Mid Qi Refining Stage (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

The following days passed in a set routine.

Cultivation, talisman crafting, plundering the Silver Jade Fish's talent.

When his energy was fully restored, he would spar with his beloved wife Ding Yuyao, trying out all sorts of different movement styles.

Every time he went out to buy Silver Jade Fish, Shen Xuan would cast [Breath Concealment Technique] and disguise his appearance.

At the marketplace, he didn't try to haggle for bargains, instead trading with as many different fish vendors as possible.

Just like with [Breath Concealing Talisman], after plundering the Silver Jade Fish's stealth talent, his skill in crafting [Invisibility Talisman] steadily improved.

"What's this, Fellow Daoist Shen is delving into [Invisibility Talisman] again?"

Shopkeeper Ding teased as he exchanged talisman paper and cinnabar for Shen Xuan, handing over the spirit stones.

In his view, Shen Xuan's [Breath Concealing Talisman] skill had already reached a level of mastery, so there was no need to bother studying the same-grade [Invisibility Talisman].

"More skills don't weigh a man down. Besides, when hunting in the wild, using [Breath Concealing Talisman] and [Invisibility Talisman] together yields better results."

"That's true! Fellow Daoist Shen really thinks things through!"

Shen Xuan sold one hundred and sixty Invisibility Talismans each month, storing the surplus for now.

Every ten days, he would go out, change his identity to buy Silver Jade Fish, and sneakily sell ordinary Invisibility Talismans on the side.

Half a year later.

Inside the training room.

The Mysterious Jade Talisman emitted a beam of golden light, enveloping six or seven Silver Jade Fish on the table.

Soon, all six or seven Silver Jade Fish flipped onto their backs, turning into a pile of dead flesh, completely devoid of spiritual energy.

Shen Xuan focused his gaze.

On the Mysterious Jade Talisman, the ancient golden characters shifted once more.

[Talent: Stealth Initiation (2/100)]

[Dao Rhyme: 82]

[Invisibility Talisman: Minor Mastery (12/800)]

Similar to the previous plundering of the Breath Concealment talent.

A surge of insight flooded into Shen Xuan's mind.

He transformed into a nameless silver fish, shifting its form within the vast Canghai, merging with the seawater, becoming completely transparent.

The seawater constantly changed color, and he followed suit, shifting with the water's hue, always maintaining a state of invisibility.

Unless someone looked closely from up close, they could not detect its existence at all.

Opening his eyes, Shen Xuan felt a wave of joy.

[Spiritual Root: Water 10/100]

Following that came a sudden surge of intuition.

Shen Xuan immediately understood—this was sensing a breakthrough opportunity!

He quickly took out two spirit stones, crushed them, and held the fragments in his hands.

Inside the training room, strands of spiritual energy seeped from his palms, condensing into faint mist, hazy and ethereal, as if in a celestial realm.

At this moment, Shen Xuan sat cross-legged, hands forming a seal, five centers facing the sky.

His eyes were slightly closed, his spiritual sense attuned, with layers of spiritual energy swirling around him.

This breakthrough—success or failure—would determine his future path on the Dao!

Success meant stepping into the Mid Qi Refining Stage, shedding the identity of a low-level cultivator; failure meant...

Failure meant a lifetime stuck at Early Qi Refining Stage, forever struggling at the bottom of the Cultivation World!

Shen Xuan guarded his mind firmly, using his spiritual sense to guide the spiritual energy throughout his entire body's meridians.

The vast spiritual energy mobilized by the [Divine Treasure Canghai Technique] suddenly erupted, with the dantian as its source, the Five Elements cycling in rotation, surging and churning like an endless, vast ocean.

Finally, it reached a critical point.

Boom!

Like thunder, yet utterly silent.

The shackles were broken.

Every limb and bone, every muscle and sinew in his body seemed to cheer and rejoice, brimming with inexhaustible strength.

Shen Xuan slowly opened his eyes.

At this moment.

The aura emanating from him surged dramatically.

After breaking through to Qi Refining Level 4, his spiritual power had increased by a full thirty percent!

He could feel the spiritual energy within him, like a vast ocean, circulating through his five viscera and six organs, endless and unceasing, never running dry.

His body seemed to undergo a qualitative transformation—his dantian, internal organs, meridians, bones, muscles, nerves, and everything else were all strengthened.

Carefully sensing the changes within himself, Shen Xuan felt an urge to weep with joy.

"Over forty years of cultivation, past sixty years of age, and I've finally stepped into Mid Qi Refining Stage!"

Qi Refining Level 4 was the threshold of Mid Qi Refining Stage.

He was already sixty-one years old!

After more than forty years of bitter struggle, he could finally see a glimmer of hope!

Shen Xuan briefly stabilized the spiritual power within his body.

He stood up, walked out of the training room, and entered the inner residence.

Ding Yuyao was cultivating the Jade Maiden True Scripture. Wearing only a tight-fitting outfit, her figure was graceful and alluring as she performed various gentle movements, stirring the imagination.

At seventeen, nourished by abundant Spirit Rice and Yao Beast Meat, she seemed to be developing further. Her snow-like skin was flushed with rosy health, her curves full and enticing, exuding a captivating lightness and softness.

Shen Xuan walked straight over.

"Husband, this concubine hasn't finished training yet!"

"I'll teach you!"

The next morning.

The excitement in Shen Xuan's heart slowly subsided.

He glanced at his little beloved wife, still lost in sleep.

Ding Yuyao was sleeping soundly, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.

Inside the Mysterious Jade Talisman.

[Lifespan: 61/112]

[Cultivation Method: Divine Treasure Canghai Technique Mastery (2/400)]

[Realm: Qi Refining Level 4: 1/100]

The [Divine Treasure Canghai Technique] had broken through to the Mastery Stage.

With the increase in realm, his lifespan had also increased by four years.

Generally speaking, a cultivator's lifespan is closely tied to their cultivation realm.

For ordinary cultivators, the Qi Refining Stage grants a lifespan of one hundred and twenty years, the Foundation Establishment Stage two hundred and forty years, and the Core Formation Stage five hundred years.

Of course, depending on one's cultivation method, lifespans cannot be generalized.

Overall, there will be some variation, but the margin of error is not too large.

There are also Qi Refining cultivators with lifespans as high as one hundred and fifty years.

However, such cases are extremely rare.

"It seems I'm destined for a long life!" Shen Xuan mused to himself.

Judging by the lifespan displayed on the Mysterious Jade Talisman, if he successfully cultivated to Qi Refining Perfection, he would certainly exceed one hundred and thirty years.

After breaking through to Qi Refining Level 4, his talisman crafting skills could advance to the next level, allowing him to naturally become a Mid-grade Talisman Master.

His ability to earn Spirit Stones would be greatly enhanced.

Even more formidable than a Late Qi Refining Stage Monster Hunter!

"Steady, don't get cocky!" Shen Xuan silently warned himself.

He got up quietly.

He went to the training room.

He continued cultivating, stabilizing the aura within his body.

He stayed cooped up at home for over ten days straight, consolidating his Mid Qi Refining Stage realm.

[Talent: Breath Concealment Mastery (28/400)]

By now, after more than half a year of cultivation, his [Breath Concealment Technique] had reached the Mastery Stage.

Shen Xuan activated the [Breath Concealment Technique], disguising his aura as Qi Refining Level 3.

Cultivators typically judge each other's cultivation realms through Spiritual Sense and aura.

With his [Breath Concealment Technique] at the Mastery Stage, ordinary Qi Refining cultivators could not see through his disguise.

As for Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

In the entire Qinglong Bay Market, there were only a few Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivators, fewer than the fingers on one hand.

Moreover, they all resided deep within the core area of Qinglong Bay, where spiritual energy was dense, and rarely emerged.

After making the necessary preparations, Shen Xuan left the house again, carrying the [Invisibility Talismans] he had crafted, and arrived at the Ding Family shop.

"Fellow Daoist Shen has arrived!" Shopkeeper Ding greeted him with a smile.

Every ten days, Shen Xuan would visit the Ding Family shop to sell talismans, exchange for talisman crafting materials, and a small number of Spirit Stones—this had become a routine.

As Shen Xuan's Talisman Crafting skill improved day by day, Shopkeeper Ding's attitude toward him grew increasingly sincere.

Shen Xuan took sixty Invisibility Talismans from his Storage Bag, ten of which were high-grade.

"Exchange them all for Spirit Stones."

"Ah! Fellow Daoist Shen isn't trading for Invisibility Talisman materials anymore?"

"Taking a short break."

"Very well."

Shopkeeper Ding handed over fourteen Spirit Stones.

"Would you like to buy anything?"

A shopkeeper can't stand seeing a customer walk away with Spirit Stones in hand.

"Do you have any Spirit Burst Pills?"