Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

A glint flashed in Su Qianxue's eyes.

Is this really true?

Lin Zhao chuckled: "If Senior Sister doesn't believe me, we can sign a contract."

Su Qianxue took out a contract from her storage bag and laid it on the table.

"Okay, sign."

Lin Zhao: "..."

He stared at the contract with all the terms written down, only needing to fill in his name, and was speechless for a moment.

"Senior sister, you should at least decline a little. If you're so direct, you'll have no friends in the future."

Su Qianxue had already filled in her name on the contract, then pushed it in front of Lin Zhao, looking at him with bright eyes.

"How many spirit stones are friends worth?"

Lin Zhao: "..."

He sighed, picked up a pen, signed his name, and imprinted his soul mark.

Su Qianxue retrieved the contract, examined it carefully, and then cautiously put it into her storage bag.

After putting it away, she seemed to realize that her behavior just now was a bit too direct. She coughed lightly and resumed her previous aloof demeanor.

Lin Zhao looked at her and chuckled to himself.

This opportunistic nature of his, always striving for advancement, hasn't changed at all over the decades.

"Senior sister signed so quickly, you must be quite confident?"

Su Qianxue put down her teacup, her expression becoming more serious.

"To be honest, junior brother, I certainly don't have the ability myself, but I can find someone to help me."

She paused, her eyes flickering slightly.

"Over the years I've been in Xuan Chen Valley, I've gotten to know a few senior brothers and sisters who have the authority to mobilize the warehouse resources. It's just that the transaction price will need to be negotiated by you, junior brother."

Lin Zhao looked up at the confident Su Qianxue opposite him.

I think I've found the right people. Some information is worthless in the hands of some people, but very useful in the hands of others.

What methods does Su Qianxue have?

Lin Zhao did not ask.

In the path of immortality, everyone has their own hidden skills. He has his trump cards, and Su Qianxue naturally has her own methods.

She dared to leave Qingfeng Market alone back then. She came to Tongming Domain and became a disciple of a Core Formation True Person, and her cultivation also reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage—without some skill, she would have been devoured long ago.

How she negotiates with those people from Xuan Chen Valley, what she exchanges, and what favors she makes are her own business.

All Lin Zhao wanted was a result.

"Senior Sister," Lin Zhao raised her glass, "may you go further and further on the path of immortality, and earn more and more spirit stones."

Su Qianxue was taken aback for a moment, then laughed out loud: "That's really true, much more pleasing to the ear than something like 'the path to immortality is within reach'."

She raised her glass in return, the wine went down her throat, and neither of them said anything more.

Su Qianxue put down her wine cup, stood up, and cupped her hands in greeting: "I'll go prepare it. Junior brother, please enjoy your drink."

Lin Zhao also got up and saw her to the door.

Su Qianxue pushed open the door and glanced back at him.

"Take care, junior brother."

Then she transformed into a ray of light and disappeared into the night.

Then Lin Zhao also left, disappearing into the night.

In the days that followed, the Cangyun Mountain market remained outwardly calm as always.

Caravans continued to come and go as usual, cultivators continued to travel, and spirit stones continued to be deposited into the accounts as usual.

Lin Zhao began to seclude himself to study weapon crafting.

After years of honing his skills, his weapon-forging abilities have reached the second-tier superior level, making him one of the top players in the Zixuan Dynasty.

However, to forge a magical artifact of the same caliber as the Crimson Sun Spirit Boat, further progress is needed.

Fortunately, there is a favorable condition.

In that mysterious state, his comprehension and deductive abilities will be greatly enhanced.

He plans to upgrade his weapon crafting skills to the second-tier top-grade level.

Old He was also busy.

This head steward is also a second-tier high-grade array master. He has been in Cangyun Mountain for over a hundred years, and has survived several governors without falling, so he must have some skill.

Now, in addition to managing the market, he has begun preparing the array formation for the Crimson Sun Spirit Boat.

To this end, the market town also specially planned an area on the back mountain of the market town and mobilized hundreds of people to be responsible for the forging of the Crimson Sun Spirit Boat.

Lin Zhao originally didn't want to make such a big deal out of it; the materials for the Crimson Sun Spirit Boat were hard to come by.

Old He eventually persuaded him.

The plan is to simplify the second-tier high-grade Crimson Sun Spirit Boat into a second-tier low-grade spirit boat.

This area may become a production line specifically for manufacturing low-grade second-tier spirit boats in the future.

Even producing just one low-grade second-tier spirit boat a year would be highly profitable, and it might become a unique industry in the market in the future.

If it develops properly, its future returns will be no less than those of the Hundred Beasts Foundation Building Pill.

-----

As for Su Qianxue—

She somehow obtained authorization from those senior brothers and sisters to represent Xuan Chen Valley in managing the trade of Cangyun Mountain.

She began to frequently travel between Cangyun Mountain and Xuanchen Valley.

Each time they came, they would bring some Tier 2 materials for Lin Zhao to inspect.

Each time he left, he would take with him a list of Lin Zhao's needs.

The two always met during the day, and after discussing business, they would go their separate ways without lingering.

---

While preparing to improve his weapon-refining skills, Lin Zhao was also preparing for something else.

That evening, he left the garrison headquarters and went to the second-tier spirit stone mine in the back mountain of the market.

Lin Zhao passed through the formation and walked down the sloping mine tunnel.

The second-tier top-grade spiritual vein is located at the deepest part of the mine.

Lin Zhao originally placed the Spirit Gathering Pool there to nourish and repair the body using the spiritual veins.

Later, the Nine Luminaries Thunder Pearl was incorporated into it, transforming it into a Thunder Gathering Pool.

Now that several years have passed, it's time to see the results.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Lin Zhao suddenly felt a sense of clarity.

Beside the cave was a dark purple pool, about three zhang square.

No, it should be described as a pool carved from black jade.

The pool was entirely black, with a smooth, mirror-like surface, and the runes engraved on its edges had turned purple.

The pool is already half full of spiritual liquid.

The spiritual liquid has two layers—the upper layer is a pale purple lightning liquid, in which countless tiny lightning bolts leap and flicker, emitting a soft "crackling" sound.

The lower layer is white spiritual liquid, which is the pure spiritual energy originally condensed in the Spirit Gathering Pool.

Deep within the lightning liquid, a dragon's shadow could be faintly seen swimming and circling.

The dragon shadow was only about a foot long, entirely purple with distinct scales. It darted and swam in the lightning liquid, occasionally raising its head as if it could sense Lin Zhao's arrival.

The Nine Luminaries Thunder Pearl has now completely merged with the Thunder Pool, and the Nine Luminaries Heavenly Dragon has also transformed into a Thunder Spirit.

Lin Zhao can summon it to kill enemies whenever he needs it.

Lin Zhao stood by the pool, his gaze sweeping over the lightning liquid and dragon shadow in the water, and nodded slightly.

The modification of the magic weapon is complete.

It should be called the Nine Luminaries Thunder Pool now.

The rest is just a matter of slowly nurturing it until it recovers to the level of a third-tier magic weapon.

"You're here?"

A voice came from behind me.

Lin Zhao turned around and saw Yan Chiheng walking out of the mine tunnel.

"You're punctual," Lin Zhao said.

Yan Chiheng walked to the edge of the pool, looked at the pool of lightning liquid, and grinned: "I've been watching this thing for years, how could it not be on time?"

The transformation of the Nine Luminaries Thunder Pool went so smoothly, completed in just a few years, thanks in large part to Yan Chiheng's efforts.

He possesses a mutated lightning spirit root and a lightning-attribute spirit body, giving him a control over lightning power far exceeding that of ordinary people.

Without his help, the fusion of the Thunder Gathering Pool and the Nine Luminaries Thunder Pearl could never have been achieved so quickly.

Lin Zhao withdrew his gaze and looked at Yan Chiheng.

"I'm here today to do one thing: to cleanse myself with the power of the Thunder Pool."

Yan Chiheng was taken aback, then frowned: "Lightning tempering? Should we slow it down? The magic weapon has just been modified and isn't very stable yet."