Nine Layers, Four Realms!

This lifetime --

In Immortal Calendar year 22, Meng Nan joined Tianlin Cave and befriended He Weiyang.

In Immortal Calendar year 26, under the guise of a 'treasure map', he informed He Weiyang of the location of a Great Elixir newly discovered in his seventh lifetime.

At that time --

Among Meng Nan, Zhao Xiaoshuang, Qian Yu, and others, only Meng Nan was at True Essence fifth layer, Qian Yu had just entered True Essence, and Zhao Xiaoshuang's cultivation was still shallow.

That Great Elixir grew tens of thousands of miles away on [Xuanwu Mountain], and the time was Immortal Calendar year 31.

Zhao Xiaoshuang and Qian Yu would not be able to make it in time at all.

Not to mention the three Meng Xingzhe.

Meng Nan himself could attempt a breakthrough, but it would be too rushed, and with his family to care for, he couldn't leave.

However, the Great Elixir couldn't be wasted, so he passed it on to his friend He Weiyang from his seventh lifetime.

Unexpectedly, He Weiyang, relying on this Great Elixir, successfully broke through and became a Qi Refining Immortal Master.

After He Weiyang returned, Meng Nan gained another backer besides 'Zheng Shanpeng', and one far more reliable than 'Zheng Shanpeng'.

After all, this latter Immortal Master, from his third lifetime onwards, for the next eight lifetimes, had been consistently 'stable' --

First, he fled Tianlin Cave in Immortal Calendar year 50.

Then, he fled Chashan in Immortal Calendar year 95.

This person could be relied upon in the early stages, but not in the middle to late stages.

They could be like dewdrop-like master and disciple.

It was difficult to have deep emotional bonds.

He Weiyang was better.

In this lifetime, He Weiyang had given him a good start.

Then, in Immortal Calendar year 47, a Great Elixir appeared on Xuanwu Mountain. This time, Meng Nan was well-prepared and unwilling to wait any longer. He attempted it directly and succeeded in one go, successfully advancing to Qi Refining.

The eleventh lifetime!

The first time achieving Qi Refining!

This was a great event!

A cause for universal celebration!

But beyond that --

In Immortal Calendar year 59, Qian Yu failed her breakthrough with the help of a Great Elixir.

In Immortal Calendar year 67, Zhao Xiaoshuang failed her breakthrough with the help of a Great Elixir.

In Immortal Calendar year 70, Meng Santan failed his breakthrough with the help of a Great Elixir.

In Immortal Calendar year 104, Meng Xingzhe failed his breakthrough with the help of a Great Elixir.

In Immortal Calendar year 120, Meng Qingyu failed her breakthrough with the help of a Great Elixir.

Over several decades, Meng Nan successively experienced the pain of losing his wife, daughter, and son.

His loved ones passed away.

The immortal path was lonely.

Just the threshold of Qi Refining blocked too many people, separating them forever.

But the situation in this lifetime was already much better --

Besides Meng Nan.

Besides He Weiyang.

In Immortal Calendar year 95, his second brother Meng Jian successfully broke through with the help of a Great Elixir, reaching the Qi Refining Stage.

Not just Meng Jian.

In these years, Meng Nan successively took in five more disciples from [Sky-Scraping Cliff], [Ghost Mother Mountain], [Shepherd Ridge], [Blood Lotus Mountain], and [Xuanwu Mountain]. All of them were discovered in previous lifetimes and were potential candidates who had already advanced to Qi Refining in earlier lives.

Although in this lifetime, because they were taken as disciples by Meng Nan after he achieved Qi Refining --

The eldest disciple 'Zhang Xinghe', who originally would have broken through using the 'lower method' in Immortal Calendar year 88, failed to advance. He died from a failure in the 'Dan Yuan Wandering Veins', his path ended.

The third disciple 'Su Bomin', who originally would have broken through using the 'lower method' in Immortal Calendar year 80, failed to advance. He died from a failure in the 'Dan Yuan Wandering Veins', his path ended.

However, the remaining three --

The second disciple 'Jin Tan', whose original path was to advance using the 'lower method' in Immortal Calendar year 105, became Meng Nan's disciple in this lifetime and successfully broke through in Immortal Calendar year 122, also using the 'lower method'.

The fourth disciple 'Huo Yunzi', whose original path was to advance using the 'upper method' in Immortal Calendar year 128, became Meng Nan's disciple in this lifetime and broke through using the 'lower method' in Immortal Calendar year 112.

The fifth disciple 'Wei Du', whose original path was to advance using the 'upper method' in Immortal Calendar year 104, became Meng Nan's disciple in this lifetime and advanced using the 'upper method' in Immortal Calendar year 116.

Although there were setbacks for each of them, they themselves did not know it.

From then on.

Meng Nan's sect had five great Immortal Masters, and with his friend He Weiyang, that made six.

It could be said they were at their peak.

Over the years, Meng Nan would sometimes venture out and sometimes cultivate in seclusion on the mountain.

Leveraging the locations of many major Spirit Sand mines discovered in his previous ten lives, Meng Nan, his disciples, his second son Meng Jian, and his friend He Weiyang—six Immortal Masters in total—occupied a significant portion. Each year, they could mine nearly four hundred jin of Spirit Sand.

Meng Nan alone took one hundred jin.

Even so, to this day, Meng Nan was only at the third layer of Qi Condensation, easily susceptible to curses.

This was Magical Power.

His Dao cultivation was even lower.

"Qi Condensation is divided into nine layers and four realms."

"Nine layers of Magical Power, four realms of Dao cultivation."

"In this life, I only managed to cultivate my Magical Power to the third layer before dying, and my Dao cultivation stopped at the first realm, 'Ming Qi'."

Meng Nan looked deeper and couldn't help but shake his head.

What was 'Ming Qi'?

When spiritual energy manifested and vital energy flowed naturally, one could condense the energy of clouds and rain, using it to ride the mists and clouds, flying freely without the need for a flying magical artifact.

This was 'Ming Qi'!

Immortal Masters shrouded in mist and clouds, this was 'Immortal Qi'.

Great Yao in fierce winds, this was 'Yao Wind'.

These were all signs of just entering the Qi Condensation stage.

Magical Power.

Dao cultivation.

The two were not closely related.

One could be at the ninth layer of Magical Power but still be stuck in the first realm of Dao cultivation.

One could be in the fourth realm of Dao cultivation but only have two or three layers of Magical Power.

It didn't matter.

Either was possible.

These two, along with 'sorcery' and 'magical artifacts', could basically represent the combat power of a Qi Condensation Immortal Master.

Excellence in any one area could grant a certain status within the Qi Condensation stage.

For example, many who painstakingly and luckily advanced to Qi Condensation through 'lower methods' gained three hundred years of lifespan. Knowing that immortality was hopeless, they simply dedicated themselves to researching sorcery, walking the side paths and Left Path.

They did not cultivate Magical Power or seek Dao cultivation, but only pursued powerful sorcery and sharp magical artifacts, focusing on combat strength.

Although their future was bleak, their methods were indeed not weak. Those with better aptitude who cultivated Magical Power and improved Dao cultivation might not necessarily be able to defeat these individuals.

But this was all 'Left Path'.

They might be powerful for a time, but they could not seek longevity or achieve immortality.

If a Qi Condensation Immortal Master had higher aspirations and sought breakthroughs, only by cultivating both Magical Power and Dao cultivation to the peak and perfection could they have a chance to impact the next level.

At Meng Nan's current pace, even if he wasn't cursed to death by that Red Robe General, he likely had no hope in this life.

But the immortal path was unpredictable, and one never knew.

Whether he could succeed was his own business.

You cursed me to death?

That's not right!

"But why 'curse me to death'?"

"Was he not strong enough?"

"Or was it inconvenient to make a move openly?"

Meng Nan continued to flip through the jade slip with these questions.

Gradually.

He came to understand his current predicament.

Cang Mountain was no less than Tianlin Cave, boasting forty-four major peaks. Meng Nan had come here to establish himself after becoming a Qi Condensation Immortal Master in his early years, opening mountains, building cities, and protecting the local tribesmen.

Nearly a hundred years later.

Cang Mountain had twenty-four cities and a population of nine million.

One day.

Cang Mountain, below Bi Luo Peak.

"Hoo!"

"Hah!"

Three large camps were arranged, with thousands of soldiers training together, their shouts echoing.

The lowest-ranked soldiers in the camps were at the True Qi stage, the captains were all at the True Essence stage, and the generals were personally appointed by Qi Refining Immortal Masters.

Fierce and aggressive.

Filled with Sha Qi.

The deterrence and threat they posed were almost no less than that of a Qi Refining Immortal Master.

"Star Picking Sect."

"The Six Sects of the Central Plains."

Meng Nan had reviewed the information and knew the situation that followed.

Five years ago.

The 'Star Picking Sect' and 'Mountain Quelling Divine Palace', two of the Six Sects of the Central Plains, had ventured south into the Southern Border.

In the northwestern part of the Southern Border, including [Undercurrent Mountain], [Ten Thousand Horns Cave], [Three Bays Mountain], [Curved Cloud Mountain], [Talisman Show Mountain], [Taishan East Mountain], [Chashan], [Sky-Scraping Cliff], [Shepherd Ridge], [Ghost Mother Mountain], [Xuanwu Mountain], [Blood Lotus Mountain], [Jade Ring Mountain], [Dragon Ridge Mountain], [Guangming Mountain], [Bone Chasing Mountain], and a total of thirty mountain territories, were all under the control of the 'Star Picking Sect'.

Thirty peak Qi Refining cultivators, along with over a hundred ordinary Qi Refining cultivators, poured into the thirty mountain territories. Through alliances, expulsions, or killings, they brought the thirty mountain territories under their control in a short period, completely clearing them out.

Meng Nan belonged to the group that was 'allied with'.

From then on, he submitted himself to the 'Star Picking Sect' and became a Qi Refining guest elder.

It wasn't just him.

His three disciples, Jin Tan, Huo Yunzi, and Wei Du, also pledged their allegiance together.

Currently, the three camps of Cang Mountain were led by these three disciples, who were responsible for training and overall command.

"Military formations."

Cultivation in the Central Plains was flourishing, with myriad paths. Among them were the 'Art of War' and 'Battle Array Technique'. These could connect hundreds or thousands of True Qi and True Essence cultivators into one cohesive force. Led by Qi Refining cultivators, although seemingly cumbersome, if the formations were familiar and the armor and weapons were refined, they could even contend with Qi Refining Immortal Masters through skillful deployment and arrangement.

The Sha Qi from the armor and weapons was no less than the Magical Power of an Immortal Master.

The current training of the three camps of Cang Mountain utilized the troop training methods passed down by the Star Picking Sect. This training was for future battles and skirmishes on behalf of the Star Picking Sect.

New week, requesting recommendation tickets!