Twelve Immortal Qi

"Ancient Chu Kingdom, also known as the Fire Kingdom, stretches for hundreds of millions of miles..."

Around the campfire, a group of people were chatting about everything under the sun. The old man named Chu Huo Gun, who came from Red Crow City, spoke with great gusto:

"Legend has it that within the Ancient Chu royal court, a fire-attributed Mountain Sea Exotic Beast, the Lei Bird, is imprisoned. Its Fire Virtue Qi is so abundant that it spreads all the way to this Southern Wilderness Border..."

"This border region is now under the jurisdiction of our Red Crow City... Red Crow, that's a fire bird."

"With Red Crow City as the boundary, to the north is the territory of Ancient Chu Kingdom, while the great mountains to the south are where those demonic spirits and ghostly fiends rule."

"Elder Chu, with your vast knowledge and experience, you've truly broadened my horizons."

Chen Xuan was deeply impressed, nodding frequently. At the same time, he glanced at the heavy snow falling outside the temple, silently weighing the truth of the old man's words in his mind.

There seemed to be some substance to it, but not all that much, it appeared.

According to Chu Huo Gun, his family of three had come from the renowned Red Crow City.

They had taken the remote path through Willow Town and were heading toward Peach Town, a place a hundred miles away with no human presence.

Beyond Peach Town lay the boundless Southern Wilderness mountains.

Aside from them, others from Red Crow City had also come, but they took different routes—those main roads were longer but relatively safer.

"This journey is fraught with danger. The closer we get to the Southern Wilderness, the more ferocious the people become."

"The other day, when we passed through the small Willow Town, there was even a vicious martial artist named Chen Xuan. Relying on his high martial arts skills, he crippled his own master and even killed two disciples of Green Deer Mountain. He's simply a heaven-sent villain, turning everything upside down..."

Chu Huo Gun ate wild boar meat as he boasted about the sights along the way. "Some say he fled south, but a hundred miles south of Willow Town is uninhabited, it's snowing heavily, and he was gravely injured. He's probably dead on the road."

Chen Xuan was taken aback. He hadn't expected to hear his own story, and his expression turned somewhat strange.

Chu Huo Gun didn't know much about the Willow Town incident; he had only heard passersby chatting about it and remembered it. Now he brought it up as an anecdote, casually commented on it, followed the trend by cursing a couple of times, and then asked Chen Xuan, "By the way, young friend, meeting is fate. May I ask your esteemed name?"

"..."

Chen Xuan blinked, his face calm as he said, "...Wang Chan."

"The cicada senses before the autumn wind stirs—a fine name."

Chu Huo Gun stroked his goatee and commented, then said, "Brother Xiao Wang, do you know that the Green Deer Mountain that Chen Xuan offended is truly a remarkable place..."

Chen Xuan immediately perked up, putting on an expression of rapt attention.

"Keep the wine coming!"

Chu Huo Gun was very pleased with Chen Xuan's enthusiasm, so he reached out to the bright-eyed maiden beside him, asking again for the wine gourd in her hand.

The maiden named Chu Qing Ling glared at him with her peach blossom eyes, unwilling to give it, worried he might say something wrong. "Grandpa Huo Gun, you're drunk!"

Chu Huo Gun wasn't angry. He pointed a finger at the maiden and said cheerfully, "You girl, always afraid I'll drink too much and say the wrong thing, but the people from Green Deer Mountain aren't here."

Then he turned around and, without any restraint, began telling Chen Xuan some rumors about Green Deer Mountain.

Green Deer Mountain.

It was one of the major powers near Red Crow City, with a motley crew of disciples—martial artists, Daoist priests, and even demonic spirits and ghostly fiends.

They usually dominated one region, committing all kinds of evil, but because their influence was too strong, even the official forces of Red Crow City sometimes couldn't do anything about them.

'Good, Junior Brother Wang Chan, birds of a feather flock together. You've added another reason to deserve death.'

Chen Xuan sneered inwardly at this.

According to Chu Huo Gun, Red Crow City and Green Deer Mountain were the two largest powers in the vicinity.

Among them, most Qi Refiners from Red Crow City followed the orthodox path, cultivating Fire Virtue Red Qi, seeking to "burn mountains and boil seas" and "wear away the three poisons of Greed, Anger, and Ignorance."

Meanwhile, most Qi Refiners from Green Deer Mountain cultivated Wood Attribute Green Qi.

Chen Xuan knew nothing about this, so he frankly asked the old man for guidance. Chu Huo Gun found it unbelievable. "You don't even know this?"

Chen Xuan then made up a story to answer, "Elder Chu, you don't understand. In the past, I was in the mountains and was guided by a Daoist priest, luckily stepping onto the path of Qi Refining... A wild cultivator from the mountains and swamps, practicing blindly, knowing nothing..."

Chu Huo Gun knew the hardships of wild cultivators, so he generously shared some information that wasn't exactly secret.

Qi Refiners cultivate "Qi."

The Mountain and Sea Twelve Immortal Qi.

These refer to the twelve most common types of Immortal Qi passed down from the Mountains and Seas Era, each with different miraculous properties.

It is said that in the distant Mountains and Seas Era, the first human Ancient Sage accidentally absorbed a wisp of Immortal Qi from a dead Mountain Sea Exotic Beast and thus achieved Feather Transformation and Ascended to Immortality.

Later.

Taotie, Nine-Tails, Phoenix, Fei Niu... one by one, Mountain Sea Exotic Beasts were slaughtered by the gradually strengthening Ancient Sages, who took their Immortal Qi. Many species went extinct, and the Mountains and Seas Era came to an end.

Thus.

The era of Qi Refiners arrived, where Immortals and Ghosts Run Rampant and the Purple Firmament Dried Up.

"I see."

Chen Xuan nodded. This reminded him of the magnificent "Immortal Locking Sun Painting" on the dome of the sky.

Was the sun in the sky really one of the eyes of the Ancient Mountain God—the Candle Dragon—from the Mountains and Seas Era? Was it now truly imprisoned by some ancient immortals? This was simply shocking.

As for the realms of Qi Refiners, that was also interesting.

The very first realm is called [Ascension].

By cultivating a breathing method, the body undergoes ascension and rebirth, triggering a transformative, bone-deep qualitative change, ultimately nurturing the first wisp of Mountain Sea Immortal Qi within the body.

Chu Huo Gun and his two companions were all figures at the Ascension level.

However, the old man had achieved ascension early in his youth and had already cultivated one strand of Immortal Qi.

As for the pair of siblings, they had only recently begun Qi Refining. Their purpose in coming to the Southern Wilderness this time was to hope that during the once-every-twenty-years Taotie Feast, they could obtain a mature Terrestrial Treasure Tree from the mountains to achieve perfect ascension.

"In Red Crow City, there are some geniuses of Qi Refining who, after ascending, devour heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Their physical strength rapidly surges to a terrifying five or six thousand jin in a short time," Chu Huo Gun said.

Five or six thousand jin!

Chen Xuan's heart shook at these words. This was too horrifying. If a human body could bear a terrifying strength of six thousand jin, then their bones, muscles, and skin must have already transformed to be incomparably tough. Tearing apart tigers and leopards with bare hands would be no trouble at all.

Such beings had already stood at the pyramid's peak of mortal power, fearing no threat.

Chu Huo Gun scrutinized Chen Xuan for a few moments, then suddenly asked with confusion, "Brother Xiao Wang, I can see your foundation is very stable, your roots are not shallow. You must have trained in martial arts from a young age... but why is your qi and blood only around a thousand jin? Could it be that you recklessly cultivated and muddled your way through the path of ascension?"

He was a seasoned, long-time Ascension Qi Refiner, with sharp, experienced eyes. At this moment, he saw something off in Chen Xuan and was greatly puzzled.

An ordinary person's qi and blood could not possibly be as strong as Chen Xuan's. He had to be either a demon or an already-ascended Qi Refiner.

But if he had already ascended, yet his strength was only a thousand jin, that meant his talent was abysmally poor, barely qualifying him to practice Qi Refining.

Even if such a person became a Qi Refiner, they would have no future and would end up as the lowest of the low.

Normally, after a Qi Refiner undergoes a complete path of ascension, their strength increasing to around two thousand jin was considered normal.

Three to four thousand jin meant a bit of talent. If they were fortunate enough to reach five or six thousand jin, they were true geniuses. In an entire era in Red Crow City, there wouldn't be many such Influential Figures.

Chu Huo Gun said with a face full of regret, "Brother Xiao Wang, ah, you've reaped what you sowed. On this path of Qi Refining, you can see the end at a single glance..."

He was even inferior to these two juniors of his who had just started Qi Refining.

"..."

Chen Xuan opened his mouth to speak, but the bright-eyed maiden named Chu Qing Ling suddenly interrupted loudly, complaining, "Grandpa Fire Stick, you're really drunk! Stop talking nonsense!"

As she spoke, the maiden quickly flashed a shallow smile at Chen Xuan, her Peach Blossom Eyes full of helplessness. "My grandfather is drunk. Brother Xiao Wang, don't listen to his rambling."

For an elder to say such unpleasant things to someone's face, even if without malice and speaking the truth, was bound to be grating and embarrassing.

Although this handsome young Qi Refiner in front of her was weak in strength and had no future.

But even a "Straw Bag" Qi Refiner needed face! Today, they were going to offend someone for no reason again!

"..."

Chen Xuan actually had no extra thoughts. He was quickly digesting all this precious information he had obtained, while at the same time, warning himself in his heart.

He himself had not yet set foot on the path of ascension.

But from now on, he needed to be cautious.

At this moment, every single breath he took was aligning with the ancient Mystic Cat Breathing Method, causing his body to be reborn anew.

He had a premonition in his heart that in the next few days, or even tonight, he would successfully set foot on the path of ascension.

This was merely a chance encounter.

Before long, the wind and snow outside the temple gradually subsided, and the three members of the Chu family prepared to leave.

"Brother Xiao Wang, ahead is Peach Town, close to the Southern Wilderness mountain range. The road will be even more dangerous. Your strength is insufficient. If you are unwilling to travel with us, it would be best to stop here," Chu Huo Gun kindly advised Chen Xuan as he left.

Ahead, Peach Town had been an unsettled place in past years, rarely visited by people.

Now, it was about to become even more chaotic. Qi Refiners would gather in force, and even some hidden demons and monsters would emerge from the Southern Wilderness mountains.

The once-every-twenty-years Southern Wilderness feast meant battles in the sky above, and collateral damage on the ground below. That desolate area of Peach Town was no longer suitable for mortals to survive.

"Thank you for your kindness, Old Chu, but I have other arrangements."

Chen Xuan shook his head in refusal. He would soon undergo ascension, and at that time, he would inevitably fall into a deep slumber.

Although he could tell that these three people from the Chu family did not seem like evil people.

But when alone in the outside world, one must be wary of others. It was better to go their separate ways.

That very night.

Chen Xuan finished eating the remaining roasted wild boar meat and began his complete ascension.

"Swish!"

Countless shimmering, multicolored threads emerged one after another from within Chen Xuan's body, dancing wildly in the air. Their light fell upon the snow, like the flickering aurora over a frozen polar plain.

This radiance was rich and gorgeous, painting a beautiful picture on the snowy ground. Thousands of golden, silver-white, crimson-red... threads gleaming with metallic luster intertwined, ultimately outlining a flawless Ascension Immortal Garment.

The immortal robe settled upon him.

It was an immortal.

This Ascension Immortal Garment, containing twelve colors with black as the dominant hue, draped over Chen Xuan's body.

"Whoosh!"

In his slumber, Chen Xuan felt a tingling numbness spread through his entire body. The Ascension Immortal Garment was like millions of gentle hands, cleansing his marrow and reshaping his bones. It made him shiver uncontrollably, yet a warmth suffused him.

With each shiver, his body underwent a transformation. His mind grew clearer, his blood and qi surged like rising tides, wave after wave, as if there would be no end.

Without a doubt, he was undergoing a complete ascension.

"Whoosh!"

The night stretched long. At some moment, Chen Xuan abruptly opened his eyes. As he breathed, the faint sound of a dragon's roar and a tiger's howl could be heard.

He stood up from the melted slush of snow, looked at a withered old tree as thick as a bowl beside him, clenched his five fingers into a fist, and then threw a heavy punch that could be called earth-shattering.

"Bang!"

The old tree snapped and fell, snowflakes scattering in all directions.

Though the tree had long been dead and decayed, Chen Xuan breaking it with a single punch was a shockingly impactful scene. If an outsider had witnessed it, they would likely be dumbfounded, their jaw dropping to the ground.

"This punch has at least two thousand jin of force!"

Even Chen Xuan himself was astonished. The qi and blood within him surged like a roaring river, as if his entire body was brimming with inexhaustible strength.

His strength had already doubled that of a Straw Bag Qi Refiner like the Fat Yellow Man!

"Old Man Chu said that an ordinary Qi Refiner has two thousand jin of force, but I've only just stepped onto the path of ascension, and I'm already on par with them."

Chen Xuan muttered to himself. He had enough conviction to firmly believe he was no ordinary man, and this was once again proven.

Moreover, as he swung his fist, he faintly sensed a nearly tangible flow of energy rapidly moving through his limbs and bones. That seemed to be the legendary [Immortal Qi]!

"Having stepped onto the path of ascension, my strength will continue to undergo a terrifying increase in the coming days."

Chen Xuan returned to the temple, put on his clothes, and murmured, "If I can keep growing until I reach six thousand jin, then within a thousand li of Red Crow City, I'll be considered one of the rare Qi Refining geniuses."

Thinking this, he dashed swiftly into the darkness of the night.

The ascension process consumed too much energy. In just one day, he had almost completely devoured a wild boar weighing close to two hundred jin, and yet it still wasn't enough!

Food.

He needed to eat a lot of food. The hunger in his stomach was already unbearable!