After leaving the city gate, Li Jizhou went straight home.
The matter of leaving Inverted Mountain requires careful planning.
"I hope the Thunder Spirit Crystal Ore situation won't affect us here in the short term!"
Shaking off all distracting thoughts, Li Jizhou pushed the door open and entered. Since he couldn't change the big picture or distance himself from this place, all he could do was strengthen himself!
"Ribbit~"
As he walked to his room door, a weak croak of a frog sounded.
He immediately saw a large frog, about the size of a millstone, lying there at the doorstep.
The frog's left front leg was severed at the root, and there was a wound on its back a foot long, deep enough to reveal bone, bloody and mangled.
It was Xu Mei's spirit pet, Gua Gua!
Five months ago, Xu Mei went out and never returned; now, only a frog came back.
"Ribbit~" Gua Gua, upon seeing Li Jizhou, struggled to open its drooping eyelids and, using all its strength, rolled its tongue and spat something out of its mouth.
A Spirit Pet Bag!
Then it fell heavily to the ground and closed its eyes.
"..."
"A trust before death?"
Even the Spirit Pet Bag was brought back, Xu Mei was likely doomed!
Li Jizhou made a gesture with one hand, and with a wave of magical power, grabbed the Spirit Pet Bag.
Unexpectedly, there were still a hundred Spirit Stones inside!
A hundred Spirit Stones could cover a year's rent for decent housing in some small marketplaces outside.
"You really are a world-wise frog! Very well..."
Holding a huge sum in one hand, he placed the other hand on Gua Gua's head.
"Meridians shattered, energy out of balance, one in ten thousand chances of survival!"
Infusing a thread of Eternal Spring Magical Power to protect its heart veins, Li Jizhou turned around and entered the house, first hiding the huge sum in the compartment under the bed, deliberately leaving only fifty units of Spiritual Sand in the storage bag, then wrapped Gua Gua in magical power and went to see Pharmacist Zheng.
"I am not a veterinarian!" At the sight of Gua Gua, Pharmacist Zheng's already dark face turned even darker.
"Please, Elder Zheng, treat a dead frog as a living one!" Li Jizhou bowed slightly, patting his storage bag at the same time.
"Not enough!" Pharmacist Zheng said bluntly.
"..." Li Jizhou feigned surprise, looking up at Pharmacist Zheng.
He's not even pretending anymore?
"May I ask Elder Zheng, how much Spiritual Sand is needed to heal it?"
"No Spirit Stone transactions." Pharmacist Zheng stared straight at Li Jizhou.
"I possess nothing but Spiritual Sand for transactions with Elder Zheng." Li Jizhou felt the gaze of Pharmacist Zheng and spoke, while subconsciously touching his storage bag.
Thirty-three Tier One Junior Level high-quality talismans, plus eighteen Tier One Middle Level lower-grade talismans, and the lower-grade copper mirror magical artifact were all he had to rely on.
"No need for tricks; your talismans aren't enough to deal with me. I just need you to agree to do something for me! It will bring you opportunities." Pharmacist Zheng turned and walked into the house, the courtyard door closing automatically.
Li Jizhou let out a slight sigh, once again marveling at the deceit and unpredictability of the cultivation world.
He never knew when he had caught the attention of a big shot.
If Pharmacist Zheng wanted to seize him now, he had no chance of resisting.
However, even knowing such things, there was not much one could do.
Can't defend against it, can't beat it, can't run away, can't hide.
And if Pharmacist Zheng was determined to seize him, the outcome would be the same, even without today's initiative.
Fortunately, his talent was not outstanding in this life, with just a mediocre to lower-level Spirit Root, hardly noticeable to a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
Therefore, he wasn't worried about being seized.
Moreover, no matter how formidable Pharmacist Zheng was, he definitely couldn't be a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
He couldn't think of any reason for a Nascent Soul True Monarch to hide here.
"What does elder want from me?" Li Jizhou asked calmly after following Pharmacist Zheng into the room.
"With your mere Qi Cultivation Second Level initial stage, you can't even serve as a fart for me!" Pharmacist Zheng retorted disdainfully.
Upon hearing this, Li Jizhou felt slightly reassured.
The peculiarity of accumulating magical power through annual rings hasn't been discovered.
Moreover, it seemed that Pharmacist Zheng aimed to invest in the future.
"Please speak plainly, Elder Zheng."
Pharmacist Zheng studied Li Jizhou for a moment.
Finally, a surge of magical power sealed the room's door.
"I hope I haven't mistaken you!"
After muttering to himself, Pharmacist Zheng suddenly stood up, pointed with one hand, and a high-grade Imprisonment Array activated in the room.
Immediately, Li Jizhou felt an overwhelming magical power from Pharmacist Zheng, like a fierce tiger's release.
After three breaths, Pharmacist Zheng's magical power stabilized, and Li Jizhou's eyes slightly narrowed.
"The power fluctuation of the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment!" Based on past life experience, Li Jizhou quickly judged.
However, although the magical power was overwhelming, its aura was unstable.
"Not as strong as my peak in the past life! Or perhaps the foundation was greatly damaged!"
"Elder!" Li Jizhou displayed an appropriate amount of surprise, stepping back continuously, stabilizing himself after three steps!
"Humph! I can't tell if you're really stupid or just pretending!" Pharmacist Zheng rolled his eyes and snorted coldly.
Two and a half years ago, upon learning that Li Jizhou had not been recorded into the Golden Sun Sect, he intentionally showed a trace of extraordinariness before Li Jizhou.
Based on his understanding of Li Jizhou, bright and intelligent since young, he thought Li Jizhou would deliberately court favor and finally beg him to take him as a disciple.
Instead, the contrary happened!
Fortunately, he ultimately practiced the Wood Element Evergreen Skill.
"But, it doesn't matter; today, I just want to make a deal with you!"
After speaking, Pharmacist Zheng waved his sleeve, taking out many bottles, jars, and two jade slips, one black and one white, from his storage bag.
"This is the advanced medical inheritance from Tier One to Two, containing my lifelong insights and comprehension, which, when combined with Wood Element magical power, yields twice the result with half the effort. This inheritance is more than enough for you to make a living and gather enough resources for cultivation." Pharmacist Zheng pointed at the white jade slip.
Without waiting for Li Jizhou to respond, he pointed at the black jade slip and said: "This is the legendary Poison Scripture I obtained in my youth, created by some ancient genius and including a variety of rare poisons. It provides strategies against opponents, from Qi Cultivation minor practitioners to Nascent Soul True Monarchs. I've mastered only a third, yet many clan sects have changed their color upon hearing my name.
In addition, all my life's research insights and comprehension are imprinted within.
With this inheritance, you can protect yourself!"
After introducing, Pharmacist Zheng proudly looked at Li Jizhou.
"This is my sincerity!"
At this point, Li Jizhou ceased to play dumb.
With a peaceful demeanor, he saluted: "Elder Zheng's sincerity is as solid as a mountain; I am truly overwhelmed, yet unfortunately, my talents are dull and my cultivation is shallow, making it hard to bear such esteem from Elder."
In this world, everything follows the principle of equivalent exchange.
The sincerity shown by Pharmacist Zheng was too heavy, and undoubtedly, the corresponding price wouldn't be light.
"Hahaha~ Truly you have an extraordinary mindset, being able to resist such temptation in the face of opportunities; you are indeed a remarkable person."
"In that case, I am even more at ease." Pharmacist Zheng laughed, rarely.
"Young one, do not overthink. The reason I am so forthright is because I need your willingness in this affair. Otherwise, with my means, why would I waste words with you?"
"These two methods are not entirely transactional. If you can't master them, you won't be able to accomplish my task either."
"What I seek might not be difficult for you."