Innate Immortal Seed

Chapter 246: Chapter 244: Clear Cultivation Time

The Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword Embryo had entered an extremely peculiar state within his Dantian Qi Sea.

It was enveloped in a verdant glow, and with every passing moment, a trace of the Power of Time would merge into it.

This caused the mass of Thunder Radiance to enter a profoundly mystical state.

’The most pressing matter is to find another Tier Three Flying Sword. The Moon Xuan Sword is excellent, but it’s best saved for critical moments... Just a slight push drains nearly half of my True Essence, so I can’t sustain more than a few strikes with it.’

Other Magical Treasures could wait, but a Flying Sword was indispensable.

There were many newly-advanced Core Formation True Men who used Spiritual Artifacts as a stopgap, slowly gathering Spiritual Materials to refine their own Magical Treasures over time.

But Bai Zichen had a long list of things he needed to do, and not having a suitable Flying Sword would be far too inconvenient.

’It would be utterly humiliating if the people from the Tianhe Sword Sect saw that the man hailed for having the greatest Sword Dao Talent since the Near Ancient era was still using a Tier Two Flying Sword after reaching Core Formation... However, within the Liang Country Cultivation Realm, it’s unlikely I’ll find a Tier Three Flying Sword anywhere besides the Holy Lotus Sect and the Sun Concealing Sword Sect.’

Speaking of the Sun Concealing Sword Sect, Bai Zichen recalled that their Supreme Elder had died in the Burial Immortal Valley.

’If I recall correctly, the Sun Concealing Sword Sect only has three Core Formation True Men in total... Now that their strongest, the one at Core Formation Perfection, is gone, they must be having a rough time. I wonder if I’ll get beaten and thrown out if I show up at their door asking to purchase a Tier Three Flying Sword.’

For a Sword Cultivation Sect, a Tier Three Flying Sword was almost synonymous with the sect’s power.

And unlike the Tianhe Sword Sect, the Sun Concealing Sword Sect lacked the ability to refine Tier Three Flying Swords.

He estimated that the entire sect probably had a single-digit number of Tier Three Flying Swords.

If the Sun Concealing Sword Sect path proved to be a dead end, he would have no choice but to make another trip to Zengguang Immortal City. It was a hub where four countries converged, and one could even find goods from beyond the Northern Domain.

If he could happen upon a large-scale auction, it would be quite normal for a Tier Three Flying Sword to appear.

After sorting out the matter of his Magical Treasures, Bai Zichen turned his attention back to his fundamental cultivation.

The fifth layer of the Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture had already elevated his Fire Spiritual Root aptitude to a cultivation speed equivalent to that of someone with Dual Spiritual Roots.

If he were still in the spiritual energy environment of the White Jade Tower, it would take him a hundred and sixty years to cultivate to the peak of the Early-Stage Core Formation.

’Even with my abundant lifespan, I can’t tolerate such a slow cultivation speed... No wonder most of the Core Formation True Men in the various sects are primarily in the early stages. If you reach Core Formation at an older age, there’s truly little room for advancement.’

After entering the Core Formation Stage, Bai Zichen’s Pill Discussion Talent became more pronounced. He could feel his progress ebb and flow, and he had a clear sense of where he stood.

He could calculate with perfect clarity the time it would take to master a Cultivation Technique or cultivate his current realm to Perfection.

’I can only tackle this from two angles: find Tier Three Spirit Pills suitable for Core Formation Cultivators, and move to a Spirit Land with a higher Spiritual Energy Concentration... For the first, I can consult my two senior brothers about how to obtain them. As for the second, I can start planning for that as well.’

Elixirs suitable for Core Formation True Men, especially those for increasing cultivation or breaking through bottlenecks, had always been highly sought-after on the market.

It wasn’t that these elixirs were more difficult to refine, but that the primary ingredients required for alchemy were incredibly rare, typically involving Thousand-Year-Old Spirit Grass.

Ordinary alchemists had no reliable channels for obtaining Thousand-Year-Old Spirit Grass.

Only the major powers that possessed a Medicine Garden Secret Realm could ensure a steady supply, thereby monopolizing the entire high-end Spirit Pill market.

As for his own Cave Mansion, he had already identified a few potential locations before reaching Core Formation. He just needed to return to the Mountain Gate and review some documents before making a decision.

Setting aside his worries about his future cultivation speed, Bai Zichen cleared his mind. He began to visualize the Five Crystal Divine Iron within his Sea of Consciousness, attempting to cultivate the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body.

’Not bad. I can master the basics in four years...’

It was no longer a single, sand-like speck of Five Crystal Divine Iron hanging in a corner; instead, dozens of motes of Five Crystal Spiritual Light now surged upward, scattering across the vast expanse.

Back in the Foundation Establishment Stage, he had once tried to cultivate the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body.

At the time, he could only make a rough estimate with no tangible progress to show for it. He had projected it would take twenty to thirty years just to master the basics, so he abandoned the idea of cultivating the third layer of the Five Crystal Glaze Body during the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Now, with his increased cultivation and enhanced condition, the time required to master the basics had been drastically reduced.

A four-year timeframe was perfectly acceptable to Bai Zichen.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, the dozens of motes of Five Crystal Divine Iron resonated with one another, flickering in and out of brightness as if forming a star map.

With the current strength of his Divine Sense, comprehending the Five Crystal Divine Iron was no longer as draining as it once was, when even a distant glance would bring on exhaustion and deplete his Divine Sense completely.

A single cultivation session could now last for several days before he would start to feel his energy wane and his mind grow weary.

’Excellent. Once I move into my new Cave Mansion, I’ll master the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body in one fell swoop... By then, even without a suitable weapon, I’ll have no fear of most Tier Three Demon Beasts.’

Bai Zichen rose to his feet, his body merging with a flash of Sword Light as he shot straight toward the Mountain Gate.

...

This year, the Qingfeng Sect recruited a total of six new Inner Sect Disciples, setting a new record.

In addition to the top three from the sect competition, one was a direct descendant of an Elder who had been sacrificed in a sect war. This person, who had never even been an Outer Sect Disciple, was admitted directly into the Inner Sect—a grace bestowed by the Sect.

The last two were a brother and sister with a mysterious background who had, by a special decree from the Sect Leader, also been placed directly into the Inner Sect.

And unlike the Elder’s descendant, whom everyone had at least seen a few times and knew of, this brother and sister had appeared completely out of thin air. No one had even known they existed before they became Inner Sect Disciples.

”Junior Brothers and Sisters, please follow me... All Inner Sect Disciples may choose a Cave Mansion for their cultivation. This is a benefit the Sect provides us.”

A quiet female disciple with a graceful air and gentle features led the six new Inner Sect Disciples at the foot of Five Finger Peak, explaining the rules and regulations for them.

”It is said that several decades ago, Inner Sect Disciples could still choose their Cave Mansions freely... But as the number of disciples has grown, it is now two to a residence. The Elders are already proposing to transfer some Inner Sect Disciples to Feiyue Lake in a few years to relieve the pressure on the main mountain.”

The Qingfeng Sect had thrown open its gates and recruited disciples on a massive scale, leading to a huge increase in the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, which in turn placed an enormous strain on their basic Cultivation Resources.

It wasn’t just the Inner Sect Disciples; from the True Disciples at the top to the servant disciples at the bottom, the Cultivation Resources allocated to each individual were shrinking.

The scarcity of Spirit Land was merely the most obvious, surface-level problem.

Due to the increased number of disciples, the sect competition had been changed to an annual event, which in turn led to an expansion of the Inner Sect’s ranks.

With dozens of Inner Sect Disciples present at any given time, the Elder Council had, after some deliberation, even assigned two Elders to be solely responsible for their instruction.

The official reason given was ”to nurture the next generation of geniuses for the Sect.”

In reality, there were only so many positions in the Five Halls and Eight Chambers. With so many new Elders, it was difficult to assign them all, so they had to find some other place to put them.

After the six newcomers selected their Cave Mansions under the senior sister’s guidance, she explained the benefits and regulations of the Inner Sect once more before leading them onward.

”Elder Tan is on duty today, so I will take you to pay your respects... From now on, on the fifth day of every month, either Elder Tan or the other instructor, Elder Huo, will hold a class to answer your questions.”

the quiet female disciple said in a gentle voice.

”Thank you, Senior Sister Tian. I was wondering, which of the two Elders is easier to talk to?”

The one asking was Zuo Jingsong, the winner of this year’s competition. At only fifteen years of age, he already had a Seventh-Layer Qi Refining Cultivation and was hailed as a surefire candidate to become a True Disciple.

”Elder Tan comes from a family with a profound heritage, while Elder Huo is in his prime. Both are excellent individuals to seek guidance from.”

Tian Qian’s brow furrowed slightly, but considering Zuo Jingsong’s reputation, she reminded herself that she was only a few years his senior.

In a few years, he might very well surpass her, so she answered patiently.

Whether or not the disciples understood the hidden meaning in her words was none of her concern.

”Sis, why did Father insist we join a sect? Wouldn’t cultivating at home be the same?”

The brother and sister had fallen to the rear of the group. The younger brother was short, his fair, clean-cut face still holding a touch of childishness.

”What nonsense are you spouting? How can the prospects within the Clan possibly compare to those in a sect? Besides, we became Inner Sect Disciples directly. That’s a stroke of fortune that countless people can only dream of.”

The sister was a full half-head taller than her brother, with a valiant and heroic bearing that radiated competence.

Both siblings were at the Fifth-Layer Qi Refining Cultivation, which made them particularly conspicuous among the other Inner Sect Disciples.

All along the way, they had endured countless surprised stares.

”Inner Sect Disciple Tian Qian, accompanied by the six new inner sect members, has come to pay respects to Elder Tan.”

Tian Qian stood outside the pavilion and bowed from a distance.

The six disciples behind her copied her movement, bowing in turn.

”Ah, Tian Qian. Have you given any thought to what I told you last time... about my nephew?”

A hoarse voice drifted out from the depths of the pavilion.

”Elder Tan, this disciple’s heart is set on the Great Dao. I have no intention of seeking a Dao Companion anytime soon... I can only disappoint your kind offer.”

Tian Qian pressed her lips together as a wave of humiliation washed over her. This Elder Tan’s nephew was a good-for-nothing who had long since passed the age limit for Outer Sect Disciples; he was only still on the roster because of his connections.

No matter how much she lowered her standards, she could never possibly be interested in him.

But she was from a Loose Cultivator background and had no backing in the Sect, so she didn’t dare offend the Tan Family, whose roots ran deep and wide throughout the sect.

”Devotion to the Great Dao and becoming Dao Companions are not mutually exclusive. If you become a daughter-in-law of the Tan Family, I will personally fund your Cultivation Resources... Otherwise, with your aptitude, you have no hope of ever becoming a True Disciple.”

The hoarse voice persisted, unwilling to give up.

”You had better think this through. There are countless female cultivators who would love to marry into the Tan Family. It is only because my nephew happens to have taken a liking to you that I am even willing to waste my breath on this conversation...”

The voice seemed to lose its patience. Its pace quickened, taking on a vicious edge.

”You unreasonable old hag! Sister Tian already said she doesn’t want to get to know your nephew, but you keep pestering her! Are you really going to try and force an Inner Sect Disciple to marry into your family?!”

A crisp voice suddenly rang out from the back of the line. Everyone turned their heads in shock, only to see it was the older sister of the mysterious pair. Her younger brother was still tugging on her arm, trying to talk her down.

”What audacity! Do new disciples nowadays not understand the meaning of seniority and respect? I will seize you this instant and hand you over to the Law Enforcement Hall to be properly disciplined!”

The curtains on all four sides of the pavilion flew open, revealing a middle-aged woman. Her expression was sorrowful, and her face looked careworn.

The once-sharp and heroic Tan Qin had been worn down by the pressures of her clan over the years, losing the spirited aura she once possessed and becoming a coarse, common woman.

”Bai Ziying, Bai Ziyu, are you two here? Come with me at once!”

Just as Tan Qin was about to make her move and seize the defiant young woman, a streak of dark light rapidly approached.