Seeking immortality begins with daily intelligence reports.

Li Shen's figure moved silently along the way, as if he were in an empty place.

The Concealing Talisman makes it difficult to detect someone even if they pass right by them.

However, he didn't move too blatantly, since the area was populated by a diverse group of people, and he had to be careful not to attract the attention of cultivators above the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Before long, he arrived at the entrance of Jubaoxuan.

The moment he stepped inside, he regretted it.

It wasn't because the number of people in the store exceeded his expectations.

On the contrary, there was only one man and one woman in the store, just the two of them.

The man appeared to be a middle-aged man in his fifties, with a plump figure, and his gaze naturally carried a scrutinizing quality.

The woman was much younger and petite. She turned her head to look at them almost simultaneously, her eyes filled with a hint of doubt.

Of course, what Li Shen regretted was not the concealment talisman he had used earlier.

Even before entering Jubaoxuan, he had deliberately destroyed the concealment effect.

Otherwise, appearing out of nowhere would be too suspicious.

The real problem lies in the breath.

It has the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and a very strong one at that!

The strength that could make Li Shen instinctively want to back down!

"Brother Shanyan, your connections are really impressive."

Li Shen muttered something awkward to himself, but calmly took a few steps forward.

Then, with a sudden flash of inspiration, he took out the jade token given to him by Du Shanyan, and handed it out with both hands, his tone full of respect:

"Manager Fei, this is a jade token given to me by Brother Du. I would like to ask Manager Fei to introduce me to this exchange meeting."

Although the aura was only revealed for a moment, Li Shen was quite certain that the aura was at least at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Now that we've already entered this place, it's impossible to pretend nothing happened and leave as if we were clueless.

Be careful what you say from now on!

This title was the result of Li Shen's careful consideration.

Facing a Foundation Establishment level monster who looks like a loli.

Call me senior? People deliberately present themselves this way, so they probably don't want to hear those two words.

Calling someone "girl"? The fact that the other party is actively revealing their presence suggests a hint of warning.

How many women could cultivate to such a level?

There are only two possibilities after this statement is made.

Either the other party will be happy because of this, or the other party will be unhappy because of Li Shen's tactlessness.

It's too much of a gamble!

Therefore, the word "shopkeeper" became the most ingenious choice at this moment.

It has nothing to do with age or cultivation level, only with status. In this Treasure Pavilion, the person in charge is naturally the most respected.

Even if the guess is wrong, it is still the most basic respect shown by this Foundation Establishment cultivator and will not cause any displeasure.

"Oh? Brother Du?"

The woman behind the counter looked up, her tone shifting slightly, her eyes filled with curiosity.

The obese middle-aged man beside her narrowed his eyes slightly.

They seemed quite surprised by Li Shen's actions.

Li Shen didn't look at him, but nodded slightly, waiting for what Manager Fei would say next.

The female shopkeeper flicked her slender fingers, and the jade token instantly fell into the other party's hand.

She remained expressionless, stroking the surface of the jade pendant as if verifying its authenticity.

A moment later, her lips twitched, and this time her aura exploded out.

Li Shen and the fat man beside him were also shaken and forced to retreat.

Fortunately, he mainly cultivated his divine sense, so he wasn't forced to kneel down by this powerful aura.

"Could I have said something wrong? That shouldn't be the case. If they were going to explode, they would have already. Could it be the jade pendant? Didn't Du Shanyan say that this person is a close friend?"

Li Shen's mind raced, his regret growing stronger, and he even considered fleeing the place.

Just as Li Shen's back was tense and he was about to make up his mind, that powerful aura suddenly subsided, as if it had never existed.

"Hmm! It seems to be true."

The woman behind the counter casually uttered these words, which startled Li Shen.

She casually placed the jade pendant on the counter, making a crisp "tap" sound.

Instead, a slightly amused and scrutinizing smile replaced the previous indifference.

"Du Shanyan was willing to give you this, so he must trust you enough. But it's only at the seventh level of Qi Refining... Hmm, your spiritual sense is quite well-trained. No wonder you could barely withstand it. You just mentioned that you wanted me to introduce you to an exchange group, right?"

Li Shen hadn't quite reacted yet. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded slightly and respectfully cupped his hands, saying:

"Manager Fei, you flatter me. Brother Du once said that we have a past relationship, which is why I dared to come here."

"Is it old?"

Fei Feng scoffed, and Li Shen immediately became alert again, like a cat with its fur standing on end.

Then her eyes glanced at the silent, overweight middle-aged man beside her:

"Old Wu, did you hear that? Du Shanyan and I have a past relationship?"

The fat man, known as "Old Wu," forced a smile and nodded repeatedly.

Then, the look in his eyes as he looked at Li Shen clearly carried a hint of... sympathy?

Li Shen noticed this change in expression, and his inner tension tightened even more, deepening his confusion.

"That's enough."

Fei Feng waved her hand, seemingly not intending to dwell on the issue, and went straight to the point:

"Introducing you to the exchange program is simple, but have Du Shanyan explained the rules to you clearly?"

"Brother Du said that with this jade token, I can ask Manager Fei of Jubao Pavilion to introduce me. At that time, I will only need to pay an entrance fee of twenty spirit stones."

Li Shen recalled that his answer was watertight.

"This Du Shanyan..."

Fei Feng snorted coldly and extended one finger:

"First, during the exchange meeting, violence and forced buying and selling are prohibited. Those who violate this rule will bear the consequences themselves."

Manager Fei held up a second finger, his tone still calm:

"Secondly, there's the issue of admission fees, and this is the third, and most important, point!"

She paused, her expression turning somewhat serious:

"Once you leave the exchange event, you're on your own. This means the chances of being targeted are extremely high, so you need to have a backup plan. Otherwise, you might get the treasure but not live to use it!"

"Every time Linlang City holds an exchange event, even if everyone tries to stay out of the shadows, there are still plenty of murders and robberies that happen!"

Li Shen pondered for a moment and nodded:

"I understand."

The path of cultivation is inherently perilous, and having frequented the black market many times, he had long been accustomed to this life of living on the edge.

"Good that you understand."

Fei Feng touched the jade pendant again, her tone slightly languid:

"Old Wu, take him to the secret room in the back and give him the thing."

"Yes, shopkeeper."

The portly man, Old Wu, responded and turned to Li Shen, a friendly smile plastered on his face:

"Fellow Daoist, please follow me."

Li Shen bowed to Manager Fei again, still feeling uneasy, and followed Old Wu around the counter to the back of the shop.

Passing through what appears to be an ordinary curtain, what lies behind is not the warehouse or room one might expect, but a narrow stone staircase leading downwards.

The light was dim, and Old Wu walked ahead, his footsteps echoing in the silent passage.

After walking about twenty or thirty steps, Old Wu suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of relief, though it sounded somewhat muffled in the passageway.

"Fellow Daoist, you almost angered my aunt just now."

"Aunt? She really is a Foundation Establishment stage monster!"

Li Shen inwardly scoffed, then gave an awkward smile. Even though the other party's cultivation level was equal to his own, he still asked cautiously and with a hint of respect:

"Why do you say that, Senior Wu?"