Past and Present Lives, Choosing the Great Spring Technique!

That evening, Mother Chen Xiuyun prepared a lavish dinner to celebrate.

The lavishness of this meal lay not in the dishes, but in the rice.

"Wow, Spirit Rice!" Li Qingyuan stared at the heaping basin of Spirit Rice, practically drooling.

Spirit Rice was precious and not cheap.

Ordinarily, the family only ate it during holidays or when there was some great occasion to celebrate.

Chen Xiuyun smiled gently and looked at her son. "Blessed by the ancestors, Yuan'er not only has a spirit root, but a Four-Element Spirit Root at that."

"My Qingyuan will definitely become a Mid Qi Condensation cultivator in the future, an Immortal Master who cultivates Spiritual Sense and can use Sword Flight."

Father and son, Li Dingzhou and Li Qingyuan, Looked at Each Other and smiled knowingly.

Li Dingzhou secretly swelled with pride. What was Mid Qi Condensation? Qingyuan would at least become a Late Qi Condensation expert in the future, perhaps even Attempt Foundation Establishment.

After all, Qingyuan possessed a superior Three-Element Spirit Root, with aptitude extremely close to that of a Dual-Attribute Spirit Root.

If a Dual-Attribute Spirit Root consisted of Gold Attribute and Wood Attribute, gold restrained wood.

Such a Dual-Attribute Spirit Root had mutually restraining attributes.

A wood, fire, and earth Three-Element Spirit Root, whose three attributes generated one another, cultivated no slower than a Dual-Attribute Spirit Root with mutually restraining attributes.

Chen Xiuyun kept putting food into her son's bowl and said with concern, "Yuan'er, eat more."

Li Qingyuan wolfed down his food, not forgetting to praise her. "Mother's cooking really is getting better and better."

Li Qingyuan liked the parents of this life very much. They had let him feel the warmth of home.

After eating and drinking their fill, the family of three took a walk in the courtyard.

As a Qi Condensation Third Layer cultivator of the Lineage, Li Dingzhou's status within the clan was not especially high, but neither was it low. He owned an independent Small Courtyard.

After walking off their meal, they washed up and went to sleep.

Li Qingyuan slept by himself in a side room. He had a room of his own.

That night, Li Qingyuan slept exceptionally soundly.

Because he had a spirit root.

However, he had another nightmare.

In the dream, he was an infant. Because of Congenital Heart Disease, he had been abandoned by his biological parents.

So cold, so hungry.

Later, a kindhearted person brought him to the police station, and he was then sent to an orphanage, where he barely survived.

But he had been frail and sickly since childhood. His weakened heart function left his blood lacking vitality.

Insufficient blood supply led to deficient qi and blood, a cold and weak spleen and stomach, icy hands and feet, and a fear of winter.

Even after a kindhearted person had funded him through high school, after he graduated college and worked for less than two years, his heart disease worsened and he suddenly died.

"Ah!"

Li Qingyuan suddenly woke, drenched in sweat.

"Ha, ha, ha~" Like a drowning man, he gulped down great lungfuls of air.

After steadying his emotions, Li Qingyuan said with resolute eyes, "Having lived another life, I not only want a healthy, powerful body, I also want to cultivate immortality and live forever."

Chinese people's obsession with cultivation was rooted deep in their genes, deep in their bloodlines, deep in their souls.

Emperors of every dynasty, eminent Daoists, mystic sect cultivators, and the countless masses all yearned for cultivation and immortality.

That obsession had already risen to immeasurable heights.

Li Qingyuan was no exception.

By then, dawn had broken.

Li Qingyuan got up and washed, while Mother rose early to prepare breakfast.

After breakfast, Father Li Dingzhou said, "Come, son. The Great Elder instructed me yesterday to accompany you to the Lineage's Pillars of Cultivation Building."

"Alright, Father." Li Qingyuan nodded.

Two quarters of an hour later, father and son arrived at the Lineage's Pillars of Cultivation Building.

Father Li Dingzhou was merely a Qi Condensation Third Layer cultivator and had not cultivated Spiritual Sense. His spiritual energy could only wield magical artifacts over short distances to kill enemies and defend himself; it could not let him fly.

Therefore, father and son had walked there.

Early Qi Refining cultivators were far stronger than ordinary people, but that strength had not yet reached the point of qualitative change.

Among mortals, martial masters who cultivated to profound realms could also kill Early Qi Refining cultivators.

In mortal kingdoms, inspirational tales had always circulated—stories of mortal generals slaying Qi Refining Immortal Masters, obtaining cultivation techniques, and embarking upon the path of cultivation.

"We're here!"

At the entrance to the Pillars of Cultivation Building, the Great Elder had already arrived.

Li Dingzhou cupped his hands. "Greetings, Great Elder."

Li Qingyuan, Li Qingqing, and Li Qingbao respectfully bowed. "Greetings, Great Elder Grandfather."

The Great Elder helped Li Dingzhou up and said kindly, "Nephew Dingzhou, there is no need for such formality."

"Speaking of which, when this old man was young and had just entered the immortal path, I received much guidance from your grandfather. Your father and I had also known each other since childhood."

"By the Lineage's generations, Nephew, you ought to call this old man Uncle."

Li Dingzhou was naturally not some pedantic man. He hurriedly smiled and said, "Your nephew Dingzhou greets Uncle Guangyao."

Li Guangyao was the Great Elder's name.

The Guang Generation, the Ding Generation, the Qing Generation...

In a Qi Condensation Family, age and seniority were orderly, as were status and rank.

Great Elder Li Guangyao stroked his beard and laughed. "Good, good, good."

"Nephew Dingzhou, go to the side hall. The Clan Leader has important matters to tell you."

"As for Qingyuan and the other three, leave them to this old man."

Li Dingzhou cupped his hands. "Yes, this nephew shall take his leave."

Li Guangyao looked at the three children and smiled. "Little ones, come with me."

He led the three into the Pillars of Cultivation Building, saying as they walked, "The Pillars of Cultivation Building is where our Li Immortal Clan's cultivation techniques are passed down."

"For every Immortal Seedling tested each year, the first thing they do is come here to choose a cultivation technique."

Several meditation cushions lay scattered around the room.

Great Elder Li Guangyao said, "All of you, sit."

"This old man will choose cultivation techniques for you."

Li Qingyuan and the other two obediently sat down.

Li Guangyao coughed and said leisurely, "On our Willow Crane Island, so long as one is a Cultivation Family, Qi Refining techniques are not difficult to obtain."

"Among Qi Refining Stage techniques, aside from techniques for special spirit roots and Mutated Spirit Roots, Five-Element Attribute Qi Refining techniques are nearly complete in every Qi Condensation Family."

Li Qingyuan paused, suddenly thinking of Han Laomo.

Han Laomo had only learned at the Ascension Conference that the Evergreen Technique truly was a cultivation technique found everywhere, costing a dozen or so Spirit Stones per copy.

Yet even the commonplace Evergreen Technique was something mortals could encounter only by luck and never seek out.

Li Guangyao beckoned, and five Secret Manuals flew over from a wooden shelf. He introduced them:

"The five-element Qi Refining techniques commonly used in the Cultivation World are—the Great Spring Technique, Blazing Sun Technique, Stone Stacking Technique, Gold Entanglement Technique, and Water Essence Technique."

Li Guangyao said, "Li Qingbao, you have a mixed five-element spirit root. You can cultivate any one of these techniques."

Li Qingbao was the first Little Fatty whose spirit root had been tested. Round and chubby, he was adorably fat.

The child hurriedly said, "Great Elder Grandfather, my father told me to cultivate the Stone Stacking Technique."

Li Guangyao Pondered. "Your father cultivates the Stone Stacking Technique as well. That is good. After you return, your father can guide you."

"That way, both comprehension and cultivation will proceed faster."

"What about you, Little Qingqing?" Li Guangyao looked at Li Qingqing and smiled kindly, his face benevolent and amiable.

Li Qingqing was a cute, delicate little girl. Most elders who saw her immediately took a liking to her.

Li Qingqing said in a clear voice, "Great Elder Grandfather, I choose the Water Essence Technique."

"My father also told me to choose it."

Li Guangyao nodded. "Not bad. Your father cultivates the Water Essence Technique and has now reached Qi Condensation Third Layer Perfection. He can guide your cultivation."

"And lastly, you, Little Qingyuan." Li Guangyao smiled. "The Great Spring Technique, Blazing Sun Technique, Stone Stacking Technique—which do you wish to choose?"

After thinking for a moment, Li Guangyao reminded him, "Oh, right. Your father cultivates the Blazing Sun Technique."

A flash of inspiration came to Li Qingyuan, and he blurted out, "I choose the Great Spring Technique."

The words Great Spring Technique reminded Li Qingyuan of a famous work from his previous life, Zhuangzi's "Free and Easy Wandering."

In ancient times, there was a Great Chun Tree that took eight thousand years for spring and eight thousand years for autumn.

In China's classical mythology, the Great Chun Tree was a Long-lived Immortal Divine Tree.

Li Guangyao asked in surprise, "Oh, the Great Spring Technique? Are you sure?"