99: Chapter 99 Five Years of Advancement, Foundation Establishment Strength

Fortunately.

In the days that followed.

Aside from quietly and secretly heading out, Liu Bai didn't seem to have any designs on him.

This was also evident from his intelligence System.

For several consecutive days.

The intelligence System had not broadcast anything regarding Liu Bai to him.

There were generally only two possibilities.

Either Liu Bai's information was white grade, buried among a sea of other white intelligence.

Or Liu Bai's intelligence had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Xu Changsheng leaned toward the latter.

As a second-rank Artifact Refiner, Liu Bai received invitations from various forces but showed no intention of joining any of them.

Even after asking Chu Linger, she didn't know his background either.

Yet he frequently entered and exited in secret.

"There is definitely something wrong."

But Xu Changsheng had no time to concern himself with this matter right now.

"As long as you don't come after me, do as you please."

...

Time flies.

Five years passed by in a flash.

On this day.

Inside the Immortal Cave.

Xu Changsheng sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his eyes suddenly snapping open.

A sharp light flickered within them.

"Through unceasing cultivation, I have finally broken through to the ninth layer of Qi Refining today."

But it wasn't a major milestone.

Breaking through from the eighth layer to the ninth layer of Qi Refining wasn't even considered a minor Realm jump; the growth in Magic Power and Divine Sense was limited.

Thinking of this.

He stood up.

He stood with his legs shoulder-width apart.

With a low shout.

He threw a punch.

Instantly, the hanging scrolls in the cultivation room swayed without any wind.

Second-tier Body Refining.

"This is the real substantive change!"

Relying on those few second-rank Body Refining Spiritual Plants he won at the auction, including the Meridian Tempering Vine, he broke through the Bottleneck.

He successfully broke through to second-tier Body Refining several months ago.

Now, his physical strength was enough to crush a Low Grade Spiritual Artifact!

If he were to face Xiong Meng's heavy blow again today, he would remain completely unscathed.

As for his spirit pets—

Ink Shadow had completely absorbed the power of that second-rank Medium Grade Wind Nether Stone and advanced to the second rank half a year ago, aided by that second-rank Low Grade Beast Essence Pill.

The advancement of a Yao Beast is not like a human's Foundation Establishment.

Just like his Body Refining, it is an advancement of blood and qi power.

There are basically no celestial phenomena.

Therefore, not a single person knew that he now possessed second-rank strength.

On the other hand, Xingwen, the Earth-rank Spirit Beast Array Patterned Turtle, was also doing well. With the help of Top-Grade Spirit Stones and a large amount of first-rank spiritual materials, it had crossed two minor Realms.

Now it was also at first-rank Great Perfection, allowing him to casually set up Quasi-Second Tier Formations.

Second-tier Body Refining.

Second-rank spirit pet.

Quasi-Second Tier Formations.

With this three-pronged approach, an ordinary Early Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator was no longer his match in a direct confrontation.

This meant he had truly put down roots in the Immortal City.

A flash of exhaustion crossed his face.

He brought over a copper mirror.

Beneath the sharp light in his eyes, the whites were filled with many bloodshot veins.

The sense of urgency in his heart had driven him to Cultivate day and night without pause.

Over the past few years.

He had basically never stepped out of his Immortal Cave's entrance.

Only when cultivation resources were extremely scarce did he ask Chu Linger to borrow some.

By now.

He, the Master, actually owed his servant over twenty thousand Spirit Stones.

It was simply a reversal of the natural order.

"I must find a way to earn money; this kind of unsustainable draining of resources is something even Chu Linger, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, won't be able to withstand."

The last time she brought him Body Refining spiritual materials, her expression had already been very reluctant.

When he asked her how much was left, she said she still had over ten thousand Spirit Stones to spend freely.

But Xu Changsheng estimated there were probably only a few thousand left.

In other words.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and the disciple of an Immortal Master at that, had been bled dry by him.

"Now that I have second-rank strength, there's no need to be so timid anymore."

With that thought in mind.

He sent a burst of spiritual power into a communication talisman.

...

Half an hour later.

The main door was knocked open.

Chu Linger walked into the Immortal Cave with a look of dread on her face.

Her voice trembled: "Mas... Master, how many more Spirit Stones do you need?"

"I might need to spend some effort to raise them."

Her pitiful appearance made it seem as though she had just come out of a dark room.

Xu Changsheng gave an apologetic smile: "I'm not here to borrow Spirit Stones from you, but to ask for a favor."

"Please speak, Master."

"I want to rent a shop to sell second-rank talismans. Can you arrange it?"

Hearing this.

Chu Linger was first taken aback.

Then she looked puzzled: "Master, do you have a cultivation craft? The annual rent for a shop in the Immortal City is not cheap. If you just do some reselling, the effort will only be enough to cover the rent."

Xu Changsheng replied proudly: "Of course I do. I am a Talisman Master."

Chu Linger's eyes lit up, and she asked tentatively: "This is the first time Master has mentioned this. Did you just enter the trade not long ago? Low Grade first-rank Talismans don't sell for much money."

"What do you mean first-rank Low Grade? I am a Quasi Second-Rank Talisman Master."

"Ah." A look of surprise appeared in Chu Linger's eyes.

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

Over the next two hours.

They discussed the initial profit-sharing method.

Xu Changsheng would be responsible for providing the Talismans and take seventy percent of the net profit, while Chu Linger would be responsible for the shop's management and take the remaining thirty percent.

...

Three days later.

On the central avenue running through Yellow Ox Immortal City.

A shop named 'Spirit Talisman Workshop' appeared.

To express his apologies, Xu Changsheng personally organized the shop's decoration, the hiring of attendants, the grand opening, and other matters.

Coincidentally, on the day of the opening.

Xu Changsheng received a message from Chu Linger.

"Master, don't worry about the Spirit Talisman Workshop for now. After I've taken care of that cheap childhood friend disciple of mine for two years, Master has finally agreed to tell me information about the foundation establishment pill."

Hearing this.

Xu Changsheng's expression shifted.

"Just information? Not giving it directly?"

"Yes. Have you heard of the Hongyun Arena in the East District?"

"I've heard something about it."

The Hongyun Arena was a special arena prepared by Yellow Ox Immortal City for Qi Refining Cultivators.

Every day, a Puppet with strength roughly equivalent to the Late Stage of Qi Refining would be placed on the arena.

Any Loose Cultivator could spend ten Spirit Stones each day to go up and challenge it.

A piece of loot worth between one to five thousand Spirit Stones would be randomly placed inside the Puppet.

If you defeated the Puppet, you could obtain it.

It was said that someone had once obtained a foundation establishment pill from the arena.

"Then I don't need to say more. Master said there's a foundation establishment pill in tomorrow's prize pool, and I've already gotten the ticket for Master to go on stage."

"When it's Master's turn, as long as you beat the Puppet, you can get the foundation establishment pill."

Hearing this, Xu Changsheng fell into thought.

He didn't care about a mere first-rank Puppet.

"In that case, there really is a great chance for this foundation establishment pill."

With this thought.

After giving a few instructions, he walked out of the shop's entrance.

Although he already had one foundation establishment pill, he still shamelessly asked Chu Linger for the one from Yellow Ox.

Although he had improved his cultivation Aptitude through the Spirit Spring.

It was only Medium Grade after all.

Only those with a High Grade Spiritual Root or above would be relatively certain of a successful Foundation Establishment on the first try after taking a foundation establishment pill.

So even though he now had two foundation establishment spiritual objects and the success rate bonus from the Spirit Spring, he still wasn't completely at ease.

He had the marrow protecting pill, which allowed him to try again if Foundation Establishment failed.

If it truly came to that, this second foundation establishment pill would come in handy.

While pondering.

He had already arrived at the Hongyun Arena.

To his surprise, the place was already packed with people.

He even saw some old familiar faces.