Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation

People are fickle, their demeanor changing according to the identity, status, and value of the person they face.

Four years ago, during their first meeting at Flame Mountain, Liu Jiuchan, as a core junior of the Beast Taming Liu family, one of the five great clans, wouldn't have given him a second glance if she hadn't needed the Spirit Binding Talismans he possessed.

Less than a year ago, when she came to purchase Blood Pills, having successfully established her Foundation, she looked down upon Li Ji'an as a senior expert, even attempting to force him to abandon his promise from back then.

Now, Liu Jiuchan smiled gently, still dressed in red, but her demeanor was amiable and tender, giving people a sense of sincerity and approachability.

Li Ji'an has always had a peaceful mindset and a generous heart, unwilling to make enemies or hold grudges, as hatred easily unbalances one's state of mind, affecting judgment and potentially leading to obsessions and inner demons.

However, matters or individuals that affect his ultimate goal of eternal life as an immortal are ultimately seeds that have been sown.

They are destined to bear fruit.

Otherwise, a blocked mind will more or less affect one's state of mind.

This was the case with Alchemist Mo, Wei Huairen, and Zheng Tianxiang, as well as the unknown family that raised blood slaves.

The consequences of these causes and effects are not much different from those of grudges, the only difference lies in the state of mind: one is filled with deep hatred, resentment every day, even disregarding the consequences; the other is like a gentle breeze leaving no trace, acting when possible, and delaying when not.

As for the Liu Jiuchan before him, although she did not directly cause life-threatening consequences, her Blood Pill problem almost led to the life-or-death crisis of his Guardian Toad.

This is the cause, and as for what kind of fruit it will bear, Li Ji'an has no definite conclusion at the moment.

Firstly, if it is a matter of gratitude, judge the deed, not the intention, only looking at what was done, not the thoughts at the time.

But if it is a matter of resentment, in addition to the consequences, it is still necessary to consider the original intention to determine what kind of fruit to bear.

If the original intention was to harm others, to kill his spirit pet, then undoubtedly, the fruit will be the most evil fruit, even if the goal was not achieved.

If it was an unintentional mistake, and the original intention was far from the consequences, then the fruit will naturally not be the same as the most evil fruit.

Of course, what kind of fruit will ultimately be borne, and whether the result can be guaranteed, does not only depend on his own wishes, but also on the other party's strength and power.

After all, he does not consider himself a destined person who is an enemy of the world, who can make enemies everywhere and still guarantee to live to the end.

Anything that goes against the ultimate goal of eternal life as an immortal is unacceptable!

"What virtue or ability do I, Li, possess that Fellow Daoist Liu would personally come to congratulate me? I am truly flattered," Li Ji'an said with a smile and a cupped fist.

He has a clear self-awareness, a mere first-level rogue cultivator, even if he has established his Foundation, how can he compare to the Foundation Establishment juniors of the five great families?

Especially those who are core geniuses within the clan.

Liu Jiuchan gracefully landed in front of Li Ji'an, smiling gently: "Hehe~ Is Fellow Daoist Li so quickly becoming estranged from Jiuchan? You and I have known each other for four years, with quite a bit of fate, and you even helped Jiuchan almost capture a rare spirit beast. Jiuchan will always remember this kindness."

"..." Even Li Ji'an, who had lived several lifetimes and knew countless people, was impressed by Liu Jiuchan's smoothness, adaptability, and shamelessness.

This woman is capable of great things!

Liu Jiuchan's expression was calm and her words were natural, but in her heart, she was extremely depressed.

When Li Ji'an came to purchase Blood Pills a year ago, she judged that he had the possibility of establishing his Foundation because of his status as a guest alchemist of the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce and the purity of his magic power.

That's why she didn't forcibly break her promise.

But that was all.

After all, a second-level rogue cultivator alchemist was not enough to make her look at him differently.

However, a few months ago, the Immortal City spread the news that Li Ji'an had actually refined a top-grade Azure Jade Pill.

Immediately after, he successfully established his Foundation.

Most importantly, this time, the young master of the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment personally protected him!

This series of effects stacked up, and Li Ji'an's status and position underwent earth-shattering changes.

A senior second-level alchemist with the potential of an Alchemy King!

A senior second-level alchemist with a close relationship with the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce!

This led to her clan notifying her overnight to express goodwill as soon as possible.

There was no other reason than that the Beast Taming Liu family was located in the jurisdiction of the Azure Cloud Sect in Azure Cloud State, and there were many restrictions on the trading of spirit beasts within the clan. If they could get on the big ship of the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce and export the clan's spirit beasts to foreign lands, or even to the "Demon Realm" that only the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce could safely enter, then the Liu family would have a day of great prosperity.

And in recent years, the Liu family's senior management has contacted the Chamber of Commerce many times, but they have never even seen the face of the mysterious owner.

In addition, the Liu family also hopes to have a reliable senior second-level alchemist for long-term cooperation.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I wonder if you have used the Blood Pill you purchased last time? If you haven't used it, Jiuchan suggests you use this one, and this will be considered Liu's family's congratulatory gift." Seeing that Li Ji'an did not respond, Liu Jiuchan took out a jade bottle and handed it to Li Ji'an without any embarrassment.

Li Ji'an's eyes narrowed slightly: "Oh? Then the Blood Pill that Fellow Daoist Liu sold to Li... could it be that there is a problem with it?"

"Fellow Daoist Li, you are overthinking it. There is no doubt that the Blood Pill is genuine, but the only slight difference is that it contains two attributes, which is more suitable for amphibious spirit beasts. For ordinary spirit beasts, the single-attribute medicinal properties may be slightly insufficient, and if the spirit beast's bloodline is not good enough, it may easily fail to advance," Liu Jiuchan explained with a smile, her eyes sincere and without dodging.

"I see," Li Ji'an nodded.

At that time, he also keenly sensed the situation of the Blood Pill, which was consistent with what Liu Jiuchan said at the moment.

If Guagua hadn't risked his life to rush, the worst result would have been failure to advance.

However, this also confirmed that Liu Jiuchan deliberately sold him that Blood Pill, and it was definitely not out of good intentions.

This cause has been planted, and as for when it will bear fruit, leave it to time.

"Fellow Daoist Li, please accept this gift," Liu Jiuchan handed the jade bottle forward again.

Li Ji'an smiled and cupped his fist: "Fellow Daoist Liu, I appreciate your kindness, but to be honest, I also sought the pill last time to repay a favor, and now that the favor has been repaid, I don't need it."

A trump card that is known is no longer a trump card, and he doesn't want others to know about Guagua unless it is absolutely necessary.

Now that he has established his Foundation, is a senior second-level alchemist, and has the backing of Tong Yaoyao from the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce, these identities are enough to be stable and worry-free in Azure Cloud State, and there is no need to expose more to raise his value.

"Oh dear, it's all Jiuchan's fault for not considering it thoroughly and not understanding Fellow Daoist Li's needs in advance, this..." Liu Jiuchan immediately looked distressed.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, please don't be like this, you are really embarrassing Li. I am already very grateful that Fellow Daoist Liu can come to congratulate me in person. Li will remember this kindness.

I will shamelessly invite Fellow Daoist Liu to have a glass of wine at a small celebration of my Foundation Establishment in the near future." Cause and effect are cause and effect, but he can't let her think that he has offended her, and create enmity for no reason.

Especially when facing this kind of Foundation Establishment cultivator with deep scheming, narrow-mindedness, deep background, and extensive connections.

Only then did Liu Jiuchan's brows relax, and she no longer entangled: "Okay! Then Jiuchan will wait to drink Fellow Daoist Li's wedding wine, and will definitely prepare a congratulatory gift again at that time."

Watching Liu Jiuchan leave, Li Ji'an also immediately left the cave, preparing to go to the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce first.

The fact that he was able to successfully establish his Foundation this time was rooted in the Foundation Establishment Pill materials given by Zhao Shuyao, and this kindness was too great.

And Tong Yaoyao's protection unexpectedly greatly increased his status and position, which can be regarded as endorsing him, and in the future, even the five great families will give him some face when he travels in Azure Cloud State.

This is also a kindness.

"Greetings, Senior, this is the extra rental fee you have, please accept it." After leaving the cave, Li Ji'an first went to the management office to return the cave formation plate and settle the rental fee.

He had originally paid half a year's rent, but this time he only used it for four months, and the extra fee was refunded.

"Senior, take care."

...

Facing the flattering voices of a group of Qi Refining late-stage cultivators in the management office, Li Ji'an smiled faintly.

After coming to this world of cultivation for sixty-seven years, he has finally become a senior in the mouths of 99% of the population here.

On the way to the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce, even though he did not deliberately release his Foundation Establishment aura, he was respectfully called Senior by many passing cultivators. Fortunately, in his previous lives in the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty, he had been called Senior for quite a long time, so he could accept it calmly.

"Greetings, Senior Li."

"Congratulations, Senior Li."

Until he came to the Nine Cauldrons Chamber of Commerce, he was once again respectfully greeted by everyone.

Shopkeeper Wu heard the sound and greeted him from afar, but when he got closer, he was like everyone else, timid and respectful, lacking the closeness of the past.

"Shopkeeper Wu, there is no need to be like this between you and me," Li Ji'an said with a smile, patting Shopkeeper Wu's shoulder.

The two had known each other since the first day he came to Immortal City, and now, twelve years later, the relationship between the two has always been mutually beneficial.

Li Ji'an brought Shopkeeper Wu enough high-quality pills to help him complete his performance assessment.

Shopkeeper Wu, in turn, paid Li Ji'an as much Dan remuneration as he could within his authority.

They complemented each other, cooperated and won together, and had a very good relationship.

"Senior Li..." Shopkeeper Wu was shocked by Li Ji'an's posture and was quite moved.

He had lived for nearly a hundred years and had seen many Foundation Establishment cultivators. Apart from the young master, who could not be measured by common sense, which of the other Foundation Establishment cultivators did not instantly change their status once they established their Foundation? There were very few who were as consistent as Li Ji'an.

Especially those rogue cultivators who were looked down upon before Foundation Establishment, the more they were despised before, the more they despised those who had not established their Foundation after Foundation Establishment.

"I'll go see Aunt Yao first." After exchanging a few pleasantries with Shopkeeper Wu, Li Ji'an walked inside.

Coming to see Zhao Shuyao at the first time after leaving seclusion, in addition to expressing respect, he also wanted to give back a little.

When refining the Foundation Establishment Pill before, one was low-grade and one was high-grade.

When he established his Foundation, he understood that the grade of the Foundation Establishment Pill, in addition to improving the success rate, also helped the magic power after Foundation Establishment. Therefore, not to mention that he might not need to use the Foundation Establishment Pill to establish his Foundation in the next life because of his high-grade spiritual root, even if he still needed to use the Foundation Establishment Pill, he would definitely take a high-grade or even higher-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.

Therefore, this extra low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, apart from giving it to the auction house for sale, was of little use to him.

However, compared to auctioning it for money, he preferred to give it to Zhao Shuyao. Strictly speaking, Zhao Shuyao gave him a portion of Foundation Establishment Pill materials, which formed two pills, and he took one, and the remaining one should belong to Zhao Shuyao.

"Aunt Yao! I'm out of seclusion."

"Xiao Fan, let Aunt Yao see what has changed after Foundation Establishment?" Zhao Shuyao's eyebrows and eyes smiled when she saw Li Ji'an, and she looked around him for a long time.

Tong Yaoyao frowned as she watched from the side. She had clearly established her Foundation a long time ago and often accompanied Zhao Shuyao, but she had never seen Zhao Shuyao look at her like this.

This made her feel that she had probably established a fake Foundation, right?

"Thank you, Aunt Yao, for protecting me before," Li Ji'an thanked Tong Yaoyao again.

"Don't forget what you promised me before." After saying that, Tong Yaoyao pouted and left.

Zhao Shuyao looked around and nodded with satisfaction: "Good, good, my Xiao Fan has also become a Foundation Establishment senior expert."

Li Ji'an smiled and shook his head: "Aunt Yao, you are too serious, Foundation Establishment is just the first step on the road to immortality, how dare I call myself an expert?"

Zhao Shuyao's expression turned stern: "Xiao Fan, don't belittle yourself. You don't know how much your father and I envied Foundation Establishment cultivators back then. When we were in the wilderness, those Foundation Establishment cultivators were the ancestors of nearby families, high above and overlooking all beings. We didn't even have the qualification to take a look."

Li Ji'an smiled and echoed, not arguing with her, after all, what she said was also true.

Seeing that Li Ji'an didn't seem to care, Zhao Shuyao said even more solemnly:

"Xiao Fan, you remember, your father once said that a gentleman should have the change of a dragon and a snake. When the conditions are not sufficient, he lands as a snake, bows down to the grass and lives with ants, lives in muddy holes, and eats dirty things in order to secure himself.

When the conditions are met, he ascends to the sky as a dragon, soaring thousands of miles, able to call the wind and rain, swallow clouds and spit fog, spread sweet dew, and show his talents to the fullest.

When he is a snake, he does not sink into despair because he was once a dragon.

After becoming a dragon, he does not feel inferior and guilty because he was once a snake.

No matter what you were before, now, you have already transformed into a dragon, and you must not belittle yourself again. You should look at the Foundation Establishment cultivators outside and have the attitude that you should have!"

"..." Li Ji'an was slightly lost in thought.

These were the words he used to comfort the four when he led them out of the storm desert, and the four were disheartened by the "immortal" at that time.

He never thought that Zhao Shuyao would remember it so clearly and would come back to warn him.

"Yes, I will definitely remember Aunt Yao's teachings!"

After some exchange, Li Ji'an took out the Foundation Establishment Pill.

When he said that he wanted to give it to Zhao Shuyao, Zhao Shuyao flatly rejected it.

"Heh~ Aunt Yao is old, what use do I have for this? You have just established your Foundation now, and you will need more resources later. At least your current residence can no longer meet your cultivation needs, so go sell it."

After several refusals, Li Ji'an had no choice but to take back the Foundation Establishment Pill.

However, in the exchange with Zhao Shuyao, he also had a plan...