Cultivation (2)

Qinglan Academy wasn't far from the Li Mansion. In about the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Li Mu arrived before the familiar vermilion gates. The pair of imposing stone lions flanking the entrance still glared fiercely, a reminder to passersby of the mansion's owner.

Compared to other aristocratic residences in the South City, the Li Mansion wasn't large. Its construction materials were simple yet not luxurious, lacking the gold, silver, treasures, and opulent decorations commonly found in noble families' homes. It was hard to imagine this was a family with a thousand-year legacy, whose current patriarch was also the City Lord of Qinglan City. Low-key and patient seemed to be labels etched into the Li family's bones for a millennium, their trump card for survival in this brutal Immortal Realm.

Pushing open the mansion's main gate, only a single servant came to greet him. Li Mu was quite used to this. In his memories, the Li family had always been like this for years. The entire mansion had no guards, only a small number of servants and maids responsible for daily life and chores. This was unique among the major aristocratic families in Qinglan City.

However, if anyone mistook this for a sign of the Li family's shallow foundation and weak strength, they would be gravely mistaken. As a thousand-year-old native family of Qinglan City, their accumulated wealth over the years was unimaginable. This wealth wasn't just gold and silver; it also included Martial Skills, cultivation techniques, weapons, Pills, and more. Although the entire mansion had no guards, every member of the Li family possessed some level of cultivation. Even the seemingly timid young maid could draw her sword and fight with all her might when facing an enemy at a critical moment.

Throughout their thousand-year history, the Li family hadn't been without attacks. Three hundred years ago, during a battle defending against external enemies, the Li family suffered heavy losses of elite disciples. After the battle, the five peak aristocratic families in the city seized the opportunity to join forces, intending to swallow the Li family whole. They dispatched ten Nascent Soul Realm cultivators to lead fifty Core Formation Realm cultivators in a night raid on the Li Mansion. Everyone expected a bloody conflict that night, but when the sun rose the next day, the low-key Li Mansion still stood quietly. Servants opened the gate as usual, sweeping fallen leaves from the entrance, as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, those sixty powerful cultivators had simply vanished without a trace.

This bizarre scene terrified all the aristocratic families in the city at the time, and from then on, no one dared to provoke this ancient family. It wasn't until nearly forty years ago, when the Li family produced a favored child of heaven like Li Yubai, who led Qinglan City's rapid development and thus secured the position of City Lord, that the low-key Li family reappeared in the public eye.

While most aristocratic families rose and fell over the millennia, only the Li family remained unshaken, existing in a low-key and mysterious manner.

"Second Young Master, you're back? I'll go inform the Madam right away."

Ever since Li Mu began studying at Qinglan Academy, he had been living in the academy dormitory and rarely returned to the Li Mansion. On one hand, with his soul from two lifetimes, even with all the memories of his past life, he was still not the original Li Mu. Living in the mansion for an extended period could easily reveal his true nature. On the other hand, he also wished to grasp the common knowledge of this Immortal Realm more quickly, so he chose to reside at the academy.

"Young Master, you're finally back! Chunxiang thought you didn't want Chunxiang anymore."

As he reached the central garden of the mansion, Li Mu felt a gust of fragrant wind rush towards him. Upon closer inspection, it was his personal little maid. The young girl was now crying rivers of tears, clinging tightly to Li Mu and refusing to let go no matter how much he tried to persuade her.

"You child, it's good that you're studying and cultivating diligently at the academy, but you should at least write a letter or send a message back. Don't just say Chunxiang, even I, your aunt, thought you were planning to set up your own household."

A voice as pleasant as a spring breeze sounded. Liu Ruoying stood with her arms crossed, looking at Li Mu, a hint of complaint in her eyes.

"Aunt, I know I was wrong. I haven't been cultivating for so many years, and when I got to the academy, I wanted to catch up quickly. Don't worry, Aunt, I'll come back more often from now on. Oh, right, here are ten boxes of Noble Lady Cream. The production is very low now, so I specially prepared some for you."

Li Mu quickly took out a bag of Noble Lady Cream from his person and handed it to Liu Ruoying, which finally appeased the Li family's Madam. At the same time, he gave Chunxiang a box of Rouge powder, a specialty of the Twin Phoenix Tower. The little maid's tears turned into smiles, and she happily skipped back to Li Mu's room to tidy his bed.

"Aunt, when will Father be back this time? He's been away for over half a year on his report to the Imperial Capital. It should be about time for his return journey."

Strolling through the mansion's garden with Liu Ruoying, Li Mu also revealed the purpose of his return to his aunt.

"Your father has indeed been gone for a long time this trip. I suppose there were some unforeseen circumstances during his report. You know, among the thirty cities in the eastern region, only two, like our Qinglan City, are self-governing. Every report submission is met with exclusion and difficulties from other City Lords. But it's alright, he should be back in a few days."

The Innate Art was the Li family's inherited secret technique, and Li Yubai was currently the foremost figure in the family. Seeking his guidance on the Innate Art would be ideal. For now, Li Mu could only patiently stay in the mansion, awaiting his father's return.

Life in the Li Mansion was much more relaxed compared to the academy. Every morning after waking up and washing, Chunxiang would bring the prepared breakfast to Li Mu's table. While he practiced his swordplay in the courtyard, the little maid would sit nearby and watch him intently. As soon as he stopped to rest, she would immediately hand him a warm towel and a cup of cooled tea. He lived a life where his meals were served and his clothes were tended to. This kind of life made Li Mu sigh, realizing how difficult it was to go from luxury to frugality. Would he find it hard to adjust when he returned to the academy?

During these peaceful days, Li Mu also carefully reviewed the current state of the Simulation System. The Shop System, Talent System, Warehouse System, and Refinement System were the four main systems he could control. However, due to his insufficient realm, the Shop and Talent systems hadn't been updated for a long time. The Warehouse System could currently only serve as a means of spatial storage, with limited help for his cultivation.

Finally, the Refinement System required a large number of idle weapons, magic treasures, or cultivation techniques to function, and the results were entirely dependent on luck. Li Mu had considered spending a fortune in the Shop System to buy equipment and then synthesize them through the Refinement System, perhaps obtaining a high-level weapon by chance. But this method could simply be described as throwing money away like dirt. The previous sales of Noble Lady Cream required a large amount of manpower and was extremely draining of energy and time, making it impossible to replicate frequently. Therefore, poverty remained one of the challenges Li Mu had to face.

Furthermore, the Quest System had always been a function Li Mu couldn't quite figure out. Its random trigger mechanism truly made Li Mu unable to place his hopes on it.

"Sigh, I didn't expect this Simulation System to enter a bottleneck, just like my cultivation. Why is my transmigration so different from the protagonists in the web novels I used to read? This cheat golden finger is too weak."

Just as Li Mu was frowning with worry, a robust figure walked into his courtyard. Clad in red armor, exuding an imposing aura, it was Li Yue.

"I heard from Mother that you're back. How is it? Have you encountered a bottleneck in your cultivation? Are you waiting for Father to return and guide you?"

Ever since Li Mu resumed his cultivation and gradually made a name for himself at Qinglan Academy, his elder brother, who had always been stern with his younger brother, had gradually become more gentle. Hearing that his younger brother had returned to the mansion, he deduced that Li Mu must have encountered difficulties in his cultivation and thus came to visit.

"Yes, Big Brother. I've been stuck at the Half-step Core Formation Realm for a long time and still don't know how to break through. I've also consulted Teacher Mu, and his suggestion was to start with our family's Innate Art, but..."

The more Li Mu spoke, the more confused he became. He was confused because he diligently cultivated every day without any slack, yet there were no results. He was perplexed because he had already memorized the cultivation mantra for the second level of the Innate Art, but when he circulated it, the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi around him showed no response, let alone the formation of a Golden Core.

"Our Li family's Innate Art is exceptionally profound. When I was cultivating it before, I found many parts difficult to understand. Sometimes I even doubted if it was truly a Yellow Tier intermediate cultivation technique. Now, I have also cultivated the second level to its peak. Once I break through to the third level, I will truly enter the Nascent Soul Realm."

His elder brother's situation was basically the same as his own. Both felt that the Innate Art was very difficult to cultivate. Although he had comprehended the first level of this cultivation technique with his five points of Comprehension talent, he still had no clue how to break through to the second level.

"I broke through the second level during a bandit suppression mission. It was truly a moment of life and death. If my father hadn't blocked an enemy's sword for me at that time, I would have died long ago."

It was easiest for cultivators to break through between life and death, but he couldn't just find a powerful enemy to engage in a life-or-death battle. If he failed to break through and lost his life instead, Li Mu quickly dismissed the idea of simply copying the past.

"I heard that you've also dabbled in Alchemy at the academy. Since you've encountered a bottleneck in your cultivation, why not seek inspiration from Alchemy? There are quite a few examples in the history of immortal cultivation where people achieved enlightenment through this method."

Li Yue pondered for a moment and proposed a unique solution. Alchemy required calmness and absolute focus. The path of cultivation was divided into immortal and mortal levels, each with nine grades. Li Mu's current level was that of a Mortal Grade One Alchemist.

"Alchemy... Big Brother, now that you mention it, it really is a method worth trying. When I'm refining pills, my attention is very focused, and sometimes I even enter a state of meditation. If I can make a breakthrough in Alchemy, perhaps I can truly better control the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi within my body."

Having found a method to try, Li Mu's excitement was evident. Although he didn't know if it would succeed, it was better than his daily ineffective cultivation. After bidding farewell to Li Yue, Li Mu began to consider how he could further advance in the art of Alchemy.