Immortality and cultivation: Heaven rewards diligence, and success is inevitable.

Elder Xu quickly concluded that spirit stones must be given, but not three thousand.

Not too much, not too little.

He took out 1,800 spirit stones and handed them to Jiang Shi.

"Junior brother, I made a mistake earlier. Since it's a gift for Senior Sister Hua, it should naturally be the best. You can use these spirit stones."

Elder Xu gave it, and Elder Hu immediately followed suit, taking out two thousand spirit stones and handing them over.

Jiang Shi accepted all the spirit stones with a smile, then quickly took his leave.

He feared that these three Foundation Establishment stage cultivators would regret their decision.

After Jiang Shi left, the three of them sat together, each with their own ulterior motives.

No one revealed to each other how many spirit stones they had given.

"This bastard is incredibly audacious, actually trying to extort money from us!" Elder Zhang was the first to speak up, as he hated Jiang Shi the most of the three.

A mere Qi Refining stage cultivator actually caused him to fight Granny Zhu.

"He's lawless. If we don't teach him a lesson, he'll never know who he is."

At this point, Elder Xu came up with a plan and said to the two of them:

"We are in a high position and cannot take action against him. But we can have others target him."

"A battle between people of the same realm is fair and just. As long as you don't take their lives, even if the Valley Master of Flower Valley came, he wouldn't be able to find fault with it."

"What Senior Brother Xu said is quite right. However, this fellow's magical power is profound. He is probably unmatched in the Qi Refining stage. Who can compare with him?" Elder Zhang said. He had fought with Jiang Shi and knew how difficult Jiang Shi was to deal with.

"Han Luo from the Poisonous Mud Cave, Liu Xiu from the Wood-Eating Cave," Elder Xu said, uttering two names.

Upon hearing this, Elder Hu immediately nodded.

"Han Luo is at the tenth level of Qi Refining in this Poisonous Mud Cave. He is skilled in poison techniques. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would have to be careful if they encountered him."

"And there's Liu Xiu from the Wood-Eating Cave, a highly accomplished disciple of Elder Chen Sisi. I've heard he's already mastered the basics of the 'Wood-Eating Divine Technique'," Elder Hu said.

"With these two around, no matter how powerful Jiang Wu (pseudonym) is, it will be of no use."

Jiang Shi had already saved up enough spirit stones, and under Granny Zhu's guidance, he spent them all to exchange for six mid-grade second-level cultivation pills.

He is about to go into seclusion and break through to the Foundation Establishment stage in one fell swoop!

Granny Zhu led Jiang Shi to a cave dwelling. In Biluo Valley, apart from Hua Luoyu who built a separate courtyard, all the other cultivators cultivated in their cave dwellings.

"The Valley Master left a password, and she is aware of everything you have done. She is only giving you three months to cultivate. After three months, regardless of the outcome, you must emerge from seclusion."

After Grandma Zhu finished speaking, she stood at the entrance of Jiangshi Cave, like a statue, without making a sound.

"Three months is enough." Jiang Shi walked into the cave, found a place with abundant spiritual energy, and sat down cross-legged.

He took out six mid-grade second-level cultivation pills—Luoshui Pills—and swallowed them all at once.

A surge of rich water-based spiritual energy erupted from his body. Jiang Shi used the technique "Water Nourishes Wood" to control this water-based spiritual energy.

The techniques "Water generates Wood" and "Wood generates Fire" not only allow for the transformation of the five elements, but also enhance one's control over spiritual power.

He channeled this pure water elemental energy into his dantian, and the Five Elements Technique began to operate.

The water elemental energy was constantly being rotated, dissolved, and absorbed in Jiang Shi's dantian.

[Proficiency +300]

While Jiang Shi was in seclusion cultivating, a ripple was stirred up in Biluo Valley.

Jiang Shi first became a disciple of the Valley Master, becoming a personal disciple of the Valley Master.

Then he actually used his status as a personal disciple to threaten others, robbing and extorting spirit stones from them.

Many Qi Refining stage disciples had their spirit stones stolen by Jiang Shi.

For a time, everyone in Biluo Valley cursed this person. If it weren't for his status as a direct disciple, someone would have already gone up and reprimanded him.

On this day, Xu Yue, the grandson of Elder Xu, held a banquet in his cave, and a group of cultivators at the ninth and tenth levels of the Qi Refining stage were invited to attend.

Unlike the banquets of Qingyun Sect, which involve drinking and eating spiritual fruits, Biluo Valley promotes matters between men and women, which lead directly to the Great Dao.

This banquet was naturally filled with beautiful women, a scene of springtime romance.

After enjoying himself for a while, Xu Yue ordered the maids to leave.

"Fellow senior brothers and junior brothers, I'm sure you all already know why we've come here today," Xu Yue said, looking at the crowd.

"Senior Brother Xu, that Jiang Wu is a despicable villain. There's no need for the other senior brothers to take action. I alone am enough to hang him up and beat him."

This person was a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining, possessing a mid-grade magic weapon, a large axe, and was quite confident in his combat abilities.

"I've long heard of Junior Brother Xing's bravery, and seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation!" Xu Yue poured Junior Brother Xing a cup of spiritual wine.

"Senior brother, you're too kind. Let me drink this wine, then I'll go fetch him!"

Junior Brother Xing raised his wine glass, toasted everyone, and then drank it down in one gulp.

"There's something I need to remind you of, Senior Brother. It's said that Jiang Wu has profound magical power and once blocked an attack from Elder Zhang," Senior Brother Xu said, patting Junior Brother Xing on the shoulder.

Upon hearing this, Junior Brother Xing, who had just swallowed a mouthful of wine, was so frightened that he coughed violently, his face turning red from the effort.

He had no choice but to quickly circulate his magic to force the wine out, spitting it onto the ground.

Once Junior Brother Xing had calmed down, he left after saying a few words:

"Excuse me, senior brother, I must take my leave!"

Not only him, but all the other cultivators in the audience also quieted down.

A Qi Refining stage cultivator can withstand a single blow from a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

Especially for someone at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, it's impossible for them to hold back even if their opponent goes easy on them.

A world of difference between two vastly different realms.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily kill dozens of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

Unless these dozens of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators possess a second-grade formation.

Alternatively, one could borrow external objects, such as a second-grade superior talisman.

Almost no one can do that using magic alone.

"Just who is this Jiang Wu? How could he possess such abilities?" A cultivator at the tenth level of the Qi Refining stage asked, standing up.

"This person's secrets are beyond our ability to uncover," Xu Yue said, shaking his head.

"Junior Brother Xu, leave Jiang Wu to me." A strange man wearing a bamboo hat and a mask walked in.

Upon hearing the sound, the cultivators looked over and saw the person. Some of them were startled and quickly retreated.

Some people looked delighted and exclaimed, "It's Senior Brother Han Luo!"

"With Senior Brother Han Luo here, taking down Jiang Wu will be a piece of cake!"

This person was none other than Han Luo from the Poisonous Mud Cave. He was skilled in poison techniques and usually stayed in the cave, never coming out. This time, he was ordered by Elder Xu to come and help.

Just then, the ground shook, and the cultivators quickly circulated their magic power to stabilize themselves.

"Is this commotion Elder Chen from the Wood-Eating Cave?" one cultivator guessed.

"No, Elder Chen has been in seclusion ever since he returned from his last trip. This must be Elder Chen's disciple, Liu Xiu."

A person nearby revealed the identity of the newcomer.

Sure enough, Liu Xiu dragged his obese body in as if he had rolled in from outside the cave.