The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

Xu Changqing's eyes suddenly opened, his gaze sharp and intense.

"Bitter root water and ice heart grass are both common items that can be bought in large quantities in the market. The beauty lies in the principle of water and wood complementing each other."

Without the penetrating and meticulous deduction of the Tongtianjian, even if he obtained such rare and precious treasures, he would probably be begging for food while holding a golden rice bowl, and would easily end up suffering from qi deviation if he was not careful.

Without hesitation, Xu Changqing got up, pushed open the door, and summoned a servant to fetch bitter root water and ice heart grass from the storeroom. He then personally set up a bronze cauldron on a small red clay stove in the corner of the quiet room and simmered it over a low flame.

Before long, a slightly chilly, bitter herbal scent filled the air.

Xu Changqing sat cross-legged in front of the jade table and took out the cold jade box from his bosom.

With a flick of his fingertips, he removed the sealing talisman, and the box opened. Inside, a spirit peach with interwoven purple and gold patterns lay quietly, its spiritual light concealed, revealing nothing.

He pointed his fingers like a sword, channeling his spiritual energy, and carefully cut open the spirit peach, removing the pit.

Then, the fruit pulp, rich in the essence of herbs and plants, was mashed into a fine paste, and the juice was poured into the bronze cauldron.

"laugh--!"

The moment the purple fruit puree fell into the light blue Ice Heart Dew, it was like boiling oil being poured into a cold pool, producing a piercing sound.

The spiritual energy inside the cauldron surged violently, and two completely opposite auras, one red and one blue, merged within a small area, eventually transforming into a pool of purple jade nectar with a warm, amber-like luster.

A gentle, soothing fragrance of herbs and trees filled the quiet room.

Xu Changqing took a deep breath and felt a sense of comfort throughout his body.

He picked up the slightly cooled purple jade wine, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

As the nectar entered his throat, he initially felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, but in no more than three breaths, a burst of intense pure yang energy exploded from his dantian!

Xu Changqing closed his eyes tightly, focused his mind, and fully activated the Changchun Gong.

One great cycle.

Two major cycles.

The sun's shadow slants westward, and the moon rises above the willow tips.

Xu Changqing's face was sometimes as red as blood, and sometimes as pale as paper, with wisps of white mist rising from his head.

Until dawn the next day, when the east was already white.

Xu Changqing felt a deafening roar erupt from within his body, like spring thunder breaking through solid ice!

The sixth level of Qi Refining that had troubled him for so long finally crumbled and shattered under the continuous impact of the nine powerful spiritual energies.

The dantian suddenly expanded outwards by several degrees, and as it circulated, it subtly carried a sense of weight and depth.

"Sixth level of Qi Refining... I've finally achieved it."

He muttered to himself, his tone revealing a sense of relief and clarity.

Now that I have broken through to the sixth level and am also cultivating thunder magic to strengthen my body, I can protect myself well on the outskirts of the Great Swamp.

But if placed within the impending Demon-Slaying Dike, it would be nothing more than a slightly larger ant.

The path of cultivation is like sailing a boat; if you gain even an inch, you will see a bottomless abyss ahead.

Xu Changqing got up and stretched his muscles, feeling completely refreshed. He casually used a cleansing spell to remove some impurities from his body.

At the sixth level of Qi Refining, spiritual energy liquefies and meridians widen, allowing him to barely support some more sophisticated techniques.

He walked to the jade table and took out the remaining half of the lightning-struck agarwood from his storage bag.

Previously, in order to construct the "Thunder Pool", half of it was ground away. Now, the remaining half is less than a foot long, charred black all over, and covered with natural thunder patterns like spider webs.

Xu Changqing ran his fingertips along the rough wood, secretly making plans in his mind.

Even the flesh and blood body, after being tempered and refined through the Five Internal Organs Forging Soup, has its limits when it bears the thunder.

Why not refine this half of second-tier spirit wood into the prototype of a magic weapon? When fighting enemies, it can amplify the power of the palm lightning and also reduce the burden on the meridians.

Although it is not as direct as a fully-formed first-tier magic weapon in the short term, its grade can be improved when other spiritual materials are found in the future.

Having made up his mind, Xu Changqing didn't hesitate.

He took a large bamboo hat and put it on, then reduced his cultivation level back to around the fourth level of Qi Refining, and left Cangwu Island alone.

The clouds dispersed and the rain ceased, revealing a vast expanse of blue waves.

The lone boat braved the waves and sailed forward, arriving at Qinghe Market in just one hour.

The market was still bustling with activity, but the wandering cultivators who were hurrying around had an indelible smell of blood and fatigue on them.

As the fighting on the front lines became brutal, resentment and hostility grew rampant in the rear.

Xu Changqing did not linger and found a weapon-refining workshop called "Bai Lian Ge".

Pushing open the heavy, black lacquered wooden door, one sees a roaring fire in the stove, radiating intense heat.

A shirtless, red-faced man was swinging a hammer, pounding a piece of red-hot iron, the clanging sound deafening.

Upon seeing a guest arrive, the man did not stop what he was doing, only glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

Xu Changqing walked to the counter, took out the piece of lightning-struck wood from his sleeve, and gently placed it on the stone table.

"Click".

The sound of wood striking stone is dull.

The red-faced man paused in his iron hammer, turned around, strode to the counter, and without even wiping away his sweat, stretched out his calloused hands and picked up the black wood.

"Second-tier, low-grade, lightning-struck agarwood..."

A glint of light flashed in the man's copper bell-like eyes, and his rough fingers gently stroked along the crackle pattern, as if caressing a peerless beauty.

After a long while, he finally raised his head to look at Xu Changqing.

"Fellow Daoist, what a stroke of luck! Such spiritual materials imbued with the aura of heavenly tribulation are extremely rare and hard to come by. What kind of item would you like to forge?"

"A thunder seal."

Xu Changqing's voice was hoarse, and his tone was flat.

"No need for excessive embellishment or the addition of fancy array patterns. Simply guide and refine the thunder energy within it into a three-inch square seal, capable of bearing thunder magic."

Upon hearing this, the man frowned slightly, seemingly feeling that the request was a complete waste of resources.

But the rule in this market is that you get paid to do things, regardless of the consequences.

"Two hundred low-grade spirit stones. This wood is extremely tough and contains lightning fire, making it very difficult to melt. It will be damaged if you are not careful."

The man quoted a price, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Can."

Xu Changqing didn't haggle and immediately pointed out two hundred spirit stones.

When can I pick it up?

"Five days."

Xu Changqing nodded slightly, turned and left without saying another word.

Once the money and goods are exchanged, in the world of cultivation, the less nonsense there is, the less trouble there will be.

On the way back, a wind picked up on the river.

As dusk settled, Xu Changqing boarded a small boat, braved the wind and waves, and returned to Cangwu Island. By then, it was completely dark.

As soon as I stepped through the moon gate into my inner courtyard, I saw a dim light shining from the study, and I could vaguely see a figure pacing back and forth anxiously in front of the window.

Xu Changqing frowned slightly.

Pushing open half of the carved wooden door, one could hear the person inside suddenly turn around as if startled.

The newcomer wore a gray-blue Taoist robe typical of outer disciples, with mud splattered on the hem. He had grown slightly taller than he had a month or so ago, but the mischievousness of the troublemaker he once had on the island was gone, replaced by a cunning and cautious air.

It was Xu Xining, who should have been feeding spirit beasts at the Hundred Beast Peak of the Qinghe Sword Sect.

"Chieftain!"

Upon seeing that it was Xu Changqing, Xu Xining bent his knees and knelt down on the blue brick ground with a "plop," respectfully kowtowing.