Entering the Immortal Path, Practicing a Hundred Arts Chapter 44: Open Solicitation

In the following days, Li Feng's cultivation speed visibly increased by a significant margin. Every time the soul insect fed back its energy, it was equivalent to a full year of his own diligent cultivation. Li Feng sighed with deep emotion; truly, this was a rare heavenly creature that even the Dao of Heaven sought to suppress.

Currently, his progress in various immortal arts such as alchemy, talisman-making, and array formations remained stagnant, restricted by his bottleneck in cultivation realm. Elevating his strength had already become an urgent priority. Li Feng estimated that with the soul insect's feedback, he would definitely advance to the Foundation Establishment realm in at most half a year!

...

The competition for the leasing rights of the Alchemy Residence proceeded as scheduled. On that day, the Alchemy Residence was exceptionally lively. The streets were packed with cultivators who had come to watch the spectacle. The merchants and rogue cultivators of the marketplace cared deeply about who would ultimately secure the leasing rights, as this concerned whether they would be able to smoothly open their shops and conduct business in the future. If those profit-driven alchemists who disregarded the common people managed to win the lease, the future cost of doing business would rise, plunging everyone into misery.

Accompanied by Hong Ling and holding their entry credentials, Li Feng smoothly entered the estate where Jinyanzi had once lived. There were already quite a few people inside, mostly invited spectators. Those who could secure an invitation possessed no simple strength or background. Gathered in groups of three or five, they chatted about which alchemist had the highest probability of winning the lease.

Li Feng habitually observed the surrounding environment and people, confirming that there were no hidden dangers. The competition venue was vast, spanning a full mu in area. Inside the venue, cauldrons were placed at intervals of several hundred meters. These public cauldrons would be used by the alchemists during the subsequent trials. According to the rules of the competition, alchemists were strictly prohibited from using their own personal cauldrons. Surrounding the competition arena, a temporary oval-shaped viewing platform had been constructed. This platform provided a full three-hundred-sixty-degree view without any blind spots, allowing spectators to observe every alchemist's pill-refining process from multiple angles.

Luo Hu, the official in charge of hosting the competition, spotted the two of them and hurried over with a warm greeting.

"Daoist Shan, I received the Kunyuan Pill you refined a few days ago. I originally intended to visit in person to express my gratitude, but I was bogged down by official duties and unable to break away. Please forgive me."

Luo Hu was tall and thin with a wispy goatee and extremely small eyes that narrowed into slits. When he smiled, it made one feel profoundly uncomfortable, as though being watched by a venomous snake.

Li Feng politely returned the courtesy. "Senior Luo exaggerates. The Kunyuan Pill was merely a small token of my appreciation; how could I dare trouble you to make a personal trip?"

"Things that prolong life are rare in this world! That token is by no means small!" Luo Hu laughed heartily.

"Compared to a second-tier mid-grade longevity pill, it is not worth mentioning." Li Feng intentionally leaked information about the longevity pill precisely to make the other party weigh his potential value clearly.

Luo Hu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Could it be that Daoist Shan is capable of refining longevity pills?"

Li Feng chuckled, saying meaningfully, "If things go smoothly this time, refining a few furnaces of longevity pills will naturally be no problem at all."

"As expected of a young talent of Anhe City! For this preliminary trial, I hold high hopes for Daoist Shan!" Luo Hu patted Li Feng on the shoulder.

The two conversed pleasantly, the atmosphere harmonious. After chatting for a while, Luo Hu went off to attend to other matters.

Hong Ling asked from the side, "What percentage of certainty does Daoist Shan have in winning the preliminary trial?"

When they had sent gifts to Luo Hu initially, this fellow hadn't made any promises—a typical attitude of accepting whatever was given while deciding whether to help based entirely on his mood. Other factions had surely bribed Luo Hu heavily as well, leaving Hong Ling feeling extremely insecure.

Full of confidence, Li Feng held up a single finger. "At least one hundred percent certainty!"

Hong Ling was amused by his confidence. "Having confidence is a good thing, but your opponents this time are not weak." She pointed toward a few contestants not far away. "Daoist Shan, among these people, Mo Yurou of the Mo family and Tian Wuqing of the Broken Sword Manor are your greatest rivals. Their alchemy skills have been at the second-tier lower grade for many years, and their experience is second to none. Suppressing either of them will be no small feat."

Even as she spoke, Mo Yurou—dressed in a cheongsam and exuding an elegant temperament—approached gracefully. She had been observing Li Feng ever since he appeared. Mo Yurou was filled with curiosity regarding this second-tier alchemist who had suddenly emerged in Anhe City.

"Is Your Excellency the second-tier alchemist who refined the Kunyuan Pill?"

Li Feng nodded in acknowledgment.

"I've heard much about you!" Mo Yurou extended a delicate, slender finger, intentionally seeking to make his acquaintance.

Li Feng gave a symbolic handshake. Just as he tried to withdraw his right hand, she grasped it firmly. A wonderful sensation of coolness and smoothness radiated from her jade hand.

"If Your Excellency is willing to join the Mo family, I am willing to become your cultivation partner and accompany you for a lifetime. Please consider it."

A nameless anger surged within Hong Ling's heart nearby. For Mo Yurou to dare to poach Li Feng right in front of her showed complete disregard for the Spirit Plantation Hall.

Openly rubbing the back of Mo Yurou's jade hand with his thumb, Li Feng adopted a righteous expression and said, "Fellow Daoist, please do not make such small jokes."

Mo Yurou's expression remained serious and earnest. "How could one joke about the major events of life? I truly hope Your Excellency will consider the Mo family."

Not wishing to burn bridges, Hong Ling nevertheless offered a cold reminder. "Daoist Mo, Alchemist Shan is an elder of our Spirit Plantation Hall. If you desire pills, you may negotiate with the Spirit Plantation Hall."

Realizing her behavior had crossed a line, Mo Yurou readily offered an apology to Hong Ling. "The Mo family thirsts for talented individuals. If there was any impropriety, please forgive me."

Hong Ling questioned, "If I were to act similarly toward the talents of the Mo family another day, would Daoist Mo forgive it?"

Unconstrained by trivialities, Mo Yurou bowed deeply to Hong Ling. For a Foundation Establishment grand cultivator to lower her head and apologize to a Qi Condensation cultivator demonstrated a sufficiently sincere attitude. Most of Hong Ling's anger dissipated, and she ceased making things difficult.

As Mo Yurou returned to her seat, she lightly brushed back a lock of hair, swayed her long, slender legs, and gave Li Feng a gentle, warm smile. Li Feng returned a brilliant smile.

Seeing that Li Feng appeared somewhat moved, a sense of crisis arose in Hong Ling's heart. "Daoist Li, the Bioluminescence Hall has plenty of women like that. If you like them, you may choose freely."

"Sister Hong, do not misunderstand. Interacting in public is out of my hands. I have absolutely no intention of joining other factions, so please rest assured."

Despite these words, Hong Ling did not hear much sincerity in his tone. After all, men were ultimately animals driven by their lower bodies.

On the estate's viewing platform, the spectators grew increasingly numerous. The competing alchemists had also taken their positions.

After exchanging brief pleasantries with the crowd, Luo Hu began announcing the content of the preliminary trial. Upon hearing that the requirement for the preliminary trial was to refine as many Spirit-Enhancing Pills as possible within five double-hours, Li Feng smiled. This Luo Hu was truly thoughtful. Knowing that he excelled at refining Spirit-Enhancing Pills, he had altered the trial's content accordingly.

However, this fellow also harbored selfish motives. Under the pretext of inspecting the quality of the pills, every single Spirit-Enhancing Pill refined by the alchemists would ultimately find its way into his own pocket. From this single trial alone, he would harvest at least a thousand Spirit-Enhancing Pills. Yet no one dared to call it unfair, seeing as they had favors to ask of him.

The other contestants stood on high alert with solemn expressions. As a first-tier superior-grade pill, the Spirit-Enhancing Pill was not easy to refine. To ensure a high success rate in alchemy, most alchemists specially sought spirit planters to assist them at their side. Spirit planters possessed a far keener perception of the subtle changes in spiritual materials, and they could offer tremendous help while the alchemist was extracting the essence of those materials. Therefore, it was hardly strange to see alchemists surrounded by people on the competition platforms.

Any high-tier alchemist of notable reputation was bound to have several high-tier spirit planters with whom they maintained friendly relations. Hong Ling's insistence on coming this time was likewise to assist Li Feng. With the Evergreen Technique backing her up, her perception of spiritual materials vastly surpassed that of ordinary people.