Spirit Qi Purification

The next day, Zhou Er got up early. After practicing the Guide Technique three times, he left his little courtyard, intending to go to the Mission Hall.

Remembering that he and Lin Shiyu had agreed to go together, he went to Lin Shiyu's home, a little over ten meters away, knocked on the door, and called her out.

"Junior Sister, what did you choose with your one free chance to pick a cultivation technique?"

Zhou Er asked.

Outer Sect Disciples were allowed to choose one cultivation technique for free.

Now that he had his Identity Token, he could use his own one-time chance to choose a low-tier cultivation technique.

On the way back from the Mission Hall later, he could conveniently stop by the Scripture Pavilion and use that chance.

"I have a Fire-attributed Low-grade Spirit Root, so I chose a fire-attributed cultivation technique: the Red Flame Technique."

Lin Shiyu said.

The Red Flame Technique could be cultivated until one broke through to Foundation Establishment.

Zhou Er hesitated over whether he should decide on an attribute for his cultivation technique now.

He had no Spirit Root, so he could cultivate techniques of any attribute.

He didn't know whether it was good or bad to decide so early on the direction his future cultivation would take.

There was no need to rush. After fretting about it for a while, Zhou Er temporarily put the matter out of his mind. He would go take a look at the Mission Hall first.

When they arrived at the Mission Hall, all sorts of task projections met their eyes.

Anyone above the rank of Outer Sect Disciple could accept tasks here. Those at the rank of Deacon or above could not only accept tasks, but also post them.

There were all kinds of tasks. Once they chose one, they only needed to remember its number, register with the senior brother in charge of the place, and accept it.

Task rewards varied, but mostly consisted of Spirit Stones and Contribution Points.

Contribution Points could be used to claim rewards at the Merit Hall or exchange for cultivation techniques at the Scripture Pavilion.

Zhou Er browsed for a long time and found that most tasks had requirements for cultivation level and the cultivation techniques one had practiced.

Disciples like Zhou Er, with low cultivation and no particular strengths, could hardly find any decent tasks. They could only take jobs like looking after Spirit Pets or doing odd chores—tasks much like those of servants.

After looking through many of them, Zhou Er still hadn't found a suitable task.

Rather than waste time on those miscellaneous tasks for paltry cultivation resources, he might as well focus on cultivating. Once his cultivation improved, he would be able to take better tasks.

Zhou Er hadn't found anything suitable, but Lin Shiyu was much luckier. Her cultivation had reached Qi Refining Fourth Layer, and all her mana had been converted into Red Flame Technique mana, making it relatively pure. She could take tasks related to those things.

Then she spotted an Alchemy Hall Elder looking for a Fire Control Attendant to keep the flames in the Alchemy Furnace steady. She happened to meet the requirements.

"Senior Brother Zhou, how about you? Did you find a suitable task?"

Lin Shiyu walked up to Zhou Er and asked.

"No. My cultivation is too weak right now. I'd better focus on cultivating and come back to the Mission Hall once I'm stronger!"

Zhou Er shook his head. There was no need to rush to earn Spirit Stones and Contribution Points. Now was the time to improve himself.

"What about you?"

Zhou Er looked at Lin Shiyu.

"An Elder from the Alchemy Hall is looking for a Fire Control Attendant. I can give it a try."

Lin Shiyu said.

The task didn't pay much—only eight Low-grade Spirit Stones a month—but she would get to watch an Alchemy Hall Elder refine pills and learn by observing. Perhaps Lin Shiyu would have a chance to learn the art of alchemy herself someday.

"Then congratulations, Junior Sister Lin."

Zhou Er said with a smile.

"I haven't gone to the interview yet. Who knows if I'll get it?"

Lin Shiyu sounded uncertain. She was afraid she wouldn't pass the assessment.

"You'll definitely get it, Junior Sister Lin."

Zhou Er encouraged her. After all, comforting words didn't cost a thing.

Lin Shiyu accepted the task. Once she took Elder He's assessment the next day, she could become a Fire Control Attendant—provided, of course, that she passed the interview-like assessment.

"Senior Brother Zhou, could you come with me tomorrow to take Elder He's assessment?"

Lin Shiyu asked. She wasn't very confident.

"Sure!"

Zhou Er had nothing to do after finishing his Guide Technique practice, so he could go with her.

After all, they were neighbors and got along well. Zhou Er already considered her a friend, and accompanying a friend to an interview was no big deal.

"Junior Sister Lin, I'm going to the Scripture Pavilion to choose a cultivation technique now. Are you heading home first, or would you like to come with me?"

Zhou Er asked.

"I'll go to the Scripture Pavilion with you, Senior Brother Zhou!"

Lin Shiyu said with a smile.

"Sounds good!"

Zhou Er nodded. Lin Shiyu had experience, so he could ask her questions along the way.

"Senior Brother Zhou, what attribute is your Spirit Root? I can recommend a cultivation technique for you."

Lin Shiyu asked.

"I don't know either. But for now, I don't want to decide on an attribute for my cultivation technique."

Zhou Er shook his head.

"Does Senior Brother Zhou have a multi-attribute Spirit Root? If you don't want to settle on an attribute for your cultivation technique so soon, you could start with the Qi Gathering Technique. It has no attribute requirements and can be cultivated all the way to Foundation Establishment."

Lin Shiyu said.

Multi-attribute Spirit Roots weren't especially common, but she had seen plenty of them.

Usually, people with multi-attribute Spirit Roots cultivated the technique corresponding to their highest-quality attribute, making the most of their Spirit Root.

Lin Shiyu's words suddenly enlightened Zhou Er.

He didn't want the attribute of his cultivation technique to limit him right now, so he could cultivate an attribute-neutral technique like the Qi Gathering Technique for the time being.

That way, if he encountered a better technique later, it would be easier to switch.

With a goal in mind, Zhou Er didn't waste any time after arriving at the Scripture Pavilion. He simply asked the senior brother there to find the Qi Gathering Technique and exchanged for a copied version.

Although it was only a copy, Zhou Er could still equip it and put it in an Equipment Slot.

[Qi Gathering Technique: An unremarkable cultivation technique.]

[Equipped Attributes: Spirit Qi Purification (White)]

[Spirit Qi Purification (White): Purifies the Spirit Qi within the body, filtering out a small amount of impurities.]

[Solidification Condition: Use the Qi Gathering Technique to circulate Spirit Qi through the body's Lesser Celestial Circuit 360 times.]

[Equip?]

Zhou Er wanted to equip the Qi Gathering Technique, but all three of his Equipment Slots were occupied by important things.

Taotie was an incredibly overpowered attribute, and its effect was far better than Spirit Qi Purification.

The Qi Induction attribute, meanwhile, was the foundation of Zhou Er's cultivation. Without it, he couldn't even sense Qi, let alone cultivate.

As for Longevity, it was the very reason Zhou Er was still alive. He couldn't give that up either.

"Anyway, the Qi Induction attribute will be solidified in half a month. I can wait another half month. That'll give me time to study the Qi Gathering Technique properly."

Zhou Er thought.

Of course, if he could eat Tiger Liver sooner, he could free up the first Equipment Slot.

But that would be difficult for Zhou Er right now.

Still, Zhou Er wasn't in any immediate danger of dying. He was cultivating safely in the Outer Sect, so there was no need to rush over these ten-odd days.

Back in his courtyard, Zhou Er practiced the Guide Technique three times as usual, then immediately went to rest.

The next day, before dawn, Zhou Er got up again and practiced the Guide Technique three times. By the time he finished, the sun had risen.

Lin Shiyu came to find Zhou Er, and the two headed together to the Alchemy Chamber of Elder He Lin to take her assessment.

Zhou Er was only there to accompany her; he wasn't taking the assessment himself.

"Senior Brother Zhou, what if I don't pass?"

Lin Shiyu asked nervously.

"You'll definitely pass, Junior Sister Lin."

Having lived two lifetimes, Zhou Er knew Lin Shiyu wasn't really asking what to do if she failed. She was looking for reassurance.

"Mm! I can do this!"

Lin Shiyu cheered herself on.

Elder He Lin was a young-looking female Elder. She expressionlessly interviewed several people, eliminated all the male disciples, then chose three young and attractive women from the five female disciples who remained. The entire assessment was over in no time, and she hadn't even let them do the job for real.

"I can't believe I actually passed."

On the way home, Lin Shiyu said in disbelief.

"I told you that you could do it."

Zhou Er said with a smile. He understood now: Elder He disliked men. She had sent all the male disciples away.

Over the next three days, Elder He trained the three Fire Control Attendants in fire control. Then the three of them could start working in shifts.

In practice, Lin Shiyu and the other two were like security guards. They only had to sit in front of the Alchemy Furnace and make sure its fire didn't go out to complete their task.

The Alchemy Furnace used Earth Fire, drawing flames from deep within the earth's veins to refine pills. They didn't need to control it much.

In fact, they didn't even need the Fire Control Technique Elder He Lin had taught them.

All in all, the work was easy. They just needed someone there to keep an eye on things.

Once Lin Shiyu started working as a Fire Control Attendant, she became busy every day. She lived far away and had to walk half an hour to reach Elder He Lin's Cave Mansion.

If she could control a magical artifact, she would naturally get there much faster. But Lin Shiyu hadn't reached Late-stage Qi Refining and couldn't afford one.

Zhou Er didn't pay Lin Shiyu much attention. He began cultivating as if in semi-seclusion, while also keeping an eye out for Elders who explained the Qi Gathering Technique.

Whenever those Elders went to the Lecture Platform to discuss the Dao, Zhou Er would go and listen.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed.

[Name: Zhou Er]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining First Layer (28.97%)]

[Equipment Slot (3/3): Five Animals Health Technique, Guide Technique, Bigu Pill.]

[Unsolidified Attributes: Five Animals Health Technique (Perfection), Longevity, Taotie (White).]

[Solidified Attributes: Qi Induction, Strength Increase (White).]

Zhou Er successfully solidified the Qi Induction attribute, so he could remove the Guide Technique from his Equipment Slot.

After removing the Guide Technique, Zhou Er immediately equipped the Qi Gathering Technique.

Once he equipped the Qi Gathering Technique, Zhou Er gained the Spirit Qi Purification attribute.

[Spirit Qi Purification (White): Purifies the Spirit Qi within the body, filtering out a small amount of impurities.]

[Solidification Condition: Use the Qi Gathering Technique to circulate Spirit Qi through the body's Lesser Celestial Circuit 360 times.]

Unlike Qi Induction, which took effect immediately upon being equipped, Spirit Qi Purification worked subtly in the background. It would take some time before its effects became noticeable.

For the past half month, Zhou Er had spent all his free time studying the Qi Gathering Technique. He now understood it quite well.

The Qi Gathering Technique was like a higher-grade version of the Guide Technique. It circulated the Spirit Qi of heaven and earth through the body's Lesser Celestial Circuit, improving one's control over mana and tempering the body.

Moreover, the mana produced by the Qi Gathering Technique was just like the mana from the Guide Technique: unprocessed, attribute-neutral Spirit Qi. Zhou Er didn't need to convert his mana and could switch techniques directly.

Now that the Qi Induction attribute was solidified, Zhou Er stopped practicing the Guide Technique and began cultivating according to the Qi Gathering Technique's circulation method.

Zhou Er carefully guided his mana through the meridians of his Lesser Celestial Circuit. He found it flowed far more smoothly than when he had practiced the Guide Technique.

Although the Qi Gathering Technique was more complicated than the Guide Technique, Zhou Er still managed to circulate his mana through one Lesser Celestial Circuit in half an hour.

[Spirit Qi Purification (White): Purifies the Spirit Qi within the body, filtering out a small amount of impurities.]

[Solidification Condition: Use the Qi Gathering Technique to circulate Spirit Qi through the body's Lesser Celestial Circuit 360 times. (1/360)]

The progress for Spirit Qi Purification had gone up by one as well.

After practicing two more times in a row, Zhou Er had a much firmer grasp of circulating Spirit Qi through the Lesser Celestial Circuit. He stopped cultivating.

At the same rate of six circuits a day, Zhou Er would need sixty days to solidify the Spirit Qi Purification attribute. That was a bit of a long wait.

Still, it was necessary.

The purer one's mana and Spirit Qi, the faster one could cast spells and the more powerful those spells would be.

In fact, the purity of one's Spirit Qi also helped greatly when breaking through bottlenecks.

Cultivators stuck at bottlenecks would do everything they could to purify their cultivation.

"Every cultivation realm has bottlenecks. For Qi Refining cultivators, the bottlenecks between the fourth and fifth layers and between the eighth and ninth layers are the most obvious. It'd be great if the Spirit Qi Purification attribute could help me bypass them."

Zhou Er thought.

Bottlenecks dealt a heavy blow to cultivators. Quite a few lost control of their cultivation and went mad because they couldn't break through.

Zhou Er cultivated diligently every day, leaving himself little free time. He occasionally chatted with Lin Shiyu, and time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, two months passed.

[Name: Zhou Er]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Second Layer (3.14%)]

[Equipment Slot (3/3): Five Animals Health Technique, Qi Gathering Technique, Bigu Pill.]

[Unsolidified Attributes: Five Animals Health Technique (Perfection), Longevity, Taotie (White).]

[Solidified Attributes: Spirit Qi Purification (White), Qi Induction, Strength Increase (White).]

Zhou Er successfully broke through to Qi Refining Second Layer and solidified the Spirit Qi Purification attribute.

Now that he was at Qi Refining Second Layer, Zhou Er began thinking about learning spells.

After all, how could he get far in the Cultivation World without any spells to protect himself?

As it happened, Zhou Er had saved up eight Low-grade Spirit Stones—just enough to find someone to teach him.

As for the Equipment Slot he had freed up, Zhou Er had originally planned to equip a Low-grade Spirit Stone.

But after equipping one, he discovered that his current mana limit didn't even reach the level of a single Low-grade Spirit Stone.

Judging by Zhou Er's observations, one needed to reach at least Late-stage Qi Refining—to Qi Refining Ninth Layer—to raise one's mana limit to the level of a single Low-grade Spirit Stone.

After all, though the Low-grade Spirit Stone was only the size of a pigeon's egg, it contained incredibly pure Spirit Energy, enough to sustain a Qi Refining cultivator's cultivation for a long time.

Raising one's mana limit to that level wasn't simple.

Fortunately, Zhou Er wasn't fighting anyone right now, so he didn't particularly need the Mana Abundance attribute a Low-grade Spirit Stone provided.

What he needed now were various attributes that could help him improve his cultivation as quickly as possible. Compared to those, increasing his mana limit could wait.