Cultivation begins with alchemy and collecting runes.

The spring breeze sent warmth into Tu Su.

The warm spring breeze dispels the chill of the long winter.

Outside, the wild geese that had returned from a family vacation in the south had shed a new layer of feathers.

Early in the morning, the roadsides outside Shanyangfang City were already crowded with people.

Some vendors set up stalls selling miscellaneous trinkets, others sold their family's ancestral martial arts techniques; still others pawned their wives and children because they were behind on taxes...

All of this human experience is irrelevant to Li Xiuyuan, who is about to successfully refine the elixir!

He was completely focused on controlling the blazing hot alchemy furnace.

"Hehehe!"

[Grain-Breaking Pill +10]

A faint fragrance of herbs and trees wafted from the openwork of the alchemy furnace, gradually filling the entire room.

But his attention was completely drawn to something else.

[Grain-Clearing Pill (Complete) [Green Rune]: Zhu Yu Yun Yuan Jue (Refinable)]

"Green runes?"

Li Xiuyuan opened the alchemy furnace and put away the steaming hot fasting pills.

A quick scan with his divine sense revealed three pills, two of which were high-grade fasting pills.

He focused his mental energy on the control panel.

The "Bigu Dan" section has been found to be fully completed.

This signifies that one's mastery of the Bigu Dan (a type of fasting elixir) has reached its peak, and there is no way forward.

In other words, the lowest grade of the pills he refines now is low-grade, and he will no longer fail in refining pills.

He even said that he had one foot in the door of a first-class low-grade alchemist.

"Could this Zhu Yu Yun Yuan Technique, like the [Mid-Grade Fire Control Technique], grant an immediate opportunity to use and comprehend the technique after refinement?"

Li Xiuyuan pondered whether he should refine him now to enhance his immediate combat power.

But then he thought, this is the first time I've gotten a green rune.

Besides, he doesn't have any extra runes on him right now; he needs to save them for crucial moments.

We can't afford to waste this opportunity. These are turbulent times, and having more trump cards means having more ways to save our lives.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

When Li Xiuyuan opened the door, he saw that the person outside was dressed in hunting attire and looked tired and old.

Upon seeing the door open, the man first glanced at Li Xiuyuan's face before revealing a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Li."

The old man bowed slightly and greeted Li Xiuyuan respectfully.

"Oh, Fellow Daoist Huang, what brings you here today?"

Li Xiuyuan recognized the man as Huang Dali, the old hunter who had given him several spirit stones to put out a fire when he was in dire straits.

With a perfectly measured smile on his deeply lined face, Huang Dali slowly spoke, "I learned the other day that Fellow Daoist Li had successfully refined the pill. I was out hunting demons and didn't know about this, so I've come to offer my congratulations today."

Having said that, he reached into his washed-out bosom to take something out.

Seeing this, Li Xiuyuan repeatedly refused, "Old man Huang, we've known each other for so many years, let's skip the formalities. Come, come, it's cold outside, let's come inside and talk!"

After searching around and finding no one suspicious, Li Xiuyuan quickly led Huang Dali into the courtyard.

Then he brought out the warm teapot from the bedroom, poured a cup of hot tea, and handed it to Huang Dali.

Huang Dali took two sips, put down his teacup, his Adam's apple bobbed as if gathering all his strength, and slowly said, "Half a month ago, prices in the market skyrocketed, and the price of medicinal herbs increased several times over."

"The monsters in the mountains are becoming increasingly ferocious, and many old hunters who went into the mountains have died. I'm afraid my old bones won't live much longer."

"My grandson failed his breakthrough and went into qi deviation. He needs a calming pill every seven days to keep going... I'm afraid he won't make it through this month."

As he spoke, he took out a thick black cloth bag from his pocket and carefully opened it layer by layer.

Inside was only a small handful of low-quality, worthless herbs, along with a set of unknown animal bones.

No spirit stones, no spirit crystals, nothing at all.

"I'm asking you for a favor, fellow Daoist, because my family is truly... penniless."

"I have nowhere else to turn. I only ask that you lend me a few Bigu Pills so that I can go into the mountains tomorrow to find herbs and hunt demons, earn spirit stones to buy medicine, and keep my grandson alive in the mortal world for a few more days."

"Even if you face mountains of knives and seas of fire in the future, I, Huang Dali, will not hesitate. In my next life, I will repay your kindness with my life!"

Li Xiuyuan's heart stirred when he saw Huang Dali's humble and pleading posture.

"Such deep parental love!"

After a long silence, he took out two bottles of mid-grade fasting pills and five spirit stones from his person and handed them over.

"There's no need for that. Back then, it was nothing more than a small favor, done on a whim. It's hardly a great debt of gratitude!"

Li Xiuyuan's voice was calm and devoid of any emotion: "In the future, when I go into the mountains to gather herbs and hunt demons, I will need your help."

"Take this pill back, and consider the spirit stones a loan. Just make sure that black dog doesn't die!"

Huang Dali accepted the pills and spirit stones with trembling hands, bowed deeply to Li Xiuyuan, his knees almost sinking into the ground.

"I, Huang Dali, will never forget the great kindness of Fellow Daoist Li."

Having said that, he dared not delay any longer and ran away quickly.

His figure disappeared into the sunlight, appearing exceptionally faint.

Li Xiuyuan withdrew his gaze and remained silent.

"The world is heartless, and I am but a lowly alchemist; this is as far I can help as I can."

He glanced at the small bundle of herbs aside, picked up the animal bone that resembled a tortoise shell, and examined it closely from head to toe.

"Found in a monster's lair. Huang Dali has a Qi Refining Level 2 cultivation. The strongest monster he can come into contact with is no more than an early-stage cultivator."

Li Xiuyuan stared at it for a long time, but couldn't figure it out, so he put it aside.

On second thought, the animal bones that Huang Dali, a veteran demon hunter, had kept for many years might indeed hold some unknown secrets.

He then carefully hid the animal bones in a hidden compartment under the bed.

He recalled Huang Dali's words, "Prices are soaring."

He slapped his forehead, cursing under his breath, "I must have gone mad from refining pills! I have to pay taxes and the mission-related medicine powder today!"

He took the prepared Qi-nourishing powder with him, locked the courtyard gate tightly, and strode towards the inner city.

……

Li Xiuyuan walked on the bluestone avenue in the outer city.

Groups of two or three outer disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect, dressed in crimson Daoist robes, glared at the gaunt family on both sides of the road and angrily shouted, "Your cave rent is due in seven days. Don't think that just because you've befriended the Qi Refining Zhou family, everything will be fine. If rent and corvée taxes are overdue, even scions of noble families will be sent to the front lines in the wilderness! Let alone you, a scoundrel who sold your daughter, hmph!"

"A group of cultivators have failed to pay their spirit stones by the deadline. They will be immediately sent to the front lines in the wilderness to serve the sect."

After saying that, the man turned to the side and waved to signal the people behind him to go to the next house.

Ten steps away from Li Xiuyuan's courtyard, the sound of cultivators dragging their wheels on the ground could be heard, along with the cries of his wife and children.

The disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect sneered, "See? This is the consequence of disobeying the sect's tax payment decree!"

"If you don't want to die, you'd better pay me the spirit stones sooner rather than later."

"You should know that the demons in that desolate land devour people without blinking an eye, and the remnants of the demonic sect slaughter cities and exterminate clans, indulging in bloodshed and soul refinement. Don't be ungrateful!"

After saying that, he winked, smiled, and made the number "two" with his finger.

He adopted a stern yet accommodating stance, implying that the middle-aged man in the house should "bribe" him.

Whether the man was genuinely stupid or pretending, he acted as if he didn't care and it was none of his business.

This enraged the disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect. One of them snorted and kicked over the stone lion at his doorstep.

"Pah, you lousy rogue cultivator, you don't know what's good for you! I hope you don't fall into my hands," he muttered, cursing under his breath, and angrily walked towards the next shop.

The sect has decreed that cultivators in the market must not be killed at will; those who violate this order will be considered guilty of treason.

Although that person was an outer disciple, a cultivator renting a place in the market, he abided by the law and could do nothing against them.

Upon seeing this, Li Xiuyuan was greatly alarmed and quickened his pace considerably.

……

Half an hour later.

Li Xiuyuan arrived at the gate of the mission hall and looked at the inner city, which was still bustling with people.

Recalling the various scenes he had witnessed along the way, he sighed, "The cultivators in the outer city are suffering terribly due to the chaos caused by demonic beasts, soaring prices, and excruciating living conditions. Taxes are driving families to ruin, and the lives of the lower-level rogue cultivators are truly bitter!"

He walked to the place where Du Wuxin was inspecting the miscellaneous tasks, as if he knew the way well, and lined up properly.

After a stick of incense had burned, it was finally his turn.

He respectfully handed over the Qi-Nourishing Powder and stood aside.

Du Wuxin's face lit up with surprise when she saw Li Xiuyuan's medicine powder.

He carefully examined it with his divine sense and saw that Li Xiuyuan's Qi-Nourishing Powder was bright and clear, with stable medicinal effects, and even emitted a faint fragrance.

"Xiuyuan, your alchemy skills are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Your ranking this year is likely to be quite high!"

Du Wuxin showed a hint of approval on his face and privately told Li Xiuyuan through telepathy, "Don't leave yet, wait for me in this side hall."

Li Xiuyuan's heart tightened, and remembering Du Wuxin's character and how much he had taken care of him, he nodded slightly.

"Li Xiuyuan, for refining Qi-Nourishing Powder—of superior quality, you are rewarded with one spirit stone!"

Li Xiuyuan respectfully accepted the small black bag containing spirit stones and left with the crowd.

Following the directions on the jade slip described by Du Wuxin, they turned left and right and arrived at a secluded and deserted palace.

Half an hour later.

Li Xiuyuan, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation, heard a steady and familiar set of footsteps. He opened his eyes, stood up, and bowed, saying, "Senior Brother Du!"

"Junior Brother Li, there's no need to be so formal. I've come to see you today to offer you a great opportunity."

Li Xiuyuan was startled and greatly surprised upon hearing this.

He and Du Wuxin didn't have much of a personal relationship; they only met monthly at the mission hall.

How he came to receive this gift by chance was something that puzzled Li Xiuyuan greatly.

Du Wuxin explained, "This opportunity is the formula for the Qi-Nourishing Pill!"

"What? The formula for the Qi-Nourishing Pill!"

Li Xiuyuan exclaimed in surprise!

The major families and sects within the market have extremely strict control over the formulas for increasing cultivation levels, and they are not allowed to leak them in the slightest.

Even between families and sects, they could only barter.

Moreover, his cultivation level and status were not equal to Du Wuxin's.

He was a disciple of a high-ranking sect and a top-grade alchemist; his connections were far beyond what the other could imagine.

This entrustment was truly baffling to him.

Du Wuxin smiled slightly, as if he saw through Li Xiuyuan's concerns, and said bluntly, "Junior brother, don't worry. I guarantee that this item has a clean origin."

"With just a little help from you, Junior Brother, this pill will be yours."

Li Xiuyuan's expression shifted slightly, as if he were analyzing the pros and cons.

After a moment, he made his decision and nodded in agreement: "Senior brother, please speak frankly! I am but a humble cultivator with little influence and limited strength. If I can help you, it would be the best way to repay your kindness."

Du Wuxin laughed heartily: "It's a small matter. An old friend of mine came to me asking for a Qingxin Pill to save his grandson's life."

"Do you know that although the ingredients for refining the Heart-Clearing Pill are not expensive, it is extremely labor-intensive? One person can refine pills below the top grade. But pills above the top grade are extremely energy-consuming."

"My friend's grandson is so angry that he has suffered a heart attack. Only a high-grade or even top-grade calming pill can save his life, which puts me in a very difficult position."

"With my abilities, I certainly cannot refine top-grade pills. Fortunately, I obtained a pill-refining technique called 'Crimson Fire Pill Technique' in my early years. It requires three people to work together to forcibly upgrade the pill's grade. Therefore, I am asking for your help."

"Refining the Mind-Clearing Pill? The Method of Pill Ascension!"

Every word seemed to strike Li Xiuyuan's heart like a heavy hammer, deeply moving him.

"For my grandson's life, could that person be Huang Dali?"

A hint of suspicion crept into Li Xiuyuan's mind.

"Since it's an act of saving lives, Xiu Yuan will naturally not refuse! I wonder when Senior Brother will be able to refine pills? Xiu Yuan will do his best to contribute."

Li Xiuyuan suddenly realized.

"Opportunities to observe a top-tier alchemist's alchemy techniques are rare. Perhaps this chance will allow me to secretly learn a trick of the 'Crimson Fire Alchemy Technique,' which would greatly benefit my breakthrough to the next level!"

He kept calculating in his mind and had already made up his mind.

"My method of refining pills involves condensing the innate fire spirit essence of three alchemists, which is quite harmful to the cultivator's physical body. Consider this your reward."

"You're not far from refining a high-grade fasting pill, are you? Here, these are some of my insights. Take a look and you might just be able to apply them to other areas and break through to the next level."

Seeing this, Du Wuxin didn't waste any words and flicked his finger, tossing a sheepskin note and a yellowed manual to Li Xiuyuan.

Li Xiuyuan took the note and saw the words "Nourishing Qi Pill" in large characters.

The other manual contains a detailed record of Du Wuxin's experiences, from his time as an alchemy apprentice to his breakthrough in the highest level of the Bigu Pill.

Li Xiuyuan quickly bowed and said sincerely, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Du Wuxin nodded slightly and said calmly, "The time is set for half a month from now. I will contact you telepathically at that time. You can go back now!"

"Junior brother takes his leave!"

Li Xiuyuan bowed again before leaving.

Standing in the empty hall, Du Wuxin murmured, "My dearest friends from my youth have all passed away, and now only Dali remains. Is this what cultivation is all about? How tragic that life is so short, how lamentable that the path to immortality is so uncertain!"

……