Cloudglow Reflecting Immortal Art

Elder Liu studied Xu Changxing for a moment, then nodded and said:

"It's quite rare to keep your true heart intact in such a place, where all sorts mingle."

Xu Changxing hastily replied, "I simply saw too many evil cultivators meet their ends and didn't want to become like them."

Elder Liu said mildly, "Such an honest nature is rare. You suit my temperament rather well.

Would you be willing to take me as your master?"

His bluntness once again caught Xu Changxing off guard.

But after a brief pause, he immediately bowed deeply in formal obeisance. "Your disciple, Xu Changxing, pays his respects to his honored master!"

The corners of Elder Liu's mouth lifted. "In that case, you are now my third disciple.

You have two senior brothers in the Setting Sun Sect.

Your eldest senior brother is Li Changge, and your second senior brother is Zhou Lechi.

You'll meet them both once we return to the mountain."

Xu Changxing said, "I'll remember that. May I ask your name, Master?"

"My name is Liu Chenyu. Remember it."

With that, Liu Chenyu turned his hand over and produced a bracelet strung with several dozen small purple beads.

"This artifact is called the Purple Cloud Sand. Your eldest senior brother once used it.

Keep it to defend yourself."

Xu Changxing's eyes lit up again.

Even the shoddiest artifact could easily sell for several hundred low-grade spirit stones.

Earlier, he had even considered risking his life against the demon in the ruined temple for an artifact that might well have been damaged.

He had never expected to receive one so easily just by taking a master.

Purple clouds faintly swirled within the Purple Cloud Sand. It looked extraordinary at a glance, far better than those artifacts of unknown origin.

I wonder how many simulations I could run if I sold this artifact...

Holding back his excitement, Xu Changxing thanked Liu Chenyu before accepting the Purple Cloud Sand with both hands.

After giving him the Purple Cloud Sand, Liu Chenyu casually produced a porcelain bottle and held it out to Xia Shanyang, who had been watching from the sidelines.

"You did well this time. Take this bottle of Spirit-Gathering Pills.

Once I return to the mountain, I'll add the contribution points to your account.

With those points, you should be able to return to the mountain as well."

Xia Shanyang exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you for your support, Elder!"

Watching Xia Shanyang tremble with excitement, Xu Changxing felt somewhat puzzled.

Liu Chenyu seemed to notice his confusion and explained:

"In our Setting Sun Sect, contribution points can be exchanged for all manner of pills and precious materials. They also serve as a measure for promotion.

An outer disciple with enough points can apply to become an inner disciple.

There's quite a difference between the benefits afforded to inner and outer disciples."

Like civil servants versus outsourced workers?

After that inward quip, Xu Changxing turned to Xia Shanyang. "Congratulations, Brother Xia!"

Xia Shanyang hurriedly replied, "It's all thanks to you, Brother Xu."

Only after the two exchanged a few more pleasantries did Liu Chenyu speak again, his tone mild:

"Since you've become my disciple, come back to the mountain with me."

With that, he tossed out a flying shuttle.

The flying shuttle grew as it caught the wind, expanding to over thirty feet long in the blink of an eye.

Once Xu Changxing boarded, Liu Chenyu guided it toward the Setting Sun Sect.

Just an hour later, he arrived at the Setting Sun Sect.

Nestled among lofty mountains and steep ridges, the Setting Sun Sect occupied nearly a million mu of land, its inhabitants scattered thinly across that vast expanse.

Liu Chenyu cultivated in one of its mountain ranges.

The main peak there was called Flying Stream Peak.

Xu Changxing had assumed Liu Chenyu's residence would embody the tranquil air of "a mountain, a stream, and a sky of clouds."

Only upon arriving at Flying Stream Peak did he realize how completely wrong he had been.

Dozens of courtyards in various styles stood atop its main peak.

He even spotted a small marketplace.

He could see the individual stalls from far away.

His expression grew rather strange.

Liu Chenyu glanced at him and smiled. "What is it? Think there are too many people here?"

Xu Changxing nodded. "I thought your residence would be an immortal's secluded abode, where no one would disturb you."

Liu Chenyu smiled. "We have those too, just not here.

Flying Stream Peak has a thousand mu of spiritual fields. Too few people, and we couldn't tend them all.

As for where you'll be staying, it won't be here."

He looked into the distance, seemingly considering which hill would suit his third disciple.

A moment later, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he pointed at a hill a little farther away.

"You can cultivate over there.

It's quieter, but supplies for daily life are harder to come by.

If you find living and cultivating alone inconvenient, you can recruit a few Daoist attendants here."

After briefly explaining a few things to Xu Changxing, Liu Chenyu entered the main hall.

He seated himself upright and asked solemnly, "Your cultivation is currently at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement?"

Xu Changxing nodded obediently. "Yes!"

Liu Chenyu continued, "Reveal your spiritual root and cultivation. Let me see what your foundation is like."

Without the slightest hesitation, Xu Changxing stirred his dantian and released the full extent of his ninth-layer Qi Refinement true essence.

Amid the rising true essence, a gleam of green light flickered in and out of sight.

After sensing it for a moment, Liu Chenyu nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. It is indeed a third-grade wood spiritual root, and your foundation is reasonably solid.

An ordinary rogue cultivator could already begin preparing for Foundation Establishment.

But now that you're my disciple, put Foundation Establishment aside for the time being."

As he spoke, he took out a jade slip.

"The road of immortal cultivation stretches endlessly ahead.

Foundation Establishment is only the first step along that road, but it is also an extremely important one.

If your foundation is unstable, your path to immortality will collapse like a bubble before you get very far.

First cultivate this art until you can advance no further. Only then should you consider Foundation Establishment."

"Yes, Master!"

Xu Changxing accepted the jade slip and discovered that it contained a cultivation art called the Cloudglow Reflecting Immortal Art.

According to the art, he needed to continuously compress the true essence within his dantian.

Once that true essence was compressed to its utmost limit, it would condense into a cloud pattern within his dantian.

After he condensed nine cloud patterns, his dantian would resemble a swirl of radiant clouds.

If a cultivator then channeled a spell at full power, a bank of radiant clouds would appear around him, like the reflection of an immortal.

After carefully reading through the cultivation art, Xu Changxing asked curiously:

"Master, how many cloud patterns did my two senior brothers condense before reaching Foundation Establishment?"

Liu Chenyu seemed to have been waiting for this question all along.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Your eldest senior brother, Li Changge, is exceptionally talented, but something went a little wrong during his cultivation.

After condensing seven cloud patterns, he could make no further progress and had no choice but to proceed to Foundation Establishment.

Your second senior brother is slightly less talented. He only condensed five cloud patterns before reaching Foundation Establishment."

Uh... Master, you don't look all that disappointed...

Although Liu Chenyu had said "no choice but to proceed to Foundation Establishment," the slight upward curve of his lips looked like boasting no matter how Xu Changxing viewed it.

After a moment's thought, Xu Changxing understood why.

The ninth layer of Qi Refinement was already the limit for ordinary cultivators.

The difficulty of further condensing their true essence at that point was easy to imagine.

So condensing seven cloud patterns is already pretty impressive?

Xu Changxing nodded thoughtfully.