Breakthrough

Su Yu did not tell anyone about the body refining technique, including the family higher-ups. Perhaps if he had, he would have been able to obtain better and more resources from the family, but while gaining those resources, the responsibilities and duties on his shoulders would likewise increase.

The danger would multiply even more, and for a novice cultivator who had only just stepped onto the immortal path, that was very unfavorable.

Do not forget.

Besides their cultivation Su Family, Jiang City also had a Lin Family.

The Lin Family and their Su Family had never seen eye to eye.

In the cultivation games of the past, someone had once calculated the final probability of game characters ascending to immortality when taking the high-profile genius cultivation route versus the hide-and-seek Dao cultivation route.

The ratio between the former and the latter was roughly one to nine.

In other words, those who cultivated immortality in a high-profile manner and made it to the end were only equivalent to one-ninth of those who took the hide-and-seek Dao.

Compared to obtaining a small amount of cultivation resources from the family, Su Yu would rather cultivate in a low-key manner by himself and slowly grind proficiency.

Until his strength was raised, he would absolutely not leave the family.

Three months after returning from the Cloud Sword Sect, Su Qingyi, who lived not far away next door, broke through to Qi Refining Stage Two.

After inviting Su Yu to a meal and bragging a bit, Su Qingyi chose to go to one of the Su Family's medicinal fields to acknowledge a master and become a medicine apprentice, learning how to plant spirit herbs and distinguish their medicinal properties.

This was the first step to becoming an alchemy apprentice.

At Qi Refining Stage Two, one could receive two Low-grade Spirit Stones and fifty jin of Spirit Rice as a monthly stipend from the family.

In addition, by going to the medicinal field as a medicine apprentice, he could receive another two Low-grade Spirit Stones every month.

These resources were still quite considerable.

At least compared with Su Yu, that was the case.

"A Medium-grade Spirit Root really does cultivate fast," Su Yu sighed inwardly. Breaking through to Qi Refining Stage Two in three months.

This rate of improvement could already compare with a High-grade Spirit Root.

After drinking up the fine wine Su Qingyi had left behind, Su Yu gently shook his head, settled his mind, and continued his own cultivation.

The most important thing every day was cultivating the Wutong Greenwood Art.

Although this Wood attribute cultivation technique did not have strong magic power and its cultivation speed was slow, its strength lay in being peaceful and deep. It even had effects of healing injuries and prolonging life.

If cultivated to the ninth layer and great accomplishment, one could prolong life by at least twenty years while still in the Qi Refining Realm.

This twenty-year lifespan was still very attractive to many people, so there were not few people in the Su Family who cultivated the Wutong Greenwood Art.

Moreover, the Su Family's rise had a great deal to do with the Wutong Greenwood Art.

At present, the Su Family mainly relied on the business of cultivating spirit herbs, and the magic power of the Wutong Greenwood Art was very helpful for the growth of spirit herbs.

Cultivating the Wutong Greenwood Art for four hours each day reached the limit.

After that, he would practice the two spells, Wood Vine Technique and Spirit Nurturing Art. These two spells were only entry-level spells.

The Wood Vine Technique was mainly used to trap enemies, while the Spirit Nurturing Art was mainly used to cultivate spirit herbs.

Raising their proficiency was not difficult. Over the past few months, the proficiency of both spells had already approached one hundred percent completion.

"I need to find another spell to cultivate," Su Yu thought to himself.

But there was no hurry.

At another clan trade fair, Su Yu brought the girl Lin Dong along to stroll around.

At the trade fair, Su Yu found a Wood attribute spell that suited his wishes: Spirit Spear Art.

The trade price was not high, only one Low-grade Spirit Stone.

This spell could use magic power to condense a war spear and pierce through the air to kill enemies. Paired with the Wood Vine Technique, it could produce miraculous effects.

Although Su Yu was not wealthy in spirit stones, he still traded for this spell.

"Let's go. Back home."

With this month's Low-grade Spirit Stone gone, there was naturally no need to look at the remaining stalls. Su Yu returned to his own courtyard and peacefully practiced the Spirit Spear Art.

The strength of the Spirit Spear Art was completely related to one's own magic power. The more and stronger the magic power you poured into it, the stronger the war spear you condensed would be.

But the magic power consumed would also be greater.

"For the time being, at Qi Refining Stage One, having this attack spell is enough." Su Yu was very satisfied. With insufficient strength, he would absolutely not be greedy for more.

Time slowly passed.

The dipper turned and the stars shifted.

Spring went and autumn came.

In the blink of an eye.

It had already been a year since Su Yu returned from the Cloud Sword Sect. During this year, aside from cultivation every day, Su Yu wandered through the Archive Pavilion and the various markets of Jiang City.

From time to time, he went to find Fifth Grandpa Su Bin for a chat, and learned quite a few interesting anecdotes about the cultivation world from Su Bin.

This old man was a rather special one in the family. Usually, aside from staying in the Archive Pavilion, he would disappear from time to time, and no one knew where he went.

The other elders of the family, even the Family Head, did not bother about his whereabouts or his idleness.

Su Yu had once asked that old man, but Su Bin had only chuckled and told him, a little brat, not to be so curious.

On this day, while Su Yu was cultivating, a green radiance flashed across his body and his magic power surged.

His cultivation aura finally broke through from Qi Refining Stage One to Qi Refining Stage Two.

After breaking through in cultivation, Su Yu did not hide it. He found the Second Elder and displayed his post-breakthrough cultivation, receiving from the Second Elder a reward for breaking through to Qi Refining Stage Two.

An extra doubled monthly stipend, which was one Low-grade Spirit Stone and thirty jin of Low-grade Spirit Rice.

Aside from that, after reaching Qi Refining Stage Two, his monthly stipend from then on would be two Low-grade Spirit Stones and fifty jin of Low-grade Spirit Rice every month.

Taking a full year to break through from Qi Refining Stage One to Qi Refining Stage Two, this kind of talent counted as the very bottom tier.

It would not attract attention at all.

Even if someone knew Su Yu had broken through to Qi Refining Stage Two, they would only shake their head. Taking a whole year to break through—he really was useless enough. Then they would turn around and forget the person Su Yu existed.

However, when Su Yu's cultivation broke through, Lin Dong was very happy. She specially made Su Yu a delicious meal, and the two of them had a small celebration in their own courtyard.

At another clan trade fair, Su Yu saw quite a lot of Monster Beast Essence Blood for sale at the stalls. There was early first-tier Monster Beast Essence Blood, as well as a few drops of mid first-tier Monster Beast Essence Blood.

"So much Monster Beast Essence Blood? Did a small-scale Beast Tide appear at the medicinal field?" Su Yu was inwardly surprised.

Using the one Low-grade Spirit Stone he had saved up, he bought two drops of mid first-tier Monster Beast Essence Blood. After making a round of the trade fair, he did not see Fifth Elder Su Bin's figure. He had originally wanted to ask him about this matter, but now that he had not seen the man, he could only give up and leave.

More than half a year ago, Su Yu's body refining technique had broken through to the second layer.

After cultivating for this past half year, the body refining technique had already broken through to the third layer a month ago.

Returning to the courtyard.

As Su Yu focused his mind, lines of words appeared.

Name: Su Yu.

Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage Two.

Lifespan: 17/99.

Cultivation Techniques: Wutong Greenwood Art (second layer, proficiency 1.42%), Crocodile Demon's 108 Forms Body Refining Technique (third layer, proficiency 10.67%).

Spells: Wood Vine Technique (complete), Spirit Nurturing Art (complete), Spirit Spear Art (complete).

"With two drops of mid first-tier Monster Beast Essence Blood, I'll try and see if I can charge toward the fourth layer of the body refining technique within two or three months." Su Yu looked at the Proficiency Panel thoughtfully.

There were also spells. After he accumulated some spirit stones, he could look around and see if there were any more powerful spells suitable for him.

Or perhaps, should he consider side professions like alchemy or refining Talismans?

With the Proficiency Panel, if he did not use his spare time to improve a side profession and save up some pocket money, that would be a waste as vast as the heavens.

"Alchemy, artifact refining, Talisman refining, formations, and so on—these side professions all make a lot of money." As Su Yu pondered, his eyes faintly lit up.

With money, his cultivation speed could be greatly increased.