Li Mengze tugged at the hem of a senior brother dressed in brocade robes, "I still have a few pills here that I used for practice. Although they are not of good quality, they are still effective."

Upon hearing this, the rich young man was first taken aback, then snatched the medicine bottle, uncorked it, and smelled it. His face immediately lit up with ecstatic joy.

"Sell! Sell it to me now! How many spirit stones?"

"The current market price is fifty spirit stones per bottle."

"Fifty?"

The rich young man's eyes darted around. Seeing that the man looked naive and inexperienced, he tried to take the opportunity to lower the price. "Your pills are of such poor quality, thirty at most!"

Li Mengze found it amusing. He shook his head and reached out to take the medicine bottle back: "Then... then forget it, I'll keep it for myself."

"No, no, no!" The rich young man cried out anxiously. These days, elixirs were priceless and unavailable. "Forty! Forty it is! No more than that!"

"No, fifty it is." Li Mengze insisted on the price.

"OK then!"

Holding the heavy bag of spirit stones, Li Mengze felt a strange sensation, a mixture of excitement at his first successful "speculation" and a faint sense of guilt for "cheating and deceiving."

'Well, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.'

He quickly put that feeling of guilt behind him.

This first pot of gold showed him a business opportunity. He immediately turned his attention to his friends.

He found Zhang Ao, who, although not skilled in alchemy, had good talent and a wide circle of friends.

"Zhang Ao, can you do me a favor?" Li Mengze asked bluntly.

"What's the matter? Tell me!"

"I want to buy some of the pills that my senior brothers failed at refining," Li Mengze said. "I want to see how they failed so that I can avoid some detours when I refine pills myself."

Zhang Ao was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "You guys, your thought process is just different from everyone else's! Okay, leave this to me!"

In his view, Li Mengze was a typical case of "going crazy from studying," but since it was a friend's request, he naturally agreed without hesitation.

Soon, with Zhang Ao's help, Li Mengze acquired a large number of "waste pills" at extremely low prices.

These discarded pills were useless in the eyes of the fellow disciples, but their medicinal properties still remained, so they could be refined again.

Of course, only those with strong spiritual power and an extremely deep understanding of pharmacology can achieve the "re-creation" step.

Those fellow alchemists all thought he was a fool who was rich but stupid, and they were all grinning from ear to ear, unaware that they were the ones being fleeced.

The refined pills were quickly resold, bringing in a huge sum of money.

Without a moment's delay, Li Mengze immediately went to the academy's trading market.

It was more than ten times busier than usual, with all kinds of stalls packed full, and the sounds of hawking and bargaining rising and falling.

He activated his "insight into good and evil" and moved among the crowd.

In his eyes, which stall owner had ulterior motives, which stall owner was honest and trustworthy, which stall had genuine medicinal herbs, and which stall was selling inferior goods, all of these were clearly visible, transformed into different colored halos.

He quickly identified a stall that specialized in selling rare medicinal herbs.

The stall owner was an older student with a hooked nose, radiating a thick gray light—the color of greed and cunning.

On the stall, there was a black root that looked withered.

"How much is this 'dead tree root'?" Li Mengze asked calmly, pointing to the root.

"Hey, you have a good eye!" The man immediately perked up. "This isn't some withered tree root; it's called 'Ink Jade Ginseng,' a rare treasure that takes a hundred years to form after absorbing the Yin energy from the earth! Look at the patterns, the color—one price, fifty low-grade spirit stones!"

Li Mengze sneered inwardly. He had long seen that this was not a black jade ginseng at all, but a "black sweet potato root" with similar medicinal properties but a hundred times less value. It had just been imbued with a similar aura by someone using a secret method.

But he didn't point it out, he just shook his head, a perfectly measured look of disappointment on his face: "Too expensive, I can't afford it."

He turned around as if to leave, but his gaze "inadvertently" fell on a pile of weeds in the corner of the stall, which were being given away as a bonus.

Among that pile of weeds, there was an inconspicuous little grass with three silver stripes on its leaves.

“I see you can’t sell these herbs anyway, so how about this,” Li Mengze pointed to the silver-patterned grass, “I’ll offer a low-grade spirit stone to buy this weed and feed it to my precious rabbit.”

The student was taken aback. He didn't recognize the herb at all and assumed it had accidentally wandered in while he was gathering herbs. Seeing that the boy was so naive as to be willing to spend a spirit stone to buy trash, he was overjoyed.

"Alright, alright! You're a very straightforward person, young friend!" He quickly packed up the pile of weeds and handed it to Li Mengze, afraid that he might change his mind.

Li Mengze paid the spirit stones, took the bag of "weeds," turned around and left, concealing his merit and fame.

That silver-patterned grass is called "Three-Leaf Silver Thread Grass," and it is the most crucial main ingredient for refining the first-grade mid-level pill "Solidifying Essence Pill." Its value far surpasses that of the so-called "Ink Jade Ginseng"!
Using the same method, Li Mengze dominated the trading market, sweeping away all the buried "pearls" like autumn leaves in the wind.

Those self-proclaimed shrewd vendors were driven to madness by his calm, unwavering face and "insight into good and evil," who managed to cut their prices to the bare minimum and sell their goods.

After exchanging all the spirit stones for the necessary medicinal herbs, Li Mengze returned to the alchemy hall with satisfaction.

He locked himself in his most secluded alchemy room and hung up a sign that read "Do Not Disturb in Seclusion".

This time, he made no attempt to hide anything.

His powerful spiritual energy was released without reservation, and the flames inside the alchemy furnace, under his control, refined the medicinal properties of each herb to the extreme.

In his hands, rare medicinal herbs are transformed into drops of pure medicinal liquid, blending and sublimating with each other.

Qi-gathering pill, Rejuvenation pill, Body-strengthening pill, Mind-clearing pill...

Bottle after bottle of high-quality pills with clear cinnabar patterns were continuously refined by him.

He seemed tireless, his eyes fixed only on the roaring fire and the bubbling medicinal liquid.

'Father, Mother...you must both be safe and sound.'

'Wait for me, wait for me to deliver the best elixirs to you!'

Outside the window, the wind and snow intensified.

The flames inside the alchemy furnace, however, were incredibly intense.

Although the beast plague does not currently threaten Yunshui County, and the battlefield is in the upper reaches of the Dayu River, the raging floods and the spread of the beast tide are only a matter of time.

When the nest is overturned, how can there be any eggs?
Yunshui County, and even Taohua Village, cannot possibly remain unaffected.

After pondering for a long time, Li Pingcan found Li Pingfu.

"Big brother, I'll go with you."

Li Pingfu was not surprised at all. His younger brother, who usually seemed carefree and indifferent to worldly affairs, would stand taller and charge forward than anyone else when his family was threatened.

"I'll leave the family to Dad and Huwa," Li Pingfu said in a deep voice.

Li Rongzhou is now a master of the acquired realm, and Li Yuanhu has also entered the Divine Fiend Realm. In addition, the impregnable Seven Spirits Array in the Li family mansion is enough to deal with most villains.

Having decided on the itinerary, Li Pingcan felt an indescribable sense of guilt.

He went to the backyard, where Xie Yuan was sitting on the porch, quietly sewing a small tiger-head hat for the child in her womb.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating her gentle profile, as if she were enveloped in a halo of sanctity.

Li Pingcan walked to her side, opened his mouth, and had a thousand words to say, but didn't know where to begin.

"My husband, I know everything."

Xie Yuan put down her needlework, without a trace of resentment, only an overwhelming concern and reluctance to part. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"I……"

Li Pingcan's voice was a little hoarse, "I don't know, but don't worry, I will definitely come back to see our child born."

"I believe you."

Xie Yuan stood up and took the initiative to straighten his slightly disheveled collar, her trembling slightly.

You don't need to feel sorry for me.

She spoke softly, her eyes gradually reddening, "My husband is a true man, a pillar of strength. The fate of the nation and the world rests on your shoulders. I only ask one thing of you: in all things, prioritize your own safety. If you are well, my child and I will fear nothing. If you are gone, there is no meaning in our lives."

She didn't cry; she simply rested her head gently against his chest, quietly feeling his heartbeat.

Li Pingcan held her tightly in his arms. With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?

…………

In Zhao Sisi's courtyard.

"Daddy!" Upon seeing him, Li Mengjin immediately dropped the wooden sword in her hand and ran over happily, her little face full of admiration.

Li Pingcan squatted down, rubbed his little head, and said with a smile, "Daddy is going on a long trip to fight some unruly beasts. You stay at home, practice your swordsmanship diligently, and listen to your mother and grandmother, okay?"

"Daddy, I can fight too!" Li Mengjin waved her little fist, looking very serious. "My sword is fast! I can help you!"

"Haha, Dad knows you're amazing."

Li Pingcan was amused by him, but then his expression turned serious as he looked at him earnestly. "But Mengjin, a true swordsman's sharpest sword is always used to protect what he cherishes most. Now, your father is entrusting you with the task of protecting your mother and this family. This is your first mission as a man. Can you complete it?"

Li Mengjin seemed to understand but not quite, but the word "mission" made him puff out his little chest. He nodded vigorously and said in a loud voice, "Yes! Don't worry, Daddy, I will protect Mommy!"

Li Pingcan smiled with satisfaction, kissed him on the forehead, comforted Zhao Sisi, and then turned to leave.

…………

The [Animal Companion] contract slot has been vacant for a long time, which is fine on ordinary days, but now it's time to fill it.

"The upper reaches of the Dayu River are complex, riddled with hidden currents and teeming with monstrous beasts. Having a waterborne overlord like the Azure Dragon as our guide and combat force would greatly increase our chances of success."

Having made up his mind, Li Pingcan arrived at the bottom of the Qingjiang River. Time was of the essence, so he got straight to the point: "I want to form a soul contract with you."

The Azure Dragon was taken aback, and a solemn look appeared in its golden snake eyes.

That is the deepest kind of bond, from which they will share life and death, honor and disgrace, and their strength will be enhanced.

Once a contract is signed, all of the other party's secrets will be revealed without reservation.

"Have you thought it through?" Qingjiao pondered for a moment, his voice unusually serious.

“I’ve thought it through.” Li Pingcan met its gaze, his eyes sincere and firm. “The beast calamity is coming, and you are one of my most trusted partners.”

The Azure Dragon fell silent.

It looked at the "little carp" in front of it, which seemed to be countless times weaker than itself, yet had created miracles time and time again.

It remembered how the other party had helped it scratch its itch, helped it pass through the Dragon Palace, and even shared half of the precious Fire Spirit Mushroom with it...

This friendship has long transcended ordinary friendship.

"it is good!"

The Azure Dragon swung its tail violently and declared with boundless pride, "My life is already tied to yours! Come on!"

After saying that, it closed its eyes and completely released its spiritual defenses.

Li Pingcan felt a warmth in his heart. He knew that this was Qingjiao's complete trust in him.

He no longer hesitated, [Animal Companions]!
A gentle and sacred power of contract surged from his palm, instantly binding the souls of the man and the snake together.

"Buzz!"

Li Pingcan witnessed the Azure Dragon's memories: from its innocent hatching from a snake egg, to its solitary growth at the bottom of the Qingjiang River, and finally, by chance, it received the Dragon Clan's inheritance...

All the joys and sorrows transformed into the most vivid images, flowing through his mind.

Qingjiao also sensed everything about Li Pingcan.

It "saw" all the effort and sweat that Li Pingcan put in to protect his family.

"Good heavens!" The Azure Dragon's divine sense exploded in Li Pingcan's mind, filled with unbelievable shock. "I considered you my brother, but you're not a fish, you're a person!"

At this moment, there were no more secrets between them; their souls were intertwined, and their hearts were in perfect harmony.

[You have formed an equal soul contract with the Azure Dragon, and it has become your loyal companion!]

[You have acquired the Azure Dragon's bloodline talent: Dragon's Might (You will possess an innate aura of power originating from the ancient dragon race, capable of absolutely intimidating beasts of lower rank than yourself. Simultaneously, your physical strength and regenerative abilities will receive a permanent boost.)]

"Dragon Might? What an overbearing talent!"

Just as he was overjoyed, an even greater energy surged from the Azure Dragon's body through the soul contract!

That was the pure spiritual energy that the Azure Dragon had accumulated over the years by devouring countless rare and precious materials!

This energy was so immense that Li Pingcan's cultivation bottleneck, which had already reached the peak of the fourth level of Qi Refining, was instantly loosened under the impact of this energy!
"not good!"

Li Pingcan's expression changed. He didn't expect that his contracted partner would have such a hidden "buy one get one free" benefit!

He dared not be negligent in the slightest, and immediately sat cross-legged, circulating the "Earth God Qi Refining Technique" and frantically guiding this sudden surge of enormous energy.

Within the dantian and dantian, the magical energy vortex spun and purified at an unprecedented speed!

The magical power that was originally like a small stream has now gathered into a rushing river. With each circulation, he felt his dantian being expanded, and his meridians were being torn apart by intense pain.

He held fast to his mind, guiding this power to repeatedly assault that invisible barrier.

At the same time, his newly awakened "Dragon's Might" talent seems to resonate wonderfully with his martial arts golden body.

An ancient and domineering aura awakened from the depths of his body, and began to actively absorb and refine the violent spiritual energy, transforming it into the purest blood and qi power, which in turn nourished his body.

The advantages of cultivating both immortal and martial arts are fully revealed at this moment!
"break!"

Li Pingcan concentrated all his energy into one point and slammed it hard into that barrier!

"Boom!"

The bottleneck shattered instantly!

A surge of magical power, far more refined and profound than before, arose from his dantian, flowing like a surging river throughout his limbs and bones in an instant.

His sea of ​​consciousness expanded once more, his divine sense surged, and his perception of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth became increasingly clear.

Qi Refining Level 5!

Li Pingcan slowly opened his eyes, a dazzling glint flashing in them.

On this journey, facing the threat of wild beasts, we have nothing to fear.

(End of this chapter)