Trying Out the Entry

Work-Life Balance: The longer you rest, the better the results of your cultivation?

How good can the results of cultivation be?

Li Yang was curious. He'd reached the Qi Refining First Stage after just one session of sitting meditation and refining qi. That kind of speed wasn't slow by Immortal Crossing Sect standards.

Lan Ling'e in the Original Novel was considered a genius, too, but she hadn't succeeded after just one session of cultivation, had she?

So how much of a boost would a longer rest give him?

It couldn't be that if he rested until he was nearly on his deathbed, he'd become a Saint after cultivating just once, could it?

While Li Yang was puzzling over this, Qi Yuan beside him was already beaming.

"Excellent, excellent! Your cultivation aptitude rivals Changshou's back in the day. It's just... sigh!"

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

His eldest disciple had been just as talented. After fifteen years of cultivation, he'd already reached the Spirit Transformation Realm.

But for some reason, after a hundred years, his cultivation had slowed to a crawl. He'd only reached the Seventh Stage of Spirit Transformation so far.

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

What should he do?

At the same time, Li Changshou was practicing Water Escape nearby. Though he was cultivating a spell, he was keeping a close eye on what was happening here.

When he saw that his Junior Brother was just like he'd been back then, his eyes narrowed.

"I checked his aptitude. He has Gold-Fire Conflicting Aptitude. His cultivation speed shouldn't be this fast!!

Could he have been possessed?

Or...

No, no. I checked all that. There's nothing wrong."

Li Changshou furrowed his brows. He couldn't quite read this newly admitted Junior Brother.

That feeling was bad—extremely dangerous. He had to deal with it quickly.

"Wait. There's another possibility for such fast cultivation."

As Li Changshou thought about how to deal with Li Yang, he suddenly remembered another kind of aptitude.

"If Junior Brother's aptitude is like mine, then his rapid cultivation makes perfect sense."

Li Changshou's eyes flickered. He knew his own aptitude well. He couldn't exactly call it unmatched throughout the ages, but it was rare.

His comprehension was simply too good. A little cultivation brought rapid improvement, and as soon as he opened his Divine Soul a little, insights into the Great Dao would come pouring in on their own.

It was fair to say that with his aptitude, the Heavenly Dao practically spoon-fed him.

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

Unfortunately, the Immortal Ascension Tribulation was far too terrifying. What difference was there between attempting it without a ninety-eight percent chance of success and courting death?

"If Junior Brother's comprehension is as exceptional as mine, that makes things even worse.

His rapid cultivation will surely attract plenty of covetous eyes.

When that happens, my plans to avoid Karma and live a peaceful, long life will probably fall apart completely.

If the danger exceeds ninety-eight percent, what difference is that from courting death?"

Li Changshou's sense of danger shot straight to the limit, and he set his Divine Soul to work at full capacity.

He needed to observe Li Yang carefully and figure out what was going on.

If it was the first possibility, he'd have to find a way to eliminate him.

If it was the second, he'd have to teach him the Steady Character Scripture properly.

By now, Li Yang had recovered from the joy of obtaining his cheat and reaching the Qi Refining First Stage.

Oh no. I cultivated so quickly. My Senior Brother's probably going to keep an eye on me.

He'd read the Original Novel and knew all about that Old Sixth's ways.

Steady to an absurd degree, and cautious to an absurd degree.

In short, he was Old Sixth to the max.

At this rate, my Senior Brother will probably see me as a huge threat.

Just look at Ling'e. He's always making arrangements for her just because she's pretty.

But maybe that's a good thing. Even with a cheat, I still want to follow the path of caution in this blasted Primordial Wilderness.

Settling his thoughts, Li Yang slowly opened his eyes and looked at Qi Yuan, whose face was alight with joy.

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

Li Yang rubbed his face with both little hands and looked at them. There wasn't anything dirty on them.

Seeing how adorable his disciple was, Qi Yuan couldn't help laughing.

"Hahahaha! Little Yangyang, there's nothing dirty on your face. I'm just happy! You've succeeded in refining qi and become a Qi Practitioner!"

"Really?"

Li Yang's eyes widened in disbelief. The little boy looked utterly adorable.

He rubbed his belly. "No wonder my stomach... my dantian feels swollen, and there's a little mouse inside my body. So this is what refining qi feels like!"

Lan Ling'e, who hadn't succeeded in refining qi and was already feeling a little down, had an empty, hungry stomach. Hearing this, she asked curiously, "Master, Master, has Senior Brother become an immortal?"

Looking at the two adorable little ones, Qi Yuan was so happy he could barely keep his mouth closed.

"No. Refining qi..."

As he spoke, Qi Yuan explained the stages of cultivation to them.

They practiced the Celestial Immortal Path. Before becoming immortals, there were four major realms: Qi Refining, Spirit Transformation, Return to Void, and Return to Dao. Each major realm had nine stages.

After becoming an immortal, the realms were Origin Immortal, True Immortal, Celestial Immortal, Golden Immortal, Great Encompassment, and Primordial Chaos Limitless.

"So your Senior Brother is only at the Qi Refining First Stage. He's just begun. He's still a long way from becoming an immortal!"

"Oh!"

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

Qi Yuan knew why, of course, but this was a road they had to walk.

Otherwise, if they grew arrogant, even the most talented cultivators would struggle to overcome the Immortal Ascension Tribulation.

So he reached out and patted the two little ones on the head, reassuring them. "There, there. You're already doing very well.

Just look at your Master. I'm only at the Return to Dao Ninth Stage, and I haven't become an immortal either, yet plenty of people still call me an immortal!

So don't rush. You're still young. You'll definitely become immortals someday!"

"Mm!"

Li Yang and Lan Ling'e were easily fired up by this simple pep talk. They clenched their little fists, their faces full of determination.

"Master, we'll definitely become immortals!"

"Grrrr..."

Suddenly, a rumbling sound rang out, and Li Yang and Qi Yuan looked toward Lan Ling'e.

Lan Ling'e was embarrassed. She lowered her head shyly and fidgeted with her two index fingers.

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

Qi Yuan finally realized and slapped his forehead. "Look at me, forgetting all about it! You two haven't reached the fasting stage yet, and you can't live on stomach-filling pills forever. When your Senior Brother builds your thatched cottage later, have him put in a stove as well. Until you can fast, he'll cook you a meal every day."

Li Changshou leaped out of the lake nearby and cupped his hands. "This disciple will obey!"

"Mm!"

Qi Yuan answered, then instructed Li Yang and Lan Ling'e, "I'm going to cultivate. If you need anything, go talk to your Senior Brother."

"Yes, Master!"

The two little ones cupped their hands, imitating him with all the seriousness they could muster. They were adorable.

But Lan Ling'e's stomach kept rumbling, making her blush with embarrassment and sending Daoist Qi Yuan into hearty laughter.

Then, like the local earth god in Journey to the West that Li Yang had watched in his previous life, Qi Yuan turned into a wisp of smoke and disappeared.

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

Li Changshou chuckled. "What do you mean, turned into smoke? That was the Illusion Transformation Technique. It's mainly used to save your life when fighting enemies, but it can also hurt or trap them. It's one of our Master's signature techniques.

"If you want to learn it, just wait until your cultivation is sufficient, then ask Master to teach you."

"Mm-hmm!"

The two little ones nodded enthusiastically.

"All right, come on. Your Senior Brother will take you for barbecue."

Li Changshou wasn't about to waste the time they spent at the barbecue, either. He kept telling Li Yang and Lan Ling'e how dangerous the Primordial Wilderness was and drilling his own philosophy of caution into them.

After the meal, Lan Ling'e continued working hard at refining qi, while Li Yang focused his mind on the entry.

[Work-Life Balance: The longer you rest, the better the results of your cultivation (current rest time: 1 hour and 3 quarters)]

One hour and three quarters. Let's see how effective this is.

At the same time, Li Changshou used all sorts of methods to keep an eye on Li Yang from every direction, leaving no blind spots.

"I want to see exactly what's going on with you!"