After the breakthrough in body refinement, life became peaceful once more.
Every day was spent cultivating, studying the Cultivation Hundred Skills, and occasionally enjoying tea at Jingxin Pavilion, appreciating the scenery of Wangchuan Lake.
When in the mood, he would even cast a fishing line, not caring whether he caught anything or not.
As the saying goes, those willing take the bait.
Time flies like an arrow, fleeting swiftly.
Three more years passed, and it was now the sixth year since Zhou Xun had arrived at Wangchuan Lake.
During this period, those four Tier Two Middle-Grade Talismans had been nourished to their limits, and Zhou Xun replaced them with four new ones to continue nurturing.
According to Zhou Xun's estimate, the power of these four Middle-Grade Talismans was roughly equivalent to a single strike from a Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivator.
Far surpassing what ordinary Tier Two High-Grade Talismans could offer.
This year, Zhou Xun was forty-five years old.
His Spirit Root Sensitivity had now increased to fifty-five points.
The two quasi-Third Tier Spirit Medicines obtained from Sun Yuanqing were cultivated to Tier Three Low-Grade and then fully refined and absorbed, increasing his Spirit Root Sensitivity by four points.
The single Tier Two Top-Grade Spirit Medicine from the Lin Family was raised to Quasi-Third Tier, which increased his Spirit Root by one point.
After more than twenty years, he finally caught up with Wang Erniu.
However, the High-Tier Spiritual Medicines he had were all used up, which meant his Spirit Root would likely remain stagnant at fifty-five points for some time.
Additionally, the Frost Crystal he initially acquired was completely depleted half a year ago.
Without the assistance of auxiliary materials, Zhou Xun's Body Refining Technique had slowed to a crawl.
Although he had written to ask the Song Family and the Danhai Pavilion's Old Daoist Chuyun to help gather more materials,
unfortunately, in recent years, the prices of various spiritual materials and medicines in Xui Country had skyrocketed, with top-grade treasures being reluctant to be sold. Nothing Zhou Xun needed was available on the market.
And the auctions were still several years away!
As for seeking Zhou Buqi's help, he had considered this option but ultimately gave it up.
In terms of spiritual medicines, he needed those above Tier Two Top-Grade, but as a Tier Two Middle-Grade Alchemist, he basically had no use for them, and had no reason to collect them.
If he were a Tier Two High-Grade Alchemist, it might have been feasible, but he wasn't!
In terms of materials, those capable of assisting with the cultivation of the "Hundred Veins Body Refining Technique Fifth Layer" were high-level spiritual materials used to forge magical treasures.
He had even less reason to collect them.
It was indeed strange for an outwardly Early-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator to be collecting materials for magical treasures!
Though the White Cloud Immortal City's treasure vault would surely possess them!
"The Spiritual Root is the foundation of my cultivation, and Body Refining Technique pertains to my means of protecting the path!"
"It seems it's time to go out for a trip!"
Zhou Xun murmured to himself.
Since entering Wangchuan Lake six years ago, Zhou Xun had not left once.
With the current strength of his Divine Sense, and using the Thousand Illusion Mask, disguising himself as a Fake Pill Cultivator posed no problem.
If he could utilize the identity of a Fake Pill Cultivator, he would have the qualifications to contact either Quasi-Third Tier Spirit Medicines or High-Tier Spiritual Materials.
Moreover, with tens of thousands of Spirit Stones on him, acquiring one or two items should be no issue.
Having figured everything out, Zhou Xun called for Song Yiqing.
After giving a few instructions, he soared into the sky, transforming into a streak of Spirit Light, heading swiftly into the distance.
...
Fengg Country is a Cultivation Country in the Southern Domain adjoining Zilin Xui Country, larger in area than Xui Country, but overall possessing comparable strength.
Within Fengg Country, there are three Core Formation Influences: the Profound Cloud Sect, the Qingyu Sect, and the Yumu Ridge Song Family,
Among them,
the Profound Cloud Sect is the strongest, with two True Pill Cultivators within the sect, and Supreme Elder Master Profound Cloud possessing a Middle-Stage True Pill Cultivation.
Next is the Yumu Ridge Song Family, a family with a thousand-year legacy, where every generation has produced True Pill Cultivators, truly extraordinary.
The Qingyu Sect is the weakest, yet it too is a great faction with a millennium of heritage.
Together, the three powers stand as the three legs of a tripod, jointly managing Fengg Country's largest and sole Immortal City—Fengyuan City.
Zhou Xun's destination for this trip was indeed Fengyuan City.
Fengyuan City is extremely prosperous, with nearly a hundred thousand cultivators residing within,
surpassing even White Cloud Immortal City and Juntian City in Xui Country.
Fengyuan City's name is derived from its proximity to Fengyuan.
Fengyuan is an ancient cultivator battlefield spanning countless millions of miles, nurturing numerous treasures of heaven and earth, alongside many relics and legacies left by ancient cultivators.
However, Fengyuan is also exceedingly perilous, filled with demon beasts, swamps, malevolent spirits, and even spatial rifts.
Fengg Country is merely adjacent to one side of Fengyuan.
Legend has it that on the opposite side of Fengyuan lies an extremely prosperous Cultivation Holy Land, even home to Fourth Realm Nascent Soul Stage beings!
It's said that opportunities abound within Fengyuan, yet so do dangers!
On this day, from all directions outside Fengyuan City, various Spirit Lights flew in, then landed ten miles away from the city gate.
This was the No-Fly Restriction of Fengyuan City at work.
At this time, a cyan light flew swiftly from the north.
Upon closer look, that cyan light was a flying shuttle about a yard long, with a man in a cyan robe standing on it.
The man's figure was graceful and his aura was extraordinary, like a beautiful jade statue.
What's puzzling is that this light wasn't affected by the No-Fly Restriction, flying steadily to the city gate before slowly descending.
"Why isn't this person affected by the restriction? Could it be that the restriction distinguishes different people?" At this time, a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy in brocade clothing said indignantly.
By his appearance, it was clear he was a noble young master having just returned from training.
"Third Young Master, hush!" Upon hearing this, the face of an elder beside the noble young master changed dramatically and quickly warned him.
"Why, are we not allowed to speak? I, Xin Buyu, have never been subjected to such treatment!" The boy's anger grew upon hearing this.
"Hehe, Fengyuan City's No-Fly Restriction targets only Foundation Establishment Stage and below cultivators. The fact that someone flew through unaffected can only mean that person is a Core Formation Stage senior!"
A middle-aged man beside them laughed heartily.
"What? A Core Formation Stage senior!" The boy's face instantly turned pale upon hearing this, and he quickly looked toward the fleeting cyan Escape Light.
Seeing that it showed no signs of turning back, he finally felt a bit relieved.
"Kid, do you still have any complaints now?" The middle-aged man teased.
"If... if it's a Core Formation Stage senior, then naturally they have the right not to walk in!" The boy's voice grew increasingly faint.
"Hahaha!" The middle-aged man laughed.
The boy ignored the laughter, looking at the Escape Light descending at the city gate with eyes full of determination.
Muttering to himself in a voice only he could hear:
"A true man should be like this!"
More than a hundred years later, Xin Buyu also became a True Pill Cultivator.
When he flew over the No-Fly Restriction with his grandson, his little grandson asked him:
"Grandfather, why don't we just walk from outside the city?"
Xin Buyu recalled the memory from over a hundred years ago, the vision he had as a young boy.
...
Zhou Xun naturally did not know how his actions had impacted a young boy in Fengg Country.
Even if he knew, he would just laugh it off.
By that time, he had already become a distinguished figure across several Cultivation Countries.
Surrounding Fengyuan City were walls towering over a hundred yards high, and the city gate was extremely majestic, with numerous runes etched upon it.
With Zhou Xun's insight, he could naturally discern that this city gate was specially crafted, equivalent to a magical artifact.
There were two teams of guards at the city gate, all with Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivation.
They were dressed in high-grade standard spirit armor, holding standard long halberds.
Additionally, there was a middle-aged man in a cyan blue standard robe sitting at a desk, talking with a young man, about to hand him a token.
Suddenly, the middle-aged man saw Zhou Xun descending from the sky and his expression changed.
He quickly got up, came before Zhou Xun, and bowed deeply.
"Junior Wenren Qing, greets the senior!"
The two teams of guards also respectfully saluted.
Zhou Xun waved his hand:
"This is my first time at Fengyuan City; what are the protocols for entering the city?"
"If ordinary cultivators wish to stay in Fengyuan City, a fee of one Spirit Stone is collected annually. But as a Core Formation Master, senior's entrance is naturally free!"
Fengyuan City has nearly ten thousand cultivators, so this amounts to a revenue of ten thousand spirit stones every year!
"Please follow me, senior, to process a passage token. Without it, moving around in the city would trigger the array and attract law enforcement cultivators!"
Zhou Xun nodded, and promptly followed to the desk.
"Senior, please take a seat!" The middle-aged man wiped the stool he had used with his sleeve.
Zhou Xun did not refuse, sat straight down.
Then the middle-aged man took out a black token and cast a spell.
He paid no attention to the young man standing nearby.
Afterward, the middle-aged man respectfully handed the token to Zhou Xun:
"Senior, please infuse a trace of mana, and this token will activate for use. As long as Fengyuan City remains, senior may use this token to enter and stay as long as desired!"
Zhou Xun accepted it and hung it on his waist.
"Thank you, young friend!"
Then he turned and went into the city.
Only then did the middle-aged man hand the token to the young man who had been standing there for some time.
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