Cultivating immortality begins with formations.

"One hundred and twenty spirit stones?!"

Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment.

The price of an ordinary Qi Gathering Array Plate is around one hundred low-grade spirit stones, while a high-grade Qi Gathering Array Plate should be around one hundred and thirty low-grade spirit stones.

But this is the market price.

If you were to sell it to other cultivators, it would be difficult to get this price.

Lu Yuan originally thought that he would be satisfied if he could sell the high-quality Qi Gathering Array Plate for one hundred spirit stones.

Unexpectedly, there was an additional benefit.

You should know that the Qi-gathering array plate he carved last time only sold for eighty spirit stones.

This clearly demonstrates the preciousness of a high-quality Qi-gathering array plate.

"The price is fair, and Mr. Lu has no objection."

Lu Yuan nodded in agreement, and then said, "Besides spirit stones, I also need to purchase some materials."

Two bottles of Qi-gathering pills.

Three array plates, six bottles of spiritual essence liquid.

Ten Qingling Stones and three array flags.

A bottle of shadow powder.

Qi Gathering Pills are used to assist in cultivation. For cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, they are indispensable if they want to accelerate their cultivation.

The array plate and the spirit essence liquid are used to inscribe arrays.

The Azure Spirit Stone and the array flags are used to set up the Qi Gathering Array.

The shadow powder is used to conceal the traces of the formation.

Manager Luo quickly retrieved the corresponding items.

"Two bottles of Qi Gathering Pills will cost ten spirit stones, the array plate and spirit marrow liquid will cost twenty-seven spirit stones, and the green spirit stone and array flag will cost thirty spirit stones, for a total of sixty-seven spirit stones."

"Therefore, there are fifty-three spirit stones remaining. Please take a look, Fellow Daoist Lu."

After checking them one by one and confirming that there were no problems, Lu Yuan put them all into a coarse cloth bag.

He appeared calm and collected upon receiving over a hundred spirit stones, but in reality, he was overjoyed.

With these spiritual stones by your side, both spiritual practice and daily life will be much easier.

"Manager Luo, I'll take my leave now."

"Fellow Daoist Lu, please take care."

These items are not large in size, but if packed together, they still require carrying a small bundle.

Fortunately, in the market, there are many low-level cultivators who cannot afford storage bags.

Everyone does the same, so it doesn't stand out.

After leaving the Treasure Pavilion, Lu Yuan headed straight for the Market of Unaffiliated Cultivators.

He bought another sixty catties of spirit rice and twenty catties of fresh monster meat, then carried an even larger cloth bag on his back, feeling a heavy sense of happiness, and headed home.

……

The following month.

Lu Yuan, who was holed up at home, was focused on engraving the Qi Gathering Array.

Stop carving when your spiritual energy is depleted, and focus on refining your qi and regulating your breathing.

With the aid of spirit stones and spirit rice, his cultivation speed increased several times compared to before.

The engraving of the formation also yielded results.

All three sets of array materials were successfully engraved, and two of them were high-quality Qi-gathering arrays.

Lu Yuan was extremely satisfied with this result.

Even a first-tier array master cannot guarantee that they can engrave a perfect Qi-gathering array.

This success rate far exceeds that of highly skilled first-tier array masters.

After all, it's impossible for a formation master to have spent thirty years immersing themselves in a first-tier, beginner-level Qi-gathering formation.

In the cultivation world, it is generally accepted that someone who can independently inscribe and arrange four sets of formations is considered a first-tier formation master.

What Lu Yuan obtained from the cultivator's remains was a fragmented first-tier array master's inheritance, consisting of only two complete array patterns.

This means that only by learning two more formations and successfully setting them up can one consider oneself a first-tier formation master.

"A first-tier array master is still far beyond my reach; they are beings that even Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot underestimate."

"Let's continue to strengthen the Qi-gathering array."

Lu Yuan continued to train diligently at home.

However, at this moment, he no longer inscribed the Qi-gathering array on the array plate.

Instead, the energy-gathering array is arranged around the meditation cushion and desk where one usually practices and draws formations.

Setting up a gathering energy array on-site is different from engraving it on an array plate.

The green spirit stone needs to be crushed into powder, and a certain proportion of water needs to be added to make a spiritual liquid for drawing the patterns of the Qi-gathering array.

This step must be done before drawing the array patterns; it cannot be pre-processed.

Otherwise, the azure spirit energy within the azure spirit stone, which can draw in spiritual energy, will gradually dissipate.

If the blood of a first-tier demon beast or a spiritual spring is used instead of water, the effect will be better, and it may even be able to satisfy the cultivation needs of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

However, Lu Yuan set up the Qi-gathering array for his own use, which seemed too extravagant for someone at the third level of Qi Refining.

His lower-grade spiritual root has insufficient upper limit. Even if he uses the Qi-gathering array drawn with the blood of a first-order demon beast, he cannot fully absorb the massive spiritual energy that is gathered. Instead, it will dissipate and be wasted.

It took half a day to draw.

"hiss……"

Lu Yuan's hand trembled, and the array pattern was drawn crookedly.

This attempt, unsurprisingly, failed, resulting in the loss of three Azure Spirit Stones.

This loss is still bearable.

While cleaning and wiping the floor, which was damaged by the failed attempt to create the array patterns, Lu Yuan summarized his experiences from the failure.

"I have mastered the array patterns of the Qi Gathering Array, and my control over spiritual power is quite stable. The problem with this failure lies in my divine sense."

Lu Yuan recalled the moment of his failure.

A sharp pain suddenly shot through his mind, causing him to lose focus for a moment. His paintbrush trembled, and the array pattern went astray.

The same array patterns, when drawn on-site, are enlarged several times in size.

There was still plenty of spiritual energy in his dantian, but his divine sense in his sea of ​​consciousness was almost exhausted, no wonder he failed.

After a thorough analysis, Lu Yuan identified the crux of the problem.

We were still too hasty.

With thirty years of experience, one shouldn't make such a mistake; perhaps one's mindset isn't calm enough.

The more anxious you are, the less you notice the subtle changes in your body.

However, the problem of weak spiritual sense cannot be solved in a short time. I can only hope to earn more spirit stones in the future and find a cultivation method to strengthen my spiritual sense.

At this stage, the only option is to extend the cycle.

After drawing array patterns for half a day, rest for half a day to recuperate your mind and spirit, and continue drawing array patterns once your spiritual consciousness is full.

With this in mind, Lu Yuan decided to eat first.

Even those in the Qi Refining stage cannot completely abstain from grains; even Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot live without the desire for food.

Therefore, there are also many food stalls in the market.

He could afford to dine at a high-end restaurant with his current financial resources, but now every spirit stone had to be spent wisely and could not be wasted easily.

After spending ten spirit sands on a street stall, Lu Yuan simply ate a bowl of beef offal noodles and two donkey meat sandwiches before heading home.

After all, the market at night still presents dangers.

It was dusk, and the sun was setting.

As the sunset gradually bathed Jiulingfang Market, Lu Yuan slowed his pace. Just as he entered the alley in front of his house, he was met by a graceful figure.

"Xiao Lu, you just finished work?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan frowned slightly, then looked up with a polite smile: "Yes, Sister Hua is here to collect rent again."

The plump and beautiful woman standing in front of him, blocking his way, was named Hua San Niang and was his landlady.

"How have you considered what I told you before?"

Hua San Niang's eyes held a resentful look, with a hint of alluring reproach.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan felt a chill run down his spine.

Five years ago, when he rented this small courtyard, he was spotted by this Hua San Niang, who was amazed by his beauty.

At first, I wanted to have sex with him.

Later, upon learning that Lu Yuan was still a virgin, she wanted to act as matchmaker and introduce him to a cultivation family in the market.

If a cultivation family wants to grow stronger, it must expand its branches and will therefore recruit sons-in-law from outside the family.

Hua San Niang was a top courtesan in her early years and got to know many second-generation immortals.

Nowadays, besides being a landlady, she either finds husbands for cultivation families or beautiful female cultivators from lower classes.

Of course, they also did plenty of dirty tricks.

By selling the chastity of lowly cultivators, he accumulated cultivation resources and advanced from the first level of Qi Refining to the seventh level in forty years.

To this day, it remains a source of inspiration for the young women of Fangshi as they strive forward.

Now, this Hua San Niang looks to be around forty years old, a charming old woman, but in reality, she is already a seventy-year-old grandmother.

"I apologize, but I am devoted to the path of immortality and have no interest in women." Lu Yuan cupped his hands, his expression indifferent.

"Ungrateful."

Hua San Niang snorted coldly, her expression changing instantly.