Immortality and cultivation begin with alchemy and accounting.

Bai Xuanjing was momentarily dazed.

It was as if I was truly getting to know Bai Qingjian for the first time.

Bai Xuan Valley is also a Foundation Establishment seed, and his cultivation level is at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Bai Xuanjing had witnessed her elder brother's cultivation in the past.

However, he had a vague feeling that, in terms of strength, his elder brother was probably a notch below Bai Qingjian in front of him.

That makes sense, since although they are at the same level, Bai Qingjian was a Foundation Establishment seed from the previous generation.

Decades of honing his skills have made him superior to Bai Xuan Valley in both experience and mastery of magic!

"I was refining pills, Grandpa Qingjian, what happened just now?"

Bai Xuanjing asked.

Feeling the spiritual energy fluctuations inside the house was not quite clear, but once outside, Bai Xuanjing immediately realized that the energy fluctuations were actually quite far away from this place.

A cluster of flames could be seen shooting into the sky in the south, clearly the source of the battle.

Bai Xuanjing couldn't help but speculate, "With such fluctuations in spiritual energy, could it be a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators?"

Bai Qingjian looked in the direction from which the spiritual energy fluctuations were coming from.

After the fluctuation of spiritual energy and the booming sound, the entire market suddenly became noisy.

Clearly, many cultivators who were practicing or resting were awakened.

"There's an enemy attack! Judging from the direction, it's probably the Jing'an Chamber of Commerce. Someone is attacking the Jing'an Chamber of Commerce!"

Bai Qingjian's expression turned solemn.

"Demonic cultivators have infiltrated?"

Bai Xuanjing guessed.

He immediately thought of the Jing'an Chamber of Commerce, a behemoth-like organization.

It is said that this chamber of commerce has Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed there year-round, and in addition to the market formation, it also has a separate formation.

It can be described as impregnable!

Someone actually dared to directly attack the Jing'an Chamber of Commerce.

"It seems so; I can almost smell the stench of the Blood Blade Slaves!"

Bai Qingjian nodded.

Then, his face showed anger: "I knew long ago that the four major families of Jing'an Market were useless, but I didn't expect them to be such good-for-nothings!"

"They spend all day checking the market with their magic-sensing disk, yet demonic cultivators still manage to sneak in!"

"If something like this happened in the Bai family, every single one of those in charge would have to go to Nianzu Island to face the wall in punishment!"

Just then, a sound of something fleeing came from outside.

Immediately afterwards, a clear, cold female voice rang out: "The market is under attack by demons. Fellow Daoists, please stay in your own areas and do not come out."

"Anyone who tries to take advantage of the situation will be treated as a demonic cultivator!"

Upon hearing this voice, Bai Qingjian's expression changed instantly, and he murmured, "Niece Qianya..."

Then he looked at Bai Xuanjing and said seriously, "The demonic outbreak is in Nanfang, which is quite far from here. I'm going to go see what's going on. You stay here and behave yourself."

After saying that, Bai Qingjian handed a disc to Bai Xuanjing: "The Yitian Pharmacy is protected by a protective barrier. This disc can be used to activate the barrier. If you encounter any trouble, you just need to activate the barrier."

Immediately afterwards, Bai Qingjian recited a mantra for manipulating the disc.

Upon hearing this, Bai Xuanjing was immediately taken aback.

This Bai Qingjian is really concerned about matters concerning demonic cultivators!

In Bai Xuanjing's mind, Jing'an Market was the territory of the four major families and had nothing to do with the Bai family.

Even if demonic cultivators attack, the four major families will handle it.

It's not up to the Bai family to interfere.

It's neither reasonable nor ethical.

If you, as an outsider, interfere in someone else's private affairs, they may not be grateful; on the contrary, they may feel that you have offended them.

Bai Qingjian, however, was eager to intervene!

Moreover, the current situation is unclear.

It remains to be seen whether this attack by the demonic cultivators can be resolved quickly.

Although the riots started in Nanfang, they could easily spread here.

It should be noted that in addition to the demonic cultivators who appeared out of nowhere, there are also many rogue cultivators who live on the edge of death in the market.

Once order is lost, these rogue cultivators are no less dangerous than demonic cultivators!

Bai Xuanjing sincerely hoped that Bai Qingjian, a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining, would stay by her side.

But before he could persuade Bai Qingjian to stay, he saw Bai Qingjian move and disappear outside.

Then came a loud shout: "Niece Qianya, wait for me!"

The cool, aloof female voice responded indifferently.

The sound then faded into the distance.

"..."

Bai Xuanjing was speechless for a moment.

My patriarch is definitely not weak, but when it comes to doing things... he's really a bit unreliable!

If it were Bai Qingshao, he would never have bothered to go out like that!

Thinking of the Dragon Returning Pill, Bai Xuanjing immediately understood why Bai Qingshao could sometimes get so angry at Bai Qingjian that his face would turn red.

Although somewhat dissatisfied, Bai Qingjian had already left, and Bai Xuanjing could do nothing about it.

"South Ward...that area is the most prosperous part of the market, where the four major families' main properties are located, or properties in which the four major families have invested. It is the private land of the four major families."

"Are these demonic cultivators deliberately provoking the four great families by attacking this area?"

Reflecting on Bai Qingjian's words, Bai Xuanjing couldn't help but ponder.

If that's the case, then this scourge of demonic cultivators is truly different from those of the past.

It might not even be just for spirit stone veins.

After all, if it were solely for the sake of a spirit stone mine, it should have been done discreetly.

There was absolutely no need to make such a fuss.

Even if the four major families intentionally conceal their large-scale attack on a market town for various reasons, the Flowing Cloud Sect will still find out.

Although this place is dominated by the four major families, quite a few families have established businesses here.

To take the Bai family as an example, let's not go too far.

And then there's the Han family, a powerful clan specializing in Golden Core cultivation...

Bai Xuanjing stood in the courtyard for a while, lost in thought, and after playing with and studying the disc left by Bai Qingjian, she went inside.

With her mind in turmoil, Bai Xuanjing lost all interest in refining pills. At this moment, the success rate of tempering the medicinal properties would likely be extremely low.

He sat cross-legged and took out the long-thorned magical artifact.

He has already performed a preliminary refinement on this magical artifact.

Bai Xuanjing's mind stirred slightly, and she adjusted the ritual implements.

Whoosh!

A whooshing sound came, and then the long spike pierced straight ahead.

Just as they were about to reach the pillar, Xuanjing forcibly stopped them.

Easy to control!

Then Bai Xuanjing changed her incantation, and the long thorn instantly split into three, scattering and forming various arrangements according to Bai Xuanjing's thoughts.

It is somewhat similar to the crude sword formation he created in response to the "Long Cry Sword Qi Technique".

However, unlike flying swords, long spikes become much more powerful when combined.

However, once dispersed into three, no matter how the formation is changed, the power is not as great as when they are concentrated in one place.

However, there are some minor flaws.

……

On the streets of Fangshi.

Since the demonic cultivators caused chaos in the southern district, although cultivators from the four major families spread the "ban" in the streets, its effectiveness was limited.

Most of the cultivators from the four major families stationed in the market were transferred to the South Market.

With the four major families preoccupied with their own problems, the order maintained by their authority was on the verge of collapse.

In various parts of the market, some rats began to emerge.

At the end of a secluded alley.

There was a lot of miscellaneous stuff piled up here, and three cultivators were gathered here.

"Third brother, your information network is really good... those demonic cultivators really did riot today."

One of them spoke with a sinister smile.

Another man said smugly, "Brother, you complain about me going to the gambling den all the time, but if I didn't go there often, how would I have gotten this information!"

This person's voice sounds like a male duck's quack, extremely unpleasant.

"Hmph, even if you manage to fish in troubled waters and get your hands on some good stuff, it won't be enough to cover what you've lost out in the gambling den over the years!" a female voice rang out.

The male duck was immediately indignant.

The eldest brother, who spoke first, changed the subject: "Second sister, how's your surveillance going?"

The cultivator called Second Sister said, "Although there is a ban from the four major families, I see that quite a few cultivators still managed to escape during the chaos."

On the way here, I saw that many shops had been looted, and the perpetrators were disguised...

The eldest brother said, "This matter is an opportunity for us, but I'm afraid the four major families will investigate it thoroughly afterward."

Disguise is necessary... but the most crucial thing is to kill everyone who witnesses it!

"As for the prey..."

At this moment, the second sister spoke up: "Big brother, when I was scouting along the way, I saw the owner of the pharmacy run out that day, seemingly to go to the South Ward to support the four great families."

The elder brother frowned: "A one-day pharmacy? I remember there were two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators working there, right?"

"The one who went out was at the ninth level of Qi Refining. As for the old man at the seventh level of Qi Refining, he hasn't shown up yet. He's probably hiding and guarding the pharmacy."

The third brother spoke up, "A one-day pharmacy... the goods sold there are just average, so the profit margin must be small?"

"Hmph, what do you know!" the second sister mocked. "Most of the shops in the market are run by families, with multiple cultivators in one shop. Usually, only one person stays to look after the shop while the others go hunting demons or do other things."

However, due to the recent demonic disturbance in Jing'an Market, most of these cultivators have returned and retreated to the market area.

"We only have our eldest brother, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. If we rob other shops and get entangled with them, we won't have time to plunder them at all!"

"It's easy to end up losing more than you gain by trying to steal a chicken."

"Although the medicines sold at the pharmacy today were not of high quality, I had noticed them when I bought them before."

The variety of medicinal herbs on the counter alone is quite extensive; it's more than enough for the three of us to enjoy for a while.

At this point, the eldest brother set the tone, saying, "Let's start with this one-day pharmacy."

"I'm at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and so is that old man. I'll deal with him, and you guys are responsible for emptying the shop. After we get away, we'll meet at our usual spot."

"If there's enough time, we can rob another house and make even more money."

……

Thud!

A day at a pharmacy, inside the backyard.

Bai Xuanjing twitched her fingertips.

Then a first-grade high-quality thorn was seen to have driven into a piece of wood.

"As expected, what mainly limits my control over magical artifacts is still my spiritual power!"

"After cultivating the Refining Spirit Technique, one can indeed control a first-grade high-level magic weapon simultaneously."

Bai Xuanjing summoned back the long thorns, which circled around him, feeling somewhat smug.

Being able to manipulate a first-grade high-quality magic weapon at the mid-stage of Qi Refining is definitely a major trump card!

However, Bai Xuanjing then began to ponder.

The Bai family doesn't have low-level spirit-refining techniques, but that's not the case for those Golden Core clans and the Flowing Cloud Sect.

If the soul is indeed a crucial factor limiting the use of magical artifacts, then disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect and disciples of Golden Core clans who have cultivated the Refining Spirit Technique should also be able to manipulate first-tier high-grade magical artifacts at the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

Those with higher talent and more advanced cultivation of the Divine Refinement Technique may even be able to wield a first-grade top-quality magic weapon in the mid-stage of Qi Refining!

The difference in skill level between a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator using a top-grade first-tier magic weapon and a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator using a mid-grade first-tier magic weapon is immediately apparent!

"The importance of inheritance is thus evident... Even among cultivators of the same realm, the difference in strength can be enormous depending on whether their inheritance is complete!"

Bai Xuanjing felt somewhat emotional.

No wonder these families treat their lineage like their lifeblood, allowing it to enter but not leave!

Even a trivial prescription or a manual of cultivation would be kept secret and not shown to outsiders.

On the contrary, it is those independent cultivators and impoverished families that frequently have resources related to inheritance flowing out.

The Haoran Sea, a major clan with only twenty members and the ability to cultivate the False Core form, is already considered to be among the upper echelons.

However, compared to the higher-ranking Golden Core clans and the Flowing Cloud Sect, it is still somewhat lacking!

If you encounter a cultivator from a powerful force, even if you are at the same cultivation level, you dare not be careless!

Bai Xuanjing secretly became alert.

Just as Bai Xuanjing was pondering, a strange fluctuation of magical power suddenly came.

"This is……"

Bai Xuanjing's gaze sharpened. "Someone is attacking the One-Day Pharmacy!"

A thought struck him, and he quickly summoned the Azure Armored Leopard Corpse Puppet.

Two corpse puppets stood guard on his left and right sides. The only flaw was that the one on the left had a broken front leg, and the other was also covered in wounds.

Fortunately, the auras of the two corpse puppets were still solid, at the mid-grade first rank.

At the same time, Bai Xuanjing also held the first-grade high-quality Firebird Talisman in his hand.

Bai Xuanjing also summoned magical artifacts such as the Black Gold Sword.

Only then did he take out the disc left behind by Bai Qingjian.

Bai Xuanjing poured a spell into the disc, and immediately a feeling of complete unity arose.

Then, Bai Xuanjing sensed the situation of the intruder.