I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Chapter 78: Chapter 67: The Troubled Young Girl

Ten thousand feet high in the sky, the weather was clear and refreshing.

A sky ship raced through the wind, clouds billowing backward on both sides.

On the deck, a young girl dressed in white as pristine as snow, usually calm and composed, had eyes as bright as stars, staring fixedly at the direction of the Heavenly Interence Sect.

”Lu Nanzhi, slow down. Shen Huaxi is already vomiting.”

At the back of the sky ship, a spirited young man, also clad in white, was patting the back of another white-clad boy.

”Ugh~ Sorry, sorry, I really feel queasy~”

Shen Huaxi hugged a wooden bucket, his once energetic smile now replaced by a sallow complexion, lifeless as he retched.

”You study Medical Dao, can’t you find a way to cure your strange illness? Just change your name to Shen Huaxi and be done with it; you’re vomiting like you’ve got morning sickness.”

Shen Huaxi’s eyes smiled apologetically, ”Sorry, sorry for causing trouble for you all~”

Xie Jingshan shook his head repeatedly, walked to the front of the boat and tugged at Lu Nanzhi’s sleeve.

”Can you slow down, Jiang Yuebai is back at the sect; she can’t leave easily since she’s not an Inner Sect Disciple. What are you worried about?”

Lu Nanzhi gave him a sideways glance, Xie Jingshan instinctively shrank his neck, lacking confidence, ”It’s been five years, you’re still blaming me for not stopping her? She’s fine after all.”

”If anything happens to her, I won’t forgive you.”

Xie Jingshan flared up, ”So it’s just you two who are friends, and not me? You worry about her; I worry too! She insisted on leaving, what could I do, tie her up?”

Xie Jingshan sat down with his hands stuffed in his pockets, feeling wronged.

He truly didn’t know the mine would be that dangerous. When he and Lu Nanzhi went to the mine to look for Jiang Yuebai and heard about her disappearance, he was petrified.

That was also the first time he saw Lu Nanzhi crying like a real child, helplessly standing devastated at the entrance of the mine.

He even pleaded with his family’s Old Ancestor to buy the Yin Mountain Mine so he could mobilize everyone to find Jiang Yuebai, only to be severely scolded by the Old Ancestor.

That was when he realized there were things his family’s Old Ancestor and Spirit Stone couldn’t resolve.

In any case, he indeed felt guilty for not forcibly keeping Jiang Yuebai at that time.

”Hey, do you think after five years in the mine, her cultivation would have fallen behind too much?” Xie Jingshan asked cautiously.

Just now in the mine, when Lu Nanzhi heard Jiang Yuebai was back at the sect, she turned around and left before he could ask detailed questions.

”No, regardless of where she is, she will seize any opportunity to cultivate.”

Xie Jingshan nodded, ”That’s good. You are at Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer now, and I’m at Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer. Our cultivation environment is better than hers, beating her would feel dishonorable, not right to be called her senior brother.”

Lu Nanzhi glanced at Xie Jingshan, rolling her eyes.

”You, you, rolling your eyes just like Jiang Yuebai. You’re no longer the aloof Lu Nanzhi detached from the mortal world.”

”Mortal world, nothing one’s own food, tastes exquisite.”

Lu Nanzhi sped up heading back to the sect.

”Senior Sister Lu, I beg you, please don’t speed up anymore! Ugh~”

＊

Spring was blossoming, grass growing and birds flying.

In the backyard of Ten Thousand Laws Hall, a garden full of peach blossoms radiated beauty.

The bamboo curtain half-rolled, two people sat across each other under the corridor, pouring tea leisurely.

Thump!

Jiang Yuebai slammed an item onto the table, causing the teacups to tremble.

Lii Jiuchuan saw the thick tome, nearly lost his composure, and almost sprayed tea from his mouth.

”Is this what you call a little problem?”

Jiang Yuebai glanced over it, scratching her head with an awkward smile.

”Seems a bit much, but inside isn’t just text; there are array maps, runes, puppet diagrams, etc. I forgot to bring a blank jade scroll, so I used charcoal to record on self-made bamboo paper, accumulating over five years, and suddenly there was so much.”

Lii Jiuchuan put down the tea and rubbed his brows, ”I am lacking in learning. If some questions can’t be answered, don’t be too demanding; I’m a cultivator, not the all-knowing Heavenly Dao.”

”Alright, then I’ll start asking.”

Jiang Yuebai took out and ate a Fasting Pill, and Lii Jiuchuan felt an ominous premonition.

Indeed, Jiang Yuebai was still the same curious girl with endless questions.

Initially, Lii Jiuchuan could talk eloquently, but as the questions delved deeper, he gradually struggled, eventually having to go indoors to search for books to find evidence.

Sunrise and sunset alternated.

On the seventh sunset, Lii Jiuchuan poured out tasteless old tea and took fresh tea, only to find it empty.

He picked up the tea jar to pour, but it was empty; he had just bought this jar.

Crack!

The teapot had been continuously heated for days and cracked.

”...Well, I understand this, the next question, one I’ve never dared to try is, when I perform a single-handed seal in the final moment, what changes will occur if both seals merge?”

”How would I know? Golden Core cultivators cast spells without seals.”

Lii Jiuchuan held the cracked teapot, feeling slightly irritable, his voice a bit hoarse.

”Elder Lii, is there something wrong with my question?”

”No.”

Lii Jiuchuan picked up the tea cup, didn’t drink, and put it down again.

Jiang Yuebai glanced at the tea cup, her eyes moved slightly, and continued: ”Actually, single-handed seal formation isn’t difficult, it’s just long-term practice that matters. Let me demonstrate it for you...”

Lii Jiuchuan:......

Taking a breath, Lii Jiuchuan interrupted: ”In the mortal world, there’s a custom of offering tea to guests to signal departure; you’ve stayed at the Lin Mansion, haven’t you seen this?”

”The ladies in the back house don’t follow such customs, thank you Elder Lii for your guidance, I’ve learned something new again.”

Lii Jiuchuan raised an eyebrow, so what?

”...I’ve always wanted to try but didn’t dare to, just afraid it might explode and hurt myself. Why don’t you watch over me, I’ll try combining two seals, just to see what happens, okay?”

Lii Jiuchuan massaged his temples, ”These five years in that valley, how many odd things did you learn to have so many peculiar questions?”

Jiang Yuebai was taken aback, ”How do you know I was in the valley?”

Lii Jiuchuan sat up straight, looked at Jiang Yuebai, ”Even at my lowest, I am still a Golden Core Master. No matter how vast the Yin Mountain Mine is, if I exert my Divine Sense fully and scan multiple times, I’ll definitely discover places others can’t. Otherwise, do you think how Master Xuan Cheng can ensure no problems arise while he’s secluded in the mine’s lowest level?”

”I see, no wonder after going only once, you never sought me again. Now, let’s continue discussing the single-handed seal formation.”

”......”

Thus, three more days passed, Lii Jiuchuan supported his head with lifelessness, his gaze tired and wandering.

”...Actually, the bottleneck between Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer and Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer occurs because Spiritual Energy Body Tempering is nearing its limit; further results are minimal. It’s best to channel Spiritual Energy into the Dantian, reinforcing the dantian walls, preparing early for Foundation Establishment...”

Jiang Yuebai was suddenly enlightened, her spiritual energy vibrated throughout.

”Elder Lii, my bottleneck is loosening; I’m about to break through. May I use your Quiet Room?”

Lii Jiuchuan’s eyes sparkled anew, he straightened his body and pointed.

Watching Jiang Yuebai jog into the room, Lii Jiuchuan thoughtfully closed the door, activated the Spirit Gathering Array, and even set a layer of Barrier outside.

After doing all this, Lii Jiuchuan exhaled deeply, feeling like he’s been granted pardon.

He greatly admired Jiang Yuebai’s intelligence and her knack for thinking, and also wished to help her as much as possible; yet, this was truly exhausting.

Returning his gaze, Lii Jiuchuan saw the book on the table, still at one-third its thickness, his breath caught.

Lii Jiuchuan tried hard to maintain composure, pursed his lips, picked up the pen, and wrote several lines of not-so-peaceful big characters, taping them on the table, and left with a flick of his sleeve.

[Old illness relapses; need to close off, duration indefinite]

[Also: Breakthrough from Qi Cultivation Eighth to Ninth, then to Perfection, painstaking efforts; five to six years aren’t too long. Besides cultivation, plan Foundation Establishment methods early, and Foundation Establishment Elixir is a must]

[Five Spirit Roots Foundation Establishment, to achieve Upper Three Grades Dao Platform, prepare at least five Foundation Establishment Elixirs. A single Superior Rank will yield one elixir; the rest must be self-arranged]

After Jiang Yuebai successfully broke through to Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer and exited the Quiet Room, she saw the notes on the table, frowning.

She indeed should plan for the Foundation Establishment issue.

Foundation Establishment means building an Immortal Foundation Dao Platform within the Dantian, the first step against the heavens, facing Heart Demon and Heaven and Earth Ban as major challenges.

Clearing worldly ties, overcoming heart demons is a matter of heart enlightenment, reliant upon personal fate, with no outside interference.

The Heaven and Earth Ban repeatedly harms the Immortal Foundation during establishment, carrying out nine attempts, leaving nine marks.

The fewer the marks, the higher the Foundation Establishment quality.

Nine marks result in Ninth Grade; the Foundation Establishment skills fail, life stagnates at Early-Stage Foundation Establishment.

Eight marks yield Eighth Grade, capable of reaching Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, seven marks lead to Seventh Grade, capable of Late-Stage Foundation Establishment — these belong to Lower Three Grades Foundation Establishment, with no hope for Golden Core.

Middle Three Grades are, Six Grade enters Golden Core, Five Grade vies for Nascent Soul, Four Grade halts at Divinity Transformation.

Only Upper Three Grades Foundation Establishment offers hope for reaching the pinnacle of Great Dao, the higher the quality, the smoother and farther the path ahead.

But Jiang Yuebai has five spirit roots, when the time comes, she must gather five Dao Platforms within her Dantian. More Dao Platforms, more cracks.

The key to repairing the Dao Platforms lies in Foundation Establishment Elixirs, whose potency enhances spiritual energy, helping resist Heaven and Earth Ban and accelerating the repair process of cracks post-formation.

Jiang Yuebai naturally seeks Upper Three Grades Foundation Establishment, so she must prepare at least five Foundation Establishment Elixirs.

This is why she plans to farm extensively in Huaxi Valley to earn sect contribution points.

Foundation Establishment Elixir can only be acquired through three means: self-refining, auction house, and the sect.

The first two are extremely difficult, consuming massive resources without guaranteed results; only the sect steadily produces Foundation Establishment Elixirs each year, priced higher than a Lifespan Extension Pill that lasts ten years, at fifty thousand contribution points per elixir.

Many cultivators begin planning from Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation, constantly taking sect missions and accumulating contribution points, achieving an elixir within five to six years or up to ten years.

Foundation Establishment Elixir can rely on the sect, but the Foundation Establishment method is absent from Five Elements Returning to Truth Skill; once Huaxi Valley’s scheme is set, she’ll explore the place her grandfather mentioned.

If fruitful, she can calmly farm and prepare for the tournament.

Jiang Yuebai gathered her belongings, glanced at Lii Jiuchuan’s tea cup, mischievously smiling.

”Offering tea to signal departure, of course, I know.”

But during those five years at the mine, with so many cultivation questions unanswered, within the Heavenly Interence Sect, only Elder Lii treated her the best and most patiently.

Someday, when she becomes powerful, she’ll surely repay Elder Lii kindly; for now, she’ll offend him!

Leaving a gourd of each Four Seasons Spiritual Wine behind, Jiang Yuebai hummed a tune and left, having gained much these days, perfectly suited for Huaxi Valley’s upcoming plan.