"Sure enough, the great powers of this world had deeply influenced the world itself—even cultivation!"
Fang Qing's heart trembled. He caught another blind spot. "Among the Twelve Year Guardians, there's also the Great Sun Tradition!"
"Great Sun Tradition cultivators are exceedingly rare, because it is no longer possible to gather the Great Sun Violet Qi needed for entry..."
Old Blind Man shook his head and sighed. "When I was young, I too yearned for the Great Sun Tradition. That was why I entered the Secret Treasury Domain to travel and search. The result—you've seen it..."
"Great Sun Violet Qi cannot be gathered?"
Fang Qing lifted his head and looked toward that blazing Great Sun.
"It is said that during High Antiquity, Great Sun Violet Qi was one of the easiest True Qis in heaven and earth to gather. A cultivator merely had to face east at sunrise and use the Qi-Gathering Formula... But after the Near Antiquity, all those who gathered Great Sun Violet Qi suffered sudden calamities..."
Old Blind Man gave a cold, heh-heh laugh. "Nothing more than some great figure above who does not wish cultivators to walk this path..."
"Can lowly cultivators like us even say such things?"
A cold sweat formed on Fang Qing's forehead, and he was even more speechless inside. Damn, just discussing entry-level cultivation could involve such a huge figure... Blocking off Great Sun Violet Qi? Does this lousy place even let people cultivate properly? Sure enough, the Azure Sea Sect's customs are a little more honest and simple...
"I happen to have a Qi Gathering Method for Winnowing Basket Water. You need to find a springhead, preferably a Spirit Spring. After spending several years harmonizing the qi, you can obtain Earthspring Tempered Essence. This True Qi is fifth-rank middle-grade—already exceptional. All things considered, you're the one profiting..."
"Fifth-rank middle-grade?"
"That's right. The first realm of cultivation is called Qi Ingestion. That first mouthful of True Qi concerns one's Dao Path, making it the weightiest matter of all. It is divided into nine ranks and thirty-six grades..."
Fang Qing grew interested. "Then what rank is Great Sun Violet Qi?"
Old Blind Man said solemnly, "When the sun rises in the east, this qi is supremely precious. It is ninth-rank top-grade, also known as Eastern Extreme Jade Clarity..."
Fang Qing rolled his eyes. "Forget it. Give me the Qi Gathering Method... I still have a few questions I'd like to ask you, old sir..."
Old Blind Man's pitch-black eye sockets stared at Fang Qing. Fang Qing felt that if his eyeballs were still there, he would have rolled them.
"Sure enough... Entry-level knowledge like a Qi Gathering Method can be replicated. It really isn't worth much."
After leaving Floating Boat Market, Fang Qing used his lightness skill. He did not encounter any cultivator bandits along the way, and he grumbled inwardly.
He had spent all his spiritual items. He had only assessed his aptitude and obtained a Qi Gathering Method, leaving him so cleanly plucked that he was poorer than a bird's egg. Even cultivator bandits were too lazy to rob him.
Even so, Fang Qing remained cautious the entire way. Only after several days did he find an opportunity to return to Jade Island, where he began playing the role of a loyal Azure Sea Sect disciple purchasing Treasure Fish.
Half a month passed in a flash.
"Whew..."
Upon seeing the Azure Sea Sect's mountain gate, Fang Qing let out a long breath.
He went to the Palace of Miscellaneous Affairs, turned in his assignment, made some purchases, and returned to his cave abode on Pill Island.
After closing the cave abode's gates and sticking up a talisman that prevented disturbance and could detect Spiritual Sense probes, Fang Qing finally relaxed completely and collapsed onto his stone bed.
"This time, I've opened up the channels... I've found out all the places where Qi Ingestion cultivators in Ba Commandery trade."
"Next time, if I learn a cultivation method that changes my appearance and aura... I can try selling goods and obtain a large amount of... Uh, spiritual items seem to be priced higher over there, but no matter what, there will always be a price difference to profit from..."
"There's no rush for that. I still need to gather qi and obtain a strand of Earthspring Tempered Essence, then acquire a Winnowing Basket Water cultivation method. I should then be able to convert back and forth between Water Classic Commentary mana and Winnowing Basket Water mana."
Fang Qing had already figured out the general use of the Dao-Born Pearl's Revert to Root, Return to Origin. To transform something, he needed an "inducement."
For example, if he wanted to transform mana into Winnowing Basket Water mana, he first needed to cultivate at least a trace of Winnowing Basket Water mana himself.
Likewise, if he wished to transform it into Great Sun mana, he first had to obtain a Great Sun Cultivation Method and cultivate it to the introductory stage.
"Gathering qi takes time, and cultivating a secret art that changes one's appearance also takes time..."
"I'm only at the Qi Refining Third Layer now. Accumulating mana likewise takes time... Everything is measured in years. Fortunately... immortal cultivators have long lifespans, long enough to wait."
At this thought, Fang Qing could not help recalling the cultivation knowledge he had finally wheedled out of Old Blind Man.
"Cultivation in Ancient Shu can be called the Breath-Nourishing Dao. One consumes a mouthful of True Qi to enter the Dao and cultivate, becoming a Breath-Nourishing Realm cultivator. It likewise has nine layers... Breath-Nourishing Realm cultivators have lifespans roughly equal to Qi Refinement Realm cultivators, around two sixty-year cycles."
"After the Breath-Nourishing Realm comes the Dao Foundation Realm. One must forge a Dao Foundation, which carries another layer of profound mystery. Dao Foundation cultivators live two hundred years..."
"After the Dao Foundation Realm comes the Purple Mansion Realm, with vast Divine Abilities and boundless mana... They may live five hundred years... That is comparable to the lifespan of Core Formation patriarchs over here."
"The Yulin Pu Clan is a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan, with a Purple Mansion patriarch guarding the clan. They are the foremost aristocratic clan of Yulin Commandery... The Black Blight Sect also has Purple Mansion cultivators. So these are the two nearest Purple Mansion powers to me?"
"The Luo Family... There are certainly Qi Ingestion Realm cultivators in the family. Whether they have Dao Foundation Realm cultivators is uncertain. I'll need to inquire slowly..."
Fang Qing pondered as he gradually fell into a deep sleep.
The next day.
Cold Spring Peak.
He sat cross-legged before a cold spring and attempted to gather qi.
"Hm?"
A moment later, Fang Qing opened his eyes and looked at the jade bottle in his hand in surprise. "This speed is somewhat fast... Is it because this place is a Spirit Spring, or because I'm a cultivator? Or perhaps both?"
While gathering qi just now, he had discovered that his own speed of gathering qi was extremely fast.
By a rough estimate, a portion of Earthspring Tempered Essence that originally required ten years to gather would only take him two or three years to collect!
"Wait... Shouldn't the key point be—this world can gather qi as well?"
At that thought, Fang Qing abruptly raised his head. Looking at the bright Great Sun, his heart began to pound. "If Earthspring Tempered Essence is like this, then what about Great Sun Violet Qi?"
"Still, I need to get hold of the Qi Gathering Method for Great Sun Violet Qi first. A Qi Gathering Method that has already become useless should not command a high price..."
"Now that I hold a heavy treasure in my hand and opportunity lies ahead, I still need to advance step by step... I should first keep my footing steady and fight steadily for a while."
"Though... things will be somewhat difficult from here on."
Fang Qing planned not to go to the Land of Ancient Shu until he had cultivated a disguise art. Yet within the Azure Sea Sect, he already felt as though every step was difficult.
He could not refine pills, nor did he want to accept high-risk assignments, so his cultivation speed would inevitably be ordinary.
And since he had entered Pill Island through the back door, poor performance would certainly invite criticism.
"Words are like a gust of wind... Ignore them, and nothing will happen."
"Oh... I also need to read more books. Read... and nourish my Winnowing Basket Water destiny."
Just as he regulated his breathing, meditated, and prepared to gather qi again—
A spirited young disciple in blue robes suddenly walked over. "Are you Senior Brother Fang Qing?"
"You are?"
Fang Qing looked at the man, finding him somewhat familiar. Then he remembered. This man had been one of the immortal seedlings selected alongside him at the Immortal Destiny Assembly. "Junior Brother Li Yudan?"
Li Yudan's face reddened. "I have changed my name to Li Yusu. Senior Brother, please do not remember it incorrectly. I have now entered the inner sect and am also a Pill Island disciple."
"So that's how it is. Congratulations, congratulations!"
Fang Qing sensed the spiritual power fluctuations of the Qi Refining Third Layer from Li Yudan and smiled as he cupped his hands. "But I recall that you seem to have a Wood Spirit Root... Are you also learning Water-Method Alchemy?"
"Although Water Spirit Root cultivators are the best match for Water-Method Alchemy, the human body contains all five elements. So long as one's Fire Spirit Root is not overly prominent, anyone can try Water-Method Alchemy..."
Li Yudan said proudly, "I have some talent in water control and extraction, so Master Clouddrift Adept accepted me as his disciple..."
"I see. We are of the same year and from the same hometown, so we should grow closer in the future."
Fang Qing nodded. Water gave rise to wood—those were the rules of five-element mana here.
How unlike Ancient Shu, where water, earth, and wood were all unreasonably restrained by metal and fire.
"Senior Brother Fang, perhaps you did not understand."
Li Yudan said, "I have taken a fancy to this Spirit Spring of yours. Please leave."
"Hm?"
Fang Qing's expression immediately became calm. "Are you planning to seize my Spirit Spring?"
"The Spirit Spring of heaven and earth belongs to the virtuous... I have already asked Senior Sister Zha. She said that she has no further connection with you."
As more disciples gathered around, Li Yudan's voice instead grew louder, and faint pride rose in his heart.
What he could not stand most was that they had clearly been immortal seedlings selected together. Why had Fang Qing become an inner sect disciple the moment he entered the sect, while he had needed to crawl his way up from the outer sect?
Zha Zhu had superior aptitude, and he accepted that.
But Fang Qing possessed merely middling aptitude.
Moreover, he had deliberately come to make trouble for Fang Qing today. Naturally, there had been instructions from a certain senior sister behind it.
"So that's how it is..."
Fang Qing looked deeply at Li Yudan. "Junior Brother Li Yudan, if that is the case, then I will give this Spirit Spring to you..."
In any case, he had just gathered qi from this Spirit Spring. Its spiritual charm might have been damaged, making pill refinement twice the effort for half the result. Switching to another spring was just as well.
"My name is Li Yusu!"
Li Yudan's face reddened slightly. "Also, Senior Sister Zha has already broken through to Mid Qi Refinement. Her future is boundless. I do not wish to see anyone borrow her name to swagger about and tyrannize others."
Those words were clearly meant for the surrounding disciples to hear.
As Zha Zhu's junior brother, his words naturally represented her more convincingly.
"I understand. There is no longer the slightest connection between Zha Zhu and me."
Fang Qing nodded. He had long expected this day to come.
His connection with the Cha Family had begun with that sea rescue. Yet in truth, even without Old Man Cha, he would still have drifted to Jade Island and would not have faced mortal danger.
Instead, Old Man Cha had used Fang Qing's urgent desire to attend the Immortal Destiny Assembly to make him risk his life at Sea Dragon Reef.
After the Dragon King Festival, when he saw Fang Qing alive, Old Man Cha immediately chose to compensate him.
After Fang Qing's immortal cultivation aptitude was tested, he might even have instructed his granddaughter about something.
But now, perhaps he felt the debt had been repaid, or perhaps some other influence had arisen, so he chose to sever their ties.
Fang Qing accepted it calmly. He cared even less for the veiled looks from the surrounding disciples. He chose another secluded springhead and began meditating to gather qi.
From the outside, this Qi Gathering Formula looked much the same as ordinary meditation and breathing exercises. He was not afraid that these low-level disciples would spot any flaw.
Before you continue