Cultivation: Starting with a Dual Cultivation Technique at the Immortal Rank

19: Chapter 19 Planting a Green Lotus in the Heart LakeHan Yueling’s steps were steady, each one feeling as if she were stepping on her own shattered pride.

The small courtyard on Yifei Peak was not large; from the tea table to the Pill Furnace, it was only a dozen steps. Yet for her, this distance seemed to span the understanding she had built over the past ten-plus years.

Li Yifei seemed to be pointing out a critical point, and Xiao Waner was concentrating intensely, with fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. He did not stop immediately, only using his peripheral vision to keep an eye on this unique, aloof woman walking toward him.

She was different from any other girl on Yifei Peak.

Lin Qingxue was the initial companionship and gentleness, Xiao Waner was the stability of a diligent homemaker, Liu Rumei was the ultimate charm and seduction, Qin Baobao was unpolished innocence, and Liu Ruyan was a studious and lovely girl. Each of them carried a ”sense of belonging,” a happiness from being integrated into a large family.

Only Han Yueling was like a snow lotus growing on a cliff—proud, thorny, and independent of the world.

Li Yifei knew it very well. A woman like her could never be moved by just a few Medicinal Pills or gentle words. She could be persuaded by reason but not cowed by force, and she valued her so-called ”Dao Heart” and ”dignity” even more.

He had heard most of what Luo Yunxi said from not far away. He knew that Han Yueling’s defenses had loosened but had not yet collapsed. Her walking over now was more like a probe, a verification born of unwillingness.

If he showed the slightest bit of lust or took things for granted, it would only push her away instantly, causing the courage she had just summoned to vanish, and she might even build a higher wall around her heart.

Therefore, he only smiled—warm and clean, like the spring sun, without any aggressiveness.

Finally, Han Yueling arrived before him.

She stopped, her lips quivering several times, but she couldn’t make a sound. The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and Qin Baobao and Luo Yunxi held their breath.

”Junior Sister Han,” Li Yifei spoke first, breaking the stalemate. His voice remained calm and gentle, as if he were just chatting with an ordinary Junior Sister. ”Are you here to see Baobao? Or... are you interested in Alchemy?”

He cleverly gave her two choices, two ways out.

Han Yueling clenched the corner of her clothes, her knuckles turning white from the effort. She forced herself to meet Li Yifei’s gaze; those eyes were deep and clear, showing no desire, only pure kindness and inquiry.

This calmed the panic in her heart slightly.

”I...” she finally found her voice, though it was a bit dry. ”I... have some questions regarding my Cultivation that I would like to ask Senior Brother Li.”

It was a lame excuse.

Everyone knew that Han Yueling was proud; although her cultivation base was not high, she never asked for help from others when it came to Cultivation.

Moreover, Li Yifei’s cultivation base on the surface was only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, not much higher than hers. As a True Spirit Root Genius, what could she possibly need to ask him?

If it were anyone else, they might have mocked her on the spot.

But Li Yifei only nodded, the smile on his Face unchanging. ”Alright. It just so happens that Waner’s batch of pills is nearing completion. Let’s go sit over there and talk.”

He did not expose her; instead, he solemnly accepted the excuse, giving her plenty of Face.

Half of the heavy stone hanging in Han Yueling’s heart quietly fell. She silently followed behind Li Yifei, returning to the tea table.

Qin Baobao and Luo Yunxi exchanged looks, both seeing joy and a hint of a ”successful scheme” in each other’s eyes.

However, after sitting down, Li Yifei did not jump straight into the topic of Dual Cultivation or becoming a Dao Companion as they had expected. He really began to seriously ask Han Yueling what difficulties she had encountered in her Cultivation.

”Junior Sister Han is practicing the Shangqing Sword Art, right? This technique emphasizes the condensation of spiritual power and the unification of Sword Qi. Progress might not be fast in the early stages, but the Foundation will be solid. After Foundation Establishment, its power will far exceed those of the same level.”

Han Yueling was stunned.

The Shangqing Sword Art was something she had carefully selected from the Sect’s Technique Pavilion. It was quite obscure, and she hadn’t expected Li Yifei to be able to state its essence in one go.

She nodded subconsciously. ”Yes... I’ve been trying to break through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer recently, but my spiritual power always feels a bit hollow, and I can’t achieve what the technique describes as ’Qi follows the will, condensing into substance’.”

”Oh?” Li Yifei showed an interested expression. ”Could you circulate your spiritual power for me to see?”

Han Yueling hesitated; among Cultivators, easily showing one’s spiritual power circulation was a major taboo.

”Don’t worry,” Li Yifei saw her hesitation and smiled. ”I’m only looking at the path and frequency of your spiritual power circulation. I won’t probe your Dantian or Qi Sea.”

His sincerity left Han Yueling with no way to refuse. She gritted her teeth, mobilized the weak spiritual power in her body, and condensed it at her fingertips. A wisp of pale green spiritual power emerged, carrying an imperceptible flicker.

Li Yifei took only one look and understood everything.

”You’re too eager for success.” He hit the nail on the head. ”The Shangqing Sword Art emphasizes ’condensation,’ but you’re pursuing ’speed.’ When you Cultivate daily, do you feel a needle-like stinging pain in your Meridians? Especially when you’re pushing through a Bottleneck.”

Han Yueling’s pupils contracted sharply.

He was right! Completely correct!

This problem had troubled her for months, and even the Deacon in charge of teaching the Outer Sect only told her to polish her skills more, unable to explain the cause.

”Why... why is this?” she couldn’t help but ask, her tone carrying an urgency she hadn’t even noticed herself.

”Because your spiritual power is not pure enough.” Li Yifei picked up a cup of Spiritual Tea and said unhurriedly, ”The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi you absorb during your daily meditation is mottled and impure. Although a portion can be refined through your Circulatory Cycles, there are always residues that settle in your Meridians. Over time, this obstructs the smooth flow of spiritual power. Your True Spirit Root talent actually exacerbates this problem because you absorb Spiritual Qi much faster than others.”

He paused, placed a smooth, round Medicinal Pill that emitted a faint fragrance on the table, and pushed it toward Han Yueling.

”This is a ’qingling pill,’ First-Tier High Grade. It’s not particularly precious, but its medicinal properties are gentle, and it can cleanse the Meridians and purify spiritual power. Take it and try; it should be effective.”

Han Yueling looked at the pill, her head buzzing.

The qingling pill... of course she knew it. In the Sect’s Mission Hall, one cost twenty Spirit Stones, and they were often out of stock. Twenty Spirit Stones would require her to do at least two months of hard labor missions to earn.

And he had just given it away so casually.

”This... it’s too valuable, I can’t accept it.” She subconsciously refused.

Li Yifei smiled. ”It’s just a Medicinal Pill, nothing valuable. Since you call me Senior Brother, isn’t it only right for me to guide a Junior Sister’s Cultivation?”

He turned to look at Luo Yunxi on the other side and winked. ”Isn’t that right, Junior Sister Luo?”

Luo Yunxi had been quietly observing from the side, and seeing the look Li Yifei threw her, she understood perfectly.

She immediately showed a sweet smile and took Han Yueling’s hand. ”Yueling, just take it. On Yifei Peak, this is nothing. My husband is very good at Alchemy; we eat Medicinal Pills like jellybeans every day!”

Qin Baobao also nodded vigorously from the side and even pulled a large handful of various First-Tier Medicinal Pills from her Storage Pouch, piling them on the table like treasures. ”Yeah, yeah, Yueling, look! I have so many here! Take whichever one you like!”

Those pills that would cause Qi Refining Disciples outside to fight over them were piled messily on the table, emitting an alluring glow.

Han Yueling’s heart was heavily impacted by this scene.

She looked at Li Yifei’s sincere Face, then at the matter-of-fact expressions of Qin Baobao and Luo Yunxi, and for the first time, she began to doubt the ”transactional” principle she had always adhered to.

Perhaps... he really just wanted to help her?

What was he after?

Her beauty? But on Yifei Peak, Liu Rumei’s charm and Luo Yunxi’s sweetness were not inferior to hers.

Her talent? While a True Spirit Root was good, it wasn’t enough for him to invest so much.

She couldn’t figure it out.

She completely couldn’t figure it out.

It was precisely this inability to understand that sparked a strong curiosity in her toward Li Yifei.

In the end, she didn’t refuse again, only saying softly, ”Thank you, Senior Brother Li,” and then carefully put away the qingling pill.

This conversation did not cross Han Yueling’s bottom line, but it left a deeper, more difficult-to-uproot seed in her heart.