Chapter 175: Elixir Refining Expert

"So Senior lives in Green Phoenix Residence; then we really are neighbors. This Hidden Dragon Residence is rented by our husband and wife; there are no elders here. If Senior doesn't mind, why not come in and sit for a while?" Xia Daoming smiled.

"This Hidden Dragon Residence is actually rented by you yourselves?" The woman in green couldn't help but reveal a trace of surprise upon hearing this.

However, soon, the woman in green returned to a smile and praised, "Truly, the younger generation is formidable!"

Only when she said this, a flash of contempt passed through the depths of her eyes.

"Senior, you flatter me!" Xia Daoming said modestly.

"This Hidden Dragon Residence originally housed a good friend of mine, but ever since he left half a year ago, he has never returned. I just passed by here and saw that there seemed to be movement inside, so I thought he had returned, and hurriedly went back to get some Immortal Mist Tea that I brought back from Purple Cloud Mountain a while ago."

"As a result, I didn't expect that this Hidden Dragon Residence had already changed hands. It seems he probably won't return again. If you don't mind me being long-winded, I will go in and sit for a while, and we can get to know each other. Please don't mind this Immortal Mist Tea as a greeting gift." As the woman in green said this, a beautifully packaged gift appeared in her hand, and she handed it to Xia Daoming.

"How could I! Senior, please come in." Xia Daoming bowed slightly to invite her.

Soon, the group returned to the purple bamboo pavilion.

At this time, the sun had not yet set, the lake surface was rippling, and there was mist rising, lingering around the distant islands, with a few spiritual birds and immortal cranes circling in the sky, as if it were an immortal realm.

Xia Daoming invited the woman in green to sit down.

Ji Ji Wenyue sat by the side to accompany her.

Liu Liu Qiaolian was busy serving tea and snacks, and boiling tea water.

After some self-introductions, Xia Daoming soon learned that the woman's name was Hu Hu Qiuyi, a loose cultivator.

Renting here was to borrow the spiritual energy environment here, as well as the vast resources and information of Changqing City, to seek the opportunity to break through to the Foundation Establishment mid-stage.

Generally speaking, a second-tier spiritual vein can satisfy the daily cultivation needs of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

But cultivating in a cave abode with a spiritual vein above the second tier, relatively speaking, Foundation Establishment cultivators will have a greater chance of comprehending the Dao and breaking through.

However, spiritual veins above the second tier are almost all controlled by powerful cultivation families and sects with False Core or even Jin Dan ancestors sitting in town. It is very difficult for loose cultivators like Hu Hu Qiuyi to possess spiritual veins above the second tier.

Even if by chance they occasionally obtain one, it is difficult to keep it.

Those powerful cultivation families and sects control spiritual veins above the second tier. For loose cultivators like Hu Hu Qiuyi, or Foundation Establishment cultivators who are just heads of small forces like Lu Lu Jinglong, there are only two ways to cultivate in places with spiritual veins above the second tier.

One is to join those forces that possess spiritual veins above the second tier and work for them.

One is to spend spirit stones to rent.

Generally, there are very few in the entire Great Liang Kingdom who have the ability and courage to rent out areas with spiritual veins above the second tier to outsiders; the Profound Heaven Sect's Changqing City is one of them.

Things are precious because they are rare.

Precisely because of this, the rental prices around Changqing Lake are very expensive.

But even so, it cannot stop some people's desire to become strong.

They would rather spend all their savings to come to Changqing Lake to gamble.

Hu Hu Qiuyi told Xia Daoming that the people who come to rent at Changqing Lake are mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators who are stuck at the breakthrough threshold or whose cultivation has fallen into a bottleneck; these people are here to gamble, betting their lives.

Next are Foundation Establishment cultivators with considerable wealth, followed by Qi Refinement Great Perfection cultivators, and then cultivators whose elders are very wealthy, such as them.

As she spoke, Hu Hu Qiuyi began to probe Xia Daoming's background.

However, Xia Daoming had lived two lives and was mature in his thinking, so how could he reveal his background to a Foundation Establishment cultivator he had just met?

He talked about other things and answered very ambiguously.

Ultimately, Xia Daoming got a lot of news from Hu Hu Qiuyi, while Hu Hu Qiuyi seemed to have gotten some information, but also seemed to have gotten nothing.

Soon, Hu Hu Qiuyi left with some disappointment.

She could see that this guy Xia Daoming was a bit slippery and unwilling to reveal his true background.

But no matter whether Xia Daoming revealed it or not, Hu Hu Qiuyi had already concluded that there was at least a very wealthy Foundation Establishment elder standing behind him.

And this Foundation Establishment elder was very likely at the Foundation Establishment late-stage or even peak.

Otherwise, as a Qi Refinement sixth-layer cultivator, how could he afford to live in this kind of place?

In reality, even for Foundation Establishment cultivators, if they don't have a large source of spirit stone income, living here for a long time would also lead to bankruptcy.

"Master, those who live in this place are truly either rich or noble! Look, this Senior Hu, the greeting gift she gave casually is worth twenty or thirty spirit stones," Liu Liu Qiaolian couldn't help but sigh after Hu Hu Qiuyi left.

"So the circle is very important. Look, we live in this kind of place, and without doing anything, others take the initiative to come to our door to send spirit stones," Xia Daoming smiled.

"You are thinking beautifully. Others send gifts to your door; don't you have to return a gift another day?" Ji Ji Wenyue smiled and rolled her eyes at Xia Daoming.

"Most of the people living here are Foundation Establishment cultivators. As juniors, even if we have to return a gift, a slight gesture is enough," Xia Daoming said.

Liu Liu Qiaolian and Ji Ji Wenyue were both stunned upon hearing this.

Sometimes, they really couldn't see through their own man.

When he was serious, he was truly a towering husband and man.

But when he wasn't serious, he was truly shameless, leaving people speechless.

Green Phoenix Residence.

"What kind of people live in Hidden Dragon Residence? What is their cultivation?" An old man with a withered face asked Hu Hu Qiuyi.

"Just three young people at the Qi Refinement sixth layer. I originally wanted to lure out the elders behind them, but that young man was very slippery and refused to reveal anything no matter what," Hu Hu Qiuyi replied. Her face no longer had the soft smile from just now, but instead carried a trace of anger and annoyance.

"Qi Refinement sixth layer living in Hidden Dragon Residence, there is absolutely no need. It seems the elders behind them are not simple at all, being so willing to waste spirit stones!" The old man with a withered face revealed a look of surprise.

"Yes, at least they are Foundation Establishment late-stage. It's even possible they are descendants of some False Core or Jin Dan ancestor who got tired of staying in the mountains and wanted to live a different life in a prosperous and lively place," Hu Hu Qiuyi said.

"Since that's the case, don't worry about them. Anyway, they are only at the Qi Refinement sixth layer. Even if they have some spirit stones on them, it's estimated they won't be much. If we really provoke their elders to pursue us, it would be troublesome instead."

"It's better to be like loose cultivators like Wanyan Feng, who not only carry a lot of family assets with them, but as long as we do it cleanly, there won't be any future trouble," the withered old man said.

"Hmm, I think so too. Anyway, we just did a job more than half a year ago, enough for us to spend for a few years cultivating here. It's good to be safe for ten or eight years first," Hu Hu Qiuyi said.

"Time flies. Don't look at the fact that we still have several decades of lifespan, but in the blink of an eye, the deadline will arrive. So, you still need to spend more energy on that line of Shang Rui."

"If we can really take her down, then we can truly be safe for many years, and we can also move to Green Dragon Pavilion to live for a long time. That is one of the nodes of the spiritual vein under Changqing Lake. Cultivating there for a long time, there is a glimmer of hope for Core Formation, at least there is hope for Foundation Establishment late-stage," the withered old man said.

"That old woman Shang Rui has a lonely personality; getting along with her is truly uncomfortable. If it weren't for the fact that she is an elixir refiner and her savings must be extremely astonishing, I really wouldn't want to suffer that kind of pain," Hu Hu Qiuyi said.

——

Changqing Lake, Bai Ze Residence.

On this day, Shang Rui, who was sitting cross-legged facing the lake, suddenly twitched her nose and looked toward the direction of Hidden Dragon Residence with a trace of surprise.

However, soon, the corners of her mouth curled into a sneer, she withdrew her gaze, and then slowly closed her eyes again.

The sun gradually rose from behind Profound Heaven Immortal Mountain, finally spilling dazzling golden light over the entire Changqing City.

At this time, a sound transmission talisman flew in.

"Sister Rui, are you home? I happened to pass by Yunxiang Studio today and saw they had just made some Qionghua Jade Dew Cakes. Knowing you like them best, I bought some back."

The sound transmission talisman turned into Hu Hu Qiuyi's soft and pleasant voice.

Hearing Hu Hu Qiuyi's voice, under the sunlight, a smile appeared on that face that didn't show many wrinkles.

However, soon, the smile on her face disappeared, replaced by an aloof and coldness that kept people at a distance.

"Push the door and come in directly!" Shang Rui pinched a spell with her five fingers and said in a cold voice.

Outside the door, Hu Hu Qiuyi's smile remained unchanged upon hearing this. She gently pushed open the door, walked through the courtyard with familiarity, and came to the terrace facing Changqing Lake.

"Sister Rui, you aren't refining elixirs today; it's just right to taste this freshly baked Qionghua Yulu Cake," Hu Hu Qiuyi smiled and raised the exquisite basket in her hand.

"Hmm!" Shang Rui nodded coldly.

Seeing this, Hu Hu Qiuyi sat down beside her familiarly, took out the pastries and placed them on the table, and then took out the teapot herself to boil tea water.

"Sister Rui, do you know? A few days ago, three newcomers moved into Hidden Dragon Residence. Guess what their cultivation is?" Hu Hu Qiuyi asked while boiling tea water.

"Hidden Dragon Residence?" Shang Rui remembered the trace of aura that had drifted over earlier; that was an aura that only appeared when opening the furnace to take out elixirs. A slight change appeared in the expression on her face, but it returned to aloofness and coldness in the blink of an eye, and she didn't answer Hu Hu Qiuyi's question, just casually picked up a Qionghua Yulu Cake.

Hu Hu Qiuyi saw that Shang Rui disdained to answer, and she wasn't ashamed or angry, but paused and continued: "It's actually just a young man at the Qi Refinement sixth layer, bringing a wife at the Qi Refinement sixth layer and a maid at the Qi Refinement sixth layer. I don't know what background that young man has; he's only at the Qi Refinement sixth layer and actually lives in Hidden Dragon Residence."

Upon hearing this, Shang Rui's expression changed slightly again, but it returned to its original state in the blink of an eye. However, this time, she finally opened her mouth and said: "It's just a spoiled child who relies on the shade of elders, only knows how to squander, and doesn't know how to be frugal."

"Sister Rui is right. Otherwise, a mere Qi Refinement sixth-layer cultivator, let alone this Changqing Lake, would be lucky to find a decent residence in the outer city."

"But for a mere Qi Refinement sixth layer to live in Changqing Lake, the elders behind him are estimated to be very simple. Perhaps they are also a brilliant elixir refiner like Sister Rui. Only elixir refiners like you are willing to spend like this," Hu Hu Qiuyi said.

It was rare to be able to arouse a trace of interest in Shang Rui, so Hu Hu Qiuyi immediately followed this topic and took the opportunity to flatter Shang Rui.

"There is no line of work that is easy to make money in; elixir refiners are also not easy. Look at me, in the early stages, for the sake of elixir refining techniques, I wasted most of my life and delayed my cultivation. Later, when I wanted to catch up, it was already too late. Now that my deadline is approaching, what is the use of having more spirit stones?" Shang Rui shook her head.

A trace of loneliness and sentimentality added to her cold and rigid face.

"Ah, Sister Rui, your deadline is actually approaching? Then what should be done, what should be done!" Hu Hu Qiuyi said with a panicked and sad face, but a flash of surprise passed through the depths of her eyes.

This was a very important piece of information.

"Look at fate. If fate is good and I can get elixirs or spiritual fruits that extend life, perhaps there is still hope," Shang Rui said.

"Foundation Establishment cultivators have already defied heaven and changed their fate, with a lifespan of two hundred years, which mortals cannot compare to. So, it is easy for mortals to extend their lives by ten or eight years, but it is very difficult for us!"

"Even if there are elixirs or spiritual fruits that extend life, the price must be extremely expensive, not... I forgot Sister Rui's identity; spirit stones are not a problem, the key is for this kind of elixir or spiritual fruit to appear."

"Sister Rui, don't worry, good people have their own heaven's help. This Changqing City relies on the Profound Heaven Sect and gathers cultivators from all over the place. As long as you inquire well, it is not impossible for this kind of elixir or spiritual fruit to appear. I will also try my best to help Sister Rui inquire," Hu Hu Qiuyi said.

"Let it be!" Shang Rui said a sentence, and then closed her mouth and said nothing. It was all Hu Hu Qiuyi talking to herself.

Even so, Hu Hu Qiuyi stayed in Bai Ze Residence for half a day, and always had a smile on her face, without the slightest impatience.

After Hu Hu Qiuyi left, Bai Ze Residence returned to quietness.

Shang Rui watched the direction Hu Hu Qiuyi left, and a trace of tenderness rose in the depths of her eyes.

Her acquaintance with Hu Hu Qiuyi originated from a chance encounter.

Hu Hu Qiuyi said she looked like her late sister and called her 'Sister', which touched her heartstrings.

Later, she discovered that both of them lived in the same area of Changqing Lake, so Hu Hu Qiuyi came to visit her every few days.

At first, Shang Rui, who was used to being alone, was a bit repulsive, but every time Hu Hu Qiuyi talked about her sister, Shang Rui would soften a bit and didn't issue an eviction order.

After several years like this, gradually, Shang Rui remained cold on the surface, but her heart was no longer repulsive to Hu Hu Qiuyi. Sometimes, when Hu Hu Qiuyi hadn't come for a long time, she would feel a bit unaccustomed.

Perhaps it was because of talking about the deadline today that her calm state of mind was stirred, or perhaps it was because a Qi Refinement sixth-layer realm lived in Hidden Dragon Residence and could refine elixirs, and the aura smelled like it had reached the first-tier high-grade level, which somewhat aroused a trace of curiosity in Shang Rui.

Evening.

Shang Rui, who hadn't gone out for many days, rarely went out for a walk along the lake.

Walking on the small path by the lake, when she was about to reach Hidden Dragon Residence, Shang Rui subconsciously raised her eyes to look.

Under the sunset.

A woman wearing Cloud Neon Immortal Clothing was sitting alone on the eaves enjoying the lake view. In her hand, she was holding a handful of elixirs, occasionally taking one to feed a Golden-Feathered Eagle standing beside her.

The afterglow of the sunset gently spilled on the side of a woman's face, setting off the golden feathers of the Golden-Feathered Eagle, plating her silhouette with a layer of faint golden radiance. Her hair fluttered gently, as if it were a silk ribbon in the breeze.

"Wu Yue'er!" Shang Rui's body trembled slightly, and her eyes suddenly widened.

Ji Ji Wenyue felt someone walking over and looking at her, and subconsciously turned her head to look.

She saw an old woman with a youthful face and white hair, wearing a gray Taoist robe. At this time, she was blankly looking at her.

Ji Ji Wenyue saw that it was an old woman, not some lecherous scoundrel in the cultivation world, so she immediately showed a smile to Shang Rui and politely waved her hand from afar.

"So alike, too alike!" Seeing Ji Ji Wenyue turn her head, the expression on Shang Rui's face became more and more surprised, muttering in her mouth, and her eye sockets turned red unknowingly.

Soon, the usually aloof Shang Rui took the initiative to walk toward Hidden Dragon Residence.

Seeing Shang Rui walking toward Hidden Dragon Residence, Ji Ji Wenyue hurriedly flew down from the eaves.

"Ji Wenyue greets Senior." Ji Ji Wenyue took the initiative to open the door and humbly bowed to Shang Rui.

"Ji Wenyue? Your name is Ji Wenyue?" Shang Rui's expression was a bit excited.

"Yes, Senior, have you heard my name before?" Ji Ji Wenyue asked with a confused face.

She was a bit regretful now.

This old woman's look at her was a bit strange, a bit like she was mentally abnormal.

Fortunately, Changqing Lake is the most core and high-end area of Changqing City.

On the more than twenty small islands scattered like stars in the lake, a Jin Dan ancestor, two False Core ancestors, and many Foundation Establishment cultivators are stationed all year round, and no one dares to commit crimes or cause trouble here.

Therefore, Ji Ji Wenyue was not worried that this woman would commit crimes against her.

"My sister, with the single name 'Wu Yue'," Shang Rui replied. Her expression had returned to calm, but the look she gave Ji Ji Wenyue was not as cold as when she looked at others, but added a trace of kindness and intimacy.

"So that's how it is; that's a coincidence," Ji Ji Wenyue said.

"Is your husband in? I am Shang Rui of Bai Ze Residence, and I want to see him," Shang Rui said.

"So you are Senior Shang Rui of Bai Ze Residence! A while ago, Senior Hu Hu Qiuyi specifically mentioned you, saying you are an elixir refining expert!" Ji Ji Wenyue looked at Shang Rui with a face full of surprise.

At the beginning, Hu Hu Qiuyi specifically reminded them that Shang Rui had a relatively lonely personality and didn't like to be disturbed.

But Ji Ji Wenyue naturally wouldn't say this.

"So Hu Qiuyi has already mentioned me to you; then I don't need to waste my breath," Shang Rui said.

"Ji Wenyue, Senior Shang has arrived; why don't you invite her in to sit?" Just at this time, Xia Daoming and Liu Liu Qiaolian had already arrived together upon hearing the news.

Ji Ji Wenyue was slightly stunned upon hearing this, and then hurriedly said: "Senior, excuse me, please come in."

Shang Rui frowned slightly and looked at Xia Daoming, her gaze a bit disdainful and cold, and then she nodded to Ji Ji Wenyue, entered the courtyard, and entered the reception hall.

The three of them sat down as host and guest, and Liu Liu Qiaolian went to prepare tea and snacks.

"This morning, I was breathing and refining Qi by the lake and smelled a trace of elixir fragrance. It should have been you opening the furnace to refine elixirs. I don't know which elixir refiner you studied under?" After sitting down, Shang Rui looked at Xia Daoming and asked with an expressionless face.

"Senior, you misunderstood. It is Ji Wenyue who refines elixirs. I don't have any talent in elixir refining, but I have some knowledge in identification," Xia Daoming smiled.

"It's actually you!" Shang Rui was first surprised, then happy, and then the look she gave Xia Daoming inexplicably added a trace of contempt and disgust.

"Yes, Junior was still thinking a few days ago about when there would be an opportunity to ask Senior for advice!" Ji Ji Wenyue said.

"Who did you study elixir refining under?" Shang Rui didn't express anything, but turned to ask about Ji Ji Wenyue's teacher.

"Replying to Senior, I don't have any teacher. It's just that my family had some records of elixir refining and elixir formulas, so I followed them and learned randomly. Later, I went to collect some elixir refining techniques and elixir formulas, and gradually figured out a little bit of the way," Ji Ji Wenyue replied.

"Self-taught and actually able to refine first-tier high-grade elixirs!" Shang Rui revealed an incomparably shocked expression upon hearing this.

"How did Senior know I could refine first-tier high-grade elixirs? But the success rate is very low," Ji Ji Wenyue was first surprised, and then a bit embarrassed.

"When you opened the furnace this morning, I could basically judge it from the aura I smelled. As for the low success rate, that doesn't count for anything at all. How many elixir refiners have never refined a high-grade high-grade elixir in their entire lives?"

"How old are you, and you are self-taught; those elixir refiners wouldn't even be worthy of carrying your shoes," Shang Rui said. By the end, the look she gave Ji Ji Wenyue was already shining.

"I said long ago that my Wu Yue'er is an elixir refining genius. Now that she has been recognized by Senior Shang, it must be correct," Xia Daoming smiled with a face full of pride and triumph, as if he himself were an elixir refining genius.

Seeing Xia Daoming smiling with a face full of pride and triumph, Shang Rui seemed to have thought of something, and the look she gave him became more and more disdainful and disgusted.

Uh!

This old woman's look at me is getting more and more wrong!

She wouldn't think I'm eating Ji Wenyue's soft rice, would she?

Or is it that she has been hurt by men, so she hates any man who is slightly handsome?

That shouldn't be; I am ordinary in appearance and harmless to humans and animals.

Xia Daoming soon discovered that Shang Rui's look at him was wrong, which made him feel very unhappy.

However, unhappy is unhappy. She is old, her cultivation is high, and most importantly, the other party is an elixir refiner. Perhaps she can give Ji Ji Wenyue some pointers, so there is no need to show a face or drive her out of the door just because of a few looks from the other party.

"Husband, Senior Shang is an elixir refining expert. You say that in front of her, aren't you afraid she will laugh at you?" Ji Ji Wenyue rolled her eyes at Xia Daoming upon hearing this, and then hurriedly turned to Shang Rui and said: "Senior Shang, please don't laugh at me. That was all my blind tossing; I will have to ask you for more advice in the future."

"He is right. You are self-taught and have refined first-tier high-grade elixirs; you can indeed be considered an elixir refining genius. However, the path of elixir techniques, besides diligent practice, also requires more exchange and discussion. Only with the guidance of a master can you continuously improve, take fewer detours, and waste fewer medicinal materials."

"Only in this way can elixir refining techniques help you continuously accumulate cultivation resources and help you cultivate faster, instead of playing with things and losing your ambition, dragging down your cultivation progress."

"You not only look like my late sister, but your name also has the word 'Wu Yue'. Now we are neighbors; speaking of which, in the dark, it can be considered fate."

"If you want me to give you pointers on elixir refining techniques, it is possible, but I have one condition." After saying this, Shang Rui paused and glanced at Xia Daoming.

Xia Daoming's heart couldn't help but thump.

Damn, it wouldn't be that bloody, would this old woman require Ji Ji Wenyue to break up with me?

But don't say, the space between this old woman's eyebrows really looks a bit like Ji Wenyue's, and I don't know how much her sister looked like Ji Wenyue.

"Really? What condition, Senior Shang, please say," Ji Ji Wenyue didn't think so much and was overjoyed upon hearing this.

After groping alone for so many years, the number of confused questions Ji Ji Wenyue had accumulated in her heart was increasing. Recently, her elixir refining techniques had progressed slowly, and she had long wanted to find someone to ask for advice and solve her doubts.

It's just that the status of an elixir refiner is transcendent and noble, and they cherish their own things. If you are not their disciple, how could they easily give you pointers?

Now that she had finally met an elixir refining expert willing to give her pointers, Ji Ji Wenyue was naturally overjoyed.

PS: Today is still two chapters combined, update completed. I will try my best to write, write the story well step by step, and I hope book friends will support genuine subscriptions as much as possible.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 176 =====