Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Half a month later, all the summoned cultivators within the state returned.

Three days ago, all the summoned family cultivators gathered at the Biyun Sect’s mountain gate and received rewards from the sect.

Yan Qingwan sent a message saying that she made an appearance among the high-ranking members of the Biyun Sect, received a lot of resources as a reward, acquired a high-quality magical artifact, and gained the sect’s recognition of the Yan Family’s status in the desert. This trip was well worth it, and she returned satisfied.

As the leader of the team, she was unable to come to the Immortal City to reunite, feeling a slight regret, she invited Li Ji’an to visit the desert whenever he was free.

Li Ji’an was also happy for her.

This time, the Yan Family has gained official recognition, and their future development in the desert will be smoother.

Compared to the past century, the position of the Zheng Family is more stable.

At the same time, Li Ji’an made contact with Zhang Tiezhu.

Through him, he gained a general understanding of Red Stone Wanderer’s movements.

Thus, there was no rush to meet the Red Stone Wanderer.

His lifespan should still have at least thirty to forty years.

Meanwhile, Li Ji’an’s main goal is to advance his cultivation, to reach the middle stage of Foundation Establishment as soon as possible, when his Guardian Path methods will be further enhanced.

Six months quickly passed by.

On this day, Li Ji’an finished his meditation, sensing the growth of liquid magical power in his dantian, as the bottleneck of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment got closer.

However, he had almost comprehended the root of the Foundation Establishment bottleneck.

The changes in magical power throughout the Foundation Establishment are meant to prepare for the condensation of liquid magical power into solid-state pills during Core Formation, also a process of qualitative change. The difference is that this qualitative change is not just about the quality of magical power but also involves more fusion with the spiritual mechanism.

His cultivation of Fire Element magical power requires him to comprehend the Fire Spiritual Mechanism during the transformation of the Foundation Establishment’s dantian, to understand its energy source.

Unlike the bottleneck during the Qi Cultivation stage, the Foundation Establishment stage doesn’t focus on the amount of dantian magical power, but rather on comprehension.

And comprehension cannot be quantified. Thus, there is no guaranteed success as with the Breaking Rank Pill during the Qi Cultivation stage.

The Breaking Rank Pill for the Foundation Establishment stage also lies in the enhancement effects of comprehension.

”In this way, the mid-stage Foundation Establishment doesn’t see much change in the amount of magical power compared to the early stage; the main difference is that the magical power has initially fused with the Five Elements Spiritual Mechanism, making it more powerful!”

As for his comprehension of the Fire Spiritual Mechanism, he somewhat cheated.

After all, he has a genuine Fire Holy Spirit.

Over the years, he has often caught Little Fire Spirit for study.

Thus, he now only needs to wait for the foundational magical power of the early Foundation Establishment stage to be satisfied and can then make a smooth transition into the mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Thinking about the refinement of foundational magical power, Li Ji’an couldn’t help but shake his head slightly.

Through his personal cultivation of the Yan Family’s secret technique, Flame Dragon Technique, and combined with his past life experience with the Nine Yang Technique, he had a slight enlightenment about the Flame Dragon Technique’s inadequacy in refining substantial magical power during the Foundation Establishment stage.

He also attempted to remedy this through micro-adjustments, but it was to no avail. After all, he had always followed this route for absorption and refinement, and the spirit veins within him had formed a fixed memory, not something that could be changed in a short time.

The main issue was still that it was only in the theoretical stage, with no guarantee of feasibility.

However, he has no high expectations for breakthroughs in cultivation technique research for now.

His comprehension is indeed above average compared to others, with the cumulative benefits of six Rejuvenations.

But he hasn’t reached a monstrous level.

Having just been in the Cultivation Realm for two lifetimes, totaling just over a hundred years, he hasn’t accumulated as much Cultivation Realm experience as the older generation of Qi Cultivators.

For now, accumulation should be the priority.

Once he accumulates over several lifetimes, with several hundred to a thousand years of experience in the Cultivation Realm, and gains more comprehension boosts from additional Rejuvenations, creating cultivation techniques will be like taking a high vantage point.

”Fellow Daoist Li, please come to the mansion for a talk.” At this moment, Doctor Bai sent a message.

After Doctor Bai was summoned to the Great Marsh Mountains, his daughter came seeking the Breaking Rank Pill. Half a year ago, when Li Ji’an returned to the Immortal City, Doctor Bai personally expressed his gratitude. Moreover, during Doctor Bai’s two years in the mountains, Li Ji’an took care of the Bai Mansion, and their relationship became closer.

During this half year, Doctor Bai also actively guided Li Ji’an in medical skills.

When Li Ji’an arrived at the Bai Mansion, besides Duanmu Qin and Gou Puppet Master, everyone else was present, plus an additional Steward Qi.

”Alchemist Li.” Steward Qi rose to welcome him.

”The reason for inviting all you fellow Daoists today is truly out of necessity.” It turned out that it wasn’t Doctor Bai who summoned them today, but Steward Qi who privately invited them under his own name.

”Steward Qi, we’ve known each other for over twenty years and are old acquaintances. Speak freely.” Doctor Bai spoke on behalf of the group.

Steward Qi nodded, a bit helplessly saying, ”Fellow Daoists, because the family considers me incapable, having managed the Immortal City for twenty years without meeting the family’s expectations, I have been dismissed from my position as Steward. Soon, a new Steward will take over.”

”I inform you in advance today mainly to say goodbye...”

His words revealed a few key points.

The Qi Family is dissatisfied with the Immortal City’s benefits over the past twenty years, and Steward Qi is the scapegoat.

A new Steward will soon be appointed, and future policies will change.

Li Ji’an silently listened, internally shaking his head.

The reason for the change in the Immortal City is entirely due to the shifts in the situation in Cangyun State over the past six months.

Six months ago, because of the incident with the ruins in the Great Marsh Mountain Range, people discovered that the Biyun Sect was not as strong as it had long claimed to be.

Especially four months ago, when a conflict occurred between Biyun Sect disciples and Fiery Sun Sect disciples in Golden Splendor Immortal City, the Fiery Sun Sect demanded an explanation, leading Biyun Sect to compensate with a sum of resources, punish its own disciples, and settle the matter peacefully.

Afterwards, they even publicly announced that they would close the sect for some years, focusing on cultivating disciples and temporarily refraining from handling affairs within the state.

This further aroused external speculation.

Some rumors suggest that the Supreme Elder of Biyun Sect was seriously injured during the outbreak in the ruins and needs to retreat to heal.

Others say that the Biyun Sect gained significant profits from the ruins, sufficient to support internal cultivation for a century, and with another eighty years left on the tenure of the Immortal City.

Additionally, some say that Biyun Sect was indeed the most profitable party, while the other six sects paid the Biyun Sect sixty percent of the early excavation costs for nothing, suffering numerous casualties in vain, thus harboring resentment. Among these, the Fiery Sun Sect suffered the most, and Biyun Sect, fearing the six sects would deliberately cause trouble and take advantage of the situation, chose to be low-key and endure quietly while fostering growth.

Li Ji’an leans more towards the third possibility.

Furthermore, he highly agrees with Biyun Sect’s approach.

In the Celestial Cyan Domain’s One Palace and Seven Sects, Biyun Sect’s strength was originally not very strong, and since they indeed gained a lot this time, of course, they should first improve their strength with the resources.

Once the strength is sufficient, there’s no need for quarrels, as others will naturally give the respect and courtesy the strength deserves.

Otherwise, with bloodshed and countless casualties, it would only deplete one’s foundation and cut off possibilities for increasing strength, serving no purpose at all.

As for temporarily giving up control of the state, it was also out of necessity.

Due to the incident with the ruins in the Great Marsh Mountain Range, there was originally only one safe passage connecting the Three States.

And now, that one path has been trampled flat by countless Loose Cultivators from the Two States and the Six Major Sects, startling the hidden Demon Beasts within.

Moreover, with the upheaval of the Earth Dragon, the chasm that divided Cangyun State and Celestial Origin Province in the Great Marsh Mountain Range has almost vanished, making it unobstructed for cultivators from the Two States to come and go in Cangyun State.

Under such circumstances, Biyun Sect, even if they wished to strictly control the cultivation environment within the state as before, couldn’t do it anymore.

At the very least, the previous prohibitions and rules are almost useless now, unable to be enforced.

Therefore, now Golden Splendor Immortal City is truly about to experience explosive growth.

In the past six months, the foot traffic has increased several times compared to before.

As the only large Immortal City near the Great Marsh Mountain Range, it can be said that all cultivators exploring the ruins in the mountains will first stop and trade at Golden Splendor Immortal City.

And it’s not necessarily that the Qi Family is dissatisfied with Steward Qi’s performance over the past twenty years, but because the big picture is changing, they need a more aggressive steward.

As for Steward Qi privately informing them of these matters in advance, it’s likely not without self-interest and perhaps also with the intention of undermining the incoming new steward who will replace him.

However, such thinking is actually superfluous.

With the future changes in the Immortal City, the status of their academy’s Loose Cultivator masters is likely to no longer be the same as before.

After all, it was previously difficult for Cangyun State to find willing Second Tier Loose Cultivator craftsmen to settle in the Immortal City, but now, with changing times, numerous Second Tier masters from the other Two States will flock in.

In this way, the benefits and privileges of this group will be greatly reduced, and they will have to face competition.

This trend, Li Ji’an has long anticipated over the past six months.

The impact on him is indeed significant.

The positive impact is that certain materials will be easier to obtain in the future.

And the market prices for most materials will significantly decrease.

However, the negative impacts are greater.

Firstly, safety will greatly decrease, as numerous cultivators from the Two States flock here, gathering all kinds of people. Just in the past few months, several magical combat incidents have occurred in the city, with the six major sects from the Outer States accounting for not a small portion.

Secondly, with the increase in the number of Second Tier Pill Masters, his alchemy profits are bound to be affected.

Thirdly, the Dao Field residence he now comfortably lives in is no longer as stable. One couldn’t say when a Late Second Tier Pill Master might come, at which point he could be asked to leave.

However, he doesn’t need to worry like Doctor Bai and the others now.

Because, last month, Biyun Sect already sent him an invitation.

Biyun Sect wants to remain low-key because of its ample internal resources, but with an insufficient number of Pill Masters, they intend to invite Pill Masters to reside on the Outer Peak of the sect.

Li Ji’an suspects that he received this invitation not only due to his rather renowned Alchemy Skill but also because Xiao Changfeng likely contributed assistance.

Currently, it is tentatively agreed to provide a Middle Grade Second Tier Dao Field on the Outer Peak, though it is not within the main vein of the sect and is relatively further away, five hundred miles from the sect.

In addition to that, one can exchange the sect’s resources with contributions made from alchemy, although the resources available for exchange are limited.

For Li Ji’an, he is already quite satisfied with this, as what he needs most now is a place where he can cultivate stably and for the long term.

Of course, whether he can ultimately become an Honored Guest Elder Pill Master of the sect still requires the sect’s Pill Masters to examine his Alchemy Skill personally.

The treatment will also be adjusted based on the actual level of Alchemy Skill demonstrated.

Currently, it is set to assess his Alchemy Skill in the sect next month.

It is worth mentioning that ever since Alchemist Zou heard of Biyun Sect recruiting Honored Guest Elder Pill Masters, he has been actively operating and reportedly spent quite a sum, though it seems he hasn’t succeeded in his efforts.