Seeking immortality begins with daily intelligence reports.

The Yin Soul Bead has the effect of calming the soul!

Li Shen was overjoyed.

With this bead, one can begin to attempt to refine the Soul Slave.

But where is the black market in Fangshi?

He had never heard of it.

After a brief moment of thought, he decided to go and ask Shi Yong for some information.

This man has been in the market for many years, so he might know about it.

Hopefully Brother Shi has already finished refining the elixir.

After thinking it over, Li Shen calmed his mind and prepared to continue drawing talismans.

His cultivation level has not changed at all in the past three months.

Even with the help of Qi Gathering Pills, it's still too difficult for someone with a pseudo-spiritual root.

The next day, early in the morning.

Li Shen finished dressing and went out the door.

Such opportunities to snag a bargain must be seized as early as possible, otherwise things may change.

Upon arriving at the market, Li Shen walked familiarly to Shi Yong's stall and saw that unkempt, familiar face.

"Good morning, Brother Shi!"

Li Shen greeted him with a smile.

Shi Yong was visibly tired, with sunken eye sockets and dark circles under his eyes.

Upon seeing that the visitor was Li Shen, he smiled and replied:

"Young Li, I was planning to visit you at noon, but you've come first. Perfect timing! I'll treat you to Juxianlou today; your elder brother must thank you properly."

After saying that, Shi Yong began to pack up the stall.

Thinking that the other party had only set up their stall a short time ago and would soon be packing up, they realized that the stall was about to close.

Li Shen was a little embarrassed, but he didn't refuse politely and just stood quietly to the side.

Before long, the two left the market of scattered cultivators and arrived at Juxian Tower.

This building belongs to the Song family, a family that has built its foundation.

The first floor has open seating, and the second floor has private rooms.

Early in the morning, the waiter was still wiping the tables when he saw two customers arrive. He immediately draped the rag over his shoulder and greeted them with a smile.

"Good morning, fellow Daoists. What would you like to eat? Our restaurant recently received a new batch of top-quality spirit beef. Would you like to try it?"

"I'd like a quiet private room, a serving of your Ling beef, and two jars of fine wine."

Shi Yong waved his hand, quite magnanimously.

Li Shen, who had been silent all along, immediately spoke up to dissuade them when he heard that they wanted to order two jars of wine:

"Brother Shi, two jars are too much, I can't drink much of it."

We're going to the black market later, so I can't get drunk here.

Li Shen muttered to himself.

He had transmigrated here, but hadn't yet properly entered a restaurant in the market.

Firstly, because of limited financial resources, and secondly, because he himself doesn't have much of a appetite, and his own cooking is quite good.

The first guest was so generous; it's a good omen.

The waiter smiled and agreed, leading Li Shen and his companion to a private room by the window.

After the two entered, the waiter carefully closed the door and removed the sign that said "Empty Seat".

Aside from serving the food, the waiter won't disturb you easily.

The air in the private room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and the first rays of dawn shone through the window.

After all the dishes were served, Shi Yong personally filled two glasses of wine, raised the glasses, and solemnly said:

"Brother Li, thank you so much for your help before. This drink is for you!"

After saying this, he drank it all in one gulp.

Li Shen raised his cup and drank half a cup in return, replying:

"Brother Shi, you're too kind. It's just my duty. How's the alchemy going?"

Shi Yong put down his wine glass, the joy on his face fading and replaced by a gloomy expression.

Li Shen frowned slightly, somewhat surprised. Had they failed?

After a short silence, Shi Yong drank another glass of wine, sighed softly, and said:

"all the best."

"Then why does Brother Shi look unhappy?"

Li Shen followed up with the question.

Shi Yong smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with resentment.

"Originally, this spiritual herb was the main ingredient for refining the Qu You Pill, a second-tier pill that was rumored to be able to cure the Long You Body. But who knew that even after exhausting all my efforts to refine it, it could only provide temporary relief and not cure the disease."

After saying this, Shi Yong drank three cups in a row, and tears welled up in his eyes involuntarily.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy.

Li Shen remained silent; he could also understand to some extent the sense of powerlessness that comes from being manipulated by fate.

Pain flashed in Shi Yong's eyes as he recounted the whole incident from the beginning.

This was the first time Li Shen had learned that Shi Yong had a Daoist partner from the Jade Sword Sect, and that Shi Yong was exceptionally talented, possessing both water and wood spiritual roots. At the age of twenty, he had already cultivated to the sixth level of Qi Refining, but just as he was advancing to the late stage of Qi Refining, something went wrong.

The Dragon Nether Body manifested, and the accumulated cold energy within his body erupted. If it weren't for the timely application of warm jade by the Jade Sword Sect elders to suppress it, he would have almost lost his life.

Since then, his cultivation has made no further progress, and he has to endure the excruciating pain of bone-chilling cold from time to time.

Shi Yong has been working as a middleman for years in order to find a way to cure Long You's body.

Persistence pays off, and he finally obtained information about curing Long You's body in the black market.

That is a second-tier elixir, the Qu You Dan.

The ingredients for this elixir were hard to find; it took Shi Yong four or five years to gather all the auxiliary materials.

However, without the main ingredient, it is impossible to form a pill if you only have auxiliary materials.

It took Shi Yong nearly two more years to learn that the main ingredient of Qu You Dan, Youye Lingzhi, existed in Laoshan Wugu.

Next up are Zhao Qian and Zhao Ying, two fairies who, because they are both disciples of the Jade Sword Sect and have a past relationship with Shi Yong's Daoist partner, agreed to help retrieve the medicine.

If the Dragon Nether Body cannot be cured, one will never be able to establish a foundation in this lifetime. Moreover, it is extremely rare. The only known second-tier elixir, the Qu You Pill, is an ancient elixir formula.

As for higher-level pills, they are nowhere to be found.

"So, Brother Shi, what are your plans for the future?"

Li Shen asked after careful consideration.

Shi Yong took a big gulp and said dejectedly:

"Let's keep looking. We can only take it one step at a time. If fate is truly beyond our control, then we'll find a beautiful place together, build a house, and live together. That would make our lives worthwhile."

The world of cultivation offers countless opportunities, but it is also the most ruthless.

With dual spiritual roots of water and wood, what a wonderful talent, yet he can only stop at Qi Refining.

One can't help but sigh at the cruel twists of fate.

Li Shen felt a pang of emotion, yet he could find no words of comfort.

After a long while, Shi Yong forced a smile onto his unkempt face:

"Let's not talk about these troublesome things. I invited you here today to express my gratitude."

As he spoke, Shi Yong took out a jade bottle from his storage bag:

"There are four top-grade first-tier Qi Gathering Pills here, which I refined myself. They should be helpful for your breakthrough."

Top-grade elixirs?!

Li Shen was shocked; this was something priceless.

Immediately afterwards, Shi Yong took out a jade slip:

"Young Li, these are my insights into alchemy over the years. If you plan to practice alchemy in the future, they should be helpful for your initial learning."

Li Shen was slightly taken aback. He took the jade bottle and jade slip, and had a vague feeling that the other party was giving his last instructions.

"Thank you, Brother Shi. Don't be too upset about your wife's situation. There's always a solution. I'll keep an eye out for things."

"Good lad!"

Shi Yong patted Li Shen on the shoulder, his eyes filled with genuine gratitude:

"Come on, let's drink! This spirit beef is really good; it would be a shame if it got cold."

The two picked up their wine glasses again, and during the conversation, Li Shen found an excuse to ask about the location of the black market and how to enter it.

As the dinner party drew to a close, the atmosphere became subtly somber.

Li Shen had a vague feeling that this first meal with Shi Yong might also be his last.

After parting ways at the restaurant, Li Shen returned home and, in his spare time from cultivation, quietly awaited the arrival of the hour of You (5-7 PM).