Chapter 216 – Testing for the Five Elements (1/2)

Lu Ziyu lifted up the jar of Ice Condensate water without any regard for anything else. “If you have more, you have to deliver it to me!”

Li Qingshan agreed to him carelessly and indifferently before leaving through the door. He never thought that the water he had found underground could fetch such a great price. He was still a beginner when it came to exploiting the resources from underground.

“Old man Lu, why have you been hiding such great tea from us?” A man lifted the curtain and called out.

“Coming up!” Lu Ziyu removed the bamboo sign from the wall and brushed past it with his hand, increasing the price by twenty spiritual stones.

“Zijian, are there any places that sell cultivation methods here?” Li Qingshan could see how Yu Zijian still had to give some thought to the matter. He was in no hurry either. It was rare of him to come across a market that specially served cultivators, so he obviously had to stroll around and buy some things he needed.

Mu Zhicong and the others became even more certain of his identity as an independent cultivator. Only independent cultivators would have to buy cultivation methods. Yu Zijian was troubled. “I’m not too sure…”

Mu Zhicong said, “There’s a store on the corner up ahead. Fellow Niu, it’s quite late now, so we need to return to the Green Vine mountain. We’ll have to bid farewell to you here!”

“Alright. Zijian, consider it carefully. I’ll probably stay for a few more days here. If you’ve made up your mind, just come down and let me know,” Li Qingshan said happily. Since Yu Zijian was safe and sound, there was no reason for him to worry now. Even if she decided to join the Green Vine mountain, there was nothing wrong with that. However, he was almost about to fall out with Mu Zhicong, so there was no point in sticking around them any longer.

Mu Zhicong was rather surprised by how willing Li Qingshan was to part with them. For a moment, he was left at a loss as to whether he was actually interested in Yu Zijian or not.

Unbeknownst to him, Li Qingshan’s ambitions were beyond the Nine Heavens. While he would still be interested when he saw cute and pretty women, such that he would adore them and develop a desire to protect them, he would never become too involved with matters between men and women. He would just go with the flow.

Yu Zijian said, “Thank you, Niu Juxia. I’ve already made up my mind.”

Li Qingshan was surprised. “Really? It’s rare of you to be so resolute. Are you staying or leaving?”

“I’ve decided I want to go to the Academy of the Hundred Schools,” Yu Zijian said calmly, which was quite a contrast to her usual indecisiveness.

Mu Zhicong’s face reddened. “Zijian, you have to think about it carefully. Our Green Vine mountain is no worse than any of the schools that the Academy of the Hundred Schools has to offer…”

Li Qingshan clapped his hands and praised, “Exactly! It’s not like you’re a disciple of the Green Vine mountain anyway. You can leave with me right now!”

Mu Zhicong became frantic. “Don’t you even think about it! Without my master’s permission…”

Yu Zijian shook her head. “I’m not leaving right now. Chenglu has received my letter, so she’ll definitely come looking for me. If I leave right now, I’ll basically be standing her up. And I can’t just leave like this!”

“It has already been a month. That friend of yours might not necessarily come.” Li Qingshan expressed his doubt over the friendship between the two young girls.

“Chenglu will definitely come.” Yu Zijian was extremely certain.

“Hopefully she won’t let down the trust you’ve vested in her, or it’ll be her loss.” Li Qingshan smiled. Who said the meek could not persevere? Being able to trust was an impressive ability as well. If Hua Chenglu really did come and resolved this issue in a legitimate manner, it would obviously be for the best.

“I’m still going to stay here for a few days. If you change your mind, come down the mountain and find me!” Li Qingshan glanced at Mu Zhicong. It probably would be rather difficult for her to leave the mountain by then. It was impossible for him to charge up the Green Vine mountain either and face a Foundation Establishment cultivator as well, trying to save some damsel in distress. Everyone had to bear the responsibilities of their choices. Even kind-hearted, cute girls had to understand that.

Li Qingshan clasped his hands and left. Yu Zijian watched on as his huge figure merged into the crowd. She said extremely softly, “Thank you.” She thanked him for respecting her decision.

Li Qingshan took out the pot of Worriless tea from his hundred treasures pouch and shoved it into the bamboo basket on his back. A tender, white hand accepted it.

Xiao An leaned against the pillow leisurely with a leg crossed over the other. She held a buddhist scripture in one hand and the purple sand teapot in the other, drinking straight from the spout as she read.

Li Qingshan was slightly relieved as well. At the end of the day, he still disliked handling these random people. He was a tiger who strolled through the forest. He had already grown accustomed to moving alone.

As he strolled through the streets, he saw stalls and stores on the two sides filled with a dazzling variety of items. Not only were there regular spiritual artifacts and pills, but there were also fragments of secret books and manuals left behind by some great cultivator, or treasure maps leading to some mysterious dwelling.

Most of it was just trash, but it might actually hide treasure from time to time, which would be obtained by someone lucky, allowing them to rise up. This kind of story urged on every Qi Practitioner. However, those who wanted to find treasure here required either extremely great insight or luck.

Insight obviously was not Li Qingshan’s forte. He really was a bumpkin in the cultivation world. He did not like to rely on luck either. He skimmed through everything quickly before arriving at the bookstore that Mu Zhicong had mentioned. He was eager.

What he needed the most right now was a method of practising qi. He never thought he would find a place like that here. Good people really were rewarded for their efforts!

There were two large words written on the simple, blackboard—Book Mountain.

When he entered, he basically wondered if he had entered another teahouse, as there were no bookshelves or books in there at all. The only book happened to be in the shopkeeper’s withered hands.