Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation

Zhao Shuyao was Zhao Yunsheng's youngest daughter, and his favorite.

Back then, Zhao Yunsheng was一心 (yīxīn - wholeheartedly) trying to bring the two together, and even before his death, he wanted to bestow a marriage upon them with his dying breath.

Li Ji'an refused, aspiring to cultivate immortality, promising to take care of her in the Immortal Realm.

Zhao Shuyao was present when the marriage was decreed.

Li Ji'an remembered clearly that she was very resistant at the time, not only because of the struggle for the dragon and phoenix positions but also due to the influence of her maternal grandfather, Lei Laowu, which made her somewhat hostile towards Li Ji'an.

After Lei Laowu passed away, Li Ji'an taught her external martial arts, which gradually eased the tension, but their relationship remained superficially harmonious but not genuine.

Finally, before ascending to the Immortal Realm, her attitude changed drastically.

Li Ji'an never gave it much thought.

But now, after experiencing the ascension scam and the deadly battle in the desert, they could be considered to have gone through thick and thin together. In this foreign land, Li Ji'an regarded the four of them as old friends—people from his hometown.

He had no demands or expectations of them.

As long as they were willing to call him 'Brother Li,' he could maintain contact with them.

As long as it didn't affect his path to eternal life, he would provide assistance within his capabilities.

He also hoped that the four of them could have a bright future.

However, he never expected that Zhao Shuyao, this heroine whose talent in the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty was second only to his, would be the first to give up.

He still remembered a year and a half ago, after Zhao Shuyao had a preliminary understanding of this cultivation world, her resolute attitude, her unwillingness, and her determination to achieve something in the cultivation world.

At that time, she was also the most passionate person in persuading Li Ji'an not to give up and to have confidence.

But now… in this letter, Li Ji'an could feel Zhao Shuyao's despair and helplessness.

In short, she had decided to lie flat (give up).

A year and a half of effort, and she still couldn't see any hope of cultivating immortality.

The once high and mighty Ninth Princess was even asked to be a maid, taking care of a small family's little girl… which completely disillusioned her!

"Heh," Li Ji'an glanced at it and casually threw the letter away.

"If you want to lie flat, why drag me down with you?"

If Zhao Shuyao had expressed this love to him a year and a half ago, when Li Ji'an decided to stay in the settlement temporarily to accumulate resources, he would have at least been somewhat moved.

But now… it felt like being a backup plan.

Without much hesitation, he picked up a pen and wrote back.

The general idea: he had already stepped into Qi Training and was an early-stage Qi Training cultivator, determined to cultivate immortality.

Similarly, the letter ended with encouragement and positive energy.

Ten days later, after his first level of Qi Training was completely stabilized, Li Ji'an called on Chen Qingling again and took him to the market.

It must be said that although Chen Qingling's attitude was not great, he never declined whenever Li Ji'an called him.

Moreover, he never took the initiative to look for him.

He could truly be described as someone who came when called and was dismissed when no longer needed—very useful and trustworthy.

"Are you still not giving up? It's been half a year. What have you cultivated in Qi Training? Bro, I'll call you bro. Just go back. My brother is righteous. You won't suffer following him!" This time, however, Little Qingling was a little uncooperative.

In the past six months, his constant discouragement was simply because he hoped that Li Ji'an would give up as soon as possible and go back to hunt with his brother.

Because hunting was a very dangerous thing.

A few days ago, he had just heard that a colleague similar to his brother had mistakenly entered a late-stage Tier 1 demon beast's territory and was devoured.

During the year that Li Ji'an joined Chen Zhaohu's team, they did not encounter a single crisis.

This made him, who originally did not believe that Li Ji'an had good fortune, acknowledge Li Ji'an's luck.

Originally, after Li Ji'an had been shut up for six months and suddenly asked him about his cultivation progress a few days ago, he told him the truth, thinking that Li Ji'an had understood the objective situation of poor spiritual roots, old age, and insufficient resources, and was about to give up.

As a result, today he actually asked him to take him to the market again.

Without saying a word, Li Ji'an slowly stirred the meager mana in his dantian…

"Hmm?" Chen Qingling's eyes widened instantly.

"You… you… you…"

"If there are no surprises, I should be considered a first-level Qi Training cultivator!" Li Ji'an smiled.

After a long silence, Chen Qingling finally recovered.

"Hmph! Only reaching the first level of Qi Training in half a year, completely without any potential. And you don't know how much it costs after truly stepping into Qi Training…"

Knowing that he couldn't dissuade him for the time being, Chen Qingling muttered and obediently took Li Ji'an to the market again.

However, just as they were about to leave the residential area, a commotion not far away made Chen Qingling stop.

After roughly understanding the situation, his face lit up, and he hurriedly pulled Li Ji'an towards the commotion.

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A moment later, Li Ji'an saw four cultivators wearing the uniforms of the market managers standing in front of a small building.

In front of the four, a slovenly old man looked bitter and repeatedly bowed: "Fellow Daoists, fellow Daoists, please be lenient. This old Daoist has lived here for fifty years. I'm just a little short, a little short of breaking through to the late stage of Qi Training. When that time comes, I will fully pay the rent. Please forgive me."

"Fellow Daoist Sun, it's not that we brothers are unwilling to be lenient, but there are rules for families and regulations for the market. You are already two months behind. Don't make things difficult for us."

...

Chen Qingling instantly perked up: "Look, did you see that? That old Daoist is also considered our senior, a sixth-level Qi Training cultivator, who has lived in this market for fifty years. And the result… the result, you see for yourself!"

"So, the path of cultivation is really not just about determination. You have to recognize yourself!"

Li Ji'an just smiled faintly at Chen Qingling's selective presentation. Coincidentally, a cultivator next door to him had mentioned this old cultivator when he visited him.

It was true that he was at the sixth level of Qi Training, but he cultivated wood-based techniques. Wood-based mana was abundant and long-lasting, but mostly soft and weak, not good at attacking, and unable to engage in high-income activities such as escorting goods that required fighting.

Also, because his spiritual sense was not strong enough, he could not draw talismans and could not become a talisman master for various families and forces.

Only helplessly, he learned spiritual planting techniques, but he did not strive for progress, barely able to take care of ordinary crops for the mortals in the settlement.

In this way, although it was harder, there was no risk, and he could barely make a living in the market.

The strange thing was that this old Daoist cultivated wood-based techniques, which focused on rejuvenation and were energetic, and may even have had effects such as withered trees reviving. It was okay when he was young, but when he got old, he started being a groom every night.

It was said that at least three Daoist partners couldn't stand it and left him.

In the end, he started running to the Heavenly Immortal Pavilion every day.

That place was a real money pit!

After watching the market management cultivators search the old Daoist clean and throw him out of the market, Chen Qingling took Li Ji'an to the market again.

"What? You want to buy a pill formula? You still want to refine pills? Want to become a pill master?" Learning Li Ji'an's purpose, Chen Qingling was shocked again.

Pill masters were definitely one of the best professions in the cultivation world.

Once you become a pill master, whether it's a family or a sect, they may regard you as a guest elder.

And even if your pill skills are crude and shallow, even if you can only refine the simplest Grain Avoiding Pill, that's enough to support yourself.

However, the higher the income, the higher the threshold.

Every year, countless cultivators sharpen their heads and want to get into the pill master profession, but the result is one in ten thousand!

"With your talent, you still want to become a pill master?"