Chapter 194: Chapter 96: Confirming the Core Formation Dao Venue

Li Jizhou used to frequent this place years ago,

Spending quite a lot to establish good relations with the business alliance managers.

As Zhou Cang walked in, he immediately channeled a sense of grandeur and booked a private room on the third floor, arranging for two dancers to perform.

He also ordered a luxurious spirit banquet set.

“What do you want to eat? What do you want to drink? Order whatever you like, it’s all on me today.” Zhou Cang waved his hand generously.

Li Jizhou looked at Zhou Cang’s demeanor, a smile appearing on his face.

Very genuine!

“A man sets his ambitions high…” He smiled slightly, looked at Zhou Cang, and recited the bold words from Zhou Cang’s youth.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Cang awkwardly moved forward to cover Li Jizhou’s mouth.

“Stop, stop, those were the reckless things of youth, let’s not mention them!”

“Why not mention them? I think you’ve already fulfilled those ambitious words. With your current status, if you were still in the Qi Kingdom, you’d at least be an elder-level figure in one of the three sects. If you started your own family, you’d be the ancestor of a first or second-tier prestigious family, truly a success, worthy of celebration!” Li Jizhou picked up a glass of wine and spoke honestly.

Zhou Cang let out a carefree laugh and shook his head: “Haha, back then, I was just a frog at the bottom of a well! Come on, cheers!”

With that said, he raised a glass of wine and drank it all in one go.

Li Jizhou was slightly surprised; Zhou Cang had changed.

Normally, with his original personality, achieving Core Formation success, he should have been full of pride, especially upon meeting an old friend from childhood, he would brag for days on end, wouldn’t he?

“Tell me, how did you survive? Back then, Inverted Mountain was so chaotic, you were fine?” After drinking three cups straight, Zhou Cang looked at Li Jizhou curiously.

“I was lucky, before the explosion, I got assistance from a benefactor, allowing me to leave…” Li Jizhou recounted the process lightly.

“Sigh, you’re still the stable one. Back then, I was like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, foolishly running out without any preparation, nearly wishing for death!” Zhou Cang couldn’t help but sigh deeply upon hearing this.

Li Jizhou raised an eyebrow slightly, recalling how Zhou Cang had recklessly run out alone back then, estimating it was a life-or-death situation, but eventually thought it seemed quite smooth, assuming good luck. Listening to his tone now, it seems it must have been quite perilous back then.

“Back then, just a thousand miles out of Inverted Mountain, I was almost swallowed alive by a Mouse Demon, luckily, I met an old Taoist passing by,

Thinking he was a savior, it turned out that dog was practicing evil arts, nearly turning me into a corpse puppet.

If it weren’t for encountering my lady, I would’ve been completely destroyed…” Zhou Cang recounted his past experiences.

Li Jizhou listened quietly.

Only then did he learn about the calamity Zhou Cang suffered back then.

And as he spoke of being saved by Yu Ziyu, Li Jizhou estimated that Yu Ziyu probably recognized Zhou Cang back then and saved him.

It was natural for Yu Ziyu to know Zhou Cang, having been at Inverted Mountain for so many years.

However, Zhou Cang surely did not know that Yu Ziyu was that ugly woman.

Zhou Cang’s subsequent experiences were mostly as Li Jizhou had guessed.

Following Yu Ziyu, he fought bravely along the way, achieving merit while attacking the Wang family.

Ultimately, he was granted a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Then, alongside Yu Ziyu, he retreated back to the Yan Kingdom, gathered the resources for a Crystal Condensing Pill over the years, and fortunately formed a Fake Pill, now becoming a manager in the Yu family.

“Come on, another drink!” Zhou Cang drank another full cup.

After three rounds of drinking,

Zhou Cang continued drinking full cups, and without using magical power to refine the spirit wine, he gradually showed signs of drunkenness.

“Hahaha, do you still remember the Golden Sun Sect’s examinee who said our talents were insufficient and that our prospects were limited?

A few years ago, we met by chance, and he also formed a Fake Pill.

You can’t imagine his expression when we recognized each other at that time.”

Li Jizhou chuckled, “Yes, you have indeed defied destiny!”

“Nonsense! What destiny am I defying? In my life, forming a Fake Pill is as far as I can go, and now I’ve come to understand, innate talent determines the limit. A Fake Pill is already the limit for those of us with lower-grade spirit roots, with no further progress possible,

I’m content, it’s not in vain that I’ve risked my life all these years!” Zhou Cang managed a laugh and a curse.

Li Jizhou smiled slightly, it seems the boy with grand ambitions back then, after being hit by the cultivation world, has now resigned to fate.

However, Li Jizhou quite agrees with Zhou Cang’s current mindset.

“Now I just want to live comfortably for the rest of my life, after fighting for half a lifetime, it’s time to enjoy!” Zhou Cang had indeed accepted his fate.

“Worthy of celebration!” Li Jizhou toasted him with another cup.

Zhou Cang being able to think like this would undoubtedly make his later life much more relaxed and leisurely.

“Old Li, have you found a Dao partner?” Suddenly, Zhou Cang changed the subject.

Li Jizhou shook his head.

“Hehe, you’re now in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, are you planning to save up resources for Core Formation? Makes sense, form the core first, then you can truly enjoy, hmm, best to return to the Qi Kingdom, now with your Fake Pill, you’d essentially rule!” Zhou Cang chuckled and nodded.

“Why don’t you go back?” Li Jizhou countered.

“Me? I relied on my lady to reach this step, how could I leave? Moreover, why would I leave? Being able to glimpse my lady’s true face each day is like a heavenly pleasure.” Zhou Cang spoke as his eyes narrowed slightly, evoking a sense of infinite savor.

Li Jizhou chuckled lightly.

“Oh, by the way, how’s your Core Formation preparation going? Have you decided on a Dao field for the formation? Now that I hold some status in the Yu family, I could ask my lady to help, it might be cheaper than forming the core in Immortal City.” Zhou Cang turned and asked.

“Forming the core in the Yu family Dao field?” Li Jizhou’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He already knew that the Yu family had a Tier Three Middle Grade Spirit Vein, and given his understanding of Yu Ziyu, she held some goodwill towards him.

“May I ask, Brother Zhou, who is the highest cultivator in the Yu family?”

“Of course, it’s my lady!” Zhou Cang replied without hesitation.

Li Jizhou raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

If it’s just Yu Ziyu, even though she has already formed a Golden Core, with my puppets and Arrays, as well as Gua Gua, I can completely protect my Core Formation safely.

This is indeed a relatively low-risk approach.

At that moment, Zhou Cang’s Communication Talisman vibrated slightly.

He took it out to look at it, immediately transforming force into Spirit Wine using magical power.

“My lady is calling me. I have to go now. Leave your address, and I’ll find you when I have the chance!”

“You can just find me at the Taobao Pavilion,” Li Jizhou didn’t hide.

“Oh? You work at the Taobao Pavilion? That’s even better. My lady has a close relationship with your boss; you might even ask him to help put in a good word for you. Perhaps you could even use the Yu family Dojo for Core Formation for free!” Zhou Cang said in surprise.

“I am the boss of the Taobao Pavilion!” Li Jizhou said with a smile.

“???” Zhou Cang was packing up when he suddenly turned his head to look at Li Jizhou.

“You? The boss of the Taobao Pavilion?”

Li Jizhou nodded calmly.

“…” Zhou Cang was stunned on the spot.

From what he knew about Li Jizhou, he was not someone who liked to brag.

Nor was he the kind of person to blurt things out.

“Damn it! So, you’ve been pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger all along?” Zhou Cang said resentfully.

Li Jizhou smiled nonchalantly, not paying attention to his words.

“Hey, do you know my lady?”

“The things I just said to you, make sure you don’t repeat them!”

“I only have respect and admiration for my lady, nothing else in mind.” Zhou Cang hurriedly tried to amend after recalling what he had said to Li Jizhou.

“I didn’t hear anything!” Li Jizhou nodded with a smile.

After settling the bill, Zhou Cang and Li Jizhou quickly returned to the Taobao Pavilion.

Along the way, Zhou Cang couldn’t figure out how Li Jizhou could be the boss of the Taobao Pavilion.

Although the Taobao Pavilion seemed unremarkable, it had gained quite a reputation in recent years.

Especially around Liuyun City, many people knew that the Taobao Pavilion was suitable for consignment sales, better than selling to shops directly, and many were also willing to buy there.

However, the Taobao Pavilion only charged one Spirit Stone per transaction, which puzzled Zhou Cang as to how it made a profit.

He had even privately discussed with his subordinates if there was anything shady going on.

Soon, they returned to the Taobao Pavilion.

Yu Ziyu was sitting casually in the hall.

“Miss!” Zhou Cang stepped forward honestly and bowed in greeting.

Seeing Zhou Cang and Li Jizhou returning together, Yu Ziyu flashed a smile and nodded at Zhou Cang before looking at Li Jizhou, “Jizhou, I have important matters to discuss with you.”

Zhou Cang listened to Yu Ziyu’s address towards Li Jizhou and was secretly shocked; Li Jizhou truly hadn’t lied to him.

“Then let’s go to the private room upstairs!” Li Jizhou directly invited Yu Ziyu upstairs.

Watching Li Jizhou and Yu Ziyu go to the second floor, Zhou Cang had an awkward smile on his face.

“Damn, could he really become my lifelong adversary?”

Upstairs, Li Jizhou activated an Array and invited Yu Ziyu to sit down.

“What urgent matter does the Patriarch of the Yu family have?”

“I need to purchase a batch of Tier Three Talismans, especially Teleportation Talismans and Celestial Thunder Talismans! Your Divine Soul has been stronger than others since childhood, I wonder if you can draw Tier Three Talismans now?” The Yu family has Talisman Master Shen, lacking nothing below tier two talismans, but due to not achieving Core Formation, Shen could not draw Tier Three Talismans.

Li Jizhou hesitated slightly. The Tier Three Celestial Thunder Talisman was primarily for offense, while the Teleportation Talisman was for escape — was Yu Ziyu planning to engage in a battle again?

However, that has nothing to do with him; he’s just a seller.

“Tier Three Talismans are not ordinary items. However, as you mentioned, my Divine Soul is sufficient, and I have practiced soul refinement techniques — I can draw both of these Talismans.” Li Jizhou didn’t modest at the moment; since he needed something from Yu Ziyu, he needed to showcase his trade value.

“Great! I am willing to purchase at a high-tier price. Jizhou, you are excellent. Once it’s successful, I owe you a big favor.” Yu Ziyu was delighted.

“No need for personal favors, but I hope to borrow your family’s Spirit Vein Dojo for Core Formation!” Li Jizhou expressed his intention.

“You want to form your Core in my family’s Spirit Vein?” Yu Ziyu smiled faintly.

Previously, when dealing with Li Jizhou, he always acted cautiously, not wanting to engage too deeply with her.

And this time, he actually initiated a request.

“Of course, you can rest assured for your Core Formation, and if I’m in the clan, I can protect you!” Yu Ziyu agreed on the spot.

“Thank you!” Li Jizhou felt relieved.

He had decided to form his Core in the Yu family’s Qingyin Valley.

“Within three months, can you prepare ten Celestial Thunder Talismans and Teleportation Talismans each?” Yu Ziyu asked further.

“That urgent? It might be a bit tight.” Li Jizhou shook his head slowly, as he was never fond of being rushed by others.

Yu Ziyu frowned: “It can’t wait, don’t you know, the Southern Domain has become a Corpse Nurturing Land!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep