Immortality and Cultivation: This old man seeks enlightenment through mere survival.

"Each person shall pay an entrance fee of one low-grade spirit stone. Those who have no fixed abode by nightfall shall be expelled!"

Two guards clad in spirit armor stood at the city gate, demanding spirit stones from the cultivators entering the city.

Lu Zaian was secretly shocked to discover that the two guards were both at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and their spirit armor was also of the first-grade superior quality!

'It's said that a Core Formation cultivator resides in Huangze City, controlling the entire city. I didn't expect the guards to be all late-stage Qi Refining cultivators; truly extraordinary.'

The desolate city is nestled against a marshland, where opportunity and danger coexist.

Only with a Core Formation Realm expert in charge can cultivators seeking opportunities feel at ease.

Of course, this protection was not given without reason.

Within the desolate city, everything from food and clothing to lodging and transportation requires spirit stones.

Most of these spirit stones will eventually end up in the pocket of that Core Formation cultivator.

Lu Zaian obediently paid the city entrance fee and walked into the city.

Flying and fighting are prohibited within the city of Huangze, and there are patrols and guards to strictly supervise and enforce the law.

Violators will be expelled immediately upon discovery.

"Such pure spiritual energy! This Desolate Swamp City is situated on a third-tier spiritual vein, making it a truly excellent place for cultivation."

After entering the city, Lu Zaian felt a wave of comfort wash over him, as if every pore on his body had opened up.

Even if he absorbed spirit stones to cultivate over the past year, he could not achieve such results.

"This is only the outer city. The spiritual energy is already this dense in the corners and edges of the third-tier spiritual vein. What must it be like in the inner city?"

Lu Zaian learned from Elder Mo that Huangze City was divided into inner and outer cities.

Qi Refining cultivators can generally only move around in the outer city.

Foundation Establishment cultivators can live in the inner city.

The inner city has a richer spiritual energy and higher-level resources.

This is normal... In the cultivation world, the strong prey on the weak, and the strong are respected.

The Foundation Establishment stage is inherently a symbol of status and strength.

Lu Zai'an looked around at the streets again, and was instantly dazzled...

The wide streets are lined with rows of shops, restaurants, inns and other establishments with their signs.

They sell elixirs, magical artifacts, spiritual herbs and materials, cultivation manuals... and provide lodging and food...

The area was bustling with activity.

Anyone who can open a shop in Huangze City must be backed by at least a Qi Refining Level 9 Perfection expert.

Moreover, most of these shops have the shadow of major foundation repairs behind them...

Lu Zaian planned to stay in the city for a long time, so he did not look for a post station for short-term stays.

Instead, they found a low-grade cave dwelling that they could rent long-term.

Cuiwei Pavilion, front desk.

"Guest, this is your cave dwelling token, Ding Jiu No. 4, rental period is one month!"

A servant at the second level of Qi Refining led the way, bringing Lu Zaian to a simple cave dwelling.

Lu Zaian checked and found nothing unusual.

The cave dwelling is covered by a basic Tier 1 low-grade defensive array, and has no other functions.

The interior facilities consisted only of a simple living room and a training room... nothing else.

Lu Zaian's eye twitched, and he instantly felt like a great victim of injustice.

"Guest, if you have any other needs, you can contact me using a communication talisman, or you can go to the front desk to handle them. Finally, I wish you a pleasant cultivation experience!"

After the waiter left, Lu Zai'an couldn't help but complain.

"Damn profiteer! He charges me thirty spirit stones a month to rent out a low-grade cave dwelling. I'll gladly pay you back..."

When Lu Zaian arrived in Huangze City, his main task was to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage!

Even the Core Formation stage!!

Then they safely crossed the desolate marshland and headed to the Maple Blossom Domain.

The main problem facing Lu Zaian now is a lack of spirit stones.

A monk's training is measured in years.

An ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, without any special skills...

They can only do things like hiring clients, collecting spiritual herbs, and hunting monsters...

Earning around 1,000 spirit stones a year is about right.

That means 30% of the rent goes to rent alone.

Qi Refining cultivators cannot abstain from grains, and the spiritual rice, spiritual plants, and spiritual meat they eat daily are another expense.

And... if you get injured while exploring, you need to heal your wounds, right?

The magic item is broken, so it needs to be repaired, right?

If you're stuck in a cultivation level, you should buy pills to break through, right?

...and so on, until there's very little left.

I might not even be able to afford next year's rent.

Lu Zaian had previously made a fortune selling array plates in Lingyao Valley.

However, later, in order to forge the Black Rhino Armor, he purchased a large number of array plates and talismans to enter the secret realm, along with the spirit stones he absorbed during cultivation.

After removing them, he now only has 126 low-grade spirit stones left on his body.

Of course, there are also fifteen mid-grade spirit stones.

However, keeping wealth out of the public is not within Lu Zaian's calculations.

"Fortunately, I have a skill. With this skill, I can earn several times more spirit stones than other cultivators of the same age."

Lu Zaian sat cross-legged on the bed, rubbing his chin as he pondered his future plans.

In the world of cultivation, there are four mainstream arts of cultivation, which are:

Arrays, weapons, elixirs, talismans.

Among them, array masters are the rarest, and while they can earn more money, they may also bring themselves more trouble...

The Lingyao Valley incident serves as a cautionary tale.

Therefore, after arriving in Huangze City, Lu Zaian did not intend to reveal his identity as a formation master.

"Huangze City is backed by water and has abundant spiritual plant and mineral resources, so alchemists and weapon refiners should be in high demand."

These two identities are quite common in the art circle of Huangze City.

I absorbed Xiao Fenlin's memories and deepened them, but I still haven't been able to use them.

Now is the time…

Lu Zaian also possesses the lineage of talismanic arts, though his runes are similar to array patterns.

Talisman masters are also quite rare, so this option has been temporarily eliminated by Lu Zaian.

On the other hand, alchemy has always been useful on the path of cultivation.

Moreover, the higher the grade of the pills and spiritual materials, the more precious they become.

Each of these things could trigger a fierce fight between cultivators.

Rather than entrusting the refining to others and potentially causing unnecessary trouble, it's better to start learning how to refine it yourself now...

"Medicinal pills are valued because they are rare."

Wasteland City is rich in resources, and has more alchemists compared to other places.

The price of elixirs will be slightly lower...

However, the price of raw materials is also lower.

This is perfect for me to practice alchemy..."

Lu Zaian made up his mind.

From now on, to earn spirit stones for cultivation in the Wasteland City, I will start with alchemy.

As for dangerous things like going out of the city and into the marshland, gathering herbs and slaying demons...

This is not currently within Lu Zaian's consideration.

"Eee-ooh~~"

Suddenly, as Lu Zaian was pondering which low-grade pill to start refining, a soft call came from within his kidney space.

Lu Zaian's expression changed slightly, and he quickly recited a phrase in his mind:

"Little Yi, don't be naughty, we'll let you out later..."

After Lu Zaian and Xiao Yi formed a contract, they could understand each other's thoughts simply by communicating with each other's minds.

Just now, it was Xiao Yi who said, "I'm so bored, I want to come out for some fresh air!"

This is not possible!

In fact, ever since meeting Elder Mo and the others...

Lu Zaian hasn't let Xiao Yi out for more than half a month.

Lu Zaian knew all too well the dangers of possessing such a treasure that could cultivate itself.

While fighting is supposedly forbidden in Huangze City, that's just a rule that restricts the weak.