Name: Xu Chang'an
Bloodline: Common Grey Rat (Ungraded)
Lifespan: 18 years
Realm: Qi Refining Fourth Layer
Skills: Alchemy (Tier One Low Grade)
Energy: (32/50)
...
Xu Chang'an sat cross-legged in his cave residence, gazing at the ethereal panel before him.
After becoming an Alchemy Little Demon in Hundred Arts Peak's Alchemy Hall, his semi-annual stipend had increased to five Demon Stones and a bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills.
Over the past three years, the greatly diminished efficacy of ordinary Qi Nourishing Pills meant his panel's Energy accumulation had been slow.
Qi Nourishing Pills were no longer very effective, and there was currently no secret channel to obtain Qi Replenishing Pills.
He had only managed to make this much progress because he had snuck a few Alchemy Materials when he started practicing alchemy a year and a half ago.
However, he had accumulated a fair number of Demon Stones.
After accounting for daily expenses, he had managed to save up over forty Demon Stones in three years.
He had also finished refining the Money Shield, which he could now control as easily as his own limbs.
When infused with Demon Power, the Money Shield could expand to the size of a millstone to protect him.
When Xu Chang'an unleashed his full Demon Power as a Qi Refining Fourth Layer cultivator, it was enough to block several magical attacks from an ordinary Mid-stage Qi Cultivation practitioner.
In the Alchemy Hall, Xu Chang'an gradually began to reveal his talent for alchemy.
He had now become an Alchemy Little Demon.
According to the Mountain Goat Spirit, with a bit more practice, he could apply to be certified as an entry-level Alchemist.
If his certification was successful, Xu Chang'an's semi-annual stipend would increase to eight Demon Stones and two bottles of Qi Nourishing Pills.
In fact, Xu Chang'an was already capable of refining Tier One Low-grade Elixirs with a decent success rate.
Such as the Qi Nourishing Pill.
Unfortunately, being on Langlang Mountain, he didn't get many opportunities to practice.
The art of alchemy was merely a means to improve his status and obtain resources.
What Xu Chang'an valued most was his own cultivation and the means to protect his path, his Guardian Dao.
'The conflict with Black Crow Mountain has been quiet for the past six months.'
'For some reason, I have this feeling that it's the calm before the storm.'
Xu Chang'an felt a faint sense of unease.
In previous years, Langlang Mountain and Black Crow Mountain would fight from time to time.
The clashes were small in scale but extremely frequent.
Now, however, both sides had ceased all hostilities, as if they had agreed to a truce.
In Xu Chang'an's experience, things were never that simple!
Over the past two years, besides cultivating and practicing alchemy, Xu Chang'an had also gathered a lot of information.
For example, about the various powers in the Red Cloud Mountain Range.
The undisputed hegemon of the Red Cloud Mountain Range was, of course, Red Cloud Mountain itself.
But besides them, there were many other major powers.
Such as Lion's Mane Cave, Sleeping Ox Mountain, Peacock Mountain, Ivory Mountain, Leopard Ridge, and Snake and Scorpion Cave.
These powers were each presided over by at least one Demon King, or at the very least, several Quasi-Demon Kings.
They were considered the first-tier powers of the Red Cloud Mountain Range.
Below them were the mountain cave factions that possessed several Great Demons, some even more than ten.
These were considered second-tier powers.
Powers like Langlang Mountain and Black Crow Mountain, presided over by a Great Demon, were considered third-tier.
Further down were the mountain factions established by veteran Old Demons at Late-stage Qi Cultivation.
At the very bottom were the ordinary Little Demons who would find a remote mountain, proclaim themselves king, and rule their tiny patch.
Truly, frogs in a well!
...
「The night grew deep.」
On Langlang Mountain, Pinglang Valley was currently bustling with activity.
Xu Chang'an stood on an open patch of ground before his cave. His position was quite high, offering an unobstructed view of the valley below.
"They're holding a welcoming feast for the new Little Demons who've just joined the mountain."
At the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, his eyesight was quite good.
Looking down from his vantage point, he could vaguely make out the moving silhouettes of demons.
More than five years ago, he had been in Pinglang Valley himself, waiting to be selected by the various halls and valleys to have his duties assigned.
Xu Chang'an felt a little dazed.
Since beginning his cultivation anew, he was now over six years old.
To other members of the Demon Race, he might still be just a young demon.
But with his eighteen-year lifespan, one-third of his demonic life had already passed.
'I need to prepare early. With only eighteen short years, one misstep and I'll die from an exhausted lifespan!'
Fortunately, since he began cultivating, Xu Chang'an had never been one to fight or compete. With his calm disposition, he hadn't damaged his foundation in any way.
This was enough to guarantee he would live out his theoretical eighteen-year lifespan.
Early the next morning, Xu Chang'an first went to the Alchemy Hall on Hundred Arts Peak to watch the Mountain Goat Spirit perform alchemy.
During a break in the alchemy process, he asked the Mountain Goat Spirit for a short leave of absence.
He wanted to attend the trade fair in Wave Valley that afternoon.
This trade fair was different from the usual small, annual gathering.
It was a large-scale event organized jointly by the Merit Hall, Library Hall, Spirit Field Valley, Spirit Garden, and Wave Valley.
In terms of scale, it was the first of its kind in nearly five years.
Xu Chang'an had never participated in a trade fair of this magnitude before.
Since he needed to trade for some resources, he was eager to go.
It was being held in Wave Valley because the large, open space there was perfect for a market.
Furthermore, its convenient location made it easy to manage.
Xu Chang'an followed the mountain path down from Hundred Arts Peak.
It reminded him of his early years as a Mountain Patrol Little Demon in the Mountain Patrol Hall, when he used to travel a lot more.
He was constantly roaming all over Langlang Mountain back then.
But ever since joining Hundred Arts Peak, he had been focused on his cultivation and alchemy and rarely came down.
As he passed a bamboo grove, he saw a group of Little Demons gathered together, seemingly busy with something.
Drawing closer, he saw they were cutting down bamboo, apparently making arrows and spears.
Ordinary Little Demons at the Qi Refining First Layer lacked Magic and, even more so, Magical Artifacts.
Relying on Demon Power alone was not only limited in strength but also in stamina.
Thus, it was common for them to use external tools.
Like the Steel Fork Xu Chang'an was issued when he was on mountain patrol.
With their powerful demonic bodies and immense brute strength, an arrow shot from a suitable Strong Bow, for example, could unleash power that was not to be underestimated.
"Focus, all of you! We need to crank out one thousand arrows and two hundred spears before nightfall.
If you don't finish, I'll beat the lot of you."
A Black Bear Demon, with his brawny arms crossed behind his back, spoke imposingly to the crowd of Little Demons before him.
"Yes, Instructor Xiong! We guarantee we'll complete the task!"
The demons below responded enthusiastically.
"Xiong Da!"
Xu Chang'an called out.
Though they hadn't seen each other often over the years, they were both from the same hometown of Cyan Mountain and had joined Langlang Mountain in the same batch of Little Demons, so they still kept in touch occasionally.
The Black Bear Demon froze for a moment when he heard a demon call his name.
He turned his head and was surprised to see it was the Little Grey Mouse, Xu Chang'an.
"Grey Rat!"
Under the effect of his Concealment Spell, Xu Chang'an was currently only about the size of a common squirrel.
"Xiong Da, what are you doing here!? Shouldn't you be guarding the pass at the foot of the mountain?"
Xu Chang'an asked.
When they had last spoken half a year ago, Xiong Da was still guarding the mountain pass!
"Hehe, a while back, I was lucky enough to get a Qi Condensing Pill and broke through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.
The Elder assigned me here to oversee the preparation of weapons for the pass and to teach the Little Demons how to make them."
Xiong Da scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly.
The Qi Refining Fourth Layer was a high enough cultivation to become a Little Leader, a rank equivalent to a Little Flag bearer.
A Qi Condensing Pill!
A Tier-Breaking Elixir for advancing from the Early Stage to the Middle Stage of Qi Refining!
Demons with ordinary Bloodline aptitude almost always needed a Tier-Breaking Elixir to break through to the Middle Stage.
Normally, only those with a Middle-class Bloodline had a chance of advancing to Mid-stage Qi Refining without the help of a Tier-Breaking Elixir.
Its value was even greater than that of an ordinary Low-grade Magical Artifact!
Xiong Da sure was lucky!