Chapter 235: Wealth as the Path to Cultivation: Condensing Qi into the Primordial Core

"Little Liu, what brings you here today?"

Li Rui looked at Liu Tong.

Since arriving in Qinghe, Liu Tong had frequently visited Li Rui; their relationship was fairly good.

"Chief, I've finally got some free time and wanted to invite you for a drink at Zui Xian Pavilion."

Liu Tong grinned.

Li Rui held a favorable impression of Liu Tong—his talent was solid, his mind sharp, and crucially, he wasn't afraid to humble himself.

A good young man.

Li Rui chuckled lightly:

"Brat, keep your dirty tricks to yourself—I won't do it."

At this,

Liu Tong panicked: "No, Chief!"

Li Rui narrowed his eyes at Liu Tong.

'Caught the little brat by the tail.'

Since arriving in Qinghe, Liu Tong had often come to visit him, but in the past two months he hadn't shown up once; as far as Li Rui knew, Huaqing Sect had received official approval for trade, and Liu Tong was also engaged in commerce with Wu Country.

Now, out of nowhere, with no festival or occasion, he shows up.

As the saying goes: no one visits the Three Jewels without a purpose.

Li Rui guessed, it was almost certainly about the trade.

The Heaven's Alliance's trade activities weren't hidden—and couldn't be hidden.

Dozens of heavily laden carts, stuffed with goods, mixed with weapons—even if both sides had been bribed, you couldn't be so foolish as to openly sell them.

Others might not know they were selling weapons, but the Heaven's Alliance had a thousand mouths; word of such big profits couldn't be kept secret.

Especially since Liu Tong was a longtime member of the Heaven's Alliance.

Liu Tong must have heard the rumors about the Heaven's Alliance's trade and came here because of it.

Liu Tong hurriedly said: "Chief, I'm here only for myself, no connection to Huaqing Sect—just let me join you."

He'd been in the Heaven's Alliance for so many years; he had plenty of acquaintances.

But he'd heard:

The profits from this trade run by the Heaven's Alliance were no less than what Huaqing Sect made on a single trip.

Hearing this, his heart burned with desire.

Doing trade for Huaqing Sect was just fulfilling your duty—no mistakes, but no glory either.

He'd come to Qinghe carrying his father-in-law's expectations.

If he couldn't accomplish something useful for his father-in-law, it would be a waste.

What counted as useful?

Information that brought profit—or direct profit itself.

Connecting his father-in-law directly with the Heaven's Alliance was undoubtedly a good idea; in all of Huaqing Sect, only he could pull it off.

That's why he'd rushed over to find Li Rui.

Li Rui looked at Liu Tong with a half-smile: "If it were just you, given our friendship, I'd just give you a share."

His thoughts exposed, Liu Tong grew uneasy:

"A wife follows her husband's fate—I and my father-in-law are one family."

Li Rui rolled his eyes: "Get lost."

Though his patron was Jiang Lin, the top Elder of Huaqing Sect, matters were matters—he was in the weapons business, and the fewer people who knew, the better.

Even within the Heaven's Alliance, only the Alliance Master and a few Vice Masters were cleared to know.

And apart from Li Rui and Ning Zhongtian, no one else knew the full picture—precisely to minimize the risk of leaks.

How could he possibly bring Liu Tong's father-in-law, a Huaqing Sect Elder, into this?

Liu Tong saw at once that he had no chance; he couldn't hide his disappointment.

Seeing Liu Tong's dejected expression, Li Rui said:

"Little Liu, do you remember what I told you before?"

Liu Tong looked up, blinking.

'Stay in Qinghe for ten years, and you'll reap rewards.'

In his mind, he recalled Zhou Shulin, Liang He, and the time he'd drunk with Li Rui at Zui Xian Pavilion, when Li Rui had said those words to him.

He knew things couldn't be rushed.

But ten years?

He was only in his twenties—he couldn't possibly wait another ten.

By the time he returned with merit, his beautiful bride would be middle-aged.

Who knew whose wife she'd be by then.

"But, Chief… I really can't wait anymore."

Li Rui looked at Liu Tong's pained face and sighed inwardly.

Sometimes, a life too smooth in one's early years isn't a blessing—Liu Tong had been too fortunate in Qinghe and in Huaqing Sect, rising swiftly on petty cleverness, but now that he'd hit a hard wall, he'd lost his composure.

Ten years?

He'd endured fifty—he still had to endure now, didn't he?

He simply lacked the patience.

"Then keep enduring."

In the end, Liu Tong left the Trade Office disappointed; Li Rui wasn't a living Buddha—he couldn't fulfill everyone's dreams, and he himself was a clay Buddha Suishikenengluoruhezhong.

The Heaven's Alliance's second trade run proceeded quietly.

To outsiders,

it seemed the Heaven's Alliance merely dealt in herbs and minerals.

A month later, Huang Chui and Fei Laosan returned with vast wealth; the Heaven's Alliance was now dripping with riches.

Before long,

half a year passed.

"Think carefully—if you help me uncover what the Heaven's Alliance is selling, I'll get you into the Inner Sect."

A stern-faced old man stared at Liu Tong.

This man was Jiang Haitao, the chief Elder of Huaqing Sect's Qinghe branch and Jiang Lin's cousin.

Liu Tong looked at Jiang Haitao, his eyes flickering with conflict.

Today,

he'd been suddenly summoned by this Elder, wondering what it was about—then he heard these words.

The Jiang family was powerful; as a Jiang Elder, Jiang Haitao could easily make someone an Inner Sect disciple.

An Inner Sect disciple!

It meant more resources, true core status in Huaqing Sect—even Han Qin had only just become one today; if he entered the Inner Sect, it would be a meteoric rise.

Liu Tong's heart burned.

If he became an Inner Sect disciple, he wouldn't need to keep stressing over marrying into a family.

"Elder Jiang, the Heaven's Alliance is my former sect—it's where my loved ones are."

Jiang Haitao narrowed his eyes slightly:

"Oh?"

"Then I'll add a fifth-grade elixir."

Liu Tong grinned: "Elder Jiang, I'll get it done for you."

Seeing how compliant this young disciple was, Jiang Haitao nodded in satisfaction: "Go. Don't disappoint me—or you know what happens."

Watching Liu Tong leave,

Jiang Haitao sneered:

"Li Rui."

"You really think killing one of my Jiang family members lets you walk free?"

He didn't send Liu Tong to investigate the Heaven's Alliance for its trade profits—Huaqing Sect was a major sect; it didn't care about such petty gains.

The real reason was Li Rui's killing of Jiang Baichuan.

Jiang Baichuan hadn't died by Li Rui's hand, but everything stemmed from Li Rui.

If he couldn't kill the Sect Master, could he not kill a sixth-rank official?

Jiang Ding had approached him many times; if Jiang Lin was the Jiang family's face, the one who upheld their prestige, Jiang Ding was the one who truly managed their affairs—he dared not offend him.

"Then let him die."

Jiang Haitao's eyes flashed with cold light.

There were many ways to kill a man.

No need to get your own hands dirty—such crude methods were beneath him.

The Heaven's Alliance's sudden wealth from trade

was obviously suspicious; with a mole digging carefully, they'd find the truth—and then use the rules to kill Li Rui. "Ants dare meddle in Jiang family affairs."

"Die!"

In Dongcheng of Qinghe County, a two-court house had stood vacant for a long time.

Even at midnight, no lamps were lit; the place was pitch black.

Only moonlight allowed faint visibility.

"Master, Master Jiang, it's all taken care of."

Liang He stood respectfully to one side.

"Good, you may go."

Li Rui waved his hand and said to Jiang Linxian beside him: "Master Jiang, the goods sent via canal should reach Jingcheng soon."

"Mm. I trust your handling."

=9+ Shu _ Ba

Jiang Linxian nodded, hands clasped behind his back.

Li Rui watched as the mountain of elixirs once piled in the room vanished instantly.

He clicked his tongue in admiration.

Jiang Linxian had sent all the profits allocated to the merchants to Jingcheng—even his own share.

He claimed he'd make up the difference gradually.

That was true vision.

Better to starve himself than let his elder brother suffer.

Of course, this was only possible because Jiang Linxian's personal wealth was vast enough to wait.

"By the way, send all future goods straight to Jingcheng. I'll settle my share once every three years."

Li Rui felt intense envy.

Once every three years.

That meant he had no shortage of funds at all!

After speaking, Jiang Linxian walked toward the door and vanished into the night.

Li Rui shut the door.

He walked over to Liang He outside: "Bring the men back."

Jiang Linxian's affairs must not be revealed to anyone; before Jiang arrived, Li Rui had already cleared the guards from the house, and only now, after the deed was done, did he recall them.

"Yes, Master."

Liang He immediately ran out of the house.

Soon after, he returned with Deputy Leader Tang Sheng standing at the gate.

Li Rui bowed to Tang Sheng: "Deputy Leader Tang, I entrust this place to you."

Tang Sheng chuckled: "Naturally."

A deputy leader of such stature willingly guarding the gate showed how seriously Li Rui took this place.

After personally arranging everything,

Li Rui finally departed, strolling back to his own house in Anning Guard.

"Master, you're back."

Wang Zhao and Yang Yong looked up as Li Rui pushed open the door.

Liu Tiezhu lived at the forge, Liang He had gone to the Heaven and Earth Alliance; the house had returned to its former quiet emptiness.

Li Rui had dinner with the two of them.

He walked a few laps around the courtyard before returning to his room.

As usual, he circled his Qi through a full Great Cycle, then took a wooden box the size of a human head from a nearby cabinet.

He lifted the lid.

An exotic fragrance surged forth.

Inside the large wooden box lay dozens of elixirs—mostly sixth-rank, with seven or eight fifth-rank elixirs among them.

These elixirs, of course, came from the merchant trade.

As the Grand Leader of the Heaven and Earth Alliance, wasn't it reasonable for him to enjoy a little early?

If his strength were insufficient, no amount of money given to his subordinates could be kept safe.

So Li Rui felt no guilt whatsoever.

Gazing at the elixirs in the wooden box, Li Rui swallowed hard.

"Money really is wonderful."

If he relied on himself alone, even with the Spirit Eye, he could never have gathered so many high-rank elixirs in just a few months.

No wonder many hands make light work.

Today, I prove the Dao through wealth!

He began.

Li Rui took one sixth-rank elixir from the large box and swallowed it.

Instantly,

the Xuanqi within his dantian became lively; the true qi, already filling the entire dantian, grew denser.

"Not enough."

Li Rui, expressionless, shoved two more elixirs into his mouth.

As the elixirs entered his belly, the Xuanqi blazed with purple-gold light; faint purple radiance could even be seen through his clothing.

"Not enough—again!"

This time, he swallowed three sixth-rank elixirs at once.

Instantly, the Xuanqi in his dantian boiled like raging water, swelling uncontrollably.

Four.

Five.

Ten!

"Break through!"

Li Rui's gaze burned hot; within his dantian, the Xuanqi now churned like an ocean of clouds, surging violently.

"Enough."

At this moment,

the large wooden box was nearly empty, with only seven fifth-rank elixirs resting quietly at the bottom.

Li Rui felt no regret—he grabbed two fifth-rank elixirs and shoved them into his mouth.

His cheeks bulged.

He swallowed with a gulp; the two elixirs ignited like sparks, fully igniting the Xuanqi in his dantian.

The Xuanqi exploded outward from his dantian, surging through every limb and vein.

Li Rui groaned in pleasure.

"Press on!"

This time, he grabbed two more elixirs and stuffed them into his mouth.

The Xuanqi reached its peak; his entire body glowed with noble purple-gold radiance.

Li Rui carefully sensed it.

"Not enough."

He paused briefly, then swallowed two more fifth-rank elixirs.

The medicinal effects of the two elixirs were instantly squeezed dry by his Wu Bone.

A brilliant light flashed in Li Rui's eyes!

"Condense!"

The Xuanqi, swollen to the brink of bursting, receded like a tide, retreating entirely back into his dantian.

A faint boom echoed in Li Rui's ears.

As if something had collapsed.

He looked into his dantian.

Now, the previously gaseous Xuanqi began to solidify; the Xuan-forms and dragon-shapes formed from the Xuanqi became more distinct, adorned with mysterious, intricate patterns.

As if carved by divine hands—no mortal artisan could replicate such depth, radiating an aura of profound mystery.

"When true qi solidifies, it becomes true essence—the root of Qi!"

Li Rui couldn't help but let out a soft cry:

"Achieved!"

(End of Chapter)