Xu Chang'an, holding a Steel Fork, walked on his hind legs as he closely followed a Jackal Wolf Demon.
Today was his first time on mountain patrol.
The Jackal Wolf Demon leading the way was an old demon from Langlang Mountain, having patrolled it for over twenty years.
He was incredibly experienced, and it was his job to teach Xu Chang'an the ropes of mountain patrol.
The Jackal Wolf Demon was in high spirits. A yellow Command Flag was strapped to his back, and he held a standard-issue Steel Fork. As he patrolled, he cut an imposing and domineering figure.
"Little Grey Mouse, let me tell you something about this mountain patrol gig. It's actually pretty simple. It's all about sharp eyes, fast legs, and a smooth tongue."
"If you want to live well, you have to be sharp-eyed!
You need to know which demons you can afford to offend and which you can't. Which incidents to report, and which merits to claim for yourself."
"If you run into danger, you should ask for instructions in a timely manner, but your legs better keep up. When things get critical, you have to run fast.
When there's nothing going on, you have to walk with an imposing air, showing off the prestige of our Langlang Mountain."
"Most importantly, you need a smooth tongue. I'm not telling you to call black white, but at the very least, you have to frame 'saving your own skin' as 'living to better serve Langlang Mountain.'
Call a rout a 'strategic retreat to deliver intelligence to the mountain!'"
"The main thing is just to speak from the heart."
"..."
It had to be said, the Jackal Wolf Demon was a true professional when it came to mountain patrol.
He had plenty of ideas!
Xu Chang'an learned a lot.
'Interesting!'
...
The bright, clear moonlight fell upon Langlang Mountain, bathing it in a soft glow.
Outside the Mountain Patrol Hall were numerous cave residences.
The caves weren't large, but each was an independent space.
Compared to ordinary wooden houses, the Demon Race preferred caves like these.
On Langlang Mountain, living in a cave was a step up from living in a wooden house.
After three months of patrolling, Xu Chang'an passed his assessment.
He began to patrol independently and was formally transferred to the Mountain Patrol Hall.
Naturally, his residence was moved to the vicinity of the Mountain Patrol Hall.
The new location was higher up the mountain, past the halfway point, and closer to Golden Yuan Cave.
Xu Chang'an sat cross-legged on his hind limbs, his forelimbs resting in front of him. He was cultivating under the moonlight, using the Sun and Moon Swallowing Technique.
The Sun and Moon Swallowing Technique was divided into two volumes.
The Sun Volume and the Moon Volume.
Three months of practice had allowed Xu Chang'an to fully grasp the basics of the Moon Volume.
He could now absorb the essence of moonlight.
Unfortunately...
After three months of cultivation, he had not even accumulated one full Energy Point.
At this rate, he was afraid he wouldn't even be able to break through to the Qi Refining Third Layer before the end of his natural lifespan.
No wonder members of the Demon Race with inferior Bloodline aptitude and poor natural talents were never looked upon with favor.
Some long-lived members of the Demon Race could still achieve something, even with an inferior Bloodline, as long as they had enough time to cultivate.
During these three months, Xu Chang'an found time to visit the Merit Hall, where he exchanged Demon Stones for a bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills.
Ten Qi Nourishing Pills, plus the three he had left over, combined with his recent cultivation... had brought the Energy Points on his panel up to 3.
Unfortunately, he had to wait another three months to receive his stipend for the second half of the year.
His cultivation progress in the near future was bound to be greatly reduced.
Three Demon Stones and a bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills. A total of forty Elixirs, equivalent to 8 Energy Points.
In other words, barring any surprises, he could break through to the Qi Refining Third Layer in another three months.
This speed was simply terrifying!
Even with an ample supply of Elixirs, an ordinary Demon with an Upper-class Bloodline would struggle to make such progress!
'With my Bloodline aptitude, such rapid cultivation progress will be difficult to hide.
I've been in Langlang Mountain for over three months now and have a basic grasp of the rules and taboos.
I've even formally joined the Mountain Patrol Hall and gained an official position.
It's time to put my plan into action.'
Xu Chang'an thought to himself.
In his past life, as a Core Formation Ancestor, he had naturally accumulated a great deal.
This included the legacy of a Demon Race Alchemy Master.
He had obtained it in his past life by a stroke of fate, slaying a Demon King when he was a Late-stage Core Formation cultivator seeking an opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul realm.
It was an Alchemy Master's legacy that went all the way up to Tier Three.
An Alchemy Master, also known as an Alchemist.
Among the many arts of cultivation, it was considered a top-tier Skill.
Alchemists held a noble status and were highly respected by the Demon Race.
This perfectly suited Xu Chang'an's plans.
If he had the identity of an Alchemist, his rapid cultivation speed would seem more plausible.
The status of an Alchemist would also serve as a good cover for his insufficient Bloodline aptitude.
In the future, it would also make it easier to find a cover for improving his Bloodline.
After some brief planning, Xu Chang'an ceased practicing the Sun and Moon Swallowing Technique and returned to his cave.
'Tomorrow is my first independent patrol. I should be meticulous.'
...
「Three months passed in the blink of an eye.」
During these three months, an event of some significance occurred.
It caused quite a stir within a small circle.
An old Loose Cultivator demon at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer came to visit Langlang Mountain.
Because he couldn't produce a command token, he was stubbornly blocked outside the Mountain Gate by the Little Demon on guard duty.
This old Loose Cultivator was an old friend of Langlang Mountain, a fact known to any Demon who had been on the mountain for a long time.
They wouldn't have made a fuss about the command token.
Who would have thought that blockhead would insist on following the rules to the letter?
He absolutely refused to budge.
It wasn't until the Seventh Elder intervened that the visitor was finally allowed to enter.
This infuriated the old Loose Cultivator.
According to a Little Demon who witnessed the event, the Old Demon's face cycled through shades of green, red, and white.
Everyone thought the mountain-guarding blockhead was finished for offending a Qi Refining Ninth Layer Old Demon.
But who would have thought that the Third Elder would personally meet with the blockhead and give him a generous reward?
A reward of ten Demon Stones, three bottles of Qi Nourishing Pills...
Most importantly, he was even specially bestowed a Low-grade Magical Artifact as an example to all.
A Low-grade Magical Artifact!
Even for someone like Xu Chang'an, who enjoyed the generous benefits of the Mountain Patrol Hall... his stipend was only three Demon Stones every six months.
Even if he saved up every single one, it would take him at least three or four years of hard work to afford one!
And that blockhead was none other than his fellow from Cyan Mountain, the Black Bear Demon, Xiong Da!
Among the forty-eight Demons who had joined Langlang Mountain with him, Xiong Da had become the first to possess a Magical Artifact.
Supported by the Qi Nourishing Pills and Demon Stones, Xiong Da had also broken through to the Qi Refining Second Layer recently.
When Xu Chang'an heard this news, he couldn't help but feel a little impressed.
'That blockhead is pretty interesting!'
Xu Chang'an sat upright in his cave. Before him lay the semi-annual stipend he had just collected from the Merit Hall.
He had already exchanged the three Demon Stones for more Qi Nourishing Pills. Including the bottle that came with his stipend, he now had a total of four bottles.
"Let's begin."
Xu Chang'an swallowed the Qi Nourishing Pills one after another, as if they were beans.
A warm current surged through him...
After a long while, his panel changed, and Xu Chang'an smoothly broke through to the Qi Refining Third Layer.
Name: Xu Chang'an
Bloodline: Common Grey Rat (Ungraded)
Lifespan: 12 Years
Realm: Qi Refining 3rd Layer
Skills: Alchemy (Tier One Introduction)
Energy: (1/20)
...
Since his Cultivation progress was slow, Xu Chang'an decided to focus most of his free time on the Alchemy legacy.
Three months had been enough for him to master the fundamentals of Alchemy.
He now had the theoretical knowledge; all he lacked was a chance for some hands-on practice.
'I'll wait a bit longer. Now is not the time to reveal it rashly!'
To reveal his talent for Alchemy, he needed the right opportunity.