Seeking immortality begins with daily intelligence reports.

Upon hearing Li Shen's words, Du Shanyan immediately understood and breathed a sigh of relief. Having been prepared, he replied:

"Judging from Fellow Daoist Li's further progress in cultivation, he must also be planning to establish his foundation. This pill may be of some help."

As he spoke, Du Shanyan, with his smile unchanged, took out a small wooden box, about the size of a palm, from his storage bag.

Pushing open the box, a light brown pill lay quietly inside.

Judging from its color and smelling its fragrance, Li Shen, with his considerable experience in alchemy, immediately recognized that this was no ordinary item.

He asked in confusion:

"Manager Du, what's this?"

"A first-grade superior-quality Qi Condensation Pill."

Du Shanyan pushed the wooden box in front of Li Shen and said with a calm smile:

"This pill was made by a Foundation Establishment alchemist. It is of superior quality and rarely seen in the market. I know that Fellow Daoist Li must have suffered some grievances on this trip, so I will give this to you to help you establish your foundation as soon as possible. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Li?"

"Condensing Liquid Pill? I've never heard of it, but Foundation Establishment does require condensing Qi into liquid. Judging from the name, Du Shanyan's words are true, and it's also a high-grade pill. It's not a bad deal no matter how you look at it. It's quite a good deal."

Li Shen's mind raced, a slight smile appeared on his lips, and his complexion improved. With a gentle flick of his sleeve, he put the item away.

"Thank you very much, Brother Du. I would be too impolite to refuse. However, I am quite curious about something, and I wonder if Brother Du could answer it for me."

Upon hearing this, Du Shanyan narrowed his eyes, seemingly knowing what Li Shen wanted to ask, and said directly:

"Fellow Daoist Li, please speak freely."

"Brother Du's lover is no ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. To be favored by such a person, to receive a token of love from her, and to be so beautiful, why does Brother Du politely decline her offer?"

Li Shen smiled and voiced his doubts.

Upon hearing this, Du Shanyan sighed softly, his tone tinged with melancholy, and reminisced as he spoke:

"Fei Feng is a good woman. I've known her for over thirty years."

Then, Du Shanyan told Li Shen how he met Fei Feng and what happened between them.

Li Shen sometimes nodded, and sometimes pondered.

"Fellow Daoist Li."

Du Shanyan interrupted his thoughts, her voice devoid of any emotion:

"What do you think my bone age is now?"

Li Shen was taken aback, then examined it carefully.

Although Du Shanyan's face is well-maintained, the fine lines left by the years are still visible around her eyes and brows.

He hesitated for a moment and guessed:

"Could it be... that the cycle of sixty years has already passed?"

For Qi Refining cultivators, the Jiazi year is a major hurdle. After the Jiazi year, their Qi and blood will decline, and if they have not yet established their foundation by then, there is basically no hope.

The short, stout monk he had exchanged with in Linlang City was just like that.

"This year, I am seventy-three."

Du Shanyan chuckled and calmly stated a number:

"The lifespan of a Qi Refining cultivator is only a little over a hundred years. For me, even if I consume those precious pills that have the effect of prolonging life, I can only extend my life by a little over ten years. Moreover, I know that my aptitude is dull, and the threshold of Foundation Establishment is like an insurmountable chasm for me, which is hopeless in this life."

He paused here, then smiled wryly:

"Over seventy years have passed since I became the manager of this Treasure Pavilion. I've seen far too many spirited young cultivators, only to be trapped at their bottlenecks and die in despair."

Some seemingly perfect couples, envied by outsiders, experience a tragic separation: one achieves enlightenment and enjoys a long life, while the other grows old and frail, ultimately separated by death, leaving behind only deep regret. That heart-wrenching pain of separation is many times more painful than unrequited love.

Li Shen remained silent.

He recalled all the plans he had made for the foundation building.

I recalled the joy I felt when I learned about the Condensation Pill.

Even so, if there is still no hope of establishing a foundation, what will the situation be like a hundred years from now?

As Du Shanyan spoke, a tear welled up in her eyes, and Fei Feng's image flashed through her mind again. She sighed deeply.

"Fei Feng is exceptionally talented and comes from a family of cultivators with a noble status. Foundation building is not the end for her. She will definitely have a long road ahead of her. Given time, condensing the Golden Core will not be a pipe dream. She may even be able to glimpse the legendary Nascent Soul path."

Therefore, one must overcome the great tribulation of inner demons. It is said that the tribulation of inner demons is extremely dangerous. If one is not careful, failing to advance is a minor matter; one may even end up dying.

Although Fei Feng sometimes has a bad temper, she is kind-hearted and loyal. If I were to spend my life with her for selfish reasons, I don't want to cause such a tragedy when misfortune strikes in the future.

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Li Shen remained silent for a long time before rising and solemnly bowing to Du Shanyan.

"Brother Du, you are truly virtuous. I apologize if my words have been offensive."

Du Shanyan waved his hand, gave a bitter smile, and said self-deprecatingly:

"What lofty ideals? It's nothing but selfishness. As for me, I'm dead, but if I were to cause her to fail her tribulation, I would never be able to repay such a sin in my next life."

He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, smiled, and said teasingly:

"It's just that I was too dazzling when I was young, attracting even the phoenix. Fellow Daoist Li, don't follow in my footsteps."

Li Shen smiled upon hearing this, and the awkward atmosphere from before dissipated considerably.

The two chatted for a while longer, mostly about their observations of the market and neighborhoods.

Li Shen asked Du Shanyan to keep an eye out for news related to Foundation Establishment before taking his leave.

As Li Shen left the Treasure Pavilion, he sighed with emotion:

"There are truly some things in this world that are more important and more lamentable than cultivation level or status."

With this matter in mind, Li Shen walked through the bustling crowd to his rented courtyard in the outer city.

"Several months have passed since I left. I wonder how Fellow Daoist Lin and Fellow Daoist Liu are doing..."

Li Shen muttered to himself as he pushed open the courtyard gate; the scenery inside remained the same.

He glanced at Lin Xiaoxiao's room; no lights were on, so he guessed she must have gone out.

Then, looking in the direction of Liu Rou's residence, a warm yellow hue came into view.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, did you not go out today?"

Li Shen wondered to himself, as he had come back specifically to check on Liu Rou's progress with the Yin Ning Flower.

Without thinking much, he walked straight forward, stood at the doorway, and asked:

"Miss Liu, is it convenient for you to come in now?"

There was no response from inside the house.

Li Shen frowned slightly. After waiting a short while, just as he was about to ask again, the wooden door creaked open from the inside.

The person who appeared before Li Shen startled him.

"Lin Xiaoxiao? I thought you went out."

Li Shen spoke up subconsciously.

Lin Xiaoxiao leaned against the door and looked Li Shen up and down. Although her expression remained unchanged, her pupils trembled slightly.

"Lord Li, I didn't expect your cultivation to have improved so much in just a few months."

Upon hearing this, Li Shen's brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again.

He understood Lin Xiaoxiao's personality. Although she would occasionally tease him by calling him "venerable" or "senior," her tone at this moment clearly implied something.

Li Shen didn't reply, but asked directly and seriously:

"What happened to Lady Liu?"