System Person

Ning Ri said, "How can Frustration Qi be used for Qi Refining? How can it be used for Foundation Establishment?"

You could still refine qi after swallowing Frustration Qi? Your whole body would be knotted with resentment—could that thought ever flow freely?

Wouldn't that mean you just had to wait around to be mocked every day?

Chen Xingfeng's answer to this was, "How would I know?"

"All I know is that the Heaven Defying Sect really does have someone like that."

"Only ghosts know how the Heaven Defying Sect cultivated themselves into what they are."

Ning Ri said, "..."

Well, damn.

Smoky Atmosphere, Frustration Qi, turbid qi—any of them could be cultivated...

In other words, as long as the qi needed for Qi Refining had the word "qi" in its name, it could be refined, right?

Then could Courage Qi, Dominating Qi, Biogas Qi, coal gas, Natural Gas Qi, oxygen, air, Athlete's Foot Qi, Hand Qi, electricity qi, popularity qi, and Typhoon Weather Qi all work too?

Could Breath Qi be refined? If you used Breath Qi for Foundation Establishment, you could become a Breath Foundation Cultivator. Cultivate with your own Breath Qi, and eventually become Breath Foundation Ning.

Still, although Ning Ri found the Heaven Defying Sect's cultivation methods rather absurd, he felt they were acceptable.

He simply had no way to empathize with Chen Xingfeng.

Probably because their worldviews had never been quite the same. He had no ingrained understanding of cultivation in this world, but Chen Xingfeng did.

Chen Xingfeng was rather traditional!

It was like reading webnovels in his previous life. Those veteran readers preferred traditional wuxia and traditional fantasy.

When they later saw that fantasy novels all came with systems, they found it a little hard to accept. That was the clash between traditional fantasy and system fantasy.

The same applied now.

Although Ning Ri had no system, only a silent panel, his way of thinking was newer and he could accept more things. Therefore, he was a System Person with System Thinking.

Chen Xingfeng, meanwhile, was a Traditional Person with Traditional Thinking.

Strictly speaking, those people from the Heaven Defying Sect were System People too, with System Thinking as well.

However, after putting himself in Chen Xingfeng's shoes and thinking it over carefully for a while, Ning Ri roughly understood Chen Xingfeng's true feelings.

The spiritual upheaval brought about by changes to traditional understanding during an age of transformation was difficult for older people to accept all at once.

Though he was not old yet, there was no telling what the future held.

It was like when he browsed his phone in his previous life and saw various "innovative" measures online.

For example: face-changing performances producing reaction memes, state banquets serving spicy strips to foreign guests, and the Three Halls Joint Trial of Uchiha Itachi...

These were all new things born with the shifting times. Everyone in the comments said they were outrageous, but he thought they were fine—until he saw children singing onstage at a kindergarten singing competition, "There's a game that keeps you younger the more you play it—it's mobile phones..."

At times like that, he would say, no thanks!

Of course, the Heaven Defying Sect's cultivation methods could not be compared with that, but he could understand why Chen Xingfeng felt so miserable.

After Chen Xingfeng let Ning Ri fall silent in thought for a long while, he finally asked, "Well? Let me remind you once more: their Qi Refining is still fairly normal, but things will not remain that way later on. By then, you may be influenced by them as well..."

Ning Ri pondered before saying, "Master Xingfeng, this junior understands everything you have said, but... this junior still wants to return and see whether the Heaven Defying Sect has any newer cultivation methods. It is not that this junior does not trust you, only that this junior..."

Chen Xingfeng already knew his answer. "Shut up."

Ning Ri gave two polite, sheepish chuckles before saying, "Oh, right..."

"May I ask you a question?"

Chen Xingfeng said, "What question?"

Ning Ri said, "Can you sell me that method you mentioned for refining the Qi Washing Magic Treasure?"

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Chen Xingfeng's expression remained calm. "I lied to you. I do not know it. You can go to the Heaven Defying Sect and learn something newer."

Ning Ri said, "..."

Well, damn. Your friend Chen Xingfeng had withdrawn a promise.

Immediately afterward, Chen Xingfeng added, "Qi Washing Magic Treasures are a very important source of income for Craftsmanship Tower. If you do not join Craftsmanship Tower, I cannot give it to you."

"However, your artifact refinement this time has indeed benefited me greatly. Therefore, I am willing to answer several of your questions. You may ask me."

Hearing this, Ning Ri was somewhat taken aback. He said in surprise, "Master Xingfeng, how could this junior possibly be worthy of benefiting you greatly? You do not need to make polite excuses just to give me something. Your 2,500 spirit stones are already enough to pay me for listening to you explain the truth behind the mission."

Chen Xingfeng had been smiling, but upon hearing the latter half, he raised a hand and slapped it against the wall—

A clearly visible palm print appeared on the steel-like wall.

Chen Xingfeng said, "That palm print was supposed to be on your face."

Ning Ri said, "..."

Damn.

That palm...

What a powerful sect master.

He gave an awkward laugh. "I was joking. I felt a little embarrassed after rejecting you just now."

Chen Xingfeng rose to his feet, straightened his robe, and slowly said, "Ning Ri, artifact refinement is a skill that fights death, fights the Heavenly Dao, and draws close to eternity."

Ning Ri froze, and then his expression turned solemn...

Chen Xingfeng said, "My cultivation cannot reach the realm of living as long as heaven and earth, but my artifact-refining works can continue onward forever. Even ten thousand years from now, people will still use my artifact-refining techniques."

"My flesh will die, but my heart's blood will endure forever."

"Therefore, as an artifact refiner, never forget to absorb. If you seek eternity, remember that at every stage, you must seek nourishment from the outside world as much as possible—just like the Spiritual Opportunity I glimpsed in you."

"That is why I said I benefited greatly."

After pondering for a long while, Ning Ri came to a realization. Then he said sincerely, "Thank you, Master Xingfeng."

At this moment, he understood why Chen Xingfeng was a master artifact refiner renowned throughout the Cultivation World.

He had not learned any of Chen Xingfeng's techniques, yet at this moment, he profoundly felt the power of "eternity"—

It was the radiance emitted by someone who created with their heart's blood.

Next, Ning Ri asked Chen Xingfeng several questions.

He did not ask Chen Xingfeng for artifact-refining methods. He merely asked whether there was a way to repair spiritual roots.

"Are your spiritual roots poor? Why do you need to repair them?" Chen Xingfeng was initially surprised, but after looking at Ning Ri's cultivation, he understood. "Oh, no wonder!"

Third Stage Qi Refining was indeed rather shabby compared to that breathtaking artifact-refining talent.

Ning Ri scratched his head. "Yes."

Chen Xingfeng said, "Treasures capable of repairing spiritual roots or improving them are generally very expensive. I have some knowledge in this area. Although Craftsmanship Tower cannot help you repair or improve your spiritual roots, you can rent spiritual roots from us."

Ning Ri froze. "Rent?"

Chen Xingfeng nodded. "Rented Spiritual Roots are of no help at all to cultivators seeking the supreme Great Dao. However, if your goal is merely Foundation Establishment or the Golden Core realm, then rented spiritual roots can still help you achieve it."

"It is just that rented spiritual roots are very expensive."

Ning Ri asked curiously, "How expensive?"

Chen Xingfeng said, "Join Craftsmanship Tower, and I can give you a quote."

Ning Ri said, "..."