Immortal Refiner

North of the Azure Ridge Domain lay a vast, boundless grassland.

Tall grasses swayed in the wind, creating layers of green ripples that stretched across the horizon in a magnificent display.

Despite its scenic beauty, the area was spiritually barren. The spiritual energy in the air was thin, no different from the mortal realm.

Only a handful of spiritual veins ran deep beneath the grasslands, making cultivation conditions extremely harsh.

Yet it was precisely these few spiritual veins that had miraculously sustained the Holy Temple Tribes!

These tribes served as the guardian immortal dao faction of the entire grassland. They had isolated themselves here, rarely venturing south to interact with other immortal dao factions.

Of course, this wasn’t absolute. Under special circumstances, they wouldn’t hesitate to journey south for their own purposes.

For example, when the Shangqing Sect produced an Exquisite Treasure Physique, they allied with the Heavenly River Sect to attempt an invasion, seeking to seize the physique’s primordial origin.

More recently, they learned that the Lingyun Sect, now dominating the Azure Ridge Domain, possessed a Millennial Dragon Blood Vine!

At the convergence of the grassland’s spiritual veins stood a colossal, majestic stone hall, surrounded by clusters of domed tents.

The cultivators who frequented this place dressed in peculiar styles, draped in the pelts of various demon beasts, with bone ornaments resembling wolf fangs adorning their necks and wrists.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Suddenly, a series of solemn bell chimes echoed from within the stone hall, quickly spreading across the area.

All the Grassland cultivators immediately ceased their activities, emerging from their dwellings to gaze at the stone hall with solemn and reverent expressions.

”Elder Jin Gu...”

”Even someone as powerful as Elder Jin Gu can’t defy the ravages of time? He was already a cultivator at the peak of the Core Formation Realm.”

”Alas, after a lifetime of guarding the Grasslands, is Elder Jin Gu finally approaching his great limit?”

The Grassland cultivators wore complex expressions before slowly lowering their heads in profound reverence.

Moments later, a burly Grassland man emerged from the stone hall, his gaze stern as he bellowed to the assembled cultivators:

”Elder Jin Gu is on his deathbed! Let us pray for his spirit’s passage, that he may return to the embrace of Evergreen Heaven!”

”May he find eternal rest in the embrace of Evergreen Heaven!”

Immediately, everyone began chanting a complex and mystical prayer.

As the silent chanting rose in unison, it seemed the very heavens and earth responded. Tiny, crystalline spiritual lights emerged from the great earth, rising like fireflies on a summer night, ascending toward the sky.

The burly Grassland man, witnessing this spectacle, gestured toward the holy temple behind him.

Inside the temple, an old man on the verge of death, withered to skin and bones, sat cross-legged before a stone statue.

The elder slowly opened his sunken eyes, revealing hollow, lifeless pupils. He heard the chanting of blessings and farewells from outside, knowing they were for him.

”Zhaltie, come here,” the elder’s voice rasped, as frail as a candle flame flickering in the wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment.

Before the words had fully faded, a young man with a resolute face was brought forward. Yet beneath that unwavering expression lay a hint of sorrow and reluctance.

”Master Jin Gu...”

The elder, known as Jin Gu, spoke slowly, ”Child, I hear the reluctance and sorrow in your voice. For an old man about to return to the embrace of Evergreen Heaven, such emotions bring a measure of comfort.”

”But from now on, you must lead the tribe alongside the other holy temple elders. Such sentiments must be put aside.”

”Heh, who would have thought that the sniveling A’da we chose from the Iron Horse Tribe would one day become a pillar of the holy temple?”

A’da was a Grasslands term for a child. Perhaps nearing his final moments, Elder Jin Gu found himself speaking more than usual.

”Zhaltie, you possess the greatest talent among this generation of disciples. Your mastery of the Spirit Transcending Saint Transformation Art surpasses all others.”

”Yet beneath your seemingly resolute nature lies a lingering cowardice. This is why I hesitated to name you my successor.”

”But you have surprised me time and again. Before my death, you actually reached the sixth layer of the Spirit Transcending Saint Transformation Art—a feat rarely seen in the history of the Holy Temple Tribes.”

”The sixth layer allows you to inherit the full extent of my lifelong cultivation. After the transfer, you should advance directly from the late foundation establishment realm to the late-stage core formation.”

”Come, child. Under your leadership, the Holy Temple Tribes will undoubtedly reach new heights.”

As Elder Jin Gu spoke, he seemed to expend the last of his strength.

The moment his words faded, he placed his hands directly on Zhaltie’s body.

In the next moment, the mana within Zhaltie’s dantian began to surge violently. Guided by his will, it flowed directly into Elder Jin Gu’s body.

”Begin the cultivation!”

Zhaltie closed his eyes and wholeheartedly activated the Spirit Transcending Saint Transformation Art.

In that instant, he resonated with the elder before him, absorbing all the mana Elder Jin Gu had cultivated throughout his life and converting it into his own cultivation!

This was utterly inconceivable! In the path of cultivation, every step was earned through painstaking effort. Even demonic path cultivation manuals couldn’t achieve such blatant absorption of another’s mana.

Yet here it was, happening before his very eyes. The overwhelming true essence within Elder Jin Gu’s body didn’t shatter Zhaltie’s dantian; instead, it effortlessly propelled him into the core formation realm.

A Golden Core, no larger than a peanut, swiftly materialized within Zhaltie’s body, rapidly expanding and becoming perfectly round.

As his aura intensified, Zhaltie’s face contorted in unbearable pain, as if his mind were about to shatter.

But then, the chanting and prayers for Elder Jin Gu’s spirit from the outside world reached his ears, instantly stabilizing his state of mind. Guarding his consciousness, they allowed Zhaltie to swiftly adapt to the sudden surge of cultivation within him.

His cultivation level surged relentlessly.

Early Core Formation Realm, mid Core Formation Realm... finally stabilizing at late-stage core formation!

This speed was utterly astonishing. A level that others might spend their entire lives striving for, he had traversed in mere hours.

Boom!

A formidable aura erupted from the stone hall, radiating a faint pressure that spread outward.

Sensing this, all the Grassland cultivators outside who were praying for Elder Jin Gu’s spirit knelt reverently, prostrating themselves before the stone hall.

The burly Grassland man gazed at the hall with a complex expression, muttering to himself:

”So this is the sixth layer of the Spirit Transcending Saint Transformation Art? Truly remarkable. Elder Jin Gu’s perfected core formation cultivation has allowed him to inherit eighty to ninety percent of it, directly leaping from the foundation establishment realm to late-stage core formation.”

Indeed, this was the greatest secret of the Grassland Holy Temple Tribes. Their ability to maintain a strength rivaling the immortal dao factions in this spiritually barren cultivation environment stemmed entirely from this Spirit Transcending Saint Transformation Art!

Before their deaths, each generation of holy temple elders would select a group of young cultivators to cultivate this manual.

The greatest function of this cultivation manual was to preserve the true essence and mana that would otherwise dissipate into heaven and earth upon a cultivator’s death, allowing it to be inherited by younger disciples who had also cultivated the Spirit Transcending Saint Transformation Art.

The higher the level of cultivation achieved, the more perfectly the cultivator’s lifetime mana could be inherited.

Generation after generation, this inheritance had been passed down.

It could be said that the gift Zhaltie had received originated from the successive generations of elders of the holy temple!

Of course, such a formidable Cultivation Method naturally came with numerous restrictions.

The conditions were extremely stringent. Even the Holy Temple Tribes, who ruled the entire Grasslands, required extensive preparations to ensure the successful continuation of this inheritance.

Zhaltie, now a late-stage core formation realm cultivator, slowly opened his eyes. He gazed at Elder Jin Gu’s now-cold corpse, a fresh wave of sorrow flashing through his eyes.

At that moment, a woman with a wild, untamed aura emerged from the rear of the stone hall.

The animal hide draped over her body failed to fully conceal her figure, revealing her healthy, wheat-toned skin and the distinct yet graceful muscle definition of her abdomen and calves.

The woman turned to Zhaltie and said, ”Elder Zhaltie, Elder Jin Gu’s greatest wish in life was to break through to the nascent soul realm and lead the holy temple to new heights!”

”However, the risks of attempting to reach the nascent soul realm were too great. Failure would mean losing the accumulated power passed down through generations. That’s why Elder Jin Gu never dared to recklessly attempt to Break Core, Condense Soul.”

”Now, it’s said that a Millennial Dragon Blood Vine has appeared in the southern territories. This is the primary ingredient for refining the Dragon Transformation Pill!”

”You understand what this means. I hope you won’t disappoint Elder Jin Gu’s expectations!”

Zhaltie was stunned by the news, then nodded vigorously.

”I understand!”

He naturally knew what this meant. The holy temple possessed the pill formula for the Dragon Transformation Pill. If they could obtain the Millennial Dragon Blood Vine, they could begin refining this peerless great pill.

If successful, he might have a chance to break through to the nascent soul realm in the future!

With a nascent soul realm cultivator guarding the Holy Temple Tribes for generations to come, they would truly reach new heights!

Therefore, the Holy Temple Tribes were absolutely determined to secure that Millennial Dragon Blood Vine!

Meanwhile, in the Azure Ridge Domain, at the Lingyun Sect:

Li Qing, who had cultivated to the peak of the core formation realm using Spirit Nourishing Pills, remained in his cave abode for several more days.

After carefully assessing his current cultivation level and confirming that his foundation was as solid as could be, he finally emerged from seclusion.

His first act was to visit the sect’s Hall of Technique Transmission. This time, he wasn’t there to acquire any cultivation manual or inheritance. Instead, he left the beast hide scroll containing the Spirit Nourishing Pill formula on the hall’s highest level, adding another treasure to the sect’s foundation.

”With this Spirit Nourishing Pill formula, our Lingyun Sect will finally be a true giant among immortal dao factions,” he mused.

Having completed this task, Li Qing distributed the remaining Spirit Nourishing Pills to each of the sect’s supreme elders, giving them one pill each.

”Li Qing, what kind of pill is this?” Wu Chong, who had received a Spirit Nourishing Pill, asked with a puzzled expression.

”A Spirit Nourishing Pill,” Li Qing replied casually. ”This pill enhances the mana of core formation realm cultivators, allowing for rapid advancement in cultivation.”

Wu Chong froze at these words, then vehemently refused the gift.

”I can’t accept this spirit pill. You’re also in the core formation realm.”

Before he could finish, Li Qing smiled and released his aura.

”Perfected Core Formation Realm!”

Sensing the faint aura of power emanating from Li Qing, Wu Chong’s face paled in shock.

”You... you’ve already perfected your core formation? How could you advance so quickly?”

Li Qing smiled. ”During my travels at sea, I was fortunate enough to obtain the pill formula for the Spirit Nourishing Pill. By refining some of these pills, I managed to cultivate to this stage.”

”I’ve left the pill formula on the highest floor of the Hall of Technique Transmission. If you or anyone else wishes to refine these pills, you can access the formula directly.”

Hearing this, Wu Chong’s expression grew complex. ”Why does this sound like you’re settling your affairs? What are you planning to do?”

Li Qing replied calmly, ”Now that I’ve perfected my core formation, it’s time to seek a way to break through and condense my nascent soul.”

”I plan to leave the sect and travel the world. I’ll return when the time is right.”

”Xu Xia will handle sect affairs in my absence. For major decisions, you can discuss and resolve them yourselves.”

With a final bow, Li Qing turned and departed without looking back.

Having resolved all his lingering concerns about the sect, Li Qing felt an immense weight lift from his shoulders, his mind finally at peace.

”No news has arrived from the Grasslands yet, but with my current strength, I no longer need to fear them.”

”With the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings and Kunpeng Extreme Speed, I can even hold my own against nascent soul realm cultivators.”

With these thoughts, Li Qing quietly left the sect.

Gazing at the magnificent landscapes beyond the mountain gate, Li Qing recalled Dao Lord Bai Ling’s earlier words:

”I advise you to retrace your path, Heart-Refining in the Mortal World, examining your life and mending all its regrets!”

”Retrace my path?” Li Qing murmured, pondering how to proceed.

To be honest, he couldn’t identify any regrets in his life. Thus, he could only follow Dao Lord Bai Ling’s advice, retracing his steps one by one.

”Wandering the world, Heart-Refining in the Mortal World,” he repeated to himself. After much deliberation, Li Qing finally decided on his first destination for this journey.

”I’ll visit the former site of the Lingyun Sect.”

Joining the Lingyun Sect with an ascension token had been a pivotal turning point in his dao. He resolved to thoroughly examine the sect’s former site, even if it yielded nothing of value, simply to reminisce about his time there.

He truly missed those days.

Having made his decision, Li Qing set off without hesitation.

(End of the Chapter)