Looking at the plaque above her head.
"Hundred Methods Pavilion."
Su Bai had been to this place a few times.
It was always to choose Cultivation Techniques.
Unfortunately, the ones she liked were too expensive to afford.
And the ones she didn't like… she still couldn't afford.
Even a common Cultivation Technique contained experience for Cultivating to the Foundation Establishment Stage and various complementary Cultivation Techniques.
If she bought it, Su Bai would be completely out of resources.
She had come over several times.
In the end, she only bought some small Spells, not Cultivation Techniques.
After reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, Su Bai would still face the issue of changing Cultivation Techniques.
The Essence Cultivation Qi Refining Art was too common.
And it could only be Cultivated to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Every time she thought of this, Su Bai could only sigh at the difficulty of being a Loose Cultivator.
Without Family support, and without Sect backing.
Everything depended on herself.
And she had to constantly worry about her life being taken by others.
After all, she had no backing.
It was another day of melancholy.
She tidied up her mood.
Unwilling to stay longer in front of this Hundred Methods Pavilion.
She still had to work hard to Cultivate.
Su Bai's days were very monotonous.
Every day, she woke up from meditating and Cultivating, then began Alchemy.
At the same time, she refined her Talisman Drawing skills.
In the morning, she would go to the Loose Cultivator market to set up a stall and sell Medicinal Pills.
If the Medicinal Pills sold out early, she would go to the teahouse in the afternoon for tea.
Sometimes she would follow Yang the Old Daoist to broaden her horizons.
After all, he had Cultivated the Dao for decades longer than her.
Recently, Yang the Old Daoist often followed Xu Changge.
Clearly, this Fellow Daoist Xu had a significant background.
Even Yang the Old Daoist, who usually disdained being courted by small organizations, had to curry favor.
Su Bai conveniently benefited from Yang the Old Daoist's connection.
And became quite familiar with Xu Changge.
"Fellow Daoist Xu, how many Spirit Stones would it cost to purchase a Formation Plate?"
This day, Su Bai finally spoke of the matter she had always hoped for in her heart.
More preparations meant more ways to survive.
It was best to acquire a Formation Plate as soon as possible.
Hearing Su Bai say this, Xu Changge fell silent for a moment, calculating the Materials needed to prepare a Formation Plate.
Then she began to inquire what kind of Formation Su Bai wanted.
"Fellow Daoist Su, what kind of Formation do you want? Offensive, or defensive?"
"If it's an offensive Formation Plate, it's further divided into those for continuous attack to wear down protective means, and those for a single thunderous strike that exhausts all the Spirit Stone and Qi power of the Formation Plate."
"As for defensive Formation Plates, there are also blocking types and those that confuse perception."
Xu Changge introduced them one by one to Su Bai.
Making Su Bai think, these Formations are truly diverse.
Although she wanted to say: I want them all!
This was clearly impossible.
Not to mention the financial resources, Xu Changge didn't have that much time to make them for Su Bai either.
So Su Bai considered it for a moment.
"I want Formations for trapping enemies and for explosive power."
"Hmm, for these two, first are the Materials for the Formation Plate, which require Profound Iron Essence, and the Formation Chess pieces need First-Grade Spirit Wood, and even if White Jade Marrow isn't used for the Formation inscription, a substitute like wild beast blood is needed…"
Su Bai just listened as Xu Changge calculated everything.
The more she spoke, the colder Su Bai's heart became.
She had subconsciously clutched her Storage Pouch.
"If I handle everything, it will cost over three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, you know."
After speaking, Xu Changge looked at Su Bai with a hint of playfulness.
From the first time she met Su Bai, because of the Cultivation Technique she Cultivated, her perception was especially strong.
She could vaguely sense a presence on Su Bai that could threaten her.
But she was at Refining Qi (8th Layer), while Su Bai was only at Qi Refining Stage - Mid Phase.
When they met in the private room, Xu Changge, as a woman, immediately noticed that Su Bai had intentionally concealed her appearance.
Deliberately making herself seem a bit unkempt.
Although her good foundation could still be seen, her true appearance was clearly undeterminable.
After that, Xu Changge intentionally sought out Yang the Old Daoist to inquire about Su Bai.
And after hearing Yang the Old Daoist's evaluation of Su Bai, Xu Changge roughly understood Su Bai's character.
Limited by her Spiritual Root, her Aptitude was mediocre, but she was single-mindedly devoted to the Dao.
Her Dao Heart was very firm.
She was considered a local of Purple Bamboo Immortal Market.
She had never caused trouble, and was not a person who liked to show off.
The places she spent the most time were her home and the Loose Cultivator market.
After making this judgment, Xu Changge also roughly understood the sense of threat Su Bai gave her.
It was highly likely that she had concealed her cultivation, but not to the extent of surpassing her.
At this moment, Xu Changge looked at Su Bai clutching her Storage Pouch, looking a bit embarrassed.
She found it amusing.
Su Bai was clearly the type of person who feared death.
She didn't provoke trouble, and Cultivated honestly.
She obviously couldn't produce that many Spirit Stones.
Actually, Su Bai could produce them.
Her usual expenses were very small, apart from buying Medicinal Pills and some cheap Spells.
In fact, if it weren't for covering her tracks, she would usually buy some Spirit Medicine and Yao Beast blood.
Her own medicinal garden in the Da Wu World was already completely self-sufficient.
She even had quite a few hundred-year-old Spirit Medicine.
If she sold them, it would be enough to go to an auction.
She was a hidden little rich woman.
But Su Bai couldn't break her persona of being a poor Qi Refining Stage - Mid Phase Cultivator.
Only if outsiders believed it would she be safe.
"That… I am short on funds, so I don't need the offensive Formation. Just one set for trapping enemies."
"Oh, and if I provide the Materials like Spirit Wood and Yao Beast blood myself, can it be cheaper?"
Su Bai gritted her teeth.
She would still only get one Formation.
Xu Changge nodded.
"Naturally, you can."
Su Bai breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
She also Cultivated First-Grade Spirit Wood and had no shortage of it.
As for Yao Beast blood, she had accumulated some due to the needs of drawing Talismans.
The Yao Beast blood from Great Wu was clearly insufficient for refining a First-Grade High Grade Formation.
The grade was too low.
So it could only be First-Grade High Grade Yao Beast blood.
This could not be vague.
As Su Bai was thinking about what other Materials she could save on, Xu Changge spoke again.
"Fellow Daoist Su, I still have some Materials left here that I can give you. What do you think?"
When she finished speaking, not only Su Bai, but even Yang the Old Daoist beside her couldn't help but look sideways.
Both of them understood the meaning behind these words.
It was about reciprocating favors.
If Su Bai agreed, she would owe Xu Changge a favor, which she would have to repay later.
Although Su Bai's original intention was not to get involved in any matters and ideally just Cultivate peacefully, it still came down to that saying:
On the path of cultivation, wealth, Dao Companion, Cultivation Technique, and territory are all indispensable.
This favor from Xu Changge was part of the 'Dao Companion' aspect.
It didn't just mean a Dao Companion, but also implied having friends to accompany one on the path of cultivation.
A Loose Cultivator was alone.
To go on for a long time, one needed to have many friends.
"In that case, I thank Fellow Daoist Xu for your kindness."
Su Bai accepted this favor!
Xu Changge's origin was mysterious.
Yang the Old Daoist clearly knew a thing or two, but he hadn't said anything.
Looking at Yang the Old Daoist's recent attitude, he was clearly acting like a steward.
Even if he hadn't been won over by Xu Changge, he was close to it.
Su Bai didn't want to miss out on any advantages she could gain.
Xu Changge smiled slightly, seeing that Su Bai was willing to be her friend.
"Then you don't need to pay a deposit. I will naturally give you the Formation Plate when it's ready. Just pay two hundred Spirit Stones then."
Two hundred Spirit Stones!
This price was almost the same as a Low Grade Magical Artifact!
It was no different from giving Su Bai a Formation Plate for free.
Xu Changge was clearly here to make friends.
"Good! I look forward to Fellow Daoist Xu's craftsmanship!"
After Su Bai finished speaking, she and Xu Changge exchanged a smile.