Second Layer of Qi Condensation: Boiling Liquid into Qi

Chen Ganliu had never lived such a life of constant displacement in his previous life. As a child, he was taken away to study by a great scholar and didn't move for years. Later, he went through the imperial examinations and entered the capital, where he stayed for over a decade without leaving. As a handyman disciple in the Immortal Encounter Sect, he hadn't left the sect for twenty years.

Even when cultivating with Senior Sister in the Blazing Light Cave on Twin Cloud Mountain, he rarely went out except to buy and sell talismans, and even then, it was almost always within the Shuangyun Immortal Market.

This life, however, he could barely stay anywhere for long.

"In my previous life, although I was a handyman disciple in the Immortal Encounter Sect, bullied and looked down upon everywhere, I never faced any life-or-death danger."

"But now, I have the Dao Jue, a miraculous method to improve my aptitude. Although it's very dangerous, my future is much brighter than in my past life."

"If I'm given a few years, by the time I cultivate the Azure Emperor Jia Yi Art to the Second Layer, and then master the Heavenly Demon Vein Shifting Method, and refine this Demon Core..."

Bai Yunniang had prepared a table full of dishes and asked with a smile, "That young gentleman just now was handsome and refined, but his cultivation was low, and he was a bit timid."

"How did you get to know him, Young Mountain Master?"

Yang Xuesheng picked up her bamboo chopsticks, grabbed a piece of fried fish, and said with a grin, "Last time I passed by Chen Family Village, I saw the Spiritual Gate of the He Shan Sect capturing zombies. He was a young disciple of the Spiritual Gate, following his master."

"If it weren't for the sake of the He Shan Sect's ancestor, I would have wanted to capture him back then because he was so clever, and make him a mountain-guarding boy."

Bai Yunniang chuckled and said, "We already have too many mountain-guarding boys on the mountain. What exactly does the Mountain Master want to do?"

Yang Xuesheng shook her head and said, "I don't know either."

Seeing that she didn't want to talk about it, Bai Yunniang didn't ask further and changed the subject, "Young Mountain Master, how is your spirit stone tempering spell coming along?"

Yang Xuesheng's face immediately fell, and she replied, "This spell is probably incomplete. I've been practicing for a long time, and now I've bought all the raw spirit stone ore from several immortal markets, but I still haven't mastered it."

"I originally wanted to master this spell to surprise my father and create a new source of wealth for the mountain. Now it seems that it won't happen."

Chen Ganliu spared no effort, urging the Talisman Black Donkey, and galloped until nightfall. Only then did he find a sheltered spot, cleared the ground, and used stones to press down several talismans to suppress the surroundings.

Although this place was unlikely to be safe, Chen Ganliu had come to terms with it. Where in the mortal world was truly safe?

When it was time to cultivate, he would cultivate.

He took out the green bead and, recalling the Heavenly Demon Vein Shifting Method in his mind, circulated his full magical power, attempting to cultivate this great art, one of the thirty-six forbidden techniques of the Demon Race.

In the blink of an eye, a night passed. Chen Ganliu once again confirmed that his aptitude was indeed very poor, and he couldn't help but sigh and mutter to himself, "What a difficult spell."

This night of cultivation made Chen Ganliu realize one thing: without seven to eight months of practice, he would definitely not be able to achieve the first step of cultivating the Heavenly Demon Vein Shifting Method, which was to integrate the Demon Core into his body. As for how to refine the Demon Core into a spiritual vein using spells, it would take at least several years.

Chen Ganliu secretly thought, "I originally wanted to cultivate in seclusion in the Jinyun Immortal Market, but it's too dangerous here with great demons rampant. Senior Sister warned me not to come here, and her words were truly golden."

"The spiritual mountains and blessed lands of the world are already occupied. Ordinary places are not safe enough. Only immortal markets, with cultivators coming and going, and abundant spiritual energy, are more conducive to cultivation than mortal lands, allowing us rogue cultivators to find refuge."

"I can't go to Qingyun Immortal Market, and it's not good to return to Suiyang Immortal Market. Shuangyun Immortal Market is still dangerous, and now Jinyun Immortal Market is also not a place to return to. If some great demon fancies me, thinking my flesh is tender and juicy, and secretly drags me to a secluded place to devour me, wouldn't that be a tragedy? I can only go to the Talisman Collection Immortal Market for now."

In his previous life, Chen Ganliu had visited the Talisman Collection Immortal Market once. He had thought his talisman skills were quite good, but here, they were nothing. Discouraged and dejected, he left.

After all, his cultivation was too low, and he hadn't grasped the Heart Talisman Technique at the time. The talismans he drew sold for lower prices in the Talisman Collection, and buyers often picked them apart.

This time, he truly had no choice. The other immortal markets were too far away, and Chen Ganliu didn't want to waste any more time.

Anyway, he had Talisman Coins and Spirit Stones, so even if business was slow, it wouldn't affect his cultivation.

By now, the sky was bright. Chen Ganliu got on the Talisman Black Donkey and traveled without incident. When he arrived at his destination, he quietly entered the Talisman Collection Immortal Market. Poor cultivators like him were common in any immortal market, and he didn't alert any cultivators.

A while ago, the Talisman Collection Immortal Market had also been in chaos, but after the Great Demon was "repelled" by the Immortal Encounter Sect, and unlike Suiyang Immortal Market, which had not suffered a demonic calamity, the Talisman Collection Immortal Market had long since returned to its original appearance.

As for how many people died in the Immortal Encounter Sect, these rogue cultivators didn't care; it was just another topic of conversation.

The Talisman Collection Immortal Market was different from Suiyang Immortal Market. Instead, like Qingyun Immortal Market, it was directly managed by the Green Leaf Sect. Therefore, young Daoists with several green leaves embroidered on their robes could be seen everywhere in the market.

Some of these young disciples from the Green Leaf Sect were setting up stalls to sell their talismans, while others were casually wandering around, looking for cultivation items. Although it wasn't the main market day for the Talisman Collection Immortal Market, it was slightly livelier than Suiyang Immortal Market.

Chen Ganliu chose a spot and set up a tent.

A few wooden poles were propped up and loosely tied together, wrapped with a piece of multi-colored cloth. Dry grass was laid inside, and a few newly made cushions and backrests were stuffed in. Although it was a bit cramped, it could be used for rest.

He dared not build a wooden house anymore.

If someone recognized him from his time in Suiyang Immortal Market and the Immortal Encounter Sect came looking for clues to capture him, he would truly die an unjust death.

Chen Ganliu didn't bother with pretense or setting up a stall. After setting up the tent, he hid inside and cultivated peacefully.

Although his behavior was strange, cultivators were inherently eccentric. For the first few days, people would look at him more, but later, no one paid attention, treating him like a stone.

Chen Ganliu was initially quite uneasy, but after more than a month with nothing happening, he relaxed. He occasionally sold some talismans, not for profit, but just to appear more legitimate.

This time, Chen Ganliu was continuing to refine the Wood Demon Pearl when suddenly all his meridians became restless. A surge of vital energy from seven or eight acupoints rushed up, circulating through his meridians endlessly. When the True Qi entered his nasal cavity, it suddenly sprayed out, transforming into two streams of white Qi, seven to eight inches long, that writhed and stretched.

This feeling was extremely familiar. Chen Ganliu had experienced it once in his previous life.

This was the Second Layer of Qi Condensation, Boiling Liquid into Qi!

After leaving Chen Family Village, whether in Suiyang Immortal Market, going to the Blazing Light Cave on Twin Cloud Mountain, or coming to the Talisman Collection Immortal Market, Chen Ganliu could feel his cultivation progressing faster. Especially after the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade "recognized him as its master," he didn't know if it was the Great Vehicle Myriad Flower Fist cultivation reaching completion, strengthening his physical body, making cultivation easier, or if this immortal flying blade brought some spiritual power. Regardless, his progress was faster than before.

But no matter what, Chen Ganliu had never expected to break through to the Second Layer of Qi Condensation in such a short period.

He was filled with emotion and secretly calculated the days. It seemed he had been away from home for almost a year.

After three years of seclusion in Chen Family Village, he was at the Qi Refining Layer One. Cultivating in various immortal markets was certainly much better than in Chen Family Village, but breaking through in about a year...

Chen Ganliu suddenly had a feeling and thought to himself, "Was I delayed by the Immortal Encounter Sect?"

I can't go on like this. I've decided I must break through tomorrow...

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