Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

A bright light flashed in Ge Ying’s cloudy eyes; the Great Realm of this closed-door disciple was exactly the same as hers.

“Good! Good!”

She said this twice, trembling slightly. This disciple had Middle-Grade Talent, entered the sect at seventeen, and now, at just sixty years old, had already walked a path she took two hundred years to complete.

Her eyes burst with a hopeful sparkle, and she asked:

“How long has it been since you broke through to the Seventh-Layer Foundation Establishment?”

“Just over three years.”

He spent a few months carrying out sect planting tasks and more than two months at Mingfeng Mountain, reducing his cultivation time during this period.

However, this experience was not futile; his understanding of the cultivation technique improved, speeding up the refinement of spiritual energy.

In the long run, it was worth it!

“Doesn’t this mean you might break through to the Chao Origin Stage in more than ten years?”

Ge Ying’s expression turned a bit rosy; given the disciple’s breakthrough speed, this estimate was conservative.

Ji An displayed a confident smile, nodding calmly:

“The possibility is very high.”

During his conversations with Junior Martial Uncle Jia Yu, he learned that for other cultivators, the biggest obstacle in breaking through to the Chao Origin Stage is their insufficient understanding of the cultivation technique divine intent.

Such cultivators needed to grind at Ninth-Layer Perfection for years before daring to take the Nourishing Yuan Pill and attempt a breakthrough.

For him, this barrier doesn’t exist; he just needs to raise his magical power to Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Frankly, even if the master does not take the Lifespan Extension Pill, she might still see him break through to the Chao Origin Stage.

However, when it comes to lifespan, it’s not absolute.

Theoretically, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator lives for two hundred years, but even without disasters, sickness, or injury, few reach this theoretical value—most live around one hundred ninety-something years.

Master practiced the Evergreen Wood Skill, theoretically reaching a lifespan of two hundred fifty years.

But looking at her current condition, Ji An believes the master’s lifespan won’t reach that figure.

He raised his hands in respect and earnestly said:

“Please, Master, take the Lifespan Extension Pill. When I break through to the Chao Origin Stage, I will apply to the sect to take over Ningcui Cliff.”

Taking over here means bearing the responsibility of Ningcui Cliff’s lineage.

“Luo Ying advised me to take the Lifespan Extension Pill. Liu Yu, Yue Fei, Lingyu, Qingwan, and others, all my disciples except you advised me to take the pill.

I thought you understood my thoughts and thus didn’t persuade me, but now I see you were waiting for me here.”

Ge Ying smiled, shaking her head, and quietly gazed outside the grotto mansion. Her eyes seemed to penetrate the earthy magic array barrier, seeing the blue sky and white clouds.

She saw birds flying by, green trees shading the land.

In a trance, it seemed she heard the sound of water splashing under the waterfall and the breeze rustling through the forest.

Ji An saw the master lost in thought, sensing hope.

He quietly waited, slowing his breath.

Ge Ying eventually returned to her senses, showing a bright smile:

“I got two Longevity Peaches, added many precious medicinal ingredients, and refined two furnaces to form five pills.

I planned to submit one to the sect, and leave the rest for you disciples, whether for personal use or to exchange for resources.

If I take the Lifespan Extension Pill, I will use the one originally meant for you. What do you think?”

Ji An felt entirely relieved and said:

“Disciple does not need the Lifespan Extension Pill, Master, please take it!”

By one day cultivating a high-tier Longevity Peach Tree, he wouldn’t lack Lifespan Extension Pills.

“Good, let me witness my disciple achieving the Chao Origin Stage in my lifetime!”

Ge Ying took out a small wooden box, retrieving a green pill and swallowing it.

As the box opened, a fragrant aroma spread throughout the grotto mansion.

The scent was so inviting that Ji An involuntarily swallowed, and his body instinctively yearned to consume it.

’The Lifespan Extension Pill is truly miraculous!’ He hadn’t encountered such a desirous pill before.

After ingesting the pill, Ge Ying closed her eyes, channeling her cultivation technique, refining the medicinal power.

Ji An quietly watched as his master’s eye and forehead wrinkles began to fade, her skin became firm, and her gray hair turned black again.

The pill’s effect was surprisingly strong, and he marveled.

’Is there really such a miraculous pill that reverses aging and defies death?’ He shook his head, thinking even if it exists, it’s not within reach of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Two quarters later, she opened her eyes, shaking her head slightly:

“My qi and blood have been declining for a long time; this Lifespan Extension Pill shouldn’t prolong life for a decade. You need to hurry.”

Once the qi and blood begin to dry out, the body becomes like a leaking ship.

The life force supplemented by the Lifespan Extension Pill will dissipate faster.

The largest role of such pills is to augment life force for cultivators nearing their lifespan limit during major realm breakthroughs, restoring the body to its peak and increasing breakthrough chances.

“But I see Master looking much younger.”

Filled with some doubt, Ji An thought these Lifespan Extension Pills could accomplish their tasks reliably.

“Haha, that’s merely the surface.”

Ge Ying waved her hand and continued:

“I haven’t taken a Lifespan Extension Pill before, and such pills are very rare in the sect, so I don’t know the intricacies.

If you get this type of pill in the future, just take it directly. Doing so should maximize the pill’s effect; don’t wait until your energy and blood decline.”

After taking the Lifespan Extension Pill today, she discovered its secrets and advised her disciples.

“I see, thank you for the reminder, Master.”

If he gets a Lifespan Extension Pill in the future, he’ll just gulp it down!

Ji An paused, then said:

“Master, have you looked into the procedure for exchanging for the Nourishing Yuan Pill?”

He estimated that it wouldn’t take long for him to break through to the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment. After decades of cultivation, his Immortal Vein continued to grow and become more resilient.

His current talent level was Top-Grade, and even among other Top-Grade talents, he was in the middle range.

Moreover, his understanding of the cultivation technique far surpassed other cultivators practicing the Evergreen Wood Skill, and his speed in refining spiritual energy should reach the level of an Earth-Grade talent cultivator.

Now, he needed to plan for the Nourishing Yuan Pill to avoid reaching the cultivation level without having the pill on hand.

“Nourishing Yuan Pill, ah,” Ge Ying sighed, “It requires only fifty thousand Small Merit points to exchange in the Treasure Pavilion, but if many disciples are exchanging, you’ll have to wait in line.

How many Small Merits do you have now?”

Ji An grinned bitterly, fifty thousand Small Merits was quite a lot.

“Only about twenty-six thousand.”

He scratched his head and asked:

“Senior Brother Liu and Senior Sister Ge obtained Celestial Essence Ginseng in the Secret Realm; can they get the Nourishing Yuan Pill directly?”

Accumulating enough Small Merits would take quite a long time, and he wanted to exchange for the pill sooner, so he needed to work harder to cultivate high-tier Spirit Wood.

“One Celestial Essence Ginseng is not enough for them to get the Nourishing Yuan Pill directly. They would need to provide three main herbs to be directly rewarded with the pill and also receive an additional Small Merit reward.

Cultivators who turn in Spirit Medicine can exchange it for fewer Merits. I remember Celestial Essence Ginseng can offset twenty-five thousand Small Merits, and cultivators who hand in Spirit Medicine enjoy priority.”

Ge Ying recited the pill formula for the Nourishing Yuan Pill, noting that the main herb Celestial Essence Ginseng needed a five-hundred-year medicinal age, while Blood Luo Fruit and Star Soul Grass each required a four-hundred-year medicinal age, with fifteen other auxiliary and supplementary herbs requiring ages between two hundred and three hundred years.

At this time, Ge Luoying entered the grotto mansion; she saw Ge Ying’s altered appearance and exclaimed:

“Great Aunt, did you take the Lifespan Extension Pill?”

She had just returned from a mission, carrying the aura of post-slaughter evil qi.

Ge Ying smiled and nodded, “Yes, this time your Junior Brother Ji convinced me.”

Ge Luoying blinked her beautiful eyes and curiously asked:

“What words did Junior Brother use?”

She knew how stubborn her Great Aunt was about taking the Lifespan Extension Pill, yet she would always return after completing a mission to try and persuade her, but the latter remained unmoved.

“It’s a secret; Senior Sister should only know that Master has taken the Lifespan Extension Pill.”

After chatting for a while, Ji An took his leave.

Ge Luoying saw the guest off and returned to the grotto mansion, hugging Ge Ying’s arm and shaking it:

“Great Aunt, what exactly made you change your mind? Tell me!”

Since becoming a sword cultivator, she rarely showed her girlish side, but seeing her great aunt grow older day by day, she occasionally acted this way to amuse the elder.

“Stop shaking; my old bones are about to fall apart!”

Ge Ying looked fondly at her but kept her lips sealed, revealing nothing.

Ge Luoying was also at the Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment, but it took her nearly ten years to break through to the Eighth Layer, and it was unknown how long it would take to break through to the Ninth Layer.

Then who knew how much longer it would take to refine her cultivation to Foundation Establishment Perfection.

She feared that revealing the real reason would give the younger generation a sense of defeat. Should she really tell her, ’Even if I take the Lifespan Extension Pill, I can’t see you breaking through to the Chao Origin Stage,’ such harsh words?

…

Sunrise Peak, Treasure Pavilion.

Ji An put away his flying shuttle and stepped into the grand hall, only to see a Demon Beast with very beautiful scales napping inside.

He was surprised and asked:

“Hey, Martial Uncle, is this beast tamed? It looks a bit like a pangolin, with a horn on its nose, very unique!”

Jia Yu grinned at him, revealing a quirky smile.

“A pangolin? Kid, are your eyes just for decoration?

As a disciple of the Golden Spirit Sect, you don’t recognize an Earth Dragon Beast with Yinglong Bloodline!”

The Earth Dragon Beast opened its eyes wide, looking at him with a despising gaze as if he were an idiot.

’It’s over, a speaking Demon Beast, at the Golden Core Stage!’

Demon Beasts at the Golden Core Stage refine the horizontal bone in their throats to speak.

Ji An cleared his throat and wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead.

“I see, it’s the Rock Ancestor, I was impudent.”

He knew the sect owned an Earth Dragon Beast, but he had never seen it in person.

Legend had it that the Rock Ancestor played a role in battles against Demon Kings, but how could he dare to watch Golden Core Stage battles from the city walls?

Ji An took out two jade-like fruits:

“Earth Spirit Fruits of Tier Two Lower Grade, would you like to try them?”

He prayed inwardly, hoping this Golden Core Great Demon wouldn’t be a stickler.

The Rock Ancestor slightly opened its mouth, and the two fruits entered.

“The taste is decent; offer me some Second-Level Top Grade fruits in the future, and I’ll ignore your impudence.”

The Rock Ancestor’s nose suddenly twitched a few times. It stood up and walked over to Ji An, sniffing deeply, and suspiciously said:

“Just now, you had a particular aura; did you hide some Earth Element treasure?”