‘As expected, the mighty figures of this world profoundly influence the world itself—even cultivation!’
Fang Qing’s heart trembled as he caught another blind spot. “Among the Twelve [Zhisui], there’s still the Great Sun lineage!”
“Cultivators of the Great Sun lineage are exceedingly rare, because the [Great Sun Purple Qi] required to begin the path can no longer be gathered…”
The old blind man shook his head and sighed. “When this old blind man was young, I also once yearned for the Great Sun lineage, and so I entered the ‘Secret Treasury Domain’ to travel and search. The result… you can see for yourself.”
“The [Great Sun Purple Qi] can’t be gathered?”
Fang Qing raised his head and looked at that blazing sun.
“It is said that in ancient times, the [Great Sun Purple Qi] was one of the easiest true qi in the world to gather. A cultivator only needed to face east at sunrise and use the qi-gathering art… But after the recent ancient era, all who gathered the [Great Sun Purple Qi] met sudden calamity without exception…”
The old blind man gave a cold, heh-heh laugh. “It’s nothing more than some great figure above not wishing for cultivators to walk this path…”
‘Are words like that something low-level cultivators like us can say?’
Fang Qing felt cold sweat bead on his forehead, and he was even more speechless inwardly. ‘Damn. We’re only discussing the matter of beginning cultivation, yet it can involve figures that lofty… Sealing off the [Great Sun Purple Qi]? Does this rotten place even allow people to cultivate properly? As expected, the folkways of my Blue Sea Sect are still a little more simple and honest…’
“As for the qi-gathering method of [Ji Water], this old blind man happens to have a copy. You must seek a place with a spring source; a spirit spring would be best. After spending several years harmonizing with the qi, you may obtain ‘Earthspring Tempered Truth.’ This path’s true qi ranks as a fifth-tier middle grade, already quite extraordinary. If you calculate it, you’re still the one profiting…”
“Fifth-tier middle grade?”
“That’s right. The first realm of Dao cultivation is called ‘Ingesting Qi.’ This first mouthful of true qi concerns one’s Dao path and is of utmost importance. It is divided into nine tiers and thirty-six grades…”
Fang Qing grew interested. “Then where does the [Great Sun Purple Qi] rank?”
The old blind man said solemnly, “The sun rises in the east; this qi is extremely precious. It ranks as a ninth-tier upper grade, also known as [Eastern Pole Jade Purity]…”
Fang Qing rolled his eyes. “Forget it. Give me the qi-gathering method… I have a few more questions I’d like to ask you, old sir…”
The old blind man’s dark, empty eye sockets stared at Fang Qing. He felt that if his eyeballs were still there, he would have rolled them.
……
“As expected… introductory knowledge like qi-gathering methods can be copied again and again… It has no great value at all.”
After walking out of Floating Boat Market, Fang Qing used his lightness skill. Along the way, he did not encounter any robber cultivators, and he grumbled inwardly.
He had spent all his spiritual items, merely identified his aptitude, obtained a qi-gathering method, and then was left completely cleaned out, so poor that even robber cultivators were too lazy to rob him.
Even so, Fang Qing remained cautious all the way. Only after several days had passed did he find an opportunity to return to Jadeite Island, where he began playing the role of a loyal and devoted Blue Sea Sect disciple, purchasing treasure fish.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
“Huu…”
Upon seeing the mountain gate of the Blue Sea Sect, Fang Qing let out a long breath.
He went to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, submitted his task, made some purchases, and returned to his cave residence on Pill Island.
After closing the cave residence gate and pasting up a talisman that prevented disturbances and could detect spiritual sense probing, Fang Qing’s mind finally relaxed completely. He collapsed onto the stone bed.
“This time, I can be considered to have opened up the channel… I’ve found out about several trading places for Ingesting Qi cultivators in Ba Commandery.”
“Next time, after I learn a technique to alter my build and aura… I can try selling goods and obtain a large amount of… er, it seems spiritual items are more expensive over there, but no matter what, there will always be a price difference to earn…”
“There’s no rush for that. I still need to gather qi, obtain a strand of ‘Earthspring Tempered Truth,’ and then obtain a [Ji Water] cultivation method. After that, I should be able to convert back and forth between the magical power of the Water Classic Commentary and [Ji Water] magical power.”
Fang Qing had already worked out the general use of the Dao-Birth Pearl’s “returning to the root and reverting to the origin.” To carry out a conversion, he needed an “introduction.”
For example, if he wanted to convert [Ji Water] magical power, he first needed to cultivate at least a trace of [Ji Water] magical power himself.
By the same logic, if he wanted to convert it into Great Sun magical power, he would first have to obtain a Great Sun cultivation method and cultivate it to entry level.
“Gathering qi takes time. Cultivating a secret art to alter my appearance and build also takes time…”
“I’m only at the third level of Qi Refining now. Accumulating magical power likewise takes time… all of it calculated in years. Fortunately… immortal cultivators have long lifespans, enough to wait.”
Thinking to this point, Fang Qing could not help but recall the common knowledge of Dao cultivation that he had finally wheedled out of the old blind man.
“The cultivation over in ancient Shu can be called the ‘Qi-Ingestion Dao.’ One ingests a mouthful of true qi and enters the Dao to cultivate, becoming an Ingesting Qi realm cultivator. It likewise has nine levels… As for the lifespan of Ingesting Qi realm cultivators, it’s about the same as Qi Refining realm cultivators, around two sixty-year cycles.”
“After the Ingesting Qi realm is the ‘Dao Foundation realm,’ which requires forging a ‘Dao foundation’ and has another layer of profundity. Dao Foundation cultivators live for two hundred years…”
“After the Dao Foundation realm is the ‘Purple Mansion realm,’ possessing vast divine abilities and boundless magical power… able to enjoy a lifespan of five hundred years… That’s the same lifespan as Core Formation ancestors on this side.”
“The Pu Clan of Yulin is a Purple Mansion immortal clan, with a Purple Mansion ancestor presiding over the clan. They are the foremost aristocratic family of Yulin Commandery… The Black Gu Sect likewise has Purple Mansion cultivators. Are these the two great Purple Mansion powers closest to me?”
“The Luo Family… their clan definitely has Ingesting Qi realm cultivators. Whether they have a Dao Foundation realm cultivator is hard to say. I’ll need to inquire slowly…”
As Fang Qing pondered, he sank into deep sleep.
The next day.
Cold Spring Peak.
He sat cross-legged before a cold spring and tried gathering qi.
“Hm?”
A moment later, Fang Qing opened his eyes and looked at the jade bottle in his hand, somewhat astonished. “This speed is rather fast… Is it because this place is a spirit spring, or because I’m a cultivator? Or both?”
When he had been gathering qi just now, he had discovered that his own qi-gathering speed was extremely fast.
By a rough estimate, the “Earthspring Tempered Truth” that would originally require ten years to gather one portion of could be gathered into one strand by him in roughly two or three years!
“Wait… shouldn’t the key point be—this world can also gather qi?”
As soon as this thought arose, Fang Qing abruptly raised his head and looked at that bright, dazzling sun, his heart stirring. “If ‘Earthspring Tempered Truth’ is like this, then what about the ‘Great Sun Purple Qi’?”
“However, I still need to get my hands on the qi-gathering method for the Great Sun Purple Qi first. The asking price for a qi-gathering method that’s already been rendered useless shouldn’t be high…”
“Now that I have a great treasure in hand and opportunity before my eyes, I still need to proceed carefully, step by step… I’ll first advance steadily for a while.”
“Though… the days ahead will be somewhat difficult.”
Fang Qing did not plan to go to the land of ancient Shu before he had cultivated a disguise spell. And within the Blue Sea Sect, he already felt rather as if every step was difficult.
He could not succeed at alchemy, and he did not want to accept high-risk missions, so his cultivation speed was bound to be ordinary.
And back then, he had entered Pill Island through the back door. With poor performance, he would definitely be criticized.
“Words are like a gust of wind… If I ignore them, nothing will come of it.”
“Oh… I also have to read more books… to nourish my [Ji Water] destiny.”
Just as he was regulating his breath and meditating, preparing to gather qi once more…
Suddenly, a young disciple dressed in a blue robe, high-spirited and full of vigor, walked over. “Are you Senior Brother Fang Qing?”
“And you are?”
Fang Qing looked at him and felt that he was somewhat familiar. A moment later, he remembered. This person was one of the immortal seedlings who had participated in the selection with him at the Immortal Fate Assembly back then. “Junior Brother Li Yudan?”
Li Yudan’s face reddened. “I have already changed my name to ‘Li Yusu.’ Senior Brother, please don’t remember it wrong. I’ve now advanced into the inner sect, and I’m likewise a disciple of Pill Island.”
“So that’s how it is. Congratulations, congratulations!”
Fang Qing sensed the third-level Qi Refining spiritual energy fluctuations on Li Yudan’s body and cupped his hands with a smile. “But I remember you seemed to have a wood spiritual root… Are you also going to learn this water-method alchemy?”
“Although water spiritual root cultivators are the most compatible with water-method alchemy, the human body contains all five elements. As long as the fire spiritual root isn’t too prominent, one can attempt water-method alchemy…”
Li Yudan said proudly, “I have some talent in water control and extraction, and was accepted as a disciple by Master Fuyunzi…”
“So that’s how it is. We can be considered from the same year and the same hometown. In the future, we should grow closer.”
Fang Qing nodded. Water and wood generated one another; this was the rule of five-elements magical power on this side.
It was nothing like ancient Shu, which was so unreasonable—water, earth, and wood were all restrained by metal and fire.
“Senior Brother Fang, you may not have understood me very clearly.”
Li Yudan said, “I’ve taken a liking to this spirit spring of yours. I ask that you leave.”
“Hm?”
Fang Qing’s expression immediately became calm. “Are you planning to rob me of my spirit spring?”
“Spirit springs of heaven and earth belong to the virtuous… I’ve already asked Senior Sister Zha. She said she has no further connection with you.”
Seeing disciples gathering around, Li Yudan’s voice instead grew even louder, and a faint trace of smugness appeared in his heart.
What he found most intolerable was this: they had clearly been immortal seedlings selected together, so why had Fang Qing become an inner sect disciple the moment he entered, while he had needed to climb up slowly from the outer sect?
Zha Zhu had superior aptitude, so he accepted it.
But Fang Qing was merely of medium aptitude.
Moreover, the reason he had deliberately come today to make things difficult for Fang Qing naturally could not be separated from the instructions of a certain senior sister behind him.
“So that’s how it is…”
Fang Qing gave Li Yudan a deep look. “Junior Brother Li Yudan, since that’s the case, I’ll give this spirit spring to you…”
In any case, this spirit spring had just been gathered from, and its spiritual charm might have been damaged. Using it for alchemy would yield half the result with twice the effort. It was just right to switch to another one.
“My name is Li Yusu!”
Li Yudan’s face flushed slightly. “Also, Senior Sister Zha has already broken through to the middle stage of Qi Refining. Her future prospects are boundless. I don’t want to see anyone borrowing her name to throw their weight around.”
These words were clearly spoken for the surrounding disciples to hear.
As Zha Zhu’s junior brother, his words naturally represented her better.
“I understand. Zha Zhu and I no longer have the slightest relationship.”
Fang Qing nodded. He had long anticipated the arrival of this day.
His connection with the Zha Family had begun with that rescue at sea, but in truth, even without Old Man Zha, he would have drifted to Jadeite Island all the same and would not have been in mortal danger.
On the contrary, it had been Old Man Zha who used his eagerness to participate in the Immortal Fate Assembly to make him risk his life at Sea Dragon Reef.
After the Dragon King’s Birthday, upon seeing Fang Qing alive, Old Master Zha had immediately chosen to compensate him.
Once it was detected that he had immortal cultivation aptitude, the old man might even have instructed his granddaughter to do something.
But now, perhaps feeling that everything had already been repaid, or perhaps influenced by something else, they had chosen to sever the connection.
Fang Qing accepted it calmly. He paid no mind to the faint gazes of the surrounding disciples, selected another remote spring source, and began meditating to gather qi.
From the outside, this qi-gathering art looked little different from ordinary seated breathing exercises, so he was not afraid that these low-level disciples would see any flaw in it.