South of the Wu Dynasty, in Xiangyuan Circuit.
Inside the Qi Clan's grand estate in Tiannan Commandery, a middle-aged Confucian scholar sat in his study, eyes closed in concentration.
His hands rested naturally on his knees. A wisp of mysterious energy swirled before his chest, now taking the shape of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, now turning into birds and beasts.
After a long while, the scholar slowly opened his eyes and exhaled.
"Still no good. I just can't take that final step to condense a Divine Ability seed—"
He sighed, his expression darkening.
He was Qi Wenjing, one of the five most influential figures in the Qi Clan!
As a second-tier noble lineage of the Wu Dynasty, the Qi Clan had two Divine Ability Practitioners presiding over it.
Below them were three at the late stage of Talisman Seeding. Qi Wenjing was one of them.
The late stage of Talisman Seeding seemed only a step away from becoming a Divine Ability Practitioner, but that step was a chasm. Countless gifted people had spent their lives trapped before it.
Those at Talisman Seeding were merely True Persons. Divine Ability Practitioners were of the Earthbound Immortal class, with lifespans of a thousand years. They were practically a different kind of being from people like him.
"To condense a Divine Ability seed, I can only rely on my own strength. Even the ancestors can't intervene. My foundation simply isn't deep enough!"
Qi Wenjing gave a bitter smile, unwilling to accept it.
He considered himself exceptionally gifted and had devoted himself to seeking longevity. To focus on cultivation, he had even declined the position of clan head, accepting only the nominal title of elder. And yet—
"Longevity, longevity—"
Qi Wenjing muttered to himself, a touch of madness on his gaunt face. Just then,