The sky was azure and the snow was white, with the first signs of clearing after a heavy snowfall.
The weather after the snow was even colder.
Gao Xian's room had no heating facilities, and the windows were opaque, making the room as cold as an ice cave.
Zhou Yuling, who had walked all the way, was also shivering, reluctant to let go of Gao Xian.
"How are you feeling, comfortable?" Gao Xian grinned and said, "Are you cold when you sleep at night? I can help warm your bed."
"You wish." Zhou Yuling pinched Gao Xian's soft flesh around his waist, feeling that it was not as comfortable as before, tougher to pinch.
She immediately noticed something was different and exclaimed in surprise, "Your cultivation has improved recently!"
"Yes, I have reached the third level of Qi cultivation." Gao Xian felt somewhat proud and pleased.
With his innate talent, being able to break through to the third level of Qi cultivation so quickly was truly not easy.
After practicing in the mountains for more than thirty days, engaging in battles almost every day, he learned how to control his Qi and blood flow, resulting in rapid progress in his cultivation during this period.
Now, his Qi and blood were surging, making his whole body warm.
When Zhou Yuling pinched him, his muscles naturally contracted to resist, making it difficult for Zhou Yuling to exert force.
"Not bad, not bad." Zhou Yuling was very happy for Gao Xian. "Although the Five Elements technique is ordinary, it excels in being balanced and harmonious, allowing for faster progress as you advance."
To encourage Gao Xian to cultivate diligently, Zhou Yuling said softly, "When you reach the later stages of Qi cultivation, we can openly be together, and my father would have no reason to object."
"The later stages of Qi cultivation..." Gao Xian pondered for a moment.
If everything went smoothly, he should be able to reach the later stages of Qi cultivation in less than ten years.
By then, he would still be in his thirties, which was not too late!
Full of confidence, he said, "Wait for me, it won't be long."
Zhou Yuling was very satisfied with Gao Xian's attitude.
For cultivators, cultivation was the most important.
Alchemy and talisman crafting were just auxiliary means of cultivation and should not be prioritized over the main practice.
Previously, Gao Xian's thoughts were unfocused, not knowing what he wanted to achieve.
But after coming to Feima Village, Gao Xian had clearly matured a lot.
She praised, "With your talent, you will surely achieve the Golden Core stage in the future."
Gao Xian shook his head, "Golden Core, how is that possible!"
Just as Zhou Yuling was about to encourage Gao Xian further, she heard him say, "I am destined to become a man of the Divine Transformation Dao Lord!"
"Haha..." Zhou Yuling laughed, her delicate body trembling.
She hugged Gao Xian's neck and teased, "No, you are going to become a man of the Pure Yang Dao Sovereign! Hahaha..."
"Huh? There's also the Pure Yang Dao Sovereign level?" Gao Xian, relying on the knowledge he obtained from the original owner, thought that the Divine Transformation Dao Lord was the pinnacle.
"Hahaha..." Zhou Yuling laughed even more joyfully.
After laughing for a while, she said, "I can't take it anymore, my mouth is sore."
Gao Xian volunteered, "I can give you a massage to relax." As he spoke, he opened his mouth.
"Here you go again!" Zhou Yuling used her palm to cover Gao Xian's mouth. "Behave yourself, or I'll leave."
"I won't!"
...
Gao Xian and Zhou Yuling joked and laughed for a while, both feeling relaxed, releasing all the tension and suppressed emotions of the past month.
Joking and being affectionate with a beautiful woman, this was the life he desired!
Getting back to business, Zhou Yuling said, "The sales of Deer Antler Powder are doing well. My father asked me to get more."
"Alright, I'll give you two thousand pills." Gao Xian had refined four thousand pills of Deer Antler Powder a few days ago, so there was enough stock now.
After several promotions, the sales of Deer Antler Powder had stabilized.
Two thousand pills would be enough to sell for a month.
After all, this kind of business was energy-consuming, and Deer Antler Powder was expensive.
Having this sales volume was already very good.
Gao Xian took out a small box of Deer Antler Powder from his storage bag, containing exactly two thousand pills.
"Oh, you have a storage bag now. Looks like you're on your way to riches..." Zhou Yuling saw Gao Xian's storage bag and was happy for him, albeit with a hint of teasing in her tone.
She knew that Deer Antler Powder and Tian Gui Pill were selling very well, and Gao Xian had earned quite a few spirit stones during this period.
"Not bad, not bad, luck is on my side." Gao Xian casually replied.
He didn't dare to say that these were gifts from Zhu Qiuniang.
Zhou Yuling didn't detect any issues either.
She took out two blue spirit stones and placed them in Gao Xian's hand. "Two hundred low-grade spirit stones. I'll help you exchange them for two medium-grade spirit stones, it's more convenient that way."
Gao Xian looked at the translucent blue spirit stones with a pleased expression.
Low-grade spirit stones were green, while medium-grade spirit stones were blue.
The different colors represented differences in spiritual energy concentration.
One medium-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for a hundred low-grade spirit stones, which was the standard rate.
However, medium-grade spirit stones were relatively rare.
Exchanging medium-grade spirit stones for low-grade ones was easy, but the reverse required a bit of effort and often involved a premium to obtain.
"Look at you, so obsessed with wealth." Zhou Yuling tapped Gao Xian's forehead. "Your cultivation level is still low, don't hoard spirit stones. Use them to buy magical tools and talismans to protect yourself."
She glanced at the dilapidated house and added, "It's best to change to a better house. This place is too old and unsafe. With the mountain roads blocked by heavy snow, the cultivators from the mountain have all come to Feima Village. This group of people is extremely dangerous!"
Zhou Yuling knew that Gao Xian lacked experience and earnestly reminded him to be careful.
Although Gao Xian had heard Zhu Qiuniang mention this before, he still nodded obediently and attentively.
"It's getting colder, you should really buy a Daoist robe. Daoist robes usually have the Spring Breeze technique, which can release warm breezes to help you through the cold winter and cool breezes to relieve the heat in summer, very convenient and practical."
"When you go out, remember to wear a Daoist robe over your outer robe. Don't wear it directly, as it's easy to attract trouble..."
Zhou Yuling was very thoughtful, explaining every detail, fearing that Gao Xian might act foolishly and get into trouble.
"Okay, I'll be careful. You should be careful too." Although Gao Xian was about to move to the courtyard behind the Talisman Hall in a few days, he didn't mention it.
He wanted to surprise Zhou Yuling.
After seeing off Zhou Yuling, Gao Xian thought she was right.
With spirit stones, he should buy magical tools and talismans to enhance himself.
Yes, he should start by buying a Daoist robe with the Spring Breeze technique.
It sounded very good for this cold winter.
He poured out all the spirit stones from his storage bag and counted them carefully.
In a few months, the Tian Gui Pill and Deer Antler Powder had earned him two medium-grade spirit stones and over two hundred low-grade spirit stones.
During this period, he spent a hundred and twenty low-grade spirit stones on buying the Stone-Cutting Sword and the Water-Fire Lotus Silk Boots.
He also spent some money on purchasing medicinal herbs.
However, compared to the profits from the pills, the cost of these materials was negligible.
During this time of practicing in the mountains, he had earned a considerable amount of spirit stones.
After deducting the prepaid rent and the payment to Da Niu for his tasks, he still had a hundred and seventy-two low-grade spirit stones left.
When converted into low-grade spirit stones, it totaled five hundred and thirty-one.
With so many spirit stones, he was considered quite wealthy in Feima Village!
The three thousand pills he had prepaid to Zhou Ye and Huang Ying would be settled next month, adding another three hundred spirit stones.
Gao Xian put most of the spirit stones into his storage bag, which he then concealed in the lining of his Qingmu Armor.
It was very safe there and wouldn't be stolen.
He placed a medium-grade spirit stone and several dozen low-grade spirit stones in the inner pocket of his robe.
All the talismans were neatly arranged in his sleeve pocket, and the Stone-Cutting Sword was slanted on his waist.
The seventeen-pound Stone-Cutting Sword was a bit heavy and not suitable for hanging, so he could only carry it slanted on his waist.
This way of carrying the sword also added a touch of toughness to his appearance.
After practicing in the mountains for more than twenty days, he had also cultivated confidence.
Walking with a long sword hanging by his side, he no longer showed the timidity he had before.
However, it was truly cold outside.
Gao Xian had only taken a few steps when a gust of cold wind blew, making him want to huddle up.
Not long after he started walking, Gao Xian heard the sound of battle ahead.
Slightly startled, he hastened his steps and turned a corner to see a group of people fighting ahead.
Surprisingly, there were also some onlookers among the cultivators, but everyone kept a safe distance.
There were about ten people on each side of the battle, with the side having fewer people, led by a woman.
However, it was the side with fewer people that had the upper hand.
Especially the woman in green clothes leading them, her green clothes shimmering with spiritual light, clearly a magical robe.
Her swordsmanship was fierce, and the long sword in her hand gleamed with a sharp green light.
No matter the wooden shields or various armors and protective talismans, they couldn't withstand a single strike of her sharp green sword light.
Wherever the green sword light flashed, it left behind a trail of corpses.
In the blink of an eye, the side with more people was defeated.
The remaining cultivators panicked and fled in all directions.
One of the cultivators ran towards Gao Xian, shouting as he ran, "Fellow Daoist, please lend a hand!"
Gao Xian couldn't help but curse in his heart, "You old sixth, you still want to drag someone down with you at the last moment!"
(End of this chapter)