Mortal: Starting with the Falling Cloud Sect, I proved my Dao through gacha pulls.

Just as Su Mu was contemplating the eighteen uses of the Crimson Essence Fruit, the clone formed from the teardrop, holding a communication talisman, slowly walked over and handed it to him.

"Oh?"

Su Mu took the communication talisman, infused it with a little magic power to activate it, and the talisman immediately lit up with a faint light, from which a cheerful and polite voice came:

"Greetings, fellow Daoist. My name is Jin Qing. We are neighbors, and I have come here specifically to pay you a visit. I hope you will not find it presumptuous."

"Golden Green..."

Su Mu's eyes flashed, and he instantly remembered this character from the original work.

"This man seems to be quite honest; let's go and meet him."

As soon as he finished speaking, he casually put away the sound transmission talisman and walked out of the cave.

As soon as Su Mu stepped out of the cave, he saw a middle-aged cultivator with slender eyes, long eyebrows, and a gentle and refined demeanor waiting calmly outside the door.

When the man saw Su Mu appear, his eyes lit up and a friendly smile immediately appeared on his face. He spoke in an extremely polite tone.

"I have met Fellow Daoist Xiao. When you first arrived, I wanted to pay you a visit, but I knew that you had been in seclusion and dared not disturb you."

Unexpectedly, after a year of exploration, Jin returned to find that his reputation had spread throughout Tianxing City. His mastery of alchemy was truly that of a master!

"Fellow Daoist Jin is too kind. I, Xiao, am not worthy of the title of Master."

Su Mu smiled slightly and waved his hand modestly.

"I have already heard of your esteemed name from several neighbors and have long desired to be your friend. Please come in, let us have a detailed discussion."

Upon hearing this, Jin Qing's smile deepened, feeling quite flattered, and he quickly clasped his hands in thanks.

The two entered the cave one after the other and sat down facing each other in an elegant pavilion.

Su Mu first laid out several plates of spiritual fruits and pastries, then took out a pot of clear and refreshing spiritual wine and poured it for each of them.

Monkey Wine (Green)

[Note: Originating from the world of Yang Shen, consuming it can invigorate blood circulation, nourish the meridians, and enhance physical vitality]

He has a whole large vat of this wine, which is perfect for entertaining guests.

"Fellow Daoist Jin, please."

Jin Qing raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp, then let out a soft exclamation. He felt that the wine was fruity and mellow, warm and hot as it went down his throat, and his meridians slowly relaxed. He was immediately surprised.

Although alchemy and winemaking are related, this fellow Daoist Xiao not only has superb alchemy skills, but also his wine has such miraculous effects. The rumors outside are indeed true.

He was inwardly amazed, but outwardly remained calm, instead smiling warmly:

"Excellent wine! I never expected that Fellow Daoist Xiao would have already achieved the Core Formation at such a young age, and to have such attainments in the various arts of cultivation. Compared to you, I, Jin, am truly ashamed."

Su Mu has always shown his true face in Tianxing City. He has refined a lot of rare and precious materials during his cultivation, so he already looks extremely young.

Although there are youth-preserving pills and techniques in the cultivation world, Jin Qing could still roughly judge that Su Mu was not very old.

He speculated that Su Mu successfully formed his core at around 100 years old, which was quite similar to that of one of his close friends.

Before Su Mu could humbly speak, Jin Qing changed the subject, lowering his voice to say:

"Fellow Daoist Xiao's alchemy skills are outstanding, and he must have been sought after by many sects and merchants these days. The forces in Tianxing City are a mixed bag, so you should choose carefully. Even if you are content to be a rogue cultivator, it is far better than getting involved in those pointless conflicts."

"Oh?"

Su Mu's eyes flickered slightly, then he showed a troubled expression and sighed softly.

"Brother Jin is absolutely right; I am indeed troubled by this matter. I have heard that your great-uncle is Jin Kui, the current Grand Elder of the Star Palace, who must be very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of this. I wonder if Brother Jin could offer some guidance?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Qing first gave a wry smile, then shook his head.

"The Grand Elder is indeed my clan's great-uncle, but I am merely a collateral descendant of the Jin family. My ability to form a core is already a blessing from the clan."

I don't have much say in my clan, and I don't like taking on those tedious duties in the Star Palace. I feel much more comfortable making friends with like-minded people and exploring secret realms together.

After a few words of reflection, he gave his advice in a serious tone:

"In my opinion, Fellow Daoist Xiao might as well spend some time as a wandering cultivator, focusing on improving his cultivation and alchemy. When the time is right, he can then take up a position as an honorific in the Star Palace. This way, he will not be too restricted and can live a peaceful and carefree life, which is the most appropriate course of action."

Upon hearing this, Su Mu quickly refilled his wine glass and stood up to raise his glass in a toast.

"Thank you for your kind advice, Brother Jin. I am new to Tianxing City and am obsessed with alchemy. I am not good at fighting. If I need anything in the future, I will have to rely on Brother Jin for help."

Jin Qing also stood up, tilted his head back and drank the wine in one gulp, then patted his chest heartily.

"Since Fellow Daoist Xiao has accepted me as a friend, please feel free to come to me if you ever encounter any trouble in the future! It has been truly delightful to have made friends with a master alchemist like you today!"

The two drank several more cups, and the atmosphere gradually became more relaxed and enjoyable.

Jin Qing suddenly stood up, his gaze lingering on the Nine Li Corpse Bone Array in the cave for a moment, and when he looked at Su Mu again, his eyes held a strange look.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, I hadn't noticed it before, but now that I'm looking closely, I realize how profound your formation is. Don't tell me you're a master of formations?"

Su Mu quickly waved his hand and chuckled:

"Brother Jin, you misunderstand. This formation was a gift from an old friend. I only have a superficial understanding of formations."

Jin Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If his alchemy skills were truly astounding, that would be one thing, but his mastery of formations is also so profound. This Fellow Daoist Xiao is simply too extraordinary.

"but..."

Su Mu suddenly followed the conversation and looked towards a secluded cave deep within the thirty-ninth floor. The cave was hidden in a corner, surrounded by layers of arrays, its aura unfathomable.

"Brother Jin, do you know who lives in that cave? I observe that the array formations around it are exceptionally ingenious, and the owner of that cave is probably a true master of array formations."

Jin Qing followed his gaze and immediately understood. He nodded slightly, his tone tinged with regret:

"The cave dwelling that Fellow Daoist Xiao mentioned has existed since I moved into the thirty-ninth floor. The array formations surrounding it are extremely sophisticated, and I had considered visiting it in my younger days."

Unfortunately, this dwelling has not been opened for decades. It seems the owner was not only a master of formations but also a reclusive cultivator.

Su Mu nodded slightly, his gaze somewhat meaningful.

"I see. To remain indoors for decades is truly a rare act of asceticism. I am deeply impressed and even more curious about who this person is."

Jin Qing stroked his chin, his eyes thoughtful, and slowly spoke:

"I had previously inquired about it in secret. It seems that there are two cultivators living in that cave. One is at the Core Formation stage, and the other is at the Pseudo-Core stage. I don't know anything else about them."

He paused, then remembered something and added in a low voice:

"By the way, I heard that more than ten years ago, a phenomenon of Core Formation briefly appeared near that cave, but it disappeared in an instant. It must be that the pseudo-Core Formation cultivator failed to break through to Core Formation."

Su Mu downed the monkey wine in his cup in one gulp and smiled inexplicably.

"Is that so? What a pity. But it's not necessarily the case that there's no chance. Perhaps in another ten years or so, that person will be able to form the Golden Core, and you and I will finally be able to see his true form."

Jin Qing chuckled upon hearing this, clearly not taking it to heart.

"If that day ever comes, we must go together to get to know each other!"