Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

He sat down again, his tone serious: "Zhao'er, we can accept the Qiao family's goodwill, but we must also maintain a proper distance."

The situation in the market is becoming increasingly complex. Although the Qiao family appears neutral, their ability to establish themselves among Foundation Establishment cultivators suggests they have their own methods for survival.

"I understand." Lin Zhao nodded. "Today she specifically mentioned that she could help keep an eye out for items at the auction house, but I didn't respond."

"Well done," Lin's father praised. "The Lin family isn't suited to getting too close to any one side, however..."

He then changed the subject, saying, "Since the Qiao family has shown goodwill, we don't need to be so dismissive. If we meet at the auction house in the future, just be polite."

Lin's father stood up and patted his son on the shoulder: "I will report these matters to the family, and the family will handle them."

Your most important task right now is cultivation. As for Xuan'er...

He sighed softly, "Since this is the path she has chosen, let her forge her own path. The Lin family can still protect a promising young member."

That night, the light in the study of the Lin family shop stayed on until dawn.

Inside the cultivation room, Lin Zhao sat cross-legged and began circulating his cultivation technique, the "Five Elements Rhythm Spirit Technique."

His seventh-level Qi Refining Divine Sense allowed him to control every wisp of spiritual energy with ease and fluidity.

The flow of spiritual energy within the meridians became clearer than ever before.

He keenly perceived those subtle damages that were usually imperceptible, which, though not fatal, were eroding his foundation like anthills.

"So this is the price of using elixirs for cultivation," he sighed inwardly.

Fortunately, he hadn't taken any pills during the early stages of Qi cultivation, so his foundation was quite solid, and these injuries were still minor.

He had also considered cultivating without taking pills, but the problem was that Lin Zhao possessed four spiritual roots, so if he didn't rely on pills...

They might never even reach the threshold of the late stage of Qi Refining in their entire lives, let alone Foundation Establishment.

On the path of cultivating immortality, there is rarely a way to have it all.

Since you've chosen to use elixirs to quickly improve, you have to bear the corresponding price.

The key lies in how to make choices and find a balance between cultivation and foundation.

At this moment, Lin Zhao's mind stirred slightly, and the "Taihe Yangyuan Gong" began to operate.

Since that night on the rooftop where he had his epiphany, his probability of entering a state of oneness with nature has greatly increased.

At this moment, the two cultivation techniques resonated in a wondrous way within the body, with an invisible bridge connecting them.

This time, "Taihe Yangyuan Gong" took the lead, while "Wuxing Yunling Jue" took a backseat.

Guided by divine sense, spiritual energy flowed slowly through the meridians, smoothing out any minor damage to the meridian walls wherever it passed.

This is a hidden danger left over from long-term use of elixirs. It's usually difficult to detect, but now that my divine sense has broken through to the later stages, I can perceive these things.

When he finished practicing, Lin Zhao could clearly feel the difference.

Although his cultivation level hadn't improved at all, his spiritual energy flowed more smoothly and without hindrance. He examined the remaining Gathering Yuan Pills in his storage bag and made up his mind.

"Haste makes waste," he murmured to himself.

In the coming days, he planned to stop taking the pills and focus on conditioning his body and mind with the "Taihe Yangyuan Gong".

This practice emphasizes the foundation, stressing the balance of Yin and Yang and nourishing the source, making it the best choice to resolve the hidden dangers of elixirs.

In the month or so leading up to the auction, Lin Zhao practiced the "Taihe Yangyuan Gong" daily to nourish her meridians and mitigate the side effects of previous elixirs.

He was engrossed in drawing talismans, hoping to accumulate more spirit stones.

However, things didn't go as planned. With the auction approaching, all the demon-hunting teams returned to the market to prepare spirit stones.

The temporary halt to procurement has resulted in talismans having value but no market, making it difficult to quickly convert them into spirit stones.

"I still lack experience and oversimplified things." Lin Zhao sighed helplessly as he looked at the pile of talismans in his hands.

These talismans will likely only be sold after the auction ends and the demon-hunting team replans its itinerary; it's a case of too little, too late.

Just when he was about to give up,

A few days before the auction.

Lin's father called him into the room and took out a heavy cloth bag, pushing it in front of him. "Here are two hundred and eighty spirit stones. Take them."

Lin Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly refused, "Father, I can't accept this!"

His talisman-making skills are now on par with his father's, and Lin Zhao knows exactly how many spirit stones his father can earn.

The expenses of my mother and brother in the clan's territory were mostly supported by my father.

This bag of spirit stones is probably all the savings my father has accumulated over many years of frugal living.

Lin's father remained calm and pushed the bag closer: "Between you and me, what distinction is there?"

What's mine is yours. Take it.

Looking into her father's unquestionable eyes, Lin Zhao choked up and silently accepted this heavy gift.

"And this too," Lin's father took out another jade slip, "This is part of the list of pills for this auction. Take a look."

Lin Zhao probed the jade slip with his divine sense, carefully browsing the information and starting prices of nearly fifty kinds of pills.

After a moment, he pointed to three of them.

"Huanglong Pill uses fifty-year-old Rehmannia glutinosa as its main ingredient. Its medicinal properties are mild and potent, making it most suitable for cultivators in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, as it can provide a continuous and stable supply of spiritual energy."

The effects of the Changchun Pill are long-lasting, and it can circulate in the meridians, reportedly extending the cultivation time by an hour.

"As for this Hundred Herbs Pill," he paused, "it's actually a simplified product made from ten spiritual herbs with mutually reinforcing attributes, whose medicinal properties are fused together."

It is said that its formula is derived from the famous Foundation Establishment Elixir, Hundred Herbs Elixir.

Although its potency is less than one percent of the genuine product, it is still a rare and precious item for a Qi Refining stage cultivator.

Lin's father nodded approvingly, "You have good taste. These pills are several times more effective than the Gathering Yuan Pill."

Moreover, these three types of pills can be taken in rotation to avoid developing drug resistance.

However, which pills will ultimately be auctioned off will depend on the bidding situation at the time.

Inside the Qingfeng Auction House, the lights were on and people were bustling about.

The annual Qingfeng Festival brings together almost all the prominent cultivators in the market.

Seated in the ground floor hall were independent cultivators in the Qi Refining stage and members of small families.

The private rooms on the second floor were occupied by various demon-hunting teams and aristocratic families, who chatted and laughed among themselves.

The third floor is shrouded in a faint spiritual light, and only Foundation Establishment cultivators are allowed to enter. It is mysterious and majestic, and outsiders cannot see whether a Foundation Establishment cultivator is present.

The highest level, the fourth floor, is rumored to open only when distinguished guests arrive, and these distinguished guests are naturally the three major sects.

Lin Zhao sat down in an inconspicuous corner on the first floor, his gaze sweeping across the room, feeling a little nervous.

His goal today was clear: he had come for the elixir that could enhance his cultivation.

Whether he can acquire suitable elixirs at this auction will determine his cultivation progress over the next few years.

Even before the auction officially began, there was already an undercurrent of tension within the room.

Lin Zhao immediately spotted the familiar figure on the second floor: Liu Yifeng.

He was still dressed in white, elegant and charming, surrounded by the Golden Feather Demon Hunting Team and some members of the Liu family's collateral branches, chatting and laughing, clearly one of the focal points of the event.