Gains

Immortal Dynasty, Year 797.

Sen Luo Treasure Pavilion.

Watching the figure who alternately drank spiritual wine and traced with his finger, the old man observing in secret stroked his beard in surprise.

"This is the first time I've seen someone break through restrictions like this! First, he didn't seek treasure, only to satisfy his hunger, and now he's using the strength of the wine to enter a state of self-forgetfulness!"

He saw the man raise his goblet and drink deeply again, instantly absorbing the spiritual energy. He couldn't help but clap his hands. "This wine specifically targets the mind and thoughts. If the drinker has even a trace of distracting thought, they will become increasingly intoxicated. The more distracting thoughts, the stronger the intoxication, and even Samadhi True Fire can't refine it. Yet, the state of Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotion, without thought or worry, is precisely this wine's nemesis..."

As he thought, the old man's brow suddenly furrowed.

"Could it be that this brat will really take it? This item is..."

Before he could finish speaking, a fluctuation came from the treasure vault's dome.

The old man looked up at the sky, his face filled with astonishment.

"The heavenly secrets have been stirred, and change is coming!"

With a sigh, his figure gradually faded.

Meanwhile, the figure in the pavilion continued to drink the immortal brew tirelessly, tracing the carvings, completely unaware of the changes outside...

The Mortal Realm, Misty Gorge Mountain.

Chen Qing suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, cutting two white streaks through the dim, quiet room.

Then, a violent change occurred within him. Supreme Harmony Qi surged like a river, increasing by thirty percent compared to before entering the dream! The nascent light in his dantian was even more brilliant than a star, showing signs of solidifying.

"Hoo—"

He exhaled a breath of turbid air, which actually etched a shallow pit into the wall.

"The situation in the dream was truly complex. I need to get some air. However, the feedback this time is also quite significant. I feel that if I guide the spiritual energy of the earth veins into my body now, I can at least cleanse my meridians four or five times."

As Chen Qing was thinking, his spirit-heaven suddenly felt a chill!

A wisp of starlight seemed to descend from the highest heavens. It was as fine as a hair, yet incredibly condensed, piercing directly into his spirit-heaven!

Chen Qing's heart leaped. He guided this wisp of starlight down along the Ren Meridian.

Where the starlight passed, his meridians shimmered with a jade-like luster, finally converging into the nascent light in his dantian.

"Buzz—"

The nascent light trembled, establishing a subtle connection with a certain star in the distant starry sky. Though blurry, it was real.

Chen Qing had a flash of inspiration and suddenly understood.

"The insights gained from comprehending the Cosmic Star Tribulation in the dream have indeed been fed back."

This time, Chen Qing's dream journey was highly rewarding. Not only did he condense his Destiny Talisman, but he also experienced the methods of a third-stage cultivator in advance, giving him more confidence when facing the third cultivator of Sea Abyss Temple.

After waking up, besides the spiritual energy feedback, what was even more precious was the comprehension of the Primordial Chaos Qi Scripture. Although he only obtained a remnant scroll, the concept of "melting all methods" within it gave him a new understanding of his own cultivation technique.

"The Sea and Mountain Remnant Scroll emphasizes the grandeur of mountain formations and the vastness of the sea, while the Cosmic Star Tribulation focuses on the changes of the stars. They are not compatible, but if approached with the idea of Primordial Chaos Qi..."

He spread his fingers slightly, and a wisp of green light flowed at his fingertips. It sometimes transformed into the phantom image of a mountain, sometimes like surging sea waves, and finally, it even contained a trace of starlight! The marvel of Primordial Chaos Qi began to reveal itself!

He nodded with satisfaction.

"If I delve further, I might be able to deduce techniques comparable to Mountain Collapse Sea Tsunami without harming my physical body. Although it's only a trace now, the future is promising! It's a pity the Destiny Talisman couldn't be brought out..."

He sighed lightly, then shook his head and chuckled.

To receive spiritual energy feedback and the guidance of the stars was already a great fortune. How could he be greedy for more?

As he was contemplating, he suddenly felt his spirit-heaven heat up again!

"Whoosh—"

A crimson talisman seal materialized from within!

"What is this?"

Chen Qing's Sea of Consciousness trembled violently. He saw a golden-patterned crimson talisman suspended high within it. As flame light flowed, distracting thoughts melted away like snow!

"Samadhi True Fire Talisman!? This thing can be brought back to the mortal realm? However, there were three in the dream, and only one was fed back here..."

Under his joy, he felt his thoughts become much clearer.

The Samadhi True Fire burned quietly in his Sea of Consciousness, incinerating the restlessness and anxiety of the past few days. The aura within his body became even purer, flowing like a clear spring without any obstruction.

"Although there is only one talisman seal, it is incredibly miraculous. It can burn away inner demons and distracting thoughts, making cultivation twice as effective! I'll use this to refine the myriad feedbacks, separating the essence from the dross and organizing them carefully!"

Time passes unnoticed in the mountains.

When he opened his eyes again, three days had already passed.

"Ssss—"

Small black stains seeped from his skin. The mountain wind blew them away, turning them into dust. Chen Qing stood up, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

"Gurgle—"

The Supreme Harmony Qi within him had condensed into liquid mercury, flowing smoothly.

In three days of refinement, he had not only fully digested the gains from his dream but also honed the Supreme Harmony Qi within his body to the point where he could control it as easily as his own arm.

"The spiritual energy in the current world is thin and monotonous, far from being as abundant as in the dream world. That's why, even though I'm in the late second stage in my dreams, I still have to break through step by step in this reality..."

In the current world, to advance from the early to the mid-second stage, one needs to temper the body with Marrow Cleansing Grass to strengthen flesh and bone, then use the Lightning Struck Peach Wood Heart to guide the spiritual energy of the earth veins into the body, fuse it with Supreme Harmony Qi, and finally cleanse the nine major meridians in one go. Even for those with exceptional talent, this process takes at least a few years.

"Although I can't achieve it overnight, with the unique advantage of seeking the Dao in dreams, I can save years of hard work. Within a year at most, I can reach the mid-second stage."

This speed, in the current world, is considered swift, except for disciples of major sects with abundant resources.

"However..."

Amidst his joy, Chen Qing's brow furrowed.

The dream world is ever-changing. Before entering the dream again, it would be best to find a way to break through the current predicament.

"I can't increase my strength in the dream world by improving myself outside of it, but I can seek help in other aspects, such as intelligence, or perhaps a pill that can suppress bloodline mutations. That ancient pill recipe doesn't have any related formulas; after all, pills designed to affect bloodlines have always been precious..."

Lost in thought, he suddenly stood up and pushed open the door to his quiet chamber.

"Uncle-Master is out of seclusion!" Fang Da'ao, who was practicing martial arts in the courtyard, saw Chen Qing emerge and quickly bowed. Sweat still beaded on his forehead.

Chen Qing asked, "Have there been any unusual occurrences these past few days?" The talismans and formations he had set up hadn't triggered any alerts, indicating no one had used sorcery. However, they couldn't detect everyone who passed through the mountain.

Fang Da'ao scratched his head and replied, "Nothing major. Just a woman in green visited the day before yesterday. She claimed to be from the Five Qi Pavilion and left a brocade box before departing."

Chen Qing's heart stirred. "Where is the brocade box?"

"It's in the main hall. Neither Xiao Yao nor I dared to touch it."

Chen Qing strode quickly to the main hall and indeed found a green jade brocade box placed on the table. The Bai family's mark was engraved on the box.

Lifting the lid, he saw ten pieces of Spirit Marrow neatly arranged inside, with a note attached—

"To Fellow Daoist Chen: Hearing of your seclusion, I present a humble gift. If you have any new stories, the price will be doubled. -- Bai Shaoyou"

Upon seeing the contents of the box, Fang Da'ao and Qu Xiaoyao's eyes widened in astonishment!

In all their lives, they had never seen so much Spirit Marrow gathered in one place!

"This solves my immediate problem. They are indeed a wealthy family, rich and considerate. It's perfect timing, as I was planning to find him anyway."

Chen Qing had no intention of being polite. These ten pieces of Spirit Marrow were enough to power the mountain-protecting formation for several months and could also purchase a considerable amount of cultivation resources. For the time being, the sect's operations wouldn't be a concern.

In the future, if he could establish a long-term cooperation with the Five Qi Pavilion based on the stories from his dreams, he would not only receive Spirit Marrow but also avoid venturing out for adventures. He could truly remain hidden within the sect and cultivate in peace.

As for the trials and insights needed for cultivation, he could draw them from his dreams!

With this thought, he met the shocked gazes of his two junior disciples and handed them the box. "Take good care of this. Your expenses from now on will come from here."

"Yes!"

Fang Da'ao's hand trembled as he took the box, almost dropping the immense fortune.

Lesser Yingzhou, Five Qi Pavilion.

Bai Shaoyou, whom Chen Qing had been thinking about, was currently leaning against a soft couch, flipping through two newly acquired books of strange tales, his brow furrowed.

"Crash!"

He tossed them aside casually, complaining, "All of them are crudely fabricated nonsense. How can these be considered ancient secrets?"

"Seventh Young Master!" The shopkeeper Zhou Dehai hurried into the inner room, followed by two young attendants holding a three-foot-long sandalwood box. "The item you requested has arrived."

Bai Shaoyou's eyes lit up, and he sat up straight. "Hurry and open it!"

The attendants carefully placed the wooden box on the table and lifted the lid.

Bai Shaoyou leaned in to examine it, his brow furrowing. "This is the so-called relic of the Heavenly Fox?" His tone was filled with disappointment.

Zhou Dehai said in a low voice, "According to the records in the secret vault, this item is indeed related to the Heavenly Fox."

Bai Shaoyou pouted, his interest waning. He waved his hand. "Never mind, put it away for now."

The attendants closed the wooden box and respectfully withdrew.

Bai Shaoyou then turned to ask, "What about the matter I asked you to investigate?"

Zhou Dehai took out a yellowed bamboo slip from his sleeve and handed it over. "The people from the main family have consulted many ancient texts, and they've actually found something."

Bai Shaoyou's spirits immediately lifted.

"You found something? Then the sect leader of Hidden Star wasn't just talking nonsense!"

Immediately, he said, "Prepare a gift and get ready. I'm going to Misty Gorge Mountain myself in the next couple of days!"

Please, esteemed readers, collect this story and follow along... A new author's humble request.