"Hsss..."
Soft hisses of indrawn breath came from the bed.
Luo Chen felt the cool, tingling, slightly itchy sensation inside him and found it thoroughly soothing.
Just now, he had mixed a drop of the Mending and Nourishing Meridian Liquid given by Mi Shuhua into a bowl of water and drank it down.
Truth be told, the effects were remarkably good.
With the aid of the Spiritual Eye Art, he could faintly perceive the mending of the meridians deep within his body.
The pace wasn't fast, but it was steady and sure.
"I wonder how many spirit stones a vial of elixir like this costs?"
Luo Chen murmured with a sigh, putting the bottle away.
One drop a day; more would do more harm than good.
It had to be said that the higher one's realm, the more auxiliary spirit medicines were required for cultivation.
During the Qi Refining stage, one hardly needed many elixirs at all—a bottle of Qi-Nourishing Pills was enough to outmatch most medicines.
Conversely, Foundation Establishment cultivators, having laid the foundation of the Great Dao, polished themselves in every possible way to break through into Core Formation.
Even minute areas like meridians and acupoints had specialized elixirs tailored for them.
"For me to enjoy this right now is truly riding on Mi Shuhua's coattails."
With that sighed acknowledgment, Luo Chen began planning his cultivation schedule for the coming month.
First of all, it was best not to cultivate the Eternal Spring Art for the time being.
Otherwise, every draw of external spiritual energy into his body would only reinjure his meridians.
Other medicinal pills could probably still be taken, just in smaller quantities.
In his possession, Luo Chen currently held both the Qi-Nourishing Pills exclusively sold by the Spirit Herb Pavilion and the Jade Marrow Pills he had refined himself.
With his advancement to the seventh layer of Qi Refining, the potency of the former was far weaker than before.
It seemed he had developed the rumored drug tolerance.
"Thinking back carefully, I haven't even taken fifty bottles of Qi-Nourishing Pills—just a few hundred pills—and I've already developed resistance.
"That legend about a thousand bottles of Qi-Nourishing Pills forging a peak Qi Refining cultivator out of sheer force must be fake.
"Of course, it's also related to the fact that I never stopped taking them. If I had spaced them out, perhaps the resistance wouldn't have appeared so soon?"
The Qi-Nourishing Pills weren't as effective as before, and mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills had only half their intended potency.
Still, he hadn't developed a tolerance to Jade Marrow Pills yet, so he could take them casually now and then.
However, Jade Marrow Pills had aftereffects—taking too many would lead to jadeification of the dantian, a fact he had to keep firmly in mind.
Consequently, his cultivation speed was bound to stall for this month.
However, since Luo Chen's Eternal Spring Art had reached Grandmaster level, it passively replenished his spiritual energy.
He could instead divert his energy into spells and techniques.
Opening the attribute panel:
[Lifespan: 27/75]
[Spiritual Roots: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth]
[Realm: Seventh Layer of Qi Refining: 1/100]
[Cultivation Method: Eternal Spring Art (Grandmaster): 927/1000]
[Spells: Fireball Art (Great Perfection), Wind Riding Technique (Grandmaster 670/1000), Attraction Art (Grandmaster 800/1000), Entangling Art (Grandmaster 510/1000), Spiritual Eye Art (Grandmaster 521/1000), Cleansing Art (Perfect 350/500), Breath Concealment Spiritual Art (Perfect 312/500), Healing Art (Practiced 115/200)]
[Alchemy Arts: Jade Breaking Hand (Entry 97/100), Pure Heart Hand (13/100)]
[Martial Arts: Carefree Wandering (Grandmaster 901/1000), Mountain-Cleaving Stele-Shattering Palm (Perfect 350/500), Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers (Entry 81/100)]
[Skills: Tier 1 Alchemist: Fasting Powder (Great Perfection), Myriad Wonders Pill (Grandmaster 610/1000), Jade Marrow Pill (Adept 240/300)]
[Achievement Points: 24]
It had been a while since he had opened the full display, and this time, the panel showed a few changes.
Mundane martial arts like Carefree Wandering were now listed in a separate column titled "Martial Arts."
This was hardly surprising; after all, these martial arts offered little boost to his combat prowess and mainly served to yield achievement points.
In addition, a new column called [Alchemy Arts] had appeared, which was likely linked to his painstaking study of the *Qingyuan Alchemy Exposition*.
"Without realizing it, my achievement points have built back up to 24. Perhaps I could try initiating a fragmentary pill recipe?"
Luo Chen thought of the other recipe Mi Shuhua had given him: the Nether-Passage Pill.
That pill seemed to enhance one's soul foundation upon consumption.
Yet after mulling it over, Luo Chen decided to set it aside for now.
The main ingredients for the Nether-Passage Pill were rather peculiar; procuring them in bulk would inevitably attract unwanted attention.
Better to save these achievement points for now!
Until his position was solidified, caution remained paramount in his daily affairs.
Luo Chen's gaze settled on the spells and martial arts on the verge of leveling up, especially the Breath Concealment Spiritual Art!
"I'll spend this entire month practicing these techniques!
"If they all level up, it'll greatly benefit my combat strength and help me rack up achievement points."
...
On this day, behind Crescent Moon Valley.
Without venturing deep into the primeval forest of the Howling Moon Mountain Range, a figure darted back and forth across an open clearing nearby.
At times shifting and weaving, at times leaping several rods like an arrow loosed from a bow.
His stamina never waned; just as he fluttered down like a falling leaf, a fresh surge of power would rise, carrying him soaring up with the wind in carefree ease.
Suddenly, the figure hovered mid-air, a contemplative look in his eyes.
After half a month of diligent practice, his mundane lightness skill, Carefree Wandering, had finally reached Great Perfection.
The enhancement granted by Great Perfection Carefree Wandering was an internal qi circulation.
In other words, even when his physical strength flagged, it could stimulate bursts of vitality to let him glide between heaven and earth once more.
By the standards of mundane lightness skills, Carefree Wandering had undoubtedly reached perfection, allowing mortals to achieve brief flight.
However, with a spell like the Wind Riding Technique available, this impressive effect became rather redundant.
"I got my hopes up for nothing."
Shaking his head, Luo Chen chuckled softly.
"Still, if I ever run out of spiritual energy, this lightness skill could catch an enemy off guard.
"Besides, it gave me an achievement point."
Looking at it that way, he didn't feel shortchanged at all.
Moreover, reaching Great Perfection in Carefree Wandering boosted his flight speed when using the Wind Riding Technique by thirty percent.
Now, his flying speed completely outstripped that of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators riding magic artifacts.
His small-scale maneuvers and dodges were endlessly varied, genuinely giving a sense of drifting at will and roaming the void unhindered.
If his Wind Riding Technique also reached Great Perfection, the combination of the two would be even more formidable.
If nothing else, Luo Chen had practically maxed out his skill tree when it came to running away.
On his way back, he stopped using Carefree Wandering and flew entirely using the Wind Riding Technique.
Proficiency was ground out bit by bit through everyday habits like this.
Before long, he flew back into Crescent Moon Valley.
Just as he touched down, Murong Qinglian called out to him.
"Here, the gang leader had someone deliver this. See if it fits."
Looking at the fluffy, pure white coat in his sister-in-law's hands—without a speck of blemish—Luo Chen was somewhat surprised.
"The gang hands out clothes now?"
As he spoke, he slipped on the coat.
Watching from the side, a gleam of admiration flashed in Murong Qinglian's eyes.
What a fine-looking young man!
Debonair, strikingly handsome, and elegant.
Perhaps because of his injury, his recent devotion to practicing spells, and his immersion in pill refining, his demeanor carried less worldly craftiness and more calm detachment.
All in all, he looked both like a nobleman of high birth and a disciple of a great sect.
"Didn't you suffer hidden injuries from your breakthrough? You can't handle the cold right now, so the gang leader had this demon fox coat sent over.
"Our climate here is mild, so winter arrives later than in other places, but it won't be long before heavy snow seals the mountains and the chill sets in.
"With this coat made of demon fox pelt, you won't need to constantly expend spiritual energy to stay warm."
Listening to Murong Qinglian's caring chatter, Luo Chen felt deeply warmed, both in his heart and on his skin.
"The needlework is superb! The stitches are so tight and fine you can barely see them without looking closely. The material is great too; if an array were carved into it, it wouldn't be inferior to a low-grade magic robe."
Luo Chen praised the craftsmanship, silently giving Mi Shuhua a mental nod of gratitude.
The old man was thoughtful!
Murong Qinglian smiled. "The gang plans to start this business recently—taking the scrap pelts brought back by the combat halls from hunting, stitching them into coats, and earning some spirit stones during the winter."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Over this business, my Medicine Hall and the Beast Hall have been arguing non-stop."
Murong Qinglian glanced at the female cultivators in the valley and sighed. "The Medicine Hall is mostly women. In winter, herbs are scarce, so I have to find them something to do to bring in an income!
"Your coat was actually sewn by our Medicine Hall's female cultivators, though the pelt was a complete demon fox skin provided by the gang leader."
Luo Chen fell silent for a moment.
He had lived through winters in Dahe Market, and those days were truly brutal.
When heavy snow locked the mountains, whether hunting beasts, gathering herbs, or mining ores, everything became countless times harder.
Many rogue cultivators simply couldn't survive such winters; they either halted their cultivation or left their homes behind to eke out a living in warmer markets.
How had he survived the winter back then?
The answer was slacking off!
Relying entirely on the Fasting Powder he refined himself, he had dragged through each day one at a time, with cultivation completely out of the question.
Recalling those days and feeling the warmth of the coat, Luo Chen gave it some thought and said, "Sister-in-law, fight for it all you want. When the time comes, my Pill Hall will definitely back you. I'll talk to Fellow Daoist Zeng Wen and Brother Wang Yuan as well."
"Thank you so much! If you ever need this coat washed in the future, you can hand it over to the women in the Medicine Hall."
Murong Qinglian beamed; this was precisely the answer she had hoped for.
After chatting a bit more and confirming that he would return to the courtyard at the end of the month for his birthday feast, Luo Chen hurried back to the Pill Hall.
Every day around this hour, he returned to oversee the afternoon pill refining.
Jade Marrow Pills were all scheduled for the morning, while the afternoon was mainly dedicated to refining Myriad Wonders Pills and a small quantity of Fasting Pills.
The recipe and trade secrets of the former, Myriad Wonders Pills, were still kept strictly in his grasp.
The latter, however, he had fully taught to the apprentices.
There was no need for him to manage low-profit tasks himself.
Freeing himself from such trivialities granted him plenty of spare time instead.
"Mi Li, you take charge of the large pill room today!"
"Tang Quan, you handle the small pill room!"
"Everyone else, assist them with everything you've got. I want to see how much progress you've made lately!"
With his command, the young cultivators busied themselves.
Standing outside, Luo Chen's gaze fell upon another abandoned pill room, his brow furrowing deeply.
*Leaving a pill room idle is such a waste.*
*Not only does it restrict me from grinding proficiency, but it also reduces pill output—and I get a cut of those profits!*
*No, I have to get Mi Shuhua to buy a new pill furnace!*
It had been a while since he had sheared the gang's sheep. Putting on the new coat today had stirred that urge once more.
For a moment, Luo Chen's hands itched with temptation.
...
...
A small courtyard house, a grand mortal realm.
Starting from the afternoon, the usually quiet and lonely alley in the northern city became lively.
People bustled to and fro, carrying various items inside from time to time.
Now and then, a neighboring resident would stop one of the people coming and going, only to learn that someone was celebrating a birthday.
As to who it was, they didn't know, and the Mountain Breaker Gang underlings didn't say.
However, whenever those underlings left, they cradled large bamboo tubes filled with freshly popped popcorn.
This was good stuff—usually sold for one spirit stone a bucket at White Stone Plaza.
Our Hall Master really is generous.
Every person who came to help got a bucket!
When Zeng Wen and his nephew Tang Quan finally navigated the winding turns and found the courtyard entrance, dusk was already falling.
"The Hall Master must earn a lot of spirit stones, so why does he live so far out of the way?"
Tang Quan curiously surveyed the surroundings. Anyone unfamiliar with the area would have been completely lost.
Zeng Wen cuffed him on the head. "You brat, you don't know how good you have it. Little Friend Luo used to be a rogue cultivator; having a place like this to stay was already wonderful."
With that, he glared at Tang Quan. "Did you bring the gift I told you to bring?"
Tang Quan replied aggrievedly, "I brought it. That censer is still in good shape. But didn't the Hall Master say there was no need to bring gifts?"
"Hey, you really don't understand the world, do you?" Zeng Wen chided, exasperated. "Nobody asked you to bring anything expensive! A small token shows your goodwill and brings you closer. You'll be working under him from now on; maybe he'll teach you an extra trick or two in alchemy."
While the two spoke, a young girl carrying a large wine gourd watched them curiously from the side.
Zeng Wen's eyes lit up. *What a pretty little beauty!*
To his surprise, the girl gave him a gentle, courteous bow. "You must be Uncle Zeng Wen. My late father often mentioned you."
*Her late father?*
Looking at her familiar oval face, Zeng Wen couldn't help asking, "Who was your father?"
"My father was Yuan Wuxiang. He used to cultivate in the Mountain Breaker Gang as well, known by the title Ravine-Leaping Tiger."
Zeng Wen reined in his lecherous gaze, coughed, and adopted a dignified, solemn air.
"Ah, it's Xiaoyue. Your father and I were indeed on decent terms. Though if he mentioned me often, he was probably cursing me behind my back!"
Yuan Xiaoyue chuckled, unable to cover her smile since her arms were full holding the big gourd.
Seeing the prominent gourd, Zeng Wen asked curiously, "What's that you're holding?"
"My grandfather had me bring it as a birthday gift for Brother Luo Chen—fifty-year-old yellow pear wine. When my father was alive, this vintage was his favorite. He said that year was buried in heavy snow, so the yellow pears were full of moisture, making the wine richer and mellower than other years."
"That boy Luo Chen is in for a treat."
Zeng Wen looked at the large gourd with envy, then turned around and cuffed Tang Quan again.
"See that? Even a young girl knows to bring a gift when visiting, and I had to teach you!"
Tang Quan looked thoroughly wronged. *Her grandfather taught her, too!*
Of course, this uncle of his, Zeng Wen, showed none of a father's dignity, but plenty of an overbearing grandfather's temper.
Chatting and laughing, the three stepped into the courtyard.
As soon as they entered, a wave of warmth and lively commotion washed over them.
In the courtyard stood a massive table laden with sumptuous delicacies.
Three copper pots were set along the front, center, and back of the table.
Beneath the small copper pots were braziers burning charcoal, from which most of the courtyard's warmth originated.
Before Zeng Wen could look for familiar faces, Tang Quan dashed over.
"Old Qu, you're here too? Is this your grandson?"
Qu Hancheng chuckled. "The Hall Master heard my injuries healed up, so he invited me over for a casual meal."
With that, he pulled forward the young boy standing behind him.
"Lingjun, greet your Uncle Tang Quan."
The boy blinked his large, round eyes, looking curiously at Tang Quan, and piped up softly, "Hello, Uncle Tang Quan!"
Tang Quan was amused. "It won't do for a child to be so shy! Come, Uncle will take you flying!"
Seeing Tang Quan scoop up his little grandson and zoom around the air until the boy bawled in fright, Qu Hancheng actually smiled.
He himself had lacked capability, and the son he fathered had no spiritual roots.
Fortunately, his son and daughter-in-law had worked hard, bearing three children until spiritual roots finally manifested in Qu Lingjun.
Though it was only quadruple spiritual roots that great sects looked down upon, it was still a foundation for cultivation.
Allowing the boy to mingle with these Qi Refining cultivators now would make his future path a little smoother.
In truth, he had to thank Hall Master Luo Chen for granting him this opportunity.
His gaze drifted across the courtyard: several female cultivators whispering among themselves; Zeng Wen trying to show off in front of Murong Qinglian only to be soundly beaten by Qin Liangchen; and a young, cold-faced male cultivator sitting on the threshold.
Nearly all of them were senior cultivators in the late stage of Qi Refining!
Without anyone realizing it, Hall Master Luo Chen's personal circle had accumulated such strength.
*Right, I shouldn't sit idle either. I need to help out more; I didn't come today just to freeload!*
...
Inside the house, Luo Chen, who was simmering soup bases, looked helplessly at yet another gift brought in.
"I already said coming empty-handed was fine. Today was mostly just to gather and have a good meal."
Rubbing the large bump on his head, Zeng Wen shoved a book into Luo Chen's arms.
"Take it or leave it. I was only worried this thing would corrupt Tang Quan; otherwise, I wouldn't have given it to you."
Luo Chen froze. Catching sight of a corner of the illustrations inside, his lips twitched.
"What kind of person do you take me for? I'm not—"
"Alright, alright, I know you're 'not that kind of person.' I won't give you any next time."
Zeng Wen waved his hand dismissively and walked out, clearly not buying Luo Chen's protestations.
In his eyes, Little Friend Luo was a kindred spirit!
Luo Chen quietly slipped the primer into his storage bag.
Such degenerate material deserved to be thoroughly critiqued in the dead of night!
Speaking of which, even though he had told everyone in advance, every guest who arrived today had brought a gift of some sort.
None were exceptionally valuable, but each carried heartfelt sentiment.
Yuan Xiaoyue's fifty-year-old yellow pear wine, Tang Quan's censer, a pot of rare flowers from Bai Meiling, a handful of seeds from Feng Xia, and an artifact maintenance secret from Duan Feng.
Brother Wang Yuan had arrived earlier as well, bringing Luo Chen a bottle of Taishan Market's specialty medicine: Golden Quality Jade Liquid.
It was said that applying it consistently over time was great for body tempering.
Brother Qin and his wife had also given him a folding fan. Though only a low-grade magic artifact, its appearance was exquisite!
Luo Chen had jokingly grumbled about receiving a fan right before winter, but upon learning from his sister-in-law that Brother Qin had hand-picked it himself, he had swallowed his complaints.
Back when he trained with Brother Qin daily at the Technique Testing Palace, he had casually mentioned an aesthetic for immortals—flying on swords, wearing white robes, holding folding fans, and the like.
He hadn't expected Brother Qin to take it to heart.
Only Gu Caiyi had brought no gift, as Luo Chen had specifically requested.
After all, they were so close that gift-giving would feel too distant.
Committing these small gifts to memory one by one, Luo Chen stirred the soup bases with renewed vigor.
This was his first official birthday celebration since transmigrating, proof that he had finally settled down in this strange world.
He was determined to make sure everyone ate and drank their fill!
...
Several moonstones placed around the courtyard, paired with the clear moonlight, illuminated the yard as bright as day.
Steaming soup pots, over a dozen stir-fries brimming with color, aroma, and flavor, and several plates of cold dishes filled the table.
In addition, the immortal beans and popcorn Luo Chen had roasted were placed in bowls around the corners.
Twelve people in total filled the massive table.
Fine wine was poured, and cups were drained to the dregs.
Under the lively hosting of those two seasoned hands, Luo Chen and Zeng Wen, the atmosphere grew festive in no time.
Everyone chatted about oddities and anecdotes from Dahe Market and beyond. Even the usually reticent Wang Yuan shared a humorous tale from Taishan Market.
He recounted how a youth from a local cultivating clan had been accepted into a Core Formation sect in the Jade Cauldron Domain.
The boy had accidentally wandered into a forbidden ground of the sect and peeked at the sect master's daughter bathing. Believing his fortune was made, his clan had even prepared betrothal gifts.
In the end, the daughter was unwilling; she petitioned an elder and had the entire clan wiped out.
It was supposed to be a tragic tale of ruin and death, but with its salacious elements and coming from Wang Yuan's mouth, it sounded strangely comical.
Halfway through the drinking, Zeng Wen felt things weren't lively enough and took the lead in starting a drinking game of verse and wit.
The others showed no hesitation, and even Duan Feng, cold on the outside but warm within, showed off a bit of talent.
When it came to Luo Chen's turn, he froze awkwardly.
*I don't know any of this!*
*Didn't I transmigrate to cultivate immortality? Why do I have to plagiarize poetry?*
Left with no choice, he downed a massive gulp of wine as a forfeit.
Seeing his embarrassment, Gu Caiyi took the floor and offered to dance for everyone.
Cheers erupted from the crowd!
Gu Caiyi wasn't shy in the least. She winked at Luo Chen, her sleeves fluttering as she leaped into the air above the courtyard.
The Graceful Swan Dance that had stunned all four corners of the Dao Discussion Platform graced the world once more.
Luo Chen watched, utterly entranced. He understood the meaning behind that wink: this dance was her birthday gift to him.
When he first moved into the courtyard, he had mentioned wanting to see her dance in private, but had never gotten the chance.
Now his wish was fulfilled, even if others were watching alongside him.
Beside him, Zeng Wen cried out in lamentation, declaring that Tianxiang Pavilion would never witness such a dance again.
"Having stayed in the gang for so long, my dancing has grown rusty," Gu Caiyi said with a modest smile upon landing, though the enthusiastic applause clearly disagreed with her humility.
Zeng Wen wanted to restart the drinking game, but the others had grown tired of it and suggested a different game.
This proved no obstacle for Zeng Wen, a veteran of romantic pleasure houses; with a flick of his wrist, he produced a small pot and a handful of arrows.
"Let's play pitch-pot!"
"What's the fun in such a children's game? It's no challenge for cultivators like us."
"No, no, no, you underestimate pitch-pot," Zeng Wen argued convincingly. "When playing pitch-pot, Foundation Establishment cultivators can't use spiritual sense, and Qi Refining cultivators can't use spiritual energy.
"Moreover, this little pot is actually a mid-grade defensive magic artifact with an innate array. If your eyesight is lacking or your strength isn't just right, you won't get an arrow in!"
Hearing that, everyone's interest was piqued.
One by one, they picked up arrows and tossed them at the pot.
Whoever missed had to drink.
Of course, after Wang Yuan casually showed his skill, he was promptly banned from competing.
A body cultivator playing pitch-pot was downright cheating!
Amidst the joyful atmosphere, someone suddenly remarked:
"It's snowing!"
Everyone stopped playing pitch-pot and fell silent, looking up at the sky.
Beneath the night sky, crystalline, hexagonal snowflakes fluttered gently down.
"I wonder how many rogue cultivators will die in Dahe Market this year."
"Sigh. Each to their own fate!"
Chapter 102