A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu Transmigrates into a Book, the Dao Ancestor of Rein

Chapter 85 Obtaining the Great Array

Two heads, one blue and one red.

It is predominantly red, with red fur, and can breathe fire-based magic.

The other head is ice-blue and can unleash ice-based spells.

Compared to the previous situation where it only had one head and needed to switch between ice and fire spells, now that both heads can release spells independently, it can simultaneously cast both ice and fire spells. And this is only the change on the surface of the Ice-Fire Wolf; the changes within its body are even greater.

"This is... a strange beast that has shown initial signs of mutation?"

Han Li's eyes lit up.

Foundation Building Pills are indeed effective against low-level demonic beasts and spirit beasts.

Although forcibly raising a spirit beast of ordinary bloodline to level 2 would consume most of its potential, if it could undergo a positive mutation, the nature of the situation would be different.

Upon reaching level 4, it may even evolve into a strange "mutation technique".

Like the petrifying beam of light emanating from the three-eyed leopard that Barbarian Beard possessed.

"Let's test our strength..."

After multiple tests, it was discovered that the Icefire Wolf had mastered two more explosive intermediate spells, one fire and one ice.

His physical strength and speed have also increased significantly, and his spiritual attacks are even more ferocious. He can utter basic and advanced spells with ease.

Their overall strength has increased by more than three to five times!

As he watched a massive boulder, several meters in size, being engulfed by a fiery explosion from the Icefire Wolf and quickly reduced to molten lava, Han Li's eyes shone even brighter:

"Well done, mistress."

Having a bodyguard or enforcer by my side will give me much more confidence when I go out.

Three more months passed, and the Jade Mantis, having consumed four Foundation Establishment Pills, experienced a surge in power. Its carapace shed, transforming it and propelling it to Level 2. However, the Jade Mantis did not undergo any significant changes; its body simply grew slightly larger, its color becoming even more jade-like, and it gained an extra pair of thin wings, its blades becoming much sharper.

At the same time, the Wind Howling Eagle went from a high-level monster to a level 1 top-level monster.

Furthermore, it possesses a unique talent similar to that of a chameleon.

Once airborne, its feathers can turn the blue of the sky or the white of the clouds. When it lands on a treetop, it can remain grayish-brown or the yellowish-green of lush foliage. In short, it can change its color to suit its surroundings.

There are other changes as well.

Even though the Ganglie Boar consumed six Foundation Establishment Pills in a row, significantly boosting its energy, it showed no signs of advancing in rank.

At this point, Han Li stopped insisting.

He also realized that the hyena boar was probably a pseudo-spiritual root among cultivators; even after being forcibly enhanced, there wasn't much potential left to tap into its bloodline. For demonic beasts, bloodline is more important, and the hyena boar clearly lacked a powerful bloodline.

Admittedly, Foundation Establishment Pills can improve physical constitution, but they cannot excessively refine and optimize bloodlines. Foundation Establishment Pills are not that heaven-defying.

He's been more than kind to the shrew.

As for the sniffing rat?
Since it's only at level 1, mid-tier, I haven't fed it Foundation Establishment Pills yet, but rather some low-tier pills. It'll be better to let it grow to a high-tier demon beast first before feeding it Foundation Establishment Pills, to avoid indigestion and stomach upset.

Nearly a year has passed since then.

He gradually refined the forbidden herbs into precious pills corresponding to ancient formulas.

The success rate once reached around 50%.

It was indeed a waste, but for someone in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, such progress in alchemy was already remarkable.

During this period, after he had refined enough seven or eight bottles of spiritual medicine to help him advance to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, he temporarily stopped.

The success rate was truly appalling, and the waste of forbidden herbs was heartbreaking. After much deliberation, he decided that it wouldn't be too late to continue refining pills after obtaining the "Great Evolution Technique" and mastering the first level to significantly enhance his divine sense.

Right now, we should try to save as much as we can by being careful with our spending.

After all, he cultivates the Azure Origin Sword Technique and the Third Rebirth, and he needs to advance to the third rebirth. He originally had enough spiritual herbs to complete the first rebirth and rebuild his foundation to the mid-to-late stage. It would be a real headache if he didn't have enough for the first rebirth in the end.

Now, he has refined all three bottles of ancient pills and the dozen or so loose pills that he previously purchased from the sect at a high price through personal connections, and his cultivation has reached the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage.

His magical cultivation had reached a bottleneck.

It is also worth mentioning that the ancient elixirs are indeed more potent, with effects almost twice that of other spiritual medicines such as Snowflake Pills.

However, even though he continued to take drugs for the next three months, and even though he used up half a bottle of ancient elixirs, he only increased his magic power a little and failed to break through the bottleneck and enter the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

"I've been taking medicine for three years, consuming more than seven bottles in total, which is equivalent to an ordinary cultivator cultivating diligently for forty or fifty years. Unfortunately, my spiritual root is too poor, resulting in a low efficiency in converting spiritual energy, making it much more difficult for me to break through the bottleneck compared to ordinary cultivators. In addition, the Qingyuan Sword Technique's one-tenth effect has slowed down my pace. Furthermore, the drug resistance means that the medicinal power is somewhat wasted during absorption. Otherwise, if I had dual or even triple spiritual roots, I would already be in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage by now," Han Li sighed.

Now I finally understand how arduous the original owner's path to immortality was.

He was helpless about this.

There are indeed Heaven-Mending Pills in the mine that can improve spiritual root aptitude, but with his current strength, going there would be like giving them away for free.

Level 4 Blood Jade Spiders are quite troublesome.

Even in the original timeline, that giant spider had already been weakened by Xuan Le and Lü Tianmeng. Otherwise, given the original owner's cultivation level at the time, it would have taken considerable effort to deal with a level 4 Blood Jade Spider at its peak.

Another month passed, until the three-year mission was completed, and Han immediately reported his return to the mountain gate.

At this point, he had not visited Master Hongfu at Hongying Mountain for almost a year.

There's no way around it; his cultivation level has increased too quickly, making it increasingly difficult to explain.

Previously, one could bring up the bottle of Qi-unifying pills bestowed upon them by Master Hongfu, as well as the batch of pills they had purchased.

That won't work now.

One bottle of Qi-Harmony Pills and a little over one bottle of Foundation Establishment pills are far from enough to raise him to that level. Eight or nine bottles would be more like it.

As for the herb garden on Red Tassel Mountain? He had long ago entrusted it to the care of his two new senior sisters, Xiuting and Xiulan. Over the past two years, he had dealt with those two quite often. After paying his respects to Master Hongfu once a month, he would visit the senior sisters to exchange ideas on how to care for various spiritual herbs. In reality, these exchanges were just a way of passing on experience, though everyone tacitly understood the unspoken agreement.

He handed over all the spirit stones that Master Hongfu had invested in him in advance to his two senior sisters. In short, he didn't take any advantage of them.

For this reason, the handover of the herb garden there was completed a year ago, and there have been no major problems since.

"What should we do? If we go to see Master Hongfu with our current cultivation level, she will see through us immediately."

Previously, he was troubled because he had too many Foundation Establishment Pills in his hands.

Now, he is troubled because his cultivation level is improving too quickly.

Cultivating immortality is really too difficult.

After much deliberation, he had no choice but to proceed with the original backup plan.

"That's the only way."

Then, he returned to his sect to complete the mission, and then, keeping track of the time, headed to the Tianxing Sect market in Yuanwu Kingdom.

At his current speed, he would reach the border, which is over a hundred miles away, in less than half an hour.

Upon arriving at the border of Yuanwu Kingdom, Han Li looked around curiously. He was partly searching for the Tianxing Sect's market town, and partly driven by his curiosity about everything in Yuanwu Kingdom. However, judging from the surrounding scenery, Yuanwu Kingdom seemed no different from Yue Kingdom.

Like Yue, Yuanwu was a medium-sized country in the heart of southern China. Although it was far smaller than the powerful Tianluo and Fengdu countries on the east and west sides, it was much stronger than smaller countries such as Jiang, Cheqi, and Shayun.

In the southern part of the country, there are two large countries, more than ten medium-sized countries, and dozens of small countries.

Besides the nation-states, there are countless barren lands that have never been established.

For example, the countries of Tianluo and Fengdu, and Fengdu and Shayun, are separated by a vast wilderness spanning hundreds of thousands of miles, a desolate landscape devoid of vegetation. Between Tianluo and Jiang, Cheqi, and Tianlu, lies a massive mountain range called the Qiling Mountains. This mountain range stretches for tens of millions of miles, traversing the entire Tianluo Kingdom and extending into the boundless sea to the east.

The Gobi Desert can serve as a barrier, and the mountains can serve as a buffer.

This is why the countries in the southern hinterland have lowered their guard against the Fengdu Kingdom and the Tianluo Kingdom, which are controlled by the righteous and demonic paths respectively. They never expected that the righteous and demonic forces, which suffered severe internal strife and were forced to withdraw from the southern hinterland five hundred years ago, are now showing signs of a comeback.

Unbeknownst to the nations, undercurrents were already surging at the border between the righteous and demonic paths and many neutral countries.

Let's talk about the cultivation world of Yuanwu Kingdom.

The three main sects are Tianxing Sect, Wanmiao Temple, and Shenbing Sect. In addition, there are many other cultivation families, such as the Fu family of Zidao Mountain, whose ancestors produced Nascent Soul cultivators. They are deeply rooted and intertwined.

Han Li had been flying for over two hours when, as he was pondering, the flying sword beneath his feet suddenly sank and slowly began to fall to the ground. The flying artifact seemed to have instantly lost its ability to fly.

Upon seeing this, Han Li was not surprised but rather pleased:
"This is a no-fly zone? And the restrictions aren't too severe; if I force myself to fly, it can continue to be maintained."

This situation has occurred...

"It seems that Tianxing Sect Market is nearby."

Han Li landed and walked for seven or eight miles. Soon, a complex of buildings much larger than the Huangfeng Valley market appeared before him.

This is where the market town is located.

Unlike the long, winding street of Huangfeng Valley Market, the Tianxing Sect Market is laid out in a large circular pattern, centered around a massive pavilion twenty or thirty feet high, with numerous smaller buildings only two or three feet tall radiating outwards. It resembles a "Dragon Gate Formation," openly welcoming customers.

The central pavilion in Tianxingzong Market is called "Xingchen Pavilion".

Each character is several feet in size, and can be clearly seen from two or three miles away.

Han Li entered the market and initially just looked around.

There are specialized weapon crafting shops here, displaying top-tier magical artifacts as their prized possessions, but most of the items are mid-to-high-tier magical artifacts.

There are also talisman-making shops that accept custom orders for many kinds of beginner, intermediate, and even advanced talismans.

Next was the Spirit Beast Courtyard, where he not only found mid-to-high tier Level 1 spirit beasts, but also saw two top-tier Level 1 spirit beasts. These were all well-tamed and ready to be handled, and their selling price was much higher than the internal prices at the Qilin Pavilion in Yellow Maple Valley.

of course.

In the Tianxing Sect Market, the Star Dust Pavilion is truly worth a visit.

After scouting the ordinary shops and gaining a more detailed understanding of the market, Han Li went straight into the Star Dust Pavilion, the tallest building in the very center.

Upon entering the building, Han Li was slightly taken aback by the sight of more than thirty cultivators selecting goods on the first floor.

Is this place quite popular?

It's much more popular than Wanbaolou in Huangfeng Valley Market. The fact that several Qi Refining stage staff at the front desk couldn't provide comprehensive introductions and assistance to the guests seems rather negligent.

Han Li was strolling around casually when a shop assistant, who was at the Qi Refining stage, hurried over after finishing with a customer.

"Senior, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. However, I'm afraid there's nothing suitable for you on this floor. If you really want to buy something, please go up to the third floor or above. That's where we receive Foundation Establishment stage seniors."

Upon hearing this, Han Li nodded and then said calmly, "How many floors does your Star Dust Pavilion have? And what kind of fellow cultivators does each floor serve? Please tell me about it."

The shop assistant, after a moment of surprise, quickly replied with a smile, "Senior, it seems this is your first time visiting Stardust Pavilion. Here's the thing: Stardust Pavilion has nine floors in total. The first seven floors are open to the public, while the last two are off-limits to outsiders. Of the first seven floors, floors one to three are for low-level Qi Refining cultivators, floors four to six are for Foundation Establishment experts like yourself. The seventh floor is reserved for Core Formation stage experts..."

Each layer is decreasing in size.

But the value of the items also increases gradually.

By the seventh level, all the items were precious treasures that only Core Formation cultivators were qualified to touch.

It is said that even magical artifacts that have not yet been claimed by a master are for sale.

There are countless items related to magical artifacts.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Han Li did not linger but went straight to the fifth floor.

With his current cultivation level, choosing items on the fifth floor was perfect. Moreover, the shopkeeper on the fifth floor wasn't male, but a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator with the air and charm of a noblewoman. Judging from her features and demeanor, she was likely a rare beauty in her youth. Currently, she appeared to be only thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, but in reality, she was well over a hundred. A true grandmother-level antique.

Moreover, with the passing of time and the fading of youth, this woman's appearance will rapidly decline over the next one or two decades, turning her into an old woman whose youthful beauty has faded.

The normal aging period for Foundation Establishment cultivators is after the age of one hundred.

To preserve youthful appearance, one must either break through to the Core Formation stage before aging, or rely on external forces…

"Fellow Daoist, is there anything I can help you with?"

The beautiful woman stepped forward, smiled sweetly, and spoke in a clear, pleasant voice.

Han Li clasped his hands in a fist salute, his expression calm: "I need to purchase some mid-level talismans. I wonder if your esteemed establishment has any in stock?"

"Intermediate-level talisman? Lower-tier or intermediate-tier?"

The lower-intermediate level is available on the fourth floor.

For intermediate-level players, it takes six levels.

The intermediate and high-level ones are only drawn by talisman-making masters in the Core Formation stage. Once activated, they are comparable to the full-force attack of a Core Formation cultivator using an intermediate or high-level spell. Each one is worth thousands of spirit stones and belongs to the seventh level of treasures.

"What I need is mid-level or mid-grade! Attack type is best, but defensive or support type is also acceptable, as long as the price is right," Han Li said.

"Fellow Daoist, please follow me to the sixth floor."

The smile in Madam Lan's eyes deepened.

On the sixth floor, another aloof-looking girl of fifteen or sixteen was in charge. This girl possessed no magical cultivation whatsoever, yet she could manage the first floor of Star Dust Pavilion; her identity was definitely extraordinary. She was most likely a descendant of some important figure from the Heavenly Star Sect.

"Xiuer, I've brought guests..."

"Aunt Lan, I'm busy right now, could you help me greet the guests?"

The girl glanced up at Han Li, then lowered her head again to fiddle with some of her little gadgets. It looked like ordinary needlework, like she was stitching a mandarin duck pattern; she didn't even notice when she pricked her finger twice with the needle.

"This girl..."

After greeting the woman, Madam Lan had no choice but to lead Han Li around the talisman area on this floor.

"This is a mid-level, mid-grade Flowing Fire Talisman, a fire-type talisman. Once activated, it can disperse to form dozens of fire crows comparable to high-level beginner spells, and gather to form a powerful ten-zhang-long fire meteor. This was made by a Core Formation expert. The selling price is six mid-grade spirit stones each. Our store still has two left," Madam Lan introduced with a smile.

Offensive talismans are significantly more expensive than defensive and support talismans.

"A mid-level, mid-grade Lightning Flash Talisman costs five mid-grade spirit stones..."

"A mid-level, mid-grade Golden Thread Talisman, also five mid-grade spirit stones per piece..."

"... "

"Actually, it's just that you arrived at the right time, otherwise, these mid-level talismans, especially those mid-level offensive talismans, would probably not be here after a while." The woman's words were indeed not exaggerated.

Because offensive mid-level low-grade talismans are extremely rare on the market, they are snapped up by cultivators with even a little wealth as soon as they appear, let alone the even rarer mid-level treasure talismans. Moreover, these treasure talismans were drawn by Core Formation experts, not by Foundation Establishment talisman masters.

The power levels are quite different.

According to Madam Lan, the reason why the Core Formation stage talisman master was willing to take out these difficult-to-draw and especially precious intermediate-grade talismans was because he wanted to refine an extremely powerful magic weapon, but he was short of spirit stones to exchange for enough magic weapon materials, so he took out these talismans to earn some extra money.

Han Li nodded upon hearing this.

It's difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake.

It cannot be ruled out that this statement is a marketing tactic.

But he still wanted to buy a few to keep.

However, before taking out the spirit stones, he took out a pill bottle. Inside the bottle was exactly one pill:
"Fellow Daoist, do you recognize this item?"

After careful examination, upon learning that it was the legendary Youth-Preserving Pill, Madam Lan's hand holding the bottle trembled slightly with excitement. The mortal girl named Xiu'er, who had heard the news, also rushed over. Her previously aloof and beautiful face was now filled with joy.

The value of the Youth-Preserving Pill varies from person to person.

In the hands of male cultivators who value power more than beauty, it might be worthless. But in the eyes of female cultivators who have families, backgrounds, strength, and spirit stones, as long as the price isn't too outrageous, they will do everything they can to get their hands on it.

"Fellow Daoist, how much is this Youth Preservation Pill? Don't worry, spirit stones are no problem." The shopkeeper, who was originally the seller, quietly became the buyer.

"I'll take all five of your esteemed mid-level offensive talismans," Han Li said.

"Five pills? No way. One Youth-Preserving Pill isn't worth that price." Although Madam Lan refused verbally, she didn't loosen her grip on the pill bottle.

Meanwhile, the young girl beside her stared intently at the elixir bottle in Madam Lan's hand.

Han Li smiled upon seeing this:
“I never said I would exchange a single Youth Preservation Pill for several talismans.”

Although he didn't know exactly how many Youth-Preserving Pills the Fairy Hongfu had refined using the herbs he had taken from the forbidden area, she gave him a total of twelve.

He gave one of them to Dong Xuan'er.

He took the other one himself.

He planned to keep a few of the remaining ten for future use, so that he could make friends with some female cultivators if necessary. He would exchange the rest for necessary cultivation supplies or various treasures to arm himself.

"Ladies, I have two Youth-Preserving Pills here, which should be enough for your needs. However, exchanging two incredibly rare and priceless Youth-Preserving Pills for only five mid-grade offensive talismans would be a huge loss for me. After all, the ingredients for refining Youth-Preserving Pills involve several thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, and it's been hundreds of years since Youth-Preserving Pills have appeared on the market. Therefore, you'll need to add three to five mid-grade defensive or support talismans..."

Seeing the two women's undisguised determination, Han Li decisively raised the price, asking for an exorbitant sum.

Mrs. Lan then started bargaining: "Add three or five more? Impossible, that's too many. I can only add one more at most."

"Well then, forget it. I'll have to find another place to sell this second Youth Preservation Pill. How about exchanging one Youth Preservation Pill for three mid-level attack talismans and one support talisman?" Han Li pointed to the shelf; he wanted four.

Mrs. Lan hesitated.

The girl, however, became anxious.

"No, you have to sell us the other Youth Preservation Pill you have." The mortal girl said firmly, then gritted her teeth and said, "How about this, you can take the five mid-level attack talismans on this floor, and I'll give you four mid-level support talismans separately. Don't worry, they're all made by Core Formation stage talisman masters, not those cheap imitations from Foundation Establishment stage."

"Xiuer, you..."

Mrs. Lan was shocked.

Han Li's eyes lit up:
"Okay, deal."

He made a killing on this.

Nine talismans, worth around 5 in total, can be exchanged for just two Youth Preservation Pills. Only these two from Star Dust Pavilion could be so extravagant.

Then, Han Li took out a bunch of top-tier magic artifacts.

Among them were many exquisite and rare top-tier magical artifacts. "The Dust-Falling Pearl, the Breeze Fork, the Soul-Severing Flying Knife, the Gale Sword… This exquisite top-tier Yellow Silk Umbrella is damaged; I'm afraid it won't sell for the six hundred and fifty spirit stones you requested…"

"How about five hundred and fifty spirit stones?"

"five hundred."

"it is good."

There are six top-tier magic artifacts in total, with a total value of approximately thirty-eight mid-grade spirit stones.

This is without even using the representative magical artifacts of the disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect.

Also.

Han Li also sold some odds and ends, namely the many junk left behind by those who participated in the forbidden area trials, to the Star Dust Pavilion at a discount. With small profits but quick turnover, the profit exceeded two thousand spirit stones.

Previously, he had asked Wanbaolou in Huangfeng Valley Market to help him sell off a batch of goods. This time, he cleared out another batch for Xingchen Pavilion. He has finally cashed in most of the wealth he gained during the Blood Trial through "passive self-preservation".

"Is there anything else you need, fellow Daoist?"

"Does your esteemed establishment possess any elixirs suitable for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators to enhance their magical power?"

"Yes, we do have some. We currently have three types, with about two or three of each left. As for the price..."

The price of six or seven hundred spirit stones per stone is truly daunting.

No wonder ordinary cultivators can't afford it.

No wonder even cultivators with some wealth can only afford a few pills to break through bottlenecks, and they are reluctant to use them normally.

No wonder the vast majority of cultivators are only fit for arduous cultivation.

Ultimately, it's due to a lack of spirit stones.

"Give me all three of the remaining pills."

Han Li waved his hand, returning the thirty-eight spirit stones he had just received, and even took out several hundred spirit stones from his person. Only then did he obtain seven pills suitable for the Foundation Establishment stage.

I think he was just lucky, otherwise he wouldn't have had the last bit left.

Not long after he left Stardust Pavilion, while he was asking some shop owners about the secret shop, he realized that he seemed to be being watched.

"Interesting, could they be from the Stardust Pavilion?"

"No, that shouldn't be the case. After all, even a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert wouldn't stand a chance against me right now. The two women from Star Dust Pavilion who just sold me a large number of talismans are well aware of this."

Why did he buy the talismans first and then other things? Wasn't it to increase his means of self-defense and thus enhance his deterrent power?

"Since they are most likely not from the Star Dust Pavilion, they are probably some Tribulation Cultivators lurking in the market to scout out the area?"

Thinking of this, Han Li's gaze unconsciously turned slightly cold.

But just as he was preparing to make his move, the furtive man approached him and bowed respectfully.
"Senior, would you like to participate in the recent secret shop transaction? I have connections."

Han Li: ...

Okay, he's just being too sensitive.

Furthermore, even if someone wanted to rob him, he shouldn't have been alerted so early.

"Secret shop transactions? How often are these held here?" Han Li asked.

"It's usually held every three months, senior. This secret shop transaction is in three days. Would you like to participate?" Inviting a Foundation Establishment cultivator to participate in the secret shop auction is beneficial even for a nobody like this. If the person becomes a major client, they will also receive a commission.

"Let's talk about it later. I'll stay at the inn for a few days first and see how things go."

"Okay senior."

Afterwards, Han Li continued to wander around the Tianxing Sect's market, searching for Qi Yunxiao's whereabouts. Finding nothing, he had no choice but to spend some spirit stones to post notices in several shops:
Why is it so difficult for a dragon to cultivate immortality? It's because she was born a woman.

Where can one find the solution to this difficult question? Look to Hongying Mountain within the Taiyue Mountains.

Issuing a notice directly would undoubtedly arouse suspicion, but what he wanted now was to stir up trouble and attract Qi Yunxiao's attention as soon as possible.

And regardless of whether it works or not, just post it around first.

Just like fishing: you need to bait the area before you start fishing.

If Qi Yunxiao happens to see them, he will most likely ask the shopkeeper where the notices came from, and then he will be able to find out the address of the inn where he is staying.

Regardless of what conclusions the other party reaches after discussing it with Xin Ruyin, they will inevitably try it as a last resort. Whether it's this time or the next secret shop transaction, he believes he will eventually catch a fish.

Besides, those who can understand the meaning of the notice are definitely perceptive enough to understand it instantly.

Those who don't understand its meaning will simply overlook it and pay no attention.

And this is undoubtedly another round of selection.

then.

The next evening.

The inn where he was staying then welcomed a short, stocky, and unremarkable young man.

The young man, with his Qi Refining Level 10 cultivation, went straight to his room after entering the inn.

Upon reaching the door, the young man hesitated, unsure whether to knock.

Inside the room, Han Li opened his eyes and smiled. He understood somewhat why Jiang Ziya had used a straight hook to fish. Truly, those who were willing would take the bait.

The young man outside the door was none other than Qi Yunxiao. This kid probably didn't even bother to figure out if the notice was real or fake before rushing over – isn't this a classic case of willing victims taking the bait?
"The small fish have taken the bait, is it too late for the big fish to leave?"

After muttering something to himself, Han Li pushed open the door.

The sudden opening of the door startled Qi Yunxiao, who was standing outside.

"Who is Taoist Fellow Taoist?"

Han Li asked, feigning surprise.

"Junior Qi Yunxiao greets Senior," the young man said respectfully with a bow.

What brings you here?

"I came to visit because I saw these notices posted in some shops," Qi Yunxiao said cautiously.

"Oh, so you're asking about the Dragon Roar Physique? Come in and tell me."

Han Li extended an invitation.

Qi Yunxiao thought about it and did not refuse.

Once the two were seated, Han Li took the lead with a smile and teased:

"Young friend, why didn't you inquire about my identity before coming here to see me? And are you sure I can answer your questions and resolve the drawbacks of the Dragon Roar Physique?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yunxiao scratched the back of his head sheepishly: "You always have to try your luck."

"Hahaha..." Han Li laughed heartily, it was rare to encounter such a devoted lover who disregarded his own safety for love.

"senior…"

"It's alright. I can tell you some things about the Dragon Roar Physique, and even tell you how to cure it. But what can you offer in exchange for this information? There's no such thing as a free lunch." Han Li was very direct.

"This..." Qi Yunxiao hesitated.

He did indeed possess valuable items, but those were meant to be exchanged for a thousand-year-old elixir to cure the illness of the girl he admired. If he were to reveal this trump card in a trade based solely on obtaining information, how would he find the elixir later?
"Fine, I'll give you the intelligence for free." Han Li suddenly changed the subject.

"senior?!"

"Heh, the situation with the Dragon Roar Body isn't as simple as you think. Even if you knew the solution, you probably still wouldn't be able to solve it."

"what?"

Qi Yunxiao's expression changed slightly.

Han Li didn't keep anyone in suspense, but instead revealed his understanding of the Dragon Roar Body:
"The Dragon Roar Physique is caused by a man being born into a woman's body, resulting in an uncontrollable Dragon Roar Qi within the body. People with this physique can cultivate faster than ordinary people, but they also have the drawback that the more diligently they cultivate, the shorter their lifespan becomes. The normal way to resolve this is to neutralize the Dragon Roar Qi with ice-attribute cold energy at the Nascent Soul level. Only in this way can the Dragon Roar Qi be eradicated."

"What? Nascent Soul Transformation Cold Essence?"

Qi Yunxiao felt his brain was struggling to keep up, and the idea of ​​this happening seemed like a fantasy.

"That's right, it has to be a Nascent Soul level cultivator. A Nascent Soul level cultivator won't do."

Han Li's tone was firm, and he wasn't joking at all.

"this…"

Seeing this, Qi Yunxiao became at a loss.

He could hear the seriousness in the words of the Foundation Establishment cultivator in front of him.

"Then, what about Miss Xin's prescription..."

"A prescription? An ancient elixir prescription? Could that person be thinking of using thousand-year-old or even ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs to refine some unorthodox elixir to suppress the dragon's roar energy?"

"Senior, is this method not going to work?"

At this moment, Qi Yunxiao was clearly distracted and completely disoriented. He didn't even realize how much information he had revealed to a stranger in just a few moments. It was fortunate that Han Li had no intention of harming her, otherwise Xin Ruyin would have been in danger.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, your friend has oversimplified the Dragon Roar Qi. What she did was useless, and not only useless, it actually strengthened the Dragon Roar Qi within her body, causing her meridians to wither and her dantian to shrink. She will likely die young within a few years." Han Li poured himself a cup of tea and savored it.

The spiritual tea from Qinye Ridge tastes alright.

"What should we do then?" The young man stood up excitedly, then slumped back down dejectedly. "Is it possible that, is there no other treatment besides that so-called Cold Essence Cure Method?"

"There is a temporary solution, but I doubt you can implement it."

"Senior, please teach me."

Qi Yunxiao's eyes lit up, and he stood up again.

"The method isn't difficult. It involves having a Nascent Soul elder suppress the Dragon Roar Qi within the Dragon Roar Body using their Yin Qi every so often. Ideally, this should be supplemented with certain Yin-cold spiritual herbs. This way, you can first establish your foundation, and perhaps even form your core, extending your lifespan first." Han Li squinted and gave Qi Yunxiao a makeshift solution: "As for after forming your core? You can't cultivate anymore, otherwise, once the Dragon Roar Qi erupts, even a Nascent Soul elder might not be able to suppress it."

"To have a Nascent Soul Ancestor come to your aid at any time to help with your cultivation?"

Qi Yunxiao was speechless.

Then came a bitter smile.

A deep sense of powerlessness washed over me.

How could such insignificant people like them possibly receive such care from a Nascent Soul Ancestor?
It's simply impossible to do.

"So, fellow Daoist, do you understand the difficulties of the Dragon Roar Body?"

Han Li put down his teacup and looked on calmly.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior. However, these two methods are extremely difficult to implement. Is there another way?" Qi Yunxiao asked hopefully. He didn't believe that this person had deliberately brought him here just to make fun of him.

"some."

Han Li nodded.

He actually had two other methods that weren't really solutions:

The first is possession.

If Xin Ruyin were to possess a normal male cultivator, she would most likely be able to get rid of the trouble caused by the dragon's roar energy.

For example, Xin Ruyin, Qi Yunxiao, and the maid Xiaomei all had their primordial spirits leave their bodies. Then, Xin Ruyin possessed Qi Yunxiao's body, Qi Yunxiao possessed Xiaomei's body, and Xiaomei possessed Xin Ruyin's body.

Theoretically, it is possible for the three of them to swap bodies.

The second method is to have Xin Ruyin cultivate under the guidance of the Old Demon Yunlu, hoping to obtain the Old Demon Yunlu's true teachings.

The old demon, being androgynous and capable of being both male and female, would undoubtedly cherish and nurture Xin Ruyin as a treasure if he knew she possessed the Dragon Roar Physique, a rare physique even rarer than a Heavenly Spiritual Root. The problem with Xin Ruyin's Dragon Roar Physique was simply the Dragon Roar Qi born from a male being mistakenly born as a female. Once she cultivates the androgynous methods of the Hehuan Sect's Cloud Dew Old Demon, becoming androgynous herself, how could the so-called Dragon Roar Qi possibly cause trouble?

At that time, this dragon's roar energy will no longer be a difficult problem restricting cultivation, but will instead become a golden finger that accelerates Xin Ruyin's cultivation speed.

of course.

The prerequisite for following the old demon Yunlu in cultivation is that someone can accompany Xin Ruyin and protect her. Otherwise, it's possible that someone from the Demonic Joyful Union Sect might risk possessing Xin Ruyin and seizing her rare and special physique.

However, Han Li naturally wouldn't tell Qi Yunxiao any of this. Their relationship was far from that point yet.

He took out a jade box, inside which was a pure white flower the size of a soup bowl:

"This snow lotus is an ice mountain snow lotus with over eight hundred years of medicinal age, possessing very strong cold-attribute medicinal power. Although it is not the thousand-year-old spiritual herb you are looking for, it is still several times more precious than ordinary thousand-year-old spiritual herbs."

"If you can use this spiritual herb as the main ingredient to refine the ancient spiritual pill Snow Cloud Pill, it will allow your friend who possesses the Dragon Roar Physique to temporarily suppress the Dragon Roar Qi within his body. If there is enough pill, he can continue cultivating, and even cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage."

"However, you cannot cultivate after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. Otherwise, if the suppressed Dragon Roar Qi were to go berserk, the Snow Cloud Pill might not be able to suppress it. Of course, the specific choice is up to you..."

Han Li closed the box to prevent the medicine from dissipating. His honesty was already the greatest kindness he could show.

Qi Yunxiao, however, refused to look away for a long time.

He was exceptionally invigorated.

"Senior, may I sell that Snow Lotus to you? I'm willing to exchange it for a set of array-setting magic artifacts."

"What kind of array-setting artifact?"

"A magical artifact capable of setting up an inverted five elements array."

"Don't joke with me. That Reversed Five Elements Formation is powerful enough to be a small-scale mountain-protecting formation. In a normal formation setup, it would require a large number of people and several months or even years to set it up successfully. You, a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator, do you really think you can condense such a formation into a few magic artifacts?" Han Li provoked him with these words, then put away the box containing the Ice Mountain Snow Lotus.

Qi Yunxiao was greatly alarmed upon seeing this.

"Senior, everything I've said is true. My friend and I have been researching this formation for over a year, and we've already managed to inscribe a portion of its power into the relevant array-setting tools. I dare not say how much power it possesses, but it definitely has one-tenth the power of the complete Reversal of the Five Elements Array." As he spoke, the young man indeed took out a set of array-setting tools from his storage bag: "Moreover, given more time for me and my friend, we can certainly continue to improve the formation and the array-setting tools, and even inscribe the complete formation into suitable array-setting artifacts."

This is true.

Xin Ruyin can indeed do it.

One of them is skilled in magic arrays, with an unknown but legendary lineage. The other is skilled in weapon crafting, possessing the core weapon crafting tradition of the Divine Weapon Sect. Working together, they have simplified the process of setting up Core Formation level arrays to the point that it can be accomplished using magic artifacts.

It's like summarizing a very long article in just a few words.

The value it represents is therefore self-evident.

“Fellow Daoist Qi, I can exchange this set of array-setting equipment for you with spiritual herbs, but you need to continue making a more complete set of array-setting equipment for the Reversed Five Elements Array for me. I don’t need this half-finished product. In addition, I can also provide you with the complete formula for the Snow Cloud Pill and several auxiliary spiritual materials, but what else can you exchange it for? You should know that the value of this ancient formula and the auxiliary materials is no less than the value of this Ice Mountain Snow Lotus.”

Han Li remained calm and composed throughout, completely in control.

Qi Yunxiao was aware of this, but he couldn't refuse:
"Junior, how about I exchange this weapon-refining knowledge with you, senior?"

"There's no need for that. This should be the weapon-forging method of the Qi family of the Divine Weapon Sect, right? Giving this to me would be inappropriate."

Han Li waved his hand, politely declining on the spot.

The young man was suddenly startled:
Does this person know their own identity?
That makes sense. They must have investigated me, otherwise why would they specifically target me here to find out?

"Don't worry, if I really wanted to scheme against you, you'd be dead by now." Han Li replied with a gentle smile: "And if we follow the trail, your friend will be finished too."

What was clearly a smile sent a chill down Qi Yunxiao's spine.

"Th-th-senpai..."

Only then did he realize how reckless his decision to come here had been; it was like playing with fire. If the person in front of him had harbored even the slightest ill will towards him, he would probably be finished long ago, and the beautiful woman would have been implicated as well.

It was precisely for this reason that she developed an inexplicable fondness for Han Li, who had no ill intentions.

"Consider it a favor you owe me. In the future, if I need you to do something, you two should consider whether it violates your own moral principles and whether it is within your capabilities. If you can do it, don't refuse outright."

"Thank you, senior. Thank you, senior."

"Let's exchange contact information, and see each other again sometime. Consider this a mutually beneficial collaboration."

"it is good."

Great.

"Furthermore, Fellow Daoist Qi, as your partner, I must remind you: please be more careful in your actions in the future. Although your recklessness is understandable, the consequences can be severe if you're not careful, and you might end up harming yourself and others. You don't want to implicate your friend, do you?"

"Thank you, senior, for reminding me."

After leaving his contact information, Han Li took the half-finished Five Elements Reversal Formation artifact and left the inn first. Then he went to various shops in the market to retrieve the notices, and then flew away on his sword.

Having achieved his goal and carrying a large sum of money, he made his escape.

...

The bait has been cast. Will that big fish, Xin Ruyin, take the bait?

He had calculated it all: one Snow Lotus combined with a single herb could yield a maximum of three bottles, totaling about thirty Snow Cloud Pills. Each Snow Cloud Pill could only help Xin Ruyin, a Qi Refining stage cultivator, suppress the Dragon Roar Qi within her body for a little over a month. Furthermore, as Xin Ruyin's cultivation level increased, the Dragon Roar Qi would grow stronger, thus the pills' suppressive effect would weaken over time, and the effective suppression period would gradually shorten. The thirty-odd pills wouldn't last three years before they were used up.

If the alchemist's skill in refining the pills is not up to par, they might not even be able to refine twenty or thirty Snow Cloud Pills. In that case, Xin Ruyin could only last for a shorter period of time.

When the time comes, we'll have to ask him for help again.

"Where can the answers to your questions be found? Look to Hongying Mountain within the Taiyue Mountains."

"Fellow Daoist Qi, Miss Xin, I, Han, am waiting for you two to arrive."

"Han is fishing; those who are willing will take the bait..."

(End of this chapter)