Has the Heavenly Court become so wealthy now?

In the secret chamber within Little Jade Peak, Li Changshou’s face showed [poverty] as he looked at the pile of high-grade spirit stones emanating misty spiritual light in the compensation ring from the Old Man of the Moon…

“Not the same, we’re not the same…”

Li Changshou shook his head, continuously sighing.

This pile of spirit stones could directly buy large quantities of treasure materials from the market towns outside the immortal sect, to condense stronger formation cores and reinforce the grand formation of Little Jade Peak.

One-third of Li Changshou’s previously planned formation updates could be completed directly!

However, such direct expenditure wasn’t reasonable.

He could completely use this pile of high-grade spirit stones as initial capital.

Buy medicinal herbs at the market town, bring the herbs back to make into pills, then take the pills to exchange for treasure materials or sell for spirit stones – this way could generate continuous profit!

And no middlemen taking a cut!

Li Changshou frowned in thought…

Going out personally to do these things was too dangerous – countless people had lost their lives for a few spirit stones and treasures. The priorities must be clearly distinguished.

But if paper people could complete these dangerous tasks, that would be different…

Rounding up, it would be equivalent to earning money with zero risk.

If this was possible, he could completely pursue two approaches simultaneously–

Have Master collect ‘immortal pill’ orders from the Hundred Ordinary Palace to accumulate herbs;

He would use paper people to collect herbs and sell pills through the market towns outside the sect…

Making a small fortune within fifty years, and saving up more than ten immortal treasures, shouldn’t be a difficult problem!

Only needing seventy or eighty years, the treasure material gaps in his planned Little Jade Peak [Composite Defense System] could also be mostly filled!

This way, he could not only solve ‘wealth’ – the most lacking aspect among Dharma, Wealth, Companions, and Location – but also benefit Master and Junior Sister…

The problem lay in how to get paper people to the market towns.

Young disciples going out was quite troublesome;

But his Master wasn’t restricted by sect rules – having become an immortal, Master could go out with just finding an excuse.

A turbid immortal was still an immortal after all.

Having Master carry his paper person avatar, walk out of the mountain-protecting grand formation, then the paper person could leave far away and rush to market towns for trading…

This would complete the first step.

Then came the key difficulty – the limitations of the Paper Person’s divine ability itself.

Although the Crossing Spirit Gate’s mountain gate was relatively close to [Linhai Town], a famous market town in the East Victory Divine Continent, still separated by just over twenty thousand li…

But currently, Li Changshou could only control paper people up to a thousand li away;

With the current Paper Person ability, or rather, the original version of the Paper Person divine ability, paper people couldn’t reach even the nearest market town.

The Primordial World was truly too vast…

Completely unimaginable how vast the nearly endless Primordial World must have been when the ancient Dragon, Phoenix, Qilin, and other hundred races were flourishing!

Back to the main topic;

Li Changshou sat pondering for half a day, making detailed calculations, plans, and risk assessments for the ‘pill business’, finally making his decision.

Two-pronged approach, diligence leads to wealth!

Modify divine abilities!

Those who wish to do things well must first sharpen their tools.

After completing comprehension and advancement of Wind Escape and Fire Escape, focus on improving the Paper Person’s divine ability!

To keep his true body motionless in the mountain while paper people go out to market towns for trading, Paper Person must undergo modifications;

And there must be extraordinary modifications!

The principle of the original Paper Person was storing one’s magical power and immortal power in Paper People;

Paper people taking human form was similar to illusion techniques. Because of the paper people’s special material, they naturally carried living beings’ aura, thus could pass for real.

After Li Changshou became immortal, the Paper Person’s divine ability tended toward perfection. Within the range covered by immortal consciousness, he could entrust part of his spirit to paper people;

Now, when Li Changshou didn’t control paper people, they would act like living beings, able to complete the divine ability user’s simple commands.

For example, sweeping, weeding, massage, dancing, simple combat fighting, and certain indescribable function options.

But what Li Changshou needed now wasn’t these effects.

He wanted to modify Paper Person into the cheapest, lowest threshold…

External Avatar!

Equivalent to making some ‘paper bodies’ for himself that could be replaced at any time, storing some immortal power in them, his spirit residing within and switching freely;

As long as the paper person avatars could exert one-tenth or even half a-tenth of his power, it would be enough to use.

“To achieve this point, formation restrictions used in refining magical treasures will certainly be needed…”

Li Changshou pondered briefly, this time quickly determining his cultivation plan for the next ten years–

Learn artifact refining, and work on divine abilities!

Learn what you don’t know, study what you don’t understand;

With his current lifespan being quite sufficient, he should also get started on artifact refining methods.

“Prioritize studying restrictions that can entrust spirit first.”

Looking back at the ring again…

Nothing to say about this one, thanks to Iron Brother Old Man of the Moon’s strong support for Little Jade Peak’s construction!

Besides high-quality immortal stones, Li Changshou also saw many porcelain bottles and gourds, all containing pills;

Moreover, they were all pills with effects similar to Poison Dragon Wine…

Can only say, worthy of being the Old Man of the Moon, even the pills given were so distinctive.

Li Changshou originally wanted to directly burn these pills with Samadhi True Flame but hesitated.

Simply too wasteful.

These were all immortal pills refined by the Old Man of the Moon, salvation for many male cultivators!

Salvaging marriage fate, happy Dao companions;

Usable by both immortals and mortals, honest to uncles and sisters-in-law.

Taking out some empty porcelain bottles, he sorted these pills by category, then burned the Old Man of the Moon’s bottles, refining away his aura.

“Keep them for future gifts, or take them to exchange for things…”

If these things were popular, he could also try to reverse engineer the pill formulas, explore refining methods, and mass produce them, with high profits and high sales!

“Tsk, being obsessed with money isn’t good;

Wealth is only for better cultivation of the Dao, Dao is the foundation for cultivators.”

After educating himself with two sentences, Li Changshou also chuckled.

Transferring everything from the treasure ring into his three main storage treasures, then sealing away the ring…

Carefully reviewing his conversation with the Old Man of the Moon several times, confirming there were no oversights in his expressions and words, he temporarily put this matter aside.

He still had some years before going to the Heavenly Court, and Master hadn’t reached the True Immortal realm yet, no need to rush these things.

After finishing these, Li Changshou quietly left the underground secret chamber, riding clouds to float out of Little Jade Peak.

…

The Scripture Treasury Palace was on the mountainside behind Breaking Heaven Peak.

Li Changshou made a round trip without drawing anyone’s attention;

Even the Elder who regularly meditated in the outer hall was too lazy to open his eyes to look at him.

Afterward, Li Changshou began researching the new realm of cultivation in the pill room.

“Don’t know when Little Uncle Master will come out of seclusion.”

The formation restriction techniques that could be found in the Scripture Treasury Palace’s outer hall were somewhat basic;

If Little Uncle Master could go to the inner hall and help record some high-level restrictions open to the sect’s True Immortals, that would be best.

The sect didn’t prohibit True Immortals from teaching these to disciples who hadn’t become immortals.

Li Changshou’s fingers tapped the table as he carefully calculated in his heart, then thought of another elder in the sect.

Elder Wan Linyun.

The Thousand Poisons Hundred Golds Furnace he was currently using was refined by Elder Wan Linyun himself, so naturally he could seek guidance on artifact refining methods from this Elder.

Just that, he had already received too many benefits from this Elder, and even with thick skin, felt somewhat embarrassed…

“If necessary, just ask about restrictions for entrusting spirit to magical treasures.”

Li Changshou sighed softly.

Owing this Elder more and more favors truly wasn’t good, would have to find ways to repay them in the future.

Stayed in the pill room for half a day, then sneaked back to the secret chamber.

Taking out several paper people and casually scattering them on the table, these paper people immediately seemed to come alive, standing properly on the table before starting to…

Jump, hop, fight, and dance the arched-back dance.

Li Changshou focused his attention, carefully experiencing, soon beginning to comprehend…

Shortly after, he took out a carving knife and bamboo scrolls, and began to make notes for the first research work on ‘Paper Person – External Avatar Advanced.’

Innovation in divine abilities lies in constant attempts;

To complete divine ability modifications, one must boldly advance and expand thinking, carefully verify and build steadily, combining theory with practice…

So, six years later.

…

In the blue sky, several white clouds slowly drifted past.

Before the Crossing Spirit Gate’s mountain gate, Senior Qi Yuan in brown Daoist robes held his whisk, speaking with the immortal guarding the gate about going out.

“Junior Brother Qi Yuan, how many days total will you be out?”

“About three days should suffice for return, had some sudden insights, going out to walk and see.”

“Good,” the gate-guarding immortal didn’t ask more, opening a gap in the mountain-protecting grand formation, letting Qi Yuan go out on his own.

Qi Yuan said thanks, and rode clouds out of the mountain-protecting formation, heading toward the East Sea direction.

Flying about a thousand li out, Qi Yuan heard a transmitted voice:

“Master, please find a secluded place to put down the box, then just wait at the spirit mine area, no need to leave the mountain gate too far.

I will return in three days, you just need to bring the box back.”

“Ah, good,” Qi Yuan responded, asking softly toward his sleeve, “Does Master need to do anything else?”

Li Changshou continued transmitting:

“Master need not worry, a disciple is just going to the market town to sell some pills and buy some herbs, this way can earn some spirit stones and treasure materials.”

Qi Yuan sighed in his heart, his eyes showing slight guilt, but followed his disciple’s instructions, flying to a forest;

Finding a place without human traces, imperceptibly placed a fist-sized, square sandalwood box from his bosom in a grass nest under a tree.

After doing this, Senior Qi Yuan pretended to stroll appreciating the scenery, a thread of immortal consciousness also observing this box.

A moment later, the box opened a crack, a fingernail-sized, diamond-shaped gem poked out, swaying around the surroundings.

This gem lightly flickered with light.

A thread of Li Changshou’s transmitted voice again entered Senior Qi Yuan’s ear.

“Master, please withdraw your immortal consciousness first.”

“Good, good,” Qi Yuan withdrew his immortal consciousness, though quite puzzled in his heart.

Immediately, the diamond-shaped gem outside the box stopped flickering;

A ‘reed stalk’ similar to a periscope poked out, looking around at the surroundings;

Then, the box lid was gently pushed open, and a light yellow paper person jumped out.

This paper person was several times thicker than normal paper people, slightly larger, with a small cloth bag slung across its shoulders.

It put hands on hips, body swaying back and forth, threads of light surrounding its body;

In the blink of an eye, the small paper person transformed into an eight-chi tall thin Daoist, wearing cyan Daoist robes with casually tied hair, a long sword slanting across his back.

The paper Daoist’s aura gently rose and fell, stabilizing at the Prime Immortal realm, then quickly lowering to the Returning to Dao realm, then concealing itself.

The paper Daoist’s gaze lightly moved, showing some spiritual light within, indistinguishable from living people.

Taking out a mirror to look, the paper Daoist muttered: “The appearance still somewhat resembles me.”

Shaking his head, collecting the square box from the ground, making hand seals, his form entering the earth, disappearing in an instant…

This was the result of Li Changshou’s six years of research!

Divine Ability – Modified Test Version – Paper Person!

This paper person could already be considered a practical external avatar;

But because Li Changshou had taken many shortcuts, this avatar was just an empty shell.

Besides this, Paper Daoist Number One had many imperfections.

For example, Li Changshou had to entrust part of his primordial spirit power within, if the avatar was cut down, his true body’s primordial spirit would also suffer slight damage.

This point needed continuous improvement.

To guard against paper person avatars being cut down, Li Changshou had also spent much effort;

Like the sword on the paper Daoist’s back – appearing to be a sword but a magical tool mixing poison and knockout drugs…

Originally, Li Changshou had no plans to test this ‘Number One Avatar’s’ combat ability on this trip.

But human hearts are treacherous, and showing wealth invites disaster – he encountered it on his first time out.

Leaving the vicinity of the Crossing Spirit Gate, he used half a day of Earth Escape to rush to [Linhai Town], quite famous in the East Continent.

To be safe, he sold many pills he had refined in small batches multiple times, at different locations and different pill-collecting shops, using different disguises, and discovered several Crossing Spirit Gate shops in this place…

Then using the exchanged spirit stones and part of that batch of immortal stones, in the same way, bought large quantities of spirit medicines, poison grasses, treasure materials, and spirit beast cubs.

Not counting the initial capital investment, this pill business profited about sixty percent of costs, already quite good.

Later to conceal tracks, he also set up a stall here for half a day, displaying magic tools he had practiced making and some good quality pills;

Setting moderate prices, also sold some spirit stones.

However, even being so careful, Li Changshou discovered his paper person avatar had still been targeted…

With half a day left of the three days, Li Changshou quietly left this ‘market town’ comparable in scale to a mortal world great nation’s capital, riding clouds toward the forest where he could use Earth Escape.

However, several figures followed out from Linhai Town, each hiding their cultivation, quietly tailing…

‘See, this is the Primordial World.’

Li Changshou sighed lightly in his heart, riding clouds more urgently.

In this avatar’s transformed sword cultivator’s sleeve, original divine ability paper people holding small swords and porcelain bottles were cracking knuckles and building up power.