Starting as a cowherd, he sought a way to cultivate immortality.

After leaving the second hall, Chen Chi pulled Wang Hao aside and asked in a low voice:

"Magistrate Wang, who is this Master Zhao?"

Wang Hao glanced in the direction of the second hall and whispered to Chen Chi:

"Master Zhao is carrying the Heavenly Patrol Token bestowed by the Emperor, so his status is definitely not ordinary."

Chen Chi narrowed his eyes slightly.

Emperor Jinglong's Heavenly Inspection Token was a household name in the Yan Kingdom. Only his most trusted ministers could obtain this token, which represented Emperor Jinglong's inspection tour of the Yan Kingdom and gave him the authority to act expediently.

What is the relationship between Master Zhao in the second hall and the Zhao royal family?

Seeing Chen Chi staring blankly, Wang Hao assumed Chen Chi was stunned by Zhao Xianshi's identity and couldn't help but ask:

"Chen Chi, are you confident in helping the Immortal Master find that silver paper?"

If we can't find the silver paper and anger Master Zhao, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Chen Chi smiled inwardly, but his face showed a solemn expression: "I can only do my best."

After leaving the county government office, Chen Chi rushed to the county camp outside the county town and gathered sixty soldiers.

Chen Chi knew the location of the silver paper, but he did not intend to send someone to retrieve it from the Xiaoqing River immediately.

Firstly, doing so would inevitably arouse Zhao Xianshi's suspicion; secondly, the time spent searching for the silver paper was too short to demonstrate his merit.

Master Zhao gave Chen Chi six jade pendants, and Chen Chi then divided the sixty soldiers into six teams, each carrying one jade pendant to search for silver paper.

"Search every place carefully. The team that finds that silver note will be rewarded with five taels of silver each," Chen Chi ordered.

Upon hearing about the five taels of silver reward, the soldiers were energized and began searching outside the city.

Following Chen Chi's orders, they first went to the nearby villages and searched each house one by one.

The soldiers spent four days on this process alone, and in the end, they gained nothing.

After eliminating villages outside Changqing County, Chen Chi ordered his soldiers to search for the jade pendant in the fields.

As expected, everyone returned empty-handed.

Six or seven days passed, and many soldiers began to feel dissatisfied, wondering if the silver paper Chen Chi had mentioned actually existed.

Fortunately, Chen Chi had enough prestige in the county camp that no one dared to stand up and question him.

One late night, Chen Chi secretly took a jade pendant and went to the spot where he had once sunk silver paper into the river.

After walking along the riverbank for a while, the jade pendant in Chen Chi's hand finally began to glow faintly.

Chen Chi frowned slightly.

This light was almost imperceptible during the day, quite different from the bright light described by Master Zhao.

"Could it be that the flow of water can weaken the connection between the silver paper and the jade pendant?" Chen Chi wondered to himself.

He returned to the county town, and the next day he directed his soldiers to search for silver paper in the mountains and forests.

A few days later, Master Zhao could no longer contain himself and summoned Chen Chi to inquire about the search for the silver paper.

Chen Chi looked ashamed and said frankly that his soldiers had searched the area around Changqing County thoroughly, but they had not seen any reaction from Yu Jue.

After pondering for a moment, Master Zhao asked calmly:

Are there any rivers flowing through Changqing County?

A hint of confusion appeared in Chen Chi's eyes: "There's a small, clear river flowing through Changqing County to the east of the county seat, but what does that have to do with silver paper?"

"You wouldn't understand this kind of thing even if I explained it to you. Just send people to search the river and make sure they look carefully and don't miss anything."

"I obey your command."

After receiving Zhao Xianshi's reminder, Chen Chi bowed and left.

Next, the sixty soldiers were summoned to the Xiaoqing River to search for silver paper. Some rowed boats on the river, while others walked along the riverbank, leaving no place unsearched.

Finally, three days later, at dusk, a group of soldiers noticed a faint light emanating from the jade pendant while they were boating on the river.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Chi arrived and witnessed the soldiers retrieving the silver paper tied to the stone.

Chen Chi took the silver note and a look of relief appeared on his face.

"Well done. The silver you were promised will be delivered to the county camp tomorrow," Chen Chi said with a smile.

Upon hearing Chen Chi's words, the soldiers were overjoyed and immediately bowed to thank him.

After ordering his soldiers to return to camp, Chen Chi took the silver paper to the county government office and handed it over to Master Zhao.

"I have not failed in my mission." Chen Chi bowed respectfully to Master Zhao, his posture extremely humble.

Master Zhao examined the silver paper in his hand from front to back, and a slight smile finally appeared on his indifferent face.

The silver paper vanished from Zhao Xianshi's hand in the next instant.

"You did a good job. Is there any reward you'd like?"

Chen Chi quickly cupped his hands and said, "I dare not."

"Speak freely." Master Zhao was in a great mood, and his tone became much gentler than usual.

Chen Chi hesitated slightly before finally saying what he had already prepared:

"I have always longed to cultivate immortality, and I humbly request that you guide me to do so."

"Oh?" Master Zhao raised an eyebrow, looked Chen Chi up and down, and shook his head.

"I won't agree to this. Let's think about something else."

Chen Chi had anticipated Zhao Xianshi's answer, but a look of disappointment appeared on his face.

"In that case, I wonder if the Immortal Master could answer a few questions that have been on my mind?"

"Can."

This time, Master Zhao readily agreed to Chen Chi's request, allowing Chen Chi to ask him three questions.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Chi slowly asked:

"My first question."

What is the relationship between the Immortal Master and the Zhao royal family?

Master Zhao gave Chen Chi a deep look.

"The Zhao royal family is a branch of my Zhao family."

Chen Chi was startled.

Master Zhao's words are truly chilling upon closer examination.

Behind the Zhao royal family stands a family with cultivators!

No wonder the Yan state has existed for over three hundred years without showing any signs of collapse.

After calming himself down a bit, Chen Chi asked his second question.

"I once heard a senior martial arts master say that above the Transformation Realm there are the Sensing Qi Realm and the Innate Realm."

"Master, is the Innate Realm the highest level of martial arts?"

"No," Master Zhao said without hesitation, "the Qi Sensing Realm is the highest level of martial arts."

"Hmm?" Chen Chi's expression changed slightly, as if he had thought of something.

Master Zhao spoke again to explain:

"The so-called innate realm has another name in the eyes of us cultivators: the first level of Qi Refining."

A martial artist with innate abilities has already entered the ranks of cultivators.

"I see," Chen Chi thought to himself, as all the questions in his mind vanished.

"The opening of the path to immortality mentioned in the Qi Condensation and Breathing Technique is not just empty talk; I am already an immortal cultivator."

Seeing Chen Chi standing there in thought for a long time, Master Zhao did not disturb him, waiting for Chen Chi to ask the last question.

A moment later, Chen Chi raised his head and took out a blue jade bottle from his bosom.

After Yang Jin bestowed upon him the Qi Sensing Pill, he realized there was something wrong with it after breaking through to the Innate Realm.

Now that Master Zhao is right in front of him, he naturally wants to ask about the pill.

"When I was in Youzhou Prefecture, I bought a few Qi Sensing Pills. The seller said that these pills could help me break through to the Qi Sensing Realm."

"Master, is this elixir truly effective?"

Zhao Xianshi's eyes showed curiosity as he poured the Qi-sensing pill out of the jade bottle and examined it in his palm.

After a long while, Master Zhao finally shifted his gaze from the pills and stared intently at Chen Chi, asking:

"Have you already taken this elixir?"

Chen Chi gently shook his head:

"I have never taken it before."

Master Zhao's expression was unusually solemn, and he said in a serious tone:

"This Qi-Gathering Pill contains an additional spiritual medicine that burns essence and blood."

If taken long-term, it is indeed highly likely to break through to the Qi Sensing Realm.

But in this lifetime, you will never have the chance to reach the Innate Realm again.