When it comes to cultivating immortality, it naturally starts with upgrading the herb garden.

Song Chen found a corner, disguised himself, and came to a secluded tree on the opposite bank of the "Protecting You" shop, constantly glancing at the scene at the shop entrance out of the corner of his eye.

"It's been three hours, why hasn't Ning Lianyi come out yet? Is she planning to stay at the shop indefinitely?"

As the sun was about to set, Song Chen felt anxious but helpless.

Based on experience, the shop owner's children would not stay in the shop all the time. Just like when his parents were still alive, he would only spend three hours a day in the shop.

"Wait a little longer. If it still doesn't come out, then we'll have to wait until next time."

Song Chen squinted as he leaned against the tree stump.

The sun bursts forth with its last rays, dyeing half the sky red, while fiery clouds surge and ripple in the gentle breeze, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

"Then I'll head back now!"

Song Chen slightly lifted his droopy eyelids and glanced at the entrance of the "Protecting You" shop. A beautiful girl ran out of the shop and slowly walked towards the north alley of the street.

Song Chen breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally out."

He pulled his straw hat down low and walked toward "Protecting You".

The shop remained unchanged, showing no alteration whatsoever due to anyone's departure or arrival.

However, the shopkeeper's position had changed to a man, who bore a striking resemblance to Ning Lianyi in their features; he must be Ning Lianyi's father.

He saw Song Chen enter the store and quickly stood up to ask, "What are you buying?"

Song Chen lowered his voice, sounding completely different from usual: "Any recommendations for temporary formations?"

Upon hearing this, the man immediately put on a smile, and his attitude changed from indifferent to enthusiastic.

There's no other reason than that those who buy temporary formations are all wealthy people.

Furthermore, despite possessing the cultivation level of the sixth level of Qi Refining, he still couldn't discern Song Chen's cultivation level and subconsciously assumed that Song Chen was a powerful cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining.

"Of course! For example, this small tortoise shell formation can block an attack from a peak Qi Refining cultivator once activated. It can be hidden in the chest and is not conspicuous, making it very convenient to carry."

Upon hearing the description of the formation, Song Chen immediately marked it as a must-buy in his mind.

"And this Minor Wind Formation, once activated, has a speed comparable to a top-tier mobile magic artifact, but its drawback is that it only has one chance."

Song Chen interrupted the other person, pointing to the Purple Qi Spirit-Sustaining Array, and asked, "What do you think of this array?"

"Well, this formation is a bit of a waste. It's suitable for cultivators in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, but for a cultivator like you in the late stage of Qi Refining, the amount of spiritual energy restored is just a drop in the ocean."

Song Chen continued, "What if we buy a few more?"

"Hmm... that would require at least dozens, but why not just buy a large-scale formation? Wouldn't that be more convenient and effective?"

Song Chen was taken aback. It seemed that Ning Lianyi's words were not entirely correct; several Purple Qi Spirit Sustaining Arrays were simply not enough to meet the demand.

The man was right; he should buy a large-scale formation.

The problem is that Song Chen doesn't know any formations!

If you actually buy it but don't know how to use it, it's a complete waste.

Men probably subconsciously assume that everyone who comes to this shop is a fellow practitioner skilled in array formations.

Song Chen lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said, "One each of the Small Tortoise Shell Formation and the Small Wind Formation, and the Purple Qi Continuation Formation... let's buy two and try them out."

The man was puzzled as to why Song Chen still wanted to buy the Purple Qi Spirit-Sustaining Array despite his explanation, but as the shopkeeper, he didn't say anything more and simply stated:

"Alright! That'll be eight hundred and fifty spirit stones in total."

That's quite expensive.

Song Chen took out spirit stones, put away the several formations, and hurriedly left the shop.

"Father! Do you have my battle flag?"

Ning Lianyi happened to walk in from the doorway and brushed past Song Chen.

She stood in the doorway, turning her head to look at Song Chen's back, and murmured, "Where have I seen him before?"

"Here you go! Your battle flag fell under the table."

......

Song Chen moved very quickly, and returned home in a few flashes.

He closed the door, tidied his belongings, and took out the formation without saying a word.

"How do I install this?"

Song Chen examined the fist-sized tortoise shell formation, which had patterns resembling a tortoise shell and a small pointed tip at each of the four corners, likely formation flags.

He tried placing the array towards his chest, but it fell off several times.

"hateful!"

When the formation was placed in front of Song Chen's left atrium, it inexplicably trembled slightly and then sank directly into Song Chen's body, sticking firmly to him.

"This... should be installed by now, right?"

Song Chen asked in confusion, then stood up and tried to activate it.

He drew a wisp of spiritual energy from his dantian into the array, and the next moment, the array emitted a green light, enveloping Song Chen's entire body and forming a stable protective barrier.

With a thought, Song Chen withdrew the protective barrier, which then disappeared.

"Not much consumption, but good results!"

Song Chen was very satisfied and immediately followed suit, installing the other three formations on his body as well.

Looking at his stomach, which was almost completely covered by two Purple Qi Continuation Arrays, he inexplicably thought, "If I bought a dozen or so Purple Qi Continuation Arrays, I'm afraid there wouldn't be enough room to put them all, would there?"

I didn't feel anything when the Minor Wind Array was on me, but the Purple Qi Spirit Continuation Array was quite strange.

The moment the formation touched Song Chen's body, he felt a surge of powerful spiritual energy rise in his dantian, as if he were absorbing a low-grade spirit stone.

This level of spiritual energy fluctuation will definitely allow Song Chen to last longer in combat!

Soon Song Chen made a new discovery.

"The spiritual energy of this formation actually affects the dantian directly! Doesn't that mean it can be used for cultivation?"

Song Chen immediately began to try. The spiritual energy that seeped into his dantian was immediately integrated into his spiritual sea, but due to the bottleneck, it quickly flowed out.

But this gave Song Chen a signal: this formation could be used for cultivation!

Song Chen was overjoyed. In this way, his already ridiculously fast cultivation speed would reach an even higher level!

However, his face soon fell, and he became somewhat irritable.

The bottleneck of the seventh level of Qi Refining is extremely difficult to break through.

All the spiritual energy that Song Chen had absorbed into his body flowed out just like before, and he couldn't retain any of it.

This made Song Chen somewhat worried about whether he could break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining.

"Does breaking through from the sixth to the seventh level really require instantly condensing a spiritual sea?"

"If that's the case, even if I had another year, I still wouldn't be able to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining."

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Hearing the familiar knocking sound, Song Chen's heart skipped a beat.

It is the Three Talents of Wind!

Only he would knock on the door so loudly.

"Song Chen! Open the door right now! Or I'll break in! You think you can escape after learning my ultimate technique?"

Feng Sancai stood outside the door and shouted.

Helpless, Song Chen nervously pushed open the door, inwardly groaning.

Feng Sancai still had a full head of white hair and a long white beard, but he looked slightly different, as if... he had aged?

Song Chen wasn't sure if this was just his imagination, but that wasn't the most pressing issue at the moment.

He put on a natural smile and greeted them, "Master, what brings you here?"

Feng Sancai stood expressionless in front of the door, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger, but his eyes betrayed his inner surprise.

"This kid's cultivation level... what's going on? I'm a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator, and I can't even see through this kid's cultivation level?"

"A concealment technique? A fourth-level Qi Refining cultivator can just barely hide my seventh-level Qi Refining. Good lad!"

Feng Sancai remained silent for a moment, then slowly said:

"You traitor! How dare you say that! Tell me how many days it's been since you last visited me?"

"Do you still want to inherit my legacy?"

Of course I don't want to!

Song Chen thought this to himself, but outwardly he didn't show the slightest dissatisfaction. Instead, he appeared embarrassed and anxious, and said in a desperate, "What's the use?"

"Master! Of course I want to! But the Pill Refining Technique is too difficult; I can't learn it!"

"It seems I lack talent; perhaps Master should seek out another prodigy?"

Feng Sancai remained calm and composed, inwardly sneering, and said, "It's alright! Since you can't learn the Pill Refining Technique, you should be able to learn the Contract Technique!"

"Come back with me, and I'll teach you a lesson!"

Song Chen gritted his teeth, his clothes soaked with sweat.

Unable to resist, he had no choice but to follow Feng Sancai to "Cai San's Shop" as dusk fell.