Cultivation begins with alchemy and collecting runes.

"Yes, yes, our shop has everything! As long as you have enough spirit stones, there's nothing you can't buy! Please follow me to the second floor!"

Half an incense stick later, Li Xiuyuan left the shop with a normal expression.

The spirit stones on his body couldn't be used.

Because the body-refining techniques on the second floor are clearly priced, with the lowest starting price being fifty spirit stones...

He can't afford it!

The shopkeeper, however, remained as enthusiastic as ever, seeing Li Xiuyuan off from the shop.

……

on the way home.

Li Xiuyuan stopped by a random cultivator's stall and bought fifty catties of materials for refining the Bigu Pill in batches.

This time it only cost one spirit stone, which was much cheaper than Pang Dehai's.

"The quality of goods obtained from suppliers is somewhat inferior, but the price is one-third cheaper than that of Lingbao Pavilion."

"That's true. Lingbao Pavilion focuses on high-end products, and the name of the Blazing Fire Sect alone is enough to attract people from all over the world."

"There are many unfamiliar faces among the rogue cultivators. Judging from their attire, most of them are ruthless people who go into the mountains to hunt demons. Their bloodthirsty and hateful aura is truly frightening."

"Hopefully, nothing goes wrong in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains."

……

Back in the courtyard.

Li Xiuyuan's mind was completely absorbed in refining the Bigu Pill.

This concerns his life and fortune.

One day later.

On a futon woven from bamboo and grass in a small hut.

Li Xiuyuan gazed at the white words floating in his sea of ​​consciousness.

[Grain-Breaking Pill [White Rune]: Yi Jin Jing (Refinable)]

[Grain-Breaking Pill [White Rune]: Mixed Mana (Refinable)]

[Grain-Clearing Pill [White Rune]: 2 Heart-Clearing Pills (5% Maturity)]

"Huh, another new rune has appeared."

Li Xiuyuan was overjoyed, as two new runes appeared in addition to the 'Mixed Magic Power'.

"It's a pity I didn't get the [Mid-Grade Fire Control] rune."

He knew it was the Yi Jin Jing, the very body-refining exercise he had seen on the second floor today.

Priced at seventy spirit stones, it can strengthen the physical body through marrow cleansing, bone refining, and tendon forging.

Most importantly, once the technique is mastered, it can generate a continuous stream of "original essence and blood" within the body, thus prolonging lifespan.

However, this cultivation method heavily relies on physical talent, with an extremely high ceiling; mastering the method is comparable to becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Few people cultivate within the market, and even fewer succeed.

Li Xiuyuan quickly turned his attention to the remaining rune.

"The Heart-Clearing Pill? It looks familiar... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before..."

Li Xiuyuan frowned and carefully searched through his memories.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he remembered!

He quickly rummaged through the cloth bag in his pocket and pulled out a booklet.

This book was a pharmacology text distributed by the Dan Palace to these alchemy servants.

Li Xiuyuan quickly flipped through the pages in his memory.

The Mind-Clearing Pill is a low-grade first-level elixir with a delicate fragrance. It calms the mind and soothes the spirit. After taking it, not only can it stabilize the mind and eliminate distracting thoughts, but it can also double the speed of refining spiritual energy.

Bigu Dan is a low-grade elixir with no ranking.

The Qingxin Pill, being a low-grade elixir, is of greater value.

In addition, it is a popular item among many cultivators who practice magic, and once it appears in the market, it will inevitably be sold out.

This item is extremely beneficial for cultivators who are breaking through their cultivation barriers.

Furthermore, refining this pill requires a high level of alchemy skill from the cultivator; at least a first-grade low-level alchemist is needed to refine it.

Therefore, its price is ten times that of inferior elixirs, and even semi-finished products are extremely popular.

The registry in the Pill Hall highlighted a passage in red: "[Any servant who can refine the Heart-Clearing Pill will have their corvée tax halved and will be exempt from servant status.]"

Being able to refine the Heart-Clearing Pill means having the strength to advance to the first rank of alchemist.

Their status was naturally higher than that of alchemy servants, and the Dan Ding Sect would automatically improve their treatment.

"It's actually the runes for refining the Mind-Clearing Pill! This is great!"

Li Xiuyuan was overjoyed.

He is currently worried that the types of pills he can refine are limited, his spirit stone income is slow, and the recovery of his lifespan is a long way off.

It can be said that they were blessed by the heavens!

……

Half a month has passed.

Li Xiuyuan continued his alchemy and cultivation process day and night.

During this time, he went to Lingbao Pavilion and sold the low-grade fasting pills he had accumulated.

He received five spirit stones in return and, as usual, purchased one hundred portions of materials for the Bigu Pill.

Although the materials at the independent repair stalls were cheaper, this was his way of maintaining a close relationship with Pang Dehai.

After all, you can't see into someone's heart. Even the best relationships need to be based on mutual interests to last.

Finally, through continuous alchemy, forging of vital energy, and tempering of fire, they were able to achieve their goal.

He reaped enormous rewards.

[Grain-Breaking Pill +1]

[Grain-Breaking Pill +1]

[Grain-Breaking Pill +1]

[Grain-Breaking Pill +1]

……

Looking at the alchemy furnace in front of him, which was filled with a rich aroma of elixir, Li Xiuyuan's face showed the joy of his achievement.

"The fasting elixir is complete!"

[Cultivation Skill: Bigu Pill (Mastery) 300/500]

After that, even without the aid of runes, he was able to consistently refine mid-grade Bigu Pills.

However, the spiritual power at the second level of Qi Refining is somewhat weak.

Each time he was in the middle of refining pills, he had to stop and rest to replenish his rapidly depleted spiritual energy.

Every time he went to Lingbao Pavilion to sell pills, he appeared exhausted and weary, much like a person who felt empty inside.

"Good heavens, Fellow Daoist Li is truly a master who doesn't reveal his abilities!"

"To be honest, have you been secretly supporting the business of those female cultivators at Miaoyin Tower lately?"

"Young people should exercise restraint, lest they regret it in their old age!"

So much so that the neighbors all thought Li Xiuyuan was a seemingly cold but actually naive and secretly passionate man.

"My cultivation level is still too low. If my cultivation technique were to reach the third level, or my fire control technique were to reach mastery, I wouldn't have to exert so much effort."

Li Xiuyuan could only smile wryly. Faced with these malicious slanders, he could only laugh it off and did not respond.

Focusing on alchemy is the only way to succeed!

Looking at the mature runes deep within his sea of ​​consciousness, Li Xiuyuan smiled with satisfaction.

[Grain-Clearing Pill [White Rune]: 2 Heart-Clearing Pills (100% Completion, Refinable)]

Li Xiuyuan took out the batch of fasting pills and quickly put them into his pocket.

A moment later, two white runes appeared in his mind.

……

Lingbao Pavilion.

Pang Dehai looked at the rows of small porcelain bottles that Li Xiuyuan had laid out and couldn't help but show a look of surprise.

As he opened each bottle and examined them closely, he discovered that the pills provided by Li Xiuyuan were all round and plump, with a fragrant aroma.

"You've successfully refined a mid-grade elixir?"

Pang Dehai put down the porcelain bottle in his hand, looked it over, and a look of delight appeared on his face.

"That's right, we managed to succeed by luck a few days ago."

"Excellent! Excellent! Such a joyous occasion deserves a hearty toast!"

Pang Dehai carefully counted the pills provided by Li Xiuyuan: fifty mid-grade Bigu pills and twenty low-grade Bigu pills.

A total of thirteen spirit stones.

As usual, Li Xiuyuan purchased one hundred sets of alchemy materials.

Just as he was about to leave, Pang Dehai tried his best to persuade him to stay.

Unable to refuse Pang Dehai's warm hospitality, Li Xiuyuan followed him into the backyard.

As soon as he entered, Pang Dehai mysteriously locked the courtyard gate and revealed a shocking piece of news.

"I've found out about a method to ward off evil spirits!"