9: Chapter 9 The Watcher

Li Qing sat on the stone bed in his Immortal Cave, looking at the pile of Spirit Stone fragments at his feet that had already turned to powder, and sighed softly.

To make his recent Breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage 3, he had consumed a full six Low-Grade Spirit Stones. In the past, this was something he wouldn't have even dared to imagine.

But now that he had actually broken through, he was instead even more aware of how difficult his path ahead would be.

To advance from Qi Refining Stage 3 to Qi Refining Stage 4, he would need to consume at least another forty Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Forty stones was no small sum. With his current savings of only forty-four Spirit Stones left—no, after paying this month's rent, he only had forty-one Spirit Stones left.

But he didn't dare to use all forty-one Spirit Stones at once.

Li Qing decided to wait. He would wait three months for the Spirit Rice to mature before raising his cultivation. For now, his current Spirit Stones would serve as his living expenses for these three months.

Having eaten mortal food for a month, Li Qing also wanted to improve his palate.

As for the spirit dew, he had already decided not to sell it.

spirit dew was different from Spirit Rice; it was far too eye-catching.

Right now, Li Qing only wanted to keep a low profile and develop quietly.

Having figured this out, Li Qing was no longer in a hurry. He simply stayed peacefully inside his Immortal Cave, completely acting like a "turtle pulling in its head."

Over the next three entire months, apart from going out to purchase Spirit Food, Li Qing basically never stepped past his front gate. Every day, besides eating, feeding the fish and chickens, and occasionally watering his farmland, he spent all his remaining time holed up in his Immortal Cave cultivating.

Although his progress was pitifully slow, Li Qing still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Over these three months, the Red-tailed Fish, which had been a bit wilted when first bought, grew fat and strong under the nourishment of the Immortal Cave's fish pond. They had grown to over fifty centimeters in size and were on the verge of becoming adult Semi-Spirit Beasts.

The Green-feathered Chickens were even more energetic; their feathers gleamed, they hopped and ran around lively every day, and they had grown quite a bit in size.

Unfortunately, there were still no signs of advancement or recognizing him as their master.

While Li Qing lived a leisurely and carefree life inside, with his cultivation gradually stabilizing and his chickens and fish growing better and better, he had no idea that someone outside had been watching him for so long they were driven nearly mad.

Outside of Li Qing's dilapidated courtyard, at the corner of the alley, behind the trees, and under the eaves of the neighboring house, a stealthy figure had been hiding all this time.

This person was a minor lackey under Boss Scar, with a cultivation of only Qi Refining Stage 3. He was ordered to specifically monitor Li Qing's every move.

Over these three months, the watcher had almost suffered a mental breakdown from the wait.

Except during shift changes, he squatted in the corner every day, exposed to the wind and sun, not daring to take a single step away. His eyes were glued to Li Qing's courtyard gate, but that dilapidated wooden door seemed as if it had been welded shut, never opening even a crack.

At first, he could still keep his composure, but as ten days, half a month, and then three months passed, Li Qing did not make a single sound.

Now that he was the only watcher left, the pent-up anger in his heart was about to overwhelm his mind.

Squatting in the corner of the wall, the watcher clawed at his hair. His heart was burning with anxiety, and he couldn't help but complain wildly in his mind:

"What on earth is this guy doing? If this keeps up, I'll be bored to death by him first!"

The reason he was so tense was that a strict order had been handed down from above long ago.

Back when Li Qing resigned from his job at the fish stall and bought twenty Red-tailed Fish fry and ten Green-feathered Chicken chicks all at once, the news had already reached Boss Scar's ears.

As soon as Boss Scar heard that Li Qing, a Qi Refining Stage 2 Loose Cultivator who previously could barely afford to eat, had not only paid off his high-interest loan but had also spent forty Low-Grade Spirit Stones with a wave of his hand, he narrowed his eyes on the spot.

He was convinced that Li Qing had definitely run into dog shit luck and obtained some incredible Immortal Opportunity; otherwise, it would be impossible for him to suddenly have so many Low-Grade Spirit Stones out of nowhere.

Boss Scar had ordered with a dark face back then: "Keep a close eye on this kid. The moment he steps out of Anping Market, move immediately to capture him alive. I want to see what kind of treasure he is hiding!"

Once the order was passed down, the watcher dared not be negligent.

For the first two months, there were others taking shifts with him, so it wasn't too hard. But as Li Qing remained completely inactive and Boss Scar's side needed more manpower, only Zhao San was left now.

If it weren't for the Houtu Sect's explicit regulations strictly forbidding private fights and killing to steal treasures within the market...

...he really would have wanted to rush into the small courtyard to capture him.

Moreover, he was very confident in his own strength. He was a genuine Qi Refining Stage 3 Cultivator, whereas Li Qing was previously nothing more than a Qi Refining Stage 2 Loose Cultivator with no one to rely on, no background, and no strength. If they actually fought, dealing with Li Qing would be as easy as pie, as effortless as crushing an ant.

But the problem was, let alone leaving the market, the guy barely even took a step out of his small courtyard!

If he didn't leave Anping Market, Boss Scar's plan couldn't be carried out, and he, as the watcher, could only keep squatting in the corner and suffering.

As the days dragged on, the watcher's mind was close to breaking. Several times, he wanted to smash the door open and see if Li Qing was still alive, but at the thought of the Houtu Sect's rules, he had to force himself to hold back.

In this way, amidst the watcher's endless torment and waiting, three months finally passed.

On this evening, the setting sun dyed the entire Anping Market in a warm yellow. People bustled to and fro in the market, with the sounds of hawking and bargaining blending together, making it exceptionally lively.

The tightly shut courtyard gate where Li Qing had been in closed-door cultivation for three whole months finally opened slowly with a creak.

When Li Qing's figure emerged from behind the door, Zhao San, the watcher hiding at the corner, almost cried out of sheer excitement.

He screamed wildly in his heart:

"Oh, my ancestors! You've finally come out! I almost thought you were going to live in there for the rest of your life!"

Excitement aside, his movements were not slow at all. He immediately lowered his body, shrank into the shadows, and followed closely behind Li Qing like a dog that had caught the scent of blood. As for being noticed by Li Qing—it didn't matter. What could he do even if he noticed?

He had already begun to calculate in his mind: once this kid leaves Anping Market, I will strike immediately. When the time comes, I'll claim credit in front of Boss Scar. Perhaps I'll even be rewarded with a few Spirit Stones, or maybe even a better Cultivation Technique.

But to his absolute surprise, after leaving his house, Li Qing did not head out of Anping Market at all. Instead, he made a turn and walked toward a place he could never have imagined.

Hiding behind a pillar, the watcher poked half of his head out, staring at Li Qing's departing figure, completely dumbfounded.

He stared at the high-hanging plaque not far away with the three large characters "Houtu Hall" written on it. His eyes bulged, and his face was filled with disbelief.

"Houtu Hall? Why would he come here at this hour? Does he still have Spirit Stones?"

The watcher was completely baffled.

A Loose Cultivator with no sect or faction like Li Qing wasn't setting up a stall in the market, nor was he going to the mountains for training. Instead, he chose to loiter around the entrance of Houtu Hall. What on earth did he want to do?

Scratching his head in utter confusion, the watcher saw Li Qing walk up to the entrance of Houtu Hall and come to a halt.

He had a faint premonition: it seemed he was about to uncover Li Qing's secret.

Meanwhile, standing at the entrance of Houtu Hall, Li Qing had a calm expression as he stepped inside.

Zhao San immediately followed him in.