Seclusion from the World, Late Foundation Establishment

"Master, with a great enemy at hand, if your disciple fled on his own, I fear I would be unable to face anyone in the future."

"Your disciple has only just entered cultivation and has never witnessed the might of a Golden Core True Person."

"Master may simply take it as your disciple being an unweaned calf unafraid of tigers."

Tian Ming'an knelt on the ground without raising his head, his voice trembling faintly.

"Ha, what a joke."

Jiang Sheng could not help laughing. "Could it be that you are still clinging to some hope?"

"For instance, that your master can invite some expert to lend a hand?"

"I might as well tell you: I am merely an inner disciple of Penglai, the most ordinary sort."

"There are countless Penglai inner disciples, and deaths and injuries during outside training are commonplace. No one will come to aid me, much less avenge me."

"Even so, do you still wish to remain here and throw your life away?"

Tian Ming'an raised his head, his expression resolute. "Your disciple wishes to stay."

Seeing Tian Ming'an's stubborn appearance, Jiang Sheng merely tossed out a light remark. "Then stay."

With that, Jiang Sheng flicked his sleeve and sent out a stream of spiritual power.

The Flowing Light Jadewater Formation laid within the temple fully activated. A curtain of flowing water rose, shrouding Qingxuan Temple and cutting it off from the outside world.

"Take care of yourself. Your master is going into seclusion."

Jiang Sheng waved Tian Ming'an away and sealed shut the doors of the temple's main hall. After that, not the slightest sound emerged from within.

Tian Ming'an looked at the tightly closed main hall, pursed his lips, then turned and entered a side hall as well.

From then on, Qingxuan Temple sank into utter silence, and outsiders could no longer probe its reality.

The first to discover that Qingxuan Temple could not be entered was Tian Guofu.

He had intended to climb the mountain to see his grandson, only to find the entire temple blocked by a curtain of water that would not let him approach even half a step.

Tian Guofu tried calling out, but even his voice seemed to be sealed outside.

Left with no choice, Tian Guofu could only return home.

By the time of Awakening of Insects, Zhang Qing also wished to visit the temple and seek an audience with Jiang Sheng, only to discover that she too could not approach it.

After returning to the county office, Zhang Qing told Zhang Qingyun the news and concluded that Jiang Sheng had entered seclusion and did not wish to be disturbed by outsiders.

Zhang Qingyun therefore happily issued a notice informing the gentry, wealthy merchants, and common people throughout the county that Daoist Jiang had entered secluded cultivation, and that idle persons were forbidden from approaching Qingping Mountain.

At first, some did not believe it, thinking it was one of Zhang Qingyun's schemes.

But after several groups of gentry climbed the mountain and were indeed stopped outside the temple, everyone learned that Daoist Jiang had truly entered seclusion.

From then on, though scattered groups still came seeking incense and talismans, they were all blocked by the water curtain and returned empty-handed.

Thus, within only a few months, Qingping Mountain gradually faded from the world's memory.

Compared to the mysterious Daoist Jiang, whom no one could even see, the rice, oil, salt, and firewood before their eyes were more worthy of ordinary people's attention.

Rogue Cultivators, meanwhile, were all running themselves ragged and fighting for cultivation resources such as spirit stones, pills, and cultivation techniques, with even less time to care about others.

The names Qingxuan Temple and Daoist Jiang thus faded from the sight of the people of Dongjun.

Yet Jiang Sheng within Qingxuan Temple found this period exceptionally comfortable.

Each day, he gathered the morning glow at dawn and drew in the moon's radiance at night, transforming all the rosy clouds and moonlight into pure spiritual power within his body, steadily raising his cultivation bit by bit.

Every day, Jiang Sheng's improvement was visible to the naked eye.

For Rogue Cultivators, or people from minor sects and small cultivation families, whose aptitude and comprehension were ordinary and whose cultivation resources were lacking, it was commonplace for their cultivation to show no growth at all for ten days, half a month, or even half a year.

But for a cultivator like Jiang Sheng, who had achieved Foundation Establishment through the Heavenly Dao, the Dao foundation within his body absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth without pause.

Coupled with the extraordinary Penglai cultivation technique, the Heaven Generates Water Scripture, Jiang Sheng's cultivation advanced with great speed.

In just three short months, Jiang Sheng's strength rose another level.

June, the Summer Solstice.

More than three months after entering seclusion, Jiang Sheng left the main hall for the first time.

Over those three months, Jiang Sheng had gained much, but Tian Ming'an had also begun to get a feel for cultivation.

He was now a cultivator at the second level of Qi Refinement.

When Jiang Sheng emerged from seclusion, Tian Ming'an was overjoyed. "Master, you have come out of seclusion?!"

"I merely came out to get some air and take a look at your progress."

Jiang Sheng assessed Tian Ming'an, then nodded. Tian Ming'an's comprehension was not poor. To reach the second level of Qi Refinement in three months without anyone's guidance was already very good for a newcomer.

"If you have any difficulties in cultivation, speak quickly. Who knows when your master will next come out?" Jiang Sheng said.

Upon hearing this, Tian Ming'an hastily voiced some of his doubts regarding the Qingyuan Talisman Scripture.

Jiang Sheng himself had cultivated the Qingyuan Talisman Scripture to the ninth level of Qi Refinement before specializing in the Heaven Generates Water Scripture, so his understanding of the Qingyuan Talisman Scripture was naturally profound.

Moreover, Jiang Sheng was now in the Foundation Establishment realm. From such a lofty vantage point, his insight into the Qingyuan Talisman Scripture had deepened even further.

Thus, Jiang Sheng swiftly answered Tian Ming'an's doubts.

Jiang Sheng even deliberately released his spiritual power to demonstrate the circulation of the technique for Tian Ming'an, and explained the two protective arts within the Qingyuan Talisman Scripture to him.

After Jiang Sheng's explanation, Tian Ming'an had clearly gained much.

This was what they meant by true transmission in a single sentence, false transmission in ten thousand scrolls.

Having someone to guide you and blindly practicing on your own would never produce the same rate of progress.

Seeing that Tian Ming'an wished to cultivate according to his methods, Jiang Sheng added, "Ming'an, your master is only at Foundation Establishment now, but some of my insights are connected to yours."

"Remember this: every cultivation technique was compiled by its creator according to their own circumstances."

"If its creator achieved one hundred percent effectiveness in cultivation, then when it reaches outsiders like us, it may only retain seventy or eighty percent, perhaps even less."

"The Qingyuan Talisman Scripture was in fact continuously refined through the generations by the true successors of the Dao Sect before becoming as balanced and peaceful as it is now, suitable for initiating all cultivators."

"But even so, every person's circumstances differ, and cultivation cannot be treated as one and the same."

"What I have taught you is merely my personal insight. You must not imitate me in every respect. There must be things that are your own within it."

"Do you understand?"

Tian Ming'an nodded thoughtfully. "Your disciple understands."

Jiang Sheng nodded, then raised his eyes. Through the Flowing Light Jadewater Formation, he gazed toward the mountains, where rolling peaks stretched before him in a sea of emerald green. "All things are growing and flourishing. It truly is a fine time."

The next day, Jiang Sheng returned to the main hall and entered seclusion once more.

After gaining life for only one day, Qingxuan Temple returned to silence.

Jiang Sheng sat cross-legged before the portrait of the patriarch, quietly circulating his cultivation technique as he meditated and refined qi.

Whenever his cultivation reached noon, Jiang Sheng took an Essence-Gathering Pill. When evening came, he took a Nurturing Origin Pill.

Jiang Sheng took only these two pills each day and never greedily consumed more.

No matter how superior a pill was, there was still such a thing as pill toxins.

In Shanhe World, there had never appeared an immortal pill entirely free of pill toxins, whose medicinal efficacy could be absorbed and used one hundred percent by a person.

Jiang Sheng knew well that one could not be insatiably greedy, and that cultivation had to progress in measured steps.

Every month, Jiang Sheng even specifically set aside time to purge the pill toxins from his body, lest they affect his future formation of the Golden Core.

Sun and moon turned, summer rains gave way to autumn winds.

In the blink of an eye, the days reached late autumn, and Qingxuan Temple had vanished from the eyes of Qingshan County's people for more than half a year.

Over these past six months, Zhang Qingyun had felt exceedingly comfortable.

With Jiang Sheng out of sight, Zhang Qingyun felt as though the mountain pressing atop his head had vanished. His whole body felt incomparably light.

Furthermore, as more than half of the deeply entrenched gentry in Qingshan County had been purged, the remaining gentry all understood who now called the shots in Qingshan County.

One after another, they bowed their heads and obeyed him, making Zhang Qingyun's governance proceed very smoothly.

In the Qingshan County of today, there was no gentry obstructing him, no River God at his side, and even Jiang Sheng had entered seclusion.

Zhang Qingyun had never felt so good.

As the saying went, happy events refreshed the spirit. After more than half a year of fermenting, the imperial court truly sent down rewards for Zhang Qingyun.

The court's praise was secondary. What delighted Zhang Qingyun most was the place granted by the court to cultivate at Qing Province Dao Palace.

It was the place he had long yearned to secure for his daughter.

Yet when Zhang Qingyun told Zhang Qing the news, she appeared calm and did not seem especially pleased.

"Qing'er, this is the qualification to cultivate at Qing Province Dao Palace. Are you not happy?" Zhang Qingyun asked in confusion.

Zhang Qing replied, "Father has secured such rare resources for your daughter. Naturally, your daughter is delighted."

"But Father, what cultivation level are the Dao lecturers at Qing Province Dao Palace?"

"The Purple Mansion Realm. Is that not enough?" Zhang Qingyun asked, puzzled.

Zhang Qing said, "Purple Mansion Realm cultivation is naturally not low. After all, the eight great families of Qing Province's eight prefectures are only at the Purple Mansion Realm."

"But Father, above Qing Province Dao Palace stand Qing Province's three great sects."

"Compared to a Golden Core True Person, is the Purple Mansion Realm still worth rejoicing over?"

As she spoke, Zhang Qing raised her head and looked toward the blazing sun in the sky. The autumn sunlight was still somewhat dazzling, forcing her to raise a pale hand to shield her eyes.

"Father, since one is going to cultivate, one should naturally cultivate under the best."

"Your daughter does not know what her aptitude and comprehension are like, but she may be considered clever."

"Your daughter also has ambitions. Mother spent her entire life as nothing more than a Qi Refinement cultivator, driven and exhausted to death by the family. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators are merely ordinary elders within the family."

"Your daughter wishes to attain the Golden Core and see what sort of scenery lies in the realm of Golden Core True Persons."

Zhang Qingyun stood stunned for a long while before sighing wistfully. "In the end, I underestimated you."

The autumn wind wailed, and fallen leaves withered yellow.

From late autumn to deep winter, it seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.

A year appeared to have passed just like that.

Mortals sighed that as time flowed, evening suddenly arrived; their colors withered, no longer as they had been yesterday.

Time was incomparably precious, whether to mortals or cultivators.

Even those in the mortal world who were rich enough to rival nations, sitting atop fortunes of hundreds of millions, could not exchange their wealth for time. As for longevity-extending spiritual pills in the cultivation world, a single pill was difficult to obtain.

Yet while mortals found a hundred years too long, cultivators instead found a single year too short.

When a year had passed like this, and countless people were sighing over how carefree or boring the year had been—

Jiang Sheng within Qingxuan Temple finally emerged from seclusion once more.

Deep winter, the twelfth lunar month, and another New Year.

Beyond the mountain, fireworks filled the skies, with firecrackers, lanterns, and festivity everywhere.

Within the mountain, all was secluded and silent. The moonlight was cold, cut off from the world.

The Daoist stood in the courtyard, gazing at the bright moon in the deep night sky. Feeling the undeniably real cultivation of late Foundation Establishment within his body, Jiang Sheng's expression remained calm, without the slightest hint of joy.

"Only one year remains."