Immortality and Cultivation: I can extract entries from all things.

In late autumn, the main street of the market was covered with fallen leaves.

Fang He had just come out of the alchemy shop, carrying several bags of newly arrived purple lingzhi and blood-clotting grass.

These past few days, besides learning formation techniques from Master Qian, he has been refining pills at the pharmacy.

With the blue-labeled [Spirit Rune Inscription] in hand, he was pondering how to combine formations with elixirs to forge a unique path.

The main street of the market was still bustling.

The independent cultivators either set up stalls to sell their wares or stopped to browse and select items, filling the air with the mixed scents of various medicinal herbs and spiritual materials.

Fang He walked on the stone path, his divine sense slightly extended, habitually observing the surrounding movements.

Suddenly, he noticed a gaze fixed on him.

That gaze wasn't a typical appraiser; it carried a certain scrutiny, and was mixed with a hint of...complexity.

Fang He paused slightly, becoming alert.

His reputation in the market has been growing over the past few months, which has inevitably attracted attention. However, he is a low-key person and shouldn't be drawing too much attention.

He slowly turned his head and followed that gaze.

A pale purple figure stood alone in front of the medicine shop.

Zhou Xiaolan stood there, her hands clasped in front of her, her gaze meeting his without flinching or looking away.

Fang He's heart stirred slightly.

Even after several months apart, the eldest daughter of the Zhou family remains stunningly beautiful.

Her pale purple silk dress accentuated her flawless skin, a silver ribbon tied around her waist, and a white jade hairpin adorned her hair, exuding an air of nobility.

But unlike her arrogant demeanor with the guards last time, this time her eyes didn't hold that haughty disdain; instead, they carried a hint of...

An indescribable meaning.

There was scrutiny, inquiry, and a hint of emotion that Fang He couldn't decipher in that gaze.

Fang He recalled the scene of their last parting.

She mocked him in public, her contempt evident in her words.

How could her attitude have changed so much in just a few months?

Was it because his reputation in the market was gradually rising?

Or was it because he had heard that he had learned formations?

Fang He became secretly wary.

Zhou Xiaolan was born into the direct line of the Zhou family and grew up in luxury, so she had very high standards.

Her sudden show of goodwill must be suspicious.

The two stared at each other for a moment.

Zhou Xiaolan took the initiative to speak: "Fellow Daoist Fang, it's been a long time."

Fang He's pupils constricted slightly.

This "Fellow Daoist Fang" was completely different from the usual "Fang" (meaning "surname Fang").

Last time in the guard team, she publicly mocked him, but now she politely calls him a fellow Daoist.

Fang He's mind raced.

Zhou Xiaolan's change of attitude must have a reason, but one cannot hit a smiling face. Since the other party has shown goodwill, he cannot be cold to her.

Fang He remained expressionless and returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Miss Zhou."

Zhou Xiaolan walked slowly closer, glanced at Fang He a few times, and said indifferently, "Fellow Daoist Fang, you've recently gained quite a reputation in the market. I've heard that your pills have a very good reputation, and you've even started learning formations?"

Fang He said calmly, "Just trying to make a living."

"Just trying to make a living?"

Zhou Xiaolan's lips twitched slightly, a half-smile playing on her lips. "I didn't just hearsay. The manager of the Lin family's pharmacy told me personally that your batches of Qi Gathering Pills are of even better quality than those from the pill shop, yet they're 30% cheaper. In just a few months, every independent cultivator in the market who mentions Fang He gives him a thumbs up!"

Fang He's heart stirred.

Owner of the Lin Family Pharmacy?

He and the shopkeeper were merely nodding acquaintances, yet the shopkeeper spoke well of him in front of Zhou Xiaolan?

"You flatter me, shopkeeper."

Fang He remained calm and said, "These are just some rudimentary skills, not worthy of being considered refined."

"Simple craftsmanship?"

Zhou Xiaolan chuckled, a hint of amusement flashing in her beautiful eyes. "Fellow Daoist Fang is too modest. I've heard that you're not only skilled in alchemy, but also quite adept at array formations. I know Master Qian well; he's arrogant and doesn't regard ordinary apprentices. For him to take notice of you, Fellow Daoist Fang must possess extraordinary abilities."

Fang He became even more vigilant.

Zhou Xiaolan's thorough understanding of his situation clearly indicates that she had conducted a special investigation.

Why would she, the eldest daughter of the Zhou family, pay attention to a nobody like him?

"It's just that the fortune teller is being too kind."

Fang He said indifferently, "I only know a little bit about it. I can barely set up a few basic formations. It's nothing to mention."

Zhou Xiaolan was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke up: "Are there any quiet teahouses nearby? I'd like to talk about something."

Fang He pondered for a moment.

Zhou Xiaolan's attitude changed significantly. Although her intentions were unknown, the other party was, after all, a direct descendant of the Zhou family, and it might not be wise to refuse her rashly.

Furthermore, he also wanted to find out what the other party was up to.

"Yunyin Tea House is just ahead."

The two walked one after the other through the bustling main street and arrived at the Yunyin Tea House on the edge of the market.

The teahouse was in a secluded location with few cultivators coming and going, which suited Zhou Xiaolan's desire for tranquility.

The waiter greeted them attentively, bowing and scraping when he saw Zhou Xiaolan's elegant attire: "Distinguished guests, please come to the private room upstairs."

The private room on the second floor offers a view of the hazy seascape outside the window.

The sea breeze of late autumn, carrying a salty and fishy smell, seeped in through the half-open window.

On the distant sea, several seabirds circled and flew low, emitting mournful cries.

Fang He sat down, didn't speak, and waited quietly.

The waiter served tea and tactfully withdrew.

The private room fell silent for a moment, with only the faint sound of waves crashing against the shore outside the window.

Zhou Xiaolan picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and looked out the window: "Fellow Daoist Fang is quite composed."

"Miss Zhou, please feel free to speak your mind."

Zhou Xiaolan put down her teacup, turned to look at Fang He, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "To be honest, I never expected you to have come this far."

Fang He replied neither servilely nor arrogantly: "It was just luck."

"Just lucky?"

Zhou Xiaolan chuckled and shook her head. "Fellow Daoist Fang, we are both smart people, why bother with these formalities? Being able to gain a foothold in the market is not a matter of luck. I've inquired about the pills you refine; they are of superior quality and priced 30% more fairly than those in other pill shops, so sales are naturally not a problem. Now that you've also learned formations, you're using a two-pronged approach, which shows you know how to manage a business."

Fang He was silent for a moment: "Miss Zhou, you flatter me. I'm just trying my best to earn a few more spirit stones to survive on this island."

"Survive?"

Zhou Xiaolan's eyes flashed, and she suddenly sighed, "Yes, to survive. In this world of cultivation, who isn't just trying to survive?"

Her sigh was filled with an indescribable weariness, a stark contrast to her usual aloof and superior image as the eldest daughter of the Zhou family.

Fang He's heart stirred.

Zhou Xiaolan's behavior today was completely different from her usual self.

What exactly happened to her?

Zhou Xiaolan's smile faded, and her gaze became deep and unfathomable.

She clasped her hands together, stroking the rim of the white jade teacup, then suddenly changed the subject: "Fellow Daoist Fang, have you ever heard of the Qingyuan Sect?"

Fang He's heart skipped a beat: "I've heard a little about it."

The Qingyuan Sect is one of the top sects in the surrounding seas, with dozens of Golden Core cultivators and, it is said, even a Nascent Soul elder overseeing it. The Zhou family is nothing but ants before them.

"Have you heard a little about it?"

A bitter smile appeared on Zhou Xiaolan's lips. "Fellow Daoist Fang, do you know how many spirit stones my Zhou family has to pay to the Qingyuan Sect every year? One hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones, plus 30% of the sea area's revenue. To put it bluntly, my Zhou family is nothing more than a dog kept by the Qingyuan Sect."

Fang He was startled. Why would Zhou Xiaolan tell him such a secret?

He said in a deep voice, "Miss Zhou, these words..."

"Shouldn't I have told you these things?"

Zhou Xiaolan interrupted him, a hint of self-mockery flashing in her beautiful eyes, "Yes, for me, a direct descendant of the Zhou family, to say these things to a rogue cultivator with a low-grade spiritual root, I'd be laughed out of the house."

She slammed the teacup down on the table with a loud thud.

"But I want to say..."

Zhou Xiaolan's voice was low and somber. "On this Qing'ao Island, I don't even have anyone to talk to. Those so-called sisters only know how to compare whose clothes are more luxurious and whose magic is more exquisite. They don't understand that in this world of cultivation, without strength, everything is meaningless."

Fang He listened quietly without responding.

Zhou Xiaolan took a deep breath to calm herself, her gaze drifting to the window, her tone becoming unfocused: "The Qingyuan Sect has a genius disciple named Ye Chen. At only twenty-five years old, he has already reached the Golden Core stage. His talent is extraordinary, and he is hailed as a prodigy, one in a thousand years."

As she spoke, a hint of gentleness appeared on her haughty face, but then she frowned, as if she had endless worries on her mind.

"Ye Chen..." Fang He repeated the name softly.

He naturally knew this person; he was the envoy from the Upper Sect who had come to Qing'ao Island to investigate last time.

"Last year, I accompanied my father to the Qingyuan Sect to attend the sect's grand ceremony and saw him from afar."

Zhou Xiaolan's voice softened, as if recalling a beautiful scene: "He was dressed in white, riding his sword through the air, his demeanor unparalleled. All eyes were on him, even the sect elders greeted him with smiles."

Fang He looked at Zhou Xiaolan's infatuated expression and understood.

It turns out that this eldest daughter of the Zhou family also has someone she loves.

"Miss Zhou's feelings towards this Ye..."

Fang He carefully considered his words before speaking.

"Falling in love?"

Zhou Xiaolan gave a bitter laugh, turned her head, and looked at him with a hint of desolation. "What am I? Just a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. I don't even have the qualifications to stand in front of him. A genius like Ye Chen is surrounded by sect saintesses and noble daughters. What am I, the daughter of a mere island lord, any different from an ant in his eyes?"

The private room fell silent for a moment.

The sea breeze howled outside the window, making the windowpanes creak slightly.

Looking at Zhou Xiaolan's forlorn expression, Fang He felt a complex mix of emotions.

This once high and mighty eldest daughter of the Zhou family also had her own troubles and helplessness.

She may seem glamorous, but in reality, she is just one of the struggling members at the bottom of the cultivation world.

"Miss Zhou, why should you belittle yourself?"

Fang He spoke slowly, "Although Fellow Daoist Ye is a prodigy, Miss Zhou may still have her day. The path of cultivation is long and arduous; who can predict what the future holds?"

Zhou Xiaolan looked at Fang He, a strange light flashing in her beautiful eyes: "Fellow Daoist Fang certainly knows how to comfort people."

"This isn't meant to comfort you," Fang He said calmly, "it's the truth. Everyone has their own path, Miss Zhou should just walk her own way."

Zhou Xiaolan was taken aback. Looking at Fang He's calm expression, she seemed to want to say something, but in the end she just nodded.

"Each has their own path..."

She repeated softly, a cryptic smile playing on her lips, "Fellow Daoist Fang, you make it sound so easy, but in this world, are there really so many paths to take?"

She stood up, walked to the window, and turned her back to Fang He: "What I just said, Fellow Daoist Fang, just take it as me venting, don't take it to heart."

"Miss Zhou, please rest assured, I am not one to gossip."

Zhou Xiaolan turned around, reverting to her usual haughty demeanor, though a trace of weariness lingered in her eyes: "I can see that Fellow Daoist Fang is no ordinary person. Consider today's conversation a good deed. If you achieve anything in the future, don't forget these words."

Fang He cupped her hands in greeting: "Miss Zhou, you flatter me."

The two walked out of the teahouse. It was already dark outside the market, and the sea breeze was cool.

Zhou Xiaolan paused slightly and glanced back at Fang He.

Her beautiful eyes seemed to hold a thousand words, and her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Fang He stood quietly, waiting for her to speak.

He thought that perhaps she still had something to say.

Is it about Ye Chen?

Is it still about the Zhou family?

Or perhaps, something else entirely?

But Zhou Xiaolan never said it aloud.

After a moment, she looked away and whispered, "Take care."

After saying that, she turned and left, her pale purple figure gradually disappearing into the twilight.

Fang He stood there, watching her receding figure, and a realization dawned on her.