Immortal Arrival

After replenishing the electricity for the Uninterruptible Power Supply in the Server Room Space, Li Shiming used his consciousness to open the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Art" document stored in the IBMz15 Mainframe.

With the knowledge accumulated by the original body, he was able to understand something of this "Five Elements Qi Absorption Art," rather than being completely at a loss.

This cultivation technique used an energy called Spiritual Qi for one's own purposes, forming a Spiritual Qi Vortex in the chest. As long as a stable Spiritual Qi Vortex appeared, one had reached the Qi Refining First Level and entered the path of cultivation.

The "Five Elements Qi Absorption Art" was a Qi Refining Stage technique. It could be cultivated all the way to the Qi Refining Peak, after which another technique would be needed.

Li Shiming tried sitting on the ground and sensing the Spiritual Qi around him according to the method described in the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Art."

Yet to his disappointment, no matter how he sensed, he could not detect this so-called Spiritual Qi.

How could he have known that for an ordinary person to sense Spiritual Qi, they first had to be in a place with Abundant Spiritual Qi? Those with poorer talent also needed the assistance of Pills before they could cross the hurdle of sensing Spiritual Qi.

Spiritual Qi was already weak in the mortal world. On top of that, he was in Nanling Prefecture rather than deep in the mountains and old forests, where Spiritual Qi was relatively more abundant. It was even harder for him to sense it.

Disappointed, Li Shiming used his consciousness to open the "Rune Inception" document. Runes were the writing used to create Talismans.

"Rune Inception" contained methods for making many types of elementary Talismans, but every elementary Talisman shared one fundamental requirement: the maker had to possess Spiritual Qi.

Moreover, the more complicated an elementary Talisman was, the more Spiritual Qi it required, and the stronger its creator needed to be.

Through "Rune Inception," he learned that the rune patterns emitting green light from Shi Ximing's legs had been the state of a Low-Grade Body Lightening Talisman after use.

The Talismans with their miraculous effects made his mouth water, especially an Elementary Lightning Talisman that could actually generate electricity. If he could make one, perhaps it could solve the problem of insufficient power.

He helplessly Shook His Head. Not to mention that he could not sense Spiritual Qi—even if he could, he did not have the materials needed to make Talismans.

The materials for making Talismans had to be specially prepared. Most were materials cultivated specifically by cultivators and imbued with Spiritual Qi. They simply did not exist in the mortal world.

At the end of "Rune Inception" were some explanations regarding cultivation items. Escort Chief Wang's ancestors had left them behind to prevent descendants with cultivation aptitude from entering the cultivation world with their eyes smeared black.

This also let Li Shiming know that the wooden sword was a Superior-Grade Magic Tool, while the Leather Pouch he had picked up was a Storage Bag, a Space Item commonly used by cultivators.

Storage Bags were the lowest grade among Space Items. Opening one was not difficult; one merely needed Spiritual Power.

The problem had returned to where it began: he still needed Spiritual Qi.

Li Shiming was not in a hurry. Although cultivating the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Art" produced no results, he still reread it over and over every day.

To deepen his understanding of the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Art," he used the IBMz15 Mainframe's input capability to record every book in the manor study into the IBMz15 Mainframe.

Through his father Li Wenyuan's connections, he also borrowed a large number of Daoist books from nearby temples and recorded them all into the IBMz15 Mainframe.

As this vast amount of knowledge supplemented his own, his understanding of the "Five Elements Qi Absorption Art" grew increasingly profound.

Once he sensed Spiritual Qi, he was confident that he could begin cultivating in earnest.

One morning four days later, he entered the garden with a book in hand. The garden had nearly been cleared over the past few days. Apart from the area around the Artificial Hill, everywhere else had been cleaned up.

The investigation had also concluded. According to the news brought by the servant Mo Yan, the large pit by the Artificial Hill would be filled in within the next day or two, and flowers and grass would be planted again.

With the busy constables gone, the garden had regained its tranquility, greatly improving his mood.

He came to the pavilion and sat down. Si Qin brought him tea and pastries.

With the quiet and peaceful atmosphere all around, a beautiful maid attending him at his side, even the classics in his hand seemed more engaging.

After learning that cultivators existed in the Central Capital, he had adopted a new attitude toward the Autumn Examination, which he had previously not valued much.

If he could pass the triennial Autumn Examination, he would take the Spring Examination in the Central Capital next spring. Then he could travel to the Central Capital openly and legitimately.

So long as he found cultivators, perhaps he could solve the problem of being unable to sense Spiritual Qi. At the very least, it was a hope.

So long as there was a sliver of hope, he would strive for it.

As for passing the Autumn Examination, if someone like him—who had loaded every book in the study into his mind and could recite the more than six million characters of the family-inherited Selected Classics backward without a hitch—still could not pass, he truly could not imagine who could be better at studying than him.

However, the quiet environment for reading was soon disturbed. Li Shiming heard the footsteps of several people. He put down his book and looked toward the source of the sound.

This was the Back Garden, part of the private residence. Previously, constables had only been allowed in to investigate because of the explosion in the garden.

Now that the investigation was over, the only person who could enter the garden should have been his father, Li Wenyuan.

Li Shiming looked at the sky. It was only morning, the busiest time of Li Wenyuan's day. By Li Wenyuan's principles as an official, it was impossible for him to come to the garden at this hour.

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Li Wenyuan approaching with a young man and woman.

His eyes narrowed slightly. The young man and woman walked at Li Wenyuan's side, not half a step behind him.

For Li Wenyuan to treat them so, their identities had to be far from ordinary.

The two young people wore expressions that made Li Shiming extremely uncomfortable—expressions that regarded ordinary people as ants. Their lofty, condescending manner sat poorly with Li Shiming, who came from a world of equality.

What confirmed the identities of the two young people for Li Shiming were the Leather Pouches at their waists. Though their styles differed from the one he possessed, they bore the same intricate rune patterns on their surfaces.

"Shiming, come offer Greetings to the two Immortals!" When Li Wenyuan saw him, though he knew his son was steady by nature, he still spoke at once.

He feared that his son might accidentally offend the two Immortals. As a prefectural governor, he had no way of restraining them.

Li Shiming stood up and gave the two Immortals the salute of a scholar.

The two Immortals said nothing. They merely nodded slightly and paid him no further attention.

"The two Immortals are going to inspect that site. Study diligently," Li Wenyuan said to Li Shiming. Seeing the two Immortals' attitude, he did not introduce him further.

"Father, I was the first to discover that site. I will go with you," Li Shiming said after thinking it over.

Li Wenyuan glanced at the two cultivators. Upon hearing that Li Shiming had been the first to see the site, the male cultivator nodded.

Li Shiming Waved His Hand at Si Qin, telling her to return to the courtyard by herself, then followed behind Li Wenyuan.