Cultivation is just so scientific!

On the pavilion at the top of Sword Holding Peak, Li Shiming once again met with Ancestor Ren Xun.

"Ren Xun greets Master Li!" Ancestor Ren Xun, devoid of the arrogance typical of a Nascent Soul Ancestor, greeted with a cultivator's salute when he saw Li Shiming, smiling.

"Ancestor Ren, you are too courteous!" Li Shiming bowed in return.

"Master Li, I treat you with the respect due to an Alchemy Master, as we do in the Skywalk Trading Company. In our company, an Alchemy Master like you is even more respected than I am!" Ancestor Ren Xun glanced at Elder Zuo beside him, explaining with a smile.

Elder Zuo opened his mouth but said nothing; Ancestor Ren Xun's words left him feeling uneasy.

It implied that the Beishu Continent did not show enough respect to Li Shiming, with a hint of stirring trouble.

Considering the need to maintain good relations with the Skywalk Trading Company, and since what Ancestor Ren Xun said wasn't overtly clear, he held back his retort.

"Mr. Zuo, I'd like to discuss alchemy matters with Master Li alone!" Ancestor Ren Xun said to Elder Zuo.

"Of course!" The reason given by Ancestor Ren Xun left Elder Zuo with no choice but to agree, as it involved some secrets.

For instance, elixir recipes—according to Cultivation World norms, an Alchemy Master, although they possess the recipe requested, will not share it with others.

This is the rule of alchemists—anyone wanting to remain in the alchemy industry must adhere to this rule.

Then there's the matter of remuneration, which is extremely private, involving not only the seeker's secrets but also the secrets of the Alchemy Master.

An Alchemy Master does not wish others to know what kind of spiritual objects they received, to avoid trouble.

Even though Elder Zuo was Li Shiming's senior, he had to consider avoiding suspicion.

Once Elder Zuo left the mountaintop, only Li Shiming and Ancestor Ren Xun remained in the pavilion.

"Master Li, do you know why there aren't any Nascent Soul Middle Stage practitioners on the Beishu Continent?" Ancestor Ren Xun suddenly asked.

This question came out of nowhere, unrelated to the alchemy matters they were meant to discuss.

"It's because of the scarcity of Nascent Soul Stage resources on the Beishu Continent, right?" Li Shiming knew the reason and replied.

"It's not just resource scarcity. You sought 'Liu Yan Erosion Sun Skill' from me, not targeting the Early Nascent Soul level but aiming higher. The spiritual energy environment, resources, and cultivation techniques of the Beishu Continent are all inferior to those of other continents.

With only the 'Liu Yan Erosion Sun Skill' and without ample resources, no matter how advanced your alchemy is, you can't advance to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, let alone aim higher." Ancestor Ren Xun said slowly.

Li Shiming's heart stirred, sensing this as the main reason Ancestor Ren Xun sought him out.

"I wonder what Ancestor Ren wishes to convey?" Li Shiming asked, masking his emotions.

"Master Li, my Skywalk Trading Company has connections with multiple continents and controls numerous resource sites. In short, if you join the Skywalk Trading Company, you won't have to worry about cultivation resources during the Nascent Soul Stage!" Ancestor Ren Xun pointed out his purpose, his voice full of sincerity.

He wasn't lying. For an Alchemy Master like Li Shiming joining the Skywalk Trading Company, there wouldn't be a need to prepare any cultivation resources for Li Shiming.

The mere commission from Li Shiming's alchemy would suffice for his cultivation needs.

And the Skywalk Trading Company would gain even more benefits—having an Alchemy Master like Li Shiming could gather a group of Early Nascent Soul Ancestors through his alchemy expertise.

Now that Li Shiming is still at the late-stage Golden Core, once he becomes a Nascent Soul Ancestor, he would be able to concoct spirit pills for mid-stage Nascent Soul practitioners, allowing the Skywalk Trading Company to attract Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivators.

Just thinking of this possibility was enough to excite Ancestor Ren Xun.

To be honest, if it weren't for matters concerning Grotto Heaven, Li Shiming might have been tempted to agree.

His cultivation speed, unobstructed by the lack of resources, had always maintained an extreme pace, arguably the theoretical fastest speed possible.

Currently, what he needed to consider was not just the issue of forming his Nascent Soul. With the sheer amount of resources for forming a Nascent Soul at hand,unless his luck was extraordinarily poor, his success rate wouldn't be low.

After recently concocting for the Nascent Soul Ancestors of the Beishu Continent, he also realized the plight of these Nascent Soul Ancestors.

These Nascent Soul Ancestors, who controlled the Beishu Continent, at most possessed fewer than five fourth-grade spiritual medicines each, even after years of accumulation.

It's no wonder so few Nascent Soul Middle Stage practitioners have historically appeared on the Beishu Continent. Without extra resources, relying solely on Beishu Continent's Nascent Soul Stage resources, it's almost impossible to become a Nascent Soul Middle Stage practitioner.

Of course, with the Mountain and River Qiankun Fan, given enough time, he still had hope of reaching the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.

But he wasn't alone; he also had his clone to consider, as well as future resources for Yin Shilan's Nascent Soul formation. Calculating this way, the fourth-grade resources nurtured within the Mountain and River Qiankun Fan were definitely insufficient.

"I need to think about it," Li Shiming said, with a hesitant expression.

Ancestor Ren Xun wasn't disappointed; instead, he felt relieved. As long as he was not opposed on the spot, there was hope.

He thought that perhaps because Li Shiming hadn't reached the Nascent Soul Stage, he wasn't aware of the difficulties facing the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Beishu Continent.

He wasn't in a hurry. Inviting Li Shiming to join was a long-term task; he never expected a few sentences would convince Li Shiming to join.