Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 52: Dan Shop Duty
Not long after Chen Qingling left, the neighbor next door came to visit again.

"Fellow Daoist Li, why did you end up working as a handyman in a pill shop? The monthly salary is only a few spirit stones. This can't go on."

During the past six months, Lin Shaowen from next door often came to chat with Li Ji'an.

Li Ji'an always kept his distance from such strangers whose backgrounds he didn't know.

"Life forces me to do this."

"Oh, I was wrong. I saw that you had been practicing in seclusion for half a year, so I thought you had ample resources for practice. I never thought..." Lin Shaowen sighed to himself.

"Indeed, apart from those young people, how many people our age can afford to live in the East District? Cultivation is not easy!"

Li Ji'an nodded in agreement.

"However, you shouldn't be a chore boy. The monthly salary is just enough for rent. What about the pills? What about the spiritual rice, spiritual noodles and monster meat? If you ask me, at our age, if we want to make further progress in cultivation, there is no hope except to increase the resource pile." Lin Shaowen said again.

Li Ji'an laughed and said, "I understand this principle, but Spirit Stones are hard to earn, and I don't have any special skills. I can only find a job and slowly accumulate them."

"Fellow Daoist Li, that's wrong. Spiritual stones can't be accumulated. Haven't you seen the thousands of independent cultivators in the East District? Which one of them has accumulated the funds for cultivation by serving in the market?"

"As the saying goes, a man cannot become rich without unexpected fortune, and a horse cannot grow fat without overnight grass. It's impossible to earn a large amount of money by just doing your job!"

"If it were those young people, they could accumulate experience in this way, and even have the hope of being valued by the boss, but at our age, it's too late!" Lin Shaowen gradually became agitated.

Li Ji'an raised his eyebrows and smiled: "Oh? Does Fellow Daoist Lin have any good ideas?"

Lin Shaowen became even more energetic. "To be honest, I've been stuck at the third level of Qi training for five years and haven't been able to make any progress. The Feiyun Pill, which breaks through levels, costs a huge sum of 280 spirit stones. I was almost desperate and almost gave up and returned to the mortal world to retire. Fortunately, I received help from a noble person last year and found a good way. By the end of this year, I should be able to buy a Breakthrough Pill and advance to the middle stage of Qi training."

"In less than a year, he earned a huge sum of 280 spirit stones!" Li Ji'an was quite surprised.

Just as Lin Shaowen said, it is basically hopeless for helpless independent cultivators, especially those like them who are in the early stage of Qi training, to save up spirit stones. Rent is the basic requirement, spiritual rice and spiritual noodles are also indispensable, and auxiliary elixirs for cultivation are a bottomless pit, not to mention some talismans, magic arrays, magic tools, spirit beasts that are helpful for cultivation... those things are luxuries for them.

All the independent cultivators in the East District can do is to work in the market and earn a monthly salary. The better ones can get seven or eight yuan a month, while the less well-off like Li Ji'an can only get one or two yuan. Apart from that, they can temporarily go into the mountains to hunt monsters like Chen Zhaohu, or go to the mortal gathering areas to trade. Each job has its own hardships, but none of them can expect to make huge money.

"You and I hit it off right away, and we're both older independent cultivators. Seeing you now is like seeing my past self. Otherwise, how could I tell you such a thing so easily? So, do you want to know what the solution is?" Lin Shaowen was quite satisfied with Li Ji'an's reaction.

Li Ji'an smiled but said nothing.

We are not related, so how could I tell him if there is such a good way to make spirit stones?

"What? Fellow Daoist Li thinks I have bad intentions? Don't worry, although we have only known each other for a short time, I, Lin, have lived here for more than ten years. How could I be one of those dirty and evil cultivators and I will not harm you." Seeing what Li Ji'an was thinking, Lin Shaowen explained.

"Well, I won't keep you in suspense."

"Tianxianlou's shopkeeper Tong has a good job. If you can be favored, you can earn at least 20 spirit stones at a time!"

"Of course, I'm telling you this because I see you have a lot of energy and blood, and you must have practiced physical training before. If it were someone else, I guess the nobles wouldn't look down on you."

Li Ji'an suddenly looked at him: "Tianxian Tower?"

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not talking about a male servant who uses his looks to please others. It's different. Moreover, if it really is that kind of male servant, our cultivation level may not be able to satisfy the dual cultivation method of those female cultivators."

"What I'm talking about isn't dual cultivation of mana and power, but dual cultivation of Qi and blood. Those noble female cultivators are born with weak bodies. If they want to break through or even advance to a higher realm, they need to improve their physical Qi and blood."

……

"Isn't it still about sleeping together?" Li Ji'an laughed.

He finally understood why Lin Shaowen was so thin and frail.

All the energy in my body has been drained away.

"I am too weak to enjoy this. I appreciate your kindness, Brother Lin." Understanding his intentions, Li Ji'an no longer hesitated and stood up to see him off.

This is the pimp.

"Oh, Fellow Daoist Li, this opportunity is too good to pass up. You are already thirty years old. If you don't seize this opportunity, there will be no hope of reaching the middle stage of Qi training in this lifetime!"

……

After seeing Lin Shaowen off, Li Ji'an felt a sigh in his heart.

This cultivation world is really not easy for ordinary people, even more difficult than that of the Xianci Dynasty. After all, in the mortal world of the Xianci Dynasty, even the emperor has a limited lifespan. Ordinary people should be more open-minded and not think about those luxurious clothes, delicious food, glory and wealth. No matter what, life is just a lifetime.

In the end, dust returns to dust, and earth returns to earth. Kings, princes, generals, peddlers and porters will all turn into a handful of yellow earth.

However, in this world, there is the temptation of longevity that no one can refuse, eternal life and a lifespan as long as the sky. Yet, some hope pops up from time to time. It takes great courage and despair to convince yourself to give up this hope!

Li Ji'an asked himself, even if he didn't have the "rejuvenation" plug-in, even if his talent was extremely poor, he would not be able to be open-minded and be content to be a mortal when he came to this world.

From this, one can imagine how much despair Zhao Shuyao experienced in the past year and a half.

It may also be related to his original identity, the gap is too big.

Shaking his head to dispel the negative emotions, Li Ji'an once again practiced his skills to refine his magic power.

The next morning, Li Ji'an officially reported to Danpu.

Yan Tong's attitude returned to the indifference he had during yesterday's interview, and there was even a hint of condescending contempt.

Li Ji'an knew that this was all done for Master Mo Dan to see, so that Master Mo Dan would not be so wary of Li Ji'an.

"Please keep this talisman. Master Mo will send you a message before opening the furnace. This is a one-way communication talisman, and you cannot reply. Once you receive the message, just follow the instructions."

"Also, remember, do not take anything out of Master Mo's alchemy room, and do not reveal any details of Master Mo's alchemy."

"Master Mo is the most respected alchemist in our Yan family. If Master Mo is dissatisfied with you in any way, you can leave at any time."

……

Li Ji'an answered them one by one.

Just as he was about to leave, Yan Tong suddenly stood up and walked out the door.

"Miss, why are you here?"

Turning around, I saw a slender woman in her twenties, wearing a long moonlit dress, with her long black hair hanging down. She had a calm face, a gentle temperament, and a very beautiful appearance.

I have been in this world for more than a year and a half, and the people I have met have confirmed what Guangling, the "Guiding Immortal Master" said on the way here from the Xianci Dynasty: not all people in the cultivation world are fairies.

In fact, just like the Xianci Dynasty, the bone structure is natural and cannot be changed. At most, the skin is nourished by the spiritual energy and becomes whiter and smoother. No one has ever seen a woman as beautiful as the sisters Ning Sujin and Ning Yutan.

The eldest daughter of the Yan family in front of her can actually compete with Ning Sujin.

"I'm here to ask Master Mo for advice on alchemy." Yan Qingwan nodded slightly.

"Miss, please come in. Master Mo Dan has just finished his meal." Yan Tong hurriedly led Yan Qingwan to the backyard of the Danpu.

When passing by Li Ji'an, he said with a pleasant face: "Old Li, you can go now. Wait for Master Mo Dan's message."

"Is this the helper that Master Mo recruited?" Yan Qingwan stopped and looked Li Ji'an up and down.

"Reporting to the young lady, this is Li Changan, 30 years old, first level Qi training, from the imitation outer gathering area."

"Yeah." Yan Qingwan withdrew her gaze, and it was impossible to tell whether she liked it or not. She replied softly, then stopped paying attention and continued walking towards the backyard.

At this point, Li Ji'an had met several people with whom he would be interacting for a long time in the future, and he had a clear idea of what was going on.

In the following six months, in addition to his daily diligent practice, Li Ji'an helped Master Mo prepare medicinal materials, clean the alchemy furnace, and clean up afterwards in the alchemy room... His days were peaceful but full of hope.

Some knowledge about the Dao of Alchemy is also accumulated bit by bit.

During this period, apart from Chen Qingling who often came to show his courtesy, almost no one disturbed him.

Even among the other four people who came from the Xianci Dynasty, only Zhang Tiezhu sent a letter, and the other three did not send any letters.

However, when Li Ji'an received Zhang Tiezhu's letter a month ago, he was a little amused and helpless.

This kid has made another contribution and received resource rewards, and he also said that he met the eldest daughter of the Yan family.

He was attracted by her outstanding temperament at first sight, and even confided in Li Ji'an, saying that if he could marry the eldest daughter of the Yan family in this life, it would be worth it even if he did not become an immortal.

(End of this chapter)