Today, Li Chen observed Alchemist Chen refine two batches of Medicinal Pills: one batch of Pigu Pills and one batch of Yellow Sprout Pills.
Alchemist Chen spoke, allowing Li Chen to open a furnace by himself.
In the Divine Pill Pavilion, the highest-ranking person was naturally Linglong Fairy, as she was the Pavilion Master.
However, Linglong Fairy's enterprises were not limited to the Divine Pill Pavilion; she also owned the Heavenly Talisman Pavilion.
It was rumored that Linglong Fairy had other enterprises in the Nanshan Bazaar of Yun Province and the Taihu Bazaar of Ping Province, but Li Chen did not know if these claims were true or false.
Besides Linglong Fairy, Steward Fu and Pill Refiner Ge held the highest positions in the Divine Pill Pavilion, followed by Alchemist Chen.
Steward Fu was Linglong Fairy's old servant, having looked after her since she was a child, so his status was naturally self-evident.
Pill Refiner Ge, on the other hand, was a second-rank Alchemist; throughout Yan Country, apart from the Purple Void Immortal Sect, Pill Refiner Ge was one of the few second-rank Alchemists capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills.
As for Alchemist Chen, he was a top-tier first-rank Alchemist, and his status was also highly respected.
Apprentices of the Divine Pill Pavilion were not qualified to open a furnace without the permission of the two Alchemists.
Having obtained the qualification to open a furnace, Li Chen's heart was filled with hope, and thus his steps on the way home were much lighter.
Approaching the shantytown, Li Chen stopped and murmured to himself, "Sooner or later, I will move out of here."
The shantytown, located on the edge of Yin Mountain Market, was, in essence, the slum of the Cultivation World.
The Spiritual Qi here was thin, and one could only absorb the Spiritual Qi leaking from the Spiritual Vein to Cultivate; the environment was extremely harsh.
Only the Immortal Caves built on Spiritual Veins were places where Cultivators resided; Cultivating on a Spiritual Vein could speed up one's Cultivation by several times.
Walking to his rented house, Li Chen looked at Little Fatty Han Mao's house across the way, his expression slightly surprised, "Did he really succeed?"
Little Fatty's house had no Formation set up, so it could not conceal the Spiritual Qi fluctuations.
Most Cultivators living in the shantytown were poor, low-level Loose Cultivators, and few could afford to set up Formations outside their residences.
Judging by the Spiritual Qi fluctuations outside Little Fatty's house, he had indeed advanced to Qi Refining (4th level), becoming a Qi Refining Middle Stage Cultivator!
A month ago, Han Mao borrowed a Qi Cultivation Pill from Li Chen, saying he wanted to break through his Bottleneck and advance to Qi Refining (4th level).
Afterward, Han Mao resigned from his job at the Divine Pill Pavilion, and Li Chen had not seen him for a month.
At the time, Li Chen was dismissive.
Han Mao had an Eight-Rank Spiritual Root, his Aptitude was not much higher than Li Chen's, and even if he took a Qi Cultivation Pill, he would most likely not be able to break through the Bottleneck.
He never expected him to actually succeed.
As the Spiritual Qi fluctuated, scattered groups of people gathered.
Shu Chan was the first to emerge from her house, sweeping her gaze across Li Chen with a blank expression, then looking at Han Mao's house and smilingly saying, "I didn't expect Little Brother Han to break through to the Qi Refining Middle Stage so quickly. When he first arrived at the Bazaar, I was at Qi Refining (2nd level), and I didn't expect his Cultivation to catch up to mine."
Beside her, another enchanting female Cultivator chuckled and echoed, "Indeed, who would have thought Little Brother Han could break through to the Qi Refining Middle Stage so quickly?"
As she spoke, the enchanting female Cultivator turned her gaze to Li Chen and winked at him, "Brother Li, I heard you lent Little Brother Han a Qi Cultivation Pill?"
As soon as the female Cultivator spoke, Li Chen frowned.
This enchanting female Cultivator was well-known in the shantytown because she was a female Cultivator who earned Spirit Stones by engaging in flesh trade in the Cultivation World; while earning Spirit Stones, these female Cultivators would also absorb the vital essence of male Cultivators to Cultivate, and many male Cultivators with unstable Dao Hearts enjoyed seeking out these female Cultivators.
This enchanting female Cultivator charged one Spirit Stone for a joyous encounter, yet many male Cultivators in the shantytown still indulged in it tirelessly.
Li Chen also understood this, as the Goddess Tower's Divine Woman were simply too expensive.
As soon as this female Cultivator spoke, Li Chen knew trouble was brewing.
Sure enough, Old Man Zhang, who lived nearby, shamelessly rubbed his hands and approached Li Chen, "Brother Li, you're a man who does great things."
"My grandson has also been stuck at Qi Refining (3rd level) for a long time; why don't you lend this old man a Qi Cultivation Pill?"
"Don't worry, this old man won't borrow it for free."
"Once my grandson breaks through to the Qi Refining Middle Stage, this old man will repay you double."
Around them, everyone's gaze converged on Li Chen.
Meeting their gazes, Li Chen's expression was cold as he spoke in a deep voice, "I apologize, I have already consumed all of my Qi Cultivation Pills; I have none left."
"Everyone, please excuse me."
Old Man Zhang was about to say something, but Li Chen turned and walked away, going straight back to his house, heavily closing the door, and then locking it.
Li Chen knew that if he lent Old Man Zhang a Qi Cultivation Pill, countless troubles would await him.
Good people are often bullied, and good horses are often ridden.
The Cultivation World was never a place to reason, much less a place where people lived in harmony.
Li Chen had been gifted a bottle of Qi Cultivation Pills by Linglong Fairy, and at that time, there were many people in the Divine Pill Pavilion, so the news certainly couldn't be kept secret.
If not for Linglong Fairy's prestige covering him, with his Qi Refining (1st level) Cultivation, he would have been killed and robbed long ago.
These low-level Loose Cultivators were entirely capable of taking risks for a bottle of Qi Cultivation Pills; the rules of the Bazaar could not deter them.
Fortunately, Linglong Fairy's prestige was more effective than the Bazaar's rules, enough to deter petty criminals in this area of Yin Mountain Market.
Li Chen returned to his room, his eyes growing even gloomier.
Many people knew that Linglong Fairy had bestowed a bottle of Qi Cultivation Pills upon him.
However, no outsider knew that he had lent Han Mao a Qi Cultivation Pill.
He couldn't get too close to that Little Fatty!
Given Han Mao's talkative nature, loose lips, and naive ideas, he was simply not suited for Cultivation.
Li Chen calmed his mind and no longer paid attention to the disturbances outside.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Li Chen took out the jade bottle, poured out the last Qi Cultivation Pill, and murmured to himself with flickering eyes, "Breaking through to Qi Refining (2nd level) is Today!"
According to Li Chen's Spiritual Root Aptitude, it would be impossible to break through to Qi Refining (2nd level) in just over a month by relying solely on meditation.
He had a Nine-Rank Spiritual Root and lived in the harsh environment of the shantytown.
Without Medicinal Pills, he would likely be stuck at Qi Refining (1st level) for three to five years before being able to break through to Qi Refining (2nd level).
Cultivating with Qi Cultivation Pills at Qi Refining (1st level) was a luxury that Loose Cultivators did not have, and even some Cultivation Family disciples did not have this privilege.
Qi Cultivation Pills were used by Qi Refining (3rd level) Cultivators to break through Bottlenecks; they were considered precious in the eyes of low-level Loose Cultivators.
If a Loose Cultivator obtained a Qi Cultivation Pill, they would absolutely be reluctant to use it, most likely saving it for when they needed to break through a Bottleneck.
However, Qi Cultivation Pills were nothing to Linglong Fairy, the Pavilion Master of the Divine Pill Pavilion, and they were not considered precious in Li Chen's eyes either.
Li Chen always believed that Cultivation was the fundamental priority, and he didn't concern himself with whether it was wasteful or not.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Li Chen calmly focused his mind to adjust his state, undisturbed by external influences, absorbing the scattered Spiritual Qi in the world bit by bit.
As night deepened, feeling that the magical power within his Dantian had grown to a critical point, Li Chen unhesitatingly took out the last Qi Cultivation Pill.
The last Qi Cultivation Pill entered his abdomen, instantly transforming into a vast amount of spiritual power, almost igniting the magical power in Li Chen's Dantian.
By dawn, Li Chen stood up from the bed, a glimmer of light shooting from his eyes.
"Qi Refining (2nd level), achieved!"
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