"Fellow Daoist Lu, do a favor, lend so cotton clothes to keep out the cold."
The cultivator surnad ng looked a little pale; the cold spiritual wind could affect one’s qi and blood, and at a certain level it beca truly painful.
Clearly, this tough-talking cultivator was already at the end of his rope.
"Fellow Daoist ng, if I lend them to you, my own body won’t hold up."
ng knew he had no grounds to argue, paused in silence, and managed a forced smile, saying, "This cold spirit wind’s been raging for almost half a month. It should pass in a few days. You can totally tough it out for a bit."
Lu Chang’sheng kept his mouth shut and just walked past him.
The more you engage with this type, the more they’ll push it—best to just ignore them.
"This guy’s targeting because I’m weaker and easier to bully."
Walking through the market, cultivators bundled up in thick cotton clothes passed by from ti to ti.
A lot of cultivators had stalls out doing business now; mostly ordinary cultivators trying to make a few extra spirit stones while they could.
The more skilled ones, though, were holed up at ho early on. Their talisman papers were pri goods, always in demand, so prices had gone up on the market lately.
Back ho, Lu Chang’sheng got back to alchemy; the White Cloud Cave Mansion assessnt was coming up, and the cold spiritual wind had slowed his progress.
Ti flew by.
The cold spirit wind blowing through the skies finally faded away.
Inside the alchemy room, Lu Chang’sheng let out a long, deep breath.
The pill furnace in front of him wafted out a strange, enticing fragrance. When he opened it, he found a few crystal-clear pills lying quietly inside, each pill swirling softly with a streak of white vapor.
"The pills are done. Plus, I’ve officially gained entry to Qi Storage Pill alchemy."
Lu Chang’sheng stood quietly, carefully recalling the feel of refining this batch, hoping to leave a deeper impression.
"There’s still so leftover material—I can use it to lock down these experiences."
His hands still felt hot—he was in peak form. He needed to refine as much as possible now and hold on to every bit of insight.
Two days later, he let out another long breath.
"My success rate for refining Qi Storage Pills is pretty much stable at ten percent."
That’s the threshold for entry with a pill formula.
It ant he’d grasped the basic craft of alchemy, but making money from it wouldn’t be easy unless he joined so group and refined pills for others.
"Tomorrow, I can set out for White Cloud Cave Mansion."
His savings had long run dry; if Lu Chang’an hadn’t brought back so spirit stones recently, he wouldn’t have a single one left.
"Totally strapped."
Lu Chang’sheng walked out the door and imdiately saw Lu Ziyou cultivating the Five Elents Divine Skill.
Compared to before, he looked darker, stronger—like a farm kid.
"Ziyou can really tough it out." Lu Chang’sheng was happy inside, but also a little tense thinking about the upcoming assessnt.
"I’d better check in with Zhu Er to see if anything’s changed, so I won’t be caught off guard."
When Lu Ziyou finished his practice, Lu Chang’sheng called him over. "Tomorrow I’m heading to the White Cloud Cave Mansion assessnt. You’re coming with ."
"Father, the assessnt isn’t for a few days yet—if I go now, won’t it be a waste of spirit stones?" said Lu Ziyou.
Lu Chang’sheng hadn’t kept the family’s spirit stone situation a secret, so Ziyou knew what was up.
"Alright, then just wait here at ho for my word."
The safety in the small market was decent; usually, cultivators at the initial Qi Cultivation stage wouldn’t dare make trouble here—it’d break the rules. The late-stage Qi cultivator from Little Cold Valley market wouldn’t tolerate that stuff.
The next morning, Lu Chang’sheng headed out with Lu Ziyou watching from the door, leaving the small Cold Valley market and heading straight for Platinum Immortal City.
On foot, tens of miles only took an hour or two, counting ti spent entering the city.
He paid the prepared entrance spirit stones, then went first to the East Gate market in Platinum Immortal City.
According to Lu Chang’an, he worked here.
"Should be here." Soon enough, Lu Chang’sheng found the place Lu Chang’an had described—a fairly large shop. A decent-looking female cultivator lounged drowsily behind the counter.
Inside, Lu Chang’an was busy with sothing.
This was a general store—they sold all sorts of everyday goods, talisman papers, tools, magical artifacts, pills, and so on.
"The shop owner doesn’t seem to have much business sense."
Lu Chang’sheng thought to himself.
Looking at the shop’s disorganized mix, he could see the signs.
But it had nothing to do with him; no need to comnt.
Just as he was about to step in and talk to Lu Chang’an, the female cultivator behind the counter suddenly opened her eyes and glanced at him, eyebrows raised as she sized up his shabby clothes. Sowhat bluntly, she said, "What do you want?"
"I’m here to see soone!" Lu Chang’sheng pointed toward the busy Lu Chang’an.
He didn’t like her attitude—the obvious contempt reminded him of the snobs from his past life.
Still, he knew she did have a leg up on him.
Be it in strength or background.
If she dared nap out front, she must either own the shop or be close to the owner.
And anyone who could secure a shop like this in Platinum Immortal City was definitely no ordinary cultivator.
"Looking for Lu Chang’an?" The woman’s brows furrowed, then relaxed. She squinted and asked, "Who are you to him, and what for?"
"I’m his father," Lu Chang’sheng said.
The woman’s raised brows imdiately dropped. She stared at Lu Chang’sheng, then realized he really did resemble Lu Chang’an around the eyes.
So, as Lu Chang’sheng blinked in surprise, her expression flipped to one of excitent. "Oh, it’s Uncle Lu! Sit, have so spirit tea!"
She grabbed his hand, leading him to a table on the side and poured him a cup from the hot kettle.
The tea was already brewed, still steaming; judging by her behavior just now, she probably hadn’t made it herself.
Lu Chang’sheng glanced toward the back, feeling sowhat helpless inside.
As a father, seeing your kid working to make ends et brought a sense of guilt.
It made even the spirit tea lose its appeal for him.
"Chang’an! Chang’an! Look who’s here!" The woman called out, voice raised.
Lu Chang’an walked out from around the corner; seeing Lu Chang’sheng, he looked a little uneasy.
······
The shop wasn’t great for talking. Lu Chang’sheng explained things to the woman, and her attitude got much nicer, leaving him with a better impression of her.
The two of them wandered sowhere less crowded in the market to chat; Lu Chang’sheng said he’d be staying here for a few days, just until the assessnt was done, then he wouldn’t have to rough it so much.
Lu Chang’an had no objections.
Things were what they were—they had to back their father all the way now.
"My boss is pretty nice. I’ll try asking her for an advance on my pay."
"Good people are worth rembering—if she ever needs help, we’ll be there for her," said Lu Chang’sheng.
"I will."
Chang’an went inside to request the advance. Lu Chang’sheng didn’t join him, waiting outside. Before long, though, the female cultivator ca out looking displeased, practically dragging Lu Chang’an along.
"Uncle, you and your son haven’t seen each other in ages—there’s no way I’ll let you stand outside all day! Co back into the shop, please," the woman said, unhappy.
Since Chang’an had already ntioned it, Lu Chang’sheng didn’t dwell on it. The woman seed stubborn, and since she insisted, he didn’t decline and followed them in.
"Uncle, have a seat. That advance is nothing to worry about," she said.
Looking at her face, Lu Chang’sheng started to get an idea.
Could she have feelings for Chang’an?
Sure enough, his hunch was confird monts later when a matronly woman walked in with a few guards and sat right across from Lu Chang’sheng.
"Qu Yan told Chang’an’s father was here at the shop, so I ca by. I wonder, where are you staying now?"
"Over at the Little Cold Valley market," Lu Chang’sheng answered, unsure what she was getting at.
Where he lived wasn’t a secret; with her standing and strength, a little inquiry would have revealed it.
Besides, in a few days, he would be able to move out once he got into White Cloud Cave Mansion, so there was no point worrying about privacy.
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