Harvest and Cultivation Methods

In the darkness, a hand brushed across a luminous pearl. At once, a gentle white glow slowly illuminated the room.

On a stone workbench lined with all sorts of tools, Lin Chen set down the Storage Bag he had obtained.

He had been busy dealing with Fang Mingyuan's affairs at Cloud Arrival Market, so he had hidden this trophy elsewhere. Only now did he have the mind to inspect it.

As for why he had not opened it immediately after the battle, years of experience had taught him that treasures seized by killing others were not necessarily safe.

Even the treasures and secret manuals of the major mortal powers could be rigged with poison and mechanisms. Open them the wrong way, and one careless slip could cost you your life—let alone in the Cultivation World.

If you happily opened a Storage Bag to take out its contents, only to be caught off guard by... explosive talismans, poison mechanisms, gu curses, there was always one that would suit you!

Though cultivators would not necessarily put so many bizarre things into the Storage Bags they carried on their bodies, there was no accounting for the existence of Old Schemers!

What if they left behind a Hidden Hand in their possessions, setting up Mutual Destruction? If he died without noticing it, would that not be a terrible loss?

Therefore, Lin Chen felt that it was better to be cautious in life!

True qi surged through Lin Chen's hand and formed a Spirit Thread. From several meters away, it activated the switch-like rune on the Storage Bag.

In cultivation in this world, [Mental Power] at the Qi Refining Stage could not exist outside the body. Although it could use the eyes as a medium for forced hypnosis, it could not spread outside the body for detection and sensing.

Thus, Storage Bags intended for Qi Refining Stage cultivators were refined through special methods and given rune switches that could be operated with the true qi within the body.

Lin Chen opened the Storage Bag and tipped it onto the table. Several items immediately appeared before him.

Lin Chen quickly examined the items and assessed their value.

Three white porcelain jade bottles.

They should contain pills or something similar. I'll sell them another day; even if there's a problem, it won't harm me...

Several low-grade Spirit Artifacts of differing styles.

Their offensive power is inferior to the tricks I created, and their defensive power is no good either. Better sell them.

One Azure Cloud Spirit Leaf, along with several dozen Spirit Stones.

Sure enough, storybooks are all lies. They say killing an enemy brings a huge windfall, but if they were really that wealthy, why would they come rob people?

A pile of clothes mixed with several gauze skirts.

Oh, clothes... Wait, why are there several women's outfits mixed in?! And this size... Didn't I kill a man? Uh... I understand now. People these days really play wild. Looks like I've fallen behind the times...

A rather old black-covered book, roughly two inches thick.

Hmm? Is this a cultivation method?

Lin Chen's eyes brightened slightly. After using various methods to verify that the book was safe, he picked it up.

The Blood Refining Yuan Returning Great Method?

A demonic cultivation method? Lin Chen raised a brow when he saw the title.

However, Lin Chen was not someone who cared about the distinction between righteous and demonic paths. In his view, so long as it was useful, there was not much difference between their cultivation methods. Thus, he began leafing through it.

...Slaughter mortals or cultivators, take their essence blood, and use a secret art to refine it into a drop of [Blood Spirit Seed]. It could be consumed as a pill, greatly accelerating cultivation speed while also yielding achievements in body refinement.

One could even continuously consume [Blood Spirit Seeds] to raise one's Cultivation Level, charge into the Foundation Establishment Realm, and obtain two hundred years of longevity!

Hmm, this cultivation method... Lin Chen could not help but grow interested.

In his previous life, using humans to supplement humans was utterly impossible; it could even lead to infection by prions.

But in this world, it was not impossible.

According to the Spiritual Energy Law Lin Chen had summarized, all things in the world were composed of spiritual energy, and a cultivator's advancement lay in refining spiritual energy.

Based on that theory, it was not impossible for demonic cultivators and wicked paths to devour people and consume souls, thereby advancing their Cultivation Levels.

After all, the human body in This Side World was likewise an evolution of spiritual energy.

However, the essence of cultivation is to use the body's meridians and the dantian within to imprint energy that originally belongs to Heaven and Earth Nature with a mark containing one's own Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

Thus, whether it is [true qi] at the Qi Refining Stage, [true essence] at the Foundation Establishment Realm, or even [mana] at the Golden Core Realm, purity is essential.

And so-called purity is easy to distinguish from Impurities. Any spiritual energy that has been refined and stained with a cultivator's Essence, Qi, and Spirit is called pure true qi or mana. Spiritual energy that remains in the dantian because of inhalation and exhalation of spiritual energy or consuming pills, yet cannot be stained with the cultivator's Essence, Qi, and Spirit, is called Impurities!

Even heavenly treasures, spiritual herbs, and rare wonders born of Heaven and Earth, though their spiritual energy was gentle and easy to refine, still contained much spiritual energy that was difficult to imprint with a cultivator's Essence, Qi, and Spirit. It accumulated within the body as so-called [Medicinal Property] and [Pill Toxin], thereby affecting the advancement of one's Cultivation Level.

Let alone refining others into a drop of [Blood Spirit Seed] and swallowing it!

"Moreover, advancement in Cultivation Level and leaps in realm are not merely about being able to use more powerful Spirit Artifacts and Dharma artifacts. They should be about the evolution of life's essence." Lin Chen stroked his chin as he analyzed the cultivation method, a faint frown appearing on his face.

"And evolution places tremendous importance on the self. Directly refining others into spiritual objects that enhance one's Cultivation Level and swallowing them—even with the so-called blood-refining method to purify them, perhaps no problems will appear in the short term, but what about the future? And furthermore..."

Seeming to have thought of something, Lin Chen's expression gradually darkened.

"Did this Rogue Cultivator obtain this cultivation method by chance, or was someone deliberately spreading it? The former is fine, but if it is the latter..."

Combining his own theories and experiments, Lin Chen keenly detected the problem with this cultivation method.

It was not merely that the method itself contained a trap; the problem also lay Behind It.

Lin Chen walked the path of Science Cultivation. Though the road was rugged, the future was bright, so he could resist the temptation of this cultivation method.

But what about the other low-level disciples, or even the Rogue Cultivators under the Azure Cloud Sect?

With no hope on their Future Path, struggling bitterly and yearning for strength, could they resist the temptation of this cultivation method?

They had to know that they toiled bitterly for the Azure Cloud Sect, only to be squeezed dry themselves. Forget about them—even their children and grandchildren would never have the slightest chance of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Yet this cultivation method could give them an opportunity, even if the price was staining their hands with countless lives!

On one side lay a lifetime of exploitation; on the other, immense risk, but also the possibility of rising above the masses!

If you were human, which would you choose?

Not everyone sought a peaceful, stable life!

If there were a narrow path with immense profit at its end, those tempted by it would certainly not be few!

"Forget one percent—even if one in a thousand is tempted, and one in ten thousand puts it into practice, that would be enough to shake the Azure Cloud Sect's rule over its vast territory!"

"No one is born willing to be exploited. So long as there is a way out, someone will surely risk everything for it—even if it means blood on their hands and enormous danger!"

"When the number of exploited people decreases, the resources harvested will decrease as well. And to maintain order, the Azure Cloud Sect will have no choice but to devote considerable manpower and effort to dealing with it. If they were to encounter a powerful enemy at such a time..."

Lin Chen suddenly realized something: wars in the Cultivation World were likely not merely battles between cultivators.

Using all manner of methods to destroy the enemy's productive capacity, throw their order into chaos, drain their potential for war, and tie down their strength was also part of warfare!

At that thought, Lin Chen immediately cut off his train of thought.

Though his broad interests aligned with those of the Azure Cloud Sect, one who did not hold the position should not concern himself with its affairs.

If he reported This Matter to the higher-ups, he might indeed receive a reward, but he would also bring no small amount of trouble upon himself!

Perhaps the higher-ups would even order him to investigate it!

Lin Chen had no intention of sacrificing himself for the sect.

If he were powerful enough, he would not mind lending a hand in passing. But asking him to devote himself, fight to the death, while the sect's upper ranks reaped the profits and enjoyed an easy life? Absolutely impossible!

"This matter ends here. It cannot be revealed." Lin Chen's Gaze shifted. "I believe the sect certainly has discerning people who can see the Hidden Danger in this matter. And if the sect shows no reaction at all, that means someone among the upper ranks has surely covered it up. With my status and strength, rashly reporting it would only be walking into a trap...

"With my current strength and standing, reporting it would bring trouble upon trouble, so there is no need for me to seek out trouble myself. Handling what is before me is more important."

Lin Chen quickly sorted the matter out.

"Although this cultivation method has major problems, the concepts and procedures behind refining blood essence can be extracted and used to improve my Body Refining Cultivation Method..."

For other cultivators, this cultivation method offered only two choices: cultivate it or not. But for Lin Chen, he could take its essence and discard its dross, using it to refine his own cultivation methods.

Lin Chen tapped the tabletop with his index finger, extracted its theories and procedures, and copied them into a brown notebook roughly the size of an A4 sheet.

On the cover of the notebook were three striking words: [Marrow Cleansing Scripture].

Upon opening it, the pages were clearly divided into two sections. One recorded theories and cultivation methods Lin Chen had copied from various cultivation manuals, secret tomes, and fragmentary texts, while the other recorded all kinds of experimental data and summaries.

Besides This, there were also [Spirit Nourishing Art] and [Qi Refining Method].

It could not be helped. It was not that Lin Chen had nothing better to do than create cultivation methods; rather, not only did he lack a Golden Finger such as an Old Grandpa, a system, or an immortal estate, he also lacked the fortune of a Protagonist.

When he went out wandering, not only could he not casually pick up some peerless divine art, but even from enemies he killed, he could not obtain any worthwhile manuals.

Besides, Even If he truly acquired some peerless divine art, he would Not Necessarily dare to cultivate it.

After all, most cultivation methods in the Cultivation World prized subtle words containing profound truths, with hearts transmitting to hearts. A deviation in the understanding of a single word or sentence could produce results as different as heaven and earth.

Moreover, cultivation was unlike the experiments of his previous life. If an experiment went wrong, he could destroy it and start over; after all, it was an external object. But cultivation meant directly Make A Move on one's own body.

If he obtained a peerless divine art and cultivated it without anyone to guide him, the chance of dying would be far greater than the chance of success!

Thus, Lin Chen had directly chosen the Azure Cloud Sect's cultivation methods, because not only did they offer the experiences of countless predecessors to draw upon, but elders were also available to provide guidance, greatly reducing the possibility of error.

Then, based on individual differences, Lin Chen made fine adjustments and refinements to the cultivation method, forming the [Qi Refining Method] exclusive to himself.

Besides This, [Spirit Nourishing Art] was the product of his research, while [Marrow Cleansing Scripture] was still in the process of being created.

These three improved and created cultivation methods were not only Lin Chen's research achievements—they were also the key to whether he could travel farther along the path of cultivation!

For through years of observation and research, Lin Chen had discovered that cultivation methods varied from person to person.

More precisely, cultivation methods should adapt to a person's needs, rather than people cultivating strictly according to the methods.

It was like fitness training in his previous life. The exercises might be the same, but depending on one's own condition, the body parts trained and the steps involved would differ. Thus, fine adjustments had to be made according to one's own circumstances.

Of course, it was not impossible to force oneself to cultivate step by step according to the manual. But because of individual differences and incompatibility with the cultivation method, it would leave behind greater or lesser injuries on the body that were difficult to detect.

These hidden injuries might seem harmless in ordinary times, but when a cultivator attempted to breach a bottleneck and break through to a new realm, they would become their greatest obstacle and might even endanger their life!

In the final analysis, it was because all manner of hidden injuries accumulated in ordinary times without being dealt with, only to erupt all at once during a breakthrough. Like a dike a thousand miles long collapsing because of an ant hole, they would not only cause the breakthrough to fail, but also inflict bodily damage or even death!

That was why so many cultivators failed their breakthroughs, became Greatly Injured, suffered Damaged foundations, or even directly passed away in meditation!

"And Even If one forcibly breaks through, that does not mean these hidden injuries will be healed. They Will Also remain within the cultivator's body, affecting the advancement of their Cultivation Level..."

"And that is why, even when their talents are the same or differ little, some cultivators can advance all the way, their Cultivation Level continuously progressing, while others can only stop at the Foundation Establishment Realm, with no hope of the Dao Path..."

Lin Chen sighed softly. Cultivation was the evolution of life's very essence. Naturally, every step was arduous, requiring the utmost care; not the slightest negligence could be allowed.

Yet compared with Rogue Cultivators, sects and clans still held enormous advantages. Whether It Is the [Spiritual Sense] of Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators or the divine sense of Golden Core Stage Cultivators, both could scan another's body, detect hidden injuries, and repair them in time.

But setting aside whether those great cultivators could provide guidance at every moment, cultivation itself was fundamentally a personal matter. The guidance of others could provide the greatest assistance, but when it came time to do it, one still had to rely on oneself!

Therefore, if one truly wished to continue down the path of cultivation, only by learning from the strengths of every school, walking one's own Dao, and opening one's own road could one follow the proper path!

Thus, Lin Chen had always believed that only by persistently using scientific thinking to explore the mysteries of cultivation could he surpass those countless cultivators who practiced techniques without seeking the Dao, travel farther along the path of cultivation, and perhaps even glimpse the Immortal Path to Longevity!