Sixty years of blacksmithing, a single hammer blow forging a celestial being.

"Okay, thank you for your hard work these past few days."

Hongling was also a little tired, she said.

"I'm going back to rest now. Here, this is a tip for your hard work."

As she spoke, Hongling tossed a bag directly to Li Ping'an.

Li Ping'an took it and weighed it in his hand, feeling its weight; it should be worth five or six hundred spirit stones.

Not bad, not bad, Senior Sister Hongling is very generous.

Li Ping'an bowed and thanked him.

At this moment, Hong Ling strode out of the alchemy room and summoned her flying magic weapon.

With a whoosh, it disappeared into the horizon.

In the quiet, deserted alchemy room.

Li Pingan rubbed his dark circles and let out a long yawn.

He's been exhausted these past few days, but the gains have been remarkable.

He looked inward at the abundant spiritual energy within his dantian.

It's almost bursting at the seams!

The Heaven-Forging Hammer was already too heavy to move.

It needs to be refined immediately.

Furthermore, he was even more excited when he saw the mountain of discarded pills in his storage bag.

I counted them, and there were more than two hundred discarded pills in total.

Dozens of them were Qingyue's Qi Gathering Pills.

There are also more than one hundred Qi-restoring pills from Hong Ling.

These pills can all be successfully refined into real pills using the Heaven-Forging Hammer.

If they were all refined into real pills and sold on the market.

Li Ping'an couldn't even imagine how huge a windfall that was.

After taking stock of what I've gained over the past few days.

Li Ping'an also rushed back to his room without stopping.

He sat cross-legged on the bed and immediately began to circulate the "Taiyi Qi-Guiding Technique".

At the same time, the Heaven-Forging Hammer within his body also began to work slowly.

All the absorbed spiritual energy is converted into cultivation.

A day and a night later.

A strong aura suddenly filled Li Ping'an's room.

Inside the room, Li Ping'an was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

She became calm and composed, and her demeanor underwent a significant change.

"call!"

Li Ping'an let out a long sigh of relief.

He opened his eyes, and golden light flashed within them.

He's broken through again!

We've successfully reached the fourth level of Qi Refining!

This can be considered as officially entering the mid-stage of Qi Refining!

Li Ping'an felt many changes occurring in his body.

His aged face looked even younger.

My wrinkles have also decreased.

Her complexion has also become rosy.

And his hunched figure straightened up a little more.

Li Ping'an looks to be only in his fifties or sixties now.

It's a world of difference compared to before.

Looking in the mirror, Li Ping'an touched his gray beard and messy hair.

He muttered to himself:

"Looks like I need to take better care of myself. I can't always look so sloppy."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

Li Ping'an went to open the door.

Xu Yan was standing outside the door, looking at him with a smile.

"Manager Xu?"

Upon seeing the person who had arrived, Li Ping'an frowned and said,

"Manager Xu, what do you want with me?"

"Uncle Li!"

Manager Xu said with a fawning smile.

"I need your help with something."

Li Ping'an frowned slightly and said...

"Manager Xu, is there anything I can help you with?"

That's right.

Manager Xu said,

"I'd like to ask you to go down the mountain to the market and take this to Wanbaoge to buy me some things. I've already spoken to Wanbaoge, so you can just take the spirit stones with you."

"Here are spirit stones. Fifty of them are a reward for your hard work. Please take them."

As he spoke, Steward Xu handed over a heavy cloth bag.

"Buying something?"

Li Ping'an glanced at Steward Xu suspiciously, then took the cloth bag; it was indeed quite heavy.

There are at least five hundred spirit stones inside.

He just didn't understand why Manager Xu would ask him to buy things for him, why he couldn't go by himself?

You know, I had a conflict with him not long ago.

Now he's come all this way, asking me to go down the mountain to buy him things?

This is extremely suspicious.

Seeing Li Ping'an's suspicious look, Manager Xu coughed and said.

"Ahem, it's like this. Actually, these things are for a bottle of medicinal herbs I need to buy... a Rejuvenation Pill that can strengthen the body's foundation and improve sexual function. I'm really embarrassed to ask anyone else to bring this back for me. Uncle Li, you're the most senior member of the sect, so I can only ask you."

Upon hearing this, Li Ping'an immediately understood.

It turns out that Manager Xu ordered the Rejuvenation Pill from Wanbaoge, the kind of pill that can nourish yin and strengthen yang.

But out of politeness, I felt embarrassed to go and get it.

So he sent this old geezer to fetch it.

That reason sounds rather legitimate.

However, Li Ping'an didn't want to get involved in this mess. Things were not peaceful anywhere, and he didn't want to run around. He would just stay in the sect and cultivate honestly.

So he tossed the spirit stone bag back to Steward Xu and said...

"Reporting to Steward Xu, I've been feeling a bit unwell in my legs lately and need to rest. You should find someone else to take care of me."

Upon hearing Li Ping'an's refusal, Manager Xu lost face.

Said,

"Uncle Li, please don't do this! I really don't know who else I can turn to besides you."

"Please help me. How about I give you a hundred spirit stones as a running fee? Also, I promise you, if you help me retrieve that pill, I will apply to the sect to improve the treatment of the disgraced disciples. How about that?"

Hearing what Manager Xu said, Li Ping'an hesitated.

It sounds like you can get a hundred spirit stones just by going down the mountain to get some pills.

It doesn't seem dangerous.

Moreover, Steward Xu also agreed to help apply for improved treatment for the disciples of the abandoned hall.

This is quite important.

It just so happens that I haven't seen Nanzhi in a long time, so I'll go down the mountain with her.

After much hesitation, Li Ping'an finally decided to take on the job.

Although Manager Xu's almost fawning smile made him feel a vague unease.

However, he is already at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

He also mastered the Heaven-Forging Battle Fist to a state of perfection.

Besides, there's also the divine skill, the "Great Dream Divine Guiding Technique."

Be careful, no one should be able to do anything to you.

Li Ping'an finally nodded and said,

"Okay, I'll agree."

"very good!"

Manager Xu was overjoyed upon hearing this and was extremely happy.

He immediately clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said...

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Li. I'll be waiting for your good news at the sect."

"Okay, I'll go down the mountain now and get it for you this evening."

"Okay, sure. Mr. Li, take your time, no rush."

Li Ping'an nodded and walked straight down the mountain.

As Xu Yan watched Li Ping'an's departing figure, the smile on his face vanished abruptly.

"Damn it, I'm being made to be so obsequious to this old man. Manager Wang, you better not mess this up, or I'll be in big trouble."

Let's not even talk about Li Ping'an going down the mountain to get the so-called Rejuvenation Pill for Steward Xu.

In fact, Manager Wang was already sitting on a rock on the mountain path, cursing angrily.

"Damn it, isn't Li Ping'an, that old geezer, always so fond of coming down the mountain and visiting Lichun Garden? Why isn't he here today?"

"He stayed at the sect for a whole month without coming down the mountain, making me wait there every day, and that guy surnamed Zhang cursed me out several times!"