Taibai Ruins

"This last item is called a Taibai Token. It can help Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators enter the Taibai Ruins. The incomplete Taibai Sword Art you cultivate was brought out of the ruins by a senior of the sect, while the Great White Sword Pellet you use was also obtained by your master within the ruins during my Foundation Establishment Realm days. Its attributes did not match mine, so I kept it all this time."

"Master means for me to make a trip to the Taibai Ruins."

Fang Xiao accepted the three items, put the cultivation technique and inheritance into his Storage Bag, then examined the Taibai Token in his hand before looking up and speaking.

"Correct. That is also why I gave you the Foundation Establishment Pill in advance. The Taibai Ruins cannot be entered at any time. Too much time has passed, and we do not know why the Taibai Sword Sect was destroyed. Yet the sect has long been surrounded by countless spatial rifts. It must have endured an exceptionally fierce battle. According to calculations by the various holy lands, some of those spatial rifts temporarily close roughly once every hundred years. That is the only chance to enter the Taibai Sword Sect."

"I wonder what this disciple must do upon going to the Taibai Sword Sect."

Perhaps because Fang Xiao cultivated the incomplete Taibai Sword Art as well and was somewhat special, the sect wanted him to investigate.

"First, investigate the reason behind the Taibai Sword Sect's destruction. The sect has some conjectures about this matter, but no related clues have been found. When the time comes, do what you can."

"Second, the Taibai Sword Sect's inheritance. After the sect's many explorations, most areas have already been investigated. However, most of its inheritances, including those in the Scripture Repository, have been destroyed. What remains is incomplete. Your task is to enter the areas that have yet to be explored and collect inheritances."

"Lastly, your own opportunity."

"My opportunity?"

Fang Xiao asked in confusion.

"The divine ability Nine Heavens Divine Fiend Sword Light recorded within the Taibai Soaring Sword Canon requires sword-path Sha Qi. Some remains preserved in the Taibai Sword Sect's Sword Mound. As for what kind of Sword Fiend it is, you will have to identify it yourself. There will surely be many heading to the Sword Tomb then. Whether you can obtain it will depend on your own strength."

"I never expected Master to have been paving the way for this disciple ever since my Qi Refinement days. I have no way to repay you, but I will certainly do my utmost to complete the sect's mission."

"Doing your best is enough. I had originally planned to test you when you entered the sect, but you have already exceeded my expectations. There are still four years until the sword sect opens. By then, there will certainly be many Foundation Establishment Late Stage and False Core cultivators. You have cultivated for too short a time, after all. For the next three years, remain at Heavenly Outer Peak and cultivate diligently. Focus fully on raising your cultivation and strength. Qing Feng will prepare your cultivation resources for you. If you have any questions regarding cultivation, you may come seek me at any time."

Ling Taichu had treated him so well that Fang Xiao once more offered him a deep bow of thanks. At the same time, he raised several confusions regarding his cultivation, as well as his cultivation of the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture, hoping Ling Taichu could offer some advice.

"I can answer those cultivation questions for you one by one later. As for your fortunate chance to cultivate the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture of the Five Elements Sect, I had originally intended to recommend another body-refining art of our sect. Since you have acquired this immortal scripture, there is no need to choose another. This art suits you very well. As for the agreement with the Five Elements Sect you mentioned, it should be the Five Qi Returning to Origin Method."

Ling Taichu naturally knew quite a bit about the cultivation techniques and secret arts of the various sects. As far as he knew, although this Five Qi Towards Primordial secret art was not as profound as Tianlan Sect's method of evolving yin and yang, Fang Xiao did not meet the spiritual root requirements. Otherwise, he would already have become a Holy Son.

The Five Qi Returning to Origin Method was jointly cultivated by five Nascent Soul Late Stage peak cultivators through the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture. With the combined strength of five people, they could gain early command of an ability only available at the Spirit Transformation realm—controlling the world's primordial qi—and use it to jointly assail the Spirit Transformation bottleneck. However, whether one could break through to Spirit Transformation still depended on one's own foundation and fortune.

"Since this method is so wondrous, can Master cultivate it as well?"

He also asked whether Ling Taichu needed it.

"No. Your master's foundation has long been set. You must know that altering one's foundation recklessly after forming a core is a great taboo. I have no use for it."

Though Ling Taichu said so, Fang Xiao still understood the importance of the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture. He copied it onto a Jade Slip and decided to contribute it to the sect.

"Then Master, please submit this cultivation technique to the sect on my behalf."

"I am very gratified that you have such thoughts. The sect has enabled our achievements, and we must also contribute to the sect. I will submit this art to the sect, but since the Five Elements Sect still exists, we cannot allow disciples to cultivate it on a large scale. That would harm the sect's reputation."

"Master may decide as you see fit."

Ling Taichu then answered Fang Xiao's cultivation questions one by one. After listening, Fang Xiao felt as though clouds had parted and the moonlight had shone through.

Seeing that Fang Xiao had no more questions, Ling Taichu summoned Qing Feng and instructed him to arrange a Cave Dwelling for Fang Xiao in the rear hall before leaving first.

Qing Feng led Fang Xiao to the rear hall and told him to choose any Cave Dwelling he liked. If he needed cultivation resources, he could come find Qing Feng at the Main Hall. Having explained this, Qing Feng left directly.

Fang Xiao casually entered one of the Cave Dwellings. It was spacious and bright, with a cultivation room, refining room, alchemy room, even a Spirit Beast Room and private Demon Field. It had everything one could possibly need, and even its formation was a top-grade third-tier formation.

There were actually dozens of such Cave Dwellings. His Master had his own place of cultivation, while Qing Feng did not seem to be a cultivator judging by his Master's tone. Thus, Fang Xiao could take whatever he wished. Feeling the spiritual qi brought by the fourth-tier Spirit Vein here, he sighed softly. Sure enough, no amount of struggling and striving could compare to finding a good Master.

He immediately sealed the formation around the Cave Dwelling and entered the cultivation room. The first thing he needed to do was not cultivate, but complete the conversion of his cultivation technique.

Although the Soaring Sword Art was a lower-tier cultivation technique of the Taibai Soaring Sword Canon, there were still some differences and gaps between them. He needed to thoroughly comprehend the cultivation technique and complete the conversion as soon as possible.

What surprised Fang Xiao was how smoothly his comprehension proceeded. Though the incomplete Taibai Sword Art was not whole, many of its principles were exactly the same as those of the Taibai Soaring Sword Canon. Perhaps he would be able to begin cultivating it in just a few days.

During the days he spent comprehending the cultivation technique, the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture also smoothly reached the middle stage of its first layer. After testing himself, he discovered that another portion of his earth spiritual root had transformed into a gold spiritual root.

With aptitude like his, every bit of spiritual root conversion was a qualitative transformation. Although his cultivation time had decreased due to a lack of cultivation resources, several more drops of spiritual liquid had still accumulated in his Dantian. Even techniques that had once been difficult for him to understand no longer seemed so obscure and incomprehensible.

His spiritual roots had not only increased his cultivation speed, but also enhanced his comprehension. He had once even arrogantly believed that he was not much worse than those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots.

By the fifth day, he had thoroughly comprehended both the Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment sections of the Taibai Soaring Sword Canon and could begin cultivating it. However, he first went to see Qing Feng, made a list of the things he needed, and handed it to him.

"I wonder how long it will take to prepare these things."

"Go back first. I'll deliver them to you later."

Fang Xiao had assumed that "later" might take several days. Yet by evening, Qing Feng had already prepared everything he needed. Looking at the Storage Bag packed to the brim, Fang Xiao sighed. He truly had never seen the world.

The Spirit Wine Master inheritance Ling Taichu had bestowed upon him went as high as the fourth tier. Although it did not contain Spirit Wine Recipes, the secret methods within could help him derive higher-tier Spirit Wine Recipes based on existing ones. Now that he had sufficient materials, he could slowly experiment in this area.

The process was not complicated. He quickly sealed the Foundation Establishment Spirit Wine he had brewed using his derived recipe. He only needed to wait for the moment it was unsealed to verify whether it had succeeded.

Afterward, he took the Foundation Establishment Realm pills that had been delivered to him and entered the cultivation room for secluded cultivation. This time, he planned to emerge only after achieving a Heavenly Spiritual Root.