Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Li Ji’an revealed 60% of his alchemy skill, informing Xiao Changfeng that his current pill refinement and the success rate of top-quality pills were almost equivalent to those of the future second-tier senior Pill Master candidates specifically nurtured by the Biyun Sect.

This made Xiao Changfeng start to take Li Ji’an seriously.

No longer simply considering him a common Loose Cultivator Pill Master.

Nor merely interacting because of the kindness of waking him up eighteen years ago.

His alchemy skill had already qualified him for an equal exchange.

If the sect was short of Pill Medicine, they could even purchase from him.

”Brother Li, I was indeed short-sighted before.” This time, Xiao Changfeng cupped his fist with much more respect.

Li Ji’an didn’t mind: ”Brother Xiao, you’re being too polite.”

From then on, although Xiao Changfeng’s demeanor didn’t change, he clearly spoke more.

He discussed many insights with Li Ji’an and no longer worried about whether some topics were suitable to discuss.

Previously, there were things he wanted to say but feared Li Ji’an wouldn’t understand or would be discouraged; now, he recognized Li Ji’an’s level.

”Brother Li, have you heard of the Infinite Secret Realm in Celestial Origin Province?”

Li Ji’an nodded, recalling eighteen years ago when Yan Qingwan first brought him to the Immortal City, he heard people mention it at the Taiping Inn.

They said the Infinite Secret Realm would open again in twenty years, which meant it would be this year or next.

Two years ago, while researching Heaven and Earth Spirit Flames, he unexpectedly came across detailed records about the Infinite Secret Realm.

Located eighty thousand miles southwest of the Ten Thousand Laws Palace in Celestial Origin Province,

it was an ancient ruin discovered by the Ten Thousand Laws Palace three thousand years ago.

However, this ruin was extraordinary; even the Ten Thousand Laws Palace, with Nascent Soul True Monarchs overseeing, along with the top-tier quasi-fourth tier Array Master leading close to a hundred seasoned Array Masters in an attempt to break the array, could not break through the core restriction inside, despite the True Monarch Patriarch personally taking action.

It took nearly a thousand years and even resulted in the death of a True Monarch Patriarch, only managing to break through the outermost layer of the ruins.

In the end, they had no choice but to give up.

After they had scavenged all valuable items from the outer layer, they unexpectedly discovered an entrance near the inner restriction.

After years of research, they speculated that it was a secret realm of the ancient sect, used to evaluate the luck of Inner Sect Disciples.

The secret realm seemed connected to the interior of the ruins and still functioned normally.

Inside was a small world constructed by an array.

It opens once every hundred years and allows up to a hundred people to enter at one time.

Those below the Foundation Establishment Stage can enter, but marked by the small world, can only enter once in a lifetime and forget everything that occurs inside once they exit.

The Ten Thousand Laws Palace subsequently arranged for disciples to enter, and over nearly a thousand years, arranged ten batches of disciples, a total of a thousand people entered.

Ultimately, 30% obtained some fortuitous chance, mostly Pill Medicine, herbs, Spirit Fruits, and low-tier Magical Artifacts for the early and middle Qi Cultivation Stage, with only 10% obtaining late Qi Cultivation Stage opportunities.

Out of a thousand people, only three obtained Foundation Establishment opportunities,

one of which was an almost extinct Dao Source Fruit; it’s said that the Foundation Establishment Pill was modeled after its effects, and a hundred-year Dao Source Fruit could increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment by 30%, while a thousand-year Spiritual Source Fruit could almost guarantee a successful Foundation Establishment.

The second was a Visualization Image that could strengthen spiritual sense during the Qi Cultivation Stage.

The third was Ancient Barbaric Beast Essence Blood, used for body refining.

Besides these, only one person obtained a Core Formation opportunity, which was a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object helpful for the condensation of liquid Magical Power into a pill.

Until a thousand years ago, the Ten Thousand Laws Palace concluded that the secret realm called Wuji Hall suited only those with deep fortune, and the highest opportunity should be for Core Formation.

Afterwards, to showcase its overarching style and demonstrate the Ten Thousand Laws Palace’s domain over the Celestial Cyan Domain, they made this secret realm public.

And allocated quotas to sects in each province.

The Biyun Sect happened to have five quotas.

Over another thousand years, after a thousand people entered for exploration, the results were similar to the first millennium, only the types of things obtained varied, leading to speculation that the secret realm likely connects to the sect’s internal treasury, automatically replenishing fortuitous chances each time it opens.

To this day, no one has been hurt or killed.

Li Ji’an naturally wanted to have a go.

Not for luck, of course, but to test whether the memory loss within the secret realm might reappear in the next life.

However, he estimated that it would be difficult to obtain a quota in this lifetime.

”Brother Xiao, did you get a quota this time?” Li Ji’an asked.

Xiao Changfeng nodded with a smile, ”Lucky, it’s all luck. Remember when we participated in trials back then, I almost always passed by luck. There were rumors within the sect that my luck was good, that I had deep fortune, haha. Thus, the elders in the sect gave me a quota.

However, it’s agreed that if I gain a Core Formation opportunity, I must hand it over to the sect.”

”Congratulations, Brother Xiao, with your deep fortune, even I’m looking forward to what surprises you’ll bring back.”

”Afraid I’ll disappoint you. I’ve always thought I didn’t have much luck. If I were truly fortunate, would I have such a turbulent life?” Xiao Changfeng laughed and waved his hand dismissively.

——

Just like that, with a casual chit-chat along the way, the journey became much lighter and less monotonous.

To prevent Xiaoqiao from being bored, Li Ji’an had prepared some cookware and ingredients for her in advance, so she had something to occupy herself with.

Notably, shortly after leaving the Biyun Sect’s area of influence, Li Ji’an, with his powerful Divine Sense, sensed two groups of Tribulation Cultivators ambushed in the distance. But before they could make a move, Xiao Changfeng’s attire as an Inner Sect Disciple of the Biyun Sect scared them away.

Xiao Changfeng himself didn’t even notice.

Two months later, just after passing through a wide Spirit Starved Land, the Spiritual Qi gradually began to rise, indicating a nearby Spirit Vein.

That day, as they were flying through the air on a Flying Boat, Li Ji’an’s eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Because he sensed a bloody aura ahead.

Soon, Xiao Changfeng suddenly stood up, concentrating to sense what was ahead on the side.

”Brother Li, something seems wrong over there.”

As the sect governs Cangyun State, the Biyun Sect has the authority to protect the province.

”You stay here and wait for me; I’ll be back shortly.” Although he acknowledged Li Ji’an’s current status and value as a seasoned top-grade Pill Master, the prejudice that Pill Masters are not adept at fighting still existed, and naturally, he wanted to protect Li Ji’an.

”Alright, Brother Xiao, be very careful, know your enemy, and don’t rush recklessly into danger.” Li Ji’an agreed and stayed put with Xiaoqiao.

Xiao Changfeng nodded, first casting a technique towards where Li Ji’an stood.

”Brother Li, remain in this area and wait. This is my painstakingly refined Defense Technique, Quicksand Domain. It can withstand even a formidable late Qi Cultivation Stage foe for a moment. I’ll be back.”

As his words fell, Li Ji’an felt the ground beneath him tremble, and within five zhang around him, the earth surged like quicksand, poised to strike.

He felt that if an external enemy attacked, sand walls would rise to fend off the assault.

”Thank you, Brother Xiao!” Li Ji’an expressed his gratitude earnestly.

It was only then that Xiao Changfeng redirected the Flying Boat and flew towards the southeast.

No sooner did he leave on his mission than Li Ji’an released Gugu, instructing it to follow Xiao Changfeng and share its vision with him.

Soon after, Gugu caught up with Xiao Changfeng, and its perspective was projected into Li Ji’an’s Sea of Consciousness.

Ahead was a mundane gathering area, smaller than the one near the Desert United Marketplace.

And now it looked utterly devastated, with bodies piled along the roads and blood flowing like a river!