Third Layer of Qi Refining

"Heh, junior brother, your black cat has quite a personality!"

He Xiao chuckled softly, not daring to test it again, but feeling extremely envious!

He also had some doubts: Was the Marquis Qinghe's manor so extravagant that even an illegitimate son could afford a spirit cat?

In this world where evil spirits were everywhere, spirit beasts were especially rare and valuable. Each one was worth a fortune, and even many sect cultivators rarely saw spirit beasts by their side!

Thinking of this, He Xiao's initial sense of superiority gradually faded like a receding tide, leaving him feeling somewhat bored.

He forced out a few words about the interesting work at the Hall of Seeking Offspring, then got back into bed fully clothed and fell asleep.

That night, Li Qingyun heard more than just snores; he also heard He Xiao's lewd laughter in his dreams.

"Sigh, ultimately I'm changing to an independent residence. It would be best if it were like the wooden house Senior Sister Zhao built herself in the valley..."

The next day, He Xiao continued to work diligently at the Hall of Seeking Offspring.

Meanwhile, Li Qingyun quietly cultivated a total of twelve furnaces of Mana, unassumingly advancing to the second layer of Qi Refining.

With this level of cultivation, he could already find a senior in the temple to be his Dao Master, become his disciple, gain his protection, and receive various benefits.

But Li Qingyun had no such thoughts for the time being.

In his heart, he had a very poor impression of Lu Nanling. He felt that choosing a master required caution, and encountering the wrong person could lead to karmic entanglement in the future.

Moreover, even if he didn't find a Dao Master within the temple, as long as his cultivation reached a certain level, he could bypass the Dao Temple and directly enter the true mountain gate of the Lingbao Sect.

The Lingbao Temple, as it appeared now, was merely a temporary resting place on his long Dao journey, not worth much thought.

Meditation, comprehension, practicing techniques, dining hall...

Several days passed, and with the enhancement of the mysterious Daoist effigy, Li Qingyun's cultivation had already broken through to the third layer of Qi Refining.

This progress was simply heaven-defying!

Under the increasingly profound Qi Concealment Art, he still only had the level of sensing Qi.

But by now, he had clearly encountered a bottleneck, his cultivation stagnating around thirty furnaces of Mana, unable to break through.

During meditation, Mana would also generate, but these newly generated Mana were like mud entering the sea; after being generated, they dispersed into the void within his body and could not be gathered into his Qi Sea Precious Furnace.

Due to the lack of cultivation techniques for the fourth layer of Qi Refining and above, Li Qingyun could only focus on comprehending the Qi Concealment Art and the Thunder Seal.

Li Qingyun could now execute the Thunder Seal with a degree of ease, as if the thunder would arrive the moment the seal moved.

He was now desperately in need of money, thirsting for wealth!

The Big Black Cat had been active at night and resting during the day these past few days, either bringing back a bottle of Minor Grass Pill or a Ghost Suppressing Talisman for him.

Its injuries had also basically recovered, and the cat lord was once again majestic and spirited.

The back mountain was about to suffer. In the future, this "nuisance" would be a common occurrence. For the many disciples in the back mountain, their belongings would disappear in the blink of an eye if not properly secured.

Li Qingyun was somewhat helpless. He had warned Yuanbao about its "money-attracting instinct" many times, but the spirit cat truly had its own proud and willful nature; it would do as it pleased.

He could only speak earnestly, reminding Yuanbao to be more aware and to avoid the residences and important areas of the experts in the back mountain, lest it be captured.

As for anything else, let this beast do as it pleased!

Anyway, he was a Buddhist when it came to raising cats...

On the fifth day after returning from the wooden house in the valley, Li Qingyun went to the dining hall for a meal and found it unusually lively.

The dining hall, which was usually not full with disciples coming and going, was almost packed today, with a lively atmosphere and boisterous chatter.

It was the first time he witnessed it – the Gu Zizhan that Zhao Yifan had mentioned, the "Great Wealthy Scholar Gu" that people had been talking about these past few days. He was indeed generous and heroic!

"Everyone, senior brothers and junior brothers, all the food in the dining hall today, including the Spirit Rice Porridge, eat to your heart's content. It's all on my tab..."

The Great Wealthy Scholar Gu, surrounded by many disciples, appeared spirited and proud. Enhanced by the spiritual light of the magical artifacts on his person, he was the most dazzling presence in the dining hall.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Gu, Senior Brother is mighty and domineering!"

"Senior Brother, you went down the mountain to subdue a demon this time and encountered a ferocious-level Corpse-Eating Rat, yet you successfully slew it! You have now returned in triumph and received high praise from Master Lu and several other Dao Masters. Let us congratulate Senior Brother Gu!"

"Thanks to Senior Brother Gu's generosity, I can finally have two bowls of Spirit Rice Porridge..."

Amidst the praise of the disciples, Gu Zizhan, who was stout and had a somewhat rugged face, repeatedly cupped his hands with a smile. Although generous, he was quite approachable and not at all arrogant.

"Third layer of Qi Refining, and his Daoist robe, hairpin, silk slippers, etc., are all magical artifacts. This Gu Zizhan must be the legendary wealthy disciple!"

Li Qingyun observed Gu Zizhan from afar, through the crowd.

He felt that the man was quite hearty and approachable, and his generosity made him well-liked among the disciples in the back mountain.

He squeezed his way to the spiritual food counter in the dining hall and, luckily, managed to grab the last piece of spirit beast meat.

It was free, and it tasted amazing!

After sitting down and eating a few mouthfuls, Li Qingyun felt unsatisfied.

The spirit beast meat, after entering his stomach, quickly transformed into a warm current that nourished his body, and his Mana even showed a slight increase.

"This is good stuff, but it's just too expensive. A small piece of spirit beast meat like this usually costs one spirit stone!"

After finishing his meal, Li Qingyun also walked over to Gu Zizhan's side and, through the crowd, offered his thanks.

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for your generous hospitality. I wish you success on your Dao path and a bright future!"

Gu Zizhan nodded with a smile, thinking this unfamiliar junior brother had a sweet tongue. He took another look, as if to remember him, then resumed chatting and laughing with the elite disciples beside him.

"In Qinghe County, I have the reputation of the Young Gentleman of Benevolence and Charity, but here at Lingbao Temple, Senior Brother Gu is even more generous…"

Li Qingyun thought to himself as he left the mess hall, heading back to his bamboo hut.

"Li Qingyun, right? Wait a moment!"

A voice from behind called out to him.

Li Qingyun turned to look and saw a stranger, a middle-aged Daoist priest he'd never seen before.

The middle-aged Daoist priest had an ordinary face but carried an air of arrogance. A scar ran along his left cheek, close to his eye. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, and the surging Mana aura emanating from him suggested he was an elite disciple of Lingbao Temple.

Several disciples leaving the mess hall saw the middle-aged Daoist priest with the scarred face and their expressions immediately turned serious. They bowed respectfully and quickly departed.

"May I ask, Senior Brother, what guidance do you have for me?"

Li Qingyun's heart stirred slightly, and he then asked gently with a cupped-hand salute.

The middle-aged Daoist priest with the scarred face glanced sideways at Li Qingyun, whose Mana aura was almost nonexistent. He raised his chin and said with a fake smile, "My name is Cui Xinghuo. I'm also under Master Lu's tutelage, so you should call me Senior Brother Cui!"

Upon hearing the middle-aged Daoist priest's name, Li Qingyun's expression changed slightly.

He felt the shadow of the Cui family looming over him once again.

Given the surname Cui and his confrontational attitude, Li Qingyun quickly associated him with the Cui family.

As expected, the scarred-faced Daoist priest Cui Xinghuo said with disdain, "Someone asked me to look after you at the temple. But you, a useless person with no Dao Bone Spiritual Root, are lucky to even be alive here."

"Oh, I almost forgot the main point. You've been at the temple for some time but show no respect for your elders. What kind of conduct is this! My elder sister wrote to instruct you to write a letter back within these two days, so your family doesn't worry…"

Cui Xinghuo berated him in a commanding tone, his posture aggressive.

It was clear he was used to bossing people around and likely held some authority within Lingbao Temple.

Li Qingyun's handsome face grew cold. He wanted to retort a few words, but as they reached his lips, he dismissed the thought.

Arguing with such a petty person was meaningless now. Once he had divine abilities, this would all be like floating clouds!

A hint of coldness flickered in his eyes. He stared at Cui Xinghuo for a moment, then nodded and turned to leave.

"Still got some temper! A bastard illegitimate son. Without your family's support, let's see how long you can remain stubborn in the temple!"

Cui Xinghuo snorted coldly through his nose and then walked away with his hands behind his back.

He didn't see the faint glint of lightning intent in Li Qingyun's eyes as he turned away.

"This Cui family of Hejian is truly detestable!"

Li Qingyun hadn't expected the influential Cui family of Hejian to have such a long reach, even having members within Lingbao Temple.

After all, Maple Mountain's Lingbao Temple was nearly a thousand miles away from the Cui family in Hejian.

Cui Xinghuo looked to be of a considerable age, and his cultivation was somewhat unfathomable, likely at the third layer of Qi Refining or above. Given his age and cultivation, he must have joined Lingbao Temple a long time ago and should have achieved some standing by now.

It was not advisable to confront him directly for the time being. If an opportunity arose, eliminating him discreetly would be best.

"Even within the Daoist temple, the Cui family's high-handed pressure disrupts my Dao heart. This feeling is truly unpleasant! But if you want to know about my cultivation and the Spirit Devouring Gu within me, why wouldn't I want to use that to lull you, you venomous woman…"