Immortal Refiner

A year had passed, and the spirit seed of the Jade Locust Tree had sprouted, its tender shoot piercing through the soil.

Thanks to the exceptionally dense spiritual energy within the Cave Abode District, Li Qing could clearly sense the abundant vitality within the young seedling.

”It’ll take another forty-nine years to reach maturity,” Li Qing sighed. ”That’s far too long.” He then cast a Purifying Water Technique, irrigating the tender sprout, which was quickly growing into a small sapling.

In this environment rich in spiritual energy, spirit wood thrived effortlessly, requiring minimal care. The spirit field cultivated in this hidden chamber was pristine, free from weeds and spirit pests, allowing the sapling to grow undisturbed.

The only drawback was the lengthy maturation period. It would take fifty years for the tree to become proper spirit wood. By then, Li Qing wasn’t even sure if he would still need it to cultivate the Precious Wood Body Refinement Manual.

”Oh well,” Li Qing mused. ”At least I know the Sealing Wood Technique. Even if I don’t need the spirit wood later, I can always harvest Jade Locust Rice every three years after it matures.”

This precious healing medicine would always be valuable. At worst, he could sell it—it would be highly sought after anywhere.

Leaving the secluded chamber where he cultivated his Jade Locust Tree, Li Qing stood with his hands clasped behind his back, contemplating his next course of action.

”My cave abode lease has six months remaining,” he mused. ”I can’t afford to waste that time; I need to find something productive to do.”

Having just emerged from seclusion, his cultivation had reached the sixth layer of the Qi Refining Realm. Even if he were to meditate for another six months, his progress would likely be minimal.

More importantly, breaking through to the Late Qi Refining Realm required overcoming a significant bottleneck. Relying solely on arduous cultivation would only prolong the process indefinitely.

Li Qing had no intention of returning to seclusion. Having recently repaired his spirit boat, his understanding of the Artifact Refinement Technique had deepened considerably.

”It’s time to start refining the Water Entangling Net,” he decided. ”I only just broke through, and I haven’t even sensed the Late Qi Refining bottleneck yet. Six months of relentless cultivation would yield little benefit. Instead, I’ll refine the Water Entangling Net, capture strange beasts from the World of Eternal Night, and earn spirit stones.”

His decision swiftly made, Li Qing resolved to leave his cave abode first and inquire about any major events that had transpired in the cultivation world over the past year.

Gathering Wind Pavilion.

After a year of rigorous cultivation, Li Qing treated himself to a pot of Hundred Flowers Brew as a reward, hoping to relax and clear his mind.

Li Qing leisurely sipped his Hundred Flowers Brew, content to listen to the snippets of information shared between other cultivators—a pleasant way to unwind.

Before long, he overheard the biggest news to rock the surrounding cultivation world in the past year: the Flying Eagle Bandits had resurfaced!

Their leader, the Demon Eagle Wanderer, who possessed a variant spirit root attuned to the wind attribute, had shockingly advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

”Alas, this has turned into a major disaster,” one cultivator lamented. ”I can’t imagine which careless Pill Refiner would help the Flying Eagle Bandits refine a Foundation Establishment Pill.”

”The only silver lining is that only the Demon Eagle Wanderer achieved Foundation Establishment. That traitor from the Liu Clan apparently failed his breakthrough.”

”Enough talk,” another cultivator interjected. ”The Heavenly River Sect has already dispatched several Foundation Establishment Elders to descend the mountain and purge this evil. Let’s hope they achieve results quickly.”

The emergence of a Foundation Establishment Realm Bandit Cultivator was dire news for every cultivator in the region. It meant that any future encounters with the Flying Eagle Bandits would likely end in certain death.

As Li Qing sipped his Hundred Flowers Brew, his grip on the wine cup tightened involuntarily.

The Demon Eagle Wanderer reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm was indeed troubling news.

He continued listening intently.

”The Wang Family is truly pitiful. Ten years ago, they finally produced a Foundation Establishment Realm Clan Head, only to have him ambushed by the newly emerged Flying Eagle Bandits. He was critically injured and nearly died in the wilderness.”

”Tsk, tsk, tsk. To possess such overwhelming combat power, does a variant spirit root truly make one inherently superior?”

”Heh, what else would you expect? Even seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivators with a decade of experience are no match for him. That’s the terrifying potential of a variant spirit root.”

”And this is just a wind attribute variant spirit root. Imagine if someone had a thunder attribute one, specializing in lightning techniques. Their combat prowess would be even more outrageous.”

”...”

Li Qing, who had been eavesdropping nearby, felt a faint stirring of unease.

”These Flying Eagle Bandits are becoming excessively brazen. To immediately target a Foundation Establishment Realm Clan Head from a cultivation clan upon their emergence...”

”Something’s fishy here,” Li Qing thought, narrowing his eyes. He sensed that something didn’t add up.

Having already drawn the attention of the Heavenly River Sect, these bandits were now likely under intense scrutiny. Their actions had surely ignited the sect’s fury, prompting them to dispatch Foundation Establishment Realm Elders from the mountain to eradicate this menace.

Such deliberate actions couldn’t help but seem suspicious.

However, without more precise information, Li Qing’s wild guesses were bound to miss the mark. He suppressed his doubts for the time being, his attention soon drawn to another matter.

Six months later, the Heavenly River Sect’s grand Ascension Conference was officially announced!

”The Ascension Conference? In six months?!” Li Qing froze, then frowned slightly. ”That doesn’t add up! Shouldn’t it have already happened?”

He immediately sought answers and learned the truth.

The conference had been delayed due to an attack on the spirit stone mine. With the culprits still unidentified, the highly anticipated event had been postponed.

Li Qing had assumed the conference would have concluded during his seclusion, never imagining he’d still have a chance to attend.

”What a stroke of luck,” he mused. ”The delay gives me just enough time to refine some Magic Artifacts to sell.”

As for whether to participate in the grand event himself, Li Qing briefly considered it before dismissing the idea entirely.

”Forget it,” Li Qing muttered. ”It’s really not worth it.”

Participating in the Ascension Conference’s combat arena would inevitably lead to life-or-death battles. With numerous rogue cultivators in the Late Qi Refining Realm joining in, even minor injuries like a broken arm or leg would be a major inconvenience.

Limb regeneration was beyond the capabilities of Qi Refining Realm cultivators; such abilities only manifested at extremely advanced cultivation stages.

Losing a limb would severely complicate artifact refinement.

Refining Magic Artifacts to sell to cultivators attending the Ascension Conference, earning a substantial sum of spirit stones in the process, aligned much better with Li Qing’s survival strategy.

With this thought in mind, Li Qing drained the remaining Hundred Flowers Spirit Brew from his wine gourd. The clear, sweet liquid flooded his taste buds, leaving him somewhat unsatisfied.

After leaving the Gathering Wind Pavilion, Li Qing wandered through the market district, purchasing daily necessities before returning to his cave abode. He planned to delve into artifact refinement techniques and finally craft the Water Entangling Net.

However, he soon noticed an anomaly in the cave’s spiritual energy.

”Hmm? Fan Tong’s aura feels off!”

Slightly alarmed, Li Qing hurried to the secluded chamber where Fan Tong usually rested.

He found Fan Tong sprawled on the ground, his tiger claws digging fiercely into the stone floor as if locked in a desperate struggle.

”Is it... is it finally breaking through?!”

Li Qing had initially feared something was wrong with Fan Tong, but after confirming there was no serious issue, his heart gradually relaxed.

Thank goodness!

”After all those Beast Nurturing Pills and Beast Taming Pellets, this glutton is finally breaking through!”

A sudden surge of paternal pride welled up within Li Qing.

Fan Tong had been by his side for a long time, and Li Qing had never neglected him, ensuring the demon beast received every medicinal pill it needed.

Now, he had finally managed to forcibly push Fan Tong into the mid-stage of the first tier!

Boom!

A torrent of spiritual energy surged toward Fan Tong’s body like a raging river. Unlike a cultivator’s breakthrough, where spiritual energy settles in the dantian, this energy was instead cleansing the demon beast’s bloodline.

Through the mental connection from the Blood Pact Seal, Li Qing could vaguely sense Fan Tong’s current state.

It was indeed breaking through. Judging by its current condition, the process was proceeding smoothly, though it seemed to be taking a little longer than expected.

Li Qing watched with curiosity, pondering the fundamental differences between demon beasts and humans.

The breakthrough lasted roughly two hours. Finally, as it neared its end, Fan Tong’s aura surged upward in successive waves!

Mid-stage of the first tier!

”Roar!”

Having successfully broken through, Fan Tong seemed to shed all its tension. Its sleek, satin-like fur appeared even softer and more lustrous than before.

Moreover, its size had increased noticeably, its shoulder height and body length now bordering on the absurd.

Overjoyed, Fan Tong lunged at Li Qing.

Li Qing smiled slightly, adopted a combat stance, and with a casual palm strike from his Limitless Art, effortlessly sent the massive, ferocious tiger sprawling to the ground.

”Hey, you brute! My physical strength is now comparable to a cultivator in the Mid Qi Refining Realm. You can’t push me around so easily anymore!”

”Roar! Roar!”

Despite his words, Li Qing knew Fan Tong hadn’t exerted its full power. He could sense a force within the beast’s body that was no weaker than his own.

This was the true nature of demon beasts—their innate physical prowess!

”Hahaha! Not easy at all!”

Li Qing had long understood Fan Tong’s origins. Born with a heavily diluted Black Fiend Tiger bloodline, its breakthrough to the mid-First-Tier was truly remarkable.

Purebred Black Fiend Tigers typically only reached the late First-Tier, with very few ever advancing to the Second-Tier.

Bound by their bloodlines, demon beasts often found advancement far more challenging than human cultivators.

”Don’t worry, Fan Tong,” Li Qing said with a laugh, playfully roughhousing with the beast. ”As long as I have a scrap of meat to eat, I’ll always make sure you’re well taken care of.” He was thoroughly pleased with Fan Tong’s breakthrough.

A mid-first-tier demon beast with perfect coordination would undoubtedly prove invaluable in the future.

”I’ve heard the Beast Fighting Arena employs beast tamers who specialize in this art. They know how to concoct precious medicines that greatly benefit demon beasts. Once I’ve established good relations with them, I’ll find a way to get some for you.”

”Awooo!” Fan Tong howled in response.

Having reached the mid-first tier, its spirituality had increased significantly. Coupled with the mental link forged by their Blood Pact Seal, Fan Tong could now understand much of what Li Qing said.

”Alright, go get some rest. Once I finish refining the Water Entangling Net, we’ll head to the World of Eternal Night to capture strange beasts!”

Li Qing chuckled and ruffled the thick fur around Fan Tong’s neck.

The mention of the World of Eternal Night instantly dampened Fan Tong’s post-breakthrough elation. Still, a primal urge burned within it—a fierce desire to test its newfound strength against another beast and unleash the wildness in its bones.

(End of the Chapter)

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