Chapter 25: Osmanthus Tower

However, judging from the urgency with which the other party had left, He Song had a premonition that they were likely in grave danger. 

The high mortality rate among rogue cultivators was no joke. 

As for the old man and the little girl who had recently moved in, the old man was kind-hearted, and the little girl was lively and adorable. He Song had become quite familiar with them. 

The old man's name was Su Jin. 

The little girl's name was Su Yan. 

They were grandfather and granddaughter. 

According to Su Jin, Su Yan was his biological granddaughter from the mortal world. 

Since she possessed spiritual roots, he had brought her from the mortal world to stay with him and personally guide her in cultivation. 

In the world of cultivation, most cultivation families started this way. 

The old man and the little girl before him were the embryonic form of a cultivation family. 

Such families, bound by blood ties, were extremely reliable. If they produced a few more cultivators with spiritual roots, the cultivation world might soon have another cultivation family. 

"Little Yan is so well-behaved. Brother Song will bring you something delicious next time," He Song said, pinching Su Yan's little cheek. His gaze, however, turned to Su Jin beside her. 

"Today, I visited a friend. Senior Su, are you heading out to set up a stall?" Su Jin's cultivation had reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, so it was perfectly normal for He Song to address him as "Senior." 

At the same time, although Su Jin appeared elderly and was indeed quite old, as a rogue cultivator, his livelihood was similar to Lin Cong's. 

Lin Cong's cultivation was low, so he needed to partner with others to hunt demon beasts and earn spirit stones. 

But Su Jin was different. His cultivation had reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, and he was well-equipped with magical tools and talismans. Combat was as routine to him as eating a meal. 

Thus, even when traveling alone, he could slay demon beasts and earn spirit stones. 

Moreover, since he kept all the spoils from hunting demon beasts for himself, the spirit stones he earned were far greater than those of ordinary cultivators. 

The "setting up a stall" that He Song mentioned referred to Su Jin's practice of bringing back the corpses of demon beasts to the Immortal Market to sell at his stall. 

"Yes, Little Yan has been clamoring to go out, so I'm taking her to the market area to have some fun," Su Jin said, casting a doting glance at Su Yan. He then nodded at He Song, indicating that he would take his leave. 

He Song cupped his hands in acknowledgment. 

Only Su Yan, even as Su Jin led her away, kept her gaze fixed on He Song. 

Even after they had walked some distance, she would occasionally turn her head to look back at He Song. 

It was as if she was checking whether He Song had any delicious treats in his hands. 

However, He Song didn't notice this. 

He opened the door, entered the house, and locked the door behind him. 

Soon, he was once again immersed in the introductory chapter of array formation in his mind. 

Studying array formation was now He Song's top priority. 

Once he mastered the basics and successfully set up a Spirit Gathering Array, his cultivation speed would increase significantly. 

By then, even if he didn't earn high rewards by helping others set up arrays, he could still quietly amass wealth and rapidly improve his cultivation. 

Mastering the basics of array formation was difficult. 

However, once he succeeded, the rewards would be immense. 

Take the Spirit Gathering Array, for example. 

Helping others set up a Spirit Gathering Array typically earned a reward of three hundred spirit stones. 

Three hundred spirit stones for a single array! 

That was equivalent to two years of He Song's current income! 

The time required to set up a Spirit Gathering Array was minimal, but the profits were staggering. 

There were several reasons for this. 

First, array masters capable of setting up arrays were extremely rare and seldom seen. 

Second, once a Spirit Gathering Array or other arrays were set up, they would almost always remain in place. All that was needed was to add spirit stones to activate them, and they would continue to function indefinitely. 

Third, once an array master took on a job, the risk of being targeted as a lucrative prey would increase significantly. Therefore, most array masters would not risk taking on such jobs, as they might be ambushed and killed without a chance to escape. 

While studying the introductory chapter of array formation, He Song had already resolved not to take on array-setting jobs for others. 

Although the rewards for helping others set up arrays were substantial, the risks involved were equally high. 

As a seeker of longevity, He Song prioritized safety and stability over taking reckless risks for the sake of profit. 

That was a path to certain death, not the path He Song wished to follow. 

Thus, even before purchasing the introductory chapter of array formation, He Song had already devised a way to earn spirit stones through array formation without personally taking on risky jobs. 

As long as he employed that method, he could ensure a steady flow of spirit stones without ever having to set up arrays for others. 

As this idea flashed through his mind, He Song became even more motivated to delve into the introductory chapter of array formation. 

In the days that followed, He Song settled into a routine that repeated itself day after day. 

After finishing his morning cultivation, he would go to the spirit fields he managed and spend half an hour casting the Spirit Rain Technique. 

Once the Spirit Rain Technique was complete, if he had other matters to attend to, he would handle them. 

If not, he would immediately return home to recover his spiritual energy. 

Once his spiritual energy was fully restored, he would begin studying the introductory chapter of array formation. 

When his mental energy was depleted, he would cultivate for a while before resuming his studies. 

And so, half a month passed in the blink of an eye. 

Time flew by like an arrow. 

On this day, as He Song was at home pondering the introductory chapter of array formation, he heard a knock at the door. 

*Knock, knock, knock.* 

But before He Song could open the door, Lin Cong's excited voice came from outside. 

"Fellow Daoist He, I've successfully broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining! Today, I'm treating you to a feast at the Osmanthus Tower—we won't stop until we're drunk!" 

Hearing Lin Cong's familiar voice, He Song's face lit up with joy. 

A month ago, Lin Cong had told him that he was going into seclusion to break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining. 

After so much time had passed, He Song had assumed that Lin Cong had failed. 

But now, a month later, Lin Cong had succeeded and had come to share the good news with him immediately. 

This unexpected turn of events filled He Song with both surprise and delight. 

He was surprised that Lin Cong had taken a full month to break through. 

He was delighted that Lin Cong had actually succeeded in reaching the mid-stage of Qi Refining. 

With this, He Song had gained another mid-stage Qi Refining friend, further solidifying his roots in the Zhushan Immortal Market. 

At the same time, Lin Cong's breakthrough would give He Song a deeper understanding of the bottleneck between the early and mid-stages of Qi Refining. 

Opening the door, He Song invited Lin Cong inside. 

The two sat down at the table, and He Song cupped his hands in congratulations. 

"Congratulations on your great progress in cultivation. The path to Foundation Establishment is now within your reach," He Song said, handing Lin Cong a cup of hot tea. 

At the table, Lin Cong's face beamed with even greater joy upon hearing He Song's congratulations. 

After knowing each other for so many years, He Song had always kept to himself, seemingly detached from the outside world. 

Even as a neighbor who had actively sought to befriend him, it had taken Lin Cong several years to finally become close enough with He Song to share tea and casual conversations. 

Now, hearing He Song's congratulations filled him with a sense of pride. 

He was now a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator! 

In the small Zhushan Immortal Market, mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, though numerous, held a slightly higher status than early-stage Qi Refining cultivators. 

As a hint of ambition flashed through his mind, Lin Cong's smile widened. 

"It was just luck, just luck. Fellow Daoist He, are you free now? Let's go to the Osmanthus Tower and drink until we drop!" 

(End of Chapter)