24: Peak of Qi Refining

The mountain mist lingered like a light veil, concealing Xu Qi'an's cave dwelling, as if it were isolated from the world.

For the past three years, he had been like a stubborn rock, quietly cultivating in this desolate mountain range, not concerning himself with worldly affairs.

However, on this day, two unfamiliar auras broke the tranquility of the mountains.

"Senior Brother Zhang Yu, look, there's actually a Maze Array here!"

A young Cultivator dressed in a gray Daoist robe pointed at the mist on the mountainside, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"It seems someone is in seclusion here."

The other Cultivator, named Zhang Yu, squinted his eyes and used a trace of spiritual power to probe the array's reality.

However, as soon as his spiritual power touched the mist, it was bounced back by a gentle yet irresistible force.

Zhang Yu's expression froze, and he exclaimed.

"Junior Brother Chi Hai, you are right. There is indeed a first-grade middle-grade Maze Array here, but there is also a first-grade upper-grade Defensive Array, and even several more arrays inside, all of which are first-grade upper-grade arrays!"

"This must be a grandmaster of arrays, in seclusion here!"

Chi Hai was immediately startled. They had inadvertently disturbed this grandmaster of arrays, and they feared angering the other party.

The two of them were only in the Qi Refining Middle Stage. To be able to set up so many arrays required not only high attainment in the Dao of Arrays but also profound cultivation.

Chi Hai said with a difficult expression, "Senior Brother, we..."

"This humble one is Zhang Yu, and this is my Junior Brother Chi Hai. We accidentally passed by this place and disturbed Senior. We hope Senior will forgive us!"

The older Cultivator shook his head, then cupped his hands and said in a loud voice, with a hint of respect in his tone.

Xu Qi'an stood inside the cave dwelling, having already seen every move of these rogue Cultivators.

He frowned, weighing the situation for a moment, and finally decided to appear.

After all, he had been in seclusion for five years. These rogue Cultivators being able to come here might bring news from the outside world.

"Fellow Daoists, where do you come from, and where are you going?"

Xu Qi'an's voice came from the mist, and then his figure slowly appeared.

He wore a green robe, his face was calm, and his spiritual power was restrained, yet it gave people a feeling of unfathomable depth.

"Cannot see through his cultivation!"

Seeing this, Zhang Yu quickly pulled Chi Hai and bowed in salute: "Senior, please forgive us. We did not intend to offend, we just passed by this place and saw the arrays here, which sparked our intention to visit."

Xu Qi'an nodded and said indifferently, "It's alright, speak."

Zhang Yu respectfully replied, "Reporting to Senior, we came from Qingzhu Market and are heading to Jinshi Bazaar."

"Qingzhu Market?" A hint of surprise flashed in Xu Qi'an's eyes. "Has anything major happened in Qingzhu Market recently?"

The two rogue Cultivators exchanged glances, and Zhang Yu whispered, "It seems Senior has been in seclusion for many years and is unaware."

"A major event happened in Qingzhu Market in the past few years, mainly because of a change in the Xiao Langlang Mountain Relics three years ago."

"After the second layer of the Seal was broken, a Foundation Establishment Secret Realm actually appeared!"

"There are many rare Spirit Medicine and Spirit Medicine in this Foundation Establishment Secret Realm."

"The market masters of the three major Qingzhu Market fought fiercely over this and finally reached an agreement, allocating their respective shares of the benefits."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qi'an was shocked.

He didn't expect such a major change to have occurred after he left Qingzhu Market.

The appearance of the Foundation Establishment Secret Realm meant that thepattern of the three major Qingzhu Market would undergo earth-shaking changes.

"Thank you for informing me." Xu Qi'an cupped his hands, a hint of emotion in his tone.

Seeing this, the two rogue Cultivators quickly took their leave: "Senior, if you have no other instructions, we will take our leave now."

Xu Qi'an nodded and watched them leave. He was not a bloodthirsty person, and now that he planned to end his seclusion and leave this place, he was not afraid of others coming to find him.

However, even if they did come, as long as there were no Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was not afraid.

He stood on the mountaintop, his gaze sweeping over Anning Village at the foot of the mountain.

The villagers were still living their peaceful lives, as if the outside world's conflicts had nothing to do with them.

"It's time to leave." Xu Qi'an muttered to himself.

He returned to his cave dwelling and began to pack his belongings.

In five years, Xu Qi'an's cultivation had reached the Qi Refining Peak, and his Body Refinement had reached the tenth level!

He had thousands of first-grade super-grade Talismans, dozens of High Grade Magical Artifacts, and several sets of first-grade super-grade arrays.

He also had hundreds of pills for Qi Refining Late Stage to Qi Refining Peak, and dozens of first-grade Peak Rice Rat demon beast meat that had not been used yet.

As for things below the first-grade upper-grade, they were countless.

His cave dwelling was filled with various pills and Magical Artifacts, all of which he had gathered using the Omnipotent Treasure Basin.

Xu Qi'an secretly suspected that if he sold these things, he didn't know what kind of bloody storm it would cause.

Even the three major Qingzhu Market wouldn't be as wealthy as him.

This was the Omnipotent Treasure Basin!

However, Xu Qi'an also discovered the limitations of the gathering treasure basin—it could not replicate higher-grade pills and treasures.

In other words, Xu Qi'an didn't have a single second-grade item, and the Omnipotent Treasure Basin couldn't gather items of that level at all.

However, Xu Qi'an thought about it and found it normal. The leap from first grade to second grade was a qualitative one. If the Omnipotent Treasure Basin could gather such things, then he could completely stay in seclusion until he broke through to the Tribulation Crossing stage before coming out!

However, there was one exception, and that was Spirit Medicine and Spirit Medicine.

Xu Qi'an discovered that after some Spirit Medicine and Spirit Medicine were gathered by the gathering treasure basin, the age of the Spirit Medicine and Spirit Medicine would increase, and their medicinal power would also increase.

He had now obtained dozens of Spirit Medicine with a thousand years of medicinal power.

Unfortunately, Xu Qi'an had consumed countless Spirit Medicine and Spirit Medicine, but his current Alchemy level was still only enough to barely refine pills for the Qi Refining Late Stage.

There was still a long way to go before he could refine Foundation Establishment Pill, and more importantly, he was still missing more than half of the ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pill.

But now his cultivation had reached a Bottleneck. Both Body Refinement and Qi Refining required higher-grade treasures to break through.

"Let's prioritize Foundation Establishment. There are too few Body Refinement techniques comparable to Foundation Establishment cultivation methods."

"For Foundation Establishment, either I need Foundation Establishment Pill, or I need spiritual objects like the Clear Bamboo Spirit Wind in Qingzhu Market."

"That kind of spiritual object is probably unobtainable. I still have to start with Foundation Establishment Pill!"

"As long as I have one Foundation Establishment Pill! Then I can use the Omnipotent Treasure Basin to gather a continuous supply of Foundation Establishment Pill."

"If one pill doesn't work, I'll use two, three. I'll definitely succeed in Foundation Establishment!"

Xu Qi'an had made some progress in the Dao of Arrays. After all, he had the insights of Wan Feng, a master of arrays, and could now set up first-grade upper-grade arrays.

His gains in the Dao of Talismans were meager. He could barely refine first-grade lower-grade Talismans, mainly because he lacked good insights into Talisman refining.

The Dao of Artifact Refining had hardly developed at all. He only had some fragmented knowledge of Artifact Refining, which was not systematic, and Xu Qi'an hadn't spent much time on it.

After packing up, Xu Qi'an stood outside the cave dwelling, taking one last look at the dwelling where he had lived for five years.

Anning Village at the foot of the mountain was still peaceful. The villagers did not know that the "Immortal" who had guarded them was about to leave.

Five years was not a long time, nor was it short, but for Mortals, many things could happen.

The passing of the elderly, the marriage of young women, the growth of children.

Xu Qi'an looked far away at a wooden house at the foot of the mountain. In that house, a beautiful young woman was sitting by the window, weaving clothes stitch by stitch.

In the room, a child was sleeping peacefully on the bed.

"I didn't expect that after five years, the woman from back then has married and become someone else's wife."

"Time really flies."

Xu Qi'an stroked his chin, revealing a meaningful expression.

Below Anning Village, village songs were melodious, with children playing and laughing, men cultivating in the fields, and women weaving at home, peaceful and harmonious.

"I hope you can always remain peaceful."

Xu Qi'an said in a low voice, then his figure flickered, transforming into an afterimage, and disappeared into the mountain forest.