First Qi Refinement Layer

All the way south.

Xiao Yuanjun raced thousands of miles, making certain no pursuers were behind her before stopping in front of a great mountain.

With a casual gesture, she hollowed out a large cave in the mountainside, walked inside, and sealed the entrance from within. She formed a hand seal and cast an illusion, then used a Divine Ability to conceal heavenly secrets and erase karma.

Only after doing all this did Xiao Yuanjun relax.

Zhang Yuan also breathed a sigh of relief, silently giving Xiao Yuanjun's actions a thumbs-up.

Her earlier risky behavior had made him wonder whether he had misjudged her—perhaps Xiao Yuanjun was not a cautious cultivator at all, but one who gambled with her life.

Yet the practiced ease with which she covered her tracks was clearly the mark of someone cautious.

Safe. Everything was safely in hand!

With [Stolen-Life Baleful Intent] secured and the expert he had taken as his Master following the cautious approach, his road to immortality would surely be smooth and free of obstacles!

While Zhang Yuan indulged in these pleasant imaginings, Xiao Yuanjun had already lit a fire inside the cave.

The stone walls were thick, and the firelight flickered.

She took out the Jade Peach.

Under the firelight, the already iridescent Jade Peach gained an even more wondrous air, inevitably drawing Zhang Yuan's gaze.

"This is [Stolen-Life Baleful Intent]? Why is it a peach?" Zhang Yuan asked.

When he had heard Xiao Yuanjun explain the heavenly dipper and earthly baleful forces, he had assumed they were all intangible and formless. He had never expected the first earthly baleful force he encountered to take the shape of a peach.

"Heavenly dipper and earthly baleful forces are creations of heaven and earth. Their forms are often ever-changing. Until you secure one, no one knows what shape it will take," Xiao Yuanjun explained, turning the Jade Peach over in her hand.

"Then how do I use this [Stolen-Life Baleful Intent]? Eat it?" Zhang Yuan immediately asked.

More than any of that, he cared about when he could officially begin cultivating.

"There you go, getting impatient again. If an ordinary person swallowed something like this, their body would burst and they would die. Ah, once you learn to be as cautious as your Master, you'll be ready to leave my tutelage." Xiao Yuanjun shook her head and admonished him.

Zhang Yuan nodded in agreement, reflecting inwardly on his mistake.

He really had been impatient. After all, he had only half a life left. How could he not be anxious?

"Here, catch."

Xiao Yuanjun tossed a book out of her sleeve.

Zhang Yuan caught it and took a close look.

The title was written in an ancient pictographic script.

Although Zhang Yuan could not recognize every character, he still managed to work out that the title was the Qi Refining volume of the "Congenital True Law of Self-Transcendence."

If he remembered correctly, this seemed to be the cultivation method Xiao Yuanjun practiced.

"This is a method I created myself, pointing straight toward the great path of the Golden Core. It consists of two volumes, Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment. Follow what's written in the book and try refining it yourself."

As Xiao Yuanjun spoke, she tossed the Jade Peach to Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan eagerly opened the book.

Anticipation also shone in Xiao Yuanjun's eyes. After all, she had created the entire cultivation method herself, and this was her first time teaching it to anyone.

Yet the moment Zhang Yuan opened the first page, his brows furrowed, and he remained motionless for a long while.

"What's wrong? Does the method not suit you? Or is there something you don't understand?" Xiao Yuanjun asked upon seeing this.

The method she had created was unique and of exceptionally high quality, perfectly suited to her own cultivation.

But a method that suited her would not necessarily suit Zhang Yuan. If it truly did not work, she would find a way to get him another one.

Zhang Yuan shook his head slightly and said solemnly, "I can't read it."

"What part can't you read?" Xiao Yuanjun pressed.

She had already written it in very accessible language. Even someone with terrible comprehension should at least be able to get past the first page.

"Any of it," Zhang Yuan said, looking rather embarrassed.

During his five or six months with the Eastern Bian Li, no one had taught him this world's writing. Guessing the title from the shapes of the characters was already the limit of his abilities.

"Oh, I forgot you're illiterate." Xiao Yuanjun laughed.

Now she remembered. Zhang Yuan had come from the Outer Heavens. After just a few short months, of course he would not know the characters of the Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm.

The corners of Zhang Yuan's mouth twitched.

He had been an educated man in the twenty-first century. Calling him illiterate was going too far!

"That's easy enough. I'll read, and you listen."

Xiao Yuanjun took the book and slowly read aloud, "As the saying goes, the human body is a small world, and heaven and earth are a great human body. This method of mine seeks not to transcend others, but only oneself: to achieve completeness within the human body and break free of the bonds of heaven and earth."

"The human body..."

As Xiao Yuanjun taught him the method in the Qi Refining volume, Zhang Yuan listened, utterly enthralled.

Only when Xiao Yuanjun stopped teaching did a gleam of understanding flash through Zhang Yuan's eyes. He said confidently, "I've got it."

"You've got it? So quickly?" Xiao Yuanjun was astonished.

Though this was only the Qi Refining volume, it was still a method that pointed straight toward the Golden Core Realm. He had learned it after hearing it just once. Could Zhang Yuan be a genius of the Gang Sha Path?

To think she had stumbled upon a treasure just by undertaking the Disciple Trial.

Zhang Yuan nodded, then grasped the Jade Peach and half-closed his eyes. Sensing the vigorous vitality contained within it, he followed Xiao Yuanjun's instructions and put the refining method of the "Congenital True Law of Self-Transcendence" into practice.

"He really did learn it." Xiao Yuanjun clicked her tongue in wonder.

The Li had discarded Zhang Yuan, and she had taken him as her disciple. Did that count as picking up a treasure they had overlooked?

Given time, when Zhang Yuan reached Foundation Establishment and proved and attained Celestial Human, she wondered whether the Li would regret it upon learning the news.

Time flew like an arrow.

As time passed, the once-iridescent Jade Peach gradually dimmed. In contrast, color returned to Zhang Yuan's face, and his body steadily recovered and grew stronger!

A crack rang out.

With that crisp sound, the Jade Peach shattered, and all its wondrous radiance vanished.

The sha ingestion gang devoration path, first qi refinement layer—finally achieved!

Zhang Yuan slowly opened his eyes, vitality flowing through his gaze. His mind was now filled with insights into the innate imago of [Stolen-Life Baleful Intent].

[Stolen-Life Baleful Intent] was one of the earthly baleful forces. The power of its imago concealed one's true name bound to one's life and stole vitality from heaven and earth to prolong one's Life-Prolonging. Used properly, it could even grant ageless longevity in the Qi Refinement Realm.

As for why it did not grant eternal life and freedom from death, that was because earthly baleful forces were inauspicious by nature. Every earthly baleful force had its own dangers. This was one of the immutable laws of heaven and earth in the Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm.

Refining [Stolen-Life Baleful Intent] did indeed grant the power of longevity, but a deadly baleful aspect lurked within it. Stolen longevity inevitably brought heavenly punishment. Every three years, a life-and-death tribulation would arrive. Survive it, and one would remain unharmed and enjoy another three years of life. Fail, and one's soul would scatter, leaving not even a chance of reincarnation.

Most importantly, the tribulations grew more difficult with each one survived. Passing once did not mean one could pass every time. Sooner or later, death would come.

Thus, although Zhang Yuan had resolved the problem of his dying body, if he failed to survive the tribulation three years later, he would still certainly die—and far more completely.

I have to resolve the drawback of [Stolen-Life Baleful Intent].

Zhang Yuan thought this to himself, then looked up and discovered that Xiao Yuanjun had been watching him all along.

"The first qi refinement layer. Congratulations," Xiao Yuanjun said.

"Thank you for teaching me the method, Master." Zhang Yuan rose, clasped his hands, and bowed.

She had saved his life and taught him an immortal cultivation method. Xiao Yuanjun deserved his bow.

"Ah, save your bow for when you reach Foundation Establishment."

Xiao Yuanjun waved a hand casually, then added, "Have you noticed the problem?"

Knowing that Xiao Yuanjun meant the tribulations of [Stolen-Life Baleful Intent], Zhang Yuan nodded. "Please enlighten me, Master."