Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 56: Chapter 22: Three Years of Cultivation

During this time, Zhang Tiezhu’s letters and messages, besides expressing his budding romantic feelings, were mainly focused on persuading Li Ji’an to find a way to join the Yan Family.

But today, he prioritized mentioning a particular matter.

”Sister Zhao sent a message, sternly warning to be extremely cautious, discovering someone secretly looking for people who emerged from the Sandstorm Forbidden Land three years ago.”

Frowning for a moment, Li Ji’an slowly released a breath.

Regarding this matter, they had anticipated it when they escaped the Sandstorm Forbidden Land three years ago.

It was precisely for this reason that they kept heading east, spending a whole year to reach this place.

”Golden Splendor Immortal City!”

Golden Splendor Immortal City is located at the northernmost edge of Cangyun State, belonging to the most prosperous cultivation area in Cangyun State, near the core province of Celestial Cyan Domain — Celestial Origin Province.

Previously, when Zhao Shuyao first arrived at Golden Splendor Immortal City with the Commerce Association, she praised the city highly.

Zhang Tiezhu also said that Zhao Shuyao is now working at a business in Golden Splendor Immortal City, suspected of being involved in the intelligence industry, and she inadvertently heard things, promising to keep a careful watch and pass on news at any time.

Three years have passed, and the other party is still searching secretly, which makes Li Ji’an relax a bit.

Before meeting Chen Zhaohu, he was very worried, most afraid of things like tracking from afar, divine soul secret techniques for divine abilities.

It was only after understanding the realm and abilities of cultivators in this world that he truly felt at ease.

The unknown family sent to the Immortal Dynasty were all in the Qi Refining Stage, and those who intercepted were also in the Qi Refining Stage, and they were all outstanding within their clan, enough to demonstrate the strength within their clan.

Perhaps comparable to the Eight Great Clans here, also a Foundation Establishment Clan.

Very unlikely to involve a Core Formation True Man.

The cultivation realm is vast and boundless, with wide territories, and they dare not search openly.

Moreover, Li Ji’an is certain that raising blood slaves in the Immortal Dynasty must be a clandestine matter, and if exposed, it would undoubtedly incur a great cost.

Even their current secret search is probably not for the blood slaves themselves, but to resolve potential leaks.

Thus, the other side must be cautious, fearing that they might be pushed to desperate measures.

”Is it a family within Golden Splendor Immortal City?”

Unless this family’s misdeeds are exposed to the public and the law enforcers here eradicate them, this threat will remain.

The other party secretly searching for them surely knows that they also want to identify them.

This is a game, a game of time.

Let’s see who locks onto the other first.

Picking up the communication talisman again, Li Ji’an was undeterred by this matter.

At this point, internal conflict is useless.

With his current cultivation and strength, merely hiding would only backfire, it would be a joke if he wasn’t captured by them but harmed by unrelated tribulation cultivators instead.

The most crucial thing is to strive to enhance his own strength.

Zhang Tiezhu also mentioned this point later, once again urging Li Ji’an to find a way to join the Yan Family, or other families would do as well.

He enjoyed the Spirit Vein Dao Field of the family and enjoyed the supply of family resources, casting doubt on Li Ji’an’s circumstances.

Especially two months ago, he successfully advanced to Qi Cultivation 2nd Layer, further questioning Li Ji’an’s approach.

”Brother Li, this place is not our homeland, and our talent is at the bottom. If we don’t strive for resources ourselves, there’s no hope for the future. To change fate, one must take risks, and without willingness to risk even a little, there truly is no hope at all...”

Li Ji’an didn’t argue about this statement.

The mentality of a gambler and the spirit of adventure can sometimes be hard to distinguish.

Fortunately, he no longer needs to differentiate; anything risky is equally refused!

He does not need to gamble, nor take adventures.

After putting down the communication talisman given by Zhang Tiezhu, he sighed slightly in his heart. Zhao Shuyao probably had some thoughts because of the previous reply.

Li Ji’an could understand this.

Zhao Shuyao had previously sent a message hoping to come back and spend the rest of their lives together, not knowing about his external support, which was a kind thought since, looking at the situation of the five, Li Ji’an seemed to have the least hope.

But Li Ji’an refused her.

Her inherent mindset of competitiveness must’ve been stirred by the previous reply.

In normal circumstances, Zhang Tiezhu serves the Yan Family and frequently cannot timely receive letters, while Li Ji’an, always serving as the information relay among them, can respond to messages most promptly, yet she chose Zhang Tiezhu.

However, these matters cannot affect him in the slightest.

In the days to come, he maintained a peaceful mindset.

Cultivating, practicing alchemy, earnestly and tirelessly.

Three years slipped by.

”Qi Cultivation 3rd Layer!” Li Ji’an exhaled long and slow, feeling rather satisfied.

After four years in the market, he initially reached Qi Cultivation 1st Layer in just half a year, Qi Cultivation 2nd Layer took a year and a half, and Qi Cultivation 3rd Layer took a full two years.

He was satisfied with this progress.

After all, Chen Qingling, who sensed Nine Threads of Spirit Charm, only advanced to Qi Cultivation 3rd Layer six months ago, despite having started cultivating six months earlier.

Counting it, his cultivation speed with the Spirit Root sensing only two threads of Spirit Charm equalized with the Spirit Root sensing nine threads of Spirit Charm.

The reason is quite simple.

First, he continued cultivating without interruption, practicing daily, his body and divine soul can withstand ten hours, and even if alchemy delays one or two times a month, the time spent on cultivation exceeds that of ordinary cultivators of the same stage by five times.

Second, since three years ago, after frequently studying alchemy techniques with Yan Qingwan, he garnered more of Yan Qingwan’s appreciation, even granting him residence in a small courtyard in the core area for cultivation, where spiritual qi is fifty percent more abundant than Chen Qingling’s place in the east area.

Third, the salary from the pill shop, along with Yan Qingwan’s frequent rewards, even saving on annual rent in the east area, made his spirit stones relatively plentiful, almost achieving spirit rice abundance, and demon beast meat can be supplemented every ten days to half a month.

Fourth, Yan Qingwan’s alchemy skill deepens rapidly under Li Ji’an’s guidance, with the pill formation success rate and pill quality improving rapidly, each furnace could succeed, and the first batch of pill medicines mostly ended up with Li Ji’an under the pretense of experimenting medicinal properties.

Nevertheless, compared to Zhang Tiezhu, he remained slightly inferior.

Even though Zhang Tiezhu left the gathering area a year before him, joining the Yan Family pioneer team only began cultivation after nine months due to merits.

Later, by accidentally seeing Yan Qingwan, he gained more motivation. He frequently achieved merits over the past three years. Last year, during the first half, he already perfected the third layer of Qi Cultivation, and three months ago, during a battle between the Yan Family and Wei Clan, he achieved great merits and was granted the Breaking Rank Pill for middle-stage Qi Cultivation, breaking through to Qi Cultivation 4th Layer, becoming a middle-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator.

Thus, becoming a frontline force of the Yan Family, having more opportunities to earn merits.

”Breaking Rank Pill...” thinking of Zhang Tiezhu, Li Ji’an’s emotions slightly calmed.

The imminent bottleneck at the middle stage of Qi Cultivation naturally requires a Breaking Rank Pill due to his poor spirit root.

Moreover, the price of the Breaking Rank Pill soared due to the clan war over medicinal fields between the Yan Family and Wei Clan that started two years ago.

”Still can’t afford it!”

Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it.

Li Ji’an waved his right hand slowly in front of him.

In the fluctuations of magical power, a dharma mirror appeared before him like water.

Just enough to reflect his current thirty-three-year-old appearance.

His facial features were delicate and well-defined, almost unchanged since he left the Immortal Dynasty six years ago, and his skin had become fairer and tighter due to the nourishments of spiritual qi.

Overall, he looked more handsome and vibrant, worthy of being called a divine beauty, a peerless handsome man.

With a slight smile, the dharma mirror dissipated.

Over the past three years, Yan Qingwan taught him various spells, the dharma mirror being one of them, apart from reflecting his handsome looks, its primary role was to absorb others’ magical power supply, making their magical attacks vanish into thin air.

Apart from this non-attribute magic, he mainly learned two fire magic spells.

Fire Dragon Escape, Blast Flame Slash.

Worth mentioning is, as he expected, his comprehension in studying martial arts in the Immortal Dynasty proved equally effective in learning magic, merely by understanding the core principles of the spell, he could quickly master it.

Yet, due to his low realm, insufficient dantian magical power, the effects of these two spells were not particularly good, their power was actually inferior to his self-developed technique of driving fireballs with Qi and Blood power.

”Now that I’ve advanced to Qi Cultivation 3rd Layer, I wonder if the pill fire can stabilize, whether I can start practicing alchemy?” Thinking of this, Li Ji’an slowly stretched out his hand.

A wisp of golden flame slowly rose.

”Tier One basic pill medicine should suffice!” Carefully sensing for a moment, Li Ji’an was delighted.

Just then, the communication talisman trembled.

Taking it out for a look, there was a message from Yan Tong at the pill shop: ”Come to the pill shop immediately, join us in returning to the clan.”