Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Half a month later, Li Ji’an shot out of the Fallen Dragon Ridge in one breath, finally stopping to look back.

”Is it human or deceit?”

Recalling that last glance, Li Ji’an still felt a tremor in his heart.

It was a humanoid creature, but the flesh wrapped in Yin Fiend was largely decayed, and amidst the decay, a faint golden light flickered.

With his understanding over the years, he knew there was deceit in this realm, different from Yin Souls.

Many believe they are some incarnations of rules formed when cultivators from ancient times died and were unexpectedly affected by fragments of laws after the Celestial Dao collapsed and laws shattered, possessing abilities beyond common reasoning within their rule domain.

However, these strange entities can only exist within their strange domain and are mostly found in ancient ruins.

”That underground tunnel showed no signs of being sealed, seemingly fitting the description of the Yin Vein. Could it be a Demon Cultivator?” Li Ji’an pondered over the details.

The Yin Vein condensing Yin Fiend is a favorable location for some Demon Cultivators in this realm who practice the method of cultivating Yin Fiend.

Especially recalling the decayed figure’s gaze full of emotion, Li Ji’an became more certain.

”The Ten Thousand Laws Palace declared a thousand years ago that there are no more demons in the Celestial Cyan Domain’s Cultivation Realm! Who would have thought there are still stragglers here?”

After pondering for a while, Li Ji’an felt a bit regretful.

He had just allied with Red Stone Wanderer, getting closer to that Cultivation Technique, but now unexpected twists arose.

Through Gugu’s sensing feedback, the aura emanating from that corpse was as powerful as the Fake Pill Elder he had seen during the assessment at the Biyun Sect, making him uncertain if Red Stone Wanderer could escape this calamity.

Having finished adjusting his breath, he stopped thinking about it and returned to the gathering area.

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Half a day later,

”Do you truly wish to kill us all?”

”We have already abandoned this place, why pursue us relentlessly?”

”Hmph! A group of lowly Loose Cultivators daring to covet the Desert. If I let you escape into the Fallen Dragon Ridge, how will I explain to the deceased clansmen?”

”Zheng Mosheng, years ago when you approached my brother to form an alliance, you weren’t speaking like this!”

...

Li Ji’an hid under a slope, watching the scene through Gugu, slightly frowning.

Along with a Roving Bandit’s corpse found beneath his feet, he understood the situation here.

Half a month ago, the Soul Tokens left by Yuan Zheng and Pan Lun at Tiger’s Mouth Stream shattered. The last Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator among the Roving Bandits decisively abandoned the Spirit Vein Land, planning to lead the remaining bandits into the Fallen Dragon Ridge.

Before leaving, they raided the surrounding Qi Cultivation Clans to stockpile resources for hiding in the Fallen Dragon Ridge.

As a result, someone was bribed by a clan in the Desert, and the information leaked. The Zheng Family from the northwest of the Desert and the Four Families Alliance from the southeast formed a temporary alliance to hunt down the bandits and divide the territory.

”With those two dead, can it secure a glimmer of hope for Red Stone Wanderer?” Li Ji’an felt a slight hope and then quickly recalled Gugu, stealthily entering the gathering area.

The already desolate gathering area now lay in ruins, death looming over, clearly having experienced a massacre by the bandits.

The good news was that Chen Qingling, after years of exploring ruins with Red Stone Wanderer, had developed an instinct for concealment, hiding in a dry well within the courtyard and escaping harm.

At this moment, seeing Li Ji’an return, she was overjoyed to tears.

”Don’t worry, after a few days, we shall head north.”

The gathering area further north was the Spirit Vein Land occupied by the bandits, now blockaded by the Zheng Family and the Four Families Alliance. Besides avoiding unnecessary conflict, Li Ji’an also harbored a glimmer of hope for Red Stone Wanderer.

His physical body could rival a Second Tier Body Cultivator, with those two bandits as a buffer, perhaps a miracle might occur.

Activating two Stealth Talismans to isolate the aura of this courtyard, Li Ji’an went alone to the room he had stayed in before, releasing a magical restriction again before letting Gugu out.

First, he took out the already lifeless Golden Armored Beast and extracted its Demon Core.

Then he tossed the Golden Armored Beast’s corpse to the eagerly watching Gugu.

Demon Beast advancement generally relies on bloodline evolution. Since this Golden Armored Beast could advance to the Second Tier within the Fallen Dragon Ridge, its bloodline probably reached Upper Grade, making it appealing to other Demon Beasts.

The Blood Pill Gugu once consumed was centered around the Essence Blood of such an Upper Grade Spirit Beast.

Due to Gugu’s low bloodline, its potential was exhausted after advancing to the Second Tier. Li Ji’an hadn’t expected it to go any further, especially since Second Tier Beast Pills were expensive and rare. He had cut off its resources long ago; this was just a bit of compensation.

Once Gugu devoured the Golden Armored Beast’s corpse, Li Ji’an had it protect him while he began refining the Demon Core.

The Hundred Forged Golden Body Technique he practiced could only use Demon Cores from Demon Beasts with special attributes like the Golden Armored Beast to trigger a mutation in his Qi and blood, thereby nourishing his body.

It’s somewhat similar to a Demon Beast’s advancement.

The only difference is that Demon Beast bloodlines have Talent Divine Abilities, while the physique of a Human Race Body Cultivator only transforms flesh and blood.

This led him to speculate that the Body Cultivation Technique in this realm might have been created when ancient powerhouses comprehended Demon Beast evolution.

Boom~

The Qi and blood, which had been stable for years, surged the moment the Demon Core was refined.

Every cell in his body frantically absorbed the special energy emanating from the Demon Core.

Until three days later, when the Demon Core was fully refined.

And Li Ji’an’s Qi and blood were all cloaked in a faint golden light, and as these Qi and blood moved in and out of his muscles and bones, the golden light subtly melted into his flesh and bones.

Half a month later, Li Ji’an slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting gleam of gold flashing in his pupils.

He clenched his fist abruptly, feeling the powerful strength of his transformed body.

”Second Tier Body Cultivation truly lives up to its reputation!” He felt that with the power of his current body, he could shatter his Foundation Establishment Early Period Magical Shield with a punch.

At the same time, he realized that the physical prowess shown by Red Stone Wanderer while hunting the Golden Armored Beast likely didn’t represent the full strength of a Second Tier Body Cultivator.

Because, in comparison, Red Stone Wanderer’s might was estimated to only have fifty percent of his true Second Tier Body Cultivator strength.

”Not a Body Cultivator, yet possessing such close-combat might?” This made Li Ji’an even more curious about Red Stone Wanderer. However, there was still no news, and the likelihood of survival was slim.

Gathering his Qi and blood, Li Ji’an stood up, ready not to wait any longer.

That night, he and Chen Qingling headed north.

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”Uncle, is it improper to concede both Spirit Vein Dao Fields to the Four Families Alliance?” Zheng Tianxiang frowned and looked at the leading figure of the Zheng Family.

Zheng Mosheng smiled indifferently: ”Why not?”

”The patriarch is severely injured and won’t last long. With our Zheng Family’s three Foundation Establishments, we’re no match for the Four Families Alliance. If they grow stronger, we may have to bow to them.

If we toss them a Spirit Vein Dao Field, it will surely spark internal conflict among the Four Families, possibly leading to a dissolution of the alliance.” Zheng Tianxiang expressed his concerns.

”The Four Families Alliance? Ha~ Without the Yan Family, they’re nothing but rabble and riffraff.” Zheng Mosheng dismissed them nonchalantly.

”Tianxiang, for our Zheng Family to dominate the Desert, our greatest enemy has always been the Yan Family. The rest are negligible. Remember, no alliance lasts forever, and now is not the time for their dissolution.

This time, gifting them both Dao Fields is merely setting them against the Yan Family.”

Hearing this, Zheng Tianxiang understood Zheng Mosheng’s intentions.

The Yan Family, with their three Foundation Establishments, was still unstable and at the stage of development; they couldn’t let them grow.

”But they probably won’t just attack the Yan Family on command.”

Zheng Mosheng nodded: ”That’s why we need you to fan the flames.”

”Me? How do I fan the flames?”

”Naturally, by making the Four Families Alliance think the Yan Family acted.”

”I raid the Four Families Alliance, framing the Yan Family? The Four Families Alliance can’t be that foolish. The Yan Family currently needs stability; they wouldn’t initiate an attack.” Zheng Tianxiang shook his head, somewhat questioning Zheng Mosheng’s decision.

”Heh~ I’m not asking you to frame the Yan Family, rather... to make them believe the Yan Family is framing us, the Zheng Family.” Zheng Mosheng smiled profoundly.