First Test of the Entry

'Work-Life Balance: The longer the rest time, the better the cultivation effect?'

'Just how good can this cultivation effect be?'

Li Yang was curious. He had broken through to the Qi Refining First Stage in a single session of seated meditation. Such a cultivation speed wasn't slow by Immortal Crossing Sect standards.

In the original story, Lan Ling'e was considered a genius, but even she hadn't succeeded in a single cultivation session, right?

So, just how big of a boost would the longer rest time give him?

It couldn't be that if he rested until he was nearly dead of old age, he'd cultivate once and become a Saint, could it?

Just as Li Yang was puzzling over this, Qi Yuan beside him was already beaming with joy.

"Good, good. This cultivation aptitude is comparable to Changshou back then, but... ah!"

Thinking of Li Changshou, Qi Yuan couldn't help but sigh.

Back then, his senior disciple had been just as talented, reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm after only fifteen years of cultivation.

Yet, for some reason, after a hundred years, his progress had become agonizingly slow, and he was only at the Seventh Stage of Spirit Transformation now.

So Qi Yuan was worried. He feared that his second disciple might end up like Li Changshou.

What should he do?

Meanwhile, Li Changshou, who was practicing the Water Escape technique nearby, kept a close watch on the situation even as he trained.

When he saw his junior brother being just like he had been back then, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I checked this aptitude. It's a Gold-Fire Conflicting Aptitude. The cultivation speed shouldn't be this fast!

Could he have been possessed?

Or maybe...

No, no, I've checked all of that. There's no problem."

Li Changshou frowned deeply. This newly initiated junior brother was someone he couldn't quite see through.

This feeling was unpleasant—an extremely dangerous thing. He had to deal with it quickly.

"Wait, there's another possibility for such fast cultivation speed."

As he was pondering how to handle Li Yang, Li Changshou suddenly thought of another kind of aptitude.

"If Junior Brother's aptitude is like mine, then such fast cultivation speed wouldn't be strange at all."

Li Changshou's gaze flickered. He knew his own aptitude well. It wasn't unparalleled through the ages, but it was rare.

After all, his comprehension was simply too good. A little cultivation brought rapid improvement, and as soon as he loosened his Divine Soul, the insights of the Great Dao surged in on their own.

One could say that with this aptitude, the Heavenly Dao was practically chasing after him, feeding him.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have reached the Return to Dao Ninth Stage by now, just one step away from becoming an Immortal.

It was a pity that the Immortal Ascension Tribulation was too terrifying. Without a ninety-eight percent certainty of success, crossing it was no different from seeking death.

"If Junior Brother has the same extraordinary comprehension as me, the problem is even bigger.

Cultivating this fast will surely attract a lot of covetous eyes.

Then my plan to avoid Karma and seek a stable, long life will probably shatter completely.

A crisis exceeding ninety-eight percent—how is that any different from seeking death?"

Li Changshou's sense of crisis shot to the max, and his Divine Soul operated at full power.

He had to observe Li Yang carefully and see which situation it was.

If it was the first, he would have to find a way to eliminate the threat.

If it was the second, then the Steady Character Scripture absolutely had to be taught to him properly.

At this moment, Li Yang was also snapping out of the joy of obtaining his golden finger and reaching the Qi Refining First Stage.

'Damn, with my cultivation speed being this fast, Senior Disciple Brother is probably going to set his sights on me.'

He had read the original story and knew this Old Sixth's traits all too well.

Steady to the core, cautious to the bone.

In short, he was flyingly devious.

'With this cultivation speed of mine, I'll probably be seen as a huge threat by Senior Brother.'

'Just look at Ling'e—just because she was good-looking, he arranged all sorts of things for her.'

'But that's fine. This damned Primordial Wilderness, even with a golden finger, I want to learn the way of caution.'

Having settled his thoughts, Li Yang slowly opened his eyes and looked at Qi Yuan, whose face was full of joy.

"Master! What's wrong with you? Is there something dirty on my face?"

Li Yang rubbed his face with his two small hands, then looked at them. There was nothing dirty, was there?

Seeing his disciple so adorable, Qi Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Hahahaha, Little Yangyang, there's nothing dirty on your face—Master is just happy. You've succeeded in Qi Refining and become a true Qi Practitioner!"

"Really?"

Li Yang's eyes went wide, his face full of disbelief. The little boy's appearance was utterly adorable.

He touched his own belly. "No wonder I felt my stomach... my dantian swelling, and there's a little mouse inside my body. So this is Qi Refining!"

Lan Ling'e, who hadn't succeeded in Qi Refining, was feeling a bit down, her stomach empty and growling with hunger. Hearing this, she asked curiously, "Master, Master, has Senior Disciple Brother become an immortal?"

Seeing the two little ones' adorably naive expressions, Qi Yuan was so happy he couldn't stop grinning.

"No, this Qi Refining..."

With that, Qi Yuan began to explain the cultivation realms to them.

The path they cultivated was the 'Celestial Immortal Path.' Before becoming an immortal, there were four major realms: Qi Refining, Spirit Transmutation, Return to Void, and Return to Dao. Each major realm was further divided into nine stages.

The realms after becoming an immortal were, in order: Origin Immortal, True Immortal, Celestial Immortal, Golden Immortal, Great Luo, and Primordial Chaos Limitless.

"So, your Senior Disciple Brother is only at Qi Refining First Stage right now, just starting out. He's still far from becoming an immortal!"

"Oh!"

Hearing this, both Li Yang and Lan Ling'e looked a bit disappointed.

Qi Yuan naturally understood the reason, but this was a path they had to walk.

Otherwise, if they grew arrogant and proud, no matter how talented, it would be very difficult to survive the Immortal Ascension Tribulation.

So he reached out and patted the two little ones' heads, comforting them. "Be good, you're already very impressive.

Look at your Master—I'm only at Return to Dao Ninth Stage, not yet an immortal, yet many people still call me a deity!

So don't rush. You're still young, and you'll definitely become immortals in the future!"

"Mm!"

Li Yang and Lan Ling'e were naturally moved by this simple pep talk. Each of them clenched their little fists tightly, their faces full of determination.

"Master, we will definitely become immortals!"

"Gurururu..."

Suddenly, a rumbling sound broke out. Li Yang and Qi Yuan's gazes fell on Lan Ling'e.

This made Lan Ling'e very embarrassed. She shyly lowered her head, poking her two fingers together.

"I... I... this disciple hasn't eaten yet!"

Qi Yuan snapped back to reality and slapped his forehead. "Oh, look at my head. Neither of you have achieved inedia yet, and just relying on satiety pills won't do. Later, I'll have your Senior Disciple Brother build a stove when he sets up your thatched huts, so he can prepare one meal a day for you until you successfully achieve inedia."

From the nearby lake, Li Changshou leaped out, made a bow, and replied, "This disciple obeys!"

"Mm!"

Qi Yuan acknowledged and instructed Li Yang and Lan Ling'e, "Your Master is going to cultivate now. If you two have any matters, you can speak with your Senior Disciple Brother."

"Yes, Master!"

The two little ones bowed, looking proper and adorably cute.

But Lan Ling'e's little stomach kept rumbling, making her blush with shame, which only made Qi Yuan the Daoist laugh heartily.

Then, just like the Earth God in Li Yang's past life's Journey to the West, he vanished into a wisp of green smoke.

The two little ones exclaimed, "Ah! Master turned into smoke!!"

Li Changshou couldn't help but laugh. "What do you mean, turned into smoke? That's the Illusion Transformation Technique. It's mainly used to save your life in battle, but it can also be used to injure or trap enemies. It's one of our Master's signature skills.

If you want to learn it, once your cultivation level and skill are sufficient, just ask our Master to teach you."

"Mm mm mm!"

The two little ones nodded frantically.

"Alright, let's go. Your Senior Disciple Brother will take you to have some barbecue."

During the barbecue, Li Changshou naturally didn't waste the time. He constantly drilled into Li Yang and Lan Ling'e how dangerous the Primordial Wilderness was, along with his own philosophy of the Way of Survival.

After the meal, Lan Ling'e continued to work hard at Qi Refining, while Li Yang turned his mind's eye to his trait.

[Work-Life Balance: The longer the rest time, the better the cultivation effect (Current rest time: 1 hour 3 quarters)]

'1 hour 3 quarters... let me see how effective this is?'

At the same time, Li Changshou deployed numerous methods, monitoring Li Yang from all angles without any blind spots.

"Let's see just what's going on with you!"