Cultivation begins with alchemy and collecting runes.

Li Xiuyuan suppressed his joy and stared at the three runes that had appeared in this alchemy session.

If he were to consume these two "mixed magical powers" now, it would indeed save him several months of arduous cultivation.

However, Li Xiuyuan did not do that. He wanted to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining in one go, and this amount of magical power was just a drop in the ocean.

It's better to accumulate it and unleash it all at once.

Leave Lingbao Pavilion.

Li Xiuyuan's face was filled with the joy of a successful harvest; he had already used Qingxin Pills to offset most of his alchemy quota for this year.

He still had seventy low-grade Qingxin Pills and five mid-grade Qingxin Pills left.

With exactly one hundred spirit stones in total, he decisively exchanged them for a low-grade evil-resolving pill to try and neutralize the remaining poison in his body.

Li Xiuyuan returned to the courtyard, sat cross-legged, and picked up the dark red evil-removing pill to examine it.

The medicinal aroma was strong, more pungent and acrid than any elixir he had ever seen.

This pill is classified as a top-grade elixir, capable of greatly eliminating the accumulated toxins and spiritual impurities within a cultivator's body.

The main ingredients of the elixir are many rare medicinal herbs, and the upper sect's elixir formula is strictly controlled, so the price of the Evil-Dispelling Pill has always remained high.

If he hadn't already joined the Lingbao Pavilion, the Qingxin Pills submitted this year would have been of superior quality.

With Pang Dehai mediating and being treated as half "one of his own," he absolutely could not purchase the scarce Evil-Dispelling Pill at the original price.

Without hesitation, Li Xiuyuan swallowed the Evil-Transforming Pill.

The elixir melts instantly upon entering the mouth.

A surge of intense medicinal power erupted from my internal organs, completely different from the mild fasting pills. It was like taking a swig of strong liquor, with the heat spreading from my internal organs to every part of my mind.

But immediately afterward, a trace of vital energy mixed in with the medicinal properties emerged from the internal organs.

The medicinal power of the Heavenly Sun Exorcising Herb!

This extremely yang and vigorous primordial yang energy spread throughout the body's meridians along with the medicinal properties, carrying the warmth of the winter sun, soothing the organs and meridians that had been damaged and atrophied by the toxins.

Li Xiuyuan's brows relaxed, and a hint of joy rose in his heart.

The spiritual energy in his meridians was enveloped by the powerful medicinal force, which stirred up the dark, stagnant poison that had been accumulating in his body for a long time. It circulated rapidly, and before he knew it, Li Xiuyuan's skin was covered with a thick layer of black mud.

A foul, fishy smell emanated from him, like a rotten fish that had been baking in the summer sun for days, making people nauseous!

The whole process took about half an hour.

With a thought, Li Xiuyuan opened the panel.

[Immortal Lord: Li Xiuyuan]

Lifespan: 30/107

[Spiritual Root: Mid-grade Fire Spiritual Root (Twelve Strands of Fire Spiritual Aura)]

[Realm: Qi Refining Level 3: 25/100]

[Cultivation Technique: Lesser Yuan Refining Fire Technique, Advanced Level: 93/100]

A great deal of spiritual power was generated in his dantian, with a huge increase, equivalent to the effect of refining spirit stones for half a year.

His cultivation level improved significantly, and his proficiency in the cultivation technique also increased by two points.

But none of these are the most important things. His lifespan has returned!

107!

This means that even if he were to lose the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic), he would still have a lifespan of a full hundred years!

"I never thought I'd live such a long life."

Li Xiuyuan looked at his lifespan limit of one hundred years, and a smile kept spreading across his face.

A year ago, he awakened his innate wisdom, but he has been plagued by erysipelas ever since, leaving him with only six months of lifespan and a huge debt...

Each and every incident felt like a massive boulder pressing down on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

From this day forward, he is truly free from the torment of erysipelas.

Only then did he truly embark on the path of cultivation. "There are still thirty years until I reach the Foundation Establishment limit of sixty. Let me set a small goal: break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining within ten years, achieve Qi Refining perfection within twenty years, and strive for Foundation Establishment before the age of fifty-five!"

Thinking about all this, a fire called "struggle" ignited in my heart, and I felt like I had inexhaustible energy!

Recalling how the Evil-Dispelling Pill removed the poison, Li Xiuyuan couldn't help but sigh.

"The pills costing a hundred spirit stones are really useful! Perhaps most of the poison from the pills and the fire poison were eliminated by the [Nourishing the Body] technique, and what remains in the body are just some minor, hidden poisons, but it still solves the problem of lifespan limitations."

Li Xiuyuan's face was filled with uncontrollable joy.

"This is the power of a top-grade elixir!"

"vomit!"

He suddenly stood up, and a piece of dark, sticky liquid fell from his head onto the tip of his nose. The stench made him gag repeatedly.

"It stinks! I need to go wash up!"

……

After carefully cleaning herself from head to toe, she changed into a dharma robe and tied her hair up in a simple bun with a wooden hairpin.

Li Xiuyuan arrived at the courtyard feeling refreshed and in high spirits.

After months of intensive practice with elixirs, he has finally relieved his worries about his lifespan and plans to relax.

Spiritual practice is about finding the right balance between relaxation and tension; you can't keep anything too taut.

He activated the courtyard's defensive formation, carefully checked it to ensure everything was in order, and then released the Misty Valley Rat.

As soon as the Migu Mouse came out, it couldn't wait to use its short legs to push off and jump onto the big tree in the center of the courtyard. Then it leaped down from the treetop and pounced into Li Xiuyuan's arms.

"Migu, you're so naughty!"

Li Xiuyuan vigorously rubbed the golden-jade fur of the Migu Rat, turning it over affectionately and kneading its soft belly.

It was warm to the touch, unlike any other monster he knew.

When the Migu Mouse saw its owner, it meowed "migu migu," as if expressing its longing.

Li Xiuyuan took out his specially made fasting pills and fed them to Migu one candy after another.

After it wolfed down its food, Li Xiuyuan's divine sense entered his sea of ​​consciousness, sensing the connection between his soul and Migu's.

A sense of sorrow emanated from their shared souls, as if complaining about why Li Xiuyuan had locked it in the spirit beast pouch and neglected it.

"Migu is in seclusion. Here, take this fasting pill as compensation!"

Migu swallowed the golden-jade mouse in her arms and gave a satisfied response.

Li Xiuyuan smiled with delight.

[Beast Taming Skill +1]

【Beast Taming Technique (Beginner), 7/50】

He silently recited the beast-taming incantation, transmitting his thoughts to the Bewildering Valley Rat.

Upon receiving Li Xiuyuan's command, the Migu Mouse immediately jumped out of his arms, landed on all fours, and ran towards the mound four hundred paces away.

The next moment, Li Xiuyuan instantly launched a crimson fireball toward the direction of the Misty Valley Rat.

Swipe!

But the mouse, which had been running hard, seemed to vanish on the spot, easily escaping the red fireball's lock.

The next instant, it emerged from the ground thirty feet away, its entire body gleaming with gold and jade, untouched by dust.

"Migu's earth-遁术 (earth-遁术 is a powerful technique), how could she dodge a full-force fireball with only the first level of Qi Refining cultivation!"

"This earth-遁术 (earth-遁术) is so powerful that even I can't detect its location. Once it matures, it will be a great help to me."

Li Xiuyuan smiled and made a hand seal, summoning the Bewildering Valley Rat to his side and tossing it a Bigu Pill.

Migu swallowed it in one gulp, its bright eyes revealing a satisfied expression. "Alright, go play by yourself."

Li Xiuyuan conveyed the idea, and then it made its home in the courtyard.

The two have a soul contract, so there is no fear of it changing. The spiritual energy in the cave is far superior to that of the spirit beast bag, which is also very beneficial to its cultivation.

After arranging the Migu Mouse, Li Xiuyuan planned to practice the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic).

His qi and blood have reached the critical point of 1,500 jin of strength. Once he crosses this threshold, he can enter the second level of body refinement.

He can fight against early-stage Qi Refining cultivators just by relying on his physical cultivation. With the addition of three levels of Qi Refining power, not only can early-stage Qi Refining cultivators do whatever they want, but ordinary early-stage cultivators can't do anything to him either.

Li Xiuyuan recited the mantras for circulating qi and blood throughout his body according to the first and second forms of the Yi Jin Jing, guiding the qi and blood to circulate along a specific trajectory.

Once, twice, three times...

A stream of heat flowed from his chest cavity, gradually circulating smoothly through his internal organs, limbs, and bones.

About two hours later, Li Xiuyuan finished his practice.

The progress of Yi Jin Jing is steadily increasing, but it's much slower than before.

[Yi Jin Jing (Minor Success): Old Tree Roots, 250/300]

He has almost mastered the first move, and he is about to learn the second move, Iron Bridge Locking Tendons.

After resting for a while, Li Xiuyuan continued practicing his skills.

This time he began practicing the second move.

This move places extremely high demands on the blood and energy flow in his upper limbs.

Each practice session left him with a sore lower back, even though he had 1,500 jin of energy, he couldn't handle practicing for too long.

Body-refining techniques rely on repeatedly breaking through the limits of the physical body; there are no shortcuts.

Unfortunately, he didn't have any elixirs or precious medicines to aid in body refinement, otherwise he could have alleviated the pain in his body.

He had been keeping an eye on the body-refining elixirs and pills sold in the market, but was limited by the recent appearance of the Foundation Establishment Cave and the imminent start of its development.

Either the body-refining medicines and elixirs were out of stock, or the prices were extremely high, just like what Li Xiuyuan had seen recently.

It would cost dozens or even hundreds of spirit stones at a time. Once or twice was fine, but if he wanted to quickly improve his body refinement cultivation, Li Xiuyuan simply couldn't withstand the huge consumption of spirit stones.

"I still need to learn how to refine pills and elixirs quickly; it's really unpleasant to be held hostage!"

Li Xiuyuan pondered where he could obtain the body-refining pill formula.

The large shops in Lingbao Pavilion do sell pill formulas, but the prices, often hundreds or even thousands, make him hesitate.

With these spirit stones, he might as well buy Qi-refining pills to improve his cultivation.

Li Xiuyuan forced himself to practice martial arts and eat meat every day to barely maintain the balance of his qi and blood.

Fortunately, his luck seemed to have reversed during this period and started to improve!

……

Three months later, at dawn.

After a long night of hard work.

Li Xiuyuan got up to practice his martial arts.

One punch, one kick, and a backhand stab!

Li Xiuyuan maintained his stance, interspersed with the first move's fist and foot techniques, and took short breaks along the way.

An hour later, Li Xiuyuan finished his practice and exhaled a long breath of stale air.

[Yi Jin Jing: Old Tree's Roots (Great Completion), 300/500]

[Yi Jin Jing [White Rune]: Increases Qi and Blood by 5 (Refinable)]

He was currently lacking in vital energy, and the breakthrough of the first technique, which accumulated five vital energy runes, solved his immediate problem.

The Qi and Blood Enhancement effect can be directly refined to strengthen Qi and Blood.

This is a divine item that countless body-refining cultivators would desperately want!

Without hesitation, Li Xiuyuan directly refined a Qi and Blood Rune.

Rumble!

A surge of hot and powerful blood and qi erupted within his body.

Li Xiuyuan quickly followed the Yi Jin Jing's exercises to circulate his Qi and blood repeatedly.

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

A red mist of blood appeared on the surface of Li Xiuyuan's body!

This is clearly a sign that the flow of qi and blood has penetrated deep into the bone marrow, and that vital blood is beginning to be generated.

This is also a characteristic of the second level of body refinement.

Li Xiuyuan felt warm all over, and his meridians gradually heated up.

Soon he turned into a chili pepper man, all red.

Layer upon layer of blood and qi overflows from the skin, with new blood replacing old blood.

With a strong will, Li Xiuyuan's thoughts reached his sea of ​​consciousness, and he then refined four 'Qi and Blood Enhancement' runes.

boom!

The immense surge of energy and blood swept over his entire body like a tidal wave, making him feel as if he were in a sea of ​​fire, unbearably hot.

The continuous flow of qi and blood began to transform, and the original qi and blood within his body also grew stronger.

Gradually, the old blood on his body fell off like a snake shedding its skin, and his strength increased to two thousand catties.

At this moment, a light golden-bronze color appeared on his body surface, but disappeared after a short while.

Then a burst of energy rushed out of the abdomen, struck the throat, opened the mouth, and a white vapor, about three inches in size, shot out, flashing with white light. A muffled thunderclap suddenly sounded, and it took a long time to dissipate.

Li Xiuyuan slowly inhaled and exhaled, repeating this several times before finally stabilizing the fluctuating energy around him.

At this moment, he felt refreshed and full of energy.

With a light touch of the toes, without using any special techniques, one can easily leap several meters high.

With a thought, he took out the Green Bamboo Sword from his storage bag, gripped the hilt, and slashed at his arm several times, but it didn't cause him any injury!

He looked at the huge rock in the yard, which was half a person's height, spread his arms, and exerted force!

He lifted it to his chest and slammed it down heavily.

boom!

The boulder smashed into the ground, creating a crater half a foot deep.

Upon seeing this, Li Xiuyuan smiled nonchalantly.

"This is significantly stronger than a typical second-level Body Refinement cultivator!"

Li Xiuyuan was secretly surprised. No wonder the Yi Jin Jing was said to be cheap and difficult to master, but its success far surpassed that of other similar skills!

He slept soundly through the night, the fatigue from body training disappearing in his sleep.

The next morning, Li Xiuyuan was planning to go out to buy monster meat and, incidentally, pick up some rare body-refining medicines.

A letter interrupted his trip.