I've already become an immortal lord, and only now is the spiritual energy reviving?

The desolate forest was overgrown with withered grass up to knee-high, and all around was utter silence.

It is still more than 30 miles away from the majestic city.

A flash of light appeared in mid-air, and a jade flying boat broke through the clouds and plummeted downwards.

The moment it landed, guided by the magic incantation, the several-zhang-long boat hull rapidly shrank, transforming into a palm-sized piece of emerald jade.

With a flick of his sleeve, Yang Dan caused the jade pendant to disappear, landing safely in his storage pouch at his waist.

"When you're out and about, don't flaunt your wealth."

The old Taoist priest spoke calmly, essentially giving his two disciples behind him their first lesson.

At this moment, all three had changed out of their sect-style robes and into coarse linen shirts.

Fan Ju and Ding Cheng even carried a slightly worn-out bag, looking like a down-on-his-luck grandfather and grandson who had just come to the city from the countryside to seek refuge with their relatives.

After walking thirty li, we arrived at the city.

Blackwater City.

Constructed entirely of black iron rock, the walls stand hundreds of feet high, resembling an ancient behemoth coiled in the wilderness.

At the entrance, the guards took the three spirit stones and waved for them to pass.

As soon as you enter the barbican, the hustle and bustle of the world hits you in the face.

Before me lay a bizarre and strangely fused scene.

The broad bluestone avenue was wide enough for a four-horse chariot to gallop across.

On the left path, ordinary caravans drove a oxen convoy laden with goods, their ruts making the stone slabs creak.

To the right, low in the sky, cultivators occasionally whizzed by on low-level magical artifacts; pedestrians were already quite used to this.

In front of a butcher shop called "Chen Ji" on the street.

A mortal butcher, covered in grease, brandished his cleaver and, his face flushed, haggled with a rogue cultivator carrying a broken sword.

"Master Li! Even if you can fly on a sword, this wild boar meat didn't just appear out of thin air! Three spirit stones a pound, not a penny less!"

The rogue cultivator wasn't annoyed; he smiled obsequiously and carefully counted his spirit stones to make up the difference.

The mortals and immortals govern together.

The threads of self-interest stitched together what were once insurmountable barriers.

"Master...Master, is this Blackwater City?"

Ding Cheng tightened his backpack, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Yang Danhe remained calm, quickening her pace slightly: "It's all just a spectacle; watch the show and be careful not to lose your focus."

The spiritual stones stored at Guanhua Gate are scarce and must be reserved for important uses.

The old Taoist knew that his only hope of gaining a foothold here lay in the elixir hidden in his sleeve.

The corners of the southern market town are cramped and narrow.

With half a spirit stone, I rented a small, dilapidated place.

Yang Danhe took out a fake beard from his bosom, carefully applied it to his lips, and then smeared special yellow ash on the faces of his two disciples.

The once handsome young man was transformed in an instant into a poor, pale-faced apprentice.

"Qi-restoring powder, three spirit stones."

"Blood Burning Pill, only one available."

Good quality at a low price, excellent condition.

Even though the stall was in a remote location, it still attracted some sharp-witted cultivators. After a heated debate, the goods were quickly sold out.

He rolled up the tattered mat, turned around, and blended into the crowd.

Change location, disguise, and resell.

It took half a day to travel from the south of the city to the north.

As the sun began to set, a roadside teahouse came into view.

As Ding Cheng rubbed the sallow ash from his cheeks, he muttered under his breath, "Master, we don't have any rare treasures in our hands, why do we have to act so...sleazy?"

"Selling directly to shops, even with low profit margins, is better than losing both legs."

Yang Danhe paused for a moment, holding the large, rough porcelain bowl.

"Sell it directly?"

"If someone swaggeres in carrying a valuable treasure, do they really think all shopkeepers are benevolent believers?"

"I'm afraid that the moment I step out the door, my bone fragments will be boiled into soup and drunk by someone else."

Fan Ju looked puzzled: "Isn't this place supposed to be 'ruled by powerful families with strict laws'?"

"Rules are set by the strong and followed by the weak."

Yang Dan closed her eyes, piercing through the noisy streets and alleys, looking towards the gloom of the past year:

"More than a decade ago, during our escape, there were also some of our senior fellow disciples who were just as naive as you."

"That senior master was at the sixth level of Qi Refining. He took a valuable treasure to a pawnshop to exchange for spirit stones. Ten miles away, his body lay in the wilderness, unrecognizable."

"The killer's knife technique was exactly the same as that of the pawnshop guards."

Ding Cheng and Fan Ju remained silent, trembling with fear.

"Master...Master's teachings are correct."

"That's enough."

Seeing that his disciple had accepted the instruction, Yang Danhe waved his hand and said, "More experience and learning from your mistakes are better than suffering a fatal blow."

After paying for the tea, the three of them stood up.

With a net worth of nearly a hundred spirit stones, he could easily afford to buy a courtyard and alchemy furnace on the outskirts of Blackwater City.

The old Taoist priest was thinking that he still needed to purchase some special spiritual materials.

Suddenly, his brows furrowed slightly.

With his spiritual sense released at the fourth level of Qi Refining, the trail of several "tails" behind him could not be hidden.

Their auras were mixed, and most of them were just beginning to enter the Qi Refining stage, with the leader being no more than the third level of Qi Refining.

They were quite patient, following along the whole way.

Yang Danhe remained calm and composed, her steps steady. Her fingers, hidden in her sleeve, subtly crushed a communication talisman, and she said without a word:

"Disciples, are you tired? Your master knows the shortcut; let's go over there and rest."

Shortcut?

After wandering around for a long time, how can we take a shortcut?

The two disciples were quick-witted and felt a chill run down their spines when they saw the cold, ambiguous smile in their master's eyes.

"Yes, Master."

The three of them turned and plunged into a dead-end alley filled with discarded baskets.

We've reached the middle section.

"Wow, you guys have excellent taste, you've each picked a prime location."

A voice suddenly rang out, cold and piercing.

Ahead, two burly men stood with knives in their hands, blocking the way.

Turning around, three more people blocked their escape route.

They attacked from both sides, trapping the fish in a jar.

The leader, with a hideous centipede scar on his face, took a step forward with a savage grin, his face full of fat wrinkles revealing greed.

"Duan She, the vice leader of the Wild Wolf Gang."

The snake's tongue licked the blade of the curved knife:

"I've been keeping an eye on the three of you. You're so generous, yet you dress like beggars, always trying to hide something. There's definitely something fishy going on."

"Where did this scoundrel come from, stealing from whose alchemy room?"

"Be smart and leave your spirit stones and pills behind. I'm kind-hearted, so I'll allow you to crawl out of this alley with just a few fingers."

Yang Danhe sighed softly.

He casually untied the cloth bag from his waist, tossed it to Ding Cheng behind him, and stared at Duan She.

"I teach my apprentices to be low-key and avoid trouble."

"So you've mistakenly thought...we're weak and easily bullied?"

"The old Taoist often pondered, why are some people in this world so eager to be reincarnated? Is it perhaps that the Meng Po soup is truly sweeter than the strong liquor of this mortal world?"

"What did you say... huh?!"

Duan She's arrogant arrogance was stuck in his throat.

Within the old man opposite him, a spiritual power several times stronger than his own erupted!

Qi Refining Level 4, Mid-Stage!

As steady as a rock, unfathomable.

"Those guys are tough! Let's retreat!"

The snake reacted extremely quickly, its toes touching the ground as it turned to flee.

The older you get in the world of martial arts, the more timid you become.

If not now, when?

Fang turned around.

"Vice Chief, you haven't even had your tea yet, why the rush?"

At the alley entrance, four burly men stood, seemingly out of nowhere.

There were also four people guarding the escape route behind them.

Eight elite soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Guanhua Soldier Battalion, wielding standard-issue thick-backed machetes, their eyes cold and piercing.

"Clang—"

Eight blades were drawn simultaneously, their gleaming light illuminating the dark alley as if it were daytime.

……

Half an hour later, in the elegant room of Zuixiang Residence.

The aroma of tea wafts through the air, and steam rises gently.

Yang Danhe sat upright in the main seat, slowly skimming off the tea foam with the cup lid.

Duan She's nose was bruised and swollen, and he lay limp on the ground, half of his cheek swollen like a steamed bun.

Eight disciples from the Soldier Killing Camp stood guard around him with their arms crossed.

"So... the water in that area is murky, far more so than the old Taoist priest predicted?"

Yang Dan took a sip of tea.

"Yes...yes...sir is wise."

Duan She's front teeth were loose, and his speech was slurred; he hurriedly poured out his words:

"Blackwater City is controlled by the Wang, Xiao, Li, and He clans, with numerous gangs operating beneath it. Our Wild Wolf Gang relies on the Wang family for sustenance, specializing in handling the shady, dirty debts of those above us..."

Duan She keenly sensed that the old Taoist priest in front of him was swift and decisive, and his questions were always about property and rules, clearly indicating that he was a newcomer to the city.

"The Wang family?"

Yang Danhe put down his teacup.

"Vice Chief Duan."

The old Taoist priest deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the character "副".

Have you ever thought about removing the word "vice" from your title one day?

Duan She's mind was buzzing.

An uncontrollable ecstasy, mixed with trembling, shot straight to the top of his head.

"Sir...sir!"

He scrambled forward two steps, his forehead slamming hard against the ground with a loud thud.

"I've been dreaming of this! The moment you give the word, the Wild Wolf Gang will be your loyal hounds! We'll brave mountains of knives and seas of fire, even unto death!"

Yang Danhe withdrew her toes in disgust and flicked her sleeve:

"That's so offensive, it's awful. This old Taoist is a respectable businessman."

"It's just that this good-for-nothing is lacking a place to stay. I see that your esteemed clan's residence has excellent feng shui, so I'd like to borrow it. Does Chief Duan have any objections?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

Duan She's eyes gleamed: "Wang Biao is hogging the latrine... no, the house should have changed owners long ago!"

He crawled a few steps on his knees, lowered his voice, and his face was full of sinister intent:

"My lord, you may not know this, but Wang Biao is a son of a concubine in the Wang family. He was expelled because of his mediocre talent. He has the cultivation level of the fifth level of Qi Refining and longs to return to the main family."

Duan She secretly glanced at the remaining powdered medicine between the old Taoist's fingers, and felt certain in his heart.

Alchemist!

Take a gamble; fortune favors the bold!

"Since this inner demon exists..."

Yang Danhe took out a crystal-clear jade bottle from his bosom and gently placed it on the table, making a crisp sound.

"Shouldn't Chief Wang be showing some signs of a 'breakthrough' lately?"

......

The Wild Wolf Gang's base.

The Hall of Gathering Righteousness was brightly lit.

Wang Biao sat openly in a tiger-skin chair, his lewd gaze roaming over the woman in his arms.

At the bottom of the steps, Duan She, covered in wounds, trembled.

"What a mess you've made!" Wang Biao scolded impatiently. "You can't even handle accepting offerings properly, you good-for-nothing!"

"Brother! This is wonderful news!"

Despite his injuries, Duan She raised the jade bottle high with both hands and crawled up on his knees:

"My underlings intercepted a thief from our own household who was trying to escape by stealing elixirs in the alley. He was injured by the thugs, but thankfully the elixirs were saved!"

"This is the 'Qian Shi Dan'! According to the thief's personal manual, just one pill will cause a surge in spiritual power, making breaking through to a minor realm a piece of cake!"

"Qi Refining Pill?"

Wang Biao shoved the woman in his arms away and snatched the jade bottle.

Pull out the plug, sniff.

A rich, refreshing fragrance wafted over, and the dormant spiritual energy in his dantian began to stir subtly.

treasure!

Wang Biao's pupils contracted, his eyes gleaming.

As a son born out of wedlock, he suffered endless scorn and longing to return to the royal family.

If I can break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining through this... the family elders will definitely look at me with new respect!

"Good brother! You've got me in your heart!"

Wang Biao laughed loudly, then patted Duan She on the shoulder in a mock manner: "When I break through to the next realm, you'll definitely get your share of the credit! Go down and collect your reward!"

Duan She thanked him profusely and withdrew.

As he turned around, a cruel, mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips.

The hall doors slammed shut.

Wang Biao dismissed his attendants and eagerly poured out the pills.

The pills are deep red like blood, shimmering with iridescent light, and have an excellent appearance.

In the candlelight, his eyes gradually turned red.

The aroma of the medicine seemed to possess a spirit, stirring up the deepest, most greedy desires within my heart.

"Swallow it... As long as I swallow it... all those who look down on me will have to kneel down..."

Without further hesitation, he tilted his head back and swallowed it.

It melts at the entrance.

"Haha! Spiritual power...breakthrough... huh?!"

The maniacal laughter abruptly stopped.

Wang Biao's eyes bulged out, and his face turned bluish-purple.

The meridians burst open inch by inch, and the five internal organs were as if they were being boiled in oil.

"puff!"

Black blood gushed out three feet, mixed with fragments of internal organs.

Wang Biao's strong body fell heavily backward onto the tiger-skin chair, blood flowing from his seven orifices, and he died on the spot.

Even in death, the bull's eyes still held a mixture of ecstasy and astonishment.

The hall door creaked open.

Yang Dan clasped her hands in her sleeves, her face calm, stepped over the threshold, and walked past the corpse without looking to the side.

Behind him, Duan She quickly followed, spitting on the corpse with a look of disdain.

"Fool, with a mindset like that, you should be fed to dogs."

"Guards! Drag him out! Don't offend the magistrate's eyes!"

......

"pretty!"

"Who would have thought that Yang Danhe, who usually looks like an old farmer, would be so dark inside?"

He kept his hands clean the whole time and even managed to recruit a local thug as a henchman.

"This kind of unexpected cuteness is just my type."

Qingyuan looked at the old Taoist priest sitting calmly in the armchair, sipping tea with an air of nonchalance in the video:

"Keep a low profile, be patient, and when you strike, it's deadly."

Elder Yang is a man of principle.

None of the five buildings at Guanhuamen are easy to deal with.

"With the diplomatic and outpost issues resolved, then..."

"It's time to prepare a big gift package of martial arts techniques for Shuyan and Chaiwu at home."