**Chapter 50: Greenwall Immortal City**

However, as He Song had guessed, the mention of treating them to a night of drinking and entertainment, which had been mentioned in the paper crane message, was completely absent. 

Seeing this, He Song and Wei Fan exchanged a smile, not taking it to heart.

They both understood Meng Guan's personality.

Drinking and entertainment were out of the question.

At least, the Meng Guan of three years ago wouldn't have done such a thing.

And it seemed the current Meng Guan wouldn't either.

While the drinking and entertainment were off the table, some form of gratitude was certain.

Since Meng Guan had said he would thank them, he definitely would, though the method might differ.

This, neither He Song nor Wei Fan were worried about.

After the verbal thanks, Meng Guan continued speaking.

Over the past three years, while stationed at the Crimson Spirit Gold Mine, he had made some rogue cultivator friends and witnessed the hardships of rogue cultivators, as well as their terrifying speed in earning spirit stones.

In the immortal marketplace, the annual rent could take up a significant portion of a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator's income.

And precisely because of the rent, marketplace cultivators were generally poorer than rogue cultivators.

Rogue cultivators didn't have to pay rent.

Ten spirit stones a month might not seem like much.

But over a year, that amounted to a hundred and twenty spirit stones.

He Song's current annual income, after deductions, was only ninety spirit stones for personal use.

Being able to save so many spirit stones, rogue cultivators generally lived better lives than marketplace cultivators.

After all, the jobs rogue cultivators took were high-risk, high-reward endeavors.

This balance meant that rogue cultivators, compared to marketplace cultivators, lived more comfortably.

However, marketplace cultivators enjoyed greater stability.

Rogue cultivators faced more danger but were wealthier.

At this point, Meng Guan turned his gaze to Wei Fan.

He stood up.

And cupped his hands in a formal salute.

"I'm leaving the Crimson Spirit Gold Mine this time because I've earned enough spirit stones. I'd like to ask Brother Wei to accompany me to Greenwall Immortal City to purchase a Breakthrough Pill."

This salute was delivered with utmost seriousness.

Despite having known Wei Fan for so long and being close friends, Meng Guan still treated the matter with great solemnity.

Three years ago, when Meng Guan left the immortal marketplace for the Crimson Spirit Gold Mine, he was already forty-three.

Now, three years later, he was forty-six.

With less than fourteen years left before the optimal age of sixty for breaking through to Foundation Building, the odds were stacked against him.

To go from the sixth layer of Qi Refining to the ninth layer in such a short time and obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill was an immense challenge.

Even without the Foundation Establishment Pill, attempting to break through forcefully with his five-element spiritual roots, even if he successfully reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining, progressing to the ninth layer in such a short time would still be extremely difficult.

But in Meng Guan's eyes.

Since he had already resigned from his position in the immortal marketplace and decided to strive forward, he would stake his life on it.

Even if there was only a sliver of hope.

He would tread this path, no matter how thorny!

As long as he could successfully break through to the late stage of Qi Refining this time, he was confident he could reach the ninth layer of Qi Refining before sixty and make a bid for Foundation Building.

As for the final outcome.

Meng Guan didn't want to think too much about it.

Once he had decided to stake his life on this, there was no need to consider anything else.

The determination in Meng Guan's eyes made He Song sit up straight.

Facing Meng Guan's solemn salute, Wei Fan's expression also turned serious.

"Old Meng, there's no need for such formality between us. Fine, I'll accompany you on this trip. A single Breakthrough Pill is something I can handle."

After a long pause, Wei Fan finally agreed.

He had considered many things.

The dangers of traveling to Greenwall Immortal City.

The dangers after purchasing the Breakthrough Pill.

The dangers during Meng Guan's breakthrough.

The potential dangers on the return journey.

After weighing all these factors and concluding that he could handle them without too much difficulty, he agreed.

A late-stage Qi Refining cultivator purchasing a mid-stage Qi Refining Breakthrough Pill would certainly involve some danger, but not much.

He was confident he could manage.

If Meng Guan successfully broke through, with two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in their group, there would be almost no danger.

"Thank you, Brother Wei. If I were to go to Greenwall Immortal City alone, there would be some danger. But with you here, it's no longer a problem."

Seeing Wei Fan agree, Meng Guan breathed a sigh of relief, his old face breaking into a joyful smile.

Although he had expected Wei Fan to agree, when Wei Fan actually said yes, Meng Guan couldn't help but feel delighted.

This meant he hadn't misjudged his friend.

It also meant that his trip to Greenwall Immortal City to purchase the Breakthrough Pill would proceed without further complications.

Finally, it showed that after three years, the bond between him, Wei Fan, and He Song remained strong.

Feeling deeply comforted, Meng Guan was naturally overjoyed.

However, just as he was basking in his joy, Wei Fan spoke up again.

He turned to He Song.

"Fellow Daoist, would you like to come with us to Greenwall Immortal City? It's a place of true prosperity, unlike the immortal marketplace."

Since he had already agreed to accompany Meng Guan to Greenwall Immortal City, bringing one more person wouldn't hurt.

After all, He Song was now at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, and having an extra person would add to their strength.

Although he knew He Song's current combat ability was practically zero.

Other cultivators they might encounter on the way wouldn't know that.

With more people, they might even avoid some trouble.

At the same time, it would broaden He Song's horizons.

The Bamboo Mountain Immortal Marketplace was merely a trading hub established under the jurisdiction of Greenwall Immortal City to facilitate transactions for nearby cultivators.

The cultivators who frequented it were mostly low-level Qi Refining cultivators from the surrounding areas, and it was rare to see a Foundation Building expert.

He Song had been in the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Marketplace for nearly ten years and had never seen a Foundation Building expert other than True Person Bear Mountain.

How could such a place compare to an immortal city?

In an immortal city, while Foundation Building experts were rare, there were at least several stationed there.

Sometimes, visiting Foundation Building experts would also pass through.

The items sold in an immortal city were also of a higher grade than those in the immortal marketplace.

However.

Just as Wei Fan was thinking that He Song would surely agree.

He Song shook his head repeatedly.

"No, no, you go ahead. The immortal city has its charms, but the immortal marketplace has its own appeal. For now, I'd rather stay in the marketplace."

As he spoke, He Song kept waving his hands, trying to dissuade Wei Fan.

The immortal city?

Why go there?

In this small Bamboo Mountain Immortal Marketplace, he could do as he pleased.

If someone offended him, he could use his connections to make them disappear.

Why leave this little kingdom to become a nobody in the immortal city?

In the immortal city.

What would his connections amount to?

Even if Wei Fan were at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, he would likely be insignificant in the immortal city.

Thus, the protection Wei Fan could offer would be greatly diminished.

If He Song offended a Foundation Building expert in the immortal city, it might even drag Wei Fan down, and they wouldn't be able to escape.

Although this was a small possibility, He Song still felt that staying in the immortal marketplace was the better choice for now, given his lack of self-defense capabilities.

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(End of Chapter)