Fourth Layer of Qi Refining

A month later, in the Meng Family's rear courtyard in Xinghua Village.

Meng Haoran had just cast the Minor Cloud Rain Art. Seeing that no Meng Family clansmen were around, he turned his palm slightly, and the mysterious Heavenly Cauldron appeared in his hand.

The Heavenly Cauldron was brimming with Cauldron Liquid. With a thought from Meng Haoran, two-thirds of it scattered out, mingling with the Minor Cloud Rain Art as it pattered down onto this newly cultivated Spirit Plant Field of the Meng Family!

"The maturation period for a First-Tier Spirit Plant, Three-Pattern Wheat, is roughly three months, while a Second-Tier Spirit Plant, Six-Pattern Wheat, matures in around two months."

Meng Haoran raised his head to look at the Spirit Plant Field and said, "In another month, the Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat in this field will be ready for harvest!"

At that thought, Meng Haoran clenched his fists, a trace of delight appearing in his eyes. "Once the Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat in this field is harvested, it will mark the beginning of my Meng Family's rise!"

Once a single stalk of the Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat matured, it bore more than a hundred grains of spirit wheat. Yet the Spirit Plant Field before Meng Haoran held far more than one stalk of Second-Tier Spirit Plant Six-Pattern Wheat. Once he harvested them all, the total would number in the tens of thousands!

After setting aside Six-Pattern Wheat for the Meng Family's future planting and spirit wheat for the clansmen's consumption, all the rest could be sold in the Black Market. The Meng Family would surely gain a vast batch of cultivation resources.

If they accumulated their foundations this way, perhaps by the end of this year, the Meng Family would have amassed cultivation resources at the Foundation Establishment Level.

Just as Meng Haoran withdrew the Heavenly Cauldron, an abnormal movement suddenly surged within his body.

Meng Haoran's brows lifted slightly as he said in delight, "I'm about to advance!"

With that thought, Meng Haoran hurriedly sat cross-legged and began circulating the Meng Family's ancestral Cultivation Method, the Forging Yin Refining Yang Method.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Strange sounds continuously rang out from Meng Haoran's body, while red and white alternated across his face.

He held both hands level before his lower abdomen, forming seals rapidly. One Daoist Incantation after another poured ceaselessly from Meng Haoran's mouth.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the surroundings gathered around Meng Haoran's body with his movements.

Within Meng Haoran's dantian, it was as though an indescribable membrane covered everything.

Then Meng Haoran suddenly formed a lotus seal with his hands.

"Break!"

Following Meng Haoran's shouted incantation, the membrane covering his dantian was suddenly pierced through by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth that he had refined himself!

When the membrane in his dantian was pierced by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, Meng Haoran's dantian immediately shriveled like a deflated ball!

At that moment, Meng Haoran seized the opportunity and once again circulated the Forging Yin Refining Yang Method. The massive amount of spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him was swallowed into his body in an instant like a whale devouring the sea!

Splash!

Meng Haoran's originally shriveled dantian was instantly filled by the immense spiritual energy of heaven and earth, becoming full once more.

Meng Haoran opened his eyes, and two sharp beams of light shot from them.

"Fourth Layer of Qi Refining!"

Meng Haoran was quietly pleased. He clenched his hands and felt the abundant spiritual energy of heaven and earth within his body.

Over these past days, he had cultivated the Meng Family's Forging Yin Refining Yang Method day and night. He had also cultivated for over a month in Qingyang County Town, a place rich in Human Path Spirituality. Added to that was his repeated use of Daoist Magic while tending the Meng Family's large number of Spirit Plant Fields, which had unknowingly raised his cultivation.

Most importantly, Meng Haoran had obtained five hundred Spirit Stones.

Originally, Meng Haoran could only cultivate using the cultivation resources distributed monthly by the Meng Family. Now, with those five hundred Spirit Stones supplementing him, he could naturally cultivate without restraint.

Just as Meng Haoran rejoiced over the advancement of his cultivation, someone suddenly approached from not far away.

Hearing the footsteps, Meng Haoran turned around. Once he saw who it was, he cupped his fists and smiled. "Haoran greets Clan Uncle Bohai!"

The newcomer was Meng Bohai.

Meng Bohai looked Meng Haoran up and down, a speculative look in his eyes. "Haoran, could it be that you've advanced?"

Meng Haoran replied, "I have. Just now."

Meng Bohai threw back his head and laughed. "Hahaha! Not bad. To advance to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining at such an age—you are indeed teachable! When I was your age, I was still circling around the Second Layer of Qi Refining!"

Meng Haoran repeatedly waved his hands. "Haoran is unworthy. I only advanced by luck with the support of so many elders in the clan. It is nothing worth mentioning."

Meng Bohai smiled. "At your current rate of progress, you will reach the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining before the age of thirty!"

"The Tenth Layer of Qi Refining?" Meng Haoran murmured.

As a Qi Refining cultivator and a member of the Meng Family, he naturally knew what an important figure a cultivator at the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining was!

Meng Bohai stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "However, Haoran, though you have advanced to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining, you must not grow impetuous, nor should you reach too high for what is beyond your grasp. These are the two things Qi Refining cultivators fear most!"

Meng Haoran nodded. "Clan Uncle Bohai, I understand. An impetuous heart can cause a cultivator to suffer qi deviation during cultivation, while reaching too high for what is beyond one's grasp will affect a cultivator's foundation."

Meng Bohai praised him, "It is especially good that you understand these two points. Throughout the ages, who knows how many cultivators failed to recognize them and saw their lifelong cultivation destroyed in a single day. Even gifted cultivators were not spared, drawing water with a bamboo basket only to end up empty-handed!"

"Our Meng Family cannot compare with the seven Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families in the county town. Their cultivation foundations are abundant. Even if one of their clansmen takes the wrong path in cultivation, they can make up for it using their family's reserves!"

Meng Bohai looked toward the newly cultivated Spirit Plant Field behind Meng Haoran. "But our Meng Family cannot. Compared with those seven Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families, our strength and foundation are still far too weak. We do not have so many chances to make mistakes. I hope you understand this clearly as well, Haoran!"

Meng Haoran nodded in reply. "Haoran will remember it!"

Meng Bohai suddenly smiled. "Hehe, look at me. Your advancement is supposed to be a good thing, yet the moment I arrived, I began lecturing you. That truly was inappropriate!"

Meng Haoran smiled as well. "It is no matter. But Haoran does not know what business Clan Uncle Bohai has with me today?"

Meng Bohai asked, "The Black Market—do you still want to go to a place like that?"

"The Black Market?"

Meng Haoran was slightly surprised. "Of course I want to go. There are so many extraordinary people and strange talents there!"

Meng Bohai said seriously, "If you are interested, then make your preparations. Come with me to the Black Market, and we will look for some opportunities!"