Chen Shuangbai was genuinely happy about the marriage between Huang Shanglan and Lu Zhiyuan.
Although he didn't quite understand how Lu Zhiyuan had managed to win over this senior sister who had previously only liked handsome men, well... since things had come to this point, it was a happy occasion.
Chen Shuangbai then asked, " Senior Brother Lu, what is the date of your wedding?"
Lu Zhiyuan replied, "We're both still quite young and want to give it our all. We haven't set a specific date yet, but don't worry, junior brother, we'll definitely send you the invitation first when the time comes."
Chen Shuangbai naturally agreed with a smile.
"Then I'll definitely prepare a generous gift for you!"
The three chatted for a while longer. When Lu Zhiyuan learned that Chen Shuangbai was going to the Expenditure Hall to see if his original cave abode on Lesser Yang Peak had been rented out, he was surprised.
Lu Zhiyuan said, "Junior brother, please don't worry. I've had someone keep your cave abode; I haven't taken it back to the hall to redistribute it."
Chen Shuangbai thanked his dao companion again, chatted for a while, and then rode the Flowing Cloud Flying Pouch toward Lesser Yang Peak, where his former cave abode was located.
Inside the pavilion.
Watching Chen Shuangbai's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Huang Shanglan sighed, "It's true what they say, comparisons are odious."
"It's only been three years, and this junior brother has already advanced from the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer Seventh Layer of Qi Refining. Look at how solid his Law Power is now..."
Lu Zhiyuan could hear the envy and loneliness in her words.
Huang Shanglan's qualifications are actually similar to Lu Zhiyuan's.
They were both students in the same cohort.
However, both of them were burdened by worldly affairs and had to devote their attention to earning Merit Points for cultivation at the Jade Dew Hall and the Expenditure Hall, so their cultivation progress was relatively slow.
Lu Zhiyuan was alright. After several years of honing his skills, he finally broke through the bottleneck between the Middle Qi Refining Stage and Late Qi Refining Stage and successfully advanced to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.
Standing outside, he could be considered a Late Qi Refining Stage cultivator.
However, Huang Shanglan remained stuck at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.
The key points in the mid-to-late game kept getting her stuck, and she became somewhat discouraged after several attempts.
Lu Zhiyuan stepped forward and took her delicate hand, saying gently, "Junior brother is naturally no ordinary person, but Lan'er, don't be discouraged. We've been on duty for many years and have accumulated quite a few spiritual materials, which can allow you to try a few more times."
"Take your time..."
"Um."
Before long, Chen Shuangbai stood in front of the cave abode on Lesser Yang Peak.
The area outside the cave abode was very clean, indicating that Lu Zhiyuan had sent someone to clean it during the three years he was away, and it had not been completely abandoned.
As I entered the cave and saw the familiar furnishings, scenes of my past cultivation here came to mind.
"It's really become my second home."
Chen Shuangbai sighed softly, then reactivated the formation of the cave abode to inform outsiders that the owner of this place had returned.
He sat in the cave abode and first released Feiguang and Gray Ball from the beast ring.
Seeing this familiar scene, Feiguang was overjoyed. With a flap of its wings, it transformed into a white flash and soared into the sky.
It is the king of birds, and the cramped space within the animal enclosure had long suffocated it.
Chen Shuangbai ignored it. It bore the mark of his own robe and the token of a disciple's spirit beast issued by the sect, so it wouldn't cause any major trouble within the sect.
As for the Gray Ball...
The little Mushroom Demon seemed rather reserved in this unfamiliar environment.
However, it seemed to sense the omnipresent presence of its master, Chen Shuangbai, and gradually calmed down. It began to patrol, hopping around, until it reached a corner of the cave abode near a spring, where it found a comfortable spot and settled down.
Although it can move freely, its nature as a plant spirit compels it to take root.
Chen Shuangbai didn't pay much attention to it.
Unbeknownst to them,
The moon is high in the sky.
The bright moonlight shone down from above, illuminating the cave abode with a pristine glow.
The divine image of Lord of the First Month a dragon's head and a human body, emerged from behind him. He pointed with a green jade tablet in his hand, and the originally formless and intangible moonlight seemed to be pulled like silk, falling more from outside and shining on Chen Shuangbai, who was cultivating.
He had already reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining two years ago.
At the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy, he had no shortage of elixirs, Spirit Stone, Law Technique, Divine Ability Cultivation Method, and spells. Furthermore, with the Lord of the First Month Divine Aspect, his cultivation far surpassed that of cultivators of the same aptitude and realm.
Now... it's time to break through the barrier again and officially step into the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.
Chen Shuangbai closed his eyes slightly, sat cross-legged on the futon in the center of the cave, took out the Moon Soul True Water, wrapped it with his Law Power to refine it, and bathed in the moonlight. The " Moon-Worshipping Clear Illumination Method " in his body started to operate again, and it vaguely matched the phase of the moon in the sky today.
The " First Month Divine Manifestation " behind him became increasingly solid, holding a green jade tablet, constantly drawing in and purifying moonlight to aid his cultivation.
The entire breakthrough process was as smooth as it could possibly be.
As the Jade Rabbit set in the west and the Golden Crow rose in the east, Chen Shuangbai slowly finished his practice. The white mist that had been moving between his mouth and nose gradually receded back into his body. When he opened his eyes again, he had already reached the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.
"The solid foundation I laid over the past three years has not been in vain. Now, the breakthrough is a natural outcome, without the slightest sense of obstruction."
The higher a cultivator's realm, the more difficult it is to advance.
But Chen Shuangbai was different.
Putting aside his own cultivation Cultivation Method, the Cultivation Method evolved from the Dao Fruit is already in line with his Dao Path and tailor-made for him. More importantly, there is also the Moon Soul True Water, a true water that can assist in cultivation.
With the help of these multiple factors, even a pig like Chen Shuangbai could take off.
After resting for a while...
Chen Shuangbai walked out of the cave abode. Feiguang had already run back from playing outside, but it seemed that it hadn't returned alone. There was a crane following behind it, a red-crowned crane with white feathers.
The crane's eyes darted around, looking at them with lively intelligence. Then, under Chen Shuangbai's gaze, it spoke in a clear, crisp voice. "Are you its master?"
Can you speak?
Chen Shuangbai was slightly surprised.
If Demon Beast wants to speak, it must at least reach the Foundation Establishment and refine the transverse bone in its mouth before it can speak. To transform into human form, it must at least have the cultivation level of the Golden Core stage.
However, there are only two ways to speak during the Qi Refining Stage.
One option was to ask a high-ranking cultivator to help me refine my transverse bone; the other was to take some kind of elixir.
This kind of elixir is quite rare and does not circulate within the sect.
Chen Shuangbai glanced at Feiguang, noticing that the guy had his head down and looked somewhat aggrieved, but he didn't seem to be injured. Then she turned to the red crane and asked, "May I ask if you are a red crane from White Reed Plain?"
Danhe nodded slightly, his long neck turning slightly. "Exactly."
"Don't worry, I came here for you, Snow-Plumed Eagle."
Chen Shuangbai glanced at Feiguang, who lowered his head, not daring to meet her gaze.
Danhe continued, "It's not a big problem, but your Snow-Plumed Eagle, relying on its cultivation level, bullied several of my clan's juniors. I noticed it wasn't wild, so I followed the traces of Law Power and brought it back."
Feiguang's head drooped even lower.