"Indeed overbearing!"
A month later, Li Jizhou took a deep breath and stepped out of the bedroom.
His face was filled with uncontrollable joy.
Within a month, following the method of the Spiritual Sand Body Refining Skill, he barely entered the initial level.
However, due to the scarcity of Melted Spirit Sand, and the requirement of the Body Refining Skill that the whole body be wrapped in Melted Spirit Sand, he chose only one part to practice this month.
Through relentless effort and bone-crushing agony, that part became bloody and mangled several times, infiltrated by the rock-solid Melted Spirit Sand, then expelled.
Blood and Melted Spirit Sand resisted each other at first, until finally merging.
At last, he completed what was described as the first step of body refinement in the Melted Spirit Sand Body Refining Skill: Initial Fusion of Blood Sand!
However, the Body Refining Skill requires that every part of the body simultaneously completes the Initial Fusion of Blood Sand to truly complete the first step of body refinement, only then can he proceed to the next step.
So, strictly speaking, during this month he hasn't really entered the initial level, he's just figured out the process and method.
Once more Melted Spirit Sand is obtained, full-body fusion of blood sand will occur!
Once dressed, unless someone touches that part of him, no one would notice anything unusual.
This was intentional because he worried about leaving obvious marks during his first body refinement, hence he chose a less conspicuous part.
"Melted Spirit Sand is a must; in this lifetime, I must master the Melted Spirit Sand Body Refining Skill." He felt the hardness of that part with self-satisfaction.
"I wonder what body refinement achievement will feed back to the next life? If it extends progress in body refinement to the next life, that would be even safer!"
At this moment, the Sound Transmission Talisman in his storage bag stirred.
This was specifically given to Lu Zhenhua when they parted four months ago.
It's a Sound Transmission Talisman only between the two, not exceeding fifty miles!
"Dear brother, swiftly come to the Celestial Immortal Tower, it's related to movements in the Celestial Secret Pavilion!"
Li Jizhou wasted no time, checked through his bottom line library once more, and immediately rushed to the Celestial Immortal Tower.
From afar, he looked toward the five-storey pavilion at the edge of the inner city,
it was brightly decorated, chirping birds and dancing swans, noise soaring to the heavens.
And those female cultivators, even more, unveiled themselves from the pavilion, inviting guests with utmost allure.
Cultivation is not easy, resources scarce, every cultivator with ambitions yet lacking background surely needs to give their all to stand firm in this world.
All beings suffer!
Struggling in a sea of bitterness!
"Fellow Daoist, the path to immortality is long, timely indulgence can prevent the growth of heart demons. Why not come inside for a chat? Between us, our Celestial Immortal Tower has new teas lately!" Just as they reached downstairs, an old madam approached Li Jizhou, charmingly joked.
"Fellow Daoist's words make sense!" Li Jizhou smiled faintly, following her inside.
"Dear brother!" As they just entered, Lu Zhenhua waved to Li Jizhou.
"Oh, so it's the esteemed guest awaited by Shopkeeper Lu, quickly let them come, fairies! What are you waiting for?" The old madam happily exclaimed upon seeing Lu Zhenhua's greeting.
"Friend Bai, hold your horses, I have important matters to discuss with my dear brother. Later, I'll let you arrange." Lu Zhenhua, evidently intimate with the old madam, jokingly dismissed the gathering fairies.
"Brother Lu!"
"Dear brother, let's cut to the chase, the new arrivals in the Celestial Secret Pavilion are of notable identities. I've hardly had a chance to connect, but recently I've established relations with the host, who will come shortly."
"Of notable identities?"
"Indeed, they should be steward-level from Qi Kingdom's headquarters. It seems they have a purpose here, we must keep calm later and not provoke their vigilance."
"I understand, dear brother." Li Jizhou nodded secretly.
Before long, the steward from the Celestial Secret Pavilion arrived.
"Shopkeeper Lu, honored by your invitation."
"Oh, Fellow Daoist Li is here as well."
After some pleasantries, they each took their seats.
Lu Zhenhua, no doubt a seasoned veteran after mingling in the Inverted Mountain for decades and a regular here, was swift and adept, arranging an array of fairies to stand in line for the steward to choose from.
"Brother Shi, I know you've been busy at the Golden Crow Immortal City for years, with work constraints and mutual affection with your Dao partner, rarely relaxing and indulging. Special arrangements have been made, hopefully to your satisfaction." Lu Zhenhua cheerfully asked.
"Shopkeeper Lu's too kind." Steward Shi sincerely bowed, yet his peripheral vision thoroughly assessed the fairies, with a chosen one in mind.
Just as Lu Zhenhua mentioned, he has stayed in Golden Crow Immortal City for years, under the headquarters' watchful eye, many things need to be concealed.
Adding to that, there's a Dao partner beside him, hence rarely having opportunity to seek out pleasures.
Moreover, the larger the Immortal City, the higher the fees, appearances might not be ideal, and some are even restrained.
Whereas Inverted Mountain, known as a land without a master, no one collects taxes, fees are halved.
Besides, in a proper Immortal City, many male cultivators are like him, concealed with reservations, the market isn't big.
While men in Inverted Mountain are mostly solitary or wind-fall hunters, recklessly uninhibited, fostering a rich market atmosphere.
Most importantly, many female cultivators hold proper identities or Dao partners in genuine marketplace Immortal Cities, acting reserved, fearing acquaintances, even when they go for part-time, somewhat restrained. Upon reaching Inverted Mountain, they become tigers in a deep forest or dragons returning to the sea.
Thus, there's an extra abundance of fairies at Inverted Mountain.
Nearly all of Qi Kingdom's female cultivators who seek part-time prefer Inverted Mountain.
Coupled with the Thunder Spirit Crystal Mine incidents in recent years, part-time fairies in Inverted Mountain have multiplied.
The overall quality has risen,
while the price due to competition remains preferable!
After Steward Shi made his choice, Lu Zhenhua turned to Li Jizhou.
Originally intending to mingle with the crowd, avoiding distinction, Li Jizhou scanned around but found little excitement.
Call girls summoned to serve Lu Zhenhua were mostly Early Stage of Qi Cultivation, at best Middle Stage female cultivators.
Given Li Jizhou's Divine Soul intensity, already faintly near Foundation Establishment Stage Divine Sense, a mere scan unveiled their Disguise Skills.
Few had decent potential; most were below average, reminiscent of most part-time workers in a previous life's club, stripped of filters, nothing extraordinary.
If his Divine Soul weren't so strong, unable to see through their Disguise Skills, it'd been fine, they'd each appear celestial under disguise, offering a fleeting romance bringing delight.
Sadly, seeing through that led Li Jizhou, who's savored immortal nectar in past life, to face such sea-tastes, hardly a relaxing diversion.
He understood those like Lu Zhenhua and Steward Shi—low cultivation, narrow sights, underdeveloped appreciation levels in the cultivation world's bottom tier—yet he'd rather not settle.
"Brother Lu, Brother Shi, I've been cultivating a secret technique these days, hence cannot approach women, please choose as you wish."
"Oh?" Lu Zhenhua jestingly glanced at Li Jizhou.
"Dear brother, didn't I tell you last time? Cultivation needs balance, indulging occasionally can relieve woes, dispersing heart demon!"
"Brother Lu's words are true, but today is indeed inconvenient." Li Jizhou grinned, bowing humbly.
Lu Zhenhua stifled laughter, gesturing furtively towards Li Jizhou's lower body: "Is it inconvenient or... definitely not..."
Previously, everyone visited Celestial Immortal Tower, yet Li Jizhou declined to attend; this time, coming naturally, he didn't pick a fairy.
Recalling his youthful urges, Lu Zhenhua suspecting Li Jizhou having potential issues in that regard.
Though Lu Zhenhua jests with Li Jizhou, Steward Shi, less acquainted, refrained from bantering, merely smiling and persuading.
Unbeknownst to Li Jizhou, because of today's incident, years later, when those from the Celestial Secret Pavilion purchased his personal records, the first sentence read: Li Jizhou, in his prime, avoided women, possibly harboring hidden ailments...