Cultivation: From Servant to Revered Immortal

Chapter 96: Chapter 26: Eighth-Layer Qi Refining

On this day, Zhou Xun had his Spirit Rice Porridge, took the token, and set off for Yunlu Hall.

Yunlu Hall is the place where White Cloud Immortal City interacts with the outside world, and Elder Feng is one of the three Steward Elders of Yunlu Hall.

”Stop, what business do you have here!”

At the entrance of Yunlu Hall stood two guards, both were Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators, one at Seventh-Layer Qi Refining, the other at Eighth-Layer Qi Refining.

Only a True Pill Level power like White Cloud Immortal City could afford to employ Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators to guard its gates.

”I am Zhou Xun, lucky enough to obtain a place in the White Cloud Spirit Pool, and I’ve heard the pool opens today, so I have come!”

Zhou Xun explained steadily, without any change in his expression.

”The White Cloud Spirit Pool!” Upon hearing this, the Seventh-Layer Qi Refining guard showed obvious envy in his eyes.

As a member of White Cloud Immortal City, he naturally knew of this precious pool that aids Qi Refining Stage cultivators.

He himself had even participated in the competition for it, but unfortunately failed.

Being assigned to guard the gates of Yunlu Hall, he naturally wasn’t someone with outstanding talent or deep background.

Such an opportunity as the White Cloud Spirit Pool naturally wouldn’t fall to them.

”So it’s Daoist Zhou, please present your token!” Being able to gain such a fortune, one is surely not an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator. The guard’s tone instantly became more polite.

Zhou Xun then took out the token.

After verifying it, the guard brought Zhou Xun into the Inner Hall to meet Yunlu Hall’s Grand Elder—Tian Yu.

Tian Yu was the nineteenth direct disciple of Master White Cloud, and presently reached the Peak of Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment in cultivation.

”Are you Zhou Xun?” Elder Tian Yu, dressed in a Dao Robe, sat solemnly atop the hall.

He seemed to be a person who valued formalities and appearance greatly.

”Indeed, this junior meets Elder Tian!” Zhou Xun bowed his hands in salute.

”I’ve heard from Daoist Feng about you; so young yet already a High-Grade Alchemist, have you joined any factions?” Tian Yu smiled slightly and spoke kindly.

”Ten years ago, I was an Alchemy Master under Lin Family’s Pill Treasure Pavilion; after the Lin Family incident, I focused wholeheartedly on cultivation, not yet considering joining any factions!” Zhou Xun answered honestly.

”Cultivators should prioritize cultivation, quite right!” Tian Yu expressed admiration.

Just then, three cultivators walked in.

Two men and one woman.

Leading them was a handsome youth at Ninth-Layer Qi Refining.

The other man and woman were both at Sixth-Layer Qi Refining.

Judging by their attire, they were all from White Cloud Immortal City.

”Greetings, Senior Brother!”

”Greetings, Master’s Uncle!”

As soon as they entered, they saluted Tian Yu with hand gestures.

”Junior Brother Liu, along with two nephews, you’ve arrived. Let me introduce a young talented individual to you all today, Alchemist Zhou, a Loose Cultivator, now just thirty years old and already a High-Grade Alchemist for several years!” Tian Yu introduced with a smile.

With this sentence, Zhou Xun’s background was clearly revealed.

Yet Zhou Xun was not surprised.

His experiences in Red Leaf Square and Qingyue Square were known and verifiable, so it was normal for White Cloud Immortal City to obtain this information.

”I am Liu Feng, and this is Wu Fan, and this is Wenn Xiuning, they are disciples of my sixteenth master’s uncle,” said the handsome youth, introducing himself with a hand gesture.

”Greetings to all!” Zhou Xun smiled slightly.

After brief introductions, Elder Tian Yu moved to stand in front of the group.

”Now you’ve acquainted yourselves, since you’ll share the White Cloud Spirit Pool for the next few days, it’s a bit of destiny.”

”Let’s go!”

After exiting the main hall, Elder Tian Yu summoned a green door panel about a zhang in size.

”Step up!” Elder Tian Yu commanded concisely.

The group quickly jumped onto it.

”The White Cloud Spirit Pool is not in Yunlu Hall, but at White Cloud Mountain in the Inner City!”

Seeing Zhou Xun’s slight confusion, Liu Feng, the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining cultivator, explained.

Zhou Xun realized.

In less than half a cup of tea’s time, they arrived.

This was a mountain peak a thousand zhang high, named White Cloud Mountain, concealed by an array, hence not visible from the Immortal City usually.

It’s said Master White Cloud’s cave mansion is at the summit of this White Cloud Mountain.

The White Cloud Spirit Pool they were headed for was at the foot of White Cloud Mountain.

They landed near an archway, in front lay several small paths paved with Han White Marble.

Led by Elder Tian Yu, Zhou Xun and the group walked along the leftmost path, advancing several thousand zhang to reach an ancient-style grand hall.

Above the hall door, four large characters in ancient script declared ”White Cloud Spirit Pool”.

Elder Tian Yu took out a token, infused mana, and cast a spell.

The hall door opened automatically, and a burst of pure spiritual qi rushed forth, refreshing and invigorating, even speeding up the circulation of mana slightly.

Looking inside,

at the center of the grand hall was a pool, four to five zhang in area, with four high platforms standing within, presumably for Zhou Xun and his group’s cultivation use.

”The Spirit Pool is open, enter and cultivate. Each person takes a platform, in seven days, I shall return to escort you away.

As for how much fortune you gain in these seven days, that depends on yourselves!”

Elder Tian Yu finished speaking and stood with hands folded behind.

The handsome youth took the lead, flying in to land on a platform.

Zhou Xun and the others followed, each choosing a platform.

Once the four of them were seated, Elder Tian Yu waved his hand, and the hall door closed once more.

Seeing this, Zhou Xun immediately began circulating the Nourishing Essence Technique.

Upon landing on the platform just now, he felt an exceedingly pure spiritual qi saturate his surroundings.

His cultivation technique felt an inclination to operate on its own.

Zhou Xun was naturally overjoyed.

The spiritual qi entered his body and instantly transformed into spiritual power, merging into his dantian.

This conversion efficiency was infinitely faster than absorbing spiritual qi on his own.

Just that brief circulation matched days of Zhou Xun’s usual diligent cultivation.

”Truly a treasure trove!”

Zhou Xun exclaimed.

The other three felt similarly, as soon as they sat on the platforms, they tirelessly circulated their cultivation technique, absorbing spiritual qi and refining it into mana.

In this manner, three days swiftly passed.

Suddenly, the spiritual qi inside the hall fluctuated.

Zhou Xun had to halt his cultivation and looked towards the origin of the spiritual qi wave.

It turned out to be the female cultivator named Wenn Xiuning, who leveraged the Spirit Pool to break through to Seventh-Layer Qi Refining.

The other two were equally startled by the fluctuation.

”Congratulations, Daoist!” Zhou Xun offered his congratulations.

The other two also bowed in thanks.

The young man named Wu Fan wore a look of envy.

Soon, everyone returned to their respective cultivation; such opportunity couldn’t afford to waste even an ounce.

Another day passed, and the young man named Wu Fan also broke through.

Advancing to Late-Stage Qi Refining.

Meanwhile, Zhou Xun’s progress in the seventh layer of Nourishing Essence Technique neared perfection.

On the sixth day ”boom”,

a sensation of breaking through an obstruction.

Zhou Xun successfully broke through the seventh layer, ascending to Eighth-Layer Qi Refining.

Without pausing to sense changes in his mana and divine sense, Zhou Xun resumed his cultivation.

Nevertheless, after six days of cultivation, he distinctly felt a decline in cultivation efficiency.

Presumably due to the excessive consumption of pure spiritual qi in the Spirit Pool.

Soon, the seventh day arrived.

Zhou Xun and the group were deep in cultivation when the hall door suddenly opened.