A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality (Chapter 401-Chapter 600)

He planned to simultaneously study both fields for twenty years. He didn’t hold any extravagant hope of becoming a genius in either field, but so long as he could acquire a modicum of skill, he would be satisfied. At the very least, he should be able to refine the simplest formation flags and plates.

However, delving into this field wasn’t a matter of only studying. It required hands on practice. This resulted in Han Li accumulating a large pile of inferior magic tools with no method of disposal.

It would be a waste to just throw them away, but there was no use in keeping them as they were nearly useless. In addition, in order to refine when he was suddenly inspired, he had to frequently acquire all sorts of odd materials. However, it was a hassle to make trips to the city market every day.

As it so happened, the fourth layer of the Great Development Technique required the temperament of a mortal heart. Otherwise, he would suffer backlash from his inner demons while cultivating the fourth layer of the Great Development technique.

After some consideration, Han Li decided to purchase this store and tackle all the problems in one go!

The location wasn’t too noisy and he wouldn't be disturbed during his studies of tool refinement and formation spells. As it was also in close proximity to mortals, he could personally see how they lived. In addition, he could purchase the materials he needed to refine magic tools and formation spells in a timely manner. Likewise, he could sell off the small items he created, even if it was just a small amount of them!

After seeing a few low level cultivators purchase some of his personally refined magic tools, Han Li’s mood was greatly lifted.

Of course, he would still take trips back to his cave residence every few days to mature his Heaven Lightning Bamboo and to take care of his Gold Devouring Beetles and two Bloodjade Spiders.

But not long after, Han Li witnessed an astonishing scene in his medicine garden. When the child stalk of bamboo growing out his original stalk reached the age of six thousand years, it fell off of the main branch for no reason. Its few leaves also cleanly fell off and upon touching the floor, they immediately turned into leaves of pure, gaudy gold.

Although he didn’t know what purpose the leaves served, Han Li was unwilling to throw them away and just gathered them into his storage pouch. As for the emerald-green stalk, he carefully placed it back into the jade paste box and put it away.

After collecting six pieces, he would have enough to refine the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords.

As such, Han Li restrained his magic power and began his worldly life after he inserted himself among the mortals of the secular world in an obscure corner of the market city.

Apart from becoming engrossed in reading thin paper book copies of jade slips, he silently observed the surrounding mortal’s complex expressions and various emotions, and began to gradually appreciate them and recall a few memories.





Chapter 413: Refinement


The lives lead by mortals differed greatly from those lead by cultivators. Mortals lives were brimming with joys and sorrows, where the old withered and life was born anew.

In a few short years of observation, Han Li began to recall feelings that he had long forgotten, both positive and negative. Regardless of the emotion, they still caused Han Li’s mind to stir, allowing him a chance for introspection and to now understand these emotions from a cultivator’s perspective.

Likewise, his comprehension of formation spells and his skill in tool refinement gradually improved over a long period of time. Most notably, Han Li’s store, the Small Green Bamboo Pavilion, had developed somewhat of a reputation in the area over the span of just two years.

This was because cultivators were able to purchase a few inexpensive yet functional magic tools at Han Li’s store. A few of the luckier customers were even capable of purchasing a few rare intermediate grade talismans at the store.

After this news spread locally, a few low level cultivators immediately scrambled towards Han Li’s shop.

These magic tools and talismans had obviously been personally crafted by Han Li. Ever since he entered Core Formation, he was finally able to grasp the mid-grade magic techniques that he long desired. Although they were the lowest among mid-grade techniques, Han Li was still very satisfied with them.

However, intermediate talisman weren’t something that could be refined using common talisman paper. They could only be crafted using the hide of rare demon beasts, but not just any hide would suffice. Each intermediate talisman had their own unique requirements regarding demon beast hides.

Fortunately, Han Li had thought of this before he sold off his demon beast materials and had kept a large quantity of talisman materials. Otherwise, he would have had no way of refining the talismans despite having grasped their magic techniques.

Han Li first practiced using the lesser quality demon beast skins. After feeling that he was capable enough, he then moved on to refining a few particular talismans using rarer materials.

The talismans that he practiced creating were all attack type magic techniques. Every month or so, Han Li would put one or two of them up for sale in his shop and sell them to the first buyer.

To a Core Formation cultivator like Han Li, these talismans were of little value as their power paled in the face of magic treasures. As such, he had no purpose to preserve them.

However, Han Li had clearly underestimated the allure his intermediate talismans had to Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even after raising the price of these talismans several times, these cultivators continued to readily spend their spirit stones without hesitation, allowing Han Li to accumulate a small fortune.

But it was a pity that intermediate talismans were extremely difficult to create. Even with the many demon beast skins that Han Li had on hand, his rate of success was pathetically low, failing thirty times for every successful talisman he managed to create.

When compared to his rate of success with low grade talismans, Han Li could only bitterly smile.

Otherwise, he would’ve accumulated a much larger fortune by selling intermediate talismans.

In addition, Han Li’s skill at refining tools also increased, causing quite a few mid and high-grade magic tools to appear in his shop. As a result, the Small Green Bamboo Pavilion’s reputation became increasingly well-known. Fortunately, his resounding reputation had been restricted to a small circle of low level cultivators, so Han Li didn’t have to worry about provoking any trouble.

But at the start of the ninth year, Han Li started to refine formation flags and discs by applying his understanding of a few simple formation spells.

Because of the complementary insights provided by Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruting, Han Li was able to avoid making many mistakes and managed to grasp a few minor but crucial skills. But he still ended up fumbling around through trial and error as he tried to refine a set of formation setup tools for the first time. The refinement was extremely difficult, and it consumed a large portion of his time before he managed to produce results.

However, Han Li wasn’t impatient. Now that he had reached core formation, he had plenty of time to slowly accumulate experience and understanding.

But most importantly, he had obtained some understanding in the refinement method of the “Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords” as he practiced refining items, hopefully ensuring his success in his first attempt. After all, he wouldn’t have enough materials leftover for a second attempt.

With Han Li focused on refining magic tools and studying formation spells, time quickly passed, day by day.

With departing springs and incoming autumns, Han Li’s somewhat renowned Small Green Bamboo Pavilion had unknowingly existed for over twenty years. Han Li now had the appearance of an old man above the age of fifty.