Cultivating immortality begins with formations.

"Boom..."

The Twin Fiery Thunderbolts were struck by a frost-covered sword beam, which immediately produced a deafening roar, like a thunderclap.

Countless bolts of lightning, enveloped in scorching flames, spread rapidly in all directions, enveloping half of the forest.

The scorched smell of vegetation mingled with the acrid odor of sulfur, and the scorching wind swept over us.

If one were in the epicenter of the explosion, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be struck by the Thunder and Fire Duo and die instantly.

Its power is evident.

At the very edge of the explosion, even faster than the Thunder and Fire Duo were two figures rushing forward.

To be precise.

It was a black-robed cultivator who, carrying a young cultivator with extraordinary features, quickly escaped the blast radius.

"I'm alive!"

As Zhang Su fled, he caught a glimpse of the black-robed female cultivator in the distance. She hadn't pursued him but had instead rescued Lu Yuan first, which filled him with joy.

Using the effects of the Berserk Pill, he accelerated the circulation of his spiritual power, leaving a trail of afterimages as he soared into the sky towards Jiuling Market.

Upon seeing this.

Lu Yuan was immediately extremely anxious.

If the other party escapes, he won't need to return to Jiuling Market. He can simply flee far away and perhaps save his life.

Before he could even say something like, "Don't let him get away,"

The black-robed female cultivator beside him had already thrown him to the ground, raised a sword beam, and chased after him.

Lu Yuan also stood up abruptly, enveloped in a golden sword light, and chased after him wildly.

But then I saw...

Zhang Su, who was in front, had not escaped far when he suddenly fell from mid-air and rolled into the grass.

Lu Yuan looked closely.

Zhang Su's feet and calves were covered with a layer of frost, and wisps of cold air seeped out from the frost.

"forward……"

Zhang Su screamed in terror.

The female cultivator in black robes flew over, her jade hand tightly gripping the Frost Sword. She drew a cold light, and wherever the sword passed, a head was severed.

then.

Lu Yuan arrived just in time, and instantly activated the Fire Separation Spell, shooting out two flames that enveloped the corpse and burned it to ashes.

"You're quite skilled."

Seeing how quickly he destroyed the corpse, the female cultivator in black robes couldn't help but laugh.

Lu Yuan gave an awkward smile.

"Pick up his storage bag; someone is approaching this area."

The female cultivator in black robes looked around intently and gave the order.

The commotion just now was so great that it was bound to attract attention.

If a scenario unfolds where the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, that would be quite unfortunate.

"Um."

"Then let's hurry up and go."

As soon as Lu Yuangang picked up the storage bag, he felt his body lift into the air, and he was being carried by the black-robed female cultivator, transforming into a streak of light and flying low in the opposite direction of the market.

Lu Yuan felt that the way he was carrying the chick was really embarrassing. It wasn't that he couldn't fly, it was just that he couldn't fly fast.

The loud noise that occurred in the Nine Ridges Mountains did attract many cultivators, but such incidents happen frequently in the mountains.

Therefore, after discovering there was no profit to be made, the cultivators who came to investigate all left.

The mountains returned to normal.

The black-robed female cultivator led Lu Yuan around the outer edge of the mountain range until dusk, when the two finally left one after the other.

Lu Yuan walked out of Cloud Mist Valley alone and slowly returned to the market.

Inside his sleeve lay the Snow Soul Ice Silkworm.

Just now, it used its freezing spell to make Zhang Su fall from mid-air, completely cutting off his chance of survival.

"This spirit pet is really great!"

Lu Yuan's fingers, hidden in his sleeve, would tease it from time to time; it felt soft to the touch.

This Snow Soul Ice Silkworm could not possibly have been given to him by the black-robed female cultivator.

But that didn't stop Lu Yuan from getting closer to it.

He took out a spirit stone from his storage bag, stuffed it into his sleeve, and immediately heard a crunching sound as it was chewed.

At the same time, a joyful divine sense emanated from the sleeve, seemingly expressing gratitude.

"If I have the chance, I'll raise a spirit pet too."

Lu Yuan was delighted at the sight of the hunt.

He orchestrated and participated in the plan to lure Zhang Su, but the one who truly played the key role was the female cultivator in black robes.

Therefore, Zhang Su's storage bag was in his hands at this moment.

But he would never open it and take even a single thing, even if there were likely three complete formations inside.

When the black-robed female cultivator gave him the Snow Soul Ice Silkworm, she said it was to protect him, but Lu Yuan believed it was more like surveillance.

Having lived in the market for over a decade, Lu Yuan had heard far too many stories of cultivators turning against each other due to disputes over the division of spoils.

and.

Lu Yuan never expected that Zhang Su had such a powerful trump card. He could only be thankful that the powerful patron he had jumped to was strong enough.

Therefore, he would never lose this powerful ally for petty gains.

After all, we might have to hold each other again in the future.

……

The death of Zhang Su, the array master of the Refining Treasure Hall, was silent, but it still had some impact on Jiuling Market.

That is why the business of the Qi Gathering Array in Baibaoge and other shops is getting better and better.

Lu Yuan originally planned to first inscribe the Seven-Day Qi Gathering Array Plate for the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, and then set up a mini version of the Profound Fire Array for the black-robed female cultivator.

He believed that setting up a mini version of the Mystic Fire Array would only take two days.

But the black-robed female cultivator was pressing her really hard.

Since it concerned her own spiritual root and foundation, she could not afford to make the slightest mistake. The black-robed female cultivator used the Snow Soul Ice Silkworm to exert pressure several times.

Lu Yuan sensed her anxiety and was also worried that if they didn't go soon, the other party might come knocking on their door.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask Manager Luo for leave.

"Ask for leave?"

"Do you know how much work is piling up on your shoulders right now?"

"Six cultivators need you to come and set up Qi-gathering arrays. The three Qi-gathering array plates that you completed and handed over yesterday were sold out first thing this morning."

"Little Lu, you are still young, and this is the time to strive. If you don't work hard to earn spirit stones now, what will you use to buy Foundation Establishment Pills in the future?"

Lu Yuan looked up at Manager Luo, who was blowing his beard and glaring, and thought to himself that he had heard these words countless times in his previous life.

It was just a dowry of a motorhome that turned into a Foundation Establishment Pill.

When Lu Yuan came out of the Treasure Pavilion, he shook his head and walked towards the residence of the black-robed female cultivator.

He was a guest of the Baibao Pavilion, not a shop assistant, much less a slave who sold himself into servitude.

Therefore, although Manager Luo was unwilling, he had no choice but to accept it.

After Lu Yuan became a guest elder of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, he did receive certain protection, especially his residence in the core area of ​​the inner city, which saved him a lot of spirit stones every month.

nowadays.

The difference in the concentration of spiritual energy between the inner and outer cities is like night and day.

Every time Lu Yuan came from the inner city to the outer city, he would find that the spiritual energy had become thinner. This gradual process, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, made it take several months for the rogue cultivators living in the outer city to realize what was happening.

They then discovered that there was no way to file a complaint.

As a result, capable independent cultivators desperately tried to squeeze into the inner city, driving up housing prices there to alarming levels.

Having enjoyed the comforts of the inner city, Lu Yuan would never consider living in the outer city again.

But now, he finds that the affairs of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion have slowly become a burden.

"Forget it, let's just take it one step at a time."

"There is neither a reason nor the confidence to completely sever ties now."

Lu Yuan pondered for a long time.

Looking up, they found themselves at the gate of the black-robed female cultivator's residence.

The Snow Soul Ice Silkworm in the sleeve sensed its master was nearby and immediately flew out, crossing the door and wall.

"You heartless wretch, I've wasted so many spirit stones feeding you."

Lu Yuan cursed inwardly.

These past few days, he has been feeding the Snow Soul Ice Silkworm a steady supply of spirit stones.

Occasionally, one can communicate with it using divine sense, releasing cold air to act as a natural air conditioner, which it gladly accepts.

"Just come in."

Just as Lu Yuan was about to knock on the door, a cold voice came from inside.

After pushing open the gate, Lu Yuan stepped inside and saw a woman with a distant and aloof demeanor standing in the courtyard under the morning glow.

The woman was dressed in a simple, fitted outfit, with delicate ice patterns embroidered on the hem. Her skin was as smooth as ice and her bones as pure as jade, and her beauty was beyond compare.

"This is a true fairy!"

Of all the women I've met throughout my two lifetimes, only this one can be called a fairy.

"senior?"

Lu Yuan tentatively inquired.

The woman nodded slightly, her voice calm: "Now it is I who need your help. There is no need to mention the title 'senior' again."

Lu Yuan paused for a moment, then laughed heartily, "I don't know why, but I felt an extraordinary sense of kinship with you the first time I met you. How about I call you 'sister'?"

Throughout his two lifetimes, he adhered to the same principle.

They're shameless and eat their fill.

This time, the woman remained silent, her gaze sweeping over Lu Yuan before a slight smile curved her lips: "I'm... twenty-four this year."

"..."

"I wonder where the fairy plans to set up the formation. Let's not delay, let's set off immediately. I've been quite busy lately."

Seeing Lu Yuan conceal his embarrassment and walk straight past her, the woman couldn't help but smile, feeling inexplicably pleased.

After her family was destroyed when she was young, she spent decades in asceticism, rarely interacting with strangers unless necessary, and her life was almost devoid of joy.

Unexpectedly, the man in front of her was quite interesting.