Cultivating immortality begins with formations.

Lu Yuan finally couldn't bear it any longer and asked, "Fairy Jiang, could this furnace be temporarily shut down?"

Jiang Zhi's expression was solemn: "Absolutely not. There is a piece of black iron ore in my furnace, which has reached the critical moment of taking shape. If the furnace is stopped, this piece of black iron ore will be ruined."

A piece of black iron ore is worth hundreds of spirit stones...

Hearing this, Lu Yuan had no choice but to say helplessly, "If that's the case, Fairy Jiang, then the formation time will need to be extended by two days."

He had not expected that the environment for setting up the formation would be so harsh.

At this moment, we are only polishing the green spirit stone powder. If we start to draw the Qi gathering array, once the sweat drips onto the array pattern that has not yet dried, all our previous efforts will be wasted.

"You don't want me to wipe your sweat, do you?" Jiang Zhi asked softly, her eyes sparkling.

Puxin, female...

Lu Yuan glanced at her, then remained silent.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhi suppressed her laughter and remained silent. She pushed open the door, leaving Lu Yuan alone inside.

A short while later.

When she returned, she took out a stack of talismans: "These are cooling talismans. Stick them on your body to dispel internal heat."

After applying a cooling talisman to his chest and back, the chill spread and neutralized the heat, making Lu Yuan feel much more comfortable.

Thank you.

"You're welcome."

……

With his mind focused, the Qi Gathering Array proceeded exceptionally smoothly, and within two days, the array's patterns were already more than half complete.

Sensing that his spiritual energy and divine sense were about to be exhausted, Lu Yuan immediately stopped writing, stood up and stretched, and then heard the sounds coming from outside.

"Clang clang clang..."

In the past two days, he has had almost no communication with Jiang Zhi.

The other party seemed to be refining some kind of magical artifact. While Lu Yuan was busy, she was not idle either, and could hear knocking sounds coming from outside from time to time.

"Squeak..."

Lu Yuan opened the door and saw a figure in the courtyard raising an iron hammer, his waist stretched out to the extreme, like a drawn bow, full of powerful beauty.

"Clang!"

The sledgehammer fell, striking the red-hot copper ore...

Lu Yuan silently counted to himself, "Eighty."

When Jiang Zhi was refining weapons, she was just as focused as Lu Yuan. Even when she noticed him beside her, she did not stop and kept striking the weapons.

Lu Yuan also wanted to observe, so he stood quietly without making a sound to disturb them.

If we were to say which is most compatible with the methods of array masters, it would not be talisman masters, but weapon refiners.

After all, engraving array patterns on a magic artifact, even if it's not a complete array, can appropriately increase the artifact's grade.

Therefore, every array master or weapon refiner will come into contact with each other on their cultivation path, and when they take a liking to each other, they will become long-term partners.

Lu Yuan hasn't thought that far ahead yet, but he feels that if he were to consider someone in the future, Jiang Zhi would be a suitable candidate.

She has a cheerful and sunny personality, making her easy to get along with. At least from my interactions with her, she doesn't seem like someone with hidden agendas...

Not long after.

Lu Yuan noticed that Jiang Zhi was covered in fine beads of sweat again.

Her skin was naturally fair, and now, with this layer of sweat, it seemed to be wrapped in a moist, oily sheen, creating a breathtakingly beautiful effect.

Lu Yuan, unable to watch any longer, turned and entered the weapon-refining room, where he sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing...

"Your resolve to follow the Dao is still not firm!"

However, he also found it strange that Jiang Zhi did not use a cooling talisman or other means to avoid this situation.

Although Lu Yuan did not sense any ill intent from the other party from beginning to end, he still had to be careful.

Therefore, he dared not completely exhaust his spiritual power.

Furthermore, there was a talisman hidden in each of his sleeves.

After all, even now.

He couldn't discern Jiang Zhi's cultivation level, which was enough to confirm that she was definitely above him.

Another day.

Lu Yuan once again exhausted most of his spiritual energy, swallowed a Qi Condensation Pill, sat cross-legged, and began circulating his Five Elements Technique...

While cultivating in this weapon-refining room, he was surprised to find that the fire-attribute spiritual energy was unusually active.

Every time I practice.

You will feel a sudden surge of inner fire, repeatedly tempering your physical body.

"Squeak."

The door opened, and Jiang Zhi strode in with her long legs, carrying a food box in her hand.

Lu Yuan opened his eyes.

"Master Lu, let's eat first. I also bought a pot of Spring Breeze Intoxication."

After Jiang Zhi entered the room, she spoke with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan hurriedly replied, "I'm sorry, Fairy Jiang, I don't drink alcohol at all."

Jiang Zhi was taken aback upon hearing this, and clicked her tongue, saying, "Then you're out of luck."

"..."

You're drunk.

Lu Yuan looked at Jiang Zhi, who was sitting cross-legged opposite him but was already somewhat unsteady on her feet, with a helpless expression on his face.

At this moment, Jiang Zhixue's fair skin flushed a rosy hue, her nose was slightly furrowed, her lips were red and moist, and her eyes were full of a dreamy and languid look.

Even his once sharp eyebrows and eyes have softened.

Was Lu Yuan tempted? Of course he was.

So he held a golden light talisman in his left hand and a wind and thunder talisman in his right, with the Five Elements Mist Array Disc between his knees.

As long as the opponent is not in the Foundation Establishment stage, Lu Yuan's preparations are enough to ensure his safe retreat.

"It's not the wine that makes you drunk, it's the person who gets drunk... I can still drink."

Jiang Zhi tilted her jade-like neck back and brought the wine glass to her red lips, but she couldn't hold her liquor and slumped weakly on the table, seemingly completely defenseless.

Lu Yuan quietly looked at the drunk woman in front of him...

"Whoosh..."

The Golden Light Talisman was activated, and flowing golden light instantly emerged, protecting Lu Yuan's entire body.

He then slowly drew the Golden Shadow Sword from his waist.

"Wait a moment!"

Jiang Zhi suddenly looked up, her face as usual, showing no signs of being drunk.

Lu Yuan was stunned.

After a long silence, he curled his lip and silently put away the Golden Shadow Sword.

"Your...your reaction is completely beyond my expectations."

Jiang Zhi was no longer drunk, and stared blankly at Lu Yuan with her beautiful eyes.

Her parents died early, and she struggled alone in the market for decades, witnessing the coldness of human relationships and the dangers of the world, and suffering countless attempts to covet her.

Having witnessed Lu Yuan's superb array formation skills, he wished to befriend him, but feared that the other party had ulterior motives.

That's why we had this probing attempt tonight, but I never expected it...

"I meant no harm."

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment before saying, "In my opinion, your attempt to disrupt my Dao heart is the greatest malice."

"All right."

"I apologize..."

As she spoke, Jiang Zhi was about to raise her cup again, but after thinking for a moment, she put it down and took out a soft armor from her storage bag.

"This is a mid-grade magic weapon I crafted, called the Golden Thread Soft Armor. Consider it an apology, and I hope Master Lu will forgive my previous disrespect."

Lu Yuan didn't reach out; he was waiting for an explanation.

Helpless, Jiang Zhi circulated her spiritual power, releasing all of her Qi Refining Level 8 cultivation, and then said:

"To be honest, the array master I previously collaborated with has already left the market. I genuinely wanted to befriend Array Master Lu, which is why I resorted to this tactic. If I truly intended to make things difficult for you..."

Her meaning was clear: if I, a mere eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator, wanted to deal with you, I wouldn't need to seduce you.

Lu Yuan, sensing the situation, quickly reached out and took the soft armor, stuffing it into his storage bag, and laughed heartily, "You're too kind, Fairy Jiang."

He could forgo the physical benefits, but a mid-grade protective magic artifact was simply too tempting.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhi shook her head, both amused and exasperated, and sighed, "To be honest, in all my decades in this market, I've never seen a man like you."

"Decades?"

Lu Yuan ignored the second half of the sentence and looked over in surprise.

Even if this woman said she had just turned eighteen, Lu Yuan would believe her.

Jiang Zhi nodded slightly: "I lost both my parents when I was twelve years old. I am forty-two this year and have been in Jiuling Market for thirty years."

It turned out to be a middle-aged woman...

Lu Yuan would never say this aloud, but looking at Jiang Zhi's face and figure, she certainly didn't look forty-two years old.

"Are you kidding me, Fairy Jiang? I think you're at most twenty."

"Heh~"

"You were acting like a gentleman just now, but now you're being so slick... Also, if you don't mind, just call me Sister Jiang from now on. What 'fairy' or 'fairy' sounds weird."

Lu Yuan gave an awkward smile and dissipated the golden light protecting him.

He felt a little sorry for the Golden Light Talisman he had just used, but when he thought of the mid-grade protective magic weapon, the Golden Thread Soft Armor, which had fallen into his storage bag, his mood eased a bit.

"Sister Jiang, did the array master you worked with before also pass your... test?" Lu Yuan suddenly asked curiously.

"She's a woman."

Jiang Zhi couldn't help but feel a little depressed when she mentioned her ex: "She was more talented than me. She left Jiulingfang City after she reached the Foundation Establishment stage half a year ago."

"I see."

Lu Yuan nodded, then asked, "Then how does Sister Jiang intend to cooperate with me?"

"It's very simple. You should have some knowledge of the basic Five Elements array patterns, right?"

"Um."

"All I need is a magic artifact crafted by Lu Zhenshi to be inscribed with basic five-element array patterns. Once it's done, I'll share some of the spirit stones with you."

Lu Yuan was overjoyed upon hearing this.

This adds another business opportunity; naturally, the more spirit stones the better.

"Alright, cheers to our friendship!"

Lu Yuan was the first to raise his glass.

Jiang Zhi smiled slyly: "You don't drink a drop of alcohol?"

"Ha ha."

Lu Yuan laughed heartily, "Since Sister Jiang thinks so highly of me, what's wrong with making an exception this time?"

This is the end.

The banquet is only just beginning tonight.