Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improving Spiritual Root Aptitude

Bai Ruanyu suddenly turned her head and saw a figure standing against the light. The morning light outlined his silhouette, and the dazzling light made it difficult for her to see his face clearly.

Only when the person slowly entered the cave and the light and shadow faded did she see their appearance clearly, and she couldn't help but gasp:

"Wu Fan!?"

Although she had suspected it beforehand, seeing Wu Fan in person still left Bai Ruanyu with mixed feelings.

She clearly remembered that Wu Fan was only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, yet he was able to kill Liu Xi, who was at the late stage of Qi Refining. What was even more remarkable was that after killing Liu Xi, he did not take the opportunity to silence her and steal her treasure.

As the manager of Baidan Hall, she certainly had a lot of things on her, and most people wouldn't have let this opportunity pass them by.

Thinking this, Bai Ruanyu's gaze toward Wu Fan had become more unusual and affectionate.

Seeing her staring intently at him, Wu Fan raised his hand to touch his cheek, his tone tinged with curiosity: "Miss, is there something wrong with my face?"

Bai Ruanyu snapped out of her daze, nodded slightly in greeting, lowered her starry eyes to conceal her emotions, and said sincerely, "No, thank you for saving me, Fellow Daoist Wu. I thank you in advance."

"You're too kind, Miss."

Wu Fan waved his hand, not taking credit, and then changed the subject, "At that time, I happened to be meditating nearby to recover my magic power. I sensed the fluctuations of fighting around me, and when I rushed over, I saw Liu Xi pressing you step by step. It can be said that we are destined to meet."

Bai Ruanyu raised her eyes and softly asked, "Then Liu Xi, he..."

"Liu Xi had been locked in a fierce battle with the young lady for quite some time, and had already exhausted most of his magical power."

Wu Fan sighed, his tone tinged with "pain," and deliberately emphasized, "Although I got entangled with him, my cultivation level was far inferior. In the end, I gritted my teeth and used three high-grade magic artifacts to launch a sneak attack on him when he was off guard, and only then was I able to barely kill him."

He shook his head again, his face showing lingering fear. "I still feel lingering fear when I think about it now. It was all just luck. I saved up spirit stones for a long time to get those three magic artifacts."

This was a prepared statement he had already crafted in his mind, and Wu Fan delivered it with remarkable naturalness and without any flaws.

As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to suddenly remember something, and quickly raised his hand to pat the storage bag at his waist. He took out the soft sword magic weapon and the black steel shield from it and handed them back to Bai Ruanyu with both hands: "I almost forgot, these are your magic weapons, Miss. Return them to their rightful owner."

Bai Ruanyu reached out and took it, having no doubt about Wu Fan's explanation.

It's quite reasonable for someone at the fifth level of Qi Refining to rely on a one-time high-grade magic weapon to launch a sneak attack while cutting off someone in the late stage of Qi Refining.

She understood the subtext in Wu Fan's words.

This act not only risked his life but also resulted in the loss of a valuable magical artifact. He immediately smiled slightly and said firmly, "Fellow Daoist Wu saved my life. The Bai family will remember this kindness. When I return to my clan, I will definitely present you with generous gifts to repay your life-saving grace."

She paused slightly, her gaze sharpening, and then asked, "What are Fellow Daoist Wu's plans next?"

Upon hearing the promise of "generous gifts in return," Wu Fan nodded inwardly. But when he heard the follow-up question, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he thought to himself, "They've finally gotten to the heart of the matter."

His face showed a hint of bewilderment and helplessness, and he sighed softly: "With the chaos in Yunxi Market, my previous alchemy job is now gone. I can only try my luck in other markets and use my rudimentary alchemy skills to find a job and earn some spirit stones to gather enough resources for my future cultivation."

Bai Ruanyu's eyes flickered, and she had already made up her mind.

Wu Fan had saved his life, and more importantly, he was of upright character, not greedy for money or lustful, and had a talent for alchemy.

If we can really recruit him into the clan this time, it will not only be a way to repay a debt of gratitude, but also a way to add strength to the clan.

She pondered for a moment, then spoke gently but sincerely: "Fellow Daoist Wu's alchemy skills are quite remarkable, and it must be tiring for you to travel around looking for work. My Bai family has its own dedicated alchemy room, which also needs a capable alchemist to manage. Why don't you come back to the Bai family with me? I'll guarantee you a place in the alchemy room, and you'll receive a fixed monthly stipend of spirit stones. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"

Wu Fan was naturally willing.

His initial plan was to cultivate to the late stage of Qi Refining in the Hundred Pill Hall, while simultaneously raising his alchemy skills to the first-grade high level, before participating in the Falling Star Valley disciple assessment.

Only by joining a major sect can one have the opportunity to obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill and realize the hope of Foundation Establishment.

He had already learned the full picture of Falling Star Valley's methods of recruiting disciples from Jiang Ling during their last small gathering; there were three paths.

Firstly, those under the age of eighteen who possess a mid-grade spiritual root can participate in the entrance examination. The process is relatively simple, requiring only a trial of the heart and an investigation of family background.

Secondly, regardless of age, participants can take part in the competition held by Falling Star Valley. Those who rank highly can directly enter the valley, or they can enter the sect by using a skill of first-class or higher. Alchemy is naturally included in this category.

Thirdly, one can be recommended by the elders of the sect or by a family of cultivators. As long as one has spiritual roots, one can directly enter the sect.

Wu Fan initially planned to take the second path: to enter Falling Star Valley as a first-grade high-level alchemist when it recruited disciples again nine years later. Only if that didn't work out would he settle for participating in the competition.

However, the competition is extremely dangerous, with many cultivators losing their lives each time, making it a very risky event.

Now that Bai Ruanyu has been saved, as the eldest daughter of the Bai family, she may be able to ask for the Bai family's recommendation in the future, which will make entering the valley much easier. For now, she can find a safe place to live.

As for the conflict between the Bai and Deng families, and the emergence of third-party forces in Yunxi Market, Wu Fan was not without concerns.

The Bai family is clearly at a disadvantage right now, but the struggle between cultivation families is unlikely to lead to the extermination of the clan. At worst, they will be severely weakened and driven out of Qingxi County.

He only needs to focus on refining pills in the alchemy room and doesn't need to go to the front lines. If the time comes, he can leave and go far away.

After all, his relationship with the Bai family was merely one of employment and cooperation, not one of subservience and reliance.

Wu Fan had already made up his mind, but he didn't dare to show it too eagerly on his face. Instead, he pretended to hesitate, frowning as if he was considering it carefully.

Seeing this, Bai Ruanyu chuckled and took the initiative to dispel his concerns: "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to worry. My invitation to the Bai family is purely a cooperative relationship, not an attempt to force you to join my clan, nor will it send you to the front lines to fight the Deng family to the death. You only need to focus on your alchemy duties and give Ruanyu a chance to repay your kindness. Don't make me the one who is ungrateful."

Seeing that the time was ripe for conversation, pretending to be reserved would seem rather deliberate.

Wu Fan immediately bowed and said earnestly, "Since Miss values ​​me so much, then I will trouble you. I will certainly do my best to refine pills for the Bai family in the future, and live up to the kindness of Miss and the Bai family."

Seeing this, Bai Ruanyu smiled and nodded slightly, saying, "Alright. Fellow Daoist, please rest here for a while. I will meditate for a moment to recover some of my magical power, and then we will set off to return to our clan."

Wu Fan replied "Okay," then found a relatively flat bluestone in a corner of the cave, sat down, and began to close his eyes to rest.