Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 100: Chapter 13: Cultivation in the Second Life

The moment of Divine Sense convergence just now, feeling the response of heaven and connecting the mechanism of heaven and earth, was a mysterious state, as if it merged with the great way of heaven and earth.

Not only did it break through the restriction shielding of the meditation room, but even Fake Pill True Man and Yan Qingwan had no sensing at all.

At this moment, having left the main hall, Yan Qingwan couldn’t help but speak: ”Fan’Er, are you not even satisfied with being an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple?”

Li Ji’an could no longer hold himself back, stumbled, and immediately sat cross-legged on the ground to consolidate the Sea of Consciousness where his Divine Sense had just converged.

This was also considered the greatest harvest of this journey.

Moments later, after his Sea of Consciousness became stable, Li Ji’an then smiled and replied: ”Aunt, only now did I understand from the steward’s explanation of the sect rules that being an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple means not just being unable to receive the Sect Holy Technique. It also requires frequent execution of sect tasks and even forced entry into secret realm trials, which carry numerous risks. Apparently, every year there’s some casualty in the secret realm trials.

My father once said: If you desire the Evergreen of the Immortal Path, ensuring safety first is paramount.”

”...” Yan Qingwan was instantly stunned.

Although she didn’t believe Li Ji’an would know about the enticing overtures from the sect elder inside the meditation room just now, she never expected that he would give up for this reason.

”Brother Li himself, unwilling to take risks all his life, not fighting, that’s fine, but he actually teaches Fan’Er this way?”

In the Cultivation Realm, resources are king; opportunities and fortunes must be strived for by oneself.

If one is not willing to take even a slight risk, should he wait for resources and opportunities to fall on his head?

Moreover, sect trials are also for honing magical power; life-and-death battles can enhance understanding, benefiting breakthrough of realm bottlenecks.

Those Wilderness Clans wanting to enter the secret realm to seek fortune have no opportunity; even if knowing there’s a fifty percent death rate, they would still rush forward.

Cultivation is indeed a narrow bridge trodden by thousands, how can not fight and strive be sufficient?

Even she, as a core offspring nurtured by the family since childhood, has tried her utmost to strive along the way, adventuring when needed.

Striving for cultivation resources, striving to become a Pill Master, striving for the clan’s Foundation Establishment support.

...

Frowning for a moment, Yan Qingwan felt relieved.

As a father without family burdens and inheritance pressures, not demanding his children to achieve greatness, only wishing them peace and joy, is also a form of love!

This love might be purer than the desire for one’s children to excel.

At least she questions herself and wonders if she could achieve this if she had children.

After all, her grandfather had high hopes for her father, wishing him to excel, and then her father had the same expectations for her, wishing her to succeed; suddenly not expecting the next generation... difficult.

”Good! Aunt finally understands.” Yan Qingwan looked at Li Ji’an and finally realized that her previous decisions for him were merely based on her own understanding and thinking.

Perhaps Brother Li sent him into the clan not reckoning he could travel far along the Dao path but rather wishing him peace and joy.

Saying no more, the two left the Biyun Sect.

Returned to the Golden Splendor Immortal City again, Zhao Shuyao learned of the result, felt a bit regretful, but still encouraged him not to be discouraged, advancing step by step slowly as the future is unknown, leaving a Communication Jade Talisman and advised Li Ji’an not to lose contact.

She didn’t say anything else that might cause Yan Qingwan to misunderstand, after all, Li Ji’an going back to the Yan Family now is still the best outcome, at least he can more steadily pass through the early period of Qi Cultivation.

On that day, Yan Qingwan took Li Ji’an to return.

Four months ago, Li Ji’an’s Spirit Testing shocked the clan, and his journey started with the clan members showing much admiration, brimming with expectation.

Now upon returning, judging from the result alone, it somewhat seemed like a disappointing return.

However, both Yan Qingwan and Li Ji’an himself understood the genuine reason, feeling quite at ease inwardly.

It was not that the Biyun Sect looked down on Li Ji’an, but that Li Ji’an gave up on Biyun Sect.

Yan Qingwan couldn’t tell others about the sect’s attempt to poach him, as it could easily stir up suspicion within the clan.

Li Ji’an, on the other hand, has clear thoughts and his own stable plan.

The greatest expectation from the previous life for this life was that the Spirit Root could be slightly better, and the early challenges begin at the Yan Family, without worrying about livelihood while cultivating.

Now these were fulfilled.

The sect trip was not entirely fruitless; at least the three-day comprehension trial unexpectedly allowed him to break through the shackles of his Divine Soul from the previous life.

Now with early-stage Foundation Establishment Divine Sense, he could assure safety almost in the Desert.

Four months later, Yan Qingwan brought Li Ji’an back to the clan.

Besides some expressions of regret, there were inevitably some gossipy words, after all, by participating in the sect trials, Li Ji’an actually had cut ties with the family.

Now, returning again, some opinions from the lower-tier clan members are also normal.

An outsider occupying shared resources of the clan harms their direct interests.

That evening, the Patriarch Yan Zongsheng approached him.

Firstly, representing the clan, he discussed future development with him.

If Li Ji’an can change his surname and swear a Great Heart Demon Oath to never leave the Yan Family for life, the Yan Family will treat him as a core disciple, and all resources will depend on his future performance, but it’s made clear that he should not expect Foundation Establishment.

This condition was actually a natural thought of Yan Zongsheng before Li Ji’an underwent Spirit Testing. At that time, he thought Li Ji’an joined the family with the Immortal Ascension Order to become part of the Yan Family; changing his surname would be an honor, but the test results made him realize he couldn’t assume things unilaterally anymore.

Li Ji’an anticipated this early on and never hoped they would treat him as a core family member. As long as they fulfilled promises from his previous life, allowing him to cultivate at the family’s Dao Field would be enough.

As for free Pill Medicine provided within the family, to be honest, he wouldn’t consume them even if given for life. Experience from his past life taught him that non-upper-grade Pill Medicine accelerating cultivation resulted in thin magical power and some side effects. Even in this life, he would only consume upper-grade ones he refined himself.

After politely declining this condition, Yan Zongsheng, in his personal capacity, reached a consensus. Solely relying on the Alchemy Inheritance left behind in his previous life and achievements such as helping Yan Qingwan become a senior Pill Master, he could stay in the Yan Family to cultivate, but wouldn’t receive extra resources, nor any restrictions.

The next day, Yan Qingwan personally passed on the upper-grade cultivation technique ”Flame Dragon Technique” to him, but he signed a Divine Soul Contract promising not to pass it on to others. He was also invited to be a Pill Child, though without salary, he could receive guidance in the Alchemy Dao.

Later, Yan Kongyi personally invited him to be a Talisman Child with a monthly salary of one Spirit Stone.

Yan Hongsheng was even more straightforward, giving his own Spirit Stones as he pleased, embodying the idea that future generations enjoy the shade provided by the trees planted by their predecessors. His father had already planted the tree for him, so why shouldn’t he enjoy its shade? He was determined to teach Li Ji’an Body Refining.

Additionally, he moved away from Ancestor Qingwan’s Dao Field and was assigned a small courtyard at the edge of the Spirit Vein Land.

While it only had middle-grade Tier-One Spirit Vein Spiritual Qi saturation, it was sufficient for his Qi Cultivation Stage, and key was its quietness without disturbances; Gugu finally had a stable home after so many years of wandering.

Thus, family members’ mouths were silenced, and openly there were no more rumors.

Li Ji’an finally began his stable cultivation path in this life...

Far ahead compared to his previous life!

----------

Three years passed in a blink.

”Qi Cultivation 4th Layer!” During these three years, Li Ji’an prioritized cultivating magical power, temporarily postponing the requests from Yan Qingwan, Yan Kongyi, and Yan Hongsheng, and focused wholeheartedly on cultivation.

With a strong physique and Divine Soul, he trained five times more daily than a typical early-stage Qi Cultivation individual.

In his past life, after three years, he barely reached Qi Cultivation 3rd Layer, and that was due to consuming many trial Pill Medicines from Yan Qingwan. In this life, in three years, he directly broke through to middle-stage Qi Cultivation.

Three months ago, he had already reached Third-Layer Perfection of Qi Cultivation.

With past experiences of bottlenecks at the middle-stage Qi Cultivation, he’s well aware of the principles; those with poor Spirit Roots mainly suffer from insufficient Spiritual Pressure caused by absorbing Spiritual Qi to transform their Dantian, hence the need for Breaking Rank Pills.

In this life, his nineteen strands of Fire Spirit Root absorb Spiritual Qi efficiency nearly tenfold of his past life; Spiritual Pressure isn’t an issue. Once he comprehended the transformation of the Dantian and the principle of gaseous magical power condensing into mist, he accomplished it almost in one go.

Taking three months to break through was merely a quest for stability, as there wasn’t any bottleneck for him in the middle-stage Qi Cultivation.

”Compared to the peak of my past life, my magical power is more refined and thicker, thus the refined Pill Fire can directly attempt mid-stage Elixirs, and it should be sufficient for Talisman Making,” he contentedly sensed this.

”You’ve broken through?” Just after recovering, a loud shout came from outside the courtyard; it was Zhang Tiezhu’s youngest son, Yan Qing.

For these three years, Yan Qing frequently visited him, sharing insights each time.

Yan Qing was two years older, with eleven strands of Spirit Charm middle-grade Spirit Root, and half a year ago also broke through to Qi Cultivation 4th Layer without the aid of Breaking Rank Pills.

”By chance,” Li Ji’an invited him into the courtyard.

”Dad wasn’t wrong. You really are like your dad; a genius, huh!” Yan Qing exclaimed.

”Uncle Tiezhu praises too much.”

”Hey, aren’t you considering joining the Yan Family? You don’t have to change your surname. Just like my dad, you can marry a Yan Family lady.” Yan Qing advised again.

Li Ji’an quickly waved his hand, ”Brother Qing, please don’t persuade anymore; everyone has their ambitions, and I have mine.”

”Why, do you really think you can aim for Foundation Establishment? It’s not easy outside.” Yan Qing shook his head.

Li Ji’an didn’t speak further.

After seeing Yan Qing off, Li Ji’an activated his Divine Sense, and a froghead emerged from the pond beside the courtyard.

”Endure a bit more, polishing isn’t bad. Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I will certainly get you a Blood Coagulation Pill to help you break through to Tier Two.” Gugu had reached Tier One Late Period Perfection five years ago, but with its lower-grade bloodline talent, autonomous breakthrough to Tier Two was nearly impossible without Blood Coagulation Pill assistance.

However, Blood Coagulation Pills are even more scarce than Foundation Establishment Pills; he couldn’t provide them yet.

All he could do was encourage constantly.

Moreover, since the second life rejuvenation at the Yan Family, it spent almost all seven years hunting in the mountains, self-sufficient.

Li Ji’an believed without the Beast Taming Token control, it might have left him already, so over these three years, he frequently took time to nurture intimacy; the relationship had somewhat warmed.

After cultivating intimacy with Gugu for a while, his chest suddenly vibrated.

Retrieving the Communication Talisman, Li Ji’an raised an eyebrow slightly.

It’s Xiao Changfeng.

A year ago, Xiao Changfeng suddenly sent word, informing Li Ji’an of his proactive decision to withdraw, allowing Xiao Changfeng to fill the gap and become an Inner Sect Disciple as desired, grateful for Li Ji’an’s favor. He then sent a Communication Talisman, maintaining contact.

Previously, during a transmission, Li Ji’an asked him to inquire about Zhu Linxian, as amongst five who arrived in the Cultivation Realm, Zhu Linxian was the only one disappeared without a trace.

Finally, there was a lead.